Mental Cleanse

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Mahjongg Oracle, the Pearl:

As with the advent of spring cleaning, we clear out of our houses the things no longer useful to us, why not at the same time relieve our minds of worthless rubbish?

—Emily Tolman

The Nine of Cups generally indicates happiness and contentment; however the booklet suggests to truly experience this state, we need to clean our mind. It reminded me of Zen Master Dogen's Eight Qualities: 

1.  Having few desires - not constantly chasing pleasures.
2.  Knowing when one has enough.
3.  Appreciating serenity and quietude.
4.  Making a diligent effort to live wholesomely.
5.  Constant mindfulness of the dharma (spiritual teachings).
6.  Practicing zazen (meditation) for the sake of wisdom.
7.  Understanding the wisdom of being free from attachments (mental grasping that tries to hold people, experiences, or identities as permanent).
8.  Not engaging in spurious talk or useless argument.

The Pearl represents refinement, but not extravagance or excess (like using super glue to attach golden appliqués and decor around the White House). Having many friends or material things is not the problem; it is how we relate to them that causes issues. 

See Anew

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Star; from the Mahjongg Oracle, the Plum Blossom:

Through the power of increased awareness, simple experience often becomes magically alive... The way that we sense the world becomes purified, our perception of the world transformed. 

―Joseph Goldstein

When we find ourselves flattened by life, whatever the cause, the Star asks us to look upward. We often find ourselves looking through a paper towel tube at the life we want, as if that is the only option or the only thing we'll settle for. But the Star encourages us to see without the limits and filters we put on everything. When our perception has been transformed, we'll see many more possibilities and paths than the one we had our hearts staked on. Plum Blossom is one of the first signs of Spring and thus is tied to renewed vitality and the unravelling of problems faced squarely. Each day can be a new beginning if we follow Mary Jane Dodd's advice to move through it with "a heart bursting with love, a mind propped open."

Diplomacy

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Lovers; from the Mahjongg Oracle, Pine:

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

—Walt Whitman

The booklet describes this card as the healing union of opposites, the merging of conflicting forces into a harmonious, integrated whole. Whitman, in the quote above, was likely referring to all of creation. Yet we each have parts of ourselves that we've boxed off and separated: what we're proud of is segregated from what we're ashamed of; our wounds of the past are held apart from our healthy selves. But those things we don't like can help us develop inner resources. Our wounds can remind us of our resilience, encourage us to advocate for others, and rouse us to embrace self-compassion. Our guilt or shame can allow us to be more forgiving and less demanding of perfection. All of our parts can be used to shape who we want to become, or we can passively let them shape us. Pine makes the finest charcoal, and its soot the finest ink. It represents diplomacy as opposed to violence. We don't have to hate or battle any part of ourselves if we accept and use it for good. 

Peaceful Presence

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Mahjongg Oracle, Carp:

As we need food, so do we need emotional nourishment: love, kindness, appreciation, and support from others. —Kriyananda

The Queen of Cups is a beloved counselor, an emotional nurturer who creates the feelings of security, safety and trust. We can take our heavy burdens to her, and she will hold them for a while, then suggest how we might make them lighter. She's the person who helps keep everyone sane. The Carp is a symbol of tranquility and inner calm, signifying peace, contentment, and freedom from anxiety. When we learn how to calm ourselves, we can be a lighthouse for others, transforming a stormy situation into one that brings clarity. As Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Without doing anything, things can sometimes go more smoothly just because of our peaceful presence."

Deserving

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Knight of Cups; from the Mahjongg Oracle, the Chrysanthemum:

If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. 

—Kristin Chenoweth

The booklet states that this Knight of Cups represents learning to love all of ourselves. That's a tall order for anyone. But we can start by dropping our requirement for perfection, guiding our inner critic off an exit ramp, and refusing to compare ourselves to others. This is easier if we are also practicing self-care (not self-indulgence, which gives us a quick jolt of pleasure followed by guilt). Wise friends can buoy us if we sink rather than swim. Chrysanthemum is seen as a symbol of the sun, a representation of good times like social activities, holidays and entertainment. How much easier it is to enjoy life when we're not consumed with worries about whether we're making a good impression! It may help to remember Sharon Salzberg's words: “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

The Richness of Love

This week I'll be using the Roots of Asia Tarot, created by Amnart Klanprachar with Thaworn Boonyawan and published by AGM Müller. I'll also be using the Mah Jongg Oracle, created by Derek Walters and published by Thunder Bay Press. Today's cards are the Two of Cups and Peach:

Nobody dies from lack of sex. It's lack of love we die from.

―Margaret Atwood

The Two of Cups represents the freedom to give and receive - love, deep friendship, respect, and altruism. People tend to be givers or takers, expecting praise and thanks in the first case or having an entitled presumption in the second. But to give and receive freely, we must have no assumptions. As Daniel Ladinsky wrote: "Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, ‘You owe me." The velvety texture of the Peach represents feminine beauty and youth. Yet outer beauty does not always accurately reflect a person's character and values. The Circles suit this Mahjong tile belongs to symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. But what is true wealth? Matshona Dhliwayo gives this answer: "If you have money, you are affluent; if you have joy, you are wealthy; and if you have love, you are rich."

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.