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."

Tiptoeing Around Elephants

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, the Princess (Page) of Dreamers (Swords); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Birch (Beith):

By acknowledging how ridiculous something is, people know what’s real again. We need those refreshers. It’s amazing how out of touch people can be when pretending there’s no elephant in the room. ―Karl Kristian Flores

This Princess/Page is always listening to the whispers on the wind, picking up pieces of information like a magnet finds iron. She is clever and perceptive but lacks tact and diplomacy. Similar to an Alzheimer's patient who's lost their social niceties filter, the Princess tells what she sees and hears. Of course, things can get awkward with her announcements, as with the child who pointed out the Emperor was wearing no clothes. Yet she is an ace at clearing the table of games people prefer to play instead of just being honest and open. Birch, because of its ability to quickly repopulate damaged forests, symbolizes new beginnings. It asks us, "Can there be a good conclusion without a good beginning?" Perhaps it is better to be direct and candid than to pussyfoot around any elephants.

Not in Rage

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, the Empress; from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Elder (Ruis):

They knew intuitively they would not find restoration in rage.

—Tom Brokaw

The Empress is She Who Loves Fiercely. As a creator of life, she knows how precious and brief it is, thus she is patient and merciful. She nourishes and nurtures but also renews and restores as well. She is Nature and tells us we must respect its laws even if we don't like them. Elders (Ruis) are known for their intense, rapid regeneration, often regrowing from base shoots or broken branches. It is a symbol of change, growth and the ability to endure great challenges. The past doesn't get any do-overs, but wise intentions and actions today can create a better tomorrow.

Sweet or Thorny

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, the Ten of Warriors (Wands); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Blackthorn (Straif):

Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master. 

—Ayn Rand

The Ten of Warriors/Wands illustrates a great sacrifice, yet also reminds us to ask ourselves: "Why am I doing this?" Is our service for the greater good, or to satisfy the wishes of the few? We may need to check and see if we are prioritizing others' wants while neglecting our needs, or whether we are driven by a need for approval. A healthy sacrifice involves freedom of choice, not manipulation or coercion, but with a clear understanding of our 'why.' Blackthorn has a dual meaning, one sinister and one protective. In Ireland, it was used for making both cudgels and walking sticks. A 14th-century Welsh poem describes both sides: "The blackthorn full of spines—but how the child delights in its fruit." Again, we are tasked with asking if what we are doing is truly beneficial or has a thornier side.

Heart Transitions

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, the Three of Dreamers (Swords); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Hawthorn (Huath):

Grief is love with nowhere to go. —Jamie Anderson

What was once whole is now broken, leaving a feeling of emptiness. I've been watching reruns of "The Closer" lately, and yesterday I watched the episode when Brenda Leigh discovers her mother had died. I don't know who cried harder, the actress or me. Willie Mae (her mother) is so much like my own mom in age and personality. It was a stark reminder and made me wonder if I'm losing more friends and family than gaining these days. Hawthorn, in ancient Irish belief, was associated with the fairy folk who inhabited liminal places. Lone trees at crossroads, boundaries, or holy wells marked transitional entrances. Hawthorn invites us, after we've processed some of our grief, to let it open our heart rather than armor it. Sorrow can help us understand and empathize with others who've been thrown into those depths, kindling a wish to ease their pain. As Charles Dickens wrote, "I was better after I had cried, than before - more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle."