Forgotten Strife

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, Dancer Three (Three of Cups); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Hazel:

When the whole shines full and round

The three blithe dancers may be found.

Skipping for the joy of life,

For friendship and forgotten strife.

~Emily Carding

Somewhere in the last decade, we seem to have lost our joy of life. Perhaps it is the result of divides created by politics or religion, or maybe it is the stress of the rising cost of living or Covid still hovering in the background. How do we find our way back? Hazel has been associated in myth with wisdom, and it asks, "Can you let go of your knowledge and allow it to be replaced by wisdom?" Wisdom would suggest that we stop judging and start loving others who are different from us. It would suggest we learn to live modestly and begin looking for simple joys and wonders every day. Things won't change overnight, but a personal change in outlook and behavior can sure make the world look brighter.

Of Two Minds

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, Dreamer Two (Two of Swords/Air); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Hazel:

          This black and white Sidhe moon made me think of the phrase, 'I'm of two minds.' Psychologist Daniel Goleman wrote, "In a very real sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels." It's easy to discern the logic of the head from the tenderness of the heart, but when these two become entangled, decisions seem impossibly complicated. Hazel has long been associated with wisdom; it asks the question: "Do you see things as they are, or only as you want them to be?" Wisdom is not bound by what we personally know, but instead looks for information and tests what is found. It is courageous and flexible, willing to let go of prejudices, assumptions and preferences. In Buddhist psychology, the word for mind and heart is the same - citta. An awakened heart/mind (bodhicitta) means our mind and heart are open as the sky, not under the influence of what we want or don't want. It is a combination of wisdom and compassion.

When we are motivated by compassion and wisdom, the results of our actions benefit everyone, not just our individual selves or some immediate convenience. 

― Dalai Lama XIV

The Sky is Falling?

This week I'll be using the Anna K. Tarot created by Anna Klaffinger.  Today's draw is the Ten of Wands:

This is the Voice of Doom speaking! Special bulletin! Flash! The sky is falling! A piece of it just hit you on the head! Now be calm. Don't get panicky. Run for your life! ~ Foxy Loxy in Chicken Little

Some people like to stay busy because they enjoy having a project to work on, while others like to distract themselves by having something to do that will keep them from thinking about other stuff.  But then there are others whose sense of self-worth is tied up in "doing" for other people, regardless of whether it is a sane choice or not.  Inevitably they wind up like the man in the image above, completely overwhelmed with everything on their plate, asking "Why do people expect so much of me?"  Of course the answer is simple - he can't say "no."  This card reminds me that people-pleasing is a subtle form of manipulation, it's not something I do for other people.  And if I don't want to feel like the sky is falling, I need to know my limits and learn to be honest about them with others.

The other deck I'll be using this week is the Green Man Tree Oracle, created by John Matthews and Will Worthington.  Today's draw is "Hazel:"

Seek wisdom in the depths.

With the availability of colleges, libraries, and the internet, knowledge is easy to come by.  But wisdom isn't something than can be bought or borrowed - it comes from the rough and tumble world of experience.  The few glimpses I've had of it are usually when I find myself in situations like the guy above in the Ten of Wands.  I've hit bottom, my ego has (finally) stepped out of the way, and my mind opens to a lesson in life.  But to truly be defined as wisdom means I don't have to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over, expecting different results.