Just Five More Minutes...

From the Touchstone Tarot, Judgment; from the Waterhouse Oracle, 'The Household Gods:'

          An angel trumpets while women alternately pray over and bless a sarcophagus. Black writes that we should "heed the herald's call." Yet there are days when we may really want to stay in our beds or hide in our homes and not rise to any challenge. We're tired and worn out, and we'd prefer not to 'rise up.' But in spite of our aches, we find ourselves moving forward. On those days, it helps to remember the words of Pema Chodron: "When we think something is going to give us misery, we don’t know. Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all." Though you can't see them in the card, The Household Gods painting shows two women offering flowers, food and drink to their deities. People have known for centuries the importance of pausing, reflecting and contemplating, whether it is to a god or not. It is a regenerating practice that can ground and help us rise to the daily challenges of each day.

While I waited yesterday to see if water from the storm would come through the roof again, I decided to create a bedside altar that would give me a chance to pause, reflect and contemplate. The sitting Buddha and Kuan Yin photo remind me to start from a baseline of wisdom and compassion. The prayer beads and mantra give me a chance to calm my mind (The mantra means "May all beings everywhere be happy and free of suffering"). The 'resilience' stone is my inspirational word for 2019 (thank you, Carolyn and Sharyn). The feather and heart are symbols to reflect on the day's swan dives and belly flops (where I maintained or forgot my principles and precepts); this daily inventory helps me determine if I need to make amends to anyone. Hotei - a happy, benevolent monk who became a bodhisattva - reminds me to ask myself what made me smile or what touched my heart that day (a gratitude practice). The ladybugs represent the people in my life who might need some good thoughts sent their way.