Gathering Up

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, created by Julia Jeffrey with Barbara Moore, and published by Llewellyn. I'll also be drawing from the Heart of Faerie Oracle created by Brian and Wendy Froud  and published by Abrams. Today's cards are the Five of Pentacles and the Thief:

Oh that my monk’s robe were wide enough

to gather up all the suffering people in this floating world 

—Ryokan

Cold and hungry, the elder of two fey sisters comforts the younger one. I am convinced that a person can get through almost any hardship if they know they have someone walking beside them on the journey. Of course it is best if this fellow traveler has certain qualities:

• They neither blame nor shame, only support and encourage; they realize that this shoe could easily be on their own foot.
• They don't try to get rid of their own discomfort with a quick fix; they do not employ toxic positivity or spiritual bypass. They allow feelings to be felt without sanctioning self-pity.
• Instead of assuming to know what the other needs, they ask and try to supply it.

The Thief steals something we can't ever get back - our time. He tells us that we can put things off, postpone and procrastinate because we'll have time to get around to it. I'm sure we all know someone who could use our compassion and support now rather than later.