Restoration

From the Anna K Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Meditation Cards, Die Before You Die:

          This King isn't studying statistics, but reads to restore his spirit - maybe poetry or a sacred text. Although his job is to serve his kingdom, he can't do anything well if he is overtaken by exhaustion or succumbs to an inner hollowness. Perhaps he is reading from the Dhammapada: "Let none neglect their good for others’ good however great. Clearly perceiving one’s personal welfare, one should devote oneself to one’s own good." The quote for the Meditation Card comes from Elizabeth Kubler Ross:

It is the denial of death that is partially responsible for people living empty, purposeless lives; for when you live as if you'll live forever, it becomes too easy to postpone the things you know that you must do.

Acknowledging death, not just in an intellectual way but with the heart, can help us see just how precious and fragile life is. Another way the King can take care of himself is to see what is living in his mind 'rent-free' - resentment, envy, fear, etc. - that takes away from his own joy and his capacity to be of service to others. There's no need for anyone to waste time on those story lines.

Picking Our Path

From the Anna K Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the Meditation Cards, 'Die Before You Die:'

           When we must choose whether to take the well-traveled path or follow a new one, we struggle. What is familiar is comfortable; we have some experience with what to expect. A new path is filled with the unknown, with results and challenges we have no idea about. It gives us a feeling of groundlessness and being untethered. Yet our feelings aren't always accurate guides to reality. We might miss out because of our fear of the future.
          The Sufi phrase 'die before you die' means that we learn to let go of whatever we're clinging to, whether it is a person, thing, or idea. Releasing gives us the space we need to see with clarity. The quote for this card comes from Stephen Levine:

We are so attached to how we appear in the world, in relationships... But when we do this practice of turning mindfully to the idea that we are going to die, we stop delaying our lives. We start catching up with ourselves.

These two cards are good reminders to look logically rather than fearfully at our choices. Or at least do as Mary Oliver states: "I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering: what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?"

Wake Up and Die

From the Anna K. Tarot, the Seven of Cups; from the Meditation Cards, Die Before You Die:

          Anna suggests that instead of  making a choice, this card illustrates self-delusion and a loss of reality. My first reaction is to give this woman a head slap and try to knock some sense into her. But I've been to la-la land myself when I was overwhelmed with great pain or fear. I understand why people want to believe in angels and unicorns; I know why they bury their head in the sand and pretend nothing is wrong. I get why people buy prayer cloths from a televangelists. When life is filled with uncertainties, anything we can pin our hope on - no matter how outlandish - may seem better than nothing. Yet Pema Chodron's words keep playing in my head: “Do I prefer to grow up and relate to life directly, or do I choose to live and die in fear?” 'Die Before You Die' is a Sufi teaching about using the hard experiences of life to strip away what is unimportant (what protects the ego) in exchange for wisdom. This wisdom won't keep us from having to climb other daunting mountains, but it will make us much better mountain climbers. (And we probably won't need that prayer cloth on the hike.)