Dyslexic Mermaid Alphabet

Learning to read is more challenging for a mermaid with dyslexia. It can take more time and focus to accurately understand written or spoken language. While individual experiences vary in severity, most can benefit from additional education in reading and writing.

Memory and self-esteem are also factors in the dyslexic mind. Solving these challenges is important because there is benefit in remembering new words and continually expanding vocabulary. Multi-sensory experience strengthens memorization. The dyslexic mermaid project aims to bring a playful and educational toolset to those who would benefit from finding reading pleasurable.

When you read, do you see the words come to life in your imagination like you’re watching a movie? It’s delightful to experience all the details and also good to remember them. Jung’s technique of “sticking to the image” says that if you dream of a mermaid, stick to the image; look more closely at the specific mermaid in the dream:

• Is it a sleek, terrifying Siren, or a happy, playful Silky?
• What are they doing? Is it trying to fight, or is it starving and looking for food?
• How does it smell? How does it move?

Noticing details of an image in a card is excellent practice for one’s own imagination and dream images. By staying with the exact details of the image, you allow the unconscious mind to tell its specific story, rather than forcing it into a textbook definition. A traditional psychoanalyst might immediately abstract it: “A mermaid represents emotions, but it’s blue, which means you need to speak your truth or have an authority issue with self-expression.” By doing this, you have killed the image and replaced it with a concept.

We also need to remember the order of things and their relationships. One way to practice is through improvisational storytelling. By selecting multiple cards, the images become a sequence of events like in a comic book. You might read them left to right, top to bottom, or in a pattern. Spreads are structural blueprints for a story, transforming a random selection of images into meaningful messages. By assigning specific questions or “intention” to each position, the spread provides context for finding endless correlations. Essentially, spreads act as a lens that focuses the intuitive energy, allowing the reader to visualize and find a delightful pattern in the complexity.

Example 6-card spreads

Engagement: YOU are invited to participate, connect through collaborative art, and experience the expanded possibilities of dyslexic mermaid reading materials. These materials evolved from engagement with people and the community.

Digital Media Educational Materials: By integrating digital media, such as maps, character profiles, and articles, reading becomes more than just a passive experience.

The mermaid project culminated in 2025 with an exhibition titled Cuckoo’s Mixed Reality Nest. This show embodied the journey: a playful, evocative nest for the creative spirit, and was on display at Cypress Gallery and a virtual gallery.