Planting While Dancing

From the Light and Shadow Tarot, the Endless Dance of Death; from the Art Rounds, Chestnut Tree:

Death is nature's way of saying, 'Your table is ready.'

—Robin Williams

The "Endless Dance" of this card suggests that death is not just about one's final breath; it includes all the stages beforehand as things begin to age and break down. If we're brave enough to face this constant companion, we might worry less and live more. We're all waiting to be seated at that table, but shouldn't we enjoy our dance while we're still upright? The fruit of the Chestnut Tree is contained in a pod covered with sharp spines called a burr. The spiny burr protects the nuts inside until they are fully ripe, then it splits open to release them. Likewise, our life will leave behind seeds in the form of actions and words. What will the later generations think of what grows from them?

Sliding to the Middle

This week I'll be using the Light and Shadow Tarot; the artwork was created by Michael Goepferd, its booklet written by Brian Williams, and its publisher is Inner Traditions. The oracle deck I'll be using is one I created called Art Rounds using pen and watercolor. Today's draws are Justice and Zinnia:

My relationship to reality has been so utterly skewed for so long that I don't even notice it anymore. It's just my reality. —Ethan Hawke

This Justice has the symbols for Alpha and Omega on her scales, the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet. There is a continuum of thought and behavior, from one extreme to another, and sitting at either end for very long can quickly unbalance those scales. There are times when an extreme may be necessary, but we aren't meant to stay there. If we do, we begin to view life from a skewed perspective. Zinnia is an easy-to-grow, sun loving flower that bees and butterflies love. Available in a range of bright colors, it is a cheery addition in the garden. Zinnia represents warmth, beauty and joy; if we've been without any of these for too long, our attitude and outlook will end up on one imbalanced end or the other. It's time to make these things a priority.

Virtue of Good

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Six of Coins; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, Island of the Hound-footed Horse: 

When you're accustomed to privilege, parity and equity and equality may feel like oppression. –Raphael Warnock

The Morgan Greer's LWB for this card reads "Generosity pays off through material prosperity." Past studies have shown that unselfishness has positive consequences for psychological well-being, physical health, and relationships. But new research (conducted among 25 countries) found that in the long run, generous people actually make more money - it literally pays to be generous. The Island of the Hound-footed Horse had an equine-like animal that tried to attack them. Its message is that when we have power over people or animals and mistreat them, we shouldn't be surprised when they lash out. Locally and globally, we are in a web of relationships. How we treat and care for others will ultimately affect us.

The sage has no concern for himself,

But makes the concerns of others his own.

He is good to those who are good.

He is also good to those who are not good.

That is the virtue of good.

–Tao Te Ching, 49

The Equalizer

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Empress; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of the Mill:

Mother Nature is the great equalizer.

—Christopher Heyerdahl

The Empress represents creative energy that can bring warmth, joy and beauty. But this particular Empress holds a shield bearing the crest of the Holy Roman Empire, a sign of power. She understands that we live in relationship with all things, and if that balance is upset for too long, she'll give our bare legs a good switching. She loves all of creation, not just a small part of it. The Island of the Old Mill had a supervisor who called himself "hell's own miller." The mill ground corn but also treasures of the wealthy and stingy - a judgment on those who were selfish and greedy. As both Mother Nature and the psychologist Erich Fromm realized, "Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction." Avarice hurts much more than it ever helps.

Once Upon a Time

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Three of Swords; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Ever-living Lady:

Sandwiched between their “once upon a time” and “happily ever after,” they all had to experience great adversity. ―Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The LWB of the Morgan Greer describes this card's meaning as "a person who ruthlessly prioritizes power over humanity." It suggests people who "care" for others as long as they're useful to them. But healthy people develop and change; they can't help but grow out of the mold they were in (no matter how inconvenient for another). The Ever-living Lady appeared to the seafarers and told them to voyage to the Isle of Women in the Otherworld. Her message to us is not to get upset when our goals don't follow a straight line. In the realm of relationships, we sometimes take many exit ramps, yet we learn resilience and discernment along the way.  

Shifting the Focus

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Five of Coins; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of Trees:

At its core spirituality helps to give your life context. It's not necessarily connected to a specific belief system or even religious worship. Instead, it arises from your connection with yourself and with others, the development of your personal value system, and your search for meaning in life.

—Mayo Clinic

Rather than focus on loss and illness, the Morgan Greer suggests that our spiritual practice can be a great comfort in our distress. It can keep us tethered to what connects us and sustains us, offering us strength and a hope for change instead of obsessing about how bad things are. Passing by the Island of Trees, one of the seafarers broke off a branch that began to grow apples after three days, feeding them all for over a month. It suggests that we look for the simple things we can appreciate, even when we are going through hard times.  And as Ralph Blum stated, it can be transformative: "There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy."

Stray Cats

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Five of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of Black and White:

Having turned yourself around, accepting your situation, set foot on the path, spiritual energy will marvelously transport you. —Hongzhi Zhengjue

This fellow is experiencing disappointment and despair, a normal response to loss or unmet expectations. What he hasn't gotten around to yet is acceptance. He's too busy denouncing and blaming the person, place or thing he thinks has caused his pain. But as Carl Jung stated, "Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses." The Island of Black and White had a flock of sheep that turned black or white, changing from one color to the other as they crossed a boundary. Our emotions are like stray cats - if we feed them, they stick around. If we don't, they move on. As Percy B. Shelley wrote, "Man's yesterday may ne'er be like his morrow; nought may endure but mutability!"