It's Essential

From the Prisma Tarot, the Eight of Chalices; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, Mauve:

An obligation is a debt without choice. It’s a have-to. When we do things for a long time without choice, we feel resentment, which leads to emptiness.

—Roger Daviston

The cosmos calls to a man whose world has become meaningless because he is chained by obligations. Jobs, people and groups often make demands of us, and we unwittingly begin to mold our life to their wishes. Gradually life becomes a trudge that leaves us feeling hollow. Our resentments grow, only making matters worse, but our guilt keeps us stuck. Mauve is a dusty, pinkish-purple color known for its muted, soft quality. It asks us to mute those demands outside of ourselves and listen to our own needs. Self-care isn't selfish, it's essential. As the saying goes, "An empty lantern provides no light."

Leap or Lie Down

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Fool; from the Secret Language of Color, Mauve:

At the end of all rationality, there is simply the need to decide and the faith to live through, to endure. 

― Ken Liu

A pelican watches from a post as a wolf struggles in the ocean. The Fool invites us to trust and take a risk, to be willing to try something new. In business, a calculated risk is one that exposes a person to a degree of danger that is counterbalanced by a reasonable possibility of benefit. It acknowledges that there may be loss or hazards, but it also suggests that logic has been applied and there is a greater chance of a beneficial return. Trust implies vulnerability, but it doesn't mean we need to be completely heedless. Mauve is one of those colors that is hard to describe: it's kind of pink and sort of purple. At some point, we must make a decision, or else our choice will be made by our indecisiveness. After all, even those choices that were a mistake can help us learn.

Return Voyage

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Sun; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, "Mauve:"

          This woman is so energized by the rising sun, she floats upward leaving behind her worries and concerns. It's not that these problems have been vaporized. She's taken the advice of the PV booklet to remember that "life is wonderful and precious." She's allowing the mindfulness of the moment to revitalize her and clear her head. The Mauve card advises "clear hearing" - listening without an agenda or judgment. When my ears are open and receptive, my mouth and mind are quiet. Both of these cards reminded me of some of Thich Nhat Hanh's gathas (short verses) designed to help focus the mind and "return to ourselves" as we go about some of our normal activities. Here are some of my favorites:

Water and sun

green these plants.

When the rain of compassion falls,

even the desert becomes a vast fertile plain.

The mind can go in a thousand directions, 

But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. 

With each step, a cool wind blows. 

With each step, a flower blooms.

Breathing in, I calm my body. 

Breathing out, I smile. 

Dwelling in the present moment, 

I know this is a wonderful moment!

Mindful Nurturing

This week I'll be using the Gaian Tarot deck and book set created and published by Joanna Powell Colbert.  This morning's draw is the Guardian of Fire (Queen of Wands):

I love being the fire tender at ceremonies; there is just something very soothing about watching the flames flicker and hearing the crackle of the wood burning.  But I have to pay attention too; I must feed the fire so that it doesn't go out, but at the same time, be careful that it doesn't burn out of control.  There must be a supply of wood available, and I must watch out for sparks that might light dry leaves outside the circle.  The Queen of Wands/Fire knows how to guard and nurture creativity in the same way.  She reminds me not to let my spark of inspiration go out, but mind it as carefully as I would a ceremonial fire.  It is an important part of my life that deserves to be maintained and developed.  The bobcat in the background is an animal we have here locally.  Though a small cat in relation to cougars, it can still take down a deer if it needs to eat; it teaches me not to be intimidated by the size of a project.

The other deck I'll be using this week is the Goddess Oracle, created by Amy Sophia Marashinsky and Hrana Janto and published by Element Books.  Today's card is "Mauve:"

Mauve was the intoxicating, warrior goddess of Ireland who represented the land's sovereignty.  In one Irish epic, the story is told of a great battle that ensued over cattle and wealth.  Mauve made decisions that caused much destruction and bloodshed just to prove a point.  She had to take responsibility for the choices she made and the results they produced.  Mauve encourages me to be mindful of my words and actions rather than instinctively reacting to people and situations.  Like the flames in the tarot card above, things can burn out of control quickly.  No one builds a ceremonial fire by just tossing a bunch of logs and sticks in a pile and tossing in a match.  I too need to use awareness and forethought before setting things into motion.