My encounter and evolving relationship with the Tarot (Part 3 of 3)

The World from the Tarot of Marseilles

Historically, the Tarot has been used  as a card game and later on for divination purposes. It can be divided into two parts: The 22 Trumps or Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. There are 4 suits within the Minor Arcana (Swords, Batons, Cups and Coins) each containing 10 Pip Cards from the Ace to number 10 plus 4 additional court cards (Knave, Knight, Queen and King). The earliest most complete surviving Tarot deck dates back to 1450 is the Visconti-Sforza deck from Northern Italy. The language of Neo Platonic allegories, Biblical narratives and depictions of Queens, Kings and Popes present in the Tarot takes us back to the time and culture of the Renaissance and right at the time of Christopher Columbus.

The Star from the Visconti Sforza Tarot

Subsequently, in 1909 the artist Pamela Coleman Smith created the illustrations for what is now known as the Rider-Waite Tarot or Waite-Smith Tarot the best known Tarot deck from which the majority of decks derive from. What made the Rider-Waite deck so appealing to new audiences was the fact that Smith had illustrated the minor suits with human figures and narratives that made it much easier to interpret and read. Before that, Tarot decks such as the Tarot of Marseilles (1748), only had abstract depictions of swords, cups, batons and coins. It is noteworthy to mention that Smith used Medieval and Renaissance figures to illustrate the scenes in all her cards.

Two of Staffs from the Rider Waite Tarot.

As an artist with a Roman Catholic background and growing up during the 1980's and 90's in the island of Puerto Rico, the oldest colony in the Western Hemisphere, I've had a deep interest in reconnecting with the past. Besides being drawn initially to the art of the Renaissance from the very beginning of my art studies, from the elementary school text books to my travels through Latin America, the figure of Columbus and the images of the conquest and colonization of the New World have captivated my imagination as an artist.

Vespucci awakens "America" in a Stradanus engraving (circa 1638)

20 years ago I started incorporating these narratives into my paintings. At the beginning I was influenced by Eduardo Galeano's Open veins of Latin America and Liberation Theology. With time I got more interested in re-telling the story of climate change by tracing its origins to the time of Columbus. In drawings, paintings and altarpieces, my work responded to the global capitalist/consumerist society with its indifference to the rising threat of climate change and social injustice The hidden connections between American consumer culture propaganda and Spanish Colonial Art and Latin American history are  revealed in this deck I've created.

The Sun from the Tarot Novi Mundi by Patrick McGrath Muñiz. 

The Tarot Novi Mundi (Tarot of the New World) inspired by Catholic Iconography, derives mainly from the history of the Americas but also from personal experiences, reinterpreting the iconography found in the 78 Arcanas of the Tarot while addressing social and environmental issues in our present day world.  Through the use of satirical narratives and anachronisms I aim at questioning the ruling Corpocracy with its Colonial roots, Neo-colonial ramifications and it's inept response to environmental crisis and its impact on the community, especially the poor. These have been my main concerns when making art and this deck is essentially a compendium of the recurring archetypes, narratives and themes in already present in my work.  

THE SEED (2014) Oil on canvas 48 x 48 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz. Private Collection.

Every card presents a story, much like an Old Master painting. It made perfect sense to me to re-tell the story of the Americas using the Tarot as it is a product of the same time in which the New and Old World collided bringing about a turning point in human history and dawn of globalization with all its ills and benefits. The Tarot commonly used for fortune telling has a special appeal  to us in a time of political uncertainty and environmental fragility. We are now living in a time of  increased nuclear threat, climate change and technological disruption. The 21st century global culture driven by consumerism and free market policies is part of a larger complex anthropocentric process that like the Tarot, started in the fifteenth century with the encounter and collision of two worlds. The Tarot with its esoteric and exoteric symbolism, both enigmatic and strangely familiar provided me with the perfect story telling format to describe the way I see and understand the world around me.

The Star, Three of Staffs and The World cards from Tarot Novi Mundi by Patrick McGrath Muñiz. 

The use of Latin in the titles of each card relate directly to the history of Empire and the Church. English, French and Spanish, all languagues of past empires are also used in smaller letters. After being shown at The Jung Center in Houston this year, it is now in the process of being edited before being publishing by US Games. The deck will include a booklet explaining the meaning behind each card and how to interpret them in a reading. If you're interested in updates and purchasing this deck once it is published, you can visit my artist website and subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with the latest news on it.  

Ten of Coins from he Tarot Novi Mundi by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Hope you enjoyed reading and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My encounter and evolving relation with the Tarot (Part 2 of 3)

EL EMIGRANTE & EL ARTISTA (2011) Oil and gold leaf on panel 11.5 x 23.5

 from the Mcolonial Citizens series.

In 2011 I worked on a series of oil paintings and gold leaf on panel titled  The Mcolonial Citizens. This represented my first direct exploration into some of the archetypes found in the Tarot. Since I was interested in issues related to social injustice and inequality in the Americas from colonial times to the present,  the Series E/S Conditions of Man from the Mantegna Tarocchi made perfect sense as a point of departure and inspiration for this collection. On  these 12 pieces also found inspiration in the Spanish Colonial "Casta" paintings and the portraits of 18th century Puerto Rican painter Jose Campeche. From the Beggar to the CEO, these "Neo-Colonial" portraits respond to the present socio-economic living conditions in a capitalist/consumer driven society.  The Mcolonial Citizens were shown at Petrus Gallery in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2012.

EL MENDIGO & LA AMA DE CASA (2011) Oil and gold leaf on panel 11.5 x 23.5

 from the Mcolonial Citizens series.

 EMPERATRIZ & EMPERADOR (2013) Oil and gold leaf on panel from the Devocionales series.

In 2012 and 2013 a second wave of work inspired after the Tarot was created, titled Devocionales: Neo Colonial Retablos from an Archetypal Perspective. These "Neo-Colonial" retablos were derived directly from the Major Arcana from the Tarot  of Marseille, one of the oldest surviving Tarot decks. As with the Mcolonial I aimed at the issues of social inequality and consumer culture taking inspiration in Spanish Colonial Art and Latin American history. The difference this time was in scale, complexity and the use of several Tarot decks as source of inspiration, but mainly the Tarot of Marseille. In large gilded altar like poliptychs I incorporated multiple historical narratives, tying them all together with a common archetypal theme.  This body of work along with some of the Mcolonial Citizens were exhibited at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, in Mesa, Arizona in 2013. 

EL MAGO & LA PAPISA (2013) Oil and gold leaf on panel from the Devocionales series.

In the following years, from 2014 to 2016 the work kept evolving  while I incorporated and developed the archetypal language of the Tarot in it as well as visual elements derived from Alchemy Astrology and Mythology.

TEMPUS FUGIT (2014) Oil and gold leaf on panel 36 x 31 inches.

By the end of 2016 after my re-encounter my old cards, I decided it was the right time to create my very first deck of cards, the Tarot Novi Mundi. After much research and creative exploration I wanted to create a deck that reflected my personal experiences from my childhood years growing up in Puerto Rico to my travels through Latin America. I also wanted to integrate some of the narratives from a book that was highly influential in my art since 1999. I'm talking about Memorias del Fuego by Eduardo Galeano, a compendium of short stories from the history of the Americas. I read this trilogy while traveling through Peru in 1998 and it had a huge impact in the way I understood the history of Latin America. Galeano as an incredible storyteller portrayed the story of the Americas as an ongoing history of conquest, colonization and exploitation of people's and resources in the name of the Crown, Church and Capital. At that time I felt  a strong  urge  to re-tell these stories through  Art. Even though I no longer fully agree  with all the Marxist views and post colonial theories expressed by Galeano, Cesaire and others, I do see the need to respond to the issues of colonization, immigration, social injustice and the ruling corpocracy in the Americas from a historical perspective and through Art.

6 BASTA (6 of Wands) PONTIFEX MAXIMUS (The Pope) & 2 BASTA (2 of Wands) 

Three cards from the Tarot Novi Mundi

The Tarot provided me with the perfect platform for such endeavor. Originating during the Renaissance, in the age of Columbus and the dawn of globalization, the Tarot has been used for playing cards games and fortune telling. Within this context in mind It wasn't too hard to see how the story of the Americas could be retold, yet it would be impossible to include all the important stories in 78 cards. With more than 500 years of social struggles, individual stories and historical turning points, I had to get creative, but  also very selective with the stories I wanted to tell.  Since it is my first Tarot deck, I decided to make it more personal and stick with the historical narratives that somehow struck a chord in me as an artist. I also took some creative liberty to incorporate some of my own stories into the cards, recognizing and embracing my own bias and personal experiences informing my understanding of history.  With this in mind I worked for a whole year in 2017 on  the deck. On the next and last part of this blog article I'll discuss in more detail the soon to be published Tarot Novi Mundi.

My encounter and evolving relation with the Tarot (Part 1 of 3)

PONTIFEX MAXIMUS (The Pope Card) From my first Tarot Deck Tarot Novi Mundi

 It was in December 2016, that I finally started to work on my first formal Tarot deck, The Tarot Novi Mundi (New World Tarot). I've had the project in mind for years, being intrigued by the mysterious deck of cards and incorporating the imagery in many of my paintings starting in 2005.   In the following blog article, divided in three parts, I'll share my first encounter with the Tarot, how I've used it in my work to how I eventually created my first deck of cards.

VIRGEN DE LAS REVELACIONES (2013) (Detail) Oil and gold leaf on panel 31 x 47 inches. Private Collection.

As I mentioned this project has been haunting me for some time with people constantly asking me when I was going to do it. But it wasn't until  September, 2016 when I re-discovered my very first deck of cards, the 1JJ Swiss Tarot, that the epiphany and great moment of revelation came to me. The original 1JJ Swiss Tarot, inspired after the earlier Tarot of Marseille was made around 1860 by Johannes Müller  in Diessenhofen, Switzerland and reprinted by US Games Stuart R. Kaplan in 1970. In 2016 I travelled to Puerto Rico to visit my mother. I incidentally found the deck hidden behind some books in my mom's house in Aguadilla, while looking for childhood memories and toys I grew up with.  The cards were in it's original box wrapped in a small plastic bag to keep them from humidity and bugs. I felt as if for some mysterious reason these cards had a special purpose and meaning in my life so I brought the cards with me to Houston, Texas, where I currently live.

Exactly one year later (2017) Hurricane Maria hit the island, killing people, sweeping much of the already debilitated infrastructure and destroying many homes including my mother's house. Luckily my mom was safe and sound in Florida at the time. Not much survived in the house after the hurricane and the looting in the aftermath. I can't help but think of all the things I could have saved from the house, If I just knew beforehand. From old books, to photos, memories and so much artwork,  most of it now gone forever. But somehow and for some reason I managed to bring back this compact deck of cards with me. 

My mother's house and childhood home  in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017

I remember well the day and circumstances which led me to acquire this deck in the first place, back in Puerto Rico in 1993. Right before going to the movie theater to see Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness,  my brother, our friend Cesar and I  stopped by a bookshop. Cesar bought a Tarot deck wanting to know his future. After shuffling the cards and asking a question about his future, The Devil, The Tower and the nine of swords came out. We joked about his ongoing bad luck and after watching the movie, we were on our way home when all of the sudden Cesar's car's engine broke down in the middle of the road in Aguadilla. We had to walk to the mall and call mom to pick us up. Convinced the cards were responsible for his bad luck, Cesar decided to sell the cards to me for a just five bucks.  At the time I did not think much of it other than having fun using the cards with friends. I did not really believe in the power of fortune telling, was not specially superstitious and to this day remain a skeptic. But the cards had a grip on my imagination and I always thought there was something more to them. I was intrigued by the both familiar and obscure archetypes found in the 22 Major Arcana.

THE DISNEYRICAN DREAMER (2013) Oil on Canvas 24 x 30 inches
Our friend Cesar known in the barrio as "Cesar, el loco" served as a model for this piece.

 That year I graduated from high school and went on to study painting at The School of Fine Arts in San Juan. At the time I was drawn to the mystical as well as the work of the Old Masters, but the Tarot wasn't present in my visual repertoire. It wasn't until 2005, when I was pursuing my M.F.A. at the Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, Georgia, that a renewed interest in the Tarot took over me. At the time I was reading books on Alchemy, History and Colonialism. Although my thesis IConsumer revolved around the issues of Spanish Colonial Art Iconography and American Consumerism, I kept the Tarot as part of my visual toolbox of symbols and archetypes.

INSULA IGNOMINIAE IN LIMBUS EST (2005) Oil and metal leaf on canvas 58 x 46 inches

INSULA IGNOMINIAE IN LIMBUS EST (2005) detail with Cemi , Consumer Products and Tarot cards.

IMMACULATE IMPLANTS (2008) Oil on triptych canvas 72 x 36 inches Artist's Collection.

IMMACULATE IMPLANTS (2008) Detail showing Tequila bottle, white rose, candle, human skull and Hermit Tarot Card.

With time my personal exploration and interest in Tarot intensified.  Once I graduated in 2007, I started looking at the Pagan roots of Christian Iconography. This led me into the exploration of mythological narratives that  later in 2008-2010 I combined with Christian Icons and my appropriated consumer culture brands, logos and fast food characters.  By 2011 I was already studying archetypal astrology and infusing my work with deeper meaning. This was also the time I started to seriously consider creating a Tarot deck of cards. On the second part of this article, I'll further discuss how I saw all these connections and how the archetypes from all these traditions came together in my paintings. Stay tuned for more as this is just the beginning. 

HOMO STULTUS (The Fool) - AS BASTORUM (Ace of Batons) - 7 DENARII (7 of Coins)
Three cards from the Tarot Novi Mundi

New Year Resolutions? Why not start with just one: Self-Control.

 THE AGE OF MAN (2017) Oil and Goldleaf on triptych panel 16 x 11 inches 

                                                 by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

It is a new year and like all years, we often think and plan our resolutions. Year after year we may start to notice most of these fail. Bad habits are hard to break and as soon as we start adding more to a list of things to change, we inevitably make it harder to focus on our goal. After trying out different work schedules and thinking about all the problems in the world I started to see a connection between the one thing that I could improve within myself and if we all set our minds and will to it, change the world for the better. As an artist I'm often thinking about relations and correspondences between the macro and micro and finding ways to address a whole spectrum of issues with one simple step. The step I'm talking about is Self-Control.

HEBE (2014) Oil and gold leaf on panel 18 x 24 inches 

by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, conducted in New Zealand, followed the lives of 1037 children since the day they were born to their thirties. The study revealed that one of the most important factors for successful and healthy life was the ability to manage and control behaviors and emotions in order to reach a long term goal. According to the study, Self-Control played an even greater role than intelligence or social status in determining success in the lives of  many of these children. The study is important because it not only it can be a predictor of mental emotional and physical health but it also sheds light on how to change bad habits and lead healthier lives. If you wish to read more about this study, check out the marshmallow test. The results and insights are mind blowing. There is a very good documentary series that covers it : Predict My Future: The Science of Us.

TEMPUS FUGIT (2014) Oil and metal leaf on panel 36 x 31 inches 

                                                  by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Imagine a world where corporate greed, consumerism, crime, addictions and all other vices in society can be managed and controlled. Just think of a president that cannot control his impulse to tweet a taunt that could have devastating nuclear consequences for the world and you'll soon realize how important self-control really is. In the middle ages people were familiar with the Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony, Rage, Sloth, Avarice, Envy, Lust and Pride.  With Temperance (self-control) all of these excesses could be dissipated. In 2008-09 I worked on a series of paintings exploring these themes. Almost ten years later I now see Temperance as the most important virtue to attain. Think of the other three virtues: Strength, Prudence and Justice. In order to be strong, prudent and just, one must first temper (moderate) one's owns weaknesses, impulsiveness and prejudices. 

OUR DAILY BREAD (2016) Oil on canvas 36 x 60 inches 

                                             by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

To have self-control is to be self-disciplined. To be self-disciplined is to know oneself and tame the beast within. This is key to anything from losing weight, to changing bad habits and becoming a master at your craft. So instead of having a long list of resolutions for this year, consider focusing on one thing, just one thing: Self-Control. Once achieved and with a mindful set of balanced activities in daily life, everything else will fall into place. As Buddha would once say: " The true master lives in truth, in goodness and restraint, Non-violence, moderation and purity". 

                                 CREDO (2017) Oil on canvas 18 x 24 inches 

by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Private Collection

 

An artist's responsibility in an Age of Climate Change.

DILUVIUM (2017) (detail)

Oil and metal leaf on panel 30 x 45 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

At the time of writing this, it's been little more than a month after Hurricane Harvey hit us in Texas. The level of destruction and flooding here in Houston had no description, you just had to see it for yourself. At this moment, we are still seeing not just the aftermath of Harvey, but of two others, Irma and Maria.  This year has seen some major destructive hurricanes within just a month and hurricane season just started! My closest family in Florida were affected by Irma. Maria has caused tremendous devastation in the island of Puerto Rico. My hometown of Aguadilla was not spared from it and my childhood home and studio destroyed. A considerable amount of artwork from my early stages till recently are now gone forever. Over 30 years of work erased in the blink of an eye. These storms have affected so many of us in so many different levels. And even though my family is ok... for now, I still haven't heard from many of my friends and fear for their lives. Maria has now become a major humanitarian crisis with a shamefully slow response from the U.S. government. Let's be reminded, this is an American colony and the people from Puerto Rico are American citizens. It is the responsibility of the U.S. to take care of it's territories and peoples, otherwise let them be free. 

SANTA JUSTICIA (2017) 

Oil and gold leaf on panel 11.5 x 23.5 inches  by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

These three catastrophic events have hit me in a deeply personal level but Im also painfully aware of the "natural" disasters occurring in Mexico, Sierra Leone and Bangladesh. This all has had a powerful impact on me as well. Climate change is real and it is affecting us all. And yes, I know we've always had hurricanes but the fact that these are intensifying and becoming more and more common because of warmer water and air conditions is a direct consequence of climate change. As unregulated transnational corporations keep polluting and our dependence on fossil fuel and rampant consumerist habits grow, we can only expect things to get worse, a lot worse.

BRENDAN (2017) 

Oil and gold leaf on panel 11.5 x 23.5 inches  by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

As citizens of this world we can no longer be immune or indifferent to the effects and most importantly the causes of climate change.  As an artist, a talented person with an extra sensibility it would be totally unforgivable . Artists are story tellers, myth makers and hope bringers. Our impact and influence on how the rest of us think and feel should never be underestimated. We are potential agents of change. But art can also transform our understanding and perception of history, nature, culture and even ourselves ultimately deciding the Zeitgeist or collective spirit of the times and the course we take.   

 PLEGARIA (2017)  

Oil on canvas 24 x 24 inches by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

We could either despair and loose hope in the future or we could get up and do something about our current environmental crisis. Nothing good has ever come out of doing nothing so it's worth giving action a chance, resist and fight back for a better world with social and climate justice for all. Everyone can make a difference depending on their abilities and gifts. Some celebrities have lots of money so they donate their money to help others. Others work in politics and can put pressure and challenge the establishment elite. The media could be doing a much better job at investigating and communicating the root causes of climate change.  We, artists have our talents and art at our disposal in order to bring awareness of the most important issue of our time: Climate Change.  Do your research, learn from others, tell your personal stories and create art that educates and opens minds.  Enough with modernity's obsession with individuality, progress, commodities and consumerism. Make art that's ecocentric, not egocentric.  No more time for excuses, time to get to work !

El Desembarco (The Disembarkment) A Documented Painting Process

El Desembarco (The Disembarkment) (2017) Oil on canvas 60" x 38" 

by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Today Im going to do something different for this blog entry. Instead of discussing my concepts, sources and research, I'll rely more on visuals and share with you my documented painting process for a recent painting I just completed, titled El Desembarco (The Disembarkment). This piece is inspired after historical depictions of  the Spanish Conquest and American Manifest Destiny. Im also incorporating within the composition some personal narratives, pop culture references and other contemporary elements. These are some of the preliminary sketches I worked on before starting to paint.  The short video shows how the painting started, changed. and gradually evolved tilll conmpletion. The idea for this painting has been haunting me since 2016. The painting itself took me about a month to execute but the ideas, research and drawings took me about a year and went through many changes.

I always make as many preliminary sketches as possible before I start to paint. These are just a few...

These last two pages of my journal were drawn recently while whorking on the painting. Sometimes I tend to go back and review my sources and do some more studies. 

 And here's a very short video summarising a month's work on this painting. Enjoy and please share!

Hope you enjoyed this article. If you wish to see more of my artwork, please visit my new artist website at: www.patrickmcgrath-art.com. Stay tuned for more related articles that I'll be posting once a month on this blog. Also check out My Youtube channel which I just started. I'll post more videos soon! Take care and as always, thank you very much for your support!

10 Great Ways to Know Thyself

"Know Thyself and you shall know all the mysteries of the gods and the Universe" 

Inscription in a Greek temple at Delphi.

The Seed (Detail) Oil on canvas 48" x 48" by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Art is a path towards Self-Knowledge. 21 years ago I started a drawing journal. In it I intended to draw every day. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea" (Not a day without a line).The purpose of it, besides getting better at drawing was to understand myself and how my creative mind worked. Some years were very productive and inspiring, others were very conflictive and even silent. What I've learned so far by doing this, is the more I look into myself, the more questions I had about who I was and why I did Art. Without knowing it, I was taking the "humanist approach" to knowing myself.  I recently posted the following thought on my Facebook account: "To be original is to be yourself, to be yourself is to know thyself. To know thyself, you can start off with a DNA test and digging into your own past".  This is the "dataist approach" to knowing thyself, not to be confused with dadaist. A dataists seeks answers to important questions in Big Data. 

Surviving Doomsday 2012 (Detail) Oil and metal leaf on panel by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

The Humanist approach to knowing thyself:

Since the European Renaissance and scientific revolution, humanity has gradually shifted its world view from an all encompassing monotheist world view to a scientific, anthropocentric and individualist world view. If you've ever been adviced to "Follow your bliss" "Listen to your heart" "Customer knows best" "Find your own inner voice", these all derive from the humanist doctrine that we've grown so accustomed to in "Free" Western Societies. Modern humanism tells us that the most important things happen inside each one of us, namely, "feelings" and that in order to know these "feelings", one must keep a private diary, have heart to heart conversations with a friend, go to a park and be by yourself, go to a museum, be inspired, read a book you like, buy what makes you happy. No one can know you better than yourself and these are some of the things that can help you.

Prometheus, the Awakener returns. Oil on canvas 36" x 57" by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

The Dataist approach to knowing thyself:

As we enter a new age, with the rise of genetics and computer technology, our understanding of who we are and where we come from has been revolutionized. With highly sophisticated ever evolving algorithms, advanced computer processing, biotechnology and AI improving at an exponential rate, it has become much easier to predict and define who we are as human beings, from a Data point of view at least.  All our vital records can be understood as algorithms and big data. If we have a Facebook account, shop at Amazon,, read online news, google images, chances are we've already been deeply analyzed and studied. The more time I spend on the internet, the more I'm surprised by how much information they have on me. The advertisement has become so incredibly more spot on with my interests, it is even scary for a moment. They are getting very good at this in a very short period of time. While the humanist declared "Listen to your feelings!", the dataist declares "Listen to the algorithms, data knows your feelings".

Pasithea. Oil on canvas 20" x 24" by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Based on these models, I propose combining both and taking a Humanist/Dataist approach to knowing thyself and here are a few things you can do to get started:

1. Get yourself a DNA test done. If possible, also get your parents to get this test done. You'll be surprised about how much hidden information there is about yourself and your family.  I just used 23&me but Ancestry.com and Nat Geno 2.0 work fine. The results from my DNA test not only gave me exact percentages of my regional ancestry, it also went into inherited health conditions and traits.  Further medical exams could facilitate even more information. Gather as much biometric information about yourself as you can afford.  Your health and wellbeing is worth every penny and being able to identify everything you can about your body is just priceless. Also, be prepared to have Identity perception is forever changed. Finding out I had Native American ancestry led me to find who my 6th great grandmother was and it simply blew my mind. 

Partial view of my 23&me ancestry report. If you upload the Raw Data onto Gedmatch.com, you'll find even more surprising facts about your ancestry.

2. Start a Genealogical tree. Once you have a DNA test done, you can start digging deeper  into the past and discovering who your ancestors were. It doesn't matter how far back you can trace your past. Every little bit of information is of great value and can enlighten your understanding of your origins. There are plenty of good websites that can help you with that. Ancestry.com is one of the best but you have to pay. I'm using familysearch.org. It's fee and I was able to trace one of my family lines back to Normandy 986 AD. Now that I know a good deal about who my immediate ancestors are, not to mention a few that go way back, my perception and appreciation of world history and of this country is forever changed. Owning a part of world history makes it even more personal.

A view of my family tree on FamilySearch.org. It takes time but many records can be found and if you have family background from the U.S. you would be surprised as to how much info is out there.

3. Read your history.  I grew up in Puerto Rico so learning about the the island's history,  politics, culture and society  helps me understand my current beliefs, political views and world view. Wether we are aware of it or not, we are all influenced by our culture, the people around us and the country we live in. We either react against it or embrace it. It is better to know the history of all these things in order to better understand ourselves and the way we respond to the outside world. Take some time to look at the bigger picture. In a time of mass information, there is simply no excuse to be historically numb minded and ignorant of our past.

I find history books fascinating. Remember to take everything with a grain of salt and verify your sources.

4. Get yourself a detailed astrological chart. Even if you don't believe in astrology, I urge you to give this one a try. Most astrology skeptics base their judgments on Sunday paper Sun sign astrology. This kind of popular culture astrology is oversimplified for the masses extremely flawed. No wonder why astrology gets so discredited. The kind of astrology I use is  based on the exact location and exact date of birth including hour and minute. By having all this information, your chart will provide you with the precise point of where were the planets, Moon and Sun in the sky at the time you were born, giving you not just your Sun sign, but also Ascendant and Moon sign. Along with all the other planetary degrees, this is a much detailed picture of who you are. I've done mine and can tell you, it is very accurate! Astro.com is a good website to start with and it's free. If you find it useful and insightful, you can dig deeper into this stuff with Kepler, a computer sofware that does all the astrological calculations for you.

Once I have my own chart Im able to view my current and future transits and there is plenty of information online that can help you interpret these. cafeastrology.com is good source.

5. Do the Briggs-Myers personality type test. This is a test developed in by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers based on the typological theories of Carl Jung. There are basically 16 personality types and you can find out what's yours by filling out an online questionnaire. This is not your Fun Facebook personality test. Those that tell you what Greek god are you, or what country is more like you, are a waste of time. There is more that one website to do this psychometric test so choose carefully and compare results. I have used 16personalities.com & humanmetrics.com.  Mbtionline.com is a paid version. These tests are fairly popular among the business community as they help them define and target  potential customers. This sort of information  helps me understand my social interactions and external responses. It also confirmed and amazingly validated my astrological chart.

There are a few good free personality tests that online. 16personalities.com is one of my favorites

6. Get a Tarot deck and do your own readings. Don't feel intimidated by the 78 cards in a Tarot deck. If you prefer, get a Lenormand or an oracle deck. These may be even easier to interpret. Even though I know the common meaning for each card, I will often go more intuitive with the reading and try to stay away from future divination readings and focus on present day context questions.A good website to start learning from biddytarot.com. They also have insightful podcasts and utube videos. I do readings every morning  in silence and in contemplative introspection, Along with prayer and meditation, this simple exercise helps me find inner peace. Projecting and interpreting meaning on to images is like placing a mirror to your own soul . If you like, you can document each reading.

The Golden Tarot by Kat Black

7. Start an audio blog. Whenever you have a chance alone in the day, take a few minutes to start an audio blog. Talk to yourself and record on your phone. For me this usually takes 20 minutes once or twice a week. This is like talking to yourself but with the advantage that you can replay and listen to your own voice and pay close attention to what you're saying. Often we forget to listen to what we are actually saying and when we do, that's when the OMG moment happens. You realize as you listen to your monologue, that there many things you seldom express to others that didn't even suspect about yourself. It's like going outside of yourself for a moment and being the other person listening. Do you like what you hear? What are your impressions? Is this really you speaking your mind? 

Most phones should already have a recording app

8. A personal journal. Yes, this could not be left out of the list of course. But I would take it a step forward and document the whole process by video or photos. Consider scanning and digitizing your journal. Look at your handwriting, your drawings, your thoughts, your dreams. Which ones are the most intriguing? Which ones ring truer than the rest? What can be improved? If you've been doing this for some time like I have : What has been consistent throughout all these years? There is much to be learned about ourselves  and it is one of the best ways to open your creative channels.

One of my drawing journals

9. Make a movie/music/book list. If you would have to watch 10 movies again, which ones would you definitely choose? Do that! Watch your  top 10 favorite movies of all time, one each day for 10 days. Than ask yourself: What all these films have in common? Is there a recurring theme? Do they share similar values? How do all of these stories end? Believe it or not, this speaks volumes about you. What are your 10 favorite songs of all time?  Make a playlist and listen to them one after another. If you're like me then it's a playlist of 101. What kind of music is predominant in this list? Are they sad or happy? Are they hopeful or gloomy? If you were stranded in a desert island, what  books would you bring with you? Why? You can write down these lists in your personal journal. It is amazing how much the things you love describe you and your vision of the world.

Most of the music I listen to often triggers back childhood or more recent memories. 

10. Get in touch with Nature. In the information age when most people are glued to their mobile devices it's very easy to lose sight of where we all really come from and how much we are subject to our animal instincts of fear and domination. Most people ignore their natural surroundings and devote all of their attention to an artificial world, one which holds on to an inter subjective reality and collective fictions. We forget our days in the African Savannah as early hunter gatherers. Our talent for prehistoric amnesia is quite unforgiving specially when you look at what we are doing to the planet's environment and every living being in it. We live in the Age of the Antropocene and it did not start with the Industrial age. It started more than 10,000 years ago when we started burning the forests and wiping out most of the planet's mega fauna into extinction. Take some time to go out and be more appreciative of the natural world. Without it , you wouldn't be here. Take some time to reflect on your own evolution and where we are headed as a species. Go beyond the personal. What can we do in our own lives to wake up and make a better world?

Me with my sister back in Puerto Rico, where we grew up during the 1980's.

We live in an age of rapid change and information overload so it is quite easy to feel overwhelmed. While many may opt to "go off the grid" and become "Invisible", this is not practical for many reasons. Global society and economy for better or worse has become irremediably intertwined with Information Technology and the Web.  So, why not be open to all advice and see what works best for yourself? Of course, I'm aware of how all this shared personal information can and will be shared among corporations and government, with an  nightmarish "1984" scenario in mind. That is why I prefer to keep some of my information as private as I can. Still I believe at this point the real benefits of sharing some of your information outweigh the risks. Since we are at a turning point in history where within a generation you can be sure, nothing will ever be the same, with no turning back, it seems like an appropriate time to embrace the future with data while holding on to some of the humanist values we cherish while we can. I say this even as I fear the obvious dystopian future scenario, We might as well make the best of it while it lasts. As the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurerius once said: "You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength". 

Mirabile Futurum. Oil on canvas 16" x 20" by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Hope you enjoyed this article. If you wish to see more of my artwork, please visit my new artist website at:www.patrickmcgrath-art.com. Stay tuned for more related articles that I'll be posting once a month on this blog. Take care and as always, thank you very much for your support!