Getting Out of the Trap

From the RochesTarot, the Hanged Man; from the Animal Shaman Vision Cards, the Deer:

          The element associated with this card is water, and it represents a sort of old-time-religion baptism. What is "buried" (washed away) is the old way of doing things. Unfortunately this guy is still hanging upside down. He's having a hard time surrendering the situation, which would allow him to see without the constraints of his ego. I'm guessing he works for the city and is responsible for cleaning up the graffiti left in public areas. That task would be like shoveling the driveway in the middle of a blizzard. He will never get "finished," but why would he want to? There would be no job to fill. For now, he's being forced to examine how little external control he actually has; hopefully he'll consider other viewpoints so he can get on with life.
          Several months ago, I was taking a stroll on the river walk when I noticed a slight movement in the woody area on the slope above me. A group of deer had paused to watch and see what I would do; their big ears swiveled to pick up any sound I might make. These animals prefer to run rather than fight. And unlike the Hanged Man, who I'm sure has been loudly complaining to whomever will listen, the deer know that quietness will serve them much better. I suppose these qualities are why the deer is often associated with gentleness. When I'm struggling with letting go of a situation I can't control, tenderness and self-compassion (as opposed to self-indulgence or self-pity) can ease my tight grip.

Perhaps the biggest tragedy of our lives is that freedom is possible, yet we can pass our years trapped in the same old patterns. ~ Tara Brach