Don't Worry About It

From the Ship of Fools, the Tower; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Octopus:

Why are you, or anybody, afraid? Is it based on not wanting to be hurt? Or is it that one wants complete security? —Krishnamurti

This fool's house is on fire, but he seems to be thinking, "Maybe it will go out on its own" instead of getting to safety. For him, the Tower is his security, his escape from all he fears. Everyone is scared of something, but reality has a way of finding us whether we like it or not. The Octopus, an adaptable, intelligent creature, has had legends told about it that make it into a hideous monster. From 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Ursala in The Little Mermaid, it was something to be feared. Yes, it is unusual, but it is also wonderful. Sometimes what we fear - if we face it - can teach us how to be more adaptable to what shows up unexpected.

Blustering Windbags

This week I'll be using the Ship of Fools Tarot created by Brian Williams and published by Llewellyn. Paired with it will be the Wisdom of the Four Winds created by Barry Brailsford, illustrated by Cecilie Okada and published by StonePrint Press. Today's draws are the Five of Staves and Whitebait:

The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.

—Albert Einstein

Four fools brandish their batons angrily while another fellow rests his on the ground and speaks calmly. It's strange that the loudest and rudest folks seem to be listened to more than those who speak quietly and tactfully. But I think Einstein has a point - the loudmouths are generally just spewing unhelpful opinions while the gentle conversationalist often comes up with a beneficial creative solution. Whitebait are tiny fish (2 inches) that have a life cycle similar to the much larger salmon - beginning in the ocean and then migrating upstream to a freshwater habitat. A popular delicacy, they are often caught in nets. These tiny fish symbolize determination and commitment, and they encourage us to speak up, even if we're surrounded by a bunch of blustering windbags. 

Harmonious Exchange

From Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Eight of Water (Cups); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Giant Clam:

It’s one thing to fight well, and something else altogether to love well.

―Stan Tatkin

Relationships require the willingness to have conversations that dip below the surface. A partner needs to be able to trust and feel secure with the other person, knowing they are valued and appreciated. Being treated like a useful piece of furniture won't cut it - such a relationship will quickly become unfulfilling. Poppy calls this card "pollution." The Giant Clam is the largest living bivalve mollusk, growing up to four feet in length. It has a symbiotic relationship with algae, which live within their mantles and produce metabolic waste products that serve as a nutritional source. Healthy relationships have a harmonious exchange. In the words of Robin Williams, "I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel all alone."

A Severance

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Five of Water (Cups); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Rock Pool:

As humans, we are strongly motivated to seek out social bonds that are warm, dependable, friendly and supportive. Losing someone close to us terminates that bond and the social and physical protection they provided. —Dr. George Slavich

Grieving a loss is not just an emotional reaction, it puts a significant strain on our bodies too. Tears may serve a biological function by excreting stress-inducing hormones built up by our emotional distress. Rock Pool, a shallow pool of seawater that forms on the rocky intertidal shore, symbolizes a sanctuary we can begin to heal in. While these pools are small, they do hold a variety of marine life. Dealing with loss may be something we prefer to do in private, but this pool encourages us to include a few others who can help us adapt and move through our sorrow.

Take a Break, Clear Your Head

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Seven of Earth (Pentacles); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Sea Anemone:

You have to be displaced from what's comfortable and routine, and then you get to see things with fresh eyes, with new eyes. ―Amy Tan

The Seven of Earth/Pentacles is generally about pausing and assessing a project we're working on. In Poppy's card, it shows someone taking a stroll through a forest. Often when I am sketching a subject, especially if it is on a large scale, I can tell something doesn't look right but can't put my finger on what it is. If I fiddle around enough, I'll mess up the whole thing. So, I try to put it down and go do things that have nothing to do with drawing to clear my mind and eyes. Anemones reinforce this idea, symbolizing boundaries with their stinging tentacles. I am always tempted to hurry up and finish something that is frustrating me, but that is when I make my worst mistakes. Better to take a walk and get some fresh air.

"Bedtime Book Club" - artwork for the children's 9.5 ft. bulletin board at the library

Not By Halves

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Four of Cups; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Seagull:

There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature. – Jane Austen

Blood oaths have been around for centuries, representing sacred bonds of friendship, alliance, and foster brotherhood. It was a way of saying, "Our blood now flows in each other's veins." The Four of Cups usually suggests depression, remorse or disillusionment, an emotional danger zone that can easily send us sliding into deep, dark hole. Yet here Poppy reminds us of our connections - those spiritual relationships that can "shine to lessen the darkness of another being's suffering" (MJ Dodd). Seagull symbolizes opportunity; these birds have been known to snatch a sandwich out of a beach goer's hand. Allowing friends the chance to reach out and pull us from the dark abyss does not make us incompetent or weak, it makes us smart (and hopefully grateful). 

Digging Up the Root

From the Waking the Wild Spirit, the Six of Water; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Rough Seas:

It takes radical honesty and a good dose of self-compassion to recognize a repetitive pattern.

—Monika Walankiewicz

Rather than a nostalgic look back, Poppy invites us to look within at what maintains our habitual patterns. At some point in our life, we learned behaviors and beliefs which influence our relationships. Yet here is an opportunity to find those roots and question their validity and efficacy. Have we been operating from false or tainted information (including our inner dialogue)? Rough Seas indicates this investigation may feel powerful, disruptive and overwhelming. What is familiar doesn't like to be uprooted for something new. But with honesty and self-compassion, rather than denial and shame, we can begin to grow some new, healthier roots.