Not in Circles

From the Tarot of the Master, the World; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Populus:

We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps. ―Hermann Hesse

The Vacchetta World card has the Italian names for the seasons at the top and bottom, implying coming full circle. Yet it's not a circle we travel but a spiral. Every person we meet and experience we have changes us in some way, widening our knowledge and outlook. Populus means "the people;" the dots themselves remind me of two rows of people sitting in pews. This is a collection of people who share the same ideas and use peer pressure to squash independent thinking. Here, life moves on around us while we stay stuck in one place unless we break from the collective. As Leo Tolstoy explains, “Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking...”

Time Enough

From the Tarot of the Master, the Two of Coins; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Aquisitio:

The butterfly counts not months but moments and has time enough.

―Rabindranath Tagore

In the coins suit, Vacchetta depicts the Roman emperors sequentially (though leaving out a few). These two coins are placed on what appears to be an unguentaria, a perfumed oil bottle frequently left in tombs as offerings. The chronological emphasis in this suit implies that time is a great resource that we often overlook. Adding the Two of Coins meaning - balancing our options - it points to a need for assessing how we spend our time. Acquisitio (gain) speaks to how we spend many moments of our lives. We are constantly trying to buy contentment and joy by adding to our material possessions. But will all these things make a difference beyond the first few minutes of our pleasure?

Motion is Lotion

From the Tarot of the Master, the Knight of Coins; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Via:

Daily dependability is not always exciting or epic, but it is heroic.

—Aaron Grube

The Knight of Coins may not be as flashy as his cousins, but if you want to make advancements, he's your guy. He'll plan a clear path to the goal, gather resources, then work steadily and diligently. He's more of a tortoise than a hare, but he'll get the job done right. Via means 'way,' and suggests change and movement. The fellow in the card looks like he's getting some rest, but if he doesn't get up soon, he's liable to be "stove-up." This phrase for being sore or stiff is actually the past tense of the verb stave. To stave in a wooden boat is to smash a hole in its side and incapacitate it. Thus, stove-up is feeling sidelined by achiness. The Knight would agree with the physical therapist's maxim: "motion is lotion." Once the task has begun, the mind resets and focuses on the goal.

It's So Easy

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Master, created by Giovanni Vacchetta and published by Lo Scarabeo. Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Paracelsus Oracle, published by Lo Scarabeo with instructions written by Gina di Roberto. The cards drawn for today are Love (Lovers) and Tristitia:

At the beginning of all love there is a private treaty each of the lovers makes with himself or herself, an agreement to set aside what is wrong with the other for the sake of what is right.

—Salman Rushdie

There's a breezy song by Olivia Dean that's getting a lot of radio play right now: "I could be the world to you, the missing piece, the extra sentimental kind of chemistry. Cause I make it so easy to fall in love, so, come give me a call, and we'll fall into us." Well, she's got the falling part right - it's the staying in love that's more difficult. It's probably why at the top of this card there is the Latin phrase Dolce travaglio, meaning "sweet labor." Tristitia is a Latin word meaning sorrow; early theologians used it to describe a despondency that caused someone to give up all hope. Partners may discover they are just too different in views and values to stay together, or cruelty and dishonesty might break them apart. But if, as Pink sings, "It's been written in the scars on our hearts; we're not broken, just bent and we can learn to love again," then maybe wise hope should be our compass.

Alert for Red Flags

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Queen of Cups; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk Deck, the Mirror:

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant.

—Albert Einstein

The wavy, wild locks of the Queen of Cups indicate she leads with her heart, not her head. She can easily sense the emotions of others and can help them navigate their feelings with compassion. But because she is so responsive to others, she must take care not to be subsumed by their drama or chaos. Her intuition is helpful in this regard. In milliseconds, her brain compares the current situation to stored memories, checks for similar patterns, then sends an embodied message of "safe" or "danger." Yet even the most intuitive of us may easily discount any red flags when it comes to those we deeply care about; we want to protect the relationship, avoid pain and maintain the peace. However, the Mirror reminds us it's wiser to acknowledge reality rather than convince ourselves that what we wish for is real. As Carl Sagan wrote, “For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”

Wakey Wakey

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Sun; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk Deck, The Virus:

To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle.

—George Orwell

While the Sun represents warmth and energy, it also implies clarity - which is hard to achieve with our eyes closed. When we're oblivious in our cocoons, it can take the jaws of life to free us from it. The Virus only needs a receptive host and then can spread to others; like computers, our minds need an antivirus program. We may only see what we expect or want to see. Because a truth is inconvenient or upsetting, we may refuse to acknowledge it. If we're a part of a group with a strong belief system, we may feel like we have reasons not to believe. But if we want our antivirus system to work, we must begin with doubt. This is not cynical doubt (rooted in agendas and self-protection) but questioning doubt that notices what we usually ignore and then investigating it.

Stretching Time

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Two of Coins; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk Deck, the Mad Scientist:

Time is the master of all things.

—Jamaican proverb

The joint popping posture of this fellow reminded me of what I heard on the radio yesterday: if we want the best dental health, we should brush our teeth three times daily. Holy cow, my feet hit the ground and stay in motion before the sun is up until it sets. I'll have to settle for good dental health because I don't think I can wedge anything else in my schedule. I have learned, however, that certain things take priority over others when something unexpected occurs. For instance, while my 30 minutes of stretching in the morning is a must if I want to keep moving, I can forego a day of aerobic exercise. The house doesn't have to be thoroughly cleaned every week, but repairs need my focus. Rather than managing time, sometimes we must prioritize our attention. The Mad Scientist is a reminder of how technology has changed our lives, both in helpful and unhelpful ways. I text my mom (who is 88 and lives alone in another town) early every morning to check on her and say hello. I am a plodder at texting, so I've learned to use the talk-to-text option, which allows me to continue with my chores as I talk. But often, between my southern drawl and morning croak, it doesn't recognize what I'm saying and just adlibs. The other morning, I was telling mom that I was herding cats (trying to feed them). She texted back, "Why are you hurting the cats?" Like I said, it's both good and bad.