Long Enough

From the Rosetta Tarot, Death; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Heart:

All compounded things are subject to vanish.

―Buddha

Meleen's Death figure wears a fish cloak, depicting how he patrols the river of life, unfolding decay and mortality along the way. Death does not care if such change is welcomed or feared. His appearance reminds me of the Three Insights:

1. Everything is temporary; experiences are continually changing. 
2. Every experience has the potential for startling the mind into confused resistance (suffering) or arousing it into sober attentiveness (equanimity).
3. Everything is contingent. Nothing happens without having been caused by something and without impacting future events.

The Heart reminds us to love deeply, widely and fully, even in this transient world. As Seneca advocated: "It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life, if well lived, is long enough."

Unconditional Openness

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the Celtic Lenormand, the Heart:

          Holding on to one staff while another leans in a corner, a young woman stares wistfully out her window. The globe and VW bus photo suggest she dreams of travel and excitement, yet she must leave the comfort and stability of the known for the unknown to do so. Will she use the fiery energy of the Wands to make a choice and then act on it? The heart shape formed by the open mussel shell reminds me of the unconditional openness that can aid us in relating to life. There is no certainty and permanence anywhere, even in the comfortable, feathered nest we currently sit. Pema Chodron wrote: "When you open yourself to the continually changing, impermanent, dynamic nature of your own being and of reality, you increase your capacity to love and care about other people and your capacity not to be afraid." If she's looking for adventure and not perfection, an open mind and heart can be beneficial first steps in that direction.

Bringers of Joy and Clarity

From the Tyldwick Tarot, the Sun; from the Antiquarian Lenormand, the "Heart:"

          Lovell has chosen a statue of Surya, a Hindu sun god, to illustrate this card. Surya is the chief of the classical planets in Hindu astrology and ia also associated with healing. He is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed to seven horses (or one horse with seven heads) which represent the seven colors of the rainbow or the seven chakras. Lovell's version feels as if there has been a breakthrough in understanding, one that brings clarity, energy and joy. I felt this way when I came across a verse in the Upaddha Sutta in which Ananda asks the Buddha if spiritual friends made up half of the holy life. Buddha tells him no, that such companions make up the whole of holy life. For me, such friendships definitely add clarity, energy and joy to my life. Which is a nice segue into the Lenormand card, the Heart. This is no decorative, valentine-like heart, but a blood-pumping one. Social scientist Bella DePaulo, who has focused her research on single people and friendships, discovered friends can have a greater effect on health than a spouse or other family member. No matter the number, today is a day to celebrate my sunny companions.

Logic + Love

From the Bonefire Tarot, Strength; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, "Heart:"

          This woman appears to be trying to soothe the lion, much like I do when I take my pets to the veterinarian. "Calm down, this will be over soon," she seems to be saying. A friend recently called to tell me she had been asked out to dinner by a man in one of her social groups. While eating, there were things he said that made her question his motives for asking her out as well as signs that suggested he was married. Being forthright, she asked him directly about both. He replied that he was married, but he couldn't help asking her out because he felt instinctively drawn to her. Had that been me, I would have been instinctively drawn to box his ears and break his nose. But just because I feel some way doesn't mean I have to act on this emotion. There are times when I have to inwardly tell myself the same thing I tell my pets.
          The Heart in Lenormand generally means romance, desire and affection, but with the Strength card I think the meaning goes a bit deeper. Here is an unconditional love that is combined with reason to produce compassion. Christians speak of the Passion of Christ, meaning the events that led up to his crucifixion. Passion comes from the Greek word paschein, meaning 'to suffer.' The prefix of 'com' added to it means to patiently suffer with. In other words, this is a strong love for myself and others that doesn't react but responds.