Effort + Encouragement

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Chariot; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Ansuz:

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. —Jesse Owens

Orcas are powerful, swimming up to 34.5 mph and armed with four-inch teeth. Our dreams can be just as potent and require us to stay firmly in the lane of reality rather than fantasy (imagination builds, fantasy escapes). When we hit roadblocks or delays, we might be tempted to wig out or give up, but creativity can be a great resource if we avoid those options. Ansuz represents communicated wisdom that inspires and guides. When we're in need of inspiration, we should choose our encouragers with care. As J.W. Goethe wrote, “Instruction does much, but encouragement everything."

Superficial Differences

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Cedar Runes, Ansuz:

"Raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways, all my underdogs..." 

—Pink

Sometimes we don't need a special occasion to commemorate, we can just celebrate the belonging we find in companionship. It is a gift of grace to find friends who share our quirky sense of humor, understand the hardships we face, and have similar goals or interests. Ansuz is often associated with the Norse god Odin and thus represents spiritual insight and wisdom. After being locked in a jury room for several days and many hours - unable to discuss the case until testimony was complete - I was reminded of something important. No matter how different people seem on the outside, our inner lives cross over a lot of those boundaries. Before we get too particular in our judgments about who should or shouldn't be included in our friendships, we should take the time to get to understand them on more than just a superficial level. A bow to those 16 men and women jurors I got to know a little better.  

The Way Appears

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Cedar Runes, Ansuz:

As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.

― Rumi

The Eight of Swords depicts those periods when we feel powerless and trapped by circumstances. Like this swan surrounded by thorny brambles and unable to fly, we think we can't move. But the swan, using it's sharp beak, could move some briers and walk out of them. We often feel stuck because we fall back on old patterns of thinking and acting, which only further entrenches us in a feeling of helplessness. Instead, we could do something different, even if that action seems to have no connection at all to the issue. But it could help the real issue - getting our mind unstuck and giving it a slightly different view. Ansuz is said to symbolize the mouth of the wise Odin and suggests divine or ancestral wisdom or inspiration. When we feel powerless, it is easy to forget that others may have advice and encouragement that could help us. All we need to do is ask and listen.

Dips and Twists

This coming week I'll be using the Victorian Fairy Tarot, created by Lunaea Weatherstone with Gary A. Lippincott and published by Llewellyn. Paired with it will be the Haindl Rune Oracle, created by Hermann Haindl and published by U.S. Games. As an additional resource, I'll be dipping into The Serpent and the Eagle by Chris Travers. Today's draws are the Ace of Spring (Wands) and As (Ansuz):

Work your way to the ending and see what comes up. ―Andy Weir

The kite in this Ace of Wands makes me think of all the dips, twists and turns it takes when rising high in the sky. Similarly, when we are inspired with an idea, our mind shoots all over the place. No wonder mind mapping (a visual diagram used for organization) has become popular. The excitement and enthusiasm that inspiration causes can make us want to pole vault from the starting line over to the finish line, but As/Ansuz asks us to pause. This rune has been translated as both 'mouth' and 'estuary,' both of which have things that flow from them. An estuary is a transition zone, a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with rivers or streams flowing into it as well as a connection to the open sea. This in-between place suggests that we should first spend time working on our ideas, seeing what is functional and what isn't, before we race off with a spark yelling 'fire!' 

Emotional Fulfillment

This week I'll be using the Animal Totem Tarot, created by Eugene Smith with a companion book by Leeza Robertson; the set was published by Llewellyn. I'll also be using the Blum/Gern Rune Cards created by Ralph Blum and illustrated by Gabrielle Gern with publishing by Connections. These were originally sold as the set The Rune Cards: Sacred Play for Self-discovery, but since I just have the cards, I'll be using Blum's The Book of Runes as a companion text. Today's draws are the Ten of Cups and Ansuz:

The sense of fulfillment is often hidden in acts of kindness.     

— Todd Stocker

          In the companion booklet, Robertson suggests that no one finds emotional fulfillment without first developing self-restraint, self-care, and respectful communication. These things come about not because life is perfect, but through challenges and adversities that demand growth. And compassionate support is vitally important, even when there is disagreement. As Robert Breault put it, "In the end there doesn’t have to be anyone who understands you. There just has to be someone who wants to." Ansuz indicates a message that brings sacred knowledge and understanding. It suggests that we look at every encounter - whether a stone, bird, or person - as a spiritual sage we can learn something from. However, be warned that some of these messengers might be in the form of a trickster rather than a jolly Santa. Sometimes what is frustrating can teach us the tools we need to find the fulfillment we seek.

Just Passing Through

From the Greenwood Tarot, the World Tree; from the Rune Cards, Ansuz-ash*:

          Potter's World card shows a tree depicting all four seasons planted in the middle of a labyrinth. When walking a labyrinth, there are times when the lane seems close to the middle, then on the next turn, it moves further away. Eventually, perseverance will lead a person to the center. Life sends us on the same kind of twisty paths as we look for spiritual fulfillment. But even when we seem to have found what we've been searching for, we discover there are more labyrinths yet to be walked. Life doesn't stand still and neither should any spiritual path. Each moment unfolds with new joys and challenges we must meet. The sturdiness of the Ash requires that we pick up the spiritual warrior's shield and spear (wisdom and compassion) once more. There's more to see and learn along the Way.

*Ansuz was split into three runes with the Anglo-Saxon development of the vowel system: o/god, a/oak, and ae/ash.

Bumpy Rides and Signposts

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Chariot; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, 'Ansuz/Signals:'

The orca, like most predatory animals, knows how to move in order to herd its prey. This hunter can control its energy and focus its movement to reach the objective - its next meal. The Chariot is a reminder that self-discipline is needed to replace impulsive, emotion-driven behavior. The Rune Ansuz implies that there is a message that needs to be received, but awareness and alertness will be required. Have you ever felt that you are doing all the right things, yet inside you feel as if you've gone off the rails? Today I appreciated finding this quote by Larry Yang in my email: "I’m much more interested in how we practice with not awakening, with not being enlightened, because, frankly, those states of being are more present in my life than not." When his chariot is not moving as smoothly as he'd like, Yang uses this alternative blessing instead of the traditional lovingkindness meditation:

May I be loving, open, and aware in this moment;

If I cannot be loving, open, and aware in this moment, may I be kind;

If I cannot be kind, may I be nonjudgmental;

If I cannot be nonjudgmental, may I not cause harm;

If I cannot not cause harm, may I cause the least harm possible.

(from Bodhidharma magazine)

Sharing the Light

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Six of Wands; from the Rune Cards, Ac/Ansuz:

          Potter has created a harvest mandala of acorns, apples, blackberries, elderberries, rowan berries, and hazelnuts to represent the Six of Wands. It is a time to acknowledge and appreciate the gifts of what one has reaped. But is simply being grateful for getting to this point enough? I know innumerable people who have had a hand in the harvest I now enjoy, some who are no longer with me. I would not be enjoying these fruits if I didn't have their support. Ansuz/Ac, often know as Odin's rune, is associated with the oak as well as reason and language. The Anglo-Saxon poem for it reads:

The mouth is the source of all language,

a pillar of wisdom and a comfort to wise men,

a blessing and a joy to every knight.

Even the oak tree in its own way offers sustenance and shelter - a pillar of wisdom and comfort. This rune suggests that a true test of gratitude for one's blessings (even accomplishments) will reach beyond words and produce compassionate action. 

Therefore, when others light our candle, we issue forth light. When out of gratitude we use our candle to light other people’s candles, the whole room gets brighter.

~  Master Sheng Yen

Lions and Horses

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the King of Wands; from the Cedar Runes, Ansuz:

          I am convinced that the King of Wands was once the driver of the Chariot. He's learned to direct his inner lions (will) so that he accomplishes what he sets out to do. (Though I'm not sure he's fully developed the tolerance and compassion of Strength.) He gets people moving with his charisma and makes sure intentions are followed through with action. Travers, in The Serpent and the Eagle, states that the rune name Ansuz is related to a term meaning 'rein.' I was surprised to see he connects this rune with a common Indo-European theme in mystical writings that see the soul/self as a chariot. Plato (in Phaedrus) suggests that the good and bad sides of our natures are like a good and bad horse pulling a chariot; he advises that we encourage the good and learn to control the bad. The Bhagavad Gita writer sees the senses as the horses pulling the chariot and warns they should be restrained. There appears to be a theme of using what is basic in our nature in positive, productive ways. Self-discipline, however, will be needed to reach the finish line.

Slow Shifts

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Herald of Autumn (Page of Pentacles); from the Haindl Rune Oracle, As (Ansuz):

          This Page of Pentacles is a herald, the fairy who pays attention to the signs of nature and announces when a new season has begun. New seasons require new activities, so a shifting of gears is required. Weatherstone writes that this Page is "the one who finds answers that may allude others simply by taking the time to observe and think things through." Outside my window, the deciduous trees are still bare, but if you look closely, swollen leaf buds are on the branches. The robins arrived last month, and the other birds of this area have already built nests. I'll soon be heading to Lowes for gardening supplies.
          As (Ansuz) is one of the runes for which the main source of knowledge comes from the Rune Poems. I've chosen the Old Norse version to work with:

Estuary is the way of most journeys;

but a scabbard is of swords. 

An estuary is the lower part of a river where its current meets the ocean's tide; it is a transitional zone. This part of the poem parallels the Herald who announces the change of seasons. The second part of the verse speaks of a scabbard and sword. The sword is a symbol of sovereignty, yet the mention of the scabbard suggests there is no need for action just yet. When there are shifts from one phase to a new development, my enthusiasm can make me want to jump in with both feet. However the Page/Herald cautions me to patiently observe and gather what I need, but hold off on making any major moves just yet.

Connecting or Dividing

From the Tarot of Timeless Truth, the Lovers:

Vey created a nontraditional image for the Lovers; instead of two people with an angel overhead, or one person making a choice between two others, she incorporates the universe.  Vey's interpretation of this card involves connections and relationships with everyone and everything.  Sad to say, but most humans could probably find more in common with their pet than their neighbor.  Humans just seem wired to look for differences rather than what is mutally shared among us.  I must actively make a choice to see what connects me rather than divides me from my world.

     From the Rune Cards, "Woden/Ansuz:"

Woden (aka Odin) was the Norse supreme god associated with war, poetry, prophecy, and wisdom.  The rune Ansuz  is linked to the mouth, breath and speech, persuasion and inspiration.  It reminds me of the power of words - they can be used to heal, pass on knowledge, and create partnerships.  Or, they can be used to hurt, deceive, and start wars.  Its so easy to speak, but so much harder to think carefully before those words come out of my mouth...