More Than Manners

From the Vision Quest Tarot, the Father of Water; from the Bird Cards, the Kingfisher:

Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.

- Alfred Painter

This King of Cups (Father of Water) pauses with his catch of the day - I imagine him offering his thanks. As one native man explained, "Each time I kill a fish destined for the table, I say a prayer of thanks, accompanied by an apology for interrupting and ending its current existence." This King/Father reminds us that a happy life has a foundation of gratitude rather than entitlement or ignorance. The Kingfisher, with its oversized head and beak, spends its day perched above calm ponds or rivers watching for a meal. When it sees a fish, it dives into the water after it. This bird encourages us to pause and see the good laid out all around us. Then we can take the plunge and say 'thank you' in acknowledgment. 

What's the Point?

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Five of Coins; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, the "Kingfisher:"

Here is an odd twist of fate (or turn of the Wheel): the Fool lives in a comfortable home and has a chest full of coins while a former king sits outside with a begging bowl. The Narrenschiff verses explain:

He who has riches, and delights in them,

Paying no heed to those in need,

Will be forsaken, so that he too shall beg.

If that's the kind of king he was, then it is hard to feel sorry for him. Should the Fool help him? We have quite a few homeless people here; the majority of them are veterans, addicts and alcoholics, or people with mental illness. We fed many when we still had the restaurant (we would find them eating out of the dumpster). Yet most of them never seemed to get better even when a variety of aid was extended.

The Kingfisher is a bird I've grown to love; I see them around the local ponds here. They chatter nonstop from a treetop, then suddenly dive in the water and out again before I can hardly blink. Brailsford describes this bird as "the epitome of vigilance transformed into swift action." That message seems to encourage me to do something (no matter how small) when I see suffering. The point is not to get the sufferer to change, but to keep my heart open and compassionate. 

The Gift of Tenacity

The card pulled from the Jolanda Tarot deck this morning is the Four of Wands:

Clarity, tenacity, passion, and wisdom are represented by the animal figures on top of these wands.  The number four represents stability and security - a solid foundation has been achieved through effort and perseverance.  The dove that flies overhead implies a time of peace that allows for an appreciation of what has been accomplished.  The holly - used since the time of the Romans - is an omen of good fortune.  The red berries can be seen as a sign of passion that motivates us, and the prickly leaves as a sign of protection that keeps safe what has been attained.  This card celebrates goals that have been reached, but also encourages me to reinforce and build on this foundation.

     From the Bird Signs oracle today comes the card "Kingfisher - determination:"

This amazing bird waits on tree branches above a river watching for fish; when it spots one, it will dive underwater after it.  The kingfisher doesn't always catch his meal, so he must return to his perch to try again.  This bird's message is one of tenacity and resolve.  I wish humans had a meter that measured how close they were to achieving their goals.  I am sure many of us give up without realizing we are just a few steps away...