Maturity and Wisdom

From the Motherpeace Tarot, the Priestess (Queen) of Cups:

The queen of this suit is pictured as a mermaid, singing with a lyre in hand.  If you were to speak in detached, analytical terms about a project or relationship, she would listen politely but then ask, "And how does it make you feel?  Does it bring you joy?"  She is an emotional creature, but don't expect her to appear on some reality show and spew every feeling that moves through her all over the screen.  The whale indicates a depth of maturity in the her expression of this suit.  She's willing to dig below the surface to find out why certain people or situations trigger emotions, or why there are protective walls around a heart.  Yes, she's got more going on than wanting to be the star in a Kleenex commercial - her intuitive insight can often be surprising.

     From the Ogham Oracle, the "Yew - Idad / Idho:"

Idad has no translation in Irish, but it is usually associated with the yew tree, longevity, and transition.  The Taxus baccata is the longest living tree in Europe, with some reaching over 2000 years of age.  One characteristic that contributes to its longevity is the new shoots that grow at  the trunk's base.  These shoots combine with the trunk as they develop; when the inner trunk decays, this secondary growth forms a new tree.  I'm a firm believer that you can teach an old dog new tricks, if they're willing to learn.  Growing older hopefully means growing wiser, and sometimes that requires a transition of ideas, skills or beliefs - leaving behind what has become inadequate or ineffective and replacing it with something better.