Discussion and Discernment

   The tarot deck I'll be using this week is Brian Williams' Ship of Fools, based on the German literary classic of the same name.  This morning's draw is the Five of Wands:

"It is wise to avoid the fool / Who always pelts with rocks / Ignoring both ill and wisdom."

     Four wound-up men with staves descend on another who calmly stands with a companion.  This illustration made me think of my experience on a jury.  There is a common goal - to decide the guilt or innocence of a person - but all the jurors have different perceptions and life experiences to base their decision on.  And even after hours of deliberation, there always seems to be one person who refuses to budge from their position.  As a former foreman, I've found that by presenting the facts objectively and trying to sidestep emotional or prejudicial triggers, people can often come to the same conclusion.  It can be a long and tedious process and requires everyone (including me) getting past their egos and opening their mind to other possibilities.

     The lovely oracle I'll be using for the week is the Wisdom of the Four Winds, created by Barry Brailsford and illustrated by Cecilie Okada.  This deck is based on the natural environment of New Zealand.  The card drawn for today is the "Mantis - Discernment:"

The mantis uses camouflage to protect and conceal itself while waiting in ambush for its next meal.  It will patiently wait until the right moment, and then it can lash out with amazing speed.  The mantis demonstrates an alternative to ranting and stomping my feet - rarely the best way to reach my goal.  Watching and listening quietly and unobtrusively can inform me when to act and when to wait.  I can uncover layers of information in this manner that might be hidden from me otherwise.  Discernment means exhibiting keen insight and good judgment, something this insect can teach me.