Peaceful Presence

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Mahjongg Oracle, Carp:

As we need food, so do we need emotional nourishment: love, kindness, appreciation, and support from others. —Kriyananda

The Queen of Cups is a beloved counselor, an emotional nurturer who creates the feelings of security, safety and trust. We can take our heavy burdens to her, and she will hold them for a while, then suggest how we might make them lighter. She's the person who helps keep everyone sane. The Carp is a symbol of tranquility and inner calm, signifying peace, contentment, and freedom from anxiety. When we learn how to calm ourselves, we can be a lighthouse for others, transforming a stormy situation into one that brings clarity. As Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Without doing anything, things can sometimes go more smoothly just because of our peaceful presence."

Deserving

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Knight of Cups; from the Mahjongg Oracle, the Chrysanthemum:

If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. 

—Kristin Chenoweth

The booklet states that this Knight of Cups represents learning to love all of ourselves. That's a tall order for anyone. But we can start by dropping our requirement for perfection, guiding our inner critic off an exit ramp, and refusing to compare ourselves to others. This is easier if we are also practicing self-care (not self-indulgence, which gives us a quick jolt of pleasure followed by guilt). Wise friends can buoy us if we sink rather than swim. Chrysanthemum is seen as a symbol of the sun, a representation of good times like social activities, holidays and entertainment. How much easier it is to enjoy life when we're not consumed with worries about whether we're making a good impression! It may help to remember Sharon Salzberg's words: “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

The Richness of Love

This week I'll be using the Roots of Asia Tarot, created by Amnart Klanprachar with Thaworn Boonyawan and published by AGM Müller. I'll also be using the Mah Jongg Oracle, created by Derek Walters and published by Thunder Bay Press. Today's cards are the Two of Cups and Peach:

Nobody dies from lack of sex. It's lack of love we die from.

―Margaret Atwood

The Two of Cups represents the freedom to give and receive - love, deep friendship, respect, and altruism. People tend to be givers or takers, expecting praise and thanks in the first case or having an entitled presumption in the second. But to give and receive freely, we must have no assumptions. As Daniel Ladinsky wrote: "Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, ‘You owe me." The velvety texture of the Peach represents feminine beauty and youth. Yet outer beauty does not always accurately reflect a person's character and values. The Circles suit this Mahjong tile belongs to symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. But what is true wealth? Matshona Dhliwayo gives this answer: "If you have money, you are affluent; if you have joy, you are wealthy; and if you have love, you are rich."

Everything at Once

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Eight of Wands; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 26:

You are in a season of a lot, so be a little gentler with yourself today.

―Holley Gerth

I once trained as a lifeguard, and one of our exercises consisted of being fully clothed (long sleeves, jeans and shoes) in deep water. We were to tread water for twenty minutes; besides endurance, one of the biggest factors was not to panic. In this Eight of Wands, several different things are all coming in for a landing. It can feel like a lot to deal with if we try to do everything at once instead of prioritizing. The Kuan Yin verse reads:

Word passes up and down, then turns to nothing;

From the horizon comes a letter to my hand.

It promises me fame and full attainment —

Yet in the end, it too is empty air.

When we are overwhelmed, it's easy to let our imagination build castles or bulldoze what we've accomplished, especially when misinformation is floating about. This verse encourages us to stay steady and attend to what is real rather than rumor or fantasy. 

Patience and Prudence

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Ten of Coins; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 83:

It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your spending habits.

—Charles A. Jaffe

People who live a life of prosperity and abundance and are able to sustain it understand prudence when it comes to spending habits. This fellow holds coins but also has a few tucked under and behind him in various places. He knows that savings are important because the unexpected should be expected. This year (2026), the credit card debt of American citizens is $1.26 trillion. Having money doesn't mean we need to spend it on every whim or whatever catches our eye. The 83rd Verse reads:

Like the moon on the month's third, fourth, and fifth days—

Half hidden, half revealed, not yet complete.

But wait for the fifteenth's lovely night:

Light in every quarter, fullness everywhere.

This verse cautions us to hold steady and be patient rather than forcing an early result. Working hard and saving for things tend to make us appreciate them more than just buying them on credit. As Holly Black points out, "Desire is an odd thing. As soon as it's sated, it transmutes. If we receive golden thread, we desire the golden needle."

Ultimate Weapon

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Four of Swords; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 94:

Most of the time I can't see anything the way it is without my thoughts roaming all over it.

—Ellery Akers

Give humans a problem to sort out or a dilemma to solve, and we'll spend nearly every waking moment thinking about it. The biggest obstacle is what we already hold in our mind - expectations, assumptions, and intense desires or aversions. We need to find a way to relax our churning thoughts rather than fuel them. As Bryant McGill wrote: "Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges." The 94th Verse of the Kuan Yin poems says: 

A person of noble character should not imitate or entangle themselves with the foolish and petty;

Fine music on the harp requires someone who truly understands the sound to listen.

This verse encourages us to avoid getting caught up in what is irrelevant and focus only on what is immediately needed. It suggests a wise friend may be of help in seeing the whole picture.

The Pendulum Swings

From the Daniloff Tarot, Death; from the 100 Poems of Kuan Yin, Verse 18:

Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.

—"Welcome to Night Vale" podcast

Today I feel as if I can breathe a little deeper, as when the oppressive heat of summer relents and finally becomes autumn. The MAGA party (formerly known as Republicans) got a thumping in the nationwide elections yesterday, returning both the House and Senate majority back to the Democrats. Depending on which side of the political aisle you sit, it may feel like a death or a resurrection. For many Americans and our patient allies, it is a glorious day. The 18th Verse reads:

The golden crow sinks west; the jade rabbit climbs the east;

Day and night have wheeled since ancient times.

This verse encourages us to live in accordance with the natural rhythm of things. We have control over ourselves and a little influence over outer things, but there's a lot we must accept. While I'm celebrating today, I know that there will be a time when the pendulum of politics will swing the other way.