Everything at Once

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Eight of Wands; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 26:

You are in a season of a lot, so be a little gentler with yourself today.

―Holley Gerth

I once trained as a lifeguard, and one of our exercises consisted of being fully clothed (long sleeves, jeans and shoes) in deep water. We were to tread water for twenty minutes; besides endurance, one of the biggest factors was not to panic. In this Eight of Wands, several different things are all coming in for a landing. It can feel like a lot to deal with if we try to do everything at once instead of prioritizing. The Kuan Yin verse reads:

Word passes up and down, then turns to nothing;

From the horizon comes a letter to my hand.

It promises me fame and full attainment —

Yet in the end, it too is empty air.

When we are overwhelmed, it's easy to let our imagination build castles or bulldoze what we've accomplished, especially when misinformation is floating about. This verse encourages us to stay steady and attend to what is real rather than rumor or fantasy. 

Patience and Prudence

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Ten of Coins; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 83:

It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your spending habits.

—Charles A. Jaffe

People who live a life of prosperity and abundance and are able to sustain it understand prudence when it comes to spending habits. This fellow holds coins but also has a few tucked under and behind him in various places. He knows that savings are important because the unexpected should be expected. This year (2026), the credit card debt of American citizens is $1.26 trillion. Having money doesn't mean we need to spend it on every whim or whatever catches our eye. The 83rd Verse reads:

Like the moon on the month's third, fourth, and fifth days—

Half hidden, half revealed, not yet complete.

But wait for the fifteenth's lovely night:

Light in every quarter, fullness everywhere.

This verse cautions us to hold steady and be patient rather than forcing an early result. Working hard and saving for things tend to make us appreciate them more than just buying them on credit. As Holly Black points out, "Desire is an odd thing. As soon as it's sated, it transmutes. If we receive golden thread, we desire the golden needle."

Ultimate Weapon

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Four of Swords; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 94:

Most of the time I can't see anything the way it is without my thoughts roaming all over it.

—Ellery Akers

Give humans a problem to sort out or a dilemma to solve, and we'll spend nearly every waking moment thinking about it. The biggest obstacle is what we already hold in our mind - expectations, assumptions, and intense desires or aversions. We need to find a way to relax our churning thoughts rather than fuel them. As Bryant McGill wrote: "Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges." The 94th Verse of the Kuan Yin poems says: 

A person of noble character should not imitate or entangle themselves with the foolish and petty;

Fine music on the harp requires someone who truly understands the sound to listen.

This verse encourages us to avoid getting caught up in what is irrelevant and focus only on what is immediately needed. It suggests a wise friend may be of help in seeing the whole picture.

The Pendulum Swings

From the Daniloff Tarot, Death; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 18:

Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.

—"Welcome to Night Vale" podcast

Today I feel as if I can breathe a little deeper, as when the oppressive heat of summer relents and finally becomes autumn. The MAGA party (formerly known as Republicans) got a thumping in the nationwide elections yesterday, returning both the House and Senate majority back to the Democrats. Depending on which side of the political aisle you sit, it may feel like a death or a resurrection. For many Americans and our patient allies, it is a glorious day. The 18th Verse reads:

The golden crow sinks west; the jade rabbit climbs the east;

Day and night have wheeled since ancient times.

This verse encourages us to live in accordance with the natural rhythm of things. We have control over ourselves and a little influence over outer things, but there's a lot we must accept. While I'm celebrating today, I know that there will be a time when the pendulum of politics will swing the other way.

Changing Direction

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 66:

The Titanic hit the iceberg not because they could not see it coming but because they could not change direction. —Dean Devlin

Humans can be audacious and stupefying when it comes to stubbornly held beliefs. This fellow holds a sword across his shoulders in a self-assured, nonchalant way, as if he doesn't have nine other swords protruding from his body. Being a bit hardheaded, it will likely take a complete downfall before he changes his mind. The 66th Verse of the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin reads:

Like a battered ship that sinks in the stormy sea,

the sun fades into the evening sky.

We are asked to pause in forcefully airing our opinions, set aside what we expect or want to see, and wake up to what the facts and evidence show us. The yoni - a regenerative portal - awaits if we can listen and observe with an open mind. Otherwise, as this wall poster illustrates, our life purpose may be to serve as a warning to others.

Are You Worthy?

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Six of Coins; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 29:

(Kuan Yin painting by Zheng Jian)

It's a relationship between equals. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.

—Pema Chodron

This fellow, weighing what he will give to the two starving people below him, stands apart and above them. Did he make them listen to a speech about his religious or political views before offering them anything? Pity is not generosity, but an interaction rooted in a perception of superiority or personal discomfort. The Stoics believed that any success or avoidance of disaster we experienced had nothing to do with our own superiority. As Seneca wrote, "In fair weather anyone can be a helmsman." Verse 29 of the Kuan Yin Poems says:

The holy sword gleams and glances, unsullied by dirt or grime.

In the hand of a noble man, this virtue arouses wonder and admiration.

The sword in this verse is a symbol of the mind that sees reality with clarity rather than being influenced by likes, dislikes and indifference. Relationships are horizontal rather than hierarchal, recognizing that all humanity is vulnerable to struggles. Generosity flows easily and sincerely from this perspective.

Moving or Getting Pulled

This week I'll be using the Daniloff Tarot, created and self-published by Alexander Daniloff. I'll also be using the100 Poems of Kuan Yin with Stephen Karcher's book, The Kuan Yin Oracle. Today's draws are the Chariot and Verse 35:

(Kuan Yin painting by Li Peixuan)

If we don’t have any restraint, we don’t have any control over where our lives are going. Anything that comes our way immediately pulls us into its wake. —Thanissaro Bhikkhu

We have an objective for which we plan and prepare, and then we take off, thinking all we need now is movement. But the armless charioteer lets us know this ambition is going to take resolute mental discipline. The griffin (vigilance and guardianship) and unicorn (purity and fidelity) that pull his vehicle alert us to an important attribute we'll also need - restraint. This quality means we can forego certain pleasures, not because we have to, but because they go against our principles, aspirations and priorities. The 35th Kuan Yin verse says:

A well-lit street stretches out before you,

where once there were thistles and thorns.

Many of the challenges and obstacles we face are because we become distracted by what we want or don't want that we notice. This verse tells us to clear our mental street and focus on what we value. As author Nir Eyal explains, traction is what moves us toward what we genuinely want, and distraction moves us further away from it.