What to Do with a Lit Match

From the Somnia Tarot, the Hermit; from the Spirits of Nature Oracle, River (Flow):

Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion.

―Justin Bariso

Bruno describes the solitude of this Hermit as allowing him unencumbered self-reflection. He stands on a rock, lantern in hand, while icy waters crash around him. It makes me think of examining our feelings rather than letting them direct our choices and actions. Emotions are just reactive energies that color life but also cloud our clarity. If we pause and observe them without commentary (shine our lantern on them), they tend to dissipate. River (Flow) suggests that we immerse ourselves in the moment with mindfulness. We pay attention without judgment, without grasping or pushing away what shows up. We can't control our emotions, but we can choose what to do with them. Like a struck match, we can either fuel them with thoughts or let them burn out without adding any tender.

Flow with Banks

From the Gill Tarot, the Prince (Knight) of Cups; from The Circle, Flow:

          This Knight of Cups reminds me of working with children with attention-deficit issues. He's made a cup of clay, but now is daydreaming and no longer aware the water is about to wreak havoc on his creation. Daydreaming isn't all bad (studies show our minds wander 47% of the time); it can help us find innovative solutions and inspire creative activity. But then there is maladaptive daydreaming, which according to researcher Eliezer Somer distracts a person from real life such as in work and relationships. And reentering reality after spending so much time in our imagination can instigate depressive episodes. Yet the Flow card suggests another alternative - not fighting our tendency to dream, but giving it some boundaries. Structured, focused daydreaming, which may also be called visualization, is an alternative. Since our brain doesn't know the difference between a real memory and an imagined one, we can gain self-confidence through such visualization exercises and better develop our focus. With this technique, that Knight might remember to take his cup to a kiln. 

Expanding Spiral

From the Spiral Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from the Sacred Journey Cards, Flow:

          A water nymph guides ten cups from a large piece of pottery adorned with a double spiral. While the single spiral often symbolizes expansion, the double spiral generally means balance (and is sometimes used to represent the equinoxes or life and death). I can see how the double spiral might reflect the abundance of love (expansion) that is shared with others (balance). The booklet reads: "when you feel happy and full of love, others around you will benefit." Well those presently around me are probably feeling dry and thirsty; I have been in one of my dark holiday moods. Yet my yearly cycle through these feelings have made me aware that my unfulfilled expectations are the cause. I get hooked into thinking goodwill and generosity will abound this time of year, when it fact it nearly always does the opposite. The Flow card suggests I need to release my need to control the outcome of things and float along with how things are. That spiral begins with a single point that moves outward, and that point is me. Expanding my own compassion and kindness is all I need to focus on, not what I get back in return.