Wonder

From the Badgers Forest, the Kit of Badgers (Page of Swords); from the Gemstone Oracle, Moss Agate:

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. 

—Dorothy Parker

Curiosity is what gets this Kit/Page out of bed every morning. It's not so much that he craves certainty, it's just that the world is so interesting and surprising that it pulls him like a magnet.  He follows a mystery, asks questions and reads to find answers, only to discover another wonder to uncover. Moss Agate symbolizes growth and natural cycles. As Frederick Douglas said, "Inaction is followed by stagnation." Our minds work the same way - if we think we have all the answers, they become closed and inflexible. As Socrates said, "Wisdom begins in wonder."

Better or Worse?

This week I'll be using the Badgers Forest Tarot, a deck created and self-published by Nakisha VanderHoeven. Along with it, I'll be using my Gemstone Oracle (with actual stones). Today's draws are the Seven of Crows (Pentacles) and Blue Lace Agate:

Patience entails choosing not to respond reactively, allowing other possibilities to arise.

—Gil Fronsdal

What is it that we are waiting for to ripen - test results, an ongoing project, a package in the mail, or simply for traffic or the line to move? Impatience is anger on simmer, and it benefits neither us nor progress. For most of us, it is a habitual reaction - we just don't know what to do with our frustrated energy. The quality of patience involves gentle restraint, calm endurance, and acceptance of what is. If we want to practice it, we first need to distract ourselves, so we'll calm down. Blue Lace Agate embodies the qualities of patience and calmness (it's a great touchstone when we hit simmer). And the quote that accompanies it has sage advice: “Every human interaction offers you the chance to make things better or to make things worse.” (Barbara Brown Taylor)

 

Effort + Encouragement

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Chariot; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Ansuz:

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. —Jesse Owens

Orcas are powerful, swimming up to 34.5 mph and armed with four-inch teeth. Our dreams can be just as potent and require us to stay firmly in the lane of reality rather than fantasy (imagination builds, fantasy escapes). When we hit roadblocks or delays, we might be tempted to wig out or give up, but creativity can be a great resource if we avoid those options. Ansuz represents communicated wisdom that inspires and guides. When we're in need of inspiration, we should choose our encouragers with care. As J.W. Goethe wrote, “Instruction does much, but encouragement everything."

A New Objective

From the Animal Totem Tarot, Justice; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Berkana:

Bravery is the choice to show up and listen to another person, be it a loved one or perceived foe, even when it is uncomfortable, painful, or the last thing you want to do.

―Alaric Hutchinson

Like the crane's beak, the sword of Justice points upward - the truth is more inclusive than any personal viewpoint. But lord have mercy, when I am in conflict with someone, it is hard not to feel that my understanding of things is the correct perspective. Yet these times of frustration, according to Pema Chodron, are teachable moments: "They're like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we're stuck." Maybe I'm not as open-minded as I think if I can't at least listen sincerely to the other person's full story before interrupting. Berakana symbolizes growth and new beginnings but warns that we must let go of our resistance before this occurs. The words of Peace Pilgrim are a good guide for resolution: "Have as your objective the resolving of the conflict, not the gaining of advantage. Be concerned that you do not offend, not that you are not offended."

Ready, Set, Fly

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Kano (Kenaz):

Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be.

—Jack Welch

The Six of Swords is illustrated with a sugar glider, a small, gliding opossum with a predilection for sugary foods such as sap and nectar. Much like a flying squirrel, it can spread the membrane that extends from their forelegs to their hindlegs and glide up to 55 yards from tree to tree. With nothing solid to grasp onto, necessity is what launches it through the air. What makes us ready to leave the beliefs and mindset we cling to? Kano (Kenaz), symbolizing a torch, suggests that the darkness we've been hiding in (ignorance, denial or avoidance) has been illuminated. Wisdom convinces us that change and action is now a necessity.

Loose the Fireflies

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Uruz:

Thoughts were zipping around my head like fireflies in a jar, bumping into each other, blinking on and off. ―Cameron West

Whip-poor-wills spend the day sitting motionless, becoming active only at dusk. Then they chase and eat insects like moths. These nocturnal birds have LOUD, distinctive voices. They are a fitting symbol for our restlessness and racing thoughts at night - it's hard to ignore them. We worry about what might occur, plan what we want to happen and rehash what we've already experienced. The irony is that none of those things are happening now. Uruz is a rune represented by the aurochs, a great beast similar to the modern-day bison. It suggests we find stability of mind by grounding ourselves in what is concrete, such as a body scan or diaphragmatic breathing. 

Living by Vow

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Devil; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Algiz:

I guess a man is the only kind of varmint sets his own trap, baits it, and then steps in it.

―John Steinbeck

How many times have we made a vow - that we would or wouldn't do a particular thing - then find ourselves blowing up that promise spectacularly? We are easily triggered to slip back into old habits. But from the Buddhist point of view, vows are not something that we do perfectly; we just keep heading toward the horizon even though we'll never reach it. As Koshin Paley Ellison put it, "A vow is about the shape we give our life. Living by vow is a place of practice." Algiz is a rune of protection. Blum writes that the spiritual warrior must not collapse into the highs or lows of emotions. If we can be mindful rather than swept away, we'll keep heading toward the horizon.