Turned On Its Head

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Five of Pentacles; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, 'Unicorn:'

          In the Dhammapada (Buddhist scriptures), chapter 23 is called "The Elephant." A well-trained elephant could be used in battle (steady even when pierced by arrows) and in parades (unfazed by celebratory crowds). The elephant represents great strength and power - the same qualities that can be found in a well-trained mind. But here, the elephant has been turned on its head and the potential lost. The booklet calls this card 'impoverishment' (spiritual or material), a term that brings to mind HALT, an acronym of things to be aware of:

• Hungry - Am I feeding my body regularly with good, healthy food? Am I feeding my mind with 'junk food' (ex. nonstop news), making it crave more instead of the nourishment it needs?
• Angry - Do I allow the energy of my anger to pass, instead of being reactive and simply adding fuel to the fire? Is there a physical cause that is making me overly sensitive? Do I need a 'time out' to cool down?
• Lonely - Am I isolating because I have submerged myself in an emotion? What small thing could I do for another person that might help me get out of my head and back in the company of others?
• Tired - Am I multi-tasking, not getting enough sleep or taking on too many responsibilities? Can I take time each day to relax my body and mind so that both parts can get some rest?

The Unicorn is associated the ability to foresee events, but instead of being a clairvoyant gift, it is simply from the practice of prudence. Prudence is being wise and practical when it comes to managing resources, and there is no greater resource than the body we ride around in every day. Today I intend to give mine more gentle attention, no matter what is going on around me.