Not An Aspiration

From the Llewellyn Tarot the Six of Pentacles; from the Beasts of Albion, Crane:

Don’t judge people in their reduced circumstances, nobody aspires to be there.

― Shon Mehta

Sixes often represent a return to harmony and balance; in the Six of Pentacles it depicts a sharing of resources to help ease the difference between 'haves' and the 'have nots.' But what is to be made of the scales the giver holds in her hands? Is she judging whether the woman is worthy of receiving her money, or is she simply weighing the financial need? The clothes of the woman and child are neither torn nor dirty, but perhaps she is in need after leaving an abusive spouse. The Crane was often depicted standing on one foot while the other held a stone. If the bird fell asleep, the stone would be dropped, making it wake up. Thus the Crane is associated with vigilance. If I am jealously guarding what I have with a mindset of scarcity, I am impoverished in spirit. The watchfulness of Crane would imply that I become aware that my fear originates not from anything outside of me, but from the inside. 

The Mountain of Myself

From the Ferret Tarot, the Chariot; from the Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Crane:

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.

~Edmund Hillary

          There is a young lady in my neighborhood who walks her two dogs daily - one who is large and one who is small. The dogs have two different paces and seem to be interested in sniffing different things. It's amazing that they make it around the block without incident. The owner is quite like the driver in the Chariot who is pulled in different directions. Likewise, I can be tripped up by my desire to rush forward (missing important details) or stymied when there is a conflict between what I want to accomplish and my inner 'should' list. Add emotional turmoil to the mix and I may end up in a tangle. As Edmund Hillary stated, sometimes the real obstacle to deal with is my inner mental and emotional state. Origami cranes have long been a symbol of hope and a wish for good fortune. Wishful hope has expectations for a specific outcome, but wise hope sees only a potential for change without any constricting boundaries. Wise hope advises the chariot driver to accept that the journey and the end destination likely won't look as I imagined it to be.

Focused Attention

This week I'll be using the Llewellyn Tarot, created by Anna-Marie Ferguson and published by Llewellyn. I'll also be using the Beasts of Albion, an oracle deck created by Miranda Gray and published by Aquarian. Today's draws are the Three of Pentacles and Crane:

        This craftswoman, skilled with needle and thread, has a reputation for the quality of her work. Though her talent is well-known, she is content to enjoy each task she takes on rather than shine in the limelight. The Crane represents the need for patience and inner stillness in order to keep one's temperament calm and at ease. A wonderful channel for excessive emotional energy is to find a craft or active hobby that one enjoys; mindfulness can be practiced in a multitude of ways. Perhaps her focused attention is what has perfected this woman's skills.

The purpose of Zen is not to become people who don’t think, but to think only what we need to; not to be lost in unnecessary thoughts, but to see what is most necessary right now.

—Shodo Harada Roshi

Spiritual Alterations

This week I'll be working with the Jolanda Tarot, created by Jolanda Den Tredjes with Hans Arnold and published by AGM Müller. I'll also be using the oracle set Bird Signs, created by G.G. Carbone with Mary Ruzicka and published by New World Library. The cards drawn today are Judgment and 'Crane:'

          In the Jolanda version of Judgment, a woman doesn't just awaken to the call of trumpets, she gives birth to a whole other being. She's gone from living life like a billboard - with her opinions and demands plastered everywhere - to seeing life clearly. No longer living in her head of ideas about how things should be, she's come back to a direct experience of being. She's undergone a profound alteration in how she previously reacted to life. The Whooping Crane, so named for its bugling call, is the tallest bird in North America. These monogamous birds perform an elaborate and energetic courtship dance, made even more impressive with their seven foot wingspan. Because of the crane's dance, it has been given the keyword 'celebration.' If I have some form of spiritual experience, I don't need to run about and try to impress the world with my new-found wisdom or vision. If that's how I respond, then I haven't really awakened at all. An inner celebration of gratitude might be a better, more humble choice.

Fire Bird, Water Bird

From the Vision Quest Tarot, the Daughter of Fire (Page of Wands); from the Bird Cards, "Crane:"

          What a pairing today: in one card is a hazy symbol of a thunderbird, with eyes of lightning and wings of thunder; in the other is the crane, a water bird associated with good fortune, longevity and peace. The Daughter of Fire is Earth in the element of Fire - quite a combustible combination. That crane appears to be keeping an eye out, probably aware that the burning smudge could erupt into a forest fire at any moment. This Page/Daughter is fearless and thrives on pushing the envelope. Her highly fueled enthusiasm is good for getting people off their bum, but her passion can be destructive without any boundaries. The VQ's author associates this go-getter with self-actualization.
          When I think of cranes, I automatically associate them with the Japanese origami ones. The crane card made me remember a touching article in the Washington Post:

During the chaotic days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Basim Elkarra was passing by an Islamic school in Sacramento when he did a double-take: The windows were covered with thousands of origami cranes - peace symbols that had been created and donated by Japanese Americans. Amid the anger and suspicions being aimed at Muslims at that time, the show of support "was a powerful symbol that no one will ever forget," said Elkarra, a Muslim American community leader in California.

After experiencing the trauma and horrors of internment camps during WWII, Japanese Americans knew all too well what the combustible combination of fear and prejudice would produce. The combination of the Daughter and Crane suggests that while I passionately try to fulfill my potential and needs, I need to be very careful I don't trample on the rights and potential of others.

Searching for Mr. Sandman

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Four of Swords:

Pure, sweet slumber - what a gift it is.  I've always taken it for granted until now, as I struggle with insomnia on a nightly basis. I've tried every pharmaceutical and herbal remedy available, and I try to be mindful of what I eat and drink during the day. I get regular exercise and avoid anything too stimulating before bedtime - all to no avail. I'm learning quickly that lack of sleep over an extended period of time makes a person completely nutso. It leads me to entertain ideas about "permanent" solutions to the problem, like a hose hooked to the back of an exhaust pipe (not that I would actually choose that answer). It also fertilizes small worries with Miracle-Gro, turning them into full-blown panic attacks. I am quickly beginning to feel like the "woman-tree" in this card.  Come on Sandman, where the hell are you?

From the Beasts of Albion, the "Crane:"

In her companion book, Gray explains the ancient Greeks and Romans saw Crane as a sentry. It was depicted standing on one leg while holding a stone with the other foot. If it fell asleep, it would drop the rock and wake itself up. So now I am wondering, what stone (boulder?) am I hugging so tightly that it is keeping me awake? Sounds like it may be time for some stream-of-consciousness journaling...

Laughing or Languishing?

From the Ferret Tarot, the Six of Cups:

This image made me smile along with the ferrets; I too have looked at old pictures and hooted over the hairstyles and clothes worn "back then."  A small part of me wonders if I'll ever be able to enjoy a good belly laugh like that again, or if all that fun is truly in the past.  There is so much serious stuff going on right now that I feel almost insensitive and uncaring if I even dare to smile.  Yet if I'm honest, I'll realize that there was plenty of pain that accompanied those good times in the past.  And probably what helped me through the pain was finding something to laugh with others about.

From the Nature's Wisdom Oracle comes the "Crane:"

In cultures of the East, the crane is associated with longevity, good fortune, wisdom and happiness.  I only recently discovered that the red on their faces is not feathers but bare skin.  It reminds me that though I would like to hide under the covers from all that is unpleasant, the vulnerable part of me is what opens me to experience hope and joy as well.  Most cranes have developed elaborate "dances" they use in social or courting situations.  Like them, I must learn to dance through the ups and downs, realizing the balance of both in my life.  I recently read a blog post by Ginny Hunt on 78 Notes to Self; it included a poem by Rumi that seemed to shake up my thinking about the good and bad that come my way.  The last line of the poem is:

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from above.

View from the Mountaintop

  From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Universe (World):

Ferguson based this image on Cadair Idris (roughly translated "chair of Idris"), a mountain in Wales.  In Welsh mythology, Idris was a giant skilled in astronomy, poetry and philosophy who used the mountain as an armchair to gaze at the stars.  Looking down below and up above from that height would be inspirational indeed.  It reminds me of hiking trips where we used a topographical map, with all its squiggly lines, that showed the elevations of natural and man-made features.  But to look at such a map and to be on top of such a mountain would be two very different experiences.  The map might give me intellectual knowledge, but the mountaintop would connect all the dots mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

     From the Beasts of Albion, the "Crane:"

At the pond I frequently visit, there are no cranes, but there are small blue and great blue herons.  I've almost overlooked them before, as they can stand still as a statue waiting for a fish or a frog to wander by.  It's no wonder these birds are associated with calm, poise, and patience.  In Gray's rendering, the bird holds a crane bag in one foot - a pouch modern-day druids use to store and carry their spiritual objects.  This symbol implies that the spiritual resides in me, and if I want to make that connection (or ascend the mountain above), I'm going to have to learn to be still, quiet and composed no matter what's going on around me.

A Flat Hand

   For the third day in a row, I have drawn another major arcana card from Waking the Wild Spirit, Soul Mates / Blessed Union (Lovers):

One must love with a flat hand.

Two lovers hold each other in the middle of a field of flowers.  A pair of snow geese fly overhead.  What does it mean to love with a "flat hand?"  An open palm allows me to give and receive.  It does not force anything on anyone, neither does it grasp with a desire to control.  The migrating snow geese fly in formation, yet they do not fly directly behind another.  Each must have a full view.  Likewise, love supports me, but allows me to make my own quest without demanding I change my beliefs.  Love gives me the courage to make this journey...

     The card chosen today from the Celtic Shaman's Pack is the "Crane:"

I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion.  These three are your greatest treasures. ~ Lao Tzu

The crane never wastes its energy; every move of this wading bird is done with focus and purpose.  Watching its ability to patiently stand still for long periods of time, with its laser-like attention, encourages me to develop a serene acceptance.  Rushing, pushing, or forcing will catch nothing in my net except frustration.