Tempered Transformation

From the Cosmic Tarot, Temperance; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Interdiction:

And where two raging fires meet together,

They do consume the thing that feeds their fury

―William Shakespeare

Temperance mixes elements in order to create something useful and beneficial. We see it in cooperation, when each person doesn't demand doing everything their way. It is seen in compromise, when countries give up some things in order to reach an accord. Temperance is transformational, helping us avoid extremes so that we can live more skillfully and peacefully. Yet Interdiction - the act of forbidding something in order to prevent something - suggests that Temperance can also save us from overindulging in anything that might cause us or others harm.

Self-Service

 From the Cosmic Tarot, the Ace of Cups; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Interdictment:

Self-care isn’t being selfish, it’s a public service. When you fill your own cup,

you’ve got more to give to others. ~Melissa Goodwin

How do we keep our cup full to overflowing when we are in the middle of millions of acres burning, hurricanes, a national leader interested in only himself, and a pandemic? It's tempting to try to do it with the stuff we buy or the ways we seek to have others stroke our ego. But those small sparks of pleasure don't last and certainly don't fill the void in our hearts. Melissa Goodwin suggests six ideas:

1. Take time out - make it a priority to schedule some self-care time.
2. Question your standards of perfection - the world won't stop spinning if things aren't just 'so.'
3. Take care of your health - get enough sleep, eat good food, exercise (you know this already, but probably don't do it).
4. Feel good by looking good and finding what's wonderful  - get out of those PJs, take a shower, and find something beautiful to appreciate.
5. Use your spiritual tools - if you don't have any, now is the time to investigate some.
6. Connect with others - talk with others who make you laugh and make you feel like you belong.

Interdiction (the act of prohibiting movement) is a warning about how we often empty our cup without taking a sip of it ourselves - by trying to fix or save others. That is a Sisyphean task that will drain us dry every time.

Leave the Swords Behind

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Six of Swords; from L'Oeil de Lotus, Interdiction:

          This dancer, in a type of arabesque pose, could almost be a weather vane. His back arm and leg point toward a pole with a caduceus on top. An article I recently read stated that this symbol was used during Roman times like a white flag (an emblem of peace or neutrality); the bearer using it could deliver a message to the enemy without being harmed. In 1902, the Surgeon General chose it rather than the Staff of Asklepios (a symbol of healing) for himself and the US Army Medical Corps to signify them as noncombatants. It is interesting that the Six of Swords represents a movement in attitude and thought, yet the Interdiction card (with a sign that says 'Road Closed') indicates preventing the movement of someone or something. Perhaps it is a message to look at how I turn and move away - my motive for leaving. Does my departure look like someone huffing, stomping their feet and slamming the door on the way out? Are there any hints of passive-aggression? The swords on the ground (an agenda) suggest I leave empty-handed, without slashing anything or anyone on the way out.