Against the Current

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the Nine of Coins; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Resistance:

Most people notice only the final results you achieve, not the hard work, struggles, sacrifices, and failures you go through to reach them. Success is visible and easy to admire, but effort usually happens quietly in the background when no one is watching.  —Laila Saleem

This woman is covered in coins, jewelry and flowers, representing her wealth and how she has blossomed in life. The swan, in Slavic lore, symbolizes spring, transformation and wisdom. What wisdom would this feathered being advise for attaining such a lifestyle? Likely it would offer this Japanese saying, "Float along placidly on the surface, but underneath paddle hard with your feet." Translation: Stay calm but work diligently. Resistance, showing a crow flying against the wind, brought to mind the Buddhist phrase "going against the stream." Instead of mindlessly following our emotional whims or habitual patterns, we actively choose to go against the current, which can allow us to reach our goal rather than get distracted.

Irritation

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Mischief:

Attitude isn’t just a mood, it’s the undercurrent of how we think, act and move through the world.

—Meredith Eastwood

The swords all aiming at a center point on this mast suggests that out mindset matters. While thoughts are temporary, attitudes are more enduring evaluations that incorporate thought, emotion and action. It's easy to point those swords outward, blaming other people, places and things when we're out of sorts, but likely we'd still feel the same even if they disappeared (we'd just pick new targets). Mischief shows crows pulling a cat's tail - not harming, just annoying. When we are irritated with others, there are better options than yelling or bonking people on the head. R.J. Starr states, "[Annoyance] exposes our values, boundaries, expectations, and stress levels;" he suggests we look past the trigger and pay attention to what our self is trying to protect us from. Our focus may need to shift to self-care by improving our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Swallow the World

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the World; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Exposed:

To understand just one life, you have to swallow the world.

―Salman Rushdie

In Slavic mythology, the Holy Oak is the embodiment of the axis mundi or World Tree. The roots represent the underworld, the trunk the earthly realm, and the branches the celestial kingdom. The World offers us the insight of interconnection and interdependence. The Fool does not get to the World without understanding how his experiences have shaped him and how, in turn, he has affected others. There is a Buddhist saying that behind every shortcoming is a hurt; I would venture to say that behind every virtue is a kindness. We are both the potter and the clay. Exposed is a visceral illustration of how most of us feel when we are vulnerable enough to show our real self to another. Vulnerability is the courage to be genuine and open despite the uncertainty of the outcome. It's scary as hell, but it is also what allows us to connect intimately to others.

Beginning Something Else

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the Star; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Perspective:

You only grow by coming to the end of something and by beginning something else.

―John Irving

The Star is represented by Zorza, the personification of dawn and dusk depicted as two sisters. The Morning Zorza opened the gate of the heavenly palace when the Sun set out in the morning, and the Evening Zorza closed the gate when the Sun returned to his abode for the night. Sometimes an ending is just the result of a lack of information, unreliable resources, bad timing or simply a natural conclusion. Losing what motivated us and gave us stability can leave us feeling anxious and unmoored. Yet this does not have to be time of stagnation; it can be a time to clear our thoughts and reconsider our next step. Perspective shows a crow upside down - a position taken when trying to get at food not accessible otherwise. It asks us to disengage from how we've been demanding things to be and see what else is possible. As Eckhart Tolle said, "All creativity comes out of inner spaciousness."

Out of the Smoke

This week I'll be using the Slavic Legends Tarot, an independently published deck (Taroteca Studio) by Krzysztof Wasiuk and Magdalena Kaczan (artist). I'll also be using the Urban Crow Oracle, created by Margaux Jones (aka MJ Cullinane) and published by Hay House. Today's draws are the Eight of Cups and Sacred Space:

De fumo in flammam ("out of the smoke into the flame").

—Tertullian

This fellow has his knapsack packed and doesn't even bother to glance at the cups dangling below him. He traverses a waterfall, suggesting he is leaving behind a tumultuous relationship. Why do we leave partners, friends or groups? Ultimately the misery of holding on outweighs the benefits of staying. Yet there is caution needed - we may jump from one extreme into its opposite, thinking it to be better. For instance, we might leave someone who is cold, uncommunicative and distant only to find ourselves with someone who is clingy and shares every thought nonstop. Sacred Space suggests we find some time to incubate our own values and objectives before we make a leap. By spending time alone, we can center ourselves, remembering what is important, and ground ourselves, allowing our emotions to calm.

Loamy Earth

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Mystic Glyphs, Forward:

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.

—Søren Kierkegaard

The Ace of Pentacles is the dark loam of the earth, waiting for us to plant seeds. The booklet suggests our ambitions should be practical rather than fanciful. Pragmatic aspirations have down-to-earth steps that we can take, whether it's exercise for our body or balancing our checkbook. Forward (an animal's footprint) encourages us to stop dragging our bag of "This happened to me" behind us. We can learn from these things, but acting as if they are still happening only hampers us. As we attempt a new endeavor, our past mistakes and successes can guide us, but they won't give us control over the future. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."

Holistic Wealth

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Sibyl (Queen) of Pentacles; from the Mystic Glyphs, Friends:

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.  –Marie Curie

If you've ever seen a plant growing in the crack of a concrete sidewalk, you've met the mindset of the Queen of Pentacles. She moves in harmony with nature and its rhythms. Her resourcefulness breeds self-confidence; she sees her life as full and rich, which makes her generous and kindhearted. Friends are just one part of the web of life to which she feels connected. Keisha Blair writes, "Holistic wealth is about creating circumstances in your life that allow you to be resilient and resourceful." I can't think of anything more helpful for this kind of wealth than the support and encouragement of good friends.