Endowment

From the Stone Tarot, the Ten of Pentacles; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 1:19:

Every person has a legacy. ...it may not be something that you can write on your tombstone, but every person has an impact on this world. ―Dara Horn

These pentacles move from a room through an arch, to the outside. The legacy we leave behind involves more than money - our actions and their effects are also our continuation. The Dhammapada verse reads: "Much though he recites the sacred texts, but acts not accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who only counts the cows of others — he does not partake of the blessings of the holy life." Has our life been a performative display designed to impress, or a have we modeled responsibility and accountability?

Reason to Celebrate

From the Stone Tarot, the Nine of Wands; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 14:186:

At the end of the day, the fact we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate. 

— Meredith Grey

Celebrations are often thought of as a time to party and have fun. Yet the sweetest victories are the hard-fought ones: the cancer patient in remission, a victim of physical abuse who later finds and embraces love, a struggling student who eventually earns a degree. These successes may not be as rowdy, but they are indeed commemorations of deep gratitude and full hearts. The Dhammapada verse reads: "Not even with a shower of gold coins would we find satisfaction in sensual craving." Buddha spoke of sensual enjoyment (outward pleasures) and non-sensual enjoyment (inward contentment). While there's nothing wrong with pleasure, it is like a mud puddle - it tends to dry up quickly, leaving us chasing the next pleasure in an attempt to find happiness. Just as those arduous victories require an inner strength, so too can we find a source of gladness within us.

Suffocating Darkness

From the Stone Tarot, the Ten of Wands; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 7:94:

Despair is anger with no place to go.

—Mignon McLaughlin

This painting illustrates the suffocating darkness and hopelessness experienced when life's burdens become unbearably heavy. It's not the little things, but the ones that we must bear daily that can overwhelm us: struggling to pay bills with a too small paycheck, caring for a severely autistic or physically disabled child, being responsible for a fragile, elderly parent. Life is not fair; it's a crap shoot. How do we keep on keeping on (as my MIL used to say)? The Dhammapada verse reads: "Even the gods cherish those who are without craving, who have abandoned conceit, and whose senses are calm, like horses well tamed by a charioteer." Craving, in this case, is akin to demanding things be different, and conceit is thinking we're entitled to a better lot in life. Neither of these reactions will help. But what can aid us in turning our anger and depression into compassion is to connect with others who are in similar straits. Not the folks who want to have a pity party, but those with whom we can trade ideas with about handling situations that arise. 

Diligence

From the Stone Tarot, the Amazon (Knight) of Pentacles; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 20:276:

Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful!' and sitting in the shade.

― Rudyard Kipling

Whether it's TV ads or social media, we've been groomed to think doing most anything should be easy. Working full time but want a college degree? No problem, just sign up for our online classes and we'll send you a degree. Want to plant a lush vegetable garden? Buy our tiller and you won't even break a sweat. The Amazon/Knight of Pentacles knows that nothing comes to fruition without a diligent effort - many involved steps come before reaching our goals. The Dhammapada quote reads: "It is up to you to make strong effort; buddhas merely tell you how." The intellectual pleasure we get from talking and planning things won't compare to the enjoyment of actually physically producing it, even with the dedicated work it requires.

A Worthy Price

This week I'll be using the Stone Tarot, a self-published deck by Alison Stone. I may also dip into her book of tarot poems (Ordinary Magic), although it wasn't written as a companion book. The oracle I'll be using is the Buddhist Quote Cards, painted and published by Diana Altenburg. Even though she has spiritual quotes (from John Lennon to Lao Tzu) on the back of the cards, I have decided to pair each card with a verse from the Dhammapada (a Buddhist text). Today's draws are the Nine of Swords and Dhammapada 16:220:

Grief is the price we pay for love. —Queen Elizabeth II

If we have close friends, family, a significant other or a pet, we likely have experienced the price of love. We worry about their safety, the consequences of their choices, and their health; we often grieve for things often just imagined. Before we spend too many sleepless nights wrapped in tear-soaked sheets, psychologist Lindsey Carnick suggests we ask ourselves three questions:

Is this worry helping them or just hurting me?

Am I trying to control what I can’t control?

Is this based on something real or imagined?

Maintaining our mental balance might bring more help to those we care about than worry. The Dhammapada quote reads: "Just so, in passing from this world to the next, the merit we have made receives us, as a family does the return of a beloved relative." We may think the best way to protect ourselves from worry is to wear an armor of indifference, but doing so leaves those around us without the gifts of compassion and kindness we could offer. Giving of our heart creates expansion, even though it makes us vulnerable.

Response-ability

From the Badgers Forest, the Two of Badgers (Swords); from the Gemstone Oracle, Magnesite:

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. 

—Henry David Thoreau

Two badgers face off - serious business for animals with such formidable jaw strength. In high density clans, female badges will often compete for breeding rights in order to adjust clan size for resource availability. Major decisions are often based on what we will get from each option, yet it might be wiser to choose based on what each one will cost us, physically, mentally and emotionally. Magnesite represents a state of grounded calmness that grants us clarity, knowing that we are responsible for our choices and actions. As Stephen Covey wrote, "Accountability breeds response-ability." 

Innie or Outie?

From the Badgers Forest Tarot, the Wheel; from the Gemstone Oracle, Carnelian:

Abiding nowhere, awakened mind arises.

—Diamond Sutra

This mouse will soon discover, as he climbs further out on that branch, good fortune doesn't last and misfortune doesn't stay away. As the Wheel of life constantly turns, "abiding nowhere" is a wise option in this world of flux and impermanence. We often work ourselves into a lather as we try to move the Wheel faster toward what looks enjoyable, pull the emergency brake on places of contentment, or backpedal when something unpleasant appears. The Sutra tells us to let our minds open to where we are - enjoying happy times, taking care of our emotions, and dealing with challenges as they appear. Carnelian symbolizes courage and determination, two virtues that can help us deal with the transitory nature of this life. Yet these virtues are states of mind, an internal perspective based on understanding. We can be innies, working with our thoughts, or outies, expecting the world to arrange itself to our desires. As Thomas Oppong wrote: "When you stop forcing reality, clarity arrives on its own."