Claws Out

From the Prairie Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Medicine Cards, the Badger:

Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty. — Henri Frédéric Amiel

A sword points upward toward a thunderhead, an anvil-shaped cloud that signifies a severe thunderstorm. Sometimes inspiration and creative concepts come quickly like a lightning strike. At other times, they build more slowly like a thunderhead. In the latter case, a collection of thoughts might amass, producing insights that bring great change. Badgers are known for their tenacity and fierce protection of personal boundaries. Ideas that produce change are often met with pushback from those who prefer the current state of things. Yet if such shifts will be beneficial for our well-being and won't cause injury to others, we need to dig in with determination.

Today's Flow

From the Anna K. Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Meditation Cards, Grace's Reprieve:

Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not. 

— Cal Newport

Anna suggests the bright, open view of this Ace implies looking at problems and situations with a cool head and clear mind. Like the surface of a mirror, our mind can receive what is there without being overlaid by our beliefs, thoughts and judgments. Clarity allows us to distinguish these add-ons, recognizing that they are not part of the current condition or predicament. Without them, we just see what is, which can simplify things enormously. The quote paired with Grace's Reprieve is from Rumi: "Give up to grace. The ocean takes care of each wave 'til it gets to shore." Will today's happenings flow the way they're supposed to without our judgments and demands? Perhaps we can just let things be and relax. 

Not Worthy of Hysterics

This week I'll be using the Morgan Greer Tarot, created by Bill Greer and Lloyd Morgan and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be using the Celtic Book of the Dead, published by Grange Books, created by Caitlin Matthews and illustrated by Danuta Mayer. Today's draws are the Ace of Swords and the Sea of Mists:

Who is your enemy? Mind is your enemy. No one can harm you more than your own mind untamed. And who is your friend? Mind is your friend. No one can help you more than your own mind, wisely trained — not even your own mother and father. 

—Dhammapada

The booklet gives the keywords "glorious conquest, power and strength" for the Ace of Swords. But this is not a description of a king or warrior, it is the might of a disciplined mind. Our mind is a constant flow of thoughts that tell us all kinds of things, many of them untrue or unfounded. The problem is that it generally focuses on the past it knows, rather than just seeing things objectively. The seafarers who traveled to the Celtic Otherworld found themselves struggling with this when they suddenly found themselves floating on water that became like a mist. They could even see a monster stealing cattle below them. When our mind is confused, it runs to old memory files of what it knows of the world. In this case, clouds can't support a boat, so it's time to freak out. Yet the objective, logical mind would ask, "What is actually happening, what evidence do you see?" In their case, something wondrous and mind-bending, but not worthy of hysterics.

Break the Cycle

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Marseille Oracle, the Clock/Destiny:

Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice. – Baruch Spinoza

This Ace of Swords divides a world into peace (dove) and war (eagle); according to the booklet, one does not exist without the other. Indeed, throughout recorded history, there has been no period entirely free from conflict. And today I see that the Trump regime has joined Israel in bombing Iran. Holy shit, what is wrong with this administration? Perhaps the words of Johan Galtung explain things: "Peace equals the ability to handle conflict, with empathy, nonviolence, and creativity." Empathy and the ability to be creative in diplomacy is definitely not in Trump's wheelhouse. The Clock suggests repetitious cycles, which fits with human's penchant for war. Instead of doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results, we would be wise to heed the words of Albert Einstein: "We must be prepared to make heroic sacrifices for the cause of peace that we make ungrudgingly for the cause of war."

Eloquence

 From the Swietlistej Drogi, the Ace of Swords; from the Mirrors of the Heart Openness:

Eloquence is a painting of the thoughts.

—Blaise Pascal

I've had teachers who were incredibly smart and well educated, yet they did not know how to explain ideas to others. That kind of teaching results in rote learning without understanding. But then I've also had teachers (and writers) who could paint a picture with their words, illustrating the most complex concepts. Those eloquent communicators are a treasure because they offer insight. Openness suggests that the responsibility is not just on the speaker, but also the listener. As Elena Brower expresses, "Asking more questions and practicing sitting quietly strips certainty away and allows a freshness to emerge, a bright curiosity. Concepts and narratives can fall away, we can venture out beyond self and other, beyond yes and no, dead and alive, right and wrong."

Clear-Eyed

From the Spacious Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Phenomena Oracle, Haboob:

A man with clarity reaches his goal sooner than the man with confidence.

―Amit Kalantri

The white lines around this sword seem to be as precise as the technical drawings of a draftsman. Rather than a jumble of ideas and thoughts, this card represents very clear, logical ones. It symbolizes lucidity -the state of being free from confusion or ambiguity. The companion book also encourages us to "Seek what is true, even when the truth is sharp."  Haboob is an intense dust storm; it fills eyes, ears, noses and mouths of all left unprotected. The grit of daily life, with its dramas and unexpected challenges, can easily obscure our ability to think logically and clearly. Pema Chodron says the key is within us: "We need discernment about ourselves. What triggers or hooks us? How do we reach the point where our discomfort spills out into actions we regret? What calms our agitated mind, instead of pouring kerosene on the fire?"

Am I Sure?

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Beasts of Albion, the Hare:

Ideas and perceptions should be abandoned all the time, to make room for better ideas and truer perceptions. This is why we must always ask ourselves, "Am I sure?”

― Thich Nhat Hanh

The crown in this Ace of Swords is actually a coronet, lacking the convex arches and suggesting openness and curiosity. Rather than the usual palm and olive branches, it is adorned with stems from a yew and rowan tree, representing transformation (new that springs out of the old) and resilience. Ideas and solutions abound when we're willing to widen our perspective by embracing flexibility and the willingness to change. The Hare suggests creative fertility, bringing to mind a quote from Erich Fromme: "Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties." Our 'right way' might not be right at all.

Some of Each

This week I'll be using Poppy Palin's Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, published by Llewellyn, along with the 2nd edition of her companion book, Stories of the Wild Spirit, published by Slippery Jacks Press. I'll also be drawing from the Saltwater Reading Cards, created by Laura Bowen and published by Rockpool Publishing. Today's cards are the Ace of Air and Pelican:

Too much thinking undisturbed by doing tends to spawn intellectually elegant theories - often clever sounding, but unrealistic. Too much doing without thinking leads to wasted effort.  

—Eddie Wharton

If bird eggs are to hatch successfully, they require warmth, humidity, ventilation, and consistent turning. Likewise, an inspirational idea also has needs: it should first be filtered through a range of creative possibilities, then having chosen one, focused planning should ensue on how to materialize it. The Pelican brings to mind the verses written by Ogden Nash: "A strange bird is the pelican; its beak can hold more than its belly can; I wonder how the helican." A pelican's pouched bill has a larger capacity than its stomach. Its stomach can hold up to 1 gallon, while its pouch can hold up to 3 gallons. While planning can be fun and exciting, we need something firm we can swallow if our idea is to ever to take concrete shape. 

Powerful and Potent

From the RainShadow Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Liminal Spirits Oracle, Hare:

Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become, in the hands of one who knows how to combine them!

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

The flower arrangement on this Ace of Swords is a reminder that words can be encouraging, supportive and beneficial just as they can be provoking, cruel and poisonous. This Ace advocates for clarity, for seeing beyond our preferences and prejudices, our plans and plots. Hare is a symbol of fertility; it gives us notice that the bend of our thoughts and words will continue to curve in a certain direction unless we change them. We can choose to build a beautiful life or wind up sitting alone in a pile of rubble.

Growing Ideas

From the Sun and Moon Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Animal Tiles, Box Turtle:

The world can use more light and less noise. More solvers and fewer blamers. More folks showing a better way and fewer folks complaining about how much better things used to be. More folks offering help and fewer folks wringing their hands about the problems. More hope bringers and fewer hope killers. ―Steve Goodier

The Ace of Swords widens the mind, bringing clarity (seeing reality just as it is) and creative thinking (solutions, art and innovations). Being receptive to such an opening allows insights, seen as the crown of light in this card. Yet instead of running through our community yelling "eureka!", Box Turtle (whose shell allows him to completely close himself off) suggests we pause and contemplate what we've come to see and understand. This Ace is only a seed at this stage; it needs care to germinate. Give it time.

"Camp Betty" - aka "Cousin Camp" - was wonderful!

(Mom and me in the middle, cousins on the ends)

My mom has tame box turtles in her yard that often show up when she's working outside or even at her kitchen door. She feeds them strawberries, tomatoes, bananas, cherries and cantaloupe. She hasn't seen any for quite some time, but yesterday one of the old timers (Maxine) showed up when I was taking out mom's trash. Drawing the box turtle tile today made me smile!

Preceded by Mind

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Whale and Starfish:

All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, and suffering follows as the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox.

—Dhammapada (Gil Fronsdal trans.)

The Ace of Swords parts the night from day, bringing clarity. One part of my daily prayer is "May I move through each moment mindfully, lightly and with clarity." In other words, paying attention, having a sense of humor, and seeing the world not as I want it to be, but as it is. That last one is the toughest; it requires I cut through my emotions and propensities if I want to glimpse reality. Whale and Starfish were best friends in this Dreamtime story, but they lived on an island that had become overpopulated. Many wanted to move to another island, but whale - who had the only boat - refused to let anyone use it. Starfish decided to lure him to sleep with stories so that the others could leave. However, when Whale awoke and realized what had happened, he attacked Starfish, and the sea star retaliated. Our minds have a way of rationalizing whatever we think is right without considering what harm our actions might lead to. To quote the Dhammapada once again, "Hatred never ceases through hatred."

Checking Up on the Committee

From the Fey Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the I Misteri della Sibilla, the Two of Clubs (Pride):

The mind’s committee is less like a communion of saints planning a charity event, and more like a corrupt city council, with the balance of power constantly shifting between different factions, and many deals being made in back rooms.

― Thanissaro Bhikkhu

A fey works to develop mental awareness and concentration in order to train her mind, guiding it so that it works in skillful rather than unwholesome ways. The ego is only concerned with thoughts that benefit it (if our ideas are selfish, self-referencing, or self-centered, we know who's chairing our mind's committee). The Two of Clubs - Pride - is one of the ego's favorite tools. It tells us we are always right and always know the best way to handle things. Unfortunately, it creates a hellish divide between us and all our relationships. This fey has the right idea; unless we're aware of what passes through our mind, we'll never question it.

Gibbering Madhouse

This week I'll be using the Tarot of Mystical Moments, created by Catrin Welz-Stein and published by U.S. Games. Paired with it will be the Inner Eye Oracle, created by Steven Bright and published by Red Feather. Today's draws are the Ace of Swords and the Three of Hearts:

Your mind is a shrieking gibbering madhouse on wheels barreling pell-mell down the hill utterly out of control and hopeless. No problem. You are not crazier than you were yesterday. It has always been this way and you just never noticed. ― Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

We often assume the mind is our ally, but actually it is just a collection of knowledge, an endless fount of ideas, a holder of our memories and the keeper of our emotional patterns. For it to become a help rather than a hindrance, we must be aware of its thoughts, question what it tells us, and compare it to reality. We then must learn to steer it towards a beneficial focus and away from worrying rumination or excessive emotional impulses. The mind becomes a friend when it is trained to respond rather than reflexively react. The Three of Hearts is illustrated with a locket, signifying memories. Reminiscing about the past can be helpful in preventing us from making the same mistake over and over, or if our mood needs a little boost, by remembering a pleasurable moment. Yet there are some memories that poke our old pains and grievances and simply cause suffering. For those, we should take Shunryu Suzuki's advice: "Let thoughts come and go. Just don't serve them tea."

Spark of Essence

From the Rider Marseille Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Ostinato Oracle, Marcato:

Inspiration is God making contact with itself.

~Ram Dass

A sword holds a crown on which an olive branch and a palm branch hang (symbols of peace and victory). The crown is an open rather than a closed one, suggesting an open, curious mind. Six yuds (yods) surround the sword, a letter that represents the spark of Essence within each of us. The Ace of Swords breathes inspiration into us, giving us a chance to create and problem solve in a fresh and exciting way. It only requires that we let go of our preferences and receive it without contempt prior to investigation. Marcato ("marked") is a musical instruction indicating a note, chord, or passage is to be played louder or more forcefully than the surrounding music. Parkway suggests it means that we act with intention - mindfully and purposefully instead of impulsively or haphazardly. As Kristin Armstrong stated, "We either live with intention or exist by default."

Think Fun

From the Gaian Tarot, the Ace of Air (Swords); from the Goddess Oracle, Kuan Yin:

In filling the well, think magic. Think delight. Think fun. Do not think duty. Do not do what you should do—spiritual sit-ups like reading a dull but recommended critical text. Do what intrigues you, explore what interests you; think mystery, not mastery.

― Julia Cameron

There are reasonable ideas and solutions, and then there are great ones (which cannot be forced). This butterfly spent many days in the chrysalis before emerging - it had no choice but to go through the necessary process. In the same way, the information or answers that we seek must also go through a course of development. But instead of grasping at strategies and knowledge, we let our curiosity and imagination out to play. These will fill the well that what we seek can be drawn from. Kuan Yin's arrival encourages a focus on self-compassion rather than the goal of perfection, which will only stymie our quest. 

Execution

From the Norse Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Viking Lenormand, the Scythe:

Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.

― Sue Grafton

The Ace of Swords can represent a new idea for a project, a solution to a problem or a way to express oneself in order to help someone understand us. But it should be noted that this sword is pointing downward, suggesting the information has registered but we need to act on it, to ground it in reality. Otherwise it's like an important letter that we throw in the trash without opening. The Scythe represents a time of harvest or a happening that instigates great change. With the Ace of Swords, we have the resource we need, now we just need to use it to create the innovation or transformation we seek.

A Great Idea

This week I'll be using the Rosetta Tarot along with its companion book The Book of Seshet. This set was created by M.M. Meleen and published by Atu House. The oracle deck I'll be using is the Day of the Dead Lenormand, created and self-published by Edmund Zebrowski. Today's draws are the Ace of Swords and Bouquet:

To celebrate someone else’s life, we need to find a way to look at it straight on, not from above with judgment or from below with envy.

― Sharon Salzberg

Meleen explains that the lightning bolts above the sword hint at synapses and neural activity; she suggests the mind is a power that can be used for good or evil. It's force can be focused on the three poisons (greed, hatred, delusion) or the three antidotes (generosity, kindness, wisdom) in our daily encounters. Bouquet implies well-wishes and reminds me of a wedding bouquet that is carried during the ceremony and then tossed afterward to friends and family. It is a symbolic way of saying, "I'm happy, and wish this happiness for you." Now that's a great idea. 

Live in the Solution

From the Slow Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the ROAR Oracle, Julia Child:

When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer,

the problem went away. ~AA basic text

I read a quote by Banksy (the graffiti artist) that said, "Your mind is working at its best when you're being paranoid." While I like his art, I'd have to disagree with his words. The logical mind is taken offline when we experience (and feed) strong emotions. It might feel like our thoughts are correct and insightful, but really we are operating without mental clarity. That doesn't mean we need to ignore or deny any problems, but rather that we acknowledge them while seeking a solution that doesn't create more difficulties or complications. Known mostly as a wonderful chef, Julia Child began her cooking experiments while working for OSS during WWII; she concocted a shark repellent for soldiers stranded in the water. She had her share of unexpected problems, but preferred a positive response: "One of the secrets of cooking is to learn to correct something if you can, and bear with it if you cannot."

Like the Sky

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Pictish Oracle, Ogham:

The Ace of Swords can represent a creative inspiration or insight. Particularly when we have a problem to solve or a project to start, it can seem like there's nothing left in our dusty mental bins to choose from. Yet the colorful ouroboros suggests otherwise - we can't use up either one. But to receive them, we need to be as open as the night sky that produces those bolts of lightning. Insights and inspirations won't squeeze themselves into pre-made boxes. Ogham is an ancient British and Irish alphabet, formed by parallel strokes on either side of or across a continuous line. This tile suggests communication, but perhaps of a type that isn't ordinary (such as symbols, music, nature, or art). Yet even the ordinary has the potential awaken us if we see it through fresh rather than dull eyes.

Sparking Ideas

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Panda/Ace of Swords; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Teiwaz:

In the companion book, Robertson states that just as the Panda consumes a lot of food, sometimes we need to consume information in order to have enough knowledge or perspective to see things clearly. Of course this requires an open, playful attitude rather than an intensely focused one. It's not about finding THE answer, but seeing a fuller picture of things. Much like Julia Cameron's Artist Date, such open-ended exploration is designed to spark ideas. Teiwaz is named for the sky god Tyr, known for his nobility of character and personal sacrifice for the greater good. It is the rune of the spiritual warrior, of seeing and acting beyond self-centeredness. As for the Ace of Swords, this would imply engaging with people, books, experiences, etc. that aren't winnowed by our preferences. We don't need to like something or someone to learn from them.