What Went Wrong

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Pictish Oracle, the Crescent and V-rod:

You may do this, I tell you, it is permitted. Begin again the story of your life.

—Jane Hirshfield

At first, it appears to be simply a stump in this Ace, but then we notice the sprouts. Many deciduous trees can regrow from a stump or roots because their root systems remain alive. Likewise, we may try and fail at some endeavor, seeing just the stump and thinking we should just cut our losses. But rather than focusing on our failure, we can employ one of our greatest resources: learning what went wrong so we can do things differently if we try again. It has been suggested that the Crescent and V-rod image represent a kind of seasonal sundial. As such, it symbolizes preparation, pace and right timing. The red center of the Ace's stump hints that we need to start from the beginning instead of trying to save time by using what was done before. Begin again - this time with more wisdom.

Fair Exchange

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Son/Knight of Swords; from the Pictish Oracle, Snake:

When I am angry, what I want becomes holy. What the other person wants becomes irrelevant.

—friend of Susan Heitler

The eye is drawn to the lines in this card; they seem to funnel downward, like a gutter directing rainwater. The Son of Swords has both a sharp intellect and tongue. He likes to debate rather than discuss, often confusing what is true or right with his personal information and opinions. He can grind folks down, exhausting them with his arguments. They may pretend to agree simply to get away from the onslaught. The Snake was a complex symbol for the Celtic world: its ability to coil and strike caused fear, but its habit of shedding its skin connected it with healing. Words have the same power with their ability to hurt or heal. In a heated debate or argument, we are usually more concerned with being heard than listening, which holds no hope of reconciliation. On the other hand, Esther Perel reminds us, "Dialogue, in contrast, is an exchange with no winner, where the speaker listens and responds based on what they heard."

Milk and Honey?

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Mother (Queen) of Swords; from the Pictish Oracle, Wolf:

Beware of a wolf in sheep's clothing. —Aesop

I recognize the narrowed eyes of this snowy owl; they're the same as my cat's when I bring out the carrier for a vet visit. This Queen's air element (rationality) is tempered by her water element (understanding). Yet this colorless card and the sword pointing downward suggest she's just interested in the facts. Her past experiences can help her understand motives, but she will not tolerate any drama or dishonesty. She's not cold, just practical and direct. For the Picts, the wolf represented a marauder who took their livestock and presented a danger to night travelers. However, human "wolves" know to dress in sheep's clothing in order to take advantage of people. It can be hard to say 'no' or to step away from the crowd that follows such folks. But take the Queen's advice and check their actions rather than get excited about their promises. The words that pledge to give us a life of "milk and honey" might end with a bite we didn't see coming.

On Three

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Fool; from the Pictish Oracle, Mirror and Comb:

Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?

—Mary Oliver

This little fellow reminds me of a wood duckling. Only a few days after hatching, the mother leaves the tree cavity and calls for her little ones to jump 40 to 50 feet to the ground. What innate trust they have! The Fool asks us what is calling that would require a leap from our comfort zone. It might be a trip, a new hobby, or reaching out to someone we'd like to become friends with. We need to take these chances so that life will be fulfilling and we'll continue to grow. The Mirror and Comb suggest we take a moment to reflect when we find ourselves stuck rather than leaping. Haven't we spontaneously jumped at opportunities in the past and being rewarded by it? It is worth remembering that we can continue to bloom, no matter what our age or circumstances. 

Attention is the Key

This week I'll be using the Wild Unknown Tarot, created and self-published by Kim Krans. I'll also be using the Pictish Oracle, researched and drawn by myself, then lasered onto wooden tiles by a friend. Today's draws are the Moon and Tongs:

This emphasis on the unconscious driving our behavior and influencing our judgements, decisions and choices has been vastly over-emphasized. —Ben Newell

The Moon shows a waning moon, suggesting a time for letting go of things. The evergreen trees (endurance) seem to have no ground showing beneath them. Such groundlessness is an apt description of the Moon, when things are confusing and unsettled. We might wonder why we feel or behave in particular ways around certain people or specific situations, or why we at times make impulsive decisions. It would be nice to blame this on our unconscious - a repository of information that can guide us. Yet current research indicates that we are more likely governed by conscious thinking than by our unconscious. Attention is the key. Conscious awareness is the broad, open space of perceiving, while attention is a focused beam. The Tongs - an instrument for handling hot metal safely - suggests we focus our attention on a specific thought, motive or feeling and look at it with curiosity rather than as truth. Though attention, insight can allow us to see things as they actually are. 

 

Cycles

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Ten of Disks; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Sun:

Read the brilliant book of nature, study the rhythm of life, and you will find everything moves in perfect symphony. —Robbie George

I used to have a small drum collection: a frame drum I made of elk hide, two bodhrans, a djembe, and a doumbek. I got interested when I had the experience of drumming in a diverse circle of about 60 people. I played in smaller circles after that, but eventually those disappeared. Having "stuff" without a relational connection soon lost its meaning, and I gave all the drums away except one of my bodhrans. The Ten of Disks is a gathering of abundance, the result of the energies we've put forth into living. But it also hints that excess should be distributed to prevent corruption and greed. Nature teaches us that health lies in flow and change, not stagnation. The Sun in Dreamtime stories was thought to be a woman who carried a torch across the sky during the day, then returned to her starting point via an underground tunnel at night. Cycles are about transformation and movement, not standing still. As Parker Palmer stated, "The notion that our lives are like the eternal cycle of the seasons... encourages us to embrace it all—and to find in all of it opportunities for growth."

Taking Our Place

From the Wheel of Fortune Tarot, the Eight of Disks; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Koala:

Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in. —Aesop

Weaving - both from a loom and from spiders - illustrates this card of prudence. The Eight of Disks is a caution to employ careful planning and attentiveness when we use our skills and resources. It is easier to use our finances, bodies, and material possessions wisely and carefully now, than having to spend time repairing them later. Koala, in the Dharug language, means "no drink" - referring to the fact that this animal receives almost all of its hydration from the moisture in eucalyptus leaves. Thus, Aboriginal Peoples have seen it as a symbol of water stewardship. All that we have is limited and constantly changing. As Linda Hogan wrote, "Caretaking is the utmost spiritual and physical responsibility of our time, and perhaps that stewardship is finally our place in the web of life, our work, the solution to the mystery that we are."