Quick as a Shot

From the Albano-Waite Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the American Pen Oracle, Alice Hoffman:

Look to this day:

For it is life, the very life of life.

In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence:

The bliss of growth,

The glory of action,

The splendor of achievement. 

― Kalidasa

It doesn't matter if we're a teen or in our seventies, each day offers us seeds to plant. When we're young and busy with school, work or a family, we often see these seeds as something that we just don't have the time to cultivate. When we're older and have more free time, we might not want to get out of our comfortable routines. But nothing will grow if we don't plant the gifts of each day; we won't get a chance for a do-over when we realize the opportunity we've lost. As Alice Hoffman reminds us, “Good fortune can take forever to get to you, but as it turns out, sorrow is as quick as a shot.”

What We've Been Given

This week I'll be using the Slow Tarot, created by Lacey Bryant and published through Modern Eden Gallery. Paired with it will be the ROAR Oracle, created and self-published by MJ Cullinane. Today's draws are the Ace of Pentacles and Mary Shelley:

You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.

―Abraham Lincoln

Have you ever been cleaning out your purse, wallet or pockets and found money you didn't know was there? The Ace of Pentacles is about discovering an unexpected resource, something that could be useful to us if we do something prudent with it. The card shows games of chance (die and marbles), rings, a burned down candle and keys. Do we use this resource on a lottery ticket, more trinkets or household items, or do we use it to unlock a door that might lead to a beneficial opportunity? Mary Shelley is known for writing Frankenstein, a book about a scientist who created life and was horrified by what he had made. These cards encourage us to recognize and accept responsibility for how we use what we've been given. 

 

But Is It Cool?

From the Roots of Asia, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Mahjongg Oracle, the Scholar:

It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.

―Dr. Seuss

From a small seed, a diverse multitude grows. It's easy to bypass those ordinary opportunities, the ones that don't look cool, demand a lot of hard work or require patience to get to our goal. All we see is the tiny acorn, not the grand oak it will one day become. The soil we need to develop is within us rather than outside us. The Scholar is represented by Confucious who said, "Study and practice - what could give greater pleasure?" When we put forth a sincere effort, even with small tasks, we grow. And as we grow, more opportunities will open to us. 

Seasons

This week I'll be using the PetraK Tarot, created by Petra Reiter-Köck and published by Piatnik. I'll be pairing with this deck a roll from the Astrodice, a kit produced by The Wessex Astrologer Ltd. Today's card and roll are the Ace of Discs and South Node/Aries/6th House:

Our character is basically a composite of our habits. 

—Stephen Covey

This disc hovers between a tree with green leaves and a branch of autumn leaves. Our life is made of changing seasons, when some things in our physical world need more of our attention than others. Home repairs, more sleep, a closer eye on our spending, or addressing health concerns are all part of our own changing seasons. The South Node points out how our experiences have shaped and formed our habits and patterns. The 6th House focuses on daily routines, including our health and wellness. Together with Aries, these dice suggest we make an assertive and energetic effort to change any unhealthy tendencies so that we enjoy a season of well-being rather than tolerate one of discontent and discomfort.

Baited Lines

From the Tarot of Mystical Moments, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Inner Eye Oracle, the Stranger:

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. – Seneca

This particular card made me think of an elderly man I saw fishing at a local lake. He had four poles baited with lines in the water, and he kept a close watch on all the corks. He obviously felt he had a better chance of pulling in a fish if didn't just rely on one fishing pole. Seeds don't grow unless planted by people, an animal or parent plants. If we're looking for an opportunity to come our way, it may help to ask family, friends and acquaintances to keep their eyes and ears open too if we want to widen our possibilities. Then it's up to us to reel in the fish when a cork goes under. The Jack of Spades shows a mysterious stranger and represents the unknown. It can be intimidating when we must move away from the status quo and rely on a chance encounter that offers us new possibilities. But if we plant that seed, we will soon see what kind of plant it produces.  

Looks Like Work

From the Tarot by Caro, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Holitzka I Ching, Hexagram 20

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. 

~Thomas A. Edison

The nice thing about many wildflowers is that they leave seeds for planting after they bloom. But these seeds must be put in fertile soil, watered and given enough sunlight for them to sprout. The Ace of Pentacles offers us a gift, but like the flower seeds, it must be taken and applied or used for it to be of any benefit. Favorable circumstances usually have a 'use by' date. As H. Jackson Brown, Jr. put it, "Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor." Hexagram 20 is often titled either Contemplation or Observation. It suggests contemplating our motives: Are we looking only at the expected harvest rather than the effort that will be required? Perhaps we need to observe what is already on our plate and decide if there is any room for more work. 

While You See a Chance

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Beasts of Albion, Snake:

While you see a chance, take it.

―Steve Winwood

To rephrase the words of Cesare Pavese*, opportunities aren't given, they're taken. In the realm of the material Pentacles, that would include anything that can be spent: our time, money, energy/health. But what if we miss the chance to be wiser about our finances, forget to set aside time for meditation or exercise, or stay up too late and binge eat? The Snake is a symbol of change and regeneration, reminding us that a new morning offers new opportunities. No need to waste time in regret and despondency - reach out and make use of today's gifts.

*"Lessons are not given, they are taken."

Little Things

From the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Heart of Faerie Oracle, Faerie of Growth:

For the great doesn’t happen through impulse alone, and is a succession of little things that are brought together. ~Vincent van Gogh

The little hedgehog lives life close to the ground, always aware of things that are new are different, especially if they might be useful. He reminds me of my husband, who has a habit of spotting and picking up coins in parking lots or on walks. When looking for opportunities, many of us hold a fully developed image in mind and miss the seeds that might help us progress in that direction. The Faerie of Growth reminds us not to get stuck in a stagnating mindset, adamant that what we want only looks a particular way. As the hedgehog knows, possibilities are to be found in unusual shapes and sizes.

Prudence Applied

From the Sun and Moon Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Jade Oracle, Coatlicue:

Prudence is foresight and far-sightedness. It's the ability to make immediate decisions on the basis of their longer-range effects.

~John Ortberg

This disk has little sprouts emerging from its sides - an indication that a creative project or opportunity is waiting on our doorstep like an Amazon package. It is said when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. In this case, the resources needed have appeared. Time to open that box and investigate its contents! Coatlicue (depicted with a skirt of snakes) was the mother of many deities. When sixty gift-bearers arrived to see her, they were unable to climb the hill she was on. She warned them that the Aztec empire would fall because “they had grown too heavy from all their rich foods and beautiful clothing.” And indeed it did. These cards suggest prudence and the right use of our time, energy and resources; a balance of effort and enjoyment is needed so that we don't waste the gifts we've been given. 

Seed Sowing

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Ace of Coins; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Seven of Hearts:

Ricklef's illustration for this Ace is based on the "The Sower," a painting created by Jean-François Millet. Millet was from a rural farming family and thought the peasant class to be noble (his detractors thrashed him for displaying such social views). This card suggests we take advantage of our opportunities, sowing our seeds and nurturing them. Yet the poem about Cock Robin assigned to the Seven of Hearts cautions us that we must do the work without expectation. Some of the seeds we sow may flourish, and others will fail. But nothing will grow if we don't make the effort to plant them first.

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

― Robert Louis Stevenson

Care-taking Commitment

From Deirdre of the Sorrows Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Victorian Flower Oracle, Hawthorn:

Care-taking is the utmost spiritual and physical responsibility of our time, and perhaps that stewardship is finally our place in the web of life, our work, the solution to the mystery that we are.

― Linda Hogan

          A different kind of cupid is engraved on this coin - one waiting to bless the efforts taken to plant seeds. Too often, humans rarely think of our resources unless we want something or find that they are in limited supply. Hawthorn suggests a cutting back or a sacrifice needed for well-being. It might be a need to take better care of our resources, whether it is our bodies, our finances or the earth itself. Perhaps it involves paying attention and taking action rather than getting distracted with the next pleasure we seek. Good health requires a commitment.

If That's the Test Drive...

From the Prairie Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Medicine Cards, Otter:

The first wealth is health.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

          Last Tuesday, I went for my second Covid vaccination. Later that day, I felt tired but carried on as usual. But about 3:00 am that morning, I had a fever I couldn't manage with ibuprofen or aspirin and felt like someone had beaten me with a bat. I felt unplugged and could barely manage moving from the bed to another room. But yesterday around noon, everything suddenly got better; it seemed like a miracle. I know some people have avoided the second vaccine because they are afraid of similar side effects. But my reasoning is, if that's the test drive, I sure don't want the car. It's one thing to feel awful for a few days, and another thing to be in the ICU for weeks. Playful Otter shows up to remind me not to look at the piles of laundry, the unclean house or the yard chores that have gone undone. I think I'll take his advice and just enjoy the season, at least for today.

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

Just Be

This week I'll be using the Anna K. Tarot, created and self-published by Anna Klaffinger (though now published by Llewellyn). Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Meditation Cards, a deck created and self-published by Asha Greer. All the keywords and quotes for these cards have been added by me. Today's draws are the Ace of Pentacles and Harried Mind:

          The thrill of an unexpected gift or opportunity is nearly always welcome, whether it's a bonus check, a paid vacation, or an addition to one's family (pet or person). How will we spend our time, energy or money with its arrival? It often brings more questions and quandaries rather than answers. The quote for Harried Mind might provide a guide post:

Peace and clarity arrive through understanding patterns and the underlying nature of our minds, rather than through stopping our thoughts, achieving some special state, or having a particular experience. 

—Oren Jay Sofer

Pausing, finding stillness and quiet, can help slow the busyness of the mind long enough to sort the wheat from the chaff. And it gives us a chance to take the advice of Guillaume Apollinaire: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."

God as a Cow

From the Lukumi Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Diloggun Oracle, Irete (sixteen mouths):

Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow, and to love him as they love their cow – for the milk and cheese and profit it brings them. This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth or inward comfort. – Meister Eckhart

          Most Ace of Coins cards give an impression of health and financial opportunities, but this particular card gives the impression of a dragon's hoard. Which leads to the question, how much is enough? E.F. Schumacher suggested that materialism is an attitude that doesn't fit in this world because the pursuit of wealth is limitless but the environment in which it is place is indeed limited. Irete's ethic and proverb read:

Ifa: Guard against selfishness; those who are selfish will come to bear their burdens alone.

Proverb: Enjoy breakfast all alone, share lunch with your best friend and give dinner to your enemy.

The wisdom of the Diloggun makes an important point: Those who constantly crave for more always feel poor, but those who have enough to share will always feel rich.

Uprooting

From the Tabula Mundi Tarot, the Ace of Disks; from the Universe Cards, Nova:

The desire of craving—the thirst, the fever of unsatisfied longing—is rooted in greed and attachment.

—Joseph Goldstein

          Meleen describes this Ace as "the birth of action in the world of matter and materiality." Everything that has developed has underground roots; everything begins from something sown. Nowhere was this more evident than yesterday when bullies and miscreants invaded the Capitol. Hatred, divisiveness and domination were planted by Trump and nurtured by his followers. Yet the world of matter plainly illustrates that change will happen, regardless of what puny humans desire. Nova shows the eruption on a star nearing the end of its life as a companion star's gravity pulls away matter from it. As one star dies, another grows. As America moves forward, may we remember the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt: ""We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."

Matter Matters

From the Secret Forest Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Faeries' Oracle, Laiste, Moon's Daughter:

It is vitally important that we understand how matter matters.

—Karen Barad

          Matter is anything that has mass or takes up space; it usually comes in the form of a solid, liquid, or gas. Humans desire matter to serve them, forgetting that matter is what sustains them. Matter is what deserves our stewardship and protection. Folks are often impressed by their own knowledge and cleverness yet forget that without matter these traits wouldn't make a difference. The Moon's Daughter brings a soft light to guide us. Laiste doesn't have any patience for people who won't pay attention and will gladly let them bonk themselves on a tree limb if it will wake them up. Added to the Ace, she might whisper the words of Diane Ackerman: "There is no way in which to understand the world without first detecting it through the radar-net of our senses."

Spending Patterns

From the Tarot in Restored Order, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Samech:

 

Samech painting by Dani Antman

          There is a reason for the path leading beyond the archway in this Ace. How I choose to spend my resources now (including time) will determine what I find later on down the lane. The letter Samech means 'support;' Ginsburgh gives it the title of 'Endless Cycle.' What kind of cyclic foundation have I built with my habitual behaviors? When I repeat an action, it becomes easier to fall into a pattern that occurs over and over, for better or worse. It can sometimes be a shock to read the words in the photo by my bed at night:

This night your days are diminished by one.

Do not squander your life.

Watch Your Spending

From the Norse Tarot, the Ace of Disks; from the Wolf Pack, Crossroads:

          Look closely, and much interaction may be seen in the intertwined details of this disk. Likewise, my time, energy, and money can be spent in assorted ways, some that will be of benefit and some that will incur a heavy debt later on. The Crossroads card reminds me that I am the one making the choices; whether I act impulsively or wisely, the consequences or results will fall at my feet. When I am bored, angry, sad, or fearful, it is tempting to use these resources in ways that aren't very discerning. In the words of Frank Outlaw:

Watch your thoughts, they become words;

watch your words, they become actions;

watch your actions, they become habits;

watch your habits, they become character;

watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

Maturity Lesson #2

From the Golden Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Yantra Deck, Patience:

          Another Ace, this one an opportunity to develop maturity in the physical realm. What might that look like?

• I would give my body the rest, nutrition and exercise it needs. I would recognize that aging, sickness and death is a natural part of life, therefore I won't expect my body to look or perform now as it did in my twenties or thirties. I would adapt to these changes as best as I'm able rather than resent them. 
• I would be mindful of my spending, not following every whim or wish (especially if I'm simply bored or looking to change my mood). While I don't have to squeeze every penny until Lincoln yells 'ouch,' I can recognize what is sufficient and what is simply excess. There are times for spending on fun and pleasure, but not if it causes problems when the bills come due.
• I would be a good steward of what I own, taking care of my home, car and other items that serve and support me just as my body does.
• I would be mindful of how I spend time - as the lily's blooms in the card imply, I only have a limited amount of it. Work, play and rest are all important to balance out in the measured time I have.

Patience is calm endurance, not grinding my teeth so I don't give someone a head slap. It requires that I drop my demands and expectations. It is an excellent opportunity to become mindful so that I'm aware of the way in which I spend my life.

Practical Advice

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

          Americans have a love affair with money. I have a friend who says, "It might not bring happiness, but it sure makes living easier." But that's only if you have the knowledge to manage it and the discipline to wisely use it. Economist Jay L. Zagorsky wrote: "Studies found that instead of getting people out of financial trouble, winning the lottery got people into more trouble, since bankruptcy rates soared for lottery winners three to five years after winning." If that ferret is going to seize an opportunity to make some money, he needs to focus more on saving or investing than simply spending. The Scarab Beetle, a symbol of the Egyptian Sun god, carefully rolls dung into large dung balls for his mate who lays her eggs in it. It provides food for the beetle larvae when they hatch. Its message is that if we think creatively, we can often make something beneficial out of what appears to be useless. To practice living simply and wisely with what I have can be a practical training ground for when the coffer is overflowing.