Freshening the Mind

From the Via Tarot, the High Priestess; from the Nature's Pharmacy Deck, "Clove:"

          What a lovely depiction of the High Priestess as Artemis/Diana. Instead being in front of a veil, I imagine her sitting atop a sacred well. The hidden knowledge within is illuminated by the sun, indicating there is clarity and wisdom to be found here. The hounds' tails form the shape of a vesica piscis, a geometric shape that implies a gateway. But Artemis and her canine companions seem to be guarding the well; they require a payment of sorts: quietness and stillness.
          I had no idea that the Clove was the flower bud of a small tree until I drew one last week for Manner and Material's 52 Prompt Challenge. Syzygium aromaticum is a commonly used spice, but its essential oil has also proven useful as a painkiller in dental emergencies. This herb triggered a wispy memory of my grandmother this morning from my early childhood. During the holidays, she used dried cloves to stud oranges with, creating pomanders. After curing, these pomanders would last quite some time and served as a way to perfume and freshen the air. When I am in turmoil, I have found meditation to be of help in finding clarity and "freshening" my mind. It is a way to sit with a blank canvas, not imagining and planning what I will paint, but patiently waiting. That patient stillness will allow me to drop below my ego and find an open space much different than my constricted thoughts and emotions.