A Wide Canyon

From the Norse Tarot, the Five of Discs; from the Viking Lenormand, Birds:

The love of money may be the root of all evil, but poverty is its wicked offspring. Hungry children have a harder time learning in school; parents who struggle financially are more susceptible to physical and mental health conditions. What makes this worse is that people who could help are stymied by a mindset of scarcity - the belief that there is not enough of something to go around, and that one must compete with others for limited resources. Motivated by insecurity, generosity doesn't stand a chance. Birds suggest a gathering and a shared conversation. Rather than judge, it invites us to sincerely listen to the stories of those who lack the basics for well-being. We may see that there is wide canyon between their reality and our ideas.

Enough

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Birds:

 

'Enough' is a feast.

―Buddhist Proverb

Addiction is an intense craving expressed by a constant attempt to find something external to fill the void within us. Contentment is the exact opposite - an inner peace and joy with life as it is. The Nine of Cups expresses this state, even in the arrangement of its cups (creating the geomantic figure laetitia, or gladness). Such warmth radiates outward, touching everyone. The Birds card suggests messages and gossip, but it also brings to mind people who like to spread misery. However joy can't be stolen if it rests within us, independent of outside circumstances. As Og Mandino said, "Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealousy, and envy."

Source of Suffering

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Birds:

          Besides creating a mental prison for ourselves, neurotic thinking can prevent us from having a normal conversation with other people. We feel trapped and want a solution, but if someone shows up with suggestions for freedom, we don't listen. All we can talk about is our situation and how overwhelmed we are. We don't want to change anything about ourselves, we want everything outside of us to change. Perhaps when people stop trying to chat with her and she gets tired of sitting in the mud, the young woman in this Eight of Swords will pull off that blindfold and get moving.

The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.

—Dalai Lama

Anger is considered a poison when it’s self-motivated and self-centered. But take that attachment to the self out of anger and the same emotion becomes the fierce energy of determination, which is a very positive force …

—Roshi Bernie Glassman and Rick Fields

Tempering the Grapevine

From the Nigel Jackson Tarot, Temperance; from the Viking Lenormand, Birds:

          Temperance is literally tempering our egoic desires with spiritual principles. For instance, we may want to be the center of attention, but humility reminds us we are no more or less important than others, so we step back and let others have their say. Temperance keeps us from harming ourselves and our relationships. The Birds indicate something 'heard through the grapevine.' Usually, it contains a grain of truth, but the rest of the story is left out or exaggerated. But people still pay attention - just check social media for all the misinformation shared and reshared without any evidence to back it up. Temperance reminds us that while such news may be exciting, we should practice discernment and investigate for ourselves just what is truth and what is fiction.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

― Carl Sagan

Full Value

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Celtic Lenormand, Birds (Songbirds):

          The 'Wish' card appears today, showing a woman who must have been in need of a financial windfall. I have a friend who says, "Money can't bring happiness, but it sure can making living a little easier." Having lived hand-to-mouth in past years, I have to agree. But sitting on a stack of money doesn't bring nearly as much fulfillment as having someone to enjoy it with. This is the third Birds card I've drawn this week (this deck has three); all deal with communication and information, but in different ways. The chickens represent that which nourishes the body, the owls symbolize that which can engage the mind, and the songbirds serve as that which fulfills the spirit. The songbirds encourage me to be generous in sharing any good fortune that finds me. As Mark Twain instructs, "To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with."

Center Line

From the Light Seer's Tarot, Temperance; from the Celtic Lenormand, Birds (Owls):

          A young man swirls the cool, rocky moon's energies with those of the fiery sun. His message is to walk the middle way, enjoying and employing both while avoiding extremes. Buddhist wisdom is divided into 'absolute' (insights about reality) and 'relative' (what is grounded in the physical world) truths. The absolute is the essence of reality that can't be put in a labeled box, while the relative involves our daily experiences in the concrete world. To separate these two would be impossible - we can't live a spiritual life without being grounded in reality. The Birds/Owls are a reminder that sometimes I need to listen to the wisdom of others in order to see a fuller truth rather than my personal slice of it.

Leaving with Support

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Eight of Cups; from the Celtic Lenormand, Birds:

          There is a nontraditional church in the area that has a Bowl Burning Ceremony at the end of each year. People write down what holds them back rather than helps them grow - regrets, resentments, blind beliefs, unhealthy attachments to people or things, etc. The symbolic burning is an intention to release these things and move on. Yet I am convinced that I can't let go of anything unless I am fully aware of how much pain and suffering holding on to it causes. I must see past my denial and lay down my rainbow-colored glasses and acknowledge it for what it is. The hens on the Birds card remind me of an article written by Karen Davis, who emphasizes the amazing memory, emotions, and sociability of chickens. Their social traits are associated with this Lenormand card - the trusted relationships that allow us to pour out our hearts and share our thoughts and ideas. Though a painful experience may make me want to isolate, it's my contact with others that will help me heal and move forward.

Cohesion

From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Celtic Lenormand, Birds (Owls):

          The keyword for the Navigator's card is cohesion. This fellow is about to add a third, fiery support to the stand, which will add some stability. Perhaps it is a lack of sleep, but I've got a story in my head that the fire will eventually make that egg glow with a fierce light. He is developing a new type of lighthouse that will shine through the darkest of nights and the worst of all storms. The owls are on an island several miles away, ready to give feedback for his invention. They'll be honest about how well it actually works and maybe how to tweak it a bit to make it even better. I think every endeavor needs feedback, but where do you draw the line between helpful advice and a complete takeover? Perhaps cohesion also implies not letting one's vision get lost in the shuffle. People have wisdom to share, but that doesn't mean I need to discount my own.