The Beating Stick

From the Tarot de St. Croix, the Seven of Pentacles; from the Archetype Cards, Lover:

A woman wearing a leopard outfit (a symbol of power and resourcefulness), reaches out to arrange her many projects. St. Croix suggests she do an evaluation before she unleashes her energy. What will need the most attention? What should take priority of importance? Does she have the resources needed? The Lover card asks where we have placed our devotion. In the case of the Seven of Pentacles, hopefully it is not with the passion of perfection. It's all too easy to get lost in the weeds instead of simply assessing whether we're making progress, which rarely moves in a straight path. As Rebecca Solnit wrote, "Perfection is a stick with which to beat the possible." 

Fear and Hope

From the Fey Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the I Misteri della Sibilla, the Lover (Queen of Hearts):

Natural intelligence is always accessible to us. When we’re not caught in the trap of hope and fear, we intuitively know what’s the right thing to do. If we’re not obscuring our intelligence with anger, self-pity, or craving, we know what will help and what will make things worse. 

—Pema Chodron

From the safety of his nest, a fey peers at the beautiful valley below. It's spring and a time for change, but he is conflicted about whether to stay or explore. He wavers between hope and fear. The Lover of the Sibilla cards - lounging and eating cherries - would suggest he stay where he's comfortable and secure. She's a kept woman with little obligation or responsibility, enjoying the pleasures of her married lover. But what happens when she gets older or he gets bored? Any commitment to something different requires effort, but it can also widen our perspective, help develop new skills, and provide an alternative foundation, which might be needed if unexpected change comes (the nest gets blown away).