Starting Anew

This week I'll be using the Buckland Romani Tarot, created by Lissanne Lake and Raymond Buckland; this book and deck set was published by Galde Press. Along with it, I'll be using the Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards, created by Archie Fire and Chief Lame Deer; this deck and book set was published by Inner Traditions. Today's draws are the Ace of Bolers (Wagon Wheels) and Mitakuye Oyasin:

There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them. —Phyllis Bottome

This particular Ace represents new beginnings in the material world: money, career, and health - the physical foundations of life. The abandoned wagon wheel covered with ivy reminds me of the changes that come with aging. I've collected a lot of exercise videos over the years, but recently got rid of a lot of them because I could no longer do them safely or without pain. Elderhood doesn't mean we need to give up but encourages us to find new things we can learn and do instead. This Ace is a reminder that opportunities still abound if we'll stop fretting about what was lost. Mitakuye Oyasin is a sacred Lakota phrase that translates to "all my relations." It acknowledges that everything is connected and a part of one family, that no part is greater than any other, and that our actions can affect the whole. Indigenous cultures have honored their elders, but our modern societies seem to find them more of a burden. Yet while those of us might not have all the technological knowledge that some younger folks do, we have a wider history that gives us a more panoramic view of life. It grants us a different sort of perspective, such as realizing WWII is definitely not the same as the current war we're in with Iran.