When the World is Too Much with Us

From the Ferret Tarot, the Fool; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, the Lotus:

There are souls in this world which have the gift of finding joy everywhere and of leaving it behind them when they go. —Jean Paul

The Fool asks us to live lightheartedly, bringing a sense of newness to our perspective and unencumbered by conventional thinking. Frankly, this morning I feel stressed and worn out; to use Wordsworth's line, the world is too much with me. Yet I am reminded by the Lotus, that starts in the mud and muck and moves slowly towards the light, I too have tools to use. I can start with my senses; feeling a breeze, listening to the birds. I can notice neutral moments, when I'm at peace. I can dig into my spiritual toolbox of principles and practices. And I can find joy in small, imperfect activities. My latest bit of enjoyment has been creating small watercolors of my cats as literary characters (that matches their personality). And so, I present to you, Tad as Puss in Boots; Fig as John Blacksad, P.I. (graphic novel); and Lia as Graymalkin (witch's cat in MacBeth):

Creeping Upward

From the Somnia Tarot, the Five of Cups; from the Spirits of Nature Oracle, Lotus;

At first it numbed me, pleasure leaching from my days like a summer leaf draining of sap to greet the autumn. Then loneliness came, a creeping oily stain that stopped me from enjoying it at all.

―Kat Dunn

The insidious part of sadness is that when we steep in it long enough, it becomes depression and despair. We imagine we have no control over anything, that we are incapable of feeling happiness ever again. Lotus, a flower whose seed lies in the mucky mud, will begin to root and gradually move upward through murky water to the sunlight. It symbolizes resurrection and restoration. That deep well of unhappiness has plenty of room to hold joy too, if we are willing to make some changes. A trustworthy friend can listen and remind us of our resilience, and walks in the sun can awaken a body that has been shut down. We can savor calm moments and rekindle our gratitude. Perhaps most importantly, we can reframe our thoughts, acknowledging there is sadness but recognizing the capacity for joy is still within us. We turn our attention to the good rather than ruminating on the past.

Still Exploring

This week I'll be using the Ferret Tarot, created and self-published by Elaine Moertl. Along with it, I'll be drawing from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, created by Mindy Lighthipe and published by Schiffer Books. The cards for today are the Eight of Cups and Lotus:

Fulfillment is not a destination. It's not a place you can ever arrive at and settle into.

― David Rynick

Have you ever bumped into an old friend from years ago and found, apart from aging, they haven't changed at all? Complacency is a state of inertia, when we feel like we have no need of new ideas, perspectives or experiences - it's too much effort and might cause mental uneasiness. Contentment is a state of joy with what is, yet there is still an effort to grow and develop (though it comes from a place of peace and curiosity, not agitation). Like the Lotus that rises through murky water, content people keep moving toward the light, not to arrive at any fixed place, but as a way to pursue meaning and understanding in their life. 

Now Hiring

From the Ferret Tarot, the Emperor:

Teacher, manager, judge, administrator, politician, parent... No matter what the position of authority, trying to educate, protect and serve while maintaining some semblance of order is quite a job. Of course if every person was made from the same cookie cutter, you could just use the same template for all of them. But if your position is more than just a perk, you have to flexible enough to work with the needs of each person or group without losing your structural bounds. Hopefully the dad in this card will figure out which baby needs a nap, which one is hungry and which one is bored and wants some playtime.

The Nature's Wisdom deck's draw for today produced the "Lotus:"

Lighthipe assigns the lotus flower the keyword "awakening" for two reasons: first because the plant moves through mud and water to rise into the air, and second because it shows the trait of nyctinasty (closing its petals at night). As a decision maker and boundary marker (Emperor), I must steer clear of distracting information that is not relevant (mud) and the emotional drama (water) that surrounds an issue. I also must know when to "close shop" (nyctinasty) to preserve my sanity and get the rest I need. Whew... what a job.