Stretching Our Limits

From the Tyldwick Tarot, the King of Staves; from the Antiquarian Lenormand, Crossroads:

        The King of Staves is elementally known as Air of Fire. As he's aged, he's balanced out his fiery impulsiveness with knowledge and logic. The French horn seen here is an offshoot of the hunting horn. It was used to signal the hounds and other huntsmen to tell them what to do or what was happening. This king enjoys being the leader of the "hunt" because he can channel his adventuresome spirit into a practical purpose. The Crossroads card indicates new possibilities on a different path. With his love of challenges, this king won't stick with tradition, especially if it is no longer useful. He likes to be on the cutting edge of whatever is new; for him it is exciting to try a new solution to an old problem. For him, just because a tradition is old doesn't make it true or the wisest choice.

The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. ―Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 

Subtle Control

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Hanged Man; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Crossroads:

 Having all the answers makes it hard to be teachable. Often when we

say we are looking for solutions, what we are really seeking is control.

~from the NA book Living Clean

          Manipulation and micro-management are slightly more subtle when we're trying to control a person or situation. But as in the case of the Hanged Man, we generally make matters worse and find we have hamstrung ourselves. This card represents sacrifice, requiring us to check our ego at the door and acknowledge that we don't have all the answers or know the right way of handling things all the time. The Crossroads card shows different routes to take to different destinations; these multiple options are only available when our mind is open rather than set on a linear path.

Watch Your Spending

From the Norse Tarot, the Ace of Disks; from the Wolf Pack, Crossroads:

          Look closely, and much interaction may be seen in the intertwined details of this disk. Likewise, my time, energy, and money can be spent in assorted ways, some that will be of benefit and some that will incur a heavy debt later on. The Crossroads card reminds me that I am the one making the choices; whether I act impulsively or wisely, the consequences or results will fall at my feet. When I am bored, angry, sad, or fearful, it is tempting to use these resources in ways that aren't very discerning. In the words of Frank Outlaw:

Watch your thoughts, they become words;

watch your words, they become actions;

watch your actions, they become habits;

watch your habits, they become character;

watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

A Hell of a Time

From the Granny Jones Tarot, the Six of Cups; from the Button Oracle, Crossroads:

          Here's Granny as a child, enjoying an idyllic day of reading and play. She resembles Lewis Carroll's Alice, who fell down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world. This comparison adds a bit of caution when we are drifting into the past, remembering happy, carefree days (or for some of us, dark, threatening ones). Nostalgia can be quite enjoyable unless it becomes a heavy suitcase we are constantly pulling behind us and checking its contents. When we cling to the memories - good or bad - of the past, we never move mindfully forward. We'll never lose any part of our history or be able to change it. But the Crossroads button suggests we have a choice: to keep focusing on our suitcase or drop the handle and look to the present.

We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time. ― Art Buchwald