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.

Seasonal Activity

From the PetraK Tarot, the Ace of Disks; from the Astrodice, Uranus in Scorpio, 6th House:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

—Ecclesiastes 3:1

Just as the seasons change, this disk spins. At certain times, we are given the raw materials to create, grow or heal. All that is needed is our willingness and effort before the opportunity passes us by. As Michelangelo stated, "There is no greater harm than that of time wasted." In the Astrodice roll, the revolutionary energy of Uranus melds with Scorpio's intensity, transforming daily work and health routines. Just because something looks new or unusual doesn't mean it won't be useful!

Speaking of seasons, this is the kind of summer we're having here in South Georgia:

That's about 39 C. Add in our humidity, and the heat index bumps up to 113 F/45 C. 

Loamy Earth

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Mystic Glyphs, Forward:

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.

—Søren Kierkegaard

The Ace of Pentacles is the dark loam of the earth, waiting for us to plant seeds. The booklet suggests our ambitions should be practical rather than fanciful. Pragmatic aspirations have down-to-earth steps that we can take, whether it's exercise for our body or balancing our checkbook. Forward (an animal's footprint) encourages us to stop dragging our bag of "This happened to me" behind us. We can learn from these things, but acting as if they are still happening only hampers us. As we attempt a new endeavor, our past mistakes and successes can guide us, but they won't give us control over the future. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."

What Went Wrong

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Pictish Oracle, the Crescent and V-rod:

You may do this, I tell you, it is permitted. Begin again the story of your life.

—Jane Hirshfield

At first, it appears to be simply a stump in this Ace, but then we notice the sprouts. Many deciduous trees can regrow from a stump or roots because their root systems remain alive. Likewise, we may try and fail at some endeavor, seeing just the stump and thinking we should just cut our losses. But rather than focusing on our failure, we can employ one of our greatest resources: learning what went wrong so we can do things differently if we try again. It has been suggested that the Crescent and V-rod image represent a kind of seasonal sundial. As such, it symbolizes preparation, pace and right timing. The red center of the Ace's stump hints that we need to start from the beginning instead of trying to save time by using what was done before. Begin again - this time with more wisdom.

Take a Chance

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Chance:

They say, ‘Look before you leap.’ So look. But do not look for too long. Do not look into the void of uncertainty trying to predict each and every possible outcome, to evaluate every possible mistake, to prevent each possible failure. — Vironika Tugaleva

The Ace of Pentacles offers us a tangible opportunity, something we can actually do. Maybe it is to buy a new pair of shoes, start an exercise program or check out a place new in our community. But we can get stuck in overthinking everything, ruining the possibilities before we even begin. Chance encourages us to take those small risks; even if nothing productive comes from them, it gives us an opportunity to try something different. Live a little!

Only Opportunity

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Tea Leaf Reading Cards, Tower:

There is no security on this earth; there is only opportunity. 

—Douglas MacArthur

Marchetti's Ace is full of symbols: acorns for something that can be planted and harvested; a hedgehog for resourcefulness and adaptability; ladybugs for luck and protection; and a bee for industry and allies. Opportunities may sound easy, but they can require the qualities of action, innovation and flexibility, defense of one's time and energy, hard work, and possibly partners. Does this already sound too complicated and overwhelming? Tower encourages us to look from a higher perspective so that we see the big picture instead of sinking in a million details. Once we see from this view, it will become clearer how to prioritize and what step to take first. 

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.