Leaving Something Behind

From the Shining Tribe Tarot, the Two of Trees (Wands); from the Animal Tiles, Green Anole:

Blessed is the mother who has given us shape. (Two of Trees)

A woman stands between two trees that arch toward each other, seeming to form a passageway. She must decide whether to pass through or stay with what is familiar. The quote on the card comes a day after celebrating another trip around the sun. I find myself reassessing my life this morning, wondering if I want to maintain my status quo or make some changes. I've decided to walk into the coming year being more mindful of my physical, mental, and spiritual health, which means I need to make some new choices. The Green Anole has an autotomic tail which breaks off and wiggles to help it escape from a predator. A new tail will begin to grow that contains cartilage rather than bone. This lizard implies that if I want to go forward with my new intention, I must be willing to leave some old habits behind.

Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.

—Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

River Guides

From the Shining Tribe Tarot, the Speaker of Rivers (King of Cups); from the Animal Tiles, 'Green Anole:'

          The big fish leading the others through the river is like a therapist or anam cara who can guide us through emotionally turbulent times. The Speaker of Rivers has enough experience and wisdom to help without becoming swept away in the drama. It is important, however, that this guide has been vetted and found trustworthy. Anoles are ectotherms, meaning they must use the sun or an environmental heat source to regulate their body temperature. In the same way, the King must regulate his relationship with those he helps to avoid becoming enmeshed himself. Like the anole's tail that can break off to distract a predator, emotional detachment is a skill that this King needs to develop. Such detachment does not cut off compassion or kindness. It is the realization that one person does not have the power to create change in another - that is solely the responsibility of the individual.

Pause and Pay Attention

From the Shining Tribe Tarot, the Seven of Stones (Pentacles); from the Animal Tiles, the Green Anole:

          Pollack explains the top of the image as her rendition of the Saptamatrikas, or Seven Mothers of India. Interesting that they also resemble tadpoles and a line of eggs (toads lay their eggs in strands rather than clusters like frogs). The toad at the bottom was in earlier times associated with a woman in labor, squatting as she brings forth a child. Considering this illustration with the RWS version of the Seven of Pentacles, this card makes me remember brief moments between contractions of trying to relax and catch my breath. The Green Anole is shown with his bright pink dewlap extended; it is a warning to other males to stay away from his territory. Anoles have two ways to protect themselves: camouflage (changing from bright green to dark brown) and autotomic tails (which break off and continue to wiggle to distract predators). Both the draws today suggest that the labor-intensive work already done should be protected so all that effort does not go to waste. It's time to pause and pay attention to what might become a complication or a threat.

Enthusiasm with Experience

This week I'll be using the Shining Tribe Tarot, a deck and book set created by Rachel Pollack and published by Llewellyn. The oracle I'll be using is a wooden set of Animal Tiles, hand pyroetched by my multi-talented friend Carole. My draws this morning were the Place of Trees (Page of Wands) and the "Green Anole:"

 In the Shining Tribe, Pollack uses places to represent the Pages of each suit; this card reminds me of an Eden-like garden. Like the Page, I am most enthusiastic when I have a purpose. And when I am without one for any length of time then suddenly discover one, it does feel like finding an oasis in a desert. Such a purpose may involve learning about and enjoying the wonders of what is around me, working on a creative project, or being of service to others. It fuels my inner fire and makes me want to be alive.
The green anole is a small lizard found in temperate areas of the South. The male, with his extended, pink dewlap, is quite like the over-confident Page who exclaims, "Look at me! Look at what I know and can do!" The big difference is the Page doesn't have enough life experience to have produced a lot of common sense. The green anole, on the other hand, has developed coping mechanisms to survive. He can change from bright green to dark brown when he needs to blend in to his surroundings, and he has an autotomic tail that will break off and continue to move to distract predators. This lizard's arrival suggests I need to have a protective back-up plan before I dive into anything. Over-confidence and excitement can lead me into situations where I am taken advantage of or overspend when it comes to energy, time or money.