Accepting Help

From the Tarot Lukumi, the Queen of Coins; from the Diloggun Cards, Osa (nine mouths):

But then it occurred to him that any progress he had made on his quest so far, he had made by accepting the help that had been offered to him. – Neil Gaiman

We'd all like to have a little more stability and financial security for when life pulls the rug out from under our feet. Yet some of our ideas - like playing the lottery - will be unlikely to help. Oshun is an orisha associated with love, fertility, wealthy and prosperity. She was the only female primordial spirit sent with Shango to create the world, but the other male spirits excluded her. When their attempt failed, Shango forced them to respect her, as she was essential to creating not only the world, but all the life on it. Osa (nine mouths) also warns that rigidly following our own narrow ideas is not profitable:

Ifa: One must cease leading themselves to misfortune. One must cease bringing harm upon themselves.

Proverb: Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.

Wise friends can help us see where we slip and how we sabotage ourselves. It's in our best interest to sincerely listen and heed their advice. 

From Both Sides

From the Tarot Lukumi, the Ace of Cups; from the Diloggun Cards, Oshe (five mouths):

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.

—David Viscott

The Ace of Cups is illustrated with a statue of Yemaya, goddess of the ocean and the mother of all living things. Like many mothers, she loves and protects with a fierceness that is stunning. She offers us a cup of tenderness and kindness - first to sip from, and then to take out into the world. Yet Oshe suggests we use our love wisely and with discernment:

Ifa: Unless we resort to caution and discretion, we will miss the blessings of prosperity.

Proverb: Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.

We want to avoid a codependent relationship, feeling as if our happiness depends on another's contentment. But neither should we use love in a way that enables another, allowing them to bypass all responsibility for their actions. As the Buddha said, just as thought is the forerunner of action, so right thought (seeing things realistically) is the forerunner of right action.

Trip to Nowhere

From the Tarot Lukumi, the Five of Swords; from the Diloggun Cards, Okanran (one mouth):

Ego trip: a journey to nowhere.

—Robert Half

The rooster is the sacrificial animal of warrior Orishas; it is killed quickly and respectfully as an offering. A symbol of one of the three poisons in the Buddhist Wheel of Life, this animal represents greed. Because the Five of Swords deals with conflict and the ego's desire to demean another, the rooster seems an appropriate image. The only way to turn this Pyrrhic victory around is to sacrifice the ego instead of a relationship. The ifa and proverb for Okanran advise:

Ifa: One must come to recognize that stubbornness is not beneficial; the truth regarding oneself must be listened to. Do not be overly influenced by your self-defensive ego.

Proverb: Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when it is chopped off.

If we only realized how much suffering our demanding ego causes us, we might not give its opinions much weight. It's always a good idea to question what it thinks is a great idea and consider the consequences of following its lead.

A New Framework

From the Tarot Lukumi, the Six of Swords; from the Diloggun Cards, Oyeku (two mouths):

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk.

—Doug Larson

The Six of Swords is about a transition, a radical change in ideas and attitudes, in order bring calm and harmony to our mind and life. Imagine being possessed (as this priest), and suddenly experiencing everything from another's perspective. It's so hard to get past our habitual ways of viewing things and glimpse another viewpoint. But in this case, peace comes with a price - letting go of our usual frame of reference. The prophecy and proverb for Two Mouths are:

Ifa: The prevalence of temper outbursts and cursing are the causes of difficulty in one’s life.

Proverb: Ashes fly back in the face of he who throws them.

Anger and resentment are perhaps the two biggest obstacles to adopting a new frame of reference. But if we become miserable enough, perhaps we might be willing.

Walking Home

This week I'll be using the Tarot Lukumi, a deck created by Caelum Rainieri, Ivory Andersen and Raphael Montoliu. It is published by Dal Negro and the artwork was done by Luigi Scapini. The oracle deck I'll be using this week is the Diloggun Cards, a digital set created through the use of art by Mase Lobe. Each card is associated with an Ifa ethic as well as a proverb, with information from a book by Ifa Karade called The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts. Today's draws are Death and Ogbe (eight mouths):

We’re all just walking each other home.

―Ram Dass

Death is illustrated with Baron Samedi, a bawdy and irreverent Loa (a 'seize the day' reminder), tasked with guiding the dead to the afterlife and making sure the veil between the living and the dead is not disrupted. His role as guide reminded me of the quote above; I imagine him offering a commentary of kindness on our loss. While he would understand our sorrow, he helps us realize death is a shadow that follows everyone. Ogbe (eight mouths) offers a prophecy (ifa) and a proverb:

Ifa: Those who attain blessings are those who live by their wisdom. If we do not bear suffering that will fill a basket, we will not receive blessings that will fill a cup.

Proverb: The heart of the wise lay quiet like still waters.

Both of these messages suggest that life holds both joy and sorrow for all. Our best bet would be to take Ralph Marston's advice: "Accept things as they are and look realistically at the world around you." With clarity, we'll find our path forward.

Please Disregard

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Chariot; from the Pictish Oracle, the Eagle:

The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.

― William James

What is it that distracts us from our focus, makes our confidence wobble, and dulls our will? While the stimulus might have come from the outside, the seed that grows from it is in our mind, a fictitious narrative that trips up our purpose and progress. The Eagle makes ten appearances on class I stones; an old Gaelic name for the eagle was ‘fireun’ which can be translated as truth, integrity or a just man. This bird suggests we check the soundness of those thoughts and ideas that cause us to deviate from our objective. As James wrote, we may need to disregard those that serve only as a distraction.

Research

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Daughter (Page) of Pentacles; from the Pictish Oracle, the Anvil and Hammer:

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?

–Albert Einstein

The Daughter/Page is curious with a strong streak of practicality. She's learning about effective tools and how to use them, yet she's willing to expand their use in inventive ways. The Anvil and Hammer are tools of the smith, a craft that was surrounded by an air of mystery and respect. Their ability to transform iron into weapons and useful implements was much admired. The Daughter desires to use resources wisely and effectively, transforming her life and those around her. Yet it is a sure bet that she will take Bob Iger's advice: "You can't allow tradition to get in the way of innovation. There's a need to respect the past, but it's a mistake to revere your past."

For those friends who were concerned about Hurricane Helene's impact (which was supposed to gallop right over us): We were very lucky, while others were not. It took a turn eastward, so we got the west wall instead of the eye. While there has been flash flooding, our house isn't under water, and while there is a lot of debris to pick up, our tall trees are still standing.