Home Base

From the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, the King of Wands; from the Button Oracle, Horses:

Setting out on an adventure is thrilling, but coming home is even better.

–Maurice Sendak

This King of Wands stands in front of Uluru, an inselberg (island mountain) which formed under the sea about 550 million years ago. When the oceans dried up around it, Uluru appeared; the sandstone formation is 1,142 ft. high above ground and lies about 1.5 miles underground. For the Anangu Aboriginal people, it is a place of great power. The King of Wands may be a goer and doer, yet even this daring fellow knows he needs a home base, a place where he can relax and recharge before his next venture. The Horse button suggests freedom and independence, like the free-roaming mustangs of the Western U.S. There is nothing wrong with wanting to travel and explore - it can expand our mind and perspective. But we shouldn't forget to spend time where our roots are too; that keeps us grounded.

The Change We Seek

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Six of Arrows (Swords); from the Rune Cards, Horse (Ehwaz):

Our habitual and often default ways of thinking and reacting cause us to suffer.

~Rebecca Li

Years ago, Stephen Stills wrote a song called "Love the One You're With." This card's anthem could be called "Love the One Within." It is a choice to stop blaming, sighing and ranting; instead, we become aware of our own mindset and attitude and how they affect our well-being. Potter's card shows six swords arranged in a six-pointed star - a symbol of peace and harmony. It's time to be a good partner to our own self and start choosing the thoughts and actions that will help us find equanimity. Horse (Ehwaz) implies partnership and movement. As Barack Obama eloquently said, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

By Oar or Sail

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Tea Leaf Reading Cards, Horse:

Well, it's not far back to sanity

At least it's not for me

And if the wind is right you can sail away

And find serenity

—Christopher Cross

Both card draws today suggest movement, in this case, away from the status quo. One of the quickest ways to lose your sanity is to continue trying to solve a problem or communicate with someone over and over with no progress. No matter how many different tactics we try or how respectful our words, the situation or relationship remains unchanged (often only getting worse). George A. Kelly, considered the father of cognitive clinical psychology, defined a psychological disorder as: "Any personal construction which is used repeatedly in spite of consistent invalidation." When chaos is beyond our control, the best thing we can do is recognize that fact and move one (mentally or physically).

Greener Ground

From the Druidcraft Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Druid Animal Oracle, the Horse:

Practicing not-doing means the causes and conditions that create many problems and struggles vanish. No solution needs to be found, no cure discovered, and no help is even necessary. That’s why the Buddhist tradition is grounded in not-doing—because so much of the suffering in the world could be entirely alleviated if we simply didn’t cause it.

~Kimberly Brown

The Eight of Swords points to a struggle within the mind. I occasionally think I must do something about whatever passes through my day - fix it, support it or find a solution for it. Such a mindset can easily bring on a feeling of being overwhelmed as illustrated by this card. In such cases, I create my own suffering (and likely disturb others' peace as well). Sometimes just letting things be is the best answer. The equine species was held in high regard by Celtic peoples, being used in battle, cultivation, and travel. The Horse is like the mind - moving quickly from one place to another - but neither would do well if repetitively forced to trod the same ground over and over. This animal reminds me to move out of my well-worn mental paths onto greener ground.

Moving Forward

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, the Page of Wands; from the Tea Leaf Reading Cards, the Horse:

          I know this attention-seeking adventurer well in the form of my eldest grandson. He loves excitement but is too impulsive to consider what kind of chaos or destruction might be left in the wake of what he instigates. I'm sure he's wondering what would happen if he stuck the tip of that wand into an electrical outlet... The horse is a great partner for the Page of Wands mindset, indicating a movement at a fast speed. I see both of these operating in the world right now, as people rush into life again, wanting to create things as they were before the virus. But the past can't be changed to make it into something different or better; we must start where we are. Trying to pretend we're courageous by throwing caution to the wind won't be helpful. Move forward we must but with discernment and attention, please.

Low Key for Me

From the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Button Oracle, Horse:

          I'm not fond of big parties, as I prefer more intimate, laid-back gatherings. So the contented company Granny keeps while cheerfully knitting in this card seems just about perfect to me. I'm obviously not the only one who feels this way. Abraham Heschel wrote: "People of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained. Celebration is an active state, an act of expressing reverence or appreciation." Sounds a little different than getting drunk and being rowdy. But the Horse button reminds me to hold my horses when it comes to my opinion. This button's keywords - independence and nonconformity - were based on the spirit of the mustang. In the words of Nelson Mandela, "To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." That reminds me that some people may express their reverence and appreciation in much different ways than I do, and as long as no one gets hurt, that is perfectly fine.

A Sticky Subject

From the Prairie Tarot, the Empress; from the Medicine Cards, "Horse:"

          A woman with needlework in her hand watches a mother hen, who in turn watches over her chicks. What the Empress creates, she also protects and nourishes. While she's well aware of the natural cycle of life, she also has a lot of emotional energy invested in what she loves. Horse on the other hand represents both power and freedom. There's a reason his head is turned away from the Empress; he knows those emotional ties can bind. Those ropes are responsibilities and the reason one's choices become fewer and far between. Ask the mother of a newborn, the child of a parent with dementia or the spouse whose husband has Parkinson's disease, and they will tell you about their loss of freedom. Yet I can hear the Empress rage about unselfish love, about being willing to take the hard road rather than the easy one. Is there a middle way between the stickiness of emotions and the desire to be completely free of such entanglements? I suppose even Horse would have to agree with the Empress that nothing lasts forever.

Some Things Money Can't Buy

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Nine of Pentacles; from the Beasts of Albion, the "Horse:"

          A woman is seen standing in her fields of grain while her assistant tallies the sheaves. I'm sure her hawk companion will help protect the harvest from mice and other animals. I've always thought of the woman in this card as independent and self-sufficient, but the companion book adds another descriptor - prudent. My initial reaction to this word was to think of someone who was an old-fashioned fusspot, not a well-rounded, worldly woman. I ran across a definition by Bill Wilson that described it a bit differently: "Prudence is rational concern without worry." In other words, this lady is watchful, diligent and careful. But even within those boundaries, she still knows how to enjoy herself.
          For hundreds of years, the horse has been used for power and transportation. In more modern times, it has also been seen as a companion. Gray suggests this animal represents the strength of friendship and the willingness to help carry another person's burden. The Nine of Pentacles woman seems to have it all, but what about companionship? I bet she'd trade half of that field for a faithful, trustworthy friend. As the MasterCard commercial states, there are some things money can't buy.