Choosing My Neighbor

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Pope (Hierophant); from the Pages of Shustah deck, Capricorn:

To be a priest is to serve a God who never stops calling people to do more justice and love more mercy, and simultaneously to serve people who nine times out of ten are just looking for a safe place to rest.

― Barbara Brown Taylor

The creators of this card suggest it represents a "consolation of faith," in other words, a religion with a focus on comfort, encouragement and support. I suppose that depends on whether the leader's agenda is judgment, hellfire and brimstone or healing, helping and compassion. The sea-goat of Capricorn cautions us that the emotional security of beliefs should be balanced by a faith that is grounded in loving action. As Barbara Brown Taylor wrote, "The only clear line I draw these days is this: when my religion tries to come between me and my neighbor, I will choose my neighbor... Jesus never commanded me to love my religion."

Carrying Carefully

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Knave (Page) of Cups; from the Pages of Shustah, Capricorn:

          Look at how carefully this Knave cradles his cup, making sure not to spill a drop. He's the sensitive one who knows that certain conversations should be done at the right time and place with forethought and compassion. News that might be explosive or shattering needs to be delivered tenderly. But the mountain goat of Capricorn implies that we might be so concerned about the blowback, we never get around to having that conversation. Yet while this goat is fearless, he also knows how to grip the rocks skillfully as he climbs. He suggests that if our conversation is grounded in facts, we should not be afraid to have those hard conversations without feeling like we're a bad person.

You can’t move the conversation in a more positive direction until the other person feels heard and understood. And they won’t feel heard and understood until you’ve listened. When the other person becomes highly emotional, listen and acknowledge. When they say their version of the story is the only version that makes sense, paraphrase what you’re hearing and ask them some questions about why they think this. If they level accusations against you, before defending yourself, try to understand their view. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or unsure how to proceed, remember that it is always a good time to listen. ― Douglas Stone