The Color and Weight of Lead

From the Stone Tarot, the Eight of Cups; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 6:81:

The heaviness leaves, and if I'm patient enough it can be replaced by something I need, something that would fill instead of drown and let me breathe instead of bleed.

―Karin Lowachee

The colors in this card seem infused with lead; the light heart has become a heavy heart. An excessive emotional weight has a marked physical effect. Rather than the taste of something sweet, our connection now makes our lungs seem filled with sand and keeps our shoulders and stomach tied in knots. Sometimes taking the high road means letting go of our resentment while leaving behind the relationship. The Dhammapada quote reads:

As a solid mass of rock is not moved by the wind, so a sage is unmoved by praise and blame.

When we're in the middle of disentangling from a group or partnership, others may offer advice that either encourages or disheartens us. But what is their motive? Personal integrity demands that we follow our values and standards without being swayed.