Expand and Contract

From the Spiral Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Sacred Journey Cards, Ground:

          With pumpkins on the ground, it appears these ladies are celebrating the last harvest of the year before winter. One of the women holds a spiral in her hand that represents the expansiveness of the mood. It is a lighthearted time of joy and friendship. But eventually the activity will die down; the expansiveness of the spiral will turn inward as it contracts (think of the Four of Cups). Should these ladies forego their fun because it won't last forever? I'll stick with the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh: "Because we can see the impermanent nature of the flowers, we can appreciate all the more the beauty of each flower. To observe the impermanence of things is not to reject them, but to be in contact with them with deep understanding, without being caught in desire and attachment." To honor what won't last, we give the moment our full attention and keep our heart open. But what about after the celebration? The SJ card - Ground - suggests there is comfort to be found in the stillness and solitude too. This time deserves a curious rather than judgmental mind; such attention can calm and soothe, preparing us for the next bit of excitement that comes our way.

Accolades and Non-attachment

This week I'll be using the Spiral Tarot, a book and deck set created by Kay Steventon and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from the Sacred Journey Cards, a set created by Cheryl Thiele and published by Pomegranate. Today's draws are the Six of Wands and "Ground:"

          A jockey and his horse, having beat the other challengers, enjoy the attention of the Winner's Circle. Theirs isn't a victory of pure luck; long hours of training muscles and mind were what gave them the edge. Yet the "Ground" card shows up and makes me think of a hard fall from atop that horse. It suggests enjoying the moment while being aware that life doesn't hand out unending accolades. As Chuang Tzu said, "You forget your feet when the shoes are comfortable. You forget your waist when the belt is comfortable." It is the nature of being human to become attached to these good times, so we suffer when our cycle of  achievement comes to an end. Being grounded implies equanimity, a state of being calm and balanced whether in the midst of difficulty or delight. Rather than indifference, it is the refusal to allow the ego-self to pull us in one direction or the other based on conditions.