Just a Steak

 From the Tarot by Caro, the Six of Swords; from the Holitzka I Ching, Hexagram 53:

The greatest stress you go through when dealing with a difficult person is not fueled by the words and actions of the person - it is fueled by your mind that gives their words and actions importance. 

–Stephen White

This card invites us to learn from past experiences in order to stop repeating them. My husband decided he wanted to grill a steak this week and went up to Publix to talk to the butcher (wanting a quality cut for what he would pay). The butcher told him he was a Trump supporter, but my husband sidestepped that landmine and said, "That's okay, I just want a good steak." He knows it's useless to try to reason with unreasonable people. Hexagram 53 is titled Gradual Progress; instead of pushing our way to where we want to be, we take the steps we need to get there. A quote from Marc Chernoff ties these two cards together well: "The most effective way to move away from something you don’t want, is to move toward something you do want, one step at a time."

Creative Purpose

From the Tarot of Caro, the Queen of Wands; from the Holitzka I Ching, Hexagram 53:

The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning. ~Mitch Albom

The flat ears and narrowed eyes of this panther are probably watching the Knight of Wands stumble out of bed after another night of drinking and a one night stand. The Queen of Wands is a woman of fiery passion, but she's more than a party girl. She believes that each person has gifts that should be nurtured so that they can create something meaningful. There's nothing wrong with fun, she'd say, but what are you growing with your energy and enthusiasm? Chasing pleasures doesn't bring the same kind of lasting satisfaction. Hexgram 53 is called Gradual Progress, and is a caution that nothing grows overnight; tenacity is needed to see things through. 

Allies Acknowledged

From the Hoi Polloi Tarot, the Six of Wands; from the I Ching Pack, Wood over Mountain (hexagram 53):

 This is the person you think is your antagonist, who ends up being your greatest ally: the person who pushes, criticizes, and challenges you to meet a standard of excellence you might not otherwise achieve. ―Bonnie Hammer

          It's nice to feel like we've accomplished something or successfully met a challenge. It's even nicer when we remember all the people who encouraged us and helped us along the way to get to this point. Those laurel wreaths belong to them as much as anyone else. Hexagram 53's key phrase is "Growing Slowly," which fits well with the elemental name of Wood over Mountain. A tree on a mountain gets the worst of all the weather; it needs some nurturing and protection to survive. That fellow riding triumphantly on his horse should show appreciation to his comrades and keep them close. What has been planted will need more than one person to help care for it as well as those with the knowledge and skill to do it. 

I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world. ― Fred Rogers