Looking for a Fight

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Five of Wands (Honey Badger); from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Mannaz:

 

In the end, the aggressors always destroy themselves, making way for others who know how to cooperate and get along. Life is much less a competitive struggle for survival than a triumph of cooperation and creativity. –Fritjof Capra

The only thing sweet about the honey badger is its name (it likes to eat bee larvae). With a massive skull, strong legs, sharp claws and skin that is tough and loose, it is made for fighting. A ferocious foe, it never starts a fight it can't finish. When someone in a group takes on this no-holes-barred energy to get their way, they usually only succeed in uniting the group against them. The rune Mannaz refers to human intelligence and is a symbol of self-awareness, improvement, potential. It is a reminder that nothing good will be created nor beneficial solutions found unless we are operating with respectful communication, an open mind, and a desire for what is best for all, not just ourselves.

True Quest

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Knight of Cups/Blue-footed Booby; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Mannaz:

This Knight believes that the best, most exciting quest is one of the heart. Like the blue-footed booby who makes spectacular dives from the air into the sea for fish, he's willing to dive deeply into relationships and be vulnerable. But like this seabird's name (booby - because it is tame around humans), the Knight of Cups can also be naive. No two hearts and minds are going to fuse together and permanently become one. Mannaz, or humankind, refers to the intelligence, awareness and rational mind that each person has been given.  Relationships expose and express both the strengths and weaknesses. Can this Knight maintain his love when they disagree or see from different perspectives? Can he allow the other to be an individual rather than a subset of himself? This is the true quest, the fulfilling maturity of love.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

From the Victorian Fairy Oracle, the Herald of Winter (Page of Swords); from the Haindl Rune Oracle, Man/Mannaz:

As I drew this Page/Herald this morning, the carol "Do You Hear What I Hear?" came to mind. In this song, what is seen, heard and known is passed along, beginning with the night wind and ending with the king. While obviously a carol, Noël Regney wrote this song as an appeal for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The last stanza has the king proclaiming, "Pray for peace, people everywhere!" The rune Mannaz is generally translated as 'Man' (humankind); the poems suggest its meaning includes both the joy and connection humans feel as well as separation and death. Both of these cards suggest I pay attention beyond my self-absorbed box of desires, worries and resentments. There is joy, warmth and beauty around me, if I would only open my eyes and ears (and mind) to them. Though changeable and impermanent, it would be a shame to miss out on these gifts and wonders. 

Accountability

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Emperor; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, 'Mannaz/Self:'

The Emperor, both feared and admired, seems to have a cushy job with lots of benefits. Yet this is a biased opinion if he sincerely embraces the job. In the words of John Cumming, "wherever there is great power, lofty position, there is great responsibility, and a call to instant duty." He might be the face of his kingdom, but he also takes the hits to protect his people. The key to good leadership is not fear and intimidation, but strength in its many forms - compassion, concern, right timing, and right action. The companion book asks the question: "How does one keep the ego at bay while being of service to those around you?" The Rune Mannaz helps answer that query. Mannaz recognizes that humankind has great potential with its intellectual and reasoning capabilities. But it seeks to propel people beyond self-centered concerns to the Self - an inner recognition that we are all connected. What we do affects the whole, collectively enhancing or degrading the human experience.

We are a profoundly interconnected species, as the global economic and ecological crises reveal in vivid and frightening detail. We must embrace the simple fact that we are dependent on and accountable to one another. ~Parker Palmer

Frail Flesh

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Queen of Autumn (Pentacles); from the Haindl Rune Oracle, 'Man (Mannaz):'

          Generosity is second nature to the Queen of Autumn. The rowan garland over her throne symbolizes protection, though she does not protect with a sword or other weapon. Having an earthy practicality, she protects by making sure every living being in her realm has the basics: adequate food, medicine and shelter. She's no enabler however, and expects everyone to do what they can for themselves and their neighbors. She knows the person we might argue with one day about a trespassing cow might be the same person who saves our bacon when we need a hand at harvest time. Man/Mannaz represents the human race and its frailty as the rune poem describes:

A mirthful Man is to his kinsmen dear;

Yet each one must from the others turn,

Because Odin desires by his decree

To deliver that frail flesh to earth.

Life is short and not always an easy road to travel. We need to be willing to lend a helping hand instead of focusing only on ourselves. As Jack Kornfield so eloquently put it: "Life is hard, how can we be anything but kind?"

Downward Spiral

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the Cedar Runes, Mannaz:

          A woman is in freefall, while birds swarm around her like vultures waiting for a meal. This Ten of Swords feels like the perfect draw after Trump won the presidential election last night. I am saddened and shocked that there is so much anger, fear and hatred that our country would elect such a man. Apathy also played a part; too many people did not like either candidate and so didn't vote. I did not feel warm and fuzzy toward Clinton, but at least she was sane and had experience. I recognize she's not without problems, but hers were more like drinking a glass of water to which a pinch of salt has been added; Trump's are like drinking a glass of salt with a pinch of water. My hope is that Congress will now have something (someone) to unite against. The rune Mannaz means 'mankind' and refers to the total experience of being human - both the good and the bad. It's a raw look at what it means to be alive, quite like the writer of Ecclesiastes describes. My spiritual philosophy advises me to embrace all of life - the highs and the lows - with equanimity rather than fear or anger. At this point all I can say is, "I'm trying."

Blaming is a way to protect your heart, trying to protect what is soft and open and tender in yourself. Rather than own that pain, we scramble to find some comfortable ground.

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Do I prefer to grow up and relate to life directly, or do I choose to live and die in fear?

~ Pema Chodron

Sticky Human Dilemmas

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Hanging Fairy; from the Haindl Rune Oracle, Man (Mannaz):

          A young fairy has gotten caught in a spider web among a field of poppies. He seems to have ceased his struggle and appears to be listening intently. The opium poppies remind me of how tempting it is to numb myself to avoid thinking about what I can't control. But that will only make me miss the message. Pema Chodron wrote:
Maybe the only enemy is that we don’t like the way reality is now and therefore wish it would go away fast. But what we find as practitioners is that nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we find the very same problem waiting for us when we arrive. It just keeps returning with new names, forms, manifestations until we learn whatever it has to teach us about where we are separating ourselves from reality, how we are pulling back instead of opening up, closing down instead of allowing ourselves to experience fully whatever we encounter, without hesitating or retreating into ourselves.
          The painting for Man (Mannaz) gives me the impression of two trees saluting each other. This rune speaks of the human dilemma found in families and societies. We depend on each other for survival and a sense of belonging, yet we also have a tendency to rip each other apart because of our obsession with "I, me, and mine." Rarely does positive change happen when individuals are self-absorbed; as Gandhi suggested, such change starts within the individual. Reality is what it is, and while I may not be able to rewrite the script, I can choose whether I respond with an open or closed heart and mind. In the VF companion book Weatherstone writes, "Your spiritual growth demands a new vision. Release your hold on what you thought was true..." That just might be the solution for getting unstuck from that web.

The Cutting Truth

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Three of Swords:

As a bird lover, this image makes me heartsick, but that of course is what it is supposed to portray. It didn't surprise me much when this card turned up; I had been thinking about a relationship I've been tiptoeing around lately. It's one of those situations where you straddle a fence between what is real and what is pretend. The harm caused by the other party destroyed all my trust, and though I might forgive, I will not allow myself to be vulnerable again. Yet for a while now both of us have maintained this pretense where it appears we get along, perhaps so as not to upset other people to whom we are mutually connected. The cutting truth is this is a relationship beyond repair. The full moon in the background of this card suggests it is time to quit playing pretend and be honest, though it will cause pain to those who are innocent in this situation.

From the Cedar Runes comes "Mannaz:"

The joyous man is dear to his kinsmen;

yet every man is doomed to fail his fellow;

~ Anglo-Saxon poem

The Anglo-Saxon verse about Mannaz (Mann) is so appropriate for the situation above. No matter what I do, no matter how I try to fix what is broken, I am simply human. I will fail in some areas and disappoint other people. And though I do believe I should treat all people with as much compassion as possible, I am not responsible for another person's happiness, just as he or she is not responsible for mine.