Muddy Waters Will Clear

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Shaman's Oracle, the "Ancestor of Hope:"

          I've witnessed herons standing still in water for long periods of time, watching below for food to swim past. They are a perfect representation of the Queen of Cups, who has no problem standing in her emotions (unlike me). When I feel anger, fear, grief or frustration, I want to act to make the discomfort go away. But Pema Chodron says I should embrace and watch it instead. What? You want me to stand in that icky, algae-covered, muddy water? "Acknowledge the feeling, give it your full, compassionate, even welcoming attention, and even if it’s only for a few seconds, drop the story line about the feeling. This allows you to have a direct experience of it, free of interpretation. Don’t fuel it with concepts or opinions about whether it’s good or bad. Just be present with the sensation," she replies. Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor, in her book My Stroke of Insight, notes that emotions run their course in ninety seconds. Only if they get rekindled by the story line behind them do they last longer. If I can pay close attention to the sensation of the emotion and let my thoughts glide on by, it will pass soon enough. The Ancestor of Hope card shows the painting of a horse and symbolizes the strength of perseverance, the ability to hold on to hope without any expectation around it. Movement and change is inevitable. As Chodron put it, "You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather."

Using the Verb Form

From the Wildwood Tarot, the Two of Vessels:

Instead of people, the artist uses anthropomorphic figures for this card. Though both the animals they represent are herd animals, they are still very different. The horse prefers wide open spaces to run and the elk prefers a forest nearby in which to hide. They remind me of extroverts and introverts. But still they have found a connection that attracts each to the other. So many of my relationships seem like an attraction of opposites, but mutual respect and admiration is the glue that holds them together. Love is a verb, not just a noun.

From the Shaman's Oracle comes the "Ancestor of Hope:"

I laughed when I saw the title of this card; it refers to "the force that carries us forward." My daughter and I have to go to the Dept. of Driver Services today to renew our driver's licenses. Before, you could just do this over the internet, but because of the prevalence of identity theft, you now have to show up with a stack of documents in tow. You must have: a certified U.S birth certificate, a social security card (or tax return), and two proofs of address from a bank, government agency or place of employment. The problem is most of the "house" bills are in my husband's name (he had the house before we were married), and most of my banking and bills I pay online, so I don't get snail mail. If you've had a name change (I've had two), then you have to bring documents for that too (in my case a marriage license and an amended birth certificate). Patience is a requirement when you go to these places, because there is generally a long wait. Both my daughter and I are very different when it comes to interacting and dealing with others; I suppose we will both need to draw on the strengths we each have to get through today with our sense of composure in tact.

Natural Laws

  From the Wildwood Tarot, the Stag (Justice):

Instead of a sword, this version of Justice holds a two-headed axe; rather than scales, he holds a shield painted with the image of a world tree.  Nature has a way of balancing things out.  If drought causes many grasses that supply the grain for mice dry up, the mouse population will begin to decline.  Animals that eat mice - snakes, owls, hawks - will see a decline also.  When rain comes again, allowing the grass to grow abundantly, the animal populations will increase.  Since I am a part of nature, my actions impact not only myself, but those around me.  Inwardly or outwardly I can create imbalances, and it's my responsibility to recognize and be accountable for these.  Or I can sit back and let nature can take its course and readjust things (which often isn't the most pleasant of experiences).

     From the Shaman's Oracle comes the Ancestor of Hope:

Don't get me wrong - I do think hope is a good thing.  But I believe that sometimes I can have specific expectations woven into that hope, and those are the buggers that can cause me heartache.  My hope is that things will change to something different (and this I believe because it is a natural law).  Life might not change on my timetable or the way I would write out the script, but change it will.