Floating on Feelings

From the Mary-El Tarot, the King of Cups; from the OH Cards, 'Cut/Wrong:'

          This King is Fire of Water; put those two together and things get steamy. Now this can be the good kind of steamy (passion) or the not-so-good kind (like the shrill scream of a tea kettle). As he floats among the lily pads, he reminds me that I can handle my emotions in three ways: become submerged by them, float with them or completely remove myself from them. If I'm below water, I leave behind my logic and discernment. If I step out of the water, I'll have objectivity but lose my tenderness of heart. Yet if I can float, neither attached nor detached from the feelings flying around, I can maintain composed and calm while dealing with what is happening. The two OH cards suggest a wrong cut has been made. I've cut relationships out of my life for two reasons: either they were unhealthy and dangerous or because they hurt me and made me angry. Based on outward appearance, there can be a very fine line between these two situations, yet the motives behind each are different. In the first case, the heart is not closed but action is taken to prevent physical or emotional injury. In the second case, hurt gets transformed to anger (a less vulnerable feeling) and the other person is completely cut off as punishment. Like this steamy King suggests, healthy relationships require mindfulness of my own feelings rather than simply making assumptions about someone else's motives.

We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior. 

― Stephen M.R. Covey