Skillful Response

From the Sacred India Tarot, the Seven of Arrows (Swords); from the Land Sky Oracle, Awaken:

          The Seven of Arrows is illustrated by a story filled with nepotism and conspiracy. It can be summed up in the words of the ringleader (Duryodhana): "Knowing the good, I ignore it. Recognizing the bad, I nevertheless follow it. My inherent nature is such." Really? He's going to justify his horrible behavior with the excuse that he can't fight his personality? Unbelievable, but such reasoning is rampant. Time is better spent distancing and protecting oneself than trying to argue with fools. The Awaken card shows a pair of tingshas or chimes. While it would be nice if we could awaken the ignorant, the booklet reads: "There is no frivolous way to end our suffering." The only option is to see the moment clearly and respond skillfully by doing what can be done rather than trying to control situations over which we're powerless.

It's natural to feel stressed and overwhelmed by it all. My suggestion at times like this is to make a clear list of what you can actually do each day, and focus on that. Take the steps you can. It’s classic advice for a reason: it’s profoundly true. ~Rick Hanson