Balanced Harmony

This week I'll be using the Middle Way Arcana, a major arcana deck based on the ideas of Buddhism. This deck was one I created for personal use with scissors and a glue stick. I'll also be drawing from the Vertical Oracle, created by Antero Alli with Sylvie Pickering and published by Vertical Pool. Today's cards are the Emperor and Ritual:

Understand that just as a bird needs two wings to fly, you must develop wisdom and compassion simultaneously. Wisdom is a correct understanding of reality and compassion is the desire for all beings to be liberated from the causes of suffering.

―Mattieu Ricard

The Emperor holds his hands in the Anjali ("offering") mudra, a symbol of respect as well as unity. He understands that the discernment of wisdom needs to be paired with the kindness of compassion in order to have a balanced peace. His "laws" - the precepts - are meant to guide us toward this balanced harmony: nurture all beings, be generous, speak from the heart, treat others with dignity, and cultivate a clear mind. Ritual is not meant to be a monotonous practice, but a way to slow our mind and body down so that we remember what is sacred and important. It helps us clarify our intentions and provides a check to see if we're traveling the Way or have taken an exit ramp. The Anjali mudra is also a ritualized gesture; it reminds us that within our palms is a seed that will be planted by our actions and words. What fruit will it produce?