Practical Applications of the Gail Sheehy Pattern the Gail Sheehy Pattern
Gail Sheehy
Gail Sheehy did all of did all of us Charlatans a favorus Charlatans a favor with her ground-breaking work
with her ground-breaking work Passages Passages..
Many people, including me, have learned Many people, including me, have learned aa lot from
lot from this book. this book. However, a However, a lot of lot of peoplepeople have told me they fin
have told me they find such books borind such books boring. g. I suspect they have shoI suspect they have short head lines.rt head lines.
So, as your friend and pal, I'll detail the use
So, as your friend and pal, I'll detail the use I putI put Passages Passages to. to. It’s It’s killer!killer!
Cradle to Grave Cradle to Grave
Passages deals with predicta
Passages deals with predictable crises of adble crises of adult life. ult life. Before the age ofBefore the age of eighteen, the teenager wants to leave home, break ties with the parents, and eighteen, the teenager wants to leave home, break ties with the parents, and explore possibilities.
explore possibilities.
During the late teens
During the late teens and early twenties, the individual tries on and early twenties, the individual tries on differendifferentt hats, trying to find a
hats, trying to find a sense of the individual self. sense of the individual self. Generally, the Generally, the youth is attractedyouth is attracted to fads, as remote and foreign to the parents as
to fads, as remote and foreign to the parents as possible.possible.
Behind this outward show of assertiveness is the secret fear that
Behind this outward show of assertiveness is the secret fear that “I really“I really can't take care of myself.”
can't take care of myself.” The objective at this tThe objective at this time is to seek security ime is to seek security by placingby placing oneself in a sex role, a career role, and an ideology
oneself in a sex role, a career role, and an ideology. . During this period, the yoDuring this period, the youngung person seeks out those wh
person seeks out those who verify and afo verify and affirm his positionfirm his position..
This period is marked by being torn between the desire for independence This period is marked by being torn between the desire for independence and the need for security.
and the need for security.
Throughout the twenties the individual seeks to
Throughout the twenties the individual seeks to develop his or her dream.develop his or her dream.
Questions of the inner self take a
Questions of the inner self take a back seat as development of career andback seat as development of career and relation
relationships (externalsships (externals) become important. ) become important. WWe’re trying to e’re trying to do what do what we shouldwe should do.
do. Finding a Finding a mentor mentor is common is common during tduring this phase. his phase. The conflictThe conflicting impulses ing impulses atat this time are to be ’set,’ to build a strong and safe commitment, and the desire to this time are to be ’set,’ to build a strong and safe commitment, and the desire to experiment with possibilities.
experiment with possibilities.
The tendency is to keep commitments easily reversible, and yet to The tendency is to keep commitments easily reversible, and yet to stubbornly insist that we’ve found the one true course in life.
stubbornly insist that we’ve found the one true course in life.
Around age thirty, we experience a sense of being too narrow and Around age thirty, we experience a sense of being too narrow and restrict
restrictive. ive. WWe experience a e experience a new vitalitynew vitality. . WWe crave e crave a change a change from the from the rut we’verut we’ve created.
created. Often, changeOften, changes in career s in career and life goals and life goals occuroccur. . There is a vThere is a visceral feelingisceral feeling of wasting time.
of wasting time. Lots of thirtyiLots of thirtyish people go back to schoosh people go back to school.l.
In the mid thirties, we become very focused on career
In the mid thirties, we become very focused on career. . WWe feel that time ise feel that time is running out fo
running out for us to ar us to achieve our goals. chieve our goals. The foot gThe foot goes down hard oes down hard on the olon the oldd career accelerator
career accelerator. . Its a feeling that this is the last chance to make somethIts a feeling that this is the last chance to make something ofing of oneself.
oneself.
During this time, especially for men,
During this time, especially for men, the inner, deeply personal issues andthe inner, deeply personal issues and needs go un-addressed, to
needs go un-addressed, to surface during the late forties.surface during the late forties.
By forty, many people are changing careers and even marriage partners.
By forty, many people are changing careers and even marriage partners.
The late thirties and early forties are a time of
The late thirties and early forties are a time of reassessment and change.reassessment and change.
A new stability is ach
A new stability is achieved in the mid-ieved in the mid-forties. forties. A renewal of puA renewal of purpose occursrpose occurs to those who dealt w
to those who dealt with the earlier crisith the earlier crises. es. A sense of stagnation A sense of stagnation occurs in thoseoccurs in those who didn't.
who didn't. WWomen are starting to look omen are starting to look for new mountains to for new mountains to climb; men areclimb; men are starting to consider retirement options, having given up
starting to consider retirement options, having given up on reaching the loftyon reaching the lofty pinnacles they envisioned
pinnacles they envisioned during the twentiduring the twenties..es..
Near fifty
Near fifty, men experience wh, men experience what is known asat is known as the climactericthe climacteric. . This This hashas erroneously but co
erroneously but colorfully been descrlorfully been described as male menopaibed as male menopause. use. At this age, theAt this age, the emotions that the man suppressed during his career rush surface, often leading to emotions that the man suppressed during his career rush surface, often leading to feelings of despair, sadness, and tears.
feelings of despair, sadness, and tears.
I’ve personally seen this passage in many men this age, and
I’ve personally seen this passage in many men this age, and also heard italso heard it described by frustrated wives who don’t know what the hell is going on with their described by frustrated wives who don’t know what the hell is going on with their man.
man. It’It’s as though the closet which held all those suppressed emots as though the closet which held all those suppressed emotions burstions burst open, and all the
open, and all the feelings come tumbling out. feelings come tumbling out. It’s It’s a difficult time.a difficult time.
Those who work through the
Those who work through the emotional reactions of the fifties reach a emotional reactions of the fifties reach a newnew plateau of enjoyment
plateau of enjoyment, and become very , and become very direct and no nonsedirect and no nonsense. nse. Those who liveThose who live to an
to an active advanced age, of active advanced age, of both sexes, become very individualistic, outspokenboth sexes, become very individualistic, outspoken
characters.
characters. It is It is sort of sort of a second a second youth.youth.
So, how does this help us
So, how does this help us as a psychic? Other than the obvious use ofas a psychic? Other than the obvious use of telling us what crises the person is probably wr
telling us what crises the person is probably wrestling with? estling with? WWell, a tradition thatell, a tradition that has almost become lost is the
has almost become lost is the cradle to grave reading cradle to grave reading . . This was This was a very a very popularpopular type of reading decades
type of reading decades ago, and probably best exemplified byago, and probably best exemplified by Robert Nelson's Robert Nelson's Dante's Life-Span Reading
Dante's Life-Span Reading ..
If you read Tarot, you can make a brief overview of the client's life simply If you read Tarot, you can make a brief overview of the client's life simply by hitting the high p
by hitting the high points of the abovoints of the above discussion. e discussion. If you peIf you perform Palmistryrform Palmistry, as I, as I do, I work this information in reading the Fate Line, which is the line indicating do, I work this information in reading the Fate Line, which is the line indicating the development and evolution of the personality.
the development and evolution of the personality.
The S
The Sheehy Pheehy Pattern attern Integrated Integrated In A In A ReadingReading My synopsis of the Sheehy pattern is about a
My synopsis of the Sheehy pattern is about a minute or so,minute or so, and practically guar
and practically guaranteed to hit anyoanteed to hit anyone at any age. ne at any age. This canThis can be worked into a Num
be worked into a Numerological Life Perological Life Path Reading, A Tath Reading, A Tarotarot spread, or a Palm reading.
spread, or a Palm reading.
I'll give an
I'll give an example from my reading method of choice,example from my reading method of choice, Chiromanc
Chiromancyy. . I would like I would like to point out to point out at the outset that at the outset that thisthis isn’t a canned readi
isn’t a canned reading; ng; that I work that I work the informatiothe information in to an in to a traditional reading o
traditional reading of the Fate Line. f the Fate Line. This isn’t meanThis isn’t meant to bet to be used as a
used as a substitute substitute for real reading, just an adjunct. for real reading, just an adjunct.
I'll use my own
I'll use my own Fate Line Fate Line as an as an example.example.
“Looking at your fate line, which reflects the development of your
“Looking at your fate line, which reflects the development of your personality
personality, I see that it starts in Luna (t, I see that it starts in Luna (the mound of Luna), so at an he mound of Luna), so at an early ageearly age you felt alone in you
you felt alone in your mind — even as a child r mind — even as a child playing with otheplaying with other childrenr children, you, you may have felt different.
may have felt different. In the family unit, In the family unit, you probably felt you probably felt like you were like you were fromfrom another planet!
another planet!
“There’
“There’s indication of s indication of turmoil in your turmoil in your childhood. childhood. What happened arWhat happened aroundound the age of 16 or 17?
the age of 16 or 17? (This is a question I ask (This is a question I ask if the Head Line and Life Line areif the Head Line and Life Line are tangled).
tangled).
“These feelings of isolation will follow you until your forties or
“These feelings of isolation will follow you until your forties or so, whenso, when you reali
you realize that no one prze that no one probably will ever understaobably will ever understand you, and you mand you, and you may not eveny not even fully understand yourself!
fully understand yourself! Just learn to apprJust learn to appreciate your uniqueneeciate your uniqueness and celebratess and celebrate yourself.
yourself.
“It looks like you had a mentor, someone who helped you shape your beliefs
“It looks like you had a mentor, someone who helped you shape your beliefs around your—
around your—oh, late teens, early twenties. oh, late teens, early twenties. YYou became disillusioned with a lotou became disillusioned with a lot of potential friends and companions when you found out they weren’t as sincere as of potential friends and companions when you found out they weren’t as sincere as you thought.
you thought. There’There’s a period of disillus a period of disillusionment with life isionment with life in general, and at timn general, and at timeses your thoughts become m
your thoughts become morbid.orbid.
“Your tendency is to become a late bloomer, after several false starts, or
“Your tendency is to become a late bloomer, after several false starts, or experiments you’ll experience a renewed sense of purpose around age 34 - 35.
experiments you’ll experience a renewed sense of purpose around age 34 - 35.
You may find that what was once considered a hobby can become an income You may find that what was once considered a hobby can become an income - produci
producing skill.ng skill.
“Y
“You’ll tend to put your foot on the carou’ll tend to put your foot on the career accelerator at this time. eer accelerator at this time. I’d likeI’d like to caution you not to become so focused on
to caution you not to become so focused on career that you neglect yourcareer that you neglect your emotiona
emotional needs. l needs. YYou will in ou will in all probability stay active even all probability stay active even in rin retirement, soetirement, so remember that you have plenty of
remember that you have plenty of time.time.
“After a brief emotional turmoil in the early fifties, you enter
“After a brief emotional turmoil in the early fifties, you enter one of theone of the best and most satisfying tim
best and most satisfying times of your life. es of your life. YYour best years seem to come after our best years seem to come after ageage forty-five.
forty-five. YYou’ll begin to rou’ll begin to rely less on the opiniely less on the opinions of others and start to tons of others and start to trust therust the inner voice that’s really you.
inner voice that’s really you.
“You’ll continue a tendency you feel now to care less about what others say
“You’ll continue a tendency you feel now to care less about what others say and think
and think about you. about you. YYou’ll sayou’ll say, , “No mor“No more e beating around beating around the bush! the bush! Let's get Let's get onon with it!”
with it!” YYou may become a little eccentric and outspoken as you get olderou may become a little eccentric and outspoken as you get older..
“When you die, you’ll look back at
“When you die, you’ll look back at a life well spent— if you have the time.a life well spent— if you have the time.
I suspect death will surprise you, yo
I suspect death will surprise you, you’ll be in the midu’ll be in the middle of buildindle of building a house org a house or learning a foreign language — you’ll begin to think that you will live forever. ” learning a foreign language — you’ll begin to think that you will live forever. ”
And so on.
And so on. Please notice that mPlease notice that many of the statemany of the statements above are notents above are not delivered by rote, b
delivered by rote, but based on the actuaut based on the actual development of ml development of my Fate Line. y Fate Line. ButBut notice how the Sheehy pattern
notice how the Sheehy pattern influenced the delivery of the information, basedinfluenced the delivery of the information, based
on my age (mid-thirties) and the crises I probably have already faced.
on my age (mid-thirties) and the crises I probably have already faced.
Also be aware that the same
Also be aware that the same principles of the Sheehy Pattern can be used inprinciples of the Sheehy Pattern can be used in Tarot, Numerology, Astrology, or whatever method of reading you prefer, to give Tarot, Numerology, Astrology, or whatever method of reading you prefer, to give you a greater insight into the life pattern of the individual.
you a greater insight into the life pattern of the individual.
And to deliver a hell of a
And to deliver a hell of a reading!reading!