Join In

From the Vision Quest Tarot, Torment (Devil); from the Bird Cards, the Crow:

Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,

Like I've been tied to the whippin' post.

―Gregg Allman

The Devil in Thoth-speak tells us we should follow our desires and be who we are (not necessarily bad advice). Yet that freedom comes with a caveat - don't forget our interconnection to all people and things. As soon as our actions have stomped on someone's toes and elbowed someone in the face, we will have to pay the piper. In our excitement to do what we desire, we forget that our liberty can't infringe on the freedom of others. Dr. Kevin McGowan, who has studied the Crow for thirty years, says "they never do anything quietly or alone." Their family group lives within a larger community, with different groups changing every day. Their message is to learn to "do your own thing" but without harming yourself or the community. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated, ""Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." 

Relinquishment

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Six of Coins; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Crow:

We can hardly call a beggar an obstacle to generosity.

~Dalai Lama

The Six of Coins is about balance in receiving and giving. It asks us if we have taken more than we need to sustain us, or whether pride has kept us from asking for what we need. The story of Crow is about trickery used to get a hoarded resource (fire), and Crow's sense of entitlement to control it once he had it (which didn't work out well for him). We all feel as though we have a right to what we own, and we find it hard to relinquish any of our comforts. Yet can we can we consider whether letting go of some things could create a little more balance in the world?

Slippery When Busy

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the Mystic Glyphs, Crow:

          This woman balances on a slippery rock with waves lashing at her feet. Her only source of light comes from a lighthouse. Yet she seem confident and focused rather than overwhelmed. The companion booklet states: "Your life is a balancing act between worldly affairs and inner challenges, responsibilities and having fun." Yes, we can multi-task and do it all - but only briefly. Eventually something will get left out or shoved aside or we will collapse with exhaustion. Known for its intelligence and cunning, Crow has been seen as both a messenger and trickster. His message today would likely mirror that of Neil Armstrong: "when you get overconfident, that's when something snaps up and bites you."

On a personal note, I can see myself in this woman. Yesterday I was so busy with multiple tasks that I didn't have a chance to blog. Today I am worn out and ready for a break. Here's one of the more enjoyable tasks I was doing - helping with a Spring display for the library's display case:

Learning the Hard Way

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Princess (Page) of Disks; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Crow:

          According to Genetti, the Princess of Disks is a symbol of preparation who learns by doing. Each bit of knowledge and every practice applied is a step toward the goal. But what happens if she fails a test or one of her experiments is a flop? Hopefully her teachers will offer the same advice as James Joyce: "Mistakes are the portals of discovery." Failure is an important part of of the learning process, and in some cases has led to useful inventions and beneficial medicines.
          The Crow was originally not a bird; he tricked the Seven Sisters into giving him fire (which the humans did not have). Unfortunately, once he got it, he refused to share it with the humans. They gave him food to cook, and while he performed this task, he kept the choicest morsels for himself. The people finally got tired of this behavior and created a fire hazard that eventually ignited and burned him, turning him into Crow. The lesson of this legend is to look carefully and deeply at one's motivations. In the case of the Princess, hiding mistakes or blaming them on others doesn't help us develop maturity or responsibility. Neither does it help us learn.

Tree Cutting and Truth-telling

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Three of Swords; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, "Crow:"

          We've had to have some huge pines cut down in our yard over the years for various reasons - disease, lightning strikes, and one sheared in two by a tornado. The damage was clear in the ones affected by storms, but the diseased trees often had to be exposed by cuts before the seriousness of the condition was obvious. The words of a truth-teller can do the same, cutting through denial or illusion. No matter if you're the speaker or the listener, it can be a painful experience. I was once described as a burn nurse by a friend I was mentoring. She knew what I said was done with compassion and was beneficial, but it still didn't take away the agony.
          The story of Crow tells how he tricked the Seven Sisters with snakes in order to get them to share their fire. Unfortunately, Crow ended up being as stingy as the sisters when the humans asked for a portion. The humans in turn burned him, turning his feathers black as they are today. Hakanson writes, "Crow people are brilliant at pinpointing the weaknesses and strengths of other people, yet can remain blind to their own." Crow reminds me to clean up the garbage in my own life before I start trying to tell people how to clean up theirs.

Finding Your Inner Explorer

From the Vision Quest, the Princess (Page) of Wands:

This Princess has a passionate enthusiasm for life. The challenge of the unknown or obstacles on her path of adventure won't deter her a bit. She knows that I too have an eager, trail-blazing explorer inside, though she is hidden under old habits and fears from the past. The woman in the image burns sage as a way to purify herself, and she invites me to cleanse myself from those old tapes that play nonstop messages in my head. The lightning in the background represents those inner fears, constantly rumbling to remind me of a thousand "what ifs." But it is a new day, and I would be foolish to let those thoughts keep me from enjoying it. Like the wisps of smoke, they may rise up but they will eventually disappear because there is nothing solid to hold them.

From the Bird Cards comes the "Crow:"

I enjoy the crows we have here; whenever I hear a group cawing, I know they have spotted something. They don't have Facebook, but they can sure get the message out that there is a cat, hawk or human in the area. It makes sense that the creator of this deck assigns it the label of messenger. I am encouraged to pay attention to what I hear today - it is a message to help not harm me. Yes, I may have to step out of my comfort zone to take advantage of the information I receive, but it is meant to be beneficial.