Walking with Friends

This week I'll be using the Llewellyn Tarot, created by Anna-Marie Ferguson and published by Llewellyn. I'll also be using the Beasts of Albion, an oracle deck created by Miranda Gray and published by Aquarian. Today's draws are the Three of Cups and the Raven:

          Under the light of the moon, three women raise their chalices in celebration. The woman with the floral head wreath is likely the one being honored, and the full moon suggests something that has been completed. The happiness shared by all because of another's good fortune indicates the presence of sympathetic joy. As Joan Halifax Roshi writes, "One of the hardest things for many of us to do is to feel happy when something good happens to another person.  Judgment and envy, the tendency to compare and demean, and greed and prejudice narrow our world and make sympathetic joy nearly impossible to experience.  But learning to feel joy for others can help transform our own suffering and self-centeredness into joy." The Raven in Celtic lore has been associated with battles but is also noted for its cunning and intelligence. It represents challenges and the unknown but implies there are resources - that if used intelligently - will lead to success. Both these cards seem to mirror the words of Helen Keller: "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."