Seeds of Today

From the Victoria Regina Tarot, the Prince (Knight) of Wands; from the Alchemist's Oracle, "You are exactly where you need to be:"

I can resist everything except temptation.

―Oscar Wilde

Playwright and poet Oscar Wilde is used to illustrate this Knight of Wands. Wilde lived life at full tilt, both shocking and exciting Victorian society. Talented, funny and confident, he was accustomed to getting what he wanted. Yet his lack of awareness and bravado would be his undoing, as he was eventually arrested and incarcerated for two years. The Alchemist's card reminds me of a proverb: "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today." In other words, it warns us to pay attention to the seeds we are presently planting with our actions - they will eventually bear fruit. Rather than chasing the next pleasure, it is important to recognize the impact we have on others, good or ill. In a letter Wilde wrote in prison, it seems even he came to recognize reality requires more of us than simply a constant quest of desires.

I wanted to eat of the fruit of all the trees in the garden of the world ... And so, indeed, I went out, and so I lived. My only mistake was that I confined myself so exclusively to the trees of what seemed to me the sun-lit side of the garden, and shunned the other side for its shadow and its gloom.

―Oscar Wilde

Don't Settle

From the Victoria Regina Tarot, the Prince (Knight) of Swords; from the Alchemist's Oracle, Embrace:

Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse, was Queen Victoria's daughter. Once married and settled in Germany, she realized her new husband was lacking in intelligent conversation and shared few of her interests. Rather than moan and groan, she began to pay close attention to the social concerns of the lower classes. She visited the homes of the poor to learn about their living conditions in hopes of improving them. She would eventually found the Alice Society for Women's Training and Industry, for the purpose of educating women, and the Princess Alice Women's Guild, an organisation devoted to training nurses. Embrace encourages us not to accept "a life that is less than the one you are capable of living" (Nelson Mandela). Like Alice, we must discover what we're capable of instead of being content with what we've been assigned.

Find your own happy street, don’t settle for someone else’s address.

~Christine Szymanski

Arsenal of Anger

This week I'll be using the Victoria Regina Tarot, a deck and book set created by Sarah Ovenall with text assistance from Georg Patterson. This tarot set was published by Llewellyn. I'll be pairing it with the Alchemist Oracle (aka 'Connected and Free'), a deck and booklet set self-published by Lauren Aletta. Today's draws are Strength and Comparison:

Every woman has a well-stocked arsenal of anger potentially useful against those oppressions, personal and institutional, which brought that anger into being. Focused with precision it can become a powerful source of energy serving progress and change. —Audre Lorde

I personally appreciate that most Strength cards are illustrated with a woman. As Lorde said, we do indeed have a well-stocked arsenal of anger. The VR's companion book states, "Don't smother aggressive tendencies or let them run amok. Learn instead to guide and direct aggression with loving calm." Wise women have been transforming their fury and frustration for years, realizing that insight can come if they don't allow that emotional energy to control them. They know it's simply a messenger that arrives in fiery ways to gain our attention. Comparison asks me to consider - before I react - how my planned response was received and what fruit it bore in the past. If still in the thrall of rage (or its cousin resentment), that choice likely won't be wise or beneficial.

Now or Later

From the Tarot of the Master, the Six of Swords; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Amissio:

This deck's Six of Swords card has been given the keyword 'courage.' Small acts of courage occur daily on an individual level: when we make that doctor's appointment, when we say 'no' when expected to acquiesce, when we choose to leave a relationship that has become detrimental to our well-being. These are all small victories, though personal rather than public. Amissio ('loss') indicates why it is so hard to make these kind of choices - there's usually more stuff to deal with in the aftermath. Yet what we choose to do now will determine how our future unfolds. We can deal with the little things now or deal with the monstrosity they grow into later. 

Walking Side by Side

From the Tarot of the Master, the Two of Cups; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Via:

These two covered cups on the platter are slightly different but complement each other. In other words, they make the platter look complete and whole. There is that same feeling in partnerships that are healthy and nurturing - our different assets can help balance each other. Via ('way') indicates movement, and its linear form suggests a road. It is associated with the Moon, signaling change. What is the way forward for a partnership? I am reminded of Seng Ts’an's words:

The great Way has no impediments;

It does not pick and choose.

When you abandon attachment and aversion

You see it plainly.

Door of Opportunity

From the Tarot of the Master, the Seven of Coins; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Caput Draconis:

The Seven of Coins is assigned the keyword 'pride' in this deck. Judging by the skull among the coins on the wall, there has been some recognition in the past for accomplishments. Yet the cherub holds two other coins for the present. I've learned that pride works for me when I compare my past efforts to my present ones rather than measure myself against others. In the latter case, such comparisons only make me self-absorbed, and I quickly lose my focus on what I'm doing. Caput Draconis ('head of the dragon') suggests that an acknowledgment of what has been produced has led to a door of opportunity. Best not to let a swelled head keep me from fitting through that doorway.

Now vanity is the fruit of opinion; it is born from it and nourishes itself upon it.

―Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Letting Go

From the Tarot of the Master, the Four of Swords; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Tristizia/Tristitia:

There is a time when the sanest thing we can do is to lay down our helmet, gloves and sword and cease fighting anything or anyone. There are some battles we can't win, problems we can't solve and people we can't make better. Tristizia ('sorrow') and the keyword for this Four of Swords (meditation) suggest we surrender our weapons and rest our whirling, grasping mind. This is a response that seems counterintuitive to most of us; we have been trained otherwise. Yet we need time to process what is happening or has happened, to grieve it and to release our grip on it.

While letting go can be extremely beneficial, the practice can be even more significant when we also learn to let go into something valuable. From this side, letting go is more about what is gained than what is lost. When we let go of fear, it may also be possible to let go into a sense of safety or a sense of relaxation. Forsaking the need to be right or to have one’s opinions justified can allow a person to settle into a feeling of peace. Letting go of thoughts might allow us to open to a calmer mind. By letting go into something beneficial, it can be easier to let go of something harmful.

—Gil Fronsdal

Traction

From the Tarot of the Master, Justice; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Laetitia:

This Justice's scales seem to be perfectly balanced; if someone were to ask me what was imbalanced, I'd begin a long list with the climate/environment and end with politics. But this Justice seems to look downward rather than outward - at me. I can get intoxicated about many issues, which may make me feel as if I'm doing something though I'm actually not. Justice would tell me to find some traction, and Laetitia ('joy') might help with that. The booklet that comes with this deck suggests this card refers to the sharing of ideas and discussion. I am reminded of the wise words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Equilibrium

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Master, created by Giovanni Vacchetta and published by Lo Scarabeo. Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Paracelsus Oracle, published by Lo Scarabeo with instructions written by Gina di Roberto. The cards drawn for today are the Eight of Cups and Rubeus:

Rather than the RWS version of a man leaving under the cover of darkness, the Tarot of the Master shows eight chalices in a delicate balance. Given the keyword 'equilibrium,' it emphasizes how important a sense of evenness underlies all of our important relationships. It doesn't mean each person has to conform to the same mold; instead it points to a need for a democratic use of authority and influence. Rubeus ('red') suggests a passion that can be used constructively or destructively. A "my way or the highway" attitude" will quickly dismantle the delicate balance of those cups. Yet a passionate commitment to work through difficulties and a view of one's partner as vital part of one's life can be the concrete that holds a relationship together. 

I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, its not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel all alone. —Robin Williams

How to Give with Discernment

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Six of Coins; from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk, the City:

A person of integrity gives a gift with a sense of conviction. A person of integrity gives a gift attentively. A person of integrity gives a gift in season. A person of integrity gives a gift with an empathetic heart. A person of integrity gives a gift without adversely affecting himself or others.

—Anguttara Nikaya 5.148 (trans. Thanissaro Bhikkhu)

The Six of Coins combined with the City points to what can be so hard about generosity. In a small community, people are well aware of who has lost a job, a family member or is experiencing illness and can respond appropriately. But in a city with thousands of residents, most people are strangers, especially those with cardboard signs asking for money. Yet the Buddha's words do offer us some guidelines for giving with discernment. We give when convinced of a need, without indifference, at the appropriate time, with compassion for their suffering, and without causing harm to the giver or receiver.

Legacy of Wisdom

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Ten of Coins; from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk, Information Exchange:

Wealth is the realization that one has enough to satisfy one’s needs.

~Jessica Rose Shanahan

A couple and their babe sit on a chest full of assets, but their eyes are on what they consider most important. Yet the Ten of Coins is about more than just money; it also includes leaving a legacy. Even if you don't have children, getting older tends to make us think about such things. The Information Exchange card suggests that the way to live a wise, joyful and full life might be the greatest treasure we could pass on. What would your words of wisdom be? For me, I think Lao Tzu sums it up in the 67th chapter of the Tao Te Ching:

I have just three things to teach:

simplicity, patience, compassion.

These three are your greatest treasures.

Straight in the Eye

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Hermit; from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk deck, the Monk:

Only when we stop our busyness and step back from distractions can we realize how quickly so many days of our life have been squeezed dry. We may discover the truth in William Penn's words: "Time is what we want most but what we use worst." Such a revelation can inspire us to stop obsessing about things that don't really matter and instead begin to enjoy life and be of service. The Monk card suggests a time of deep inner reflection away from interruptions (much like the Hermit). We can't make better use of our time if we keep repeating the same patterns, thus a personal inventory can help us become aware of them. As Bhante Henepola Gunaratana said, ""The very fact that you have looked at the problem straight in the eye means that you are on your way up and out of it."

From Foggy to Clear

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Queen of Cups; from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk deck, the Fog:

When I have been listened to and when I have been heard, I am able to re-perceive my world in a new way and to go on. It is astonishing how elements that seem insoluble become soluble when someone listens, how confusions that seem irremediable turn into relatively clear flowing streams when one is heard. ―Carl R. Rogers

This Queen's body posture and gaze lets us know she is a good listener. She gives whatever you say her complete attention without multitasking. She listens without judgment and without trying to fill any pauses with words. She's the personification of patience and compassion. When you are finished, she might ask questions to clarify what was said or probe deeper. As Rogers describes, simply by being given a safe space to tell your story can allow clarity and understanding to arise. The Fog lifts. Such a friend is a treasure; just don't forget to listen to her too.

Adulting

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Ten of Sticks; from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk deck, Maze:

This card should be called 'adulting.' If we mature into responsible people with duties and obligations, we'll all have those days when life seems overwhelming. Requests and demands can seem like a list we never make a dent in: find, fix, pay, buy, solve, contact, clean, create, finish, etc. The Maze card indicates that lost feeling, when confusion, frustration and exhaustion leave us thinking there is no way out. But is this true? The to-do list might be real enough, but is it possible to delegate, ask for help or leave some things undone until there is less to do? Can we operate from needs rather than expectations?

The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem. —Theodore Isaac Rubin

Tools of the Trade

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Three of Coins; from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk deck, the Internet:

This master of clay uses her sense of touch to shape her pot, relying on muscle memory. She's embodied her creative talent through years of repetition and practice. Author Natalie Goldberg listed three encouragements her Zen teacher taught her that have helped support not only her spiritual practice, but also her writing:

1. Continue under all circumstances – keep going.

2. Don’t be tossed away. 

3. Make a positive effort for the good.

The internet is a collection of information and misinformation, of support and callousness, of advertisements and fundraisers. But its biggest impact is how it has connected the world. Most artists and businesses rely on it, yet we must learn how to wisely use this tool without letting it use us. (And Goldberg's last two points might be helpful here too.)

Virus Scan

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Absurd, created and self-published by Jessica Rose Shanahan. I'll also be using another self-published deck, the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk by Masha Falkov. The draws for today are the Nine of Cups and the Virus:

Shanahan uses a flexible genie to illustrate her 'wish card.' Such elasticity suggests that learning to adapt to whatever life throws our way could be a great tool in finding contentment and delight. Having rigid expectations are a reliable way to end up frustrated and disappointed. On the other hand, being versatile can open other avenues and opportunities. The Virus implies a host has been invaded and is now under its influence. The host might be a body or a computer, but the most common is the mind. It happens when we unintentionally let a thought or belief inhabit our head, and then we go off the rails (and no contentment will be found there). The only solution is a virus scan, also known as mindfulness, which allows us to be aware of what is running loose in the mind and dismantle it with logic.

Disorder is inherent in stability... A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed.

―Tom Robbins

Toxin Removal

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Insight:

The first thing I notice about this King is that he is completely surrounded by cattails (Typha). These water-lovers do have their uses, including being a tool for phytoremediation, the use of plants to remove and control environmental pollutants.  Cattails have been useful in absorbing arsenic, pharmaceuticals, and even chemicals from explosives. This card suggests a compassionate, objective listener can be useful in helping us to recognize and remove what harms us. The Insight card - showing a crow raising the water level with stones to get a shrimp -  adds to this information. We must not only grasp the message, we understand the relationship among the parts that make up the whole. We can know that our obsessive thinking is causing us emotional turmoil, but it is making an effort to change those thoughts than can make a difference.

If you want to make your own internal experience more hospitable, only you can do that work. Others can always support and guide you and spark insights, but ultimately you are your own boss and the agent of understanding your mind and opening your heart. —Ethan Nichtern

Long-term Sustenance

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Caching:

Since there isn't a guide booklet to inform users about the characters in this deck, I decided to just imagine this as the story of Danu, the Irish earth-mother goddess. Bile, the god of light and healing - often represented as a great sacred oak - was fed and nurtured by Danu. Both god and goddess needed each other to produce Daghdha. Such nurturing and care is what produces the contentment and happiness of the Ten of Cups. Yet Caching (storing for future use) suggests that we remember that our relationships will need continual feeding in order to be sustained. Such support gives each person the support and confidence to continue to grow and develop in each stage of the life cycle.

Using Our Senses

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the Page of Coins; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Nature:

This Page is a hands-on learner, using her senses and getting her hands dirty. Rather than seeking all of her knowledge through books, she learns experientially. She was one of those preschool kids who enjoyed not only kneading and shaping Play-doh, she'd loved smelling it (and even giving it a taste). The Nature card is a reminder that we need to step beyond concrete and metal into green spaces. Nature doesn't need us, but we need her. She offers us a place to unwind, yet she also teaches us about resilience and interconnection (all of which this Page is probably well aware of).

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. 

–John Muir

Curiosity

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the High Priestess; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Curiosity:

Knowledge is measuring that the desert path is 12.4 miles long.

Wisdom is packing enough water for the hike.

Insight is building a lemonade stand at the 6th mile.

~Christopher Reiss

The High Priestess has plenty of knowledge and wisdom, but what she offers that is most important is insight. She teaches us to calmly sit and incubate our information and experience. This priestess shows us how open awareness, rather than a narrow focus, can develop insights that allow us to understand relationships, motives and the bigger picture. The Curiosity card implies that we need to hold lightly what we know (rather than thinking we're an expert) and be willing to open doors and explore. There's always more to find below the surface.

Chipping Away at Confusion

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Anticipation:

It's not that the King of Swords has no emotions; he's just learned how to practice detachment so that his discernment isn't affected. He also understands that emotions can show one's hand, such as in the biblical story of King Solomon and the women arguing over a baby. When he suggested that the baby be cut in half, it was the real mother who acquiesced. Her emotional response uncovered her motive - the well-being of the child. Anticipation shows a flock of crows waiting for humans to gather. They know that people often drop bits of food, and they'll take advantage it. Yet anticipation can lead to expectation. What happens if there's is only wine and music? When assumptions don't pan out, we may become frustrated and angry, blaming everyone but ourselves. But such a reaction only proves where the real fault lies.

We keep trying to chip away at our confusion, to straighten it out, to get rid of it, imagining ourselves somehow coming out on the other side, into a non-confused state where everything is workable. But rather than getting rid of our confusion, what we really need to do is to examine it and in doing so transform our view of it. We need to look below the surface to how we perceive reality altogether. 

—Judy Lief

Horizon Gazing

From the Slavic Legends Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the Urban Crow Oracle, Mimicry:

This young person has a choice to make - to follow the map of the known or venture out into the unknown. Neuroscientists have found that when we're stressed, our visual field narrows in focus; when we're relaxed we expand our periphery. It's no wonder then that people with an important decision to make like to gaze at the horizon, giving them a chance to unwind and envision more possibilities than just one. Mimicry shows a dog confused by a crow that doesn't sound like a crow. Crows can mimic many sounds made by animals or humans. One morning I thought for sure I had a wild turkey gobbling in my backyard, only to see it was a crow. This card suggests we pause and ask if this opportunity might not be as shiny and bright as it was presented. Or, perhaps we pretended to be interested and now have gotten tangled into something that just isn't us. We might need to keep staring out at that horizon a while longer.

Burning or Crossing

This week I'll be using the Slavic Legends Tarot, an independently published deck (Taroteca Studio) by Krzysztof Wasiuk and Magdalena Kaczan (artist). I'll also be using the Urban Crow Oracle, created by Margaux Jones (aka MJ Cullinane) and published by Hay House. Today's draws are the Knight of Wands and Community:

This young man leaves a burning wake behind him everywhere he goes. The Knight of Wands channels his wild energy into change, confrontation, and often chaos. He thrives on excitement and has the charisma to lead a (usually clueless) posse of followers. He's good at challenging outdated traditions and ideas as he rides over them, waking up those who are complacent and sanctimonious. But he doesn't stick around for the clean up or to suggest an alternative for what he disparaged. The Community card is a warning that he is not an independent agent. We all need a safe place to come together, share information and rest from the stresses of the day. A place where we recognize our interconnection even if we don't always agree with one another can give us both boundaries and freedom. 

The hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which to burn.

―David Russell

Personal Almanac

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Hermit; from the Mystic Glyphs, Moon Phases:

The Hermit reminds me that, rather than making new year's resolutions, it might be a good idea to reflect on how I responded to the past 365 days. Can I observe my patterns and determine whether they were beneficial or kept me stuck in an unskillful rut? What did I do that was constructive and useful? How did I relate to the people whose path also crossed my own? Now, acknowledging what I've found, I can decide what I want to do less of and what to do more. The Moon Phases are a reminder that nothing is set in stone. Even if external circumstances change very little, I can change how I react to them.

We don’t have to view ourselves as victims of an external world or as victims of our conditioning. We receive the fruit of seeds of the past as our experience right now, and we can choose to do what is helpful right now: to plant beneficial seeds.

—Ben Connelly

 

Modeling Job

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Universe (World); from the Mystic Glyphs, Leader:

The World/Universe represents wholeness, a place of completion at the end of a cycle. Yet it is also a place where we find our eyes and perhaps hearts have been opened wider, seeing from a perspective that understands our connection as diverse parts of a great organism. If only we could remember this viewpoint and our relationship with all when we begin a new cycle and go about our daily activities! The Leader glyph suggests we need not wait for everyone else to recognize this interconnection - we can model it ourselves. What might this look like? Frank Martela, a psychologist in Finland (the happiest country in the world) gives three things Finnish folks don't do that promote a high quality of life:

1) We don’t compare ourselves to our neighbors (forget trying to look successful).

2) We don’t overlook the benefits of nature (spending time outdoors increases well-being).

3) We don’t break the community circle of trust (respond with honesty, respect and integrity).