Mental Traps

This week I'll be using the Dark Mansion Tarot, an independently published deck (Taroteca Studio) by Krzysztof Wasiuk and Magdalena Kaczan (artist). I'll also be using Miss Mai's Victorian Oracle, a self-published deck created by Mai (surname unknown). Today's draws are the Ten of Swords and Bat:

Nothing will work unless you do.

―Maya Angelou 

A long list of jobs, friends and partners that last only briefly likely means the problem lies with us, not them. Mentally hitting rock bottom is not a pleasant place, but it can be an eye-opening position if we are open-minded enough to question our ideas and how we express ourselves. Bat suggests we make a sincere effort to see from another point of view rather than just our own. Its use of echolocation suggests we should pay attention to what is reflected back to us when we interact with others. Can we attempt to see from their perspective? Is it possible to just listen without correcting another person? The mental trap of superiority is a lonely place to be.

In the eyes of the ego, self-esteem and humility are contradictory.

In truth, they are one and the same.

― Eckhart Tolle

With the Same Tenderness

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Four of Swords; from the Beasts of Albion, the Bat:

It's pretty easy to know when our body is exhausted - it will just refuse to budge at some point. We are generally willing to rest our body when it is necessary, even when there are still things to do, because we realize it is going to collapse if we don't. How I wish we were as willing to do the same when it comes to our mental health! We all need a routine mental break from feeding our mind with outside information or inner thoughts that create unneeded pain. Bat, flying out of its cave, shows up to encourage us to bring our mental health into the light. Our minds need the same tenderness and care that we'd show an aching, worn-out body.

Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.

— Fred Rogers

Mental health problems don’t define who you are. They are something you experience. You walk in the rain and you feel the rain, but, importantly, YOU ARE NOT THE RAIN.

— Matt Haig

Bigger Picture

From the Ferret Tarot, the Queen of Wands; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, 'Bat:'

          An orchestra conductor is a fitting role for this Queen. She has a knack for seeing the talents in others, encouraging them to hone their gifts, and then gathering everyone together to create something beautiful or beneficial. Some may say she just likes being in charge and waving that baton around, but she actually has the vision and ability to create a cohesive whole. She is like the Bat, often spoken badly of, but truly with a good side. Bats eat hundreds of mosquitoes and other insects each night, as well as help pollinate plants. Both the person and the animal can be seen in a more favorable light if the focus is not on nit-picking their qualities but looking from a larger frame of reference.

All that is made seems planless to the darkened mind,

because there are more plans than it looked for. ― C.S. Lewis

It's an Illusion

This week I'll be using the Ferret Tarot, created and self-published by Elaine Moertl. Along with it, I'll be drawing from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, created by Mindy Lighthipe and published by Schiffer Books. The cards for today are the Two of Coins and Bat:

The body posture of this little ferret says a lot. His head is up, reminding me of the phrase 'heads-up,' which suggests being being aware of what is happening around you. His paws are outstretched, implying a willingness to catch and deal with what comes around. But the most telling is that both of his feet are firmly planted on the ground. Staying grounded rather than only in my head can keep me healthy and whole when I've got a lot to juggle. Most of my gardening injuries have occurred when I was focused on the next task instead of the one I was currently doing. Bat symbolizes what is beneficial because it consumes insects (a brown bat can eat 1000 mosquitoes in an hour) and because they are pollinators (300 species of fruit depend on them). This keyword reminds me of how absolutely horrible I am at multitasking. I will make fewer mistakes and do a better job when I concentrate on one objective at a time and then move on to the next priority on my list.

Juggling is an illusion. ... In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession. ... It is actually task switching. ― Gary Keller

Double-edged Swords

From the Prairie Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Medicine Cards, "Bat:"

          Thoughts are like double-edged swords; they can help us or hinder us. The Eight of Swords reminds me of a term I heard recently from psychotherapist Dr. Russ Harris, a proponent of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Cognitive fusion refers to becoming so entangled in our thoughts, we can no longer clearly see reality. Our thoughts, assumptions and beliefs become like a blindfold, and so our decisions and actions are based on our internal experience rather than what is actually going on in the world. And from this young woman's cognitively fused point of view, she's out of options.
          Sams and Carson associate Bat with rebirth and the death of old patterns and habits. Nothing much can grow in the soil unless it is cleared of old stumps and large rocks (like habitual thoughts). How do I get past such cognitive fusion when it feels so real? Harris suggests we put some objective distance between ourselves and our thoughts. Instead of saying, "I'm so worthless," the woman could defuse a bit by saying, "I'm having a thought about feeling worthless." Thoughts and reality get a bit of separation between them, leaving room for a crack of light to filter through. Hopefully, she'll eventually be able to remove that mental blindfold and discover there are more options available than she originally assumed.

Boots and Bats

This week I'll be using the Prairie Tarot, a deck created and self-published by Robin Ator. Today's draw is the Three of Wands:

In the middle of a building project, a cowboy pauses to look over the progress made so far. I like to do this when I'm doing yard work or halfway through a creative endeavor. Seeing the changes made or the work accomplished makes me feel good about my effort. Of course a problem can arise if I get so much enjoyment from resting on my laurels that I forget that the job isn't completed. I can imagine the crow in the card wondering if the man is real or some type of strange scarecrow. Time to get those boots moving buddy.

The oracle I'll be using is the Medicine Cards, a deck and book set published by St. Martins. Its creators are Jamie Sams and David Carson, and the illustrations are done by Angela Werneke. This morning's card is "Bat:"

Because of its habit of sleeping in caves and other hidden away places during the day, Bat has become associated with the ritual death and rebirth ceremony of healers. One ritual described in the book explained how the healer-to-be was sent out to dig his own grave. He would spend the night alone there with the opening covered by a blanket. Here in the earth the initiate had to confront his own fears. Bat implies that such a symbolic death and rebirth is needed in my life; old patterns are no longer useful for the growth ahead and must be discarded.