Influencers

From the New Era Elements Tarot, the Sun; from the Tao Oracle, 'Influence' (31):

          Even with sepia tones, the radiant joy, energetic creativity and clarity shine in this Sun card. It suggests we turn our faces to the sun and see what is good and beautiful rather than focusing on what isn't. We all need to spend part of our days cultivating a 'big sky' mind that sees beyond the click-bait we are often drawn to. Our well-being depends on it. Hexagram 31 - Influence - brought to mind the 'influencer' of social media. This person has the power to affect the purchasing of others due to their knowledge and the ability to connect to their audience. Influence implies an attraction that can be stimulating and enriching or a magnetism bent toward self-gratification. Its positive slant hinges on whether mutual respect and consideration are a part of the equation. Most adults, when giving advice to children, would agree with the words of Jim Rohn, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." Who has been shaping our attitudes and behaviors?

Escaping an Influence

This week I'll be using the Tarot of Durer, created by Giacinto Gaudenzi (based on A. Durer's artwork) and published by Lo Scarabeo.  Today's draw is the Six of Swords:

A person leaves six swords behind as he makes his way to an island by boat.  The cunning fox has now become a coat collar, indicating the purpose of this journey is not a clever, intellectual strategy but an escape.  I'm curious about the sword left balancing on a tree branch instead of being stuck in the ground like the others.  I get the feeling that this may be the one thought or memory the man hasn't really let go of - he's just set it aside for now.  Regardless, it looks as if he'll be leaving behind what has caused him pain, worry and innumerable headaches.  I just hope he doesn't look across the water from the island, see that sword in the tree, and hear it calling out to him.  It reminds me to dig out the whole root, and not leave any pieces that may grow back behind.

The oracle I'll be using this week is the Philosopher's Stone Deck, created by De Es Schwertberger and published by AG Muller.  This morning's draw is "Influence:"

One stone man whispers in the ear of another - will the listener take his words to heart?  I think back to when I was a young woman and remember how easily I was influenced by people who had new, exciting ideas, and being eager to leave behind all the traditional ideas I had grown up with, I embraced them all.  Then in middle age, the charismatic folks didn't lure me but the ones with the spiritual guru vibe did.  Again I embraced whatever I thought might be the ticket to enlightenment.  Now as I get older, I'm not so easily swayed, probably because I take the time to look first at the fruits of a person's life.  Not just the stuff they have, but how they treat the earth and others, and the effects of their influence on others.  It's much easier to do from an objective perspective than when I've already jumped into something with both feet.