Sacrifice and Restoration

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, Dancer Five (Five of Cups); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Elder (Ruis):

I let my guard down

And then you pulled the rug

I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved

―Lewis Capaldi

Watching a cherished relationship slowly fade or suddenly dissolve is to know grief and loss. Blame - whether of ourselves or another - may be used to try to make us feel better. Yet it would be more useful to feel our feelings without judgment or projections and let them dissipate. The Elder's ogham is Ruis, which means 'redness,' like the stems that hold its berries. It indicates intensity and passion, such as seen with anger or embarrassment. The companion book for this oracle offers the wisdom that "from sacrifice comes restoration." When we can grieve without clinging, we sacrifice the ego's desire for things to stay the same. In return, we find contentment and peace.