The Ones That Break

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Five of Cups; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Kaf:

Kaf painting by Victor Brindatch

In despair, a man focuses on the three spilled cups at his feet, ignoring the two standing behind him. When we're distraught, it seems the only thing we can focus on is what is causing our pain. We're like a leaf caught in the eddy of a stream, stuck and unable to move forward. Part of this is a normal grief response that all humans have. But part of it may be the idea that life is not fair, the part that demands we shouldn't have to deal with such issues (and probably why he doesn't notice the other two cups). Kaf is often associated with the palm or a spoon because it is bent, suggesting the ability to curve or bend in order to accommodate a situation and be useful. Life is hard on everyone in different ways. Folks who can accept its natural vicissitudes and keep flowing down the stream are the ones who learn to be content in any circumstances. But those who are rigid and inflexible are the ones that break.  

A New, More Benevolent Perspective

From the Restored Order Tarot, Judgment; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, "Kaf:"

          The fiery masculine and the watery feminine have produced something new that is neither "this or that." This is a new consciousness, a way of seeing and acting from a fresh perspective. I've been reading a book by Paul Knitter in which in talks a lot about duality and how it makes our lives and relationships difficult: "We make necessary distinctions, but then take those distinctions too seriously." Those labels we use are meant as only tools, yet they have turned distinctions into dogma. That babe has "beginner's mind" - wide open to experience without bias.
          Kaf is a key letter found in words like crown, king and queen, and so it is associated with majesty and royalty. It is also a part of kavanah, meaning "focused intention." It reminds me of the right use of power - doing what will benefit the whole instead of only myself. The olive is a symbol of life and peace, but also victory. Could it be that victory is found in benevolent action and the care of all creation instead of just a small slice of it?