Quiet Mind, No Slime

From the Tarot de St. Croix, the Four of Swords:

I had a good chuckle when I drew this card. Today is crunch time, as I make pet schedules, water plants, and pack for my trip tomorrow. "Take a rest from your busy mind," the booklet tells me. Well, as much as I hate to admit it, she has a point. But because I feel that restlessness that often comes before doing something, a sitting meditation is probably not going to do me much good. Lately though, I've been doing a walking meditation where I chant. Now this isn't a "Julie Andrews twirling and singing" kind of thing; I do chant out loud but softly. Lately it's been the chant Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu, Sanskrit for “May all beings everywhere be happy and free from suffering.” I sing to the birds, trees and people in the houses I pass on my walk. But today I will also include myself.

From the Archetype Cards comes "Femme Fatale:"

Choosing this card made me feel like I got slimed. The femme fatale (literally "fatal woman") is simply a master manipulator. And what a perfect way for someone to pull me from my Zen moment in the Four of Swords than to be so needy I can't resist. George Simon lists three behaviors of manipulators: concealing motives, knowing the vulnerabilities of the victim, and having no qualms about being ruthless. Seeing this list might make me a little more wary and reconsider who really needs me and who just wants to use me.