Hello students, I noticed some students having challenges with Homework #4 from Class 17, so I have delayed the start of this lesson to review that homework and add some more details on working with Green Tree Snail. Please let me know if this makes sense for you. Also, in an effort to satisfy a variety of student interests, there are lots of links below. Please feel free to pick and choose or skip as many as you wish. Seashell Blessings! Shell INDEPENDENT STUDY: Module 2, Class 18 Please note: The pictures and comments in the transcript and recording below have been gathered over many years and where possible, I attribute them to their original source. If anyone connected with these photographs or comments would like them removed, please notify me and I will be happy to comply. The Class 18 mp4 video is about 51 minutes long. Class 18: Shell #s: 84,83,82,81 In Class 17, we took our shell reading adventure another step. We have progressed from two shells in a reading, to five. Once the shells number more than two, where do you start? If an arrangement allows for this, I read from left to right and top to bottom. Since this is my approach, the shells know this, and when a client selects and arranges shells, the pattern will be intended to be read from left to right and top to bottom. Once you graduate, you are welcome to set your own intention, but for the purposes of this course we will all keep the left to right, top to bottom approach. The value of intention also applies to the meanings of the shells. I want to begin this class with a few clarifications. Both the Green Tree Snail and the Imperial Harp shell address a change of behavior. I want to be more specific for you. During this course, these shells will indicate that the client is heading in the opposite direction from previous behavior. With that in common, let’s look at the meaning of the Green Tree Snail and how it differs from the Imperial Harp. The Harp tells us that a behavior will change voluntarily or by force. This means circumstances outside the client’s own thoughts or desires will present an opportunity for the client to change. If the change does not happen of their own volition, something will happen to force them to make a change. The Green Tree Snail is different. The thought process is “been there, done that, don’t want to do this anymore.” In other words, there is self- recognition that something is getting old and no longer serves this client. Change may or may not take place, but it is all under the client’s control. Examples from Class 17 were around pursuit of money. One client was using illegal activity, Either the Green Tree Snail, or the Imperial Harp would indicate the client will decrease this behavior. With Nassa Snail and Money Cowrie combined with Wentletrap, the pursuit of money was the goal, and the client did not care who was deceived in the process. Let’s take Bernie Madoff as an extreme example. He was willing to con members of his family and friends out of huge sums of money knowing full well he had no intention of returning a penny. If he adds the Green Tree Snail, change of comfort zone, perhaps he is no longer willing to deceive friends or family in pursuit of money. With the Imperial Harp, his behavior will change through an outside source…. the Crown Conch reveals that the threat of prison may force a change. Either way, with the Green Tree Snail, or Imperial Harp, the direction of change will be away from criminal behavior. Our other client pursued money by working day and night, as revealed by the Candelabra Trophon. With the Imperial Harp, she would stop this pattern due to outside intervention. Quahog Clam revealed that possible health consequences may force a change. What if this client had Green Tree Snail instead of Imperial Harp? (See next page) With Green Tree Snail, can you think of any reason other than her health that this client would decide to cut back on being a workaholic…what could get her thinking “been there, done that, don’t want to do this anymore.” There are many possibilities…. one possibility is that she may discover she is missing her social life and it is not worth it. Another is she may notice the toll from lack of sleep. When the Green Tree Snail is disliked, it means the client has no desire to change. No matter what the shells reveal, how uncomfortable the situation may be, the client is not willing to change because this is known territory. Change would mean the unknown, and some people prefer the devil they know. Change could be paradise, but it could also be hell, and some do not want to take the risk. Now, when used in a reading, the Green Tree Snail will reveal where the client stands on his willingness to change whatever situation is revealed through the other shells. In your homework from Class 17, we used Green Tree Snail with the Watering Pot. We can make a chart: Watering Pot (Degree of willingness to take responsibility) Like=Willing to reap what you sow, take responsibility for your actions Dislike=Not willing to take responsibility, tendency to blame others Green Tree Snail (Degree of willingness to change your comfort zone) Like =Willing to change your comfort zone, something is getting old or no longer serves you Dislike=Not willing to change, possibly fear of the unknown You would use the reaction to the Green Tree Snail to determine how willing the client is to change from the behavior of the other shells in the reading. In your homework exercise from Class 17, you had four clients who all selected the Watering Pot and Green Tree Snail, but they varied in their reactions to these two shells. I have created a representation of all four readings on the next page. Based upon their reactions to these shells, let’s see what insights we gain from these combinations for each of these clients. Panel 1: What if a client likes the Watering Pot and dislikes the Green Tree Snail? If we combine willingness to take responsibility with disliking the Green Tree Snail, that is someone who is not willing to change. This person will continue to take responsibility for his own actions with no desire to behave any differently. Now, let’s look at a different combination. When someone dislikes the Watering Pot, this is a person who never takes responsibility for his actions. He is a follower, needing someone to blame when things don't succeed. Panel 2: If a client disliked the Watering Pot, and liked the Green Tree Snail, what would this tell you about his feeling of taking responsibility for his actions? If he likes the Green Tree Snail, the combination means this is getting old. Subconsciously he wants to make a change. If he was a follower, that means he might start making his own decisions and taking more responsibility for what he creates. Panel 3: Now, what if the client dislikes both shells? He is not willing to take responsibility for his actions, and has no desire to change that behavior. As we have discussed, when someone does not like the Green Tree Snail, they prefer to avoid the unknown. This person will continue to be a follower. In an earlier class on the Watering Pot, we learned that some people believe it is too risky to make their own decisions because they expect things to fail. Panel 4: The last combination is what if the client likes both shells? If the Watering Pot is liked, the client is willing to take responsibility for his actions. When we combine this with liking the Green Tree Snail, it means taking responsibility is getting old. This client subconsciously wants to make a change. In other words, he may be less likely to take responsibility. This may seem odd to some of you, why would someone change from taking responsibility? If the client had a healthy balance regarding taking responsibility, the shells would not be in his reading because they would not need to deliver a message about his hidden thoughts or beliefs. So, liking Green Tree Snail tells us when it comes to taking responsibility, something is no longer serving this client. Disliking the Watering Pot means we have someone who blames everyone else and takes no responsibility. Liking the Watering Pot means we have someone who takes full responsibility. Liking the Green Tree Snail tells us something is out of balance and no longer serves this client. This client might have blamed himself for everything. Someone else failed at a task, and the client thought it was his fault because he lacked patience and rushed someone, or put too much pressure on someone, or was not smart enough to explain something correctly, etc. so even though the other person failed, the client thinks it is his fault. Liking Green Tree Snail means this client is now willing to consider that some things were not his fault. If anyone reading this transcript is having difficulty with this, please let me know. I want to be sure this is clear because the Green Tree Snail is such a fabulous tool in the Ocean Oracle kit! You will be able to determine where your client stands on willingness to change any behavior that is revealed through the shells.