Here Kitty, Kitty

From the New Liminal Tarot, the Chariot; from the Inward Oracle, Compassion:

Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later.

― Mary Bly

          Having been a cat owner for several decades, I realize that while I may consider them a pet, they have me (and the rest of the household) well trained. Lia, who can cry more pitifully than a baby, gets instant results. Likewise - as I consider the beams connecting the dragons and the charioteer - I wonder who is pulling the strings. Is his mind well-trained enough not to be pulled to and fro by his instincts and emotions (the dragons)? The Compassion card shows a heart-opening yoga pose of exposed vulnerability. Compassion comes from a tenderness and warmth of the heart in response to suffering, either our own or someone else. When the habits of my mind make me say and do unkind things, compassion rather than shame can help me improve. Of course that doesn't negate the responsibility of making amends. But can I see how others get yanked about by their own mental habits (often without awareness), and have compassion for them as well while still holding them accountable?

Lia

Knots on a Rope

From the Urban Tarot, the Empress; from the Principles to Live By tiles, Compassion:

Leave people better than you found them.

― Marvin J. Ashton

          The Empress asks, "What are you nurturing and creating?" I've nurtured rage and revenge, and I've nurtured love and forgiveness. I've created friendships and alliances based on common bonds and cooperation and torn them asunder because of differences and competition. At age sixty, I see the wisdom in Ashton's words; the way I care for others has a residual effect on me. We're all knots tied on the same rope, connected whether we like it or not. Compassion is explained clearly by Karen Armstrong: "Compassion doesn't mean feeling sorry for people. It doesn't mean pity. It means putting yourself in the position of the other, learning about the other." Compassion suggests listening rather than telling and being an encourager rather than a fixer. It helps me see that suffering is universal, so why not be a part of the solution instead of the problem?

A Web of Hearts

From the Golden Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from the Yantra Deck, 'Compassion:'

We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place for those who love us.

 — Bernard of Clairvaux

          Families, 'found families,' and intimate groups provide us with opportunities to learn how to love, forgive and provide a cushion for each other. Harmony and contentment doesn't arrive in an Amazon box; we must painstakingly create them. These groups are the crucible, and through them we forge a sense of belonging and shape a sacred place for our emotions. When we feel we have a connection of kindness and safety, we are more likely to reach out to others (sensing that our heart is 'tethered'). Compassion suggests moving toward those who suffer with a desire to help. I just finished reading A Man Called Ove, a novel about a crusty curmudgeon who had recently lost his one love, his wife. The loss shuttered his heart, and he became a nasty piece of work. But a neighbor (very pregnant with two kids and a husband) persisted in reaching out to him, ignoring his cold demeanor. She continued to involve him with other neighbors (refusing to take 'no' for an answer) and helped him to find a purpose for living again. By the end of the book, his new 'family' had thawed his heart. Even in real life, our loving relationships can encourage us to love even more.

Shared Love, Shared Pain

From the Urban Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from the Principles to Live By, "Compassion:"

          Scott writes that this card stretches that moment of happiness in the Nine of Cups forward into the future with the dream of a home and family. The couple in this card are two friends of Scott who were finally able to become legally wedded with the Supreme Court's decision in 2015. I'm sure the dream of happiness others pursue and find is different from what I have at home with my husband. Different doesn't imply something misguided or immoral. I've got friends who are happy being single with a circle of friends as companions, and others who are content with pets instead of spouses. Does it matter how we love as long as everyone is happy and healthy? I don't think so.
          The disc of two hearts represents Compassion; to be compassionate means to turn toward a person who is suffering with a desire to relieve their pain. This is not an intellectual understanding of someone's suffering, but a moment when I remove the armor around my heart and feel the pain with them. Joanna Macy wrote, "Compassion literally means to feel with, to suffer with. Everyone is capable of compassion, and yet everyone tends to avoid it because it's uncomfortable." Yet this willingness to connect my heart to another is what reminds me of what we have in common. It gives me the chance to realize I'm not the only one who feels incredible pain or joy. No matter how different we may look on the outside, we share quite a lot on the inside.

Just One Drop

From the Spiral Tarot, the Wheel of Fortune; from the Sacred Journey Cards, "Compassion:"

          The Three Fates on the Wheel of Fortune represent the natural cycles of life: birth and beginnings, expansion and growth, decline and death. This cycle appears not only in the physical realm, but in our ambitions, relationships and conceptual ideas as well. The change and impermanence of things is often labeled "good" or "bad" depending on how they benefit us, but that's like labeling gravity as evil because we fell off a ladder. These cycles are just a part of life. It's better to accept them as best we can, as Alan Watts suggests: “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

          The "dissolve differences" phrase on the SJ card reminds me of a song on the PBS show Sesame Street:

One of these things is not like the others,

One of these things just doesn't belong,

Can you tell which thing is not like the others

By the time I finish my song?

Now if the point is to teach a child the difference between a lowercase "b" and "d," it can be useful. But when the concept moves into relationships with people, it can be damaging. When we focus only on differences, it drives a wedge between us. The Wheel reminds us how quickly windows of opportunity come and go. Chances to make compassionate connections won't last forever, so choose to look for commonalities now. Who knows, that one drop of compassion could grow into something beautiful.

        

From Fear to Love

From the Golden Tarot, the Eight of Wands:

Eight wands fly through the air, one with a message attached; they point downward as they race towards their destination.  A pheasant, a solar bird for the Chinese, seems to follow them.  Tonight is the winter solstice, the darkest night of the year, and I'll be traveling and gathering with other companions for a wheel ceremony under the stars.  There will be much reflection as well as celebration; though the temperatures will be below freezing, our hearts will warmed by the fellowship.  I found this excerpt of a speech given by Bolivian President Evo Morales to the UN and felt it was appropriate for today: 
"...according to the Mayan Calendar the 21st of December marks the end of the time and the beginning of no-time. It is the end of the Macha and the beginning of the Pacha. It is the end of selfishness and the beginning of brotherhood. It is the end of individualism & the beginning of collectivism…­The scientists know very well that this marks the end of an anthropocentric life and the beginning of a biocentric life. It is the end of hatred & the beginning of love. The end of lies & the beginning of truth. It is the end of sadness & the beginning of joy. It is the end of division & the beginning of unity."

From the Yantra Deck comes "Compassion - embracing all beings:"

This is another version of the Sri Yantra that shows man's spiritual journey from separation to unity.  The authors describe it as a "shift from fear to love."  Most people are exposed to the idea that we should love one another, but often this doesn't include the earth and its natural residents.  I've been getting a weekly email from Spirituality & Health, and today's included a quote by Scott Russell Sanders that seemed especially relevant to the topic of compassion:
"The Hubble photos increased our estimate of the number of galaxies fivefold, from ten to fifty billion, and thereby also dramatically increased our estimate for the odds of life having evolved elsewhere. Measured against all those worlds, all that potential life, what do eagles and owls and ferns matter? Why would it matter if they disappeared, not only from my neighborhood but everywhere? The most immediate and personal answer is that, if they were gone, I would grieve. Quite aside from their roles in the web of life, they are companions and teachers; they are unique expressions of the beauty that suffuses the whole of Creation. Asking what good are eagles and owls, or ebony spleenworts, or black-footed ferrets, or snaildarters, or any other of our fellow travelers, is like asking what good are brothers and sisters, or children, or friends. Such questions arise only in the absence of love."

Redefining My Role

From the Touchstone Tarot, the Queen of Wands:

With her rosy checks and confident expression, this woman oozes intensity.  She is passionate and determined, but her elemental associations can make her seem like someone with a split personality.  On one hand, her suit gives her a fiery personality (much like her cat); her desire is for you to want what she wants, and she doesn't mind goading you a bit to get it.  On the other end is her watery nature as queen, which is used to encourage and cheer on others who are following their dreams or trying to reach a goal.  Yet she has such a magnetic personality and such charm, sometimes it's hard to tell if you've been caught up in the excitement of her passion or if you're following your own heart.  I often need a breath of fresh air to clear my head when I'm under her influence.

     From the Oracle of the Grail Code comes "Compassion:"

On a rocky shore, a woman watches a ship being torn apart.  Seeing her hand over her heart lets me know she feels for its occupants, yet there is not much she can do.  Most of the women I know seem to be driven to do something about everything.  Somewhere we have been taught that we should play the role of "fixer."  But regardless of how much compassion I have for someone, there are times when I can't (or shouldn't) fix anything.  In her companion book Marashinsky writes about other ways to incorporate this trait:
1) deep listening
2) affirming a person's ability to handle whatever is in their life
3) witnessing without jumping in to rescue