Posted: No Swimming

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Six of Swords; from Rory's Story Cubes, the Bridge:

Recurring, unhelpful thought patterns shape how we feel and what we do. They feed into anxiety and anger. They limit us...

—Rick Hanson

Last night, I saw a recommendation by cardiologists that advised people not to check their smart phones for an hour after awakening because it can set a negative, reactive tone for the rest of the day. In this card, four sharp tips point outward, as if looking for people, places and things that have caused our anger or fear. But two tips point at each other, an acknowledgement that the agitation and unease we feel is rooted within us. The Bridge offers us an option, which neuropsychologist Rick Hanson explains: "We don't have to believe our thoughts—we can recognize that they are just thoughts. We can step back and evaluate whether or not our thought patterns are truly serving us, or reinforcing limitations, assumptions, and self-doubt." That stream of thoughts will always be there, but we don't have to swim in them.

The Pleasure of Your Company

From the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Button Oracle, Bridge:

This card made me think of the wording on many wedding invitations: "request the pleasure of your company." There are some folks who are indeed a pleasure to be with, whether the occasion is a celebration or a chin-wag. Such a relationship is simply founded on the concern for the well-being of each other. The Bridge button's quote comes from Angela Merkel: "A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution." In suspension bridges, the cables must be anchored at each end of the bridge, since any load applied to the bridge is transformed into tension in these main cables. Likewise, healthy relationships share the load - one person is not responsible for being the ear that listens, the shoulder cried upon, or the giver of encouragement.