The Welfare of All

From the Tarot of Durer, the Lovers; from the Philosopher's Stone, Insight:

We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. 

–Carlos Castenada

The Lovers motto can be translated "Nothing is difficult for the one who loves." Watch couples who lose a child or those who are aged and dealing with health struggles, and it is easy to see where love makes strong or blame and complaint make miserable. If I break a finger on my left hand, my right hand will not wag a finger or make obscene gestures; it will do all it can to help find relief for its partner. That is the loving connection of true partnership. Insight suggests that we not only acknowledge our relationship with those we love but recognize our interconnection with all beings. As Helen Keller reminds us, "The welfare of each is bound up in the welfare of all." 

Zoom at Your Own Risk

From the Tarot of Durer, the Knight of Pentacles; from the Philosopher's Stone Deck, Trial/Assessment:

Total certainty can mean there's no assessment of things. 

—Chris Ofili

The detail-oriented Knight of Pentacles pairs well with the Stone card symbolizing trial/assessment. He doesn't mind pausing in the middle of his work because it gives him a chance to assess what's been done so far. He's concerned with the two Es: efficacy (are his actions are producing the desired effect) and efficiency (is he is accomplishing this with a wise rather than wasteful use of resources). Because of three floods, our yard has picked up a lot of weeds. In an effort to keep them from spreading without resorting to chemicals, I mow with a bag attachment to collect the seed heads. I confess I have been in a hurry at times and zoomed up, down and around in order to finish quickly. Unfortunately, I forgot to attach the bag catcher, so I had to mow everything again. Slowing down and pausing to check on things is a must for efficiency and efficacy. 

Don't Just See, Watch

From the Tarot of Durer, the Queen of Batons; from the Philosopher's Stone, Skill:

We live our lives supposing things are as they appear to be when that is almost never the case.

― Richelle E. Goodrich

Don't judge a woman by her coverings. This Queen is nearly unrecognizable, but her cheekiness in showing a bare leg is a big hint, as is the crown on her baton and lion at her feet. We are geared to make assumptions about appearances, but we are wiser when we do not. The Stone card shows off its skill in levitating a stone over its head - sort of like us walking while balancing a book on our head. It suggests that we would do well to draw our conclusions from actions rather than how people look or what they say. Our house got hit hard by Hurricane Michael, and the flooding that ensued from it necessitated moving our HVAC unit, pulling all the mucky ductwork from under the house, and putting new ductwork in the attic. These repairs unfortunately left a huge hole where the unit had been with no bricks to fill the wall. After much searching, a friend recommended a fellow who agreed to find some bricks and do the job. This man was in his 80s, had only a few teeth, and couldn't speak well. But today, no one can tell where the old brickwork meets the new. Outer appearances can hide much.

Could Be AstroTurf

This week I'll be using the Tarot of Durer, created by Manfredi Toraldo and Giacinto Gaudenzi and published by Lo Scarabeo. The oracle deck I'll also be using is the Philosopher's Stone, created by De Es and published by AG Muller. Today's draws are the Four of Chalices and Hazard:

"Est modus in rebus" - There is a measure in things.

The booklet for the Durer deck states the Four of Chalices represents stability and reliability. But this little bird has just hatched out of one confining space to find itself surrounded by a circle of cups that are also enclosed with a fence. I know a woman whose husband gave her all the material things she could ever want, but she never had a say in their relationship about anything. History is full of dictators who have promised abundance and prosperity but had a militarized country. In both cases, freedom was sacrificed. Can there be emotional fulfillment where there is such control? The Philosopher's Stone card has the title Hazard, but its subtitle gives more of a clue about its meaning: prevoyance. In other words, we 'hazard' a guess about probability, using foresight to plan and make wise choices. As Karen Salmansohn put it, "The grass is always greener on the other side - until you get there and see it's AstroTurf."

Unfolding

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Ace of Cups; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, the Tower:

So many people are shut up tight inside themselves like boxes, yet they would open up, unfolding quite wonderfully, if only you were interested in them.

― Sylvia Plath

The Ace of Cups represents loving energy, the need to love and be loved. Meleen describes it as a point of being receptive and merging with others. But these two actions require that we make space in our lives, that we don't just talk about ourselves and do only what we want to do. It means being open to what others are interested in and what's on their minds too. The Tower in Lenormand generally represents big organizations or the government. However, in the area of relationships, it suggests distance and standing alone. As Jo Helm wrote, "Lost in a sea of self, we forget the beauty of the shore."

Out of Motion

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Queen of Wands; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Sun:

Unfold your own myth.

― Rumi

The Queen of Wands is straightforward, independent, and self-motivated. An elemental combination of water and fire, she is the steam engine that flies down the tracks to her goal. But because she is also a nurturer, she wants to inspire others to follow their dreams and passions too. She doesn't force but encourages, believing in us until we can believe in ourselves. Learning and doing something new and different can make us feel like a fumbling fool. But as the Sun indicates, having someone cheer us on can keep us going until we find our footing and develop some self-confidence. As Richard E. Byrd reminds us, "Progress grows out of motion."

Long Enough

From the Rosetta Tarot, Death; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Heart:

All compounded things are subject to vanish.

―Buddha

Meleen's Death figure wears a fish cloak, depicting how he patrols the river of life, unfolding decay and mortality along the way. Death does not care if such change is welcomed or feared. His appearance reminds me of the Three Insights:

1. Everything is temporary; experiences are continually changing. 
2. Every experience has the potential for startling the mind into confused resistance (suffering) or arousing it into sober attentiveness (equanimity).
3. Everything is contingent. Nothing happens without having been caused by something and without impacting future events.

The Heart reminds us to love deeply, widely and fully, even in this transient world. As Seneca advocated: "It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life, if well lived, is long enough."