Tools and Small Pools

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Three of Pentacles; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Rockpool:

Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. ~George Herbert

Poppy gives her Three of Pentacles the subtitle 'tools,' meaning our skills, resources and knowledge. Sometimes we learn how to do things differently with different tools - that is also part of mastery. It's easy to get comfortable with just a few and ignore the others. But such an expansion of our skills can help us not only be better at our craft, but to be more flexible if the project doesn't go as expected. Rockpool is is a shallow pool of seawater trapped in rocky depressions when the tide goes out. They are often homes for such animals as sea stars, mussels and small fish. The little pool separated from the ocean suggests taking a time out for rest, which can give inspiration a chance to arise.

Lay of the Land

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Turtle:

Instincts like fear and sex are important, but you don't want to be acting on them all the time. We need to be able to dynamically control our instinctive behaviors, depending on the situation.

~Cornelius Gross

The Nine of Swords is generally associated with anxiety and sleepless nights. But in this card, the gulls give the sprites a lift, allowing them to get the lay of the land. Instead of relying on an over-active imagination that churns out assumptions and worst case scenarios, the sprites get an actual view of things. Now they can respond appropriately. The Turtle card shows hatchlings instinctively hurrying to the sea before they get eaten. The driver of our instincts is the brainstem; the prefrontal cortex plays a role in keeping those instincts in check. Neuroscientists have shown that the emotional and deliberative circuits in the brain are in constant interaction (some would say struggle), and the former, for better or for worse, often holds sway. Before we 'trust our gut,' we need to make sure our prefrontal cortex has enough facts and an accurate view of what's going on to balance out those brainstem urges.

Look For It

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Morning Star (Sun); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Seahorse:

Sacred space and sacred time and something joyous to do is all we need.

~Joseph Campbell

The Sun represents energy, joy, freedom and clarity. I do not feel any connection with any of these things this morning. I feel stretched too thin these days, and Seahorse (Family) points to what I'm blaming for my frustration and exhaustion. Yet if I step back and look at my life as a theater screen, watching rather than participating, I realize that there is still joy hiding in the corners waiting for me to find it. It's time to redirect my attention.

Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.

~Joseph Campbell

Innovate

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Queen of Fire; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Mangroves:

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Queen of Fire is the passion for life personified. Confident, knowledgeable and energetic, she often flaunts convention because it is just too tight a fit. She has causes and creative ideas that she wants to put into action and bring into being; as far as she's concerned, she won't let tradition stand in her way. Mangroves are tropical plants that are adapted to loose, wet soils, salt water and being periodically submerged by tides. They have learned to survive in what would be an uninhabitable environment for most plants, and thus their message is Innovation. The Queen would readily agree; the world is constantly changing, and if we are to survive and thrive we must be willing to transform our ideas and ways of doing things.

Re-Wiring

From Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, Connection (Star); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Albatross:

We are all wired for connection.

~Gabor Maté

When we take a blow that knocks us to our knees, we feel confused, scared and hurt. But even worse, we can feel separated - from any spiritual source, from other people and even ourselves. We may immediately try to recover what was lost, when we would do better to pause and give ourselves time to heal and reflect. As Toni Cade Bambara writes in The Salt Eaters, "Are you sure, sweetheart, that you want to be well? … Just so’s you’re sure, sweetheart, and ready to be healed, cause wholeness is no trifling matter." Albatross is a sea bird that spends much of its life riding the ocean winds and has adapted to be able to drink salt water. It's message is one of endurance and resilience as we deal with challenges and loss. Life is hard, but it is also wonderful if we look wide enough. And when we see that, we'll see any separation we feel is only an illusion.

In-Body

From Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Page of Earth; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Dolphin:

Have an in-body experience.

―Lynne Forest

This Page is associated with 'Jack-in-the-Green,' a foliage-covered, dancing figure of May Day celebrations who embodied the spirit of spring. Likewise, the Page of Earth is not content to simply observe or read about something; he wants to be a participant, to be physically involved in some way. The Dolphin card represents joy, as dolphins are often seen jumping out of the water. While this behavior is generally related to navigation, visibility, communication, or parasite removal, at times these mammals just jump for the fun of it. Both of these cards suggest an embodiment of delight, which can only happen when we get out of our heads and appreciate the information that comes from our senses. As poet Aaron Boothby put it, "I don't know how to decline wonder."

Trapped in History

This week I'll be using Poppy Palin's Waking the Wild Spirit tarot deck, published by Llewellyn, along with her companion book, Stories of the Wild Spirit, published by Slippery Jacks Press. I'll also be drawing from Saltwater Reading Cards, created by Laura Bowen and published by Rockpool Publishing. Today's cards are the Eight of Air (Swords) and Dugong:

People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.

~James Baldwin

Our culture, our friends and family and our experiences shape the way we think and what we believe. Even when the world has changed, when life has opened other doors, we can still stay inside that cage of ideas and beliefs. It takes practice to change our mind, to see that although the past was real, it is not the present. The Dugong's (sea cow's) large size can mislead people; it is actually a gentle, slow-moving mammal that feeds on grass in lagoons and bays. It offers a reminder that appearances aren't always what they seem. Difficult or stressful circumstances might send us chasing our next pleasurable distraction, yet even tough situations can often be altered if we don't try to avoid them. As James Baldwin said,  “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Two Edges

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Queen of Swords; from the Tapestry Oracle, Edge:

Let truth be thy aim, not victory, or an unjust interest.

~William Penn

This Queen knows that to maintain an unbiased, clear perspective, one must maintain a distance from the situation. It's why some people find her cold, though she really is just trying to stay objective and be logical. People go to her cousin, the Queen of Cups, when they want to talk about their feelings. They come to the Queen of Swords for an unvarnished, honest view of reality. Like her sword, the truth can be sharp and painful. The Edge points to the two edges of this queen's sword - one razor-like and cutting and one dull and rounded. There are those she counsels who do not require the sharp edge, but for those who deny, blame and excuse, she has no choice but to cut away what hides the truth.

Follow that Light

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Ace of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Discovery:

As you move toward a dream, the dream moves toward you.

― Julia Cameron

Whether it's a spiritual nudge to be of service or a creative nudge from our muse, inspiration can capture the mind like a fish in a net. Such strong visions and ideas are hard to resist, and we probably should just follow them. Like chasing a lightning bug down a dark path, we don't know exactly where we'll be led or what we'll stumble over along the way. But the Discovery card implies that there is something wonderful we could find that may have little to do with our objective. An unexpected treasure might be revealed - a new talent, friend or delight - just by simply following that light.  

Not Better, Just Whole

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Four of Cups; from the Tapestry Oracle, Devotion:

Mirror neurons are bound to be activated when we work with emotionally difficult situations. Mindfulness, especially of what’s going on in the body, allows us to be aware of the impact that these situations are having on us. ~Pamela Gayle White

The combination of these cards suggest how being devoted can leave us feeling fatigued and flattened when we don't practice self-care and compassion. It's easy to fall into one of two mindsets: either self-pity ("no one knows what I put up with") or guilt ("why can't I be a good person"). Of course neither of those is beneficial. Being mindful can turn our thoughts away from our struggles and point them toward resources and other options. We can acknowledge that no one has the power to fix every problem, make everyone happy or create major change on their own. We also need to realize that self-care and self-compassion are not self-help practices - they are not meant to make us a better person, but a more whole and well person. 

[I]f we don’t maintain a balance between our work and the nourishment we need, we won’t be very successful... getting in touch with the refreshing and healing elements inside and around us is crucial for our survival. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Move Down the Mountain

From the Light Seer's Tarot, Judgment; from the Tapestry Oracle, Memories:

Rise up nimbly

and go on your strange journey

to the ocean of meanings.

The stream knows

it can't stay on the mountain.

Leave and don't look away

from the sun as you go,

in whose light

you're sometimes crescent,

sometimes full.

―Rumi

A woman related seeing these words written on a chalkboard in rehab: "I don't know if I had a spiritual experience, but something sure as hell happened." Spiritual awakenings don't simply change the way we feel, they change our motives, our perceptions and our behavior. Such an experience transforms us, altering a self-absorbed mindset into an other-centered one. The heavy yoke of the past (as illustrated in Memory) is lifted. We realize that we don't have to be defined by our worse day - self-created or otherwise. As Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

Focus or Distraction

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the Tapestry Oracle, Focus:

Your results are the product of either personal focus or personal distractions.

The choice is yours. — John Di Lemme

Imbalance, thy name is Bev. In the area of spending and saving, I'm fairly thrifty. But not so with my body. In the fall and spring, when the weather has days that are deliciously cool and sunny, I try to do yard work like I did in my twenties. That might not be a problem if I wasn't thinking about the next thing I was going to do while currently doing another task. Focus implies keeping the mind pointed at one thing rather than several. If I could remember to do that in the yard, I would be aware of when my back sends me signals that it is strained and needs a rest. And I wouldn't see so much of my chiropractor. 

The Cure for Browbeat Days

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Four of Swords; from the Tapestry Oracle, Mystery:

I realized it for the first time in my life: there is nothing but mystery in the world, how it hides behind the fabric of our poor, browbeat days, shining brightly, and we don't even know it.

― Sue Monk Kidd

Humans are planners, creators, and problem solvers. But like the body, the mind needs a chance to rest too. It's why I now start my day with a long walk (instead of my usual list making) accompanied by soothing instrumental music. My mind relaxes with the music as I observe the seasonal changes. When I have a busy day or week ahead, this often helps more than sitting meditation. Mystery shows a woman offering us a peak beneath the sea. Thoreau once wrote that we need the tonic of wildness; I believe he'd also agree we need mystery. Paradoxes, enigmas and awesome wonders help keep the mind curious and playful. We don't always have to know the reason and workings of everything. Mystery helps keep us inspired and the mind flexible and open.

Even the Antidote

This week I'll be using the Light Seer's Tarot, created by Chris-Anne Donnelly and published by Hay House. The other deck I'll be drawing from is the Tapestry Oracle, created and self-published by Kendall Eifler. Today's draws are the Page of Swords and Darkness:

There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.

―Ansel Adams

Mental constructs have a heady effect on this intellectual Page. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the world experience she to realize a concept doesn't cover everything. Unfortunately, that's how extreme 'isms' get born, like nihilism or asceticism. The Buddhist lojong slogan, "Self-liberate even the antidote," points out that even ideas that are useful in some ways can be too constrictive for the constant change of life when applied too widely. The card Darkness shows how tightly held constructs can shrink our world, squeezing out any hope for other possibilities. Even when those opportunities arise, we can be so blinded by our ideas we don't see them.

Eye-Opening

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Three of Wands; from Rory's Story Cubes, Glasses:

In all her life, Rose had never properly seen a star. Tonight there was a sky full. Rose looked up, and it was like walking into a dark room and someone switching on the universe.

― Hilary McKay

I imagine this crowned woman running for some election - a stretch into new territory for her. She knows the job itself, but not how to run a campaign. She hires someone who can wisely manage donations and pay for ads as well as an outgoing, energetic public relations person. For big projects, she knows it takes a team with diverse skills and knowledge to be successful. Glasses suggests bringing things into focus that were a blur before. Being surrounded by friends or coworkers who aren't just like us can help us see and understand details and the roots of things below the surface level. It can be an eye-opening experience!

Change the Eyes

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Tower; from Rory's Story Cubes, Elephant:

Alan Watts once stated that reality was just a Rorschach ink-blot - we make sense of it based on what we've experienced and learned. Yet sometimes we create a protective delusion built with the bricks of a concept or dogma that we think we'll shield us from any ill wind that blows. It might be based on religion, politics, education, money or a health regime, but at some point reality will rip it apart, leaving us with a hard landing. Elephants move at a mindful pace, nurture relationships, and exercise compassion and empathy. Their strength and resilience comes from these relational traits, not self-centered interests. With their example, perhaps we should take the advice of Nikos Kazantzakis: "Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality."

Containing Frame

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Chariot; from Rory's Story Cubes, Chariot:

The attempt to look at your attitude—what you are feeling and thinking and the frame that holds it, is one of the routes to freedom.

―John Tarrant

The two humans pulling the Chariot are the animal instincts of its driver. Instincts are great for motivating behavior, but they have no safety switches. They tell us to run over anything or anyone to get to our goal. However the mind allows us to filter and direct these instincts rather than letting them become our master. Fire suggests the passions that motivate us; like our instincts, these strong attractions must be fed while also contained. As the Yin Yang symbol on the Chariot implies, there are times when we need to be passive and receptive, and times when we need to be active and assertive.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

— Viktor E. Frankl

Calm is Contagious

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Moon; from Rory's Story Cubes, Phone:

There is a maxim that Navy SEALs pass from officer to officer, man to man. In the midst of chaos, even in the fog of war, their battle-tested advice is this: “Calm is contagious.”

The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday

When the body is running on empty and emotions are running high, the ability to see with clarity is skewed. Things that are inconsequential suddenly mushroom into dire situations; projections and assumptions are taken as fact. It's easy to fall back into old habits that damage our well-being. In recovery, it is suggested that folks collect some phone numbers of sane and centered people to call - their groundedness can help anchor others until they can rest and find peace once again.

Abacus for Joys

From the Neuzeit Tarot, Death; from Rory's Story Cubes, Abacus:

All things already have their endings within them. If we become attuned to this, then we can appreciate the moment. We can appreciate the extraordinary fact of our unique and precious lives.

—Thanissara

As one philosopher put it, we always know when we're doing something for the first time but not the last. When we think it's an 'ordinary' day, our attention is likely to be in the future and what's to come rather than what currently occupies us. Even as I type these words, part of me is thinking about the walk I will take this morning followed by a trip to the lab for blood work. But now I pause... tasting my coffee, listening to the sounds of my husband sleeping and feel of the breeze from the fan. Maybe those things are not extraordinary, but they are sacred. The Abacus, or counting frame, is a reminder to take stock of these simple but good things on a regular basis.

Man is fond of counting his troubles, but he does not count his joys. If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that every lot has enough happiness provided for it.

—Fyodor Dostoevsky

A Small Rock

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Seven of Swords; from Rory's Story Cubes, Plane:

You bend the rules a little bit and then it's a slippery slope.

~Thomas Peterffy

A few lies make it easier to tell more; a few carefully hidden motives make it easier to cover up more. Without a doubt, we'll get away with some of our deceit. But that big eye at the top of this card is a reminder that someone will eventually get wise to what's going on and the truth will come out. Is being at the pinnacle of the mountain worth the fall we'll take from its cliff? Is our desperation really creating a solution or just a bigger problem? The Plane suggests seeing things from above, from a more expansive view. It parallels the words of Za Choeje Rinpoche:

You can just pull your mind out of the situation and let your mind be like a sky, looking at the situation above, not from underneath. It’s like you have a small rock in your hand, and you’re bringing it so close to your eyes that it feels like you are under a big, huge rock when actually, it is just a small rock. It’s just perspective. We tend to look at the situation from underneath and so close that we exaggerate the situation, and then we make that situation so big. Then we think, “This is what my life is; I am just crushed by this.” In reality, if you look at it from above, it’s not a big, big thing. It’s just a small rock.

With One's Own Hand

This week I'll be using the Neuzeit Tarot created by Walter Wegmuller and published by AG Muller. The 'oracle' I'll be using is a combination of two sets of Rory's Story Cubes - the original and Voyages set. These dice were created by Rory O'Connor and produced by Gamewright. Today's card and die are the Queen of Cups and Turtle:

I think instead [of happiness] we should be working for contentment... an inner sense of fulfillment that's relatively independent of external circumstances.

― Andrew Weil

The Queen of Cups fills her own cup with her own hand; she doesn't demand that people, jobs or events entertain and emotionally fulfill her. She would agree with James Oppenheim: "The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet." She understands that this kind of growing requires effort and a watchful eye on the direction of her thoughts. Happiness comes and goes, but contentment can be found if the heart is not focused on one thing or person but opens to the expanse of life. Turtle is a reminder to slow down and enjoy the waters one is swimming in - they will change soon enough. 

Normal is an Ideal

From the Idiosyncradeck, the Two of Stones; from the Mixed Emotions deck, Safe:

Normal is an ideal. But it’s not reality.

― Tara Kelly

Looking closely at these stacked stones, they hardly seem balanced - some big, some small and a few completely off center. But standing back and viewing them as a whole, it's easy to realize that they are arranged for stability. Life is the same way at times, and reminds me of the advice I was given when I first had a baby: "When she naps, you nap. Don't worry about the dishes in the sink or a messy house. You won't have to wait 18 years to get those things done." We balance things out in ways that might look haphazard but actually work for us in our situation. Safe suggests not only physical safety, but also mental and emotional well-being. Just because it doesn't seem sane or normal to other people doesn't mean it isn't useful or beneficial for us.

It's a Practice

From the Idiosyncradeck, the Ace of Cups; from the Mixed Emotions deck, Compassionate:

To love without knowing how to love, wounds the person we love.

― Thich Nhat Hanh 

I have learned that having a full heart, one that overflows with love to share, takes practice. Some of the tools I use are: 

• Bring to mind (from childhood to present) your benefactors, those who have been kind without any agenda or strings attached.
• At the end of each day, ask: What happened today that made me smile or laugh? What touched or warmed my heart? What made me pause in wonder or awe?
• Make use of a loving-kindness meditation.

Compassion means being willing to sit with another's pain with a desire to help. But notice how the hands in this card tenderly hold rather than control the bird. Sometimes, in our desire to make our own discomfort go away or when we want to 'fix' the other person, we react inappropriately. As Ed and Deb Shapiro caution, "Wise compassion is inherently skillful, sees the whole situation and aims to bring release from suffering; its opposite is known as blind or idiot compassion, which does not take into account the whole situation and so, while appearing compassionate, is inherently unskillful and may actually increase suffering."

Principles Before Personalities

From the Idiosyncradeck, the Three of Stones; from the Mixed Emotions deck, Frustrated:

To all those whose progress remains hampered by ego-related distractions, let humility serve to remind one to place virtue before vice, values before vanity and principles before personalities.

~Matsumura Sokon

For the Greek Pythagoreans, the number three represented harmony, wisdom and understanding. Three is the only number equal to the sum of the previous numbers (1+2=3). It symbolized a collaboration and cooperation toward a common goal. Frustration, however,  shows what often happens when working with another person or group. Personal proclivities, our tendency to do things regularly in a certain way, can bump into each other when they differ. Yet if we can hold fast to the solution or objective we're trying to reach, we may be able to discuss rather than argue about our strategy.

Grounded and Centered

From the Idiosyncradeck, the Queen of Stones (Pentacles); from the Mixed Emotions deck, Receptive:

Stay in the center, and you will be ready to move in any direction.

― Alan W. Watts

With the flowering vine wrapped around it, there is a sense that this obelisk is firmly planted in the ground. The Queen of Stones is also grounded, completely aware of the present moment which prevents thoughts and emotions from dragging her elsewhere. She is also centered, having a reference point or compass that keeps her body, mind, heart and spirit in balance during life's challenges. These traits are what make her dependable and resourceful because they allow her to be Receptive to whatever comes. Grounded and centered, this Queen is open to reality and has the clarity to see what is appropriate and needed in each situation.