You Never Know

From the Hezicos Tarot, the Three of Rods; from the Way of the Horse Oracle, Lionheart:

Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.

~Paul Tillich

When we expand our world, looking to grow and develop in new ways, there's naturally a bit of trepidation. Yet there is excitement too, and often a feeling of release when we step out of the box we've been in. We wait and watch to see what these new efforts will bring. And as C.S. Lewis wrote, "You never know what you can do until you try, and very few try unless they have to." But few beginning projects and plans go as desired, and Lionheart reminds us to be assertive without being aggressive, to be protective without sacrificing sensitivity. Just because the outcome doesn't replicate our original vision doesn't mean our efforts have failed.

Heart of the Lion

From the Hezicos Tarot, the Nine of Rods; from the Way of the Horse, Lionheart:

          A determined looking little fairy sports a pair of acorn earrings and an acorn cap (which makes me think of this image). He's obviously incorporating the strength of the mighty oak, yet the faces in the staffs behind him whisper encouragement as well. They remind him of past challenges successfully met and reassure him that he has what it takes to clear this final hurdle. The stages of growth in the mushrooms suggest that his efforts haven't fully matured yet. While one cap is fully open, the two other mushroom caps haven't quite broken free from their partial veil.
          The Lionheart card offers several key phrases which seem appropriate with the Nine of Rods: assertiveness without aggression and the courage to feel and the willingness to act. Violence - whether in word, thought, or deed - is not constructive when it comes to making progress. I can stand my ground without causing harm; to do otherwise would only escalate and complicate the confrontations and disputes I must deal with. The second phrase implies a willingness to acknowledge the fear and observe it with curiosity. Doing so can supply me with the energy needed for action as well as the knowledge and awareness to respond appropriately.

A New Understanding

This week I'll be using the Hezicos Tarot, a deck created and self-published by Mary Griffin. I'll also be using the Way of the Horse, a set created by Kim McElroy and Linda Kohanov and published by New World Library. Today's cards are the Ten of Swords and "Lionheart:"

Being a person who lives a large part of her life mucking around in her head, this image feels very familiar. I love to learn, analyze, take apart and put back together ideas. But every now and then, I run across something that my brain just can't process. The reason may be that I'm tired, I may not be familiar with the terms or language used or I'm just be coming at it from the wrong angle. Now normal people would probably just set it down and forget about it for awhile. But I'm like the wind-up car that runs into the wall then backs up and runs into the wall again - over and over. Eventually I wind up like this poor elf, completely wiped out. It is interesting that he lies across a mushroom. Did you know that the part of this plant we see above ground is the fruit? The actual plant itself lies beneath the soil. So this message suggests that by giving up his mental attack, his brain will bear fruit all on its own.
The Lionheart card encourages me to stop being aggressive but avoid doing nothing. In combining these two cards, I get the impression that giving up and walking away is not the answer. Instead I need to listen and be receptive. I need to walk around the problem or idea and look from every angle to see what perspective I might be missing. And if I relax with this information instead of trying to force it into a mold, I might just discover a new way to understand it.

Know the Yang

From the Hezicos Tarot today comes the Magician:

This handsome young man's eyes stare straight ahead, as if nothing could break his concentration.  He holds a huge citrine point, a stone associated with success and abundance, as well as mental clarity and will power.  He has quite a pile of objects in front of him, the majority of which are books, telling me he has done his research.  Whatever this magician is trying to manifest, he has gotten specific directions and has fine-tuned his goal.  Even his cat seems to be standing still, as if completely absorbed in whatever has its attention.  The body of this man radiates with energy, indicating his intense drive and power.  The bivalve shells are all turned so that they protect what is underneath.  There are so many things I want to do or accomplish, that I tend to neglect most of them.  This card encourages me to sift through my own mound of desires and focus on bringing one of them into reality.  

     From the Way of the Horse this morning comes "Lionheart:"

Even the most timid among us have a lion hiding within.  The gift of this card is the ability to be assertive and take action.  The challenge is in not letting our "inner lion" run amok, causing us to act aggressively.  By balancing the wisdom of prey and predator, I become neither victim nor tyrant.  I can develop goal-oriented thinking that incorporates compassion, instead of trampling on others to get my way.

"Know the yang, but keep to the yin" ~ Lao Tzu