Sifting Information

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Sacrifice:

Indecision may come from an instinctive hunch that there's more you need to know - which means it's time to learn everything you can about the pros and cons of each option. You can continue on this track, however, only as long as you're unearthing genuinely new information. ―Martha Beck

The hands crossed on this woman's chest are a symbol of many meanings: a barrier (we many need quiet and solitude), a self-soothing tactic (we may need to let our emotions settle), deep thinking (we look beyond the surface), and humility (recognizing we are an imperfect human). All of these are important stations to pass through when we must make a difficult decision. Sacrifice brings to mind a humorous church sign: "You can't have your Kate and Edith too." As much as we might want to keep everyone happy or not limit our possibilities, choices generally require moving forward and leaving something behind. As hard as it may be at times, it's the way we grow (even if we make a mistake).

With Justice for All?

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, Justice; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Lucidity:

We've learned that quiet isn't always peace and the norms and notions of what just is, isn't always justice. ―Amanda Gorman

Justice should be fair and impartial; its laws should apply equally to all. Yet in the U.S. today, it has been corrupted by revenge, power plays, and bribes. Following one's conscience (if a person has a working one) isn't reliable either, since we easily twist its insights to fit our preferences and prejudices. That's why a jury of one is not advisable. Lucidity means seeing things clearly and rationally without being intoxicated by personal beliefs, selfish desires, opinions or emotions. Justice requires clarity, recognizing that we live in an interconnected, interdependent world. As Helen Keller stated, "Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained."

Battle of Ideas

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Knight of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Forgiveness:

I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. —Dwight D. Eisenhower

This knight seems more excited about the battle than caring for the poor fairy slung over his horse. Mahony comments that such illustrations often represent legends about fighting for a country (like Britannia personifying Britain). In this case, he's interested in slaying all opposing beliefs with little concern for the lives that are impacted or lost. Sounds a lot like our current Idiot in Chief. Yet as Ezra T. Benson wrote, "Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right." Forgiveness suggests we consider what is right and fair for everyone, rather than battling over personal opinions. Our world is too fragile, Donald, for such big egos as yours.

Ring in the Nose

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Queen of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Seduction:

When you know what a man wants, you know who he is, and how to move him.

―George R.R. Martin

The Queen of Swords takes us to the mountain top and asks, "What is it that you deeply desire, that you crave?" She then would tell us that thing (or person) is what may compromise our integrity. Seduction in psychological terms is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage in some sort of behavior. We become willing to bend the truth, omitting or exaggerating details; we may do things that oppose the values we claim to uphold. We sacrifice truth and principles for a brief bit of comfort and convenience that won't last. Like the bull's ring in his nose, we need to be aware of what may be used to control us.

It Tends to Stick

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Manipulation:

Beached under the spumy blooms, we lie sea-sick and fever-dry.

―Sylvia Plath

It's not just our own rigid beliefs that can beach us; being manipulated by the lies or half-truths of another can do the same. Why do we believe what is false? Prefactuals - information we hear before facts are known is a key. Our expectations can override the evidence we are presented with later (climate change is a hoax, for example). Researchers have also found that misinformation is likely to stick when it conforms to our pre-existing political, religious, or social point of view. In other words, we prefer the bonds of our tribe to the truth. But wouldn't it be better to row alone, away from a sinking ship?

Still There

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Six of Cups; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Patience:

I am still every age that I have been. This does not mean that I ought to be trapped or enclosed in any of these ages...but that they are in me to be drawn on.

―Madeleine L'Engle

My eye is drawn to the smallest girl in this painting who holds the back of her sister's dress. It's as if she finds reassurance and security when looking down at such a great height. I lived with my grandmother as a preschooler, and enjoyed having my three, slightly older cousins next door as my companions. When my mother remarried and we moved, I had to find reliable anchors in other places, such as classmates and neighbors. I am still that little girl in some ways - I find it helpful to have friends that bolster, inspire and encourage me. Patience's card looks feathery and light, reminding me that it is a trait that might begin as a sigh of frustration but ends in tender openness. Surely the human anchors I've been fortunate to have over the years have had this trait in spades.

Innovative Roles

This week I'll be using the Victorian Romantic Tarot, created by Alex Ukolov and Karen Mahony with Magic Realist Press as publisher. I will also be drawing from Dreaming in Color: The Luman Deck, created and self-published by Mindy Hope Sommers. Today's draws are the Knight of Pentacles and Emotion:

Innovation thrives where doubt meets courage.

― Marion Bekoe

The Knight of Pentacles must at times think outside the box when trying to bring what is envisioned into reality. Britomart was a young woman who fell in love with a knight seen in a crystal ball; Merlin informed her that he was in trouble. Being an innovator, Britomart disguised herself as a knight (turns out, she's very skilled and strong) and goes in search of Artegall. Along the way, she frees maidens from their captors but eventually helps her soon-to-be husband. Emotion asks us how we feel when people step out of their defined roles. But aren't these roles simply constructed by humans (often with an agenda) rather than prescribed by nature? At some point, need may force us all to step into a new role. Yet it can remind us that we are more whole and diversified than what we've often been told.