Keep Calm, Avoid Grasping

From the Transformational Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of Trees:

          Neptune unleashes his power in wave form, as his chariot and horses appear above the surface of the sea. He is definitely not a god known for subtlety; his tempestuous and dramatic personality was often destructive. But below all of the hullabaloo is a man calmly walking along the beach - the King of Cups. It's not that he doesn't notice Neptune pitching a fit, it's just that he knows adding a serene element to the mix will be more beneficial. People show up with anger, fear and deep grief, yet this kind and gentle King is like a still lake that allows them to see their own reflection. His composure gives them enough space to let their agitation soften and dissolve.
          The Island of the Trees card shows the voyagers taking a branch of apples with them on their journey. For the Celts, the apple was a symbol of wholeness, health and sustenance. The companion book offers the challenge: "Are you content with the little things of life? Be careful that your desire to possess doesn't become possessive." Isn't that desire to possess what causes so many of our emotional upsets? We want what we don't have or lose something that we did have, and we assume life is tormenting us. But if we look at the reflective surface the King of Cups offers, we might find only a natural cycle at work.

Rushing into action, you fail.

Trying to grasp things, you lose them.

Forcing a project to completion,

you ruin what was almost ripe.

Therefore the Master takes action

by letting things take their course.

He remains as calm at the end 

as at the beginning.

~ Tao Te Ching