The No-Damseling Dame

From the New Liminal Tarot, the Queen of Pentacles; from the State by State Playing Cards, Ohio (Ace of Clubs):

I don't damsel well. Distress, I can do. Damseling? Not so much.

―James Patterson

There are no high heels for this queen; she prefers being barefoot and grounded. The Queen of Pentacles deals with what is in front of her and what needs her attention rather than dwelling in what ifs. That's not to say she doesn't believe in planning and preparation - she does, she just doesn't waste time awfulizing what might happen. If there is a crisis, you want this resourceful woman's number on speed dial. Ohio's native buckeye tree produces lovely, dark brown nuts with a light spot (so named because they resemble a deer's eye). However, the seeds contain glycosides—a group of natural compounds that can lead to severe gastrointestinal and neurological issues when ingested. They are extremely poisonous to humans and animals (except squirrels). The Queen would say they remind us to have firm boundaries if we want to protect ourselves from getting entangled in unhelpful, emotional drama.
 

Making a Life

From the Songs for the Journey Home, the Four of Earth Songs (Four of Pentacles); from the Magic Neko Cards, the Ace of Clubs:

Don't let making a living prevent you from making a life.

—John Wooden

My younger years were spent in the care of my elderly grandparents while my mom worked and went to school. They went through the challenges of the Depression, and thus lived by the 'use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without' adage. Thus my spending habits were shaped to be thrifty, but sometimes today that can drift over into the tightfisted category. The fellow in this card is stressing over finances, even though his piggy bank makes it clear he is not facing economic insecurity. The deck's companion book states: "Use the power money has to bring pleasure and satisfaction to your world and to the people who share your life, otherwise your wallet will be full and you heart will be empty." The bees in the Ace of Clubs would buzz their agreement, suggesting I make something sweet with my resources instead of just worrying about them.

Bat's Eye View

From the Tarot of the Masters, the King of Swords; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Ace of Clubs:

          Saul/Paul of Tarsus (pictured here) was a Pharisee - a member of a Jewish sect that believed in strict observance of the traditional and written law. This educated man was well-known for his attempt to stamp out converts to the new Jewish sect of Christians. Legend has it that on the way to Damascus to persecute and imprison more of these new upstarts, he had a vision of Jesus than changed his entire moral and ethical view. He then became a Christian zealot, intent on spreading the Christian message. The original painting shows Paul reading with his conversion in the left background and his beheading in the right background. Painters often showed men of great knowledge and wisdom as balding with a high forehead. I imagine he is rolling over in his grave now because many of the books in the bible attributed to him were not written by him (and contain things he would probably disagree with). His story reminds me that all of us often act on the knowledge we have at the moment, whether it is factual or not. The Ace of Clubs is paired with this children's verse:

Bat, bat, come under my hat,

And I'll give you a slice of bacon;

And when I bake,

I'll give you a cake,

If I'm not mistaken. 

In Germany, the word for bat is speckmaus, literally "bacon mouse." It's likely the name came from the way sides of bacon were suspended from the ceiling - similar to how bats roost. Bats definitely have a different view hanging upside down, yet they also rely on echolocation to "see" rather than just their eyes. Both these cards remind me to take a wide perspective today and not rely only on what I know personally.

Enticements

From the Tarot of the Masters, the High Priest (Hierophant):

An elderly priest offers blessings and hands off a paper of doctrinal authority.  When I was much younger, I had a button that read "Question Authority" (and although the counter-culture would like to take credit for it, Ben Franklin said it first).  Don't get me wrong, I think there is wisdom to be found from elders, traditional teachers, and from sacred writings, but I don't intend to swallow one spoonful without looking at it carefully.  Just because the term "spiritual" or a religious label is used doesn't mean that there's not a human agenda behind it.  In fact, there usually is.

     From the Key to the Kingdom comes the Ace of Clubs:

Bat, bat, come under my hat, and I'll give you a slice of bacon;
And when I bake, I'll give you a cake, If I am not mistaken.

This verse prompts me to be aware of how others can entice me into a relationship or situation that is not going to be in my best interests.  These groups or people know how to use fear: "You don't won't to burn in hell forever do you?" "I can promise you that you'll never have to worry about financial security again."  Their sincerity seems genuine, but like buying a car, it's best to check under the hood first.