Do This First

From the Tarot of the Abyss, Temperance; from the Nature Mandala Cards, Change:

Combine the extremes, and you will have the true center.

―Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

In the fires of rage, the depths of despair, or the icy clutch of fear, what we think we should do is usually some extreme reaction. It's not that we should eliminate these feelings, as they may contain useful information. But we need to let them mix with a bit of calmness, hope, and courage to give us a clearer, more balanced view. Somewhere between "Off with his head!" and "I'll just be hiding under the bed covers," there is a solution that might be more effective. Effective Change is not brought about by getting hooked by our emotions, allowing our old habits and patterns to take over. It comes when we allow the mud to settle. As Jimi Hendrix put it, "In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first."

Cease Fighting

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Abyss, created by Ana Tourian and published by U.S. Games. I've paired with it the Nature Mandala Meditation Cards, created and self-published by Michelle Wallace. Today's draws are the Four of Swords and Change:

And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone...

—AA text

This card sends a strong message: it's time to stop engaging in battle. No matter how hard we push or cajole, that huge boulder is not moving right now. Continuing to fight in the way we've been doing is only creating exhaustion and distress. During times of mental rest, when we let our mind open and relax, our wiser self often gives us an alternative. Such an option comes in the words of Palmer Parker, who said that advancing love, justice and truth is generational work; looking for short-term results will only lead to despair. Instead, we ask if what we did today was faithful to the values we aspire to embody, and to our opportunities to serve the common good. Change brings to mind the voice of Sam Cooke singing "Change is Gonna Come." No matter how stuck and immovable things seem to be, nothing is permanent and fixed. In the meantime, we can take Parker's advice: "Do something every day that reaffirms your identity and integrity. No matter how limited your reach may be, there is always a way to light a candle in the face of the powers of darkness. Don’t burn out. Burn bright."

Cloak of Protection?

From the Mary-El Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the OH Cards, Impatience/Change:

When death, the great Reconciler, has come,

it is never our tenderness that we repent of, but our severity.

― George Eliot

White uses Eve in this painting of her Five of Swords; she holds the hand of Adam who is off to the side. All those feathers symbolize ideas, beliefs and opinions that we hold close to us as a protective shield. And the babe in Eve's arms represents those we influence or try to convert to our perception of the world. But do our views (and the actions that follow from them) create in us joy, healing and growth, or do they shape us into fatalistic, contentious, stagnant people? The Impatience/Change cards point to the characteristics of those in the latter group. We often demand that people live and think on our terms; we have no tolerance for them otherwise. Yet the owls suggest we peer beneath our protection and see if our fears in the darkness are real or just a figment of an anxious imagination.

Climbing or Staying Put

 From the Spiral Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the Sacred Journey Cards, Change:

          Whether to be content or to expand our horizons, to go it alone or form a partnership - these are the types of questions created by the restlessness of the Two of Wands. Perhaps he should ask himself, "Do I have a workable vision of something better and more beneficial?" Fear or the need for an adrenaline rush may not be a wise motivation. The Change card suggests that a new choice may be a good one if it helps us develop and grow, rather than just grasping for instant gratification. As the saying goes, "You can't float down a river to get to the top of the mountain." 

Workable Solutions

This week I'll be using the Spiral Tarot, a book and deck set created by Kay Steventon and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from the Sacred Journey Cards, a set created by Cheryl Thiele and published by Pomegranate. Today's draws are the Queen of Pentacles and Change:

          This Queen is known for being practical, resourceful and sensual. She feels her purpose is to be of service to others (whether offering comfort with a physical gift or teaching them how to use their resources). Yet the Queen realizes those who serve need time to recharge; she does it by relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Her idea of comfort involves bare feet, the open sky and the lushness of the natural world around her. Change would seem to be something the Queen of Pentacles would be at ease with, because she is so tuned in to the ever-changing natural world. Yet being human, I imagine the closer that change is to her personal life, the more she might resist. For instance, what if the King told her he was passing a law that no one was allowed to go barefoot anymore? The booklet asks: what action can you take to release resistance to change? Being such a creative woman, I'm sure her answer would be to find a workable solution instead of wasting time fuming about the issue. She's probably the one who came up with the idea for flip-flops.

Shifts from Knowledge

From the Idiosyncradeck Tarot, the Page of Swords; from the Answer Deck, Change:

          This Page is smart but honest enough to know he doesn't know it all. His preferred way of learning is to ask questions and listen to the wisdom of others. The sword with its tip buried in the ground implies he's practical about who he learns from - he wants someone with some experience. The little sapling made me think of the tiny "future" bonsai tree I received at a gathering of enthusiasts a few weeks ago. At the meeting were two masters of the technique and quite a few interested participants. It wasn't hard to figure out who had the knowledge and who was there to learn, as the experts constantly had a group around them as they worked. Their intelligence was not only heard in their words but was apparent in the beautiful bonsai plants they had grown.
          Change shows an older tree losing its autumn leaves as it prepares for winter. There is a striking contrast between the young sapling as it sprouts leaves and the older tree that is almost bare. I am reminded by this card that knowledge changes us, sometimes in simple ways and other times in dramatic ones. Just look at what happened to Bill Cosby's image once people learned of his past actions. That which is learned can't be erased, as a court room phrase implies: You can't unring the bell.

"Poseidon" (a trident maple) - it looked like a stick when I got it, but now has leaves!

Riding with the Wind

  The card chosen from the Picture Postcard Tarot this morning is the Knight of Wands:

With a whip in his hands, this little boy is ready to ride with the wind.  He's not content to just rock back and forth on his toy horse like most kids - his mount has wheels so he can move from one place to another.  The Knight of Wands has some of the most innovative and exciting ideas.  He's the go-to guy when you feel stuck in a box and need a ground-breaking solution.  But make sure you call the Knight of Pents to ensure the harvest comes in once the ground is plowed, because the Knight of Wands will have already moved on to greener, more exciting pastures.

     From the Steps to Serenity oracle today comes the card "Change:"

"If our circumstances happened to be good, we no longer dreaded a change for the worse, for we had learned that these troubles could be turned into great values.  It did not matter too much what our material condition was, but it did matter what our spiritual condition was." ~ 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

These maple leaves have turned a lovely color, and soon they will fall from the tree.  Nature is a great teacher when it comes to change, the only constant in this world.  The Tao teaches, "If you realize all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to."  Change is an opportunity for growth, a chance for me to learn to adapt and be flexible.  My spiritual path can center me as I go through change, grounding me as endings become beginnings.