You Need It

From the Dark Goddess Tarot, the Siren of Earth; from the Tattva Cards, Air - Seed of Water:

If you ever feel like life is too much to bear, remember this: sometimes you just need to laugh. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary. A joke, a smile, a little bit of mischief — it’s a form of resistance against the heaviness of life. It doesn’t erase the pain, but it lets you breathe through it.

—Deanna Riddick

Baubo is the Greek goddess of mirth, joy, and bawdy humor. Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, went into a deep depression when she lost her daughter. Nothing grew and nothing was harvested. Baubo went to visit her and flashed her 'assets.' Demeter was shocked and confused at first, but it broke through her darkness; she laughed and was then able to do what was needed. Air: Seed of Water is given the keyword Stagnation. It brings to mind cloud seeding when water becomes scarce. Tiny particles are released by planes into clouds. These particles help moisture condense and fall as rain or snow. Sometimes it takes the introduction of the ridiculous and unfamiliar to lure us back into the world.

Taking a Risk

This week I'll be using the Dark Goddess Tarot, created by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince and published by Arnell's Art (now available from Schiffer Publishing). The oracle I'll be using is the Tattwa/Tattva Cards, based on the teachings of John Mumford. Today's draws are Aphrodite/Siren of Water and Ether - Seed of Fire:

Your playing small does not serve the world. 

—Marianne Williamson

Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, and desire, represents the Siren of Water. Her message for us today is "Love is a risk you must take." What we choose to love - whether a person or a passion - requires vulnerability and the willingness to face possible rejection or change. Yet if we take the risk, we might find fulfillment and a meaningful purpose that transforms us and others. Ether: Seed of Fire symbolizes incubation; we give our 'fire' the space to burn. Rather than a desperate search for true love or something to passionately inspire us, we simply stay open, listen and observe. That spark will eventually get fanned into a blaze and a way forward. 

When the World is Too Much with Us

From the Ferret Tarot, the Fool; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, the Lotus:

There are souls in this world which have the gift of finding joy everywhere and of leaving it behind them when they go. —Jean Paul

The Fool asks us to live lightheartedly, bringing a sense of newness to our perspective and unencumbered by conventional thinking. Frankly, this morning I feel stressed and worn out; to use Wordsworth's line, the world is too much with me. Yet I am reminded by the Lotus, that starts in the mud and muck and moves slowly towards the light, I too have tools to use. I can start with my senses; feeling a breeze, listening to the birds. I can notice neutral moments, when I'm at peace. I can dig into my spiritual toolbox of principles and practices. And I can find joy in small, imperfect activities. My latest bit of enjoyment has been creating small watercolors of my cats as literary characters (that matches their personality). And so, I present to you, Tad as Puss in Boots; Fig as John Blacksad, P.I. (graphic novel); and Lia as Graymalkin (witch's cat in MacBeth):

Pineapple on a Post

From the Ferret Tarot, the Hanged Man; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Pineapple:

It's very easy to get caught up in everything that's going on... it's hard to hit that reset button and get pulled away from all that and see life from a different perspective. —Tony Stewart

The Hanged Man is life's attempt at offering us a turning point, a chance to pause from trying to control and order the world as we think it should be and instead view all 360 degrees of it. It doesn't always work right away; we often spend a lot of time venting and complaining in an endeavor to ignore our powerlessness. But if we can get past this point, calming our indignation and frustration, we get a new look at what we thought we knew already - a new perspective. Pineapple, folklore explains, became a symbol of hospitality when returning sea captains started placing a pineapple outside their homes on gateposts, signaling they had returned and were ready to welcome visitors. I'm sure those captains weren't thrilled to see every visitor, but still they followed Rumi's advice: "Welcome and entertain them all!" Likewise, we don't have to be delighted by everything. However, acknowledging reality rather than battling or ignoring it gives us a chance to understand it better so that that we can respond in a more appropriate and beneficial way.

Mix and Match

From the Ferret Tarot, the Two of Cups; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Scarab Beetle:

In a relationship of respect, your task is to understand the other person as a unique individual and learn how to mesh your needs with his or hers... not to control the other person or try to change him or her.  

—Peter Gray

The Two of Cups combines difference and diversity into a relationship of equality and harmony. Like some jigsaw puzzles, this can seem easier before it's unboxed. The key - no matter what type of relationship - is respect. And it is necessary to respect ourselves, not just the other person; otherwise, we may question the sincerity of their compliments or become a people-pleaser. The Scarab Beetle, known for creating a perfectly round ball of dung to feed its young, reminds us that good relationships are formed by developing honest communication, ways to handle conflict without aggression, and a sense of humor.

Sore Winners

From the Ferret Tarot, the Five of Swords; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Praying Mantis:

Who knows himself a braggart, let him fear this, for it will come to pass that every braggart shall be found an ass. —Shakespeare

There are sore losers, but there are sore winners too. Such folks gloat about their wins and delight in making the loser feel inadequate and inferior. Rather than graciously acknowledging victory, they act more like a bully who's incapable of empathy. Unfortunately, they don't realize the high cost of their "win," but the Praying Mantis points this out. Hubris creates animosity rather than connection, burning bridges and friendships. Arrogance can convince us that we know more and have a better understanding than anyone else. When things go to hell, there won't be anyone to help, and the blame will fall on the one holding all the swords.

Balance and Buoyancy

From the Ferret Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Nautilus:

Juggling is an illusion. ... In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession. ―Gary Keller

There are times when we all are stretched by an overload of responsibilities - some are necessary tasks we must do, some are obligations we need to do, and some are simply things we want to do. But juggling lit torches, balls and beanbags are very different things. The key is to prioritize our efforts by what is necessary and needed first. In a Nautilus, the animal resides in the shell’s largest chamber, while the other chambers function like the ballast tanks of a submarine. Water is moved about in these other chambers for balance and buoyancy. Likewise, we need to move from task to task with purpose and intention. As Gary Keller explains, "Activity is often unrelated to productivity, and busyness rarely takes care of business."

Multiple Choice

From the Ferret Tarot, the Two of Swords; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Pumpkin:

Maintain an active mind: alert to the possibilities and mischievous in your pursuit of them.

―Stewart Stafford

The position of these two swords indicates that there is indecision because of a conflict between mind and heart. The mind is grounded in the facts it knows (but also the unknown it fears). The heart wavers between what it desires and the fear that it won't have the perseverance to accomplish it. Yet before we make any decision, we must acknowledge that change is possible and life can be both different and better. Pumpkin reminds us of the abundance of possibilities. We often see only one view, but just as this gourd can contain 500 seeds, there are many more options and potential prospects that we haven't even imagined. As Francis of Assisi said, "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

There's a Distinction

This week I'll be using the Ferret Tarot, created and self-published by Elaine Moertl. Along with it, I'll be drawing from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, created by Mindy Lighthipe and published by Schiffer Books. The cards for today are the Three of Swords and Coyote:

We must rediscover the distinction between hope and expectation.

―Ivan Illich

I read a monostich poem by Rafiq Kathwari this morning that illustrates the pain of the Three of Swords: "As I fling my arms wide, he extends his hand." As Illich's quote implies, we often set ourselves up for disappointment. Having hope is understanding that the outcome is a possibility (even if only a slim chance); it's not a sure thing. Expectation is a one-sided mental contract that we demand be delivered. And what happens when that doesn't occur? We think of ourselves as a victim, in anguish due to another's cruelty. We never consider that what we expected was never agreed to by the other person. Coyote is associated with adaptability because no matter how its environment has changed, it has managed to adapt to it. Coyote encourages us to live lightly - without taking everything personally and seeing from a self-centered perspective. We can have more joy untainted by resentment by doing so. 

In the Labyrinth

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, the Seven of Cups; from the Soul Cards, Searching the Past:

You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present. ―John Green

What do we think will fulfill us emotionally, that pie in the sky that will finally bring us contentment? As Green points out in the quote above, thinking about it is much easier than putting our feet in motion and our hands to work. Searching the Past cautions us to look back on previous choices to see how they panned out for us. Perhaps money and fame led to constant worry about losing them. Revenge was likely sweet for only a moment, followed by the fear of reprisal. As Shakespeare said, what's past is prologue- if we learn from it, we can chart our future with clarity and wisdom.

Work Environments

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Soul Cards, Grace and Merit:

We all start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.

—Jean Toomer

Three points always define a flat plane, meaning a three-legged structure will never wobble on uneven ground. Triads introduce diverse viewpoints and prevent stagnation that might afflict simple binaries. When expanding our horizons, collaboration and cooperation with others can help us develop a more stable and far-sighted plan of action. Grace and Merit refer to two different gifts - offering forgiveness, kindness, and patience (grace) or the rewards that come from ethical, generous actions and good works (merit). When working with others, the gift of grace can lead to the gift of merit. Grace fosters connection and respect, allows mistakes, and is more likely to produce work that benefits the whole. What a boon to be in an environment where each person feels inspired and believes what they do is meaningful and appreciated. 

Gifts of Gentleness

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Soul Cards, Where Does It Hurt:

When the suffering of another creature causes you to feel pain, do not submit to the initial desire to flee from the suffering one, but on the contrary, come closer, as close as you can to her who suffers, and try to help her. —Leo Tolstoy

Friendship is about more than good times and laughter; it asks us to bear witness to each other's pain too. We make sure basic needs are met, nurture with gentleness (rather than aggressive advice), and extend hope through a lens that offers a different perspective. It takes courage, because our first inclination is to attempt to sweep away their pain because it also causes us to hurt. The Soul Card, Where Does It Hurt, reminds me so much of Warsan Shire's poem:

i held an atlas in my lap

ran my fingers across the whole world

and whispered

where does it hurt?

it answered

everywhere

everywhere

everywhere.

What do we do when the whole world seems to be on fire? We start with those around us, whether it's a stray animal, a neighbor or a stranger, and offer them a little compassion and kindness without ducking.

In the Light

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Soul Cards, Held in the Light:

Let us then try what Love will do.

—William Penn

This King, when someone troubled shows up, will invite them out on the porch and offer tea or coffee. They'll sit in rocking chairs, and the King will allow them to pour their heart out. The emotions of others don't rattle him; he sees his purpose as a supporter and encourager rather than a fixer. Open-minded and nonjudgmental, he offers others a soft place to fall. The Soul Card made me think of the Quaker expression, "I will hold you in the Light." Philip Gulley explains: "To hold someone in the Light is to stand beside them when they are unable to stand for themselves...our willingness to work for the betterment and well-being of another." How different this is than asking if someone is right with the Lord! A calm, steady presence can help stabilize most folks much better than any reprimand.

Two-Way Rainbow

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, Judgement; from the Soul Cards, It Works Both Ways:

We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior.

―Stephen Covey

A woman slowly emerges from a pile of blankets as if they were a cocoon; like the butterfly, she's had an inner transformation. She now sees clearly her past mistakes, selfish choices and habitual patterns and vows to change them. There are no excuses and no one to blame - she alone is responsible for the course of her life. The rainbow in It Works Both Ways reminds me of a quote by Yonatan Hambourger: "The rainbow is often understood as a promise... But its deeper meaning is more demanding. A covenant is not only a guarantee. It is a boundary." Yes, we have rights, but we also have responsibilities to those with whom we share our world too. 

Together We'll Stand or Fall

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, the Queen of Swords; from the Soul Cards, In This Together:

No man means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous. ―Henry Adams

The Queen of Swords uses her sword like a tuning fork, listening for reverberations of truths, exaggerations, half-truths and lies. She knows the audience can change what the speaker reveals; we may choose what we say to impress or to avoid conflict. At other times, we may withhold information out of fear. In This Together along with this Queen reminds me of the mess Americans are in right now. I saw a post on FB that basically said it was unkind and unpatriotic to make fun of or speak harshly about our current administration. REALLY!!?? My feelings are summed up by Theodore Roosevelt: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public... It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else."

Winnowing Basket

This week I'll be working with the Sasuraibito Tarot, self-published by Stasia Burrington. I'll also be using Soul Cards 1 & 2, created by Deborah Koff-Chapin and published through her company, Center for Touch Drawing. The Soul Cards have no titles, so the ones given here are my own. Today's draws are the Seven of Wands and Collaboration:

Make sure everybody in your boat is rowing and not drilling holes when you’re not looking.

—Steve Maraboli

There comes a time when we need to take a close look at those around us and decide who helps us grow and develop and who is dangerous to our aspirations as well as our mental health. We've all had contact with people who criticize simply to belittle, those who profess kindness but enjoy causing pain, or those who manipulate and sow seeds of discord. Even if we have a long history with them, it's okay to distance ourselves (which will likely keep us from a resentment in the future). The star of Collaboration makes me think of the quote by Mariam Kaba: "Why be a star when you can be a constellation?" We don't need to go solo - there are still people who understand that working together can produce fresh ideas and create amazing things. 

Dark Alleys

From the Ellis Deck Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Brownies Oracle, Burden:

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. ―Marie Curie

When we're dealing with a lot of anxiety, allowing our mind to wander at will is not always wise. It will inevitably travel into dark alleys, imagining every shadow as something terrifying. Our minds can be used as a beneficial tool or as a weapon against us. It might be helpful to turn on the light of curiosity and ask questions: "Am I rehearsing for something in the future that may never happen? Or am I dragging something that happened in the past into the present, imagining things will be exactly as before?" In Burdens, the Brownies suggest allowing others to support us. As Fred Rogers said, "When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone."

Going Off-Script

From the Ellis Tarot, the Ace of Cups; from the Brownies Oracle, Suppression:

Without emotional awareness, we live according to a script that we’ve never taken time to better recognize and understand. ―Bernard Golden

Ellis describes this Ace as symbolizing emotional growth and healing. One thing I've noticed about emotionally mature people is that while they feel their feelings, they don't get intoxicated by them (causing their logical brain to go off-line). Such folks don't automatically look for an outer cause, which can result in rationalization, blame, or excuses. Instead, they look inwardly to consider if old patterns ('scripts') are about to cause a habitual reaction. Suppression is not about toxic positivity - the excessive and unhealthy promotion of positivity that invalidates and suppresses genuine feelings. It asks us to hold our tongues and reactions until the emotional energy passes, feeling it physically without writing a story around it in our mind. 

Thieves of Joy

From the Ellis Deck Tarot, the Seven of Swords; from the Brownies Oracle, Reaping:

Watch out for the joy-stealers: gossip, criticism, complaining, faultfinding, and a negative, judgmental attitude. —Joyce Meyer

Words can steal the joy and peace of mind of others. Unhappy humans often act like autocorrect automatons, marching around judging and finding fault with anything that even hints at cheerfulness. If we're on the receiving end, we need to be careful - their words are like sticky, hot tar that can easily trap us unless we ignore them. However, we can flip the script they're trying to sell us: we spread light instead of having it sucked out of us. Reaping is a reminder to be prudent with our words; those who sow briers will eventually wind up in a bed of thorns. As Jim Rohn stated, "If you don't like what you are reaping, you better change what you have been sowing."

Full of Stars

From the Ellis Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Brownies Oracle, Plenty:

If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.

—Albert Einstein

Ellis describes this card as refusing to make new choices. Trying on new ideas and perspectives may seem as icky as walking through a wall of spider webs. But in a constantly changing world, we can't continue to stick with what is obsolete, we must learn to be innovative. Our initial reaction to trying on new approaches may feel ridiculous, but according to Einstein, that just means we're on the right path (stepping out of our old thinking). In Plenty, the Brownies remind us of Maya Angelou's statement: "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Once we stop looking at the sky through a drinking straw, we realize just how many stars there are.

It's a Team Effort

From the Ellis Tarot, the King of Pentacles; from the Brownies Oracle, Connection:

Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we truly understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.

—M. Scott Peck

This King of Pentacles likes his comforts, but he knows what it is like to do without them. He didn't get to his position through a royal bloodline, but through a hardscrabble life. He enjoys the good life, but he doesn't expect it or even feel entitled to it. He understands the nature of earthly existence. Yet there is one thing he has depended on - the support of others. Connection is a reminder that sometimes we need to be the bolster and other times we are the bolstered. It depends on recognizing the value of others, no matter which role we play, and maintaining our gratitude for them.