No Boxes, Please

From the Dark Mansion Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from Miss Mai's Victorian Oracle, Birdcage:

People can create boxes for me by all means, but it doesn't mean I'm going to step inside them. 

―Juliette Lewis

Have you ever gone to a car dealership and sat in a seller's office who had a wall covered in certificates and awards for his salesmanship? That's what this fellow reminds me of, someone slippery and skillful at getting what he wants. The Birdcage shows the flipside of that kind of achievement - people expect and demand the achiever to churn out more of the same. But what if their inspiration and enthusiasm are sagging and they want to do something completely different? Like the successful author of a book series who branches out to another genre, the feedback can be harsh. Yet if we want emotional fulfillment, we must refuse to step into any box others construct for us.

Day of Appreciation

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the A'HA Oracle, Domino Effect:

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

―Bertrand Russell

I get a "Big Lebowski" vibe from this relaxed guy. We all have times when we're burnt out and need a mental health day or when we're physically sick and we need a day of rest to get well. But sometimes we need to take a day just to appreciate that things are going right, and life is good. Sure, it's all going to change tomorrow, but why not take advantage of fully enjoying it today? Domino Effect suggests an event that sets off a chain reaction. Perhaps our "wasted day" will help provide the buoyancy we need to stay healthy in mind and body. 

Wishing

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of the Shuttered Door:

When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers. ~Oscar Wilde

Can you imagine what it would be like if humans got everything we wished for? There would not be enough storage units to hold our possessions or enough land for people to own. There would likely be, even more than now, a huge competition based on who looked the best and wore the coolest or classiest clothes. There would not be enough oil to power all the modes of transportation we would own. So maybe it is a good thing that we only occasionally get what we wish for, as it makes us much more appreciative. The Island of Shuttered Door was an island on a pedestal with no opening to enter. No amount of wishing could get the voyagers inside. This island was like a koan - no previous experience, intellect and knowledge, or physical prowess could gain them entry. Only a state of pure awareness without self-referencing might open the closed door. Such perception might also show us the way to true contentment.

Real Joy

This week I'll be using the Russian Lubok Tarot, created and self-published by Eugene Vinitski and Sergey Savchenko. I'll also be drawing from the Marseille Oracle, a deck created and published by Lo Scarabeo with a little booklet written by Isa Donelli. Today's draws are the Nine of Cups and Passion:

Whenever you get an impression of some pleasure, as with any impression, guard yourself from being carried away by it, let it await your action, give yourself a pause.

—Epictetus

A man sits alone at a beautiful table with food and nine full cups. It seems like this fellow has gotten what he wanted - his wishes have materialized. Whether intended or not, he lacks company to share his pleasures with. Beneath the table an angel and a devil compete for his attention. One suggests he distribute a portion of his good fortune with others, and the other demands that it be consumed all by himself. Passion shows a bellows, a tool used to add oxygen to a fire and increase its size. We long for the dopamine release that will bring us momentary pleasure. Yet what the mind hungers for might need to be questioned; we often crave for things that are not always in our best interest. Is there a healthier alternative that would bring us real joy?

No Tethers

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Hope:

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.

― Emma Goldman

What is it that warms your heart, attracts your curiosity, focuses your attention or makes you smile? Whether it involves nature, people, the arts, a hobby, a career or an organization, it is probably something that fulfills us and brings joy and contentment. Yet emotional fulfilment can't be found in the future, only in each moment of our precious life. It can be found if we pay attention and look with a wide view and open mind. Hope suggests we do the work without attachment; we become an optimistic realist. We recognize the potential for change and growth without tethering our happiness to a specific result. 

Gotta Catch'em All?

From the Albano-Waite Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Rumi Cards, Souls Open:

We may pass violets looking for roses.

―Bernard Williams

This fellow, with his crossed arms and his cups arranged like trophies, seems pretty satisfied with his life. If his feeling is the result of having his desires sated, it won't last long. We humans tend to want MORE with a big bump in excitement and intensity. It's like the Pokemon slogan: "Gotta catch'em all." That kind of fulfillment is not really sustainable. True contentment is a deep sense of well-being, but it is a practice not just a state of mind. We drop the comparisons and resentments while still engaging creatively in life, working appreciatively with the resources we have. The Rumi card suggests that such an outlook can act as a fresh breeze blowing through a beautiful garden. It renews our spirit and gets us out of grasping mode.

Enough

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, Birds:

 

'Enough' is a feast.

―Buddhist Proverb

Addiction is an intense craving expressed by a constant attempt to find something external to fill the void within us. Contentment is the exact opposite - an inner peace and joy with life as it is. The Nine of Cups expresses this state, even in the arrangement of its cups (creating the geomantic figure laetitia, or gladness). Such warmth radiates outward, touching everyone. The Birds card suggests messages and gossip, but it also brings to mind people who like to spread misery. However joy can't be stolen if it rests within us, independent of outside circumstances. As Og Mandino said, "Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealousy, and envy."

Put It In Your Pocket

From the Mary-El Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the OH Cards, Goodbye/Ugly:

In life you have to learn to count the good days. You have to tuck them in your pocket and carry them around with you.

―Richard Osman

White has chosen to illustrate this Nine of Cups with a baboon - a symbol of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom. This great ape seems to be soaking in the joy he currently feels as opposed to the 'Ugly Goodbye' in the OH card combo. The solidity of the baboon indicates his understanding and acceptance of the cycles of happy and sad, pleasant and unpleasant. Like Osman's quote, he's figured out how to tuck the good ones in his pocket for later recollection instead of ranting and railing when things change. He realizes inner contentment is much more stable than any dependence on what's external. And though no happy experience can be exactly replicated, he's sure there will be other joyful times ahead.

Showing Up

From the Urban Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Principles to Live By, Trustworthiness:

Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them. ~Dhammapada 1:2 

A group of people have gathered at Fort Washington Park for some fun and relaxation. I appreciate that Scott created an everyday image for this card. I have been in beautiful and exciting places and been miserable, yet I have also been in simple settings with a full heart. In each case, a large part of it was the company of folks with me. The right people, I've found, can make the even the ordinary a memorable, happy experience. The star represents Trustworthiness, the trait of being dependable and responsible. As Samuel Johnson put it, "Hell is paved with good intentions." Those joyful moments come when I follow through and show up; simply saying the words is as lasting as a ripple in a stream.

Virus Scan

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Absurd, created and self-published by Jessica Rose Shanahan. I'll also be using another self-published deck, the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk by Masha Falkov. The draws for today are the Nine of Cups and the Virus:

Shanahan uses a flexible genie to illustrate her 'wish card.' Such elasticity suggests that learning to adapt to whatever life throws our way could be a great tool in finding contentment and delight. Having rigid expectations are a reliable way to end up frustrated and disappointed. On the other hand, being versatile can open other avenues and opportunities. The Virus implies a host has been invaded and is now under its influence. The host might be a body or a computer, but the most common is the mind. It happens when we unintentionally let a thought or belief inhabit our head, and then we go off the rails (and no contentment will be found there). The only solution is a virus scan, also known as mindfulness, which allows us to be aware of what is running loose in the mind and dismantle it with logic.

Disorder is inherent in stability... A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed.

―Tom Robbins

Boons

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, Dancer Nine (Nine of Cups); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Fern:

Then Nine of Cups is often called the 'wish card,' suggesting a person gets what they desire. Wishes are generally based on wants, such as a couple who wants another child or someone desiring to renovate their house. However, wishes have a different kind of energy when emotionally charged - the couple with a seriously ill child or a person hoping the tornado doesn't demolish the house they are sheltering in. Those types seem to be, when granted, the kind that keep gratitude around for awhile. Matthews suggests the wisdom of Fern is 'Truth is the preserver of life.' This selection is based on the many myths about finding a fern in flower on a special night and receiving a boon. The joke is that true ferns have neither seed nor flowers. Fern asks that we consider if what we're wishing for is simply an attempt to fill an emptiness that might be more skillfully filled with what we actually need.

Rethinking

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Serenity:

I've always felt a little sorry for the fellow on the Nine of Cups who seems happy but alone. I guess I was under the influence of thinkers like George Gordon Byron who said, "To have joy, one must share it." Getting older has made me rethink this philosophy. While it can be nice to share many moments with others, the Serenity card reminds me that sometimes it's nice to just enjoy them on my own. I don't need to post the sunrise I'm viewing on Facebook or call a friend about an insight I had as I was reading. Instead I can just be mindful of my enjoyment while it's in front of me.

Enjoying not Worrying

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Marseille Oracle, Love:

Often called the 'wish card,' the Nine of Cups suggests a feeling of satisfaction and gratification in seeing something hoped for come to fruition. But the added element of the angel and devil figures suggest an underlying feeling of unease, a sense of enjoyment while waiting for the other shoe to drop. Of course everything changes and nothing lasts forever, but we still can celebrate and enjoy every minute until it does (rather than spend it worrying). The yellow canary is given the keyword Love - a fitting description for a pet bird that enjoys its relationship with humans. It implies that happiness shared with another can expand our joy. Plus, it can help us stop our fretting and enjoy the pleasures life has brought us.

We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are.

― Bill Watterson

A Field Full

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Nine of Chalices; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, Black:

This image is uncannily like a photo I recently sent out on my husband's 74th birthday. It neatly sums up what life is like when you actually have time to pause and enjoy the birds you've been feeding and the flowers you've planted that are blooming. While some folks see this Nine as the "wish card," I also see it as the natural result of goodwill and kindnesses we've offered to others; our benevolence is returned back to us.The color Black is described as the richness of the dark night; I'd also describe it as the richness of the dark soil. What we plant in our lives will not only grow, it will produce seeds that create more of the same. What do you want your field to be full of?

Wedding Joy with Discipline

This week I'll be using the New Era Elements Tarot, created by Eleonore Pieper and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be using the Tao Oracle, created by Ma Deva Padma and published by St. Martin's Press. Today's draws are Nine of Water (Cups) and Hexagram Seven:

Pieper describes dolphins as creatures that move through their environment with ease, engaging with it in a playful manner. They are a reminder that chasing happiness doesn't work; we only find it when we let each moment unfold without trying to cling to it, shove it away, or hide from it. Our relationship with it is one of openness and curiosity rather than possessiveness, anger or indifference. Hexagram 7 is often called discipline, and involves being able to do what is just and beneficial rather than be pulled by one's emotions. Self-discipline won't pop up fully formed when chaos or challenges appear, however. Rather than allowing the mind to be swayed by outer circumstances, we practice staying open to what is, relating to it with compassion and kindness. 

I think self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.

~Daniel Goldstein

It's Found in the Moment

From the Tarot of Pagan Cats, the Nine of Cups; from the Brownie Wisdom deck, The Fray:

This pair of cards explains why contentment can only be found in the present moment. One minute we're in the fine dining car of a train, eating a delicious lunch, and watching beautiful scenery from out window. In the blink of an eye, the train becomes the world's highest roller coaster without seat belts that's making a terrifying drop. It reminds me of the Eight Worldly Winds: gain or loss, status or insignificance, blame or praise, and pleasure or pain. We revel in the good times but rage against the bad. Such fluctuation doesn't mean we should spend the satisfying moments waiting for the other shoe to drop. Rather we should see them as a gift to embrace and enjoy fully, while understanding our pleasant train ride will eventually change tracks. As Judy Lief explained, "It is unrealistic to expect your life to be free of stress, but there is a real possibility that you could transform the way you deal with it."

Quality not Quantity

This week I'll be using Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille, restored and reconstructed by Kris Hadar and published by Mortagne. Lee Bursten's The Marseille Tarot Companion will be a resource for reading with this deck. The oracle I'll be using is one I created myself called the Greek Rune Tiles. AlaskaLaserMaid on Etsy burned the designs on cedar tiles for me. Today's draws are the Nine of Cups and Eta:

I am convinced that most people do not grow up...We marry and dare to have children and call that growing up. I think what we do is mostly grow old.

― Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

The LWB for the Hadar describes the Nine of Cups as a departure from adolescence. What does that look like on an emotional level?

• We learn to be flexible and resilient instead of demanding life give us what we want.
• We learn to be responsible, cultivate self-honesty, and admit our mistakes.
• We realize we don't know everything and are willing to listen to other points of view; we seek out opportunities for growth and learn from our experiences. 
• We develop a calm disposition and a confidence that does not feed on being better than someone else.
• We maintain a sense of humor, an open mind and an empathetic response toward others.

Of course no one does this perfectly, we just realize these traits are something worthy of aspiring to and developing. The Greek letter Eta was derived from the Phoenician letter het meaning “wall” or “fence.” It is tempting as adults to see ourselves as founts of wisdom and emotional intelligence while relegating the young to a clueless group. Yet wise maturity depends on the quality of our years, not the quantity.

On the See-Saw

This week I'll be using the Ship of Fools Tarot created by Brian Williams and published by Llewellyn. Paired with it will be the Wisdom of the Four Winds created by Barry Brailsford, illustrated by Cecilie Okada and published by StonePrint Press. Today's draws are the Nine of Cups and Lightning:

A large group of fools seem to be celebrating one of their own; I can almost hear them singing "For he's a jolly good fellow." It's nice to get that pat on the back, but I can't help but think of Buddhism's Eight Worldly Concerns: gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and insignificance, and pleasure and pain. As Lightning appears, it reminds me that we never get to stay on the 'up' side of the see-saw for too long. Yet if we spend all of our time worrying and trying to avoid the negative side, we use up a lot of energy that could have been used for enjoying life. Life, like see-saws, will always move up and down.

 It's helpful to focus on the center of practice: Transforming reactivity and learning better how to respond skillfully in all parts of our lives. ~Donald Rothberg

Smirking or Smiling?

From the Hoi Polloi Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the I Ching Pack, Hexagram 42:

The RWS version of the Nine of Cups, with its over-stuffed, arms crossed fellow, always strikes me as smug contentment rather than authentic joy. With his cups above him like trophies, he seems to be bragging about how much happiness he's accumulated. But I tend to agree with Nietzsche: "The mother of excess is not joy but joylessness." This guy seems to be trying to fill up a hole in his soul rather than fully appreciating his experiences. It's like someone going on an international tour with their focus centered on taking selfies and photos to put on Facebook. There's no need to prove how happy you are; genuine people tend to glow with it. The Hexagram 42 - 'reduction' - gives the example of the mountain shedding its snow and replenishing the lakes below it. Likewise, personal emotional fulfillment often comes when we selflessly give to others, sharing our blessings rather than hoarding or advertising them.

Digging In

From the Tarot of the Abyss, the Nine of Cups; from the Nature Mandela Meditation Cards, Generosity:

Whatever positive facts you find, bring a mindful awareness to them—open up to them and let them affect you. It’s like sitting down to a banquet: don’t just look at it—dig in!

~Rick Hanson

If I asked you to recall something that was upsetting or made you angry last week, it would probably take less than a minute. But what if I asked you to remember something wonderful that gave you joy? Thanks to our biology, we have a built-in negativity bias that makes our brains focus on what's bad. This innate tendency is more stressful than helpful now. As Rick Hanson put it, "Staying with a negative experience past the point that’s useful is like running laps in Hell: You dig the track a little deeper in your brain each time you go around it." But like this lady taking the time to smell the flowers in each of her cups, we can choose to make it a point to deeply absorb moments of joy and contentment, and when we're having a bad day, we can relive them (and retrain our brain). The Generosity card reminds me of a tonglen meditation where we send out thoughts to others who may be struggling, wishing that they might enjoy the happiness we're currently experiencing. Not only does this practice stave off self-centeredness, it also helps us be mindful and grateful of the full cups we currently savor.