Everyday Duties

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Cat People, created by Karen Kuykendall and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from the Insectorum Divinorum, created and self-published by Esmeralda Rupp-Spangle. This morning's cards are the Emperor and the Nightcrawler:

The Emperor's companion cat is a snow leopard, a powerful animal that evolved to live in harsh conditions at high altitudes. The Emperor has similar qualities, proving himself to be brave in battle and capable of inspiring respect. He knows that a society needs room to advance and make progress, but they also need some limitations and rules to prevent discord and disorder. He would agree with Shunryu Suzuki, "To give your sheep or cow a large spacious meadow is the way to control him." The Nightcrawler is a beneficial earthworm that aerates the soil while helping to recycle nutrients and fertilize the soil. It has a mundane rather than flashy existence, but it provides a much needed service. As any leader, teacher or mentor knows, it's usually the day-to-day duties that provide the foundation for all the rest. 

Renunciation

This week I'll be using the Da Vinci Enigma Tarot, created by Caitlin Matthews and published by Connections. Along with it, I'll be drawing from a self-published oracle created by Esmeralda Rupp-Spangle called the Insectorum Divinorum. Today's cards are the Ten of Air (Swords) and the Nightcrawler:

Dimmi: What do you have to relinquish?

          Da Vinci's sketch shows a hanged assassin; though he managed to murder his target, things did not turn out the way he imagined. We all have our pet opinions and viewpoints that we guard ferociously and grasp tightly. Even when presented with facts that debunk our ideas, we rarely relinquish them. Often only hitting rock bottom makes us question our perspective. The Nightcrawler is an earthworm that provides natural aeration of soil, allowing water and oxygen to penetrate more easily into the ground. It suggests that perhaps we should prop open the door of our mind, allowing the fresh air of a more panoramic view. 

Renunciation, though often understood to mean “giving up,” is, more accurately, the willingness to experience things as they are, not as we want them to be. —Ken McLeod

Deep Roots, Good Soil

From the Da Vinci Enigma Tarot, the Nine of Earth (Pentacles):

Where is your rightful place?

What is the necessary attitude to take here?

These trees beside the water remind me of the black willows we have here that grow so abundantly beside ponds and lakes. While these willows are water lovers, many trees aren't - as seen by the large trees that have fallen lately because too much rain made the ground too soggy to support them. The Nine of Earth does involve putting down roots in a place, working hard, and finding independence and self-sufficiency as a result. But first I must find my "rightful place," the environment ("soil") that can support the skills and knowledge I have to offer. When I do, my commitment will bring fruitful results, because I'll be doing something I believe in and enjoy. In the words of J.M. Berrie, "Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else."

From the Insectorum Divinorum comes the "Nightcrawler:"

This large earthworm comes to the surface to feed, sometimes pulling leaves into its burrow to partially decay before being eaten. These worms help aerate and fertilize the soil, are a source of food for other animals, and may frequently be used in residential composting or as fishing bait. The nightcrawler is a reminder not to dismiss work that seems boring and unglamorous. Many "important" efforts depend on the foundation laid by those who do such seemingly insignificant tasks.