Carpet Bombing

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Empress; from the Ascension to Paradise cards, Mousebird:

          The Empress represents the power and chaos of creative potential to build, nourish, renew, and at times, ravage. She is pure emotion, defending, loving and offering mercy. Yet she can at times be like an unaware, vulnerable teen mother, who is without the intellectual understanding to grasp how she might unintentionally harm those who are innocent. The Mousebird is a small grayish or brownish bird that scurries through the leaves like rodents, in search of berries, fruit, and buds (which is how it got its common name). Rather than being solitary, these gregarious birds feed together outside the breeding season. The web in this card suggests that we consider our connections to others before we speak or act. Though our target may be specific when we launch an attack, we may fail to consider how our behavior may affect those who are blameless bystanders.

I think carpet bombing is an absolutely tremendous idea if the enemy accommodates you by laying himself out like a carpet in the middle of the desert without any civilians or infrastructure around him. Every civilian's death diminishes us, collectively. ~David Petraeus

"E" is for Effort

From the Rosetta Tarot today comes the Six of Wands:

The two front wands contain the form of Sekhmet, an Egyptian deity pictured as a lioness and known as both a warrior goddess and a goddess of healing.  Such a strange dichotomy (war and healing) seems appropriate for this card, as it represents a victory that has come after a challenge.  This meaning is paralleled in the other four wands - two with a varja (dorje) on top and two with rose buds.  The varja is a Buddhist symbol and means "hard" or "indestructible."  This masculine symbol is balanced with the feminine rose buds, suggesting the passion and perseverance in overcoming the obstacle will now become something beautiful and enjoyable.  For me the message is clear: stop whining and keep moving.  Success only comes when I put forth an effort.

  The card chosen from the Ascension to Paradise deck today is the "Mousebird:"

The mousebird of Africa and can be seen in large, chattering groups.  In this image, the bird's tail seems to be caught in a web.  The message this card is to become aware of painful, unresolved stories and events that keep me tied to the past.  Facing and feeling it without judgment (rather than painting myself as a victim) can help me let go and move on.  Forgiveness isn't microwavable, but a process, and will require me to make daily, gradual steps in the right direction.