Self-Regulation

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Limestone:

          The King of Cups always makes me think of emotional sobriety. When other people run around screaming that the sky is falling, he knows how to stay calm and respond skillfully. It's not that he's a naturally chill sort of guy; he's just aware of his emotions and how they can push him to respond in ways that aren't always helpful. We all have our patterns: aggressive (pushing back at what we don't want), submissive (going along while feeling resentful), and dispersive (staying busy so we can pretend ignorance). But the King would tell us none of these are particularly beneficial at solving or adapting to what is making us crazy. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that water frequently erodes over many years to form caves. Many fossils are found here as well. This stone can offer us sanctuary if we use it to see our emotional habits that condition our actions and then choose to begin the work of changing them. As the King offers his cup to the Fool, he reminds him that it's not easy but it's worth it.

The ability to self-regulate, to bring ourselves into balance, is key to emotional sobriety.

~Tian Dayton

Inside Out

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Mountebank (Magician); from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Limestone:

          According to Wiktionary, the term mountebank comes from the Italian montambanco ‎- “quack who mounts a bench to hawk his wares.” America is full of them, some intentionally deceiving others for money and others who just plain don't have the skills necessary to truly offer lasting help. Got financial worries? No problem, go play the lottery and become a millionaire. Having a bad run of relationships? Go to an online dating site and find your perfect match. Want people to think you're smart? Get an online college degree (federal accreditation is no big deal, right?). Need help with your motivation? Go listen to some TED talks. We Americans love our quick fixes and dynamic speakers (just look at the Republican choice for our next U.S. President). Part of Brailsford's verse for Limestone reads, "The record of the passing of all that has been." This white stone is common in our area; kids and adults are fascinated by it because of the many fossils it contains. By shutting out the hawkers selling their wares and finding stillness and quiet within, I might find the real solution to my problems isn't an external band-aid. I need to uncover my habitual patterns, and see what behaviors are beneficial and those that aren't. My transformation needs to begin from the inside out.

Dangling Bait

This week the book and deck set I'll be using is the Ship of Fools Tarot, created by Brian Williams and published by Llewellyn.  Today's draw is the Five of Swords:

A fellow waits in a back alley, holding three swords but leaving two on the ground.  I can almost hear him whisper, "Come on, pick them up... they're waiting just for you."  But I know this guy's mindset.  He loves a fight, and will tempt people with inflammatory remarks and biting opinions to draw them in.  He's the Glen Beck of television, the Rush Limbaugh of radio, and the trolls of internet forums and Facebook.  They don't want to discuss, they want to debate.  They draw their energy from goading people into a war of words and watching the subsequent chaos with glee.  The trick to avoiding them is to remember "don't take the bait."

The oracle I'll be using this week is the Wisdom of the Four Winds, created by Barry Brailsford, illustrated by Cecilie Okada, and published by StonePrint Press.  This morning's draw is the North Guardian, "Limestone:"

The place I live is built on ancient limestone beds.  Recently the city dug out a holding pond about 100 yards from my house that is on a lime sink.  They ended up with huge machines there when they hit the limestone, and pulled out boulders the size of cars.  Before they smashed them up, I slipped over there and gathered a few small fossils of shells to bring home (the city discouraged people from going there because the boulders were mixed with flint, and one slip could result in a life threatening gash).  I wish I could have recorded all the plants and shells that had been preserved in the limestone before the city smashed them to pieces and hauled them away.  The book suggests this card means to "look back that you might go forward with purpose."  In adding its meaning to the tarot card above, I see that I must be aware of my behavior patterns and "triggers" to keep from reacting to something that will result in resentment rather than anything beneficial.