Emotional Maturity

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Marseille Oracle, Progress:

The Criteria of Emotional Maturity: The ability to deal constructively with reality; The capacity to adapt to change; A relative freedom from symptoms that are produced by tensions and anxieties; The capacity to find more satisfaction in giving than receiving; The capacity to relate to other people in a consistent manner with mutual satisfaction and helpfulness; The capacity to direct one's instinctive hostile energy into creative and constructive outlets; The capacity to love.

―Dr. William C. Menniger

The King of Cups does a lot of listening and guiding; the tools he has cultivated to maintain his equanimity are his secret to staying sane. Beauty, creativity and nature are some of the things that feed his spirit, while self-awareness and personal inventories help him to see reality more clearly. The steam locomotive was first used in the UK in the early 19th century, replacing horse-drawn carts pulled along rails. It represents progress, and in this case, the development of emotional maturity. While few of us would score 100% on Menniger's list, just doing better even in a couple of categories over time counts as an improvement.