Wisely and Slow

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Archer (Chariot); from the Rune Cards, Need (Naudiz):

Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.

—William Shakespeare

The Archer represents the Chariot - in the same way we must train ourselves with self-discipline and restraint to reach our goal, so the Archer trains her arrow (and her dogs) in hopes of a successful hunt. If our aims are to be reached, we must understand that forethought and patience are as important as persistence. Naudiz represents necessity, gaps in our plans that need our attention. People who are in a hurry to get what they want often make impulsive, emotional, or risky decisions. Choosing to delay our progress and correct those deficits can prevent the wheels from coming off on the journey.

Attending to Needs

This week I'll be using the deck and book set of the Tarot of Timeless Truth, created and published by Leila Vey. Today's draw is the King of Cups:

This king, sitting cross-legged in front of a fire, reminds me of some Zen master. I can imagine him offering me advice: "Now people are going to come to you who are distraught. They will want you to be just as upset as they are about whatever is going on. Listen compassionately (make little "mmming" noises where appropriate), but don't become a part of the story. They may not want you to actually fix anything, they may only want someone who will listen to them. Don't give them advice unless they ask for it, and even then, don't be offended if they don't take it. Eventually the sun will set, the waters will be still, and they will calm down." I bow to the wise wisdom of the King of Cups.

The oracle deck I'll be using this week is the Rune Cards created by Tony Linsell and Brian Partridge and published by Anglo-Saxon Books. This morning's card is "Need (Nyd):"

Need pains the heart

yet it is often a help and salvation to the sons of men

if they attend to it soon. ~ Anglo-Saxon poem

I had to laugh when I saw this card was illustrated by a pair of worn-out shoes. I have only one pair of "nice" shoes that I wear occasionally with dress pants. They have holes worn into the soles, and one sole has cracked into two pieces. I've had this comfortable pair of shoes for over 15 years, so I checked to see if they could be repaired. Unfortunately, they are beyond help and hope. Yesterday, when I was out holiday shopping with my mom, I found a somewhat similar style that fit, but the price was $100. I gingerly placed them back on the shelf and walked away. My mother fussed that I never spend money on myself, and I should go back and get them, but I just couldn't do it. Nyd reminds me that before I take on the cares of other people, I should make sure my own needs have been attended to first. Maybe there will be a coupon in the paper...

Replace or Repeat

From the Tarot of Timeless Truth, the Four of Pentacles:

I can almost hear the thoughts of these four people: "It's my life and my problems and I'll deal with things my way."  I hate to admit it, but I can relate to the insanity of such reasoning.  Yet it's hard to find an exit out of the iron box that my way of doing things created.  What produced my problems will not create the solution.  I have to open up to others, to be willing to try something new and different.  I went to a seminar last night (that I almost talked myself out of) on yoga nidra - a method that uses both mental and physical processes to reduce stress.  I found that at first I struggled to maintain control, but eventually I was able to relax.  When I did, the worries eased off too.  I'll be attending the three-week session that begins today; it will add another spiritual tool to my toolbox.

     From the Rune Cards comes "Need/Nyd:"

Nyd is oppressive to the heart;
yet often it proves a source of help and salvation
to the children of men, to everyone who heeds it betimes.
~ Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

Like these wornout shoes, there are things in my life that need to be replaced with something else.  But like shoes that cause blisters and feet that ache, I often don't realize the problem until it causes me some pain.  The pain itself is not punishment, but a red flag trying to get my attention.  And as Linsell and Partridge state in the booklet, it "causes us discomfort but it can also bring contentment if we confront it."