Motives Make a Difference

From the Sacred India Tarot, the Page of Arrows (Swords); from the Land Sky Oracle, Devotion (Hanuman):

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

―Alexander Graham Bell

Nakula and Sahadeva were twins who were exceptionally bright and knowledgeable in every field of study. Although they demonstrated their bravery during war, they were rarely in the limelight and were mentioned more as "supporting actors" in the Mahabharata. The young and overly ambitious over focus on rewards instead of the task at hand, but like the twins, we must all put in the effort and time in order to fully develop our skills before we receive acknowledgement. As researcher Dr. Agata Ludwiczak wrote, "High rewards are not enough to ensure people put in the effort they need to achieve their targets." When we're busy fantasizing about the fruits, we're not very diligent farmers. Devotion is illustrated with Hanuman, the Hindu god of the monkeys, devoted himself to the service of Rama (incarnation of Vishnu). Rather than looking for any reward, his dedication and assistance was based in devotion and faithfulness. Motives make a difference.

Not Better, Just Whole

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Four of Cups; from the Tapestry Oracle, Devotion:

Mirror neurons are bound to be activated when we work with emotionally difficult situations. Mindfulness, especially of what’s going on in the body, allows us to be aware of the impact that these situations are having on us. ~Pamela Gayle White

The combination of these cards suggest how being devoted can leave us feeling fatigued and flattened when we don't practice self-care and compassion. It's easy to fall into one of two mindsets: either self-pity ("no one knows what I put up with") or guilt ("why can't I be a good person"). Of course neither of those is beneficial. Being mindful can turn our thoughts away from our struggles and point them toward resources and other options. We can acknowledge that no one has the power to fix every problem, make everyone happy or create major change on their own. We also need to realize that self-care and self-compassion are not self-help practices - they are not meant to make us a better person, but a more whole and well person. 

[I]f we don’t maintain a balance between our work and the nourishment we need, we won’t be very successful... getting in touch with the refreshing and healing elements inside and around us is crucial for our survival. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Shore to the Ocean

From the Scrying Poetry Tarot, the Two of Cups; from the Tapestry Oracle, Devotion:

Without love, we are birds with broken wings.

~ Morrie Schwartz

          Love, more than just romance, is like a magnet to iron. It cannot help but to reach out to the other, feeling that the other's well-being is intertwined with his or her own. It is what helps us rise again and again, when life presses down on us. The Devotion card shows a strong man traveling rough terrain while caring for something precious. Often we don't realize how our tenderness toward another keeps them tethered to hope for change. As someone once said, "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."

The heart can think of no devotion

Greater than being shore to the ocean - 

Holding the curve of one position,

Counting an endless repetition.

~Robert Frost

Shared Humanity

This week I'll be using the Golden Tarot, created by Kat Black and published by U.S. Games. Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Yantra Deck, created by Karl Schaffner and Maya Deva Adjani. It was published by Vayu Publishing. Today's cards are the Four of Wands and 'Devotion:'

          A few women prepare a basin for washing, possibly for all the barefoot dancers in the background. If there is music, dance, food and drink, there is sure to be some type of celebration happening. But my eye is drawn to the three archways - the one with a garland of fruit, the one made of stone and earth, and the entrance to the castle. From foreground to background, each one has been built with increasing care and skill. Arches are structures capable of spanning a space while supporting a significant weight. Symbolically, they are passageways (perhaps created by their ability to support). The yantra of Devotion implies a deeply felt commitment. The booklet suggests that when such love is present, hindrances become 'doorways to greater understanding' rather than obstacles of hardship. I see such devotion all the time in the way a parent cares for a disabled child, the patience of an adult child with his or her aging parent, and the love bestowed on an animal adopted from a shelter. What better reason could there be to celebrate than such tender, open-hearted commitments? 

Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy. It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity. ~ Henri Nouwen

Reality Plus a Spoonful of Sugar

From the Golden Tarot, the Queen of Swords; from the Yantra Deck, "Devotion:"

This queen's sword serves a second purpose as a BS detector. Bring on the victims, the blamers and the manipulators. She'll shred their illusions and delusions in seconds. Her right hand touching the stone makes me think of the Buddha's "earth touching" mudra. While this hand gesture represented his moment of enlightenment, it also symbolized the union of practice with wisdom. Who cares how much knowledge you have if it can't be applied in the real world? Insights aren't for intellectual rumination only, they're to be put to use. With the Queen of Swords' habit of being blunt, it's not surprising that the Devotion card showed up. A dose of affection or compassion might help her message be better received. As Mary Poppins would say, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

Devotion

From the Alchemical Renewed Tarot, the Three of Coins:

Place gives this card the title of "Artist," representing someone who has acquired skills and knowledge enough to be recognized for his talent.  This January I will have completed a year in my nature journal - writing and drawing what I observe on my daily walks.  While my notes are just basically what I see - flowers, trees, bugs, birds, changes of the seasons, etc. - my drawings have progressed from rudimentary to more recognizable as I practice each day.  I'm learning to see and draw with the right side of my brain, and I'm learning to overlay several shades of colored pencils to find the right color.  I'm not an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but my persistence is paying off in the development of my sketches.

From the Oracle of the Radiant Sun comes "Devotion:"

Saturn (ambition) in Libra (sense of justice and beauty)

It seems sweet but sad that this dove will not leave his dead mate.  How long will he wait, thinking that what has happened might somehow be reversed?  Does he think that his unwavering dedication will make a difference?  I had a quote in my email from tut.com this morning that said, "happiness that's not present at the start of the journey will not be present at its end." If I'm not enjoying or finding some fulfillment in a task that I persevere in doing, my devotion will not magically make me eventually enjoy it.  Thankfully I do take pleasure in my walks and drawing, but I've been known to stick it out with other things that made me miserable.  Commitment is not always a a good trait depending on what the object of my devotion is...