Power Claimed

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Empress; from the Insectorum Divinorum, Butterfly:

If you don’t get out there and define yourself, you’ll be quickly and inaccurately defined by others.

―Michelle Obama

The Empress may not have the authority of the Emperor, but she definitely has power. While he is concerned with control (law and structure), she's interested in flow (growth and sustenance). Hers is an inclusive approach; she rules with empathy and understanding, seeing all the parts and not just a conglomerate. Butterfly is given the keyword fragility: as a creature hypersensitive to the ecosystem, it is a symbol of the climate crisis. This insect reminds us that regardless of our station in life, we can still raise awareness when things have gone off the rails. As Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

Old Shoes

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Tower; from the Insectorum Divinorum, The Nest:

An old belief is like an old shoe. We so value its comfort that we fail to notice the hole in it.

— Robert Brault

We all hold old beliefs; they're like amulets designed to protect us. But we can get so comfortable with them that we ignore little changes until a big shift knocks us off our feet. We grasp for anything that promises solid ground, but we need to be careful that we're not putting our trust into another illusion. The Nest represents safety and comfort, a place that allows us to grow. Rather than relying on the group or institution that fed us false beliefs to begin with, we need to take time to look at our experience realistically and see where our ideas led us astray. As Vanessa Zuisei Goddard explained, "On the spiritual path, to study means to immerse yourself in the landscape and not just read the map."

Ropes and Snakes

 From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Nine of Wands; from the Insectorum Divinorum, Parasitism:

To heal is to touch with love that which was previously touched by fear.

—Stephen Levine

The booklet describes this Nine of Wands as "expecting difficulties." People who've experienced domestic abuse, an unhealthy work environment, or trauma due to war or natural disasters have a hard time relaxing. As the Arabic proverb says, "Those who have been bitten by a serpent are afraid of a rope." Parasitism, represented by a flea, is a relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits - taking nutrients or resources -at the expense of another (the host). An Al-Anon or Nar-Anon member would quickly make a connection to such a relationship. Dealing with someone whose chaotic lifestyle creates unending demands keeps a person sleeping with one eye open. Those of us who have trouble enjoying life because we think the objective is to survive it need help to heal. We need those who are compassionate and discerning, people who can point out the difference between ropes and snakes.

Keep an Eye Out

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Knight of Pentacles; from the Insectorum Divinorum, Hemiptera:

Slow and steady wins the race, not the person who wants to climb the whole stairs in one stride. 

—Michael B. Johnson

The Knight of Pentacles would agree with Aesop: consistent, patient effort is usually more successful than quick, erratic bursts. The Knight is very deliberate in his approach, keeping his eye on the task at hand while avoiding useless distractions. Come hell or high water, he intends to get the job done. Hemiptera is an order of insects known as 'true bugs.' They are distinguished from other insects by their specialized piercing-sucking mouthparts and partially hardened forewings. These insects suggest we slow down our rush to the finish line and pay attention to details. As John Wooden said, "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

Inner Awareness

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the King of Cups; from the Insectorum Divinorum, Dimorphism:

Far from interfering with rationality, the absence of emotion and feeling can break down rationality and make wise decision-making almost impossible. —Antonio Damasio

Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio found that emotions provide the brain with signals about what options are valuable or dangerous. Without these emotional cues, logical analysis becomes paralyzed by endless possibilities. But, the King of Cups cautions, when stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline flood the brain, our focus becomes severely narrowed and our capacity for reasoning greatly reduced. Recovery groups, knowing the danger of becoming emotionally hijacked, emphasize emotional sobriety. As Bill Wilson explained, ""If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand." Dimorphism is the condition when the same species of insects display different characteristics. Look on social media and it seems everyone is living the good life, with perfect jobs, families, and vacations. Yet it is an illusion of happiness; we shouldn't let the outer smiles fool us. This life contains both joy and suffering for all, and our job is to learn how to manage our intense emotions without acting out in dysfunctional ways. It starts with inner awareness.

From the Tarot of the Cats, the Three of Pentacles; from the Insectorum Divnorum, Sphingidae:

The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it. 

―Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Anyone able to train a cat to do a trick has some serious talent. We all have a natural aptitude for something (which we generally enjoy), but rarely are we encouraged to develop it if parents and teachers don't think we can make a living from it. It generally sits in the closet gathering dust until we're much older and have more free time. Since money rarely purchases joy, perhaps we should give more consideration to our gifts, even if they aren't flashy. The Sphingidae are a family of moths commonly called sphinx moths or hawk moths. Because of their agile and sustained flying ability, they are often mistaken for hummingbirds, thus they represent deceptive appearances. As the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover - there might be something amazing inside.

Be Constructive

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Cat People, created by Karen Kuykendall and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from the Insectorum Divinorum, created and self-published by Esmeralda Rupp-Spangle. This morning's cards are the Six of Swords and Predator:

I’m very headstrong. Once I’ve caught fire, there’s no dousing the flames — all engines full speed ahead. ―Adachi Zenko

The booklet uses the word 'headstrong' in a description of a card that generally means leaving to find calmer waters. But if we have to leave every time someone annoys us with their opinions or beliefs, we're going to be doing a lot of walking. We're about to have some important elections here in Georgia, so naturally Facebook is full of political posts. People that I thought had common sense are posting and reposting some obviously untrue things. My first reaction is to get off social media, but then I decided I would start fact checking these posts through independent sites such snopes.com and politifact.com, then post what I find. No arguments, just facts and information. Predator is illustrated with bats, a mammal that can consume their body weight in insects every night, including up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour. Social media will always have its trolls and pot-stirrers, but if we don't react angrily, they don't get their fix. As Paulo Coelho wrote, "It's more intelligent to be constructive."