Stay in the Hub

From the New Era Elements Tarot, the Nine of Earth (Pentacles); from the Tao Oracle, Hexagram 29 (the Abysmal):

A stable mind is like the hub of a wheel. The world may spin around you, but the mind is steady.

—B.K.S. Iyengar

The rough, dirty hands in this card illustrate that good fortune doesn't usually float down out of the sky like a feather. Contentment and stability aren't just about getting something but knowing how to sustain it when disruptive challenges come. If we don't put in the work, we won't have any skills to rely on later (think of those who inherit a chunk of money only to squander it away). Hexagram 29, The Abysmal, warns of a deluge of problems headed our way. To steer through the storm, we need a firm hold on our mind and our conduct. Letting our emotions take over will only feed panic and confusion; we need to stay grounded in the present and centered on what is important. As Iyengar stated, "When stability becomes a habit, maturity and clarity follow."

Filling Every Crevice

From the Hoi Polloi Tarot, Judgment; from the I Ching Pack, Hexagram 29 (Water over Chasm):

Without spiritual discipline we are never going to wake up or advance on our journey through this life. 

―Joan Gattuso

Spiritual awakening isn't an exit strategy but a deep dive into reality with arms spread wide. It means we do not turn our head or distract ourselves from what is happening here and now; we see it clearly without adding our personal assumptions, projections or opinions. Yet Hexagram 29 (Abyss) points out that our emotions can flood us and cause us to retreat, thinking that these feelings are aligned with facts rather than just a temporary energy that moves through us (dissipating when we don't feed it with thoughts). But just as water flows and fills up every depression it tumbles over, we too need not avoid what frightens us. Open and curious, we investigate its nature and learn what it has to teach us. Then, rather than impulsively reacting, we can make an informed choice.