Inside Job

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Hanged Man; from Rory's Story Cubes, Apple:

At the end of the day, you can't control the results; you can only control your effort level and your focus. ~Ben Zobrist

Hanging upside down, a man's plans and possessions pour out onto the ground. Sometimes it can feel like no matter what we do, nothing matters. But this would be oversimplifying things. The 'healthy' attitude that Apple implies suggests that we do have some input. Many external things we can't control, due to the fact that multiple causes and conditions come into play, including impermanence and change. Some things we do have influence over (though not complete control), like our physical and mental health. Yet our attitude and the choices we make are under our control and can make a huge difference in our outlook on life. Those moments of surrender and acceptance, like the egg in the bird's nest, hint at a rebirth in our perspective.

One Cube or Two?

From the Transformational Tarot, the Prince (Knight) of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Apple:

          Ando describes this Knight as an idealist, a person who cherishes and pursues noble principles and causes. These visionaries can point us to something better, but when they cross the border into hyper-idealism, they've lost all practical usefulness. Just look at Narcissus, whose perfect love was himself; that relationship didn't turn out too well. Don't get me wrong, I do think we need dreamers to shake us from our complacency. But can you imagine this guy taking out the trash for his wife and helping coach his kid's tee ball team? There's nothing wrong with dreaming of a better world, but it won't amount to a hill of beans if there's no way to make it real. The Apple is a gift from the Celtic otherworld that represents wholeness and healing. The challenge it presents asks: "What is your heart's desire? Eliminate the 'oughts' and 'shoulds' from your heart." That makes me wonder (now that I've slammed the Knight of Cups) if perhaps I am too practical and grounded. Sure his idealism is sugary sweet, but maybe I need at least one or two of his cubes to sweeten my outlook.

An Oasis in Time

From the Motherpeace Tarot, the Nine of Cups:

Somewhere behind those willows, there are some speakers blaring Cindi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."  This card is an example of pure, unadulterated pleasure.  Everyone needs uninhibited moments when we can relax, laugh until our cheeks ache, dance, sing at the top of our lungs, and not worry about the rest of the world for a few hours. These fun and games won't last forever, but they let my playful side out, allowing me to heal physically, mentally and emotionally.  Cutting loose will free my spirit from all the burdens I've forced it to needlessly carry.  

     From the Ogham Oracle comes "Apple - Quert / Ceirt:"

The translation of this ogham means "shrub," and one of its kennings is "dregs of clothing (rags)."  Laurie associates this with the clootie trees in Ireland and Scotland, where a piece of cloth is tied to a branch as an appeal for healing.  In Celtic tradition, the Otherworld of Avalon was known as the Isle of Apples and was the place King Arthur was taken to be healed.  This ogham's lesson is that sometimes there is a need to retreat, take a break from life, and heal.  Even if its just a small oasis of time, it will prevent me from forging ahead with self-destructive behavior, giving me an opportunity for the fog in my head to clear.