Revoking Power

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Pages of Shustah, Destiny:

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

― Marcus Aurelius

Destiny (the Shustah card) refers to external things that we can't control. The Eight of Swords puts us smack dab in the middle of a bunch of them. It's easy to get overwhelmed in this place and fall into "woe is me" mode. In Buddhism, suffering is said to be caused by the disconnect between what we want and what reality gives us. Yet if we can find a way to calm and center ourselves, we can take another peek at reality and perhaps see that while it may be upsetting, it isn't as horrible as we imagined it to be. At this point, we can determine an appropriate response to deal with it. 

A Matter of Choice

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, the Knight of Wands; from the Marseille Oracle, Destiny:

Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.  ~William Jennings Bryan

Some folks are responders, content to relax until a situation arises that requires action. The Knight of Wands is one who triggers situations, the cause and stimulus of many circumstances. This particular knight shields his eyes from the sand picked up by the wind. He rides fast and hard, missing information and details along the way. His mind is on the destination, not the journey. The clock represents Destiny, a term often confused with fate. 'Fate' comes from the Latin, fatum, meaning 'has been spoken;' it suggests outside forces beyond one's control has shaped one's future. 'Destiny' comes from the Latin term destinare, which means 'intended;' it implies choices, not a one-way street. Our families, social status, culture and resources can create expectations about our future that feels sealed. But like the Knight of Wands, we can choose to move away from those assumptions rather than stay stuck in them.

Righteous Cause

From the Gill Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from The Circle, Destiny:

The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. ~William Jennings Bryan

          Seeing this fiery figure made me think of the phrase 'a righteous cause.' Yet if an undertaking is motivated by rage and fundamentalism, it has no noble foundation. Such people will fly this banner, but their true purpose is to protect their own power. They can easily be spotted by their tactics - fueling hatred, blaming others, condoning inequality, and demonizing other points of view. A true righteous cause may be passionate, but it is rooted in kindness and selflessness. Destiny brings up the question of whether it is a matter of chance or choice. While we are all shaped by conditions outside of our control, I personally believe in the power and responsibility of the decisions we make. An irritant in an oyster can be turned into a shimmering pearl or chalky-looking lump. As William J. Bryan stated, "It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

It Flows By Itself

From the Gill Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from The Circle, Destiny:

          Studies show that one-third of the people who suffer abuse as a child will become abusers themselves, and their likelihood of mental illness and addiction is much greater. Yet I when look at those ten cups, each giving and receiving water, I wonder what statistics would say about kindness. What if everyone made it a point to do something thoughtful and caring for someone every day, especially to someone who looked like they could use a bit of gentle goodwill? The Circle's Destiny card is not so much about knowing what fate has in store, but in simply letting life evolve. A woman made the comment to me the other night that "You don't need to push the river, it flows by itself." Kindness can be just as fluid. I don't have to plan for it, I just need to be willing to go where it takes me.

To reteach a thing its loveliness is the nature of metta [loving-kindness].

~ Sharon Salzberg 

I Choose You!

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Queen of Wands:

The way this queen is smiling and pointing, it looks like she is saying, "I want you on my team!" She's a woman known for following her passion, but sometimes she needs help to get there. Quite aware she can draw more flies with honey than vinegar, she'll turn on the charm with her warm personality to pull together a team. She teaches me the art of delegation, the practice of entrusting another person with a task so I don't have too much on my plate.

From the Marseille Oracle comes "Destiny:"

Time ticks away, bringing events and situations that I may or may not have any control over. The phrase for this card in the booklet states, "Accept events one day at a time." Staying in the present moment will help me find solutions to those problems I can do something about and keep me from being overwhelmed when my hands are tied.

Victory and Destiny

From the Golden Dawn Tarot, the Six of Wands:

The wand suit is about the energy and courage of doing; the number six tells me that there has been a struggle, but now balance has been restored.  Two hands hold six wands, but they do not grasp them in a fist.  Instead they use the pressure of each hand to keep the wands in place.  Such an open palm reflects being able to give and receive equally.  No one is trying to take all the credit for successfully steadying the situation that was out of hand.  And with flames burning at both ends (as in "burning the candle at both ends"), it makes sense to have help.  Who cares who gets to claim a victory?  Most regular people like me don't, they just want to return to peace after chaos.

     From The Circle deck, "Destiny:"

I struggle with the concept of destiny, because I like to believe I have control over all aspects of my life.  Yet I realize I didn't choose my DNA, my parents, or the place of I was born.  And I also know life has and will throw some curveballs at me that are not in my list of "daily dos."  I can make plans and have goals, but I will still have to deal with life on life's terms.  I don't know what destiny is in that crystal ball for me, but I do know I have control over my attitude in facing whatever comes my way.