Internal Mapping with Inner Compass

There’s likely been a time in recent memory when you’ve felt lost, unmotivated, or generally stagnant in your life. It happens to the best of us — we’re only human after all. Maybe all we need is a night out to let off some steam or a quick call to mom, but oftentimes trying to force a solution when our minds are already so cluttered can be detrimental. Enter Inner Compass. Designed to allow your subconscious to open for reflection, these cards were made for you to tap into your inner growth and be mindful of your path.Entrepreneur and spiritual inspirer Neel van Lierop, initially designed Inner Compass cards for herself as a way to navigate her own way through life. “I was looking for a way to promote personal growth and change that appealed to my visual taste, but also appealed to a lightness of spirit,” she explains. “Sometimes we want someone to tell us we are headed in the right direction -- these cards empower you to be that person.”Gaining inspiration for motivation and self empowerment can be found in a multitude of places, but each person is different. Where one might find true inner peace in a work of literature, others may find it by completing a triathlon. “For over a decade, I was searching for something greater than myself to help me through difficult times and decisions,” Lierop offers. “While searching internally, I conducted my own research externally, exploring different types of yoga, meditation, diet, and by immersing myself in nature and ceremony.”What she found a few months into her pursuit for inner peace was that a simple set of angel cards brought the most positivity and change to her way of thinking. “It was like the moment the rain begins to pour over the desert in California; the knowing rushed over me,” she remembers. “I suddenly knew that I was going to use the concept of cards to inspire others.”There’s no specific time or way to use the cards; it varies by each person. She explains, “Some people like to use the deck every morning, picking a specific card to guide them throughout the day. Others might pick a card sporadically, shedding light on a troubling issue or a question that they seek an answer to. Whatever the motive, after shuffling the deck with your focus and intention, your intuition will guide you to find new patterns of meaning, and more awareness.”Understandably, not everyone is going to be open minded about a deck of cards that claim to bring about change and growth to your life.

The goal of Inner Compass’ cards isn’t to drive you in one direction or another — it’s intended to help you find your own internal map.

“When I meet people who are skeptical about it, I draw cards with them,” Lierop says. “Since I’ve begun sharing readings with those who come to my path, I’ve witnessed that the cards suit the individual’s specific moment and their best intentions present themselves. I am always open to other points of view and haven’t had an unfulfilling encounter thus far. There is always a moment of growth no matter how open or skeptical a person is.”In addition to daily use, Lierop advises using the cards as a guide to finding your way through some of the more difficult or confusing times in life. “If you are having a particularly tough time already this year, the cards can be a source of comfort and direction towards a new perspective,” she notes. Rather than allowing the cards to tell you what to do, allow them to open your mind to new pathways or perspectives that may help you achieve your goals and purpose. “My mission is to help others navigate inwards to find happiness, love, and prosperity in their lives,” she says. “The answers we seek are within and it is my intention to share in the joys of life and to embrace the things that really matter to us all.”Marissa Stempien is a freelance editor and writer that loves a good list of goals and thinks everyone should have a vision board. With a degree in English Literature and a minor in Asian Studies, she has written on travel, fashion, beauty, technology, culture, and food, and enjoys writing short stories in her spare time. Find Marissa on social media at @paperandlights.