Not My Wishes

From the Prairie Tarot, Temperance; from the Medicine Cards, Prairie Dog:

If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. 

—Epictetus

This apothecary knows that only the right balances of tinctures make the medicine. Too much or too little might do more harm than good. I have a friend who is making some horrible life choices. I have gone through a range of emotions, from wanting to rage, wanting to fix or simply ignoring her (aversion, attachment, ignorance - the Three Poisons in Buddhism). Prairie Dog signals that it is time for rest and an internal quest. Self-awareness helps me understand what I can and can't control. Restraint allows me to recognize any reaction would be wasted energy and completely useless. The words of Jack Kornfield keep coming back to me: "The happiness and suffering of others depend on their actions and not my wishes for them."