From the Tarot of the Masters, the Three of Swords; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Ace of Hearts:

For what it's worth, I can finally see

That I'm a little bit hurt but a lot more free

—Max McNown

The dead seagulls on this card emphasize the death of our trust placed in another. It is a difficult truth to accept when we realize those we placed our confidence and faith in have betrayed us. Our minds may become a whirlpool of anger or self-pity, as we deal with that grief. Yet if we are able to see the situation from a wider perspective, we might eventually agree with McNown - we're a little hurt but a lot more free. The Ace of Hearts reflects how fleeting beauty and life are:

I'm a little butterfly

Born in a bower, 

Christened in a teapot,

Died in half an hour.

Each night our days on this earth are reduced by one. How do we want to spend the moments we have left? As John F. Kennedy said, "We must use time as a tool, not as a couch." 

Chasms of Resentment

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Two of Cups; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Five of Hearts:

When the mind object drops away, even for an instant, all kinds of latent interpersonal possibilities emerge—for connection, empathy, insight, joy, and, dare we say, love.

—Mark Epstein

If the Lovers card is about union and commitment, then the Two of Cups is about reunion - compromise, conflict resolution and communication. It can take quite a leap to reach that side; both parties must let go of the story they've held onto firmly in order to widen their heart and mind. The Five of Hearts is paired with Ben Jonson's poem "Third Charm" which describes the eerie setting of a witches' incantation. Meant to incite fear, it implies another obstacle to peace when we are afraid to give up our story. Yet as John M. Green reminds us, "Fear incarcerates, but love liberates." We can hold people responsible for their actions without holding them hostage from our compassion.

Threshing Floor

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Masters, created and self-published by James Ricklef. (I'll also be referring to Ricklef's Tarot Affirmations book.) The oracle deck I'll be using is The Key to the Kingdom, a transformational cards and booklet set created by Tony Meeuwissen and published by Running Press. Today's draws are the Youth of Swords and the Two of Spades:

A mind not agitated by good questions cannot appreciate the significance of even the best answers. It is easy enough to learn the answers. But to develop actively inquisitive minds, alive with real questions, profound questions—that is another story.

―Mortimer J. Adler

The Page's mind is like a sponge, soaking up information he hears and the answers to questions he asks. A trove of knowledge is a worthy asset, but doubt is a powerful tool to sort through what has been accumulated. The Two of Spades is paired with this poem:

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe,

Get it done by half past two; 

Stitch it up, and stitch it down,

Then I'll give you half a crown.

While information in our day and age is a necessity, the Two of Spades encourages us to take action - threshing the wheat from the chaff - to find what's worth keeping. As Steve Albini wrote, "Doubt the conventional wisdom unless you can verify it with reason and experiment."

Dreamworlds

From the Rider Marseille Tarot, the Moon; from the Ostinato Oracle, the Note:

There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear

—Buffalo Springfield

The Moon has eclipsed the sun, creating a murky world of ambiguity. A crawfish - a symbol of the subconscious becoming conscious - begins to leave the water. Researchers believe our dreams help us process our emotions. The brain encodes and constructs memories of our feelings; what we see and experience in the dream isn't real, but the emotions attached to them are.  Our dreamworld is like therapy, taking the sting out of our emotional experiences, so that we can learn from them. A Note indicates both pitch (how high or low) and duration (how long) in music. It guides us, showing us what comes first, then next. Once we have identified our troubling emotion, we can learn to manage it, perhaps through journaling, identifying triggers, mindful breathing, or cognitive therapy. Just take the first step and see where it leads.

The Road is Wide

From the Rider Marseille Tarot, Temperance; from the Ostinato Oracle, Key:

From a psychological perspective, extremism is something broader. It’s a state of motivational imbalance — a mental tunnel vision where one goal, belief, or identity becomes so dominant that everything else fades from view. — Arie W. Kruglanski

Extremism is a capacity we all have, an evolutionary part of our biology that allows us to mobilize in times of crisis. In today's world, it often shows up as a quest for significance, purpose or identity. Commitment and passion aren't necessary bad traits, but when our drive eclipses our relationships, health and joy, that's a red flag. Our foot slips off the stone of reason into the rush of feeling and emotion. In music, a Key is the major or minor scale around which a piece of music revolves, almost like a gravitational force. Other notes move away from then back toward it, making the music interesting. This notation reminds us that the road of moderation is wide, allowing us to move away from the middle without reaching the edges of extremism. 

A Tool for Different Tasks

From the Rider Marseille Tarot, Strength; from the Ostinato Oracle, Trill:

Righteous anger is a tool of justice, a scythe of compassion, more than a reactive emotion.

―Archbishop Desmond Tutu

This woman looks sad and apologetic for closing her beast's mouth. You can almost hear her say, "Yes, tearing the head off that bastard does seem like a righteous act, but it wouldn't solve anything; it would only land us in deep trouble." Strength can sometimes mean the courage to act, but it can just as often refer to the courage to avoid reacting. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate." Trill is a musical notation that means a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes. While there are times to speak out and march against injustice, there are other times when we need to focus on caring for and helping those who have been hurt. Our righteous indignation must be transformed into compassionate action.

Oops, Virginia

From the Rider Marseille, the King of Swords; from the Ostinato Oracle, the Bar:

You take wisdom and you take compassion, and with these two wings, each of us can learn to fly and make a difference in the world. ―Tencho Gyatso

This stony-faced King seems to be saying, "Yes, Virginia, things ARE always black and white when you use logic. Yet even the Stoics - lovers of logic - would disagree with this approach. Marcus Aurelius wrote that we should think of the universe as a single living being, and as parts of that whole, understand that we were formed by nature to benefit others. However, the musical Bar, a symbol of boundaries, lets us know that neither the discernment of wisdom nor the kindness of compassion should be taken to extremes. That is why we need both when we consider any situation, making use of our heads as well as our hearts.

One cannot pursue one’s own highest good without at the same time necessarily promoting the good of others.  A life based on narrow self-interest cannot be esteemed by any honorable measurement.  Seeking the very best in ourselves means actively caring for the welfare of other human beings.  Our human contract is not with the few people with whom our affairs are most immediately intertwined, nor to the prominent, rich, or well educated, but to all our human brethren.

—Epictetus

Competitive but Fun

From the Rider Marseille Tarot, the Five of Wands; from the Ostinato Oracle, the Rest:

We were watching a battle, but it took clean forms.

―Yasunari Kawabata

There's no malice to be seen in these faces, as their battle resembles more play than combat. Games have been around over 5000 years - since civilization began. They can be fun, even if competitive, when we avoid expectations and assumptions about winning and losing. They help us develop critical reasoning, problem solving, and flexible thinking. But above all, they can help us develop camaraderie and connection. One of the jurors (when I was still in court) brought UNO - No Mercy to play when we were banished for long periods to the jury room. I laughed until I cried - it's a good thing that room was soundproof. The Rest symbol, however, reminds us to balance our activities with stillness. Here we train in the art of letting be. As the Zen saying goes, "I'll explain in detail why Bodhidharma came to China: Listen to the evening bell sounds. Watch the setting sun."

Letting Them

From the Rider Marseille Tarot, the Five of Pentacles; from the Ostinato Oracle, Fermata:

You need other people... There's a great freedom in knowing that. And accepting that. And letting people in. Letting them help you. —Blake Nelson

Humans struggle; it may be our health, providing for our basic needs, or trying to solve a problem and not knowing where to start. Though we like to feel that we're strong and independent, we are wired to need others. In this card one person has her head down as she trudges on while another pauses to look at a chapel window - a sign that there is assistance available. Fermata is a notation that indicates a musical note should be held longer than its written value. Instead of feeding our worries, it suggests we pause and notice who or what is around us. There are folks who want to help without strings attached - we only need to ask. (We might think people should already know, but they often need to be told a specific way they can help.) As Cicero put it, "Not for ourselves alone are we born."

Out of the Loop

This week I'll be using the Rider Marseille Tarot, created by Alejandro R. Rozan and published through Artisan Tarot. I'll also be using the Ostinato Oracle, created and self-published by Mellie Parkway. Today's draws are the Emperor and Ottava bassa:

Moving awareness from the head to the feet has the effect of settling the mind. This probably occurs because the bottoms of the feet are as far as we can get away from the head. 

—Jan Chozen Bays

Uh oh, the Emperor is giving us the side-eye. He's thinking, "Why do they have to color outside of the lines? Why can't they just commit to the organized structure that's in place?" The rams on the armrests are rolling their eyes at this pronouncement; the Emperor's life may be stable, but not everyone else's is. When the world feels as if it has turned upside down - especially right before the holidays - people react in unusual and sometimes extreme ways. The symbol Ottava bassa gives some advice that might actually help. It instructs the musician to play the passage one octave lower than written, thus it encourages us to ground ourselves. Focusing on the senses, whether touch, smell, hearing, sight or taste, can help us move from the loop of stressful thinking to feeling calm and balanced. 

Monkey Wrenches

From the Songs for the Journey Home Tarot, the Five of Flame Songs (Wands); from the Magic Neko Deck, the Queen of Clubs:

When there is too much order, too much management, too much programming and control, it becomes the duty of superior men and women to fling their favorite monkey wrenches into the machinery. 

― Tom Robbins

A person sleeps, having strange dreams about earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions. Funny how we can go to bed with things on an even keel, then wake up to discord and disruption. The past with its traditions has collided into the present with its innovations. If we're wise, we won't immediately take sides; instead, we can act as a juror who listens to both sides attentively before rendering an opinion. But the Queen of Clubs takes things a little further - this ninja kitty suggests we act more covertly and cautiously. Rather than an opinion, we can ask questions of both sides and dig out more information. The more the parties explain in detail, the more likely they might come to a compromise without us ever having to choose a side. If not, then at least we have enough knowledge to make a wise judgment. 

Hoarding and Hiding

From the Songs for the Journey Home, the Four of Earth Songs (Pentacles); from the Magic Neko Deck, the Three of Spades:

We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us. 

–Joseph Campbell

A living existence demands an ebb and flow, but this poor fellow has traded prudence for paranoia. We can all find ourselves in this position, not just with money, but also with our bodies. It can be hard to embrace wrinkles and gray hair as well as less energy and more aches as we age. Saving some money and taking care of our health are wise; but as the Three of Spades reminds us, flux and fluidity is natural. Hoarding and hiding create fear and anxiety, taking away our ability to live life to its fullest. Yet freedom and contentment can be found in such change IF we accept and adapt to it rather than struggle against it. 

Insight from Inquiry

From the Songs for the Journey Home, the Hermit; from the Magic Neko Deck, the Seven of Clubs:

The student is inside you. The teacher is also inside you.

—Sayadaw U Tejaniya

In an effort to understand who he is beyond what he sees in the mirror, the Hermit finds a place of solitude and peace. Rather than being driven by unconscious beliefs, the Hermit seeks self-awareness - knowledge of his character, feelings, motives and desires. He understands that insight comes with inquiry, questions that allow him to see the truth of what lies behind what his thoughts, words and actions. The Seven of Clubs represents training. It's not easy to see our self with clarity and honesty, but we get better at it if we practice diligently. Then we can act mindfully, without some hidden impulse pulling our strings.

Pontificating

From Songs for the Journey Home, the Luminary (Hierophant); from the Magic Neko Deck, the Nine of Spades:

In the East, we have a saying, 'When the wise man points to the moon, all that the fool sees is the finger.' —Anthony de Mello

The Luminary represents the seeking of meaning and wisdom in our lives. However, part of the stumbling block in finding these insights is that we rely on intellectual explanations and the beliefs of others rather than personal experience. We have become too literal in our understanding, and we often prefer the shortcut of being told than discovering for ourselves. So how do we get there without a teacher? Joseph Campbell stated, "We have to have poets, we have to have seers, who will render to us the experience of the transcendent through the world in which we're living." The Nine of Spades shows a kitty smoking and represents the habits we have that are crutches. Our belief system can also be a type of crutch if merely transactional or a form of escape.  To live in contentment, to have a moral compass, to love without motive, to see interconnection rather than separation - these are the fingers pointing to a true spiritual experience.

Brought to You by Your Mind

From the Songs for the Journey Home, the Six of Wind Songs (Six of Swords); from the Magic Neko Deck, the Six of Diamonds:

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. —James Allen

Our brains don't know the difference between what is imagined (our thoughts) and reality. So, we can be anxious about an actual experience that is presently happening, or we can endure the same anxiety about what we imagine will happen. I no longer recognize the country I live in, as daily atrocities continue to expand. Since a presidential term lasts four years - barring impeachment or a serious medical condition - we're going to have to endure another three. The Six of Swords/Wave Songs asks if I want to spend that time in a body flooded with cortisol, or if perhaps I'd like to change my thoughts to another channel. We all have the power to take that vise clamp off and find an inner peace. The Six of Diamonds reminds me there are innumerable realms to explore besides those that stoke fear and anger. It would be a shame to waste the next three years not noticing the pockets of beauty, wonder and kindness that still exist. 

Passing It Down

From the Songs for the Journey Home, the Ten of Wave Songs (Ten of Cups); from the Magic Neko Deck, the Jack of Spades:

The songs of our ancestors are also the songs of our children.

―Philip Carr-Gomm

What a gift it is to pass the habit of love and kindness on to future generations. Although there are many positive patterns we might inherit, there are also others that are not. When repeated over and over, passed down from one to another, they begin to see normal. The cold days of winter are a perfect time to reflect on how we respond and relate to life with an objective eye. Just because our family has always been this way doesn't mean it's beneficial. The Jack of Spades' balls of yarn remind me of one great thing about learning to crochet: if you make a mistake, you can simply pull on the yarn and unravel it. Likewise, becoming aware of unhealthy ancestral patterns is the first step to changing them. Future generations may depend on our choice. 

Is It Screaming Yet?

This week I'll be using Songs for the Journey Home, a deck and book set created and self-published by Catherine Cook and Dwariko von Sommaruga. I'll also be using Stasia Burrington's self-published deck, Magic Neko. Today's draws are Four of Flame Songs (Four of Wands) and the Six of Clubs:

Your body always speaks — not in words, but in signals. Tiredness, cravings, tension — it’s not weakness. It’s wisdom. Listen before it starts to scream.

― Barbara O'Neill

We tend to use the body much more than we listen to it, at least until things get so bad the pain is all we notice. This card recognizes that we can get so caught up in things we enjoy or need to do, that we neglect to care for this amazing vehicle we ride along in. Tuning in to the natural rhythms of our body and honoring its messages is necessary; the mind is very good at shutting it down when it decides we must do just one more thing or complete a task. Turning a deaf ear will be to our detriment. The cosmic kitty on the Six of Clubs suggests that new behaviors (such as listening to our body), will at first feel unnatural, but this is normal. As we learn to adapt to what our body needs, what is strange will eventually become routine. 

Great Spaces

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Two of Swords; from the Faeries Oracle, Faeries of the Future:

How good it is to look sometimes across great spaces, to lift one’s eyes from narrowness, to feel the large silence that rests on lonely hills! ―Elizabeth von Arnim

When trying to make a choice, expectations can narrow our options. We feel squeezed by the assumptions and projections we make and the traditions to which others want us to adhere. I remember a teacher once saying that when feeling overwhelmed, we should go outside to a place where we can view a wide-open sky. Taking a few deep breaths in that space may help open our mind and give us a greater perspective. Faeries of the Future remind us that if we want to influence our future, we must make a choice and act. Michelle Obama gives us a nudge with her words, "At the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are."

Becoming

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Three of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, Death:

Don't be afraid to expand yourself, to step out of your comfort zone. That's where the joy and the adventure lie. –Herbie Hancock

This fox, who has moved beyond familial territory, pauses in amazement at all that lies before him. Being willing to take a step into the unknown can open up a world of wonders and excitement that we never knew existed. Making use of the dormant potential within us can change us in positive ways. Death arrives as a bringer of natural endings. What ends? That terrified part of us that thought such change could never be navigated successfully.  As John Ruskin wrote, "The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."

Clarity is a Friend

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Four of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, Solus:

Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging. ―Marcus Aurelius

A tree that once looked dead has now produced leaves and is in bloom. Living things (and people) can be pretty resilient if given a little attention, care and kindness (though sometimes we must give it to ourselves). As Stephen Hawking said, "However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up. While there's life, there's hope." Solus brings light and energy to our situation, reminding us that clarity is our friend, no matter what it shows us. In the words of Marie Curie, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

Throwing Spaghetti

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Four of Swords; from the Faeries' Oracle, Faery Godmother:

The human mind is like that monkey, incessantly active by its own nature, then it becomes drunk with the wine of desire, thus increasing its turbulence. —Ram Dass

A statue stands in the forest with birds fluttering all about it; such is our constantly churning mind, even when we're still. Our mind creates thoughts, then throws them at the wall to see what sticks. Dr. A. Wells explains the problem that comes with this process: "We do not normally see our thoughts as inner events: we fuse them with reality." Rather than understanding them as a passing electrical impulse in the brain, we see them as truths that must be listened to and obeyed. The Faery Godmother appears, not to take away our problems, but to offer a bit of grace. Rather than a mind distracted and dispersed by ten thousand things, she grounds us through our senses (rather than thoughts) to what is here and now. Her gift brings wholeness and reminds us to do things for the love of it, without attachment or expectation of some return.

Making that Decision

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Two of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, the Faun:

Sometimes, you just have to start all over differently.

―Bernard Clive

With the expanding population of owls in her area, the hunt for food has not been as successful as in years before. Should she leave this area in hopes of a more productive search elsewhere? While expanding our ambitions may be exciting, restarting in a different direction can be daunting. The old offers us what is known (and can give the illusion of security), but the new offers us possibilities. The Faun represents natural magic, the powers inherent in nature. As Sangu Mandanna reminds us, “We’re part of the earth below us and the sky above us. Our veins echo the patterns of rivers and roots. There’s sunlight and moonlight in our bones.” We too are part of Nature and have magic within us. However, that power doesn't depend on special tools, but in the ability to think and direct our thoughts. Positive, inquisitive thinking can jumpstart our progress as we step into the unknown.

On the Same Page

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Six of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, Luathas the Wild:

Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together. 

–James C. Penney

Finally, after all the headbutting of the Five of Wands, folks are on the same page. How things will proceed and in what order has been decided; alignment has created a road to victory. Luathas the Wild brings an exciting, creative energy to the process. Yet no matter how eager we are to get to the end of this road, this route has not been traveled before. Prudence warns us to tamp down that impatience and move at the speed of mindfulness so that any twists or turns don't catch us by surprise.  

Whatever Festival of Light you celebrate - Bodhi Day/Rohatsu, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Yule, or simply being alive - may you and yours be blessed with peace, joy and good health.

Grievance

This week I'll be using Tarot of the Secret Forest, created by Lucia Mattioli and published by Lo Scarabeo. I'll also be drawing from the Faeries' Oracle created by Brian Froud with text by Jessica Macbeth; it was published by Simon & Schuster. Today's cards are the Ten of Swords and Gloominous Loom:

When we make grievance our traveling companion, it blocks out light, it distorts our perspective, it consumes our hearts until there is nothing left.

―Merida Johns

Ants are easily agitated when animals tromp all over their mound, a structure necessary for temperature control, ventilation and defense. When a spider decides to pick off a few ants for a meal, the alarm is sounded and the spider is swarmed. Being aggrieved - resentful because we think a situation is wrong and unfair - is a tricky beam to balance on. It's easy to get stuck in that state, focusing on the problem instead of looking for a solution. Gloominous Loom invites us to explore our anger and self-pity properly, seeing and questioning the thoughts connected to them. Grievances can grow out of control if we don't take responsibility for where our thoughts wander. As Byron Katie reminds us, "Every complaint is a little story the mind makes up that you completely believe in."

Superficial Differences

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Cedar Runes, Ansuz:

"Raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways, all my underdogs..." 

—Pink

Sometimes we don't need a special occasion to commemorate, we can just celebrate the belonging we find in companionship. It is a gift of grace to find friends who share our quirky sense of humor, understand the hardships we face, and have similar goals or interests. Ansuz is often associated with the Norse god Odin and thus represents spiritual insight and wisdom. After being locked in a jury room for several days and many hours - unable to discuss the case until testimony was complete - I was reminded of something important. No matter how different people seem on the outside, our inner lives cross over a lot of those boundaries. Before we get too particular in our judgments about who should or shouldn't be included in our friendships, we should take the time to get to understand them on more than just a superficial level. A bow to those 16 men and women jurors I got to know a little better.