Ill-Directed Mind

From the Margarete Petersen Tarot, the Nine of Feathers (Swords); from the Elemental Dice, Volcano:

Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will. ~W. Clement Stone

In Petersen's painting, eyes open wide in terror, and a mouth screams silently. Yet it is our thoughts about things, not the actual things themselves that this card represents. The Dhammapada tells us, "Whatever harm an enemy may do to an enemy, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind inflicts on oneself a greater harm." Just a seed of assumption, misinformation or projection is all it takes if we let the mind run amuck. Yet Volcano reminds us that we have a power within to help us meet the challenges we face. In the words of Marcus Aurelius, "You have power over your mind - not outside events." It is our responsibility to use this power, no one can do it for us.

Encumbrances

From the Ferret Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Honey Bee:

Is this a satisfying thought? Will it liberate me or keep me bound?

―Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Although we humans don't like to feel anxious, we sure do practice worrying a lot. We ruminate over past actions and project our worst fears on the future. Such mental maneuvering gets us nowhere and provides no solutions. The Honey Bee encourages us to be productive, to create something beneficial with our mind instead of allowing it to trap us in dark, cobwebbed corners. Goddard advocates for us to question our thoughts instead of giving them free reign. Why should we be encumbered by our mind?

Pushing Back or Accepting

From the Anna K Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Meditation Cards, Dividing Words from Deeds:

Liberation is a reconciliation that says: what is, is; it cannot possibly be any other way than it is right now; and there’s no one here to do anything about it. Resistance and arguing end when this is reconciled. —Salvador Poe

We've all had those sleepless nights filled with anxious, unanswered questions, wondering how we will deal with what's on our plate. The larger problem is that we humans like peace and pleasure, not disturbance and difficulty. Our minds push back against these disruptions railing against the unfairness of it all. Dividing Words from Deeds offers a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. 

As the adage goes, actions speak louder than words. In the case of the Nine of Swords, the mind is busy churning out woeful and worrying thoughts while nothing is being done. It would be better to take the advice of the sage Shantideva: "If a problem can be solved, what reason is there to be upset? If there is no possible solution, what use is there in being sad?

Keep the Questions Coming

From the Alchemical Tarot Renewed, the Nine of Swords; from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun, Manipulation (Jupiter in Scorpio):

Life is a whole journey of meeting your edge again and again. That’s where you’re challenged; that’s where, if you’re a person who wants to live, you start to ask yourself questions like, “Now, why am I so scared? What is it that I don’t want to see? Why can’t I go any further than this?”

― Pema Chödrön

This fellow has met his edge; either he will become overwhelmed and give up, or he will start questioning those thoughts fueled by intense emotions. If he's curious, he might discover those swords are hanging over him but pose no immediate threat. Manipulation (Jupiter in Scorpio) takes away people's freedom to choose - people are told what to think instead of how to think. It is another edge, one that we might notice if we realize a particular viewpoint is being shoved at us. Apply Albert Einstein's words to the situation: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” If you've ever been asked 'why' a million times in an hour by a preschooler, you know the power of the question!

As the Mind Allows

From the Badgers Forest Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Gemstone Oracle, Yellow Jasper:

Fear is only as deep as the mind allows. 

―Japanese proverb

Burrowing as fast as he can, this badger is doing his version of getting in bed and pulling the cover over his eyes. Fear and anxiety often make us react in unhelpful ways like attempting to run, hide or deny. While all of us will have some serious concerns to deal with at some point, it's all the extras we pile on top that make us suffer worse. We make assumptions, imagine the least favorable outcome, and think we have no way to influence anything. We would do well to heed the wise words of Marcus Aurelius: "If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgement of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgement now." Yellow Jasper represents sacred space or a comfortable refuge. When we decide to face our fear, who and what we surround ourselves with can make a difference in whether we add to or lower our anxiety. 

Touchstone of Progress

From the Brady Tarot, the Nine of Arrows (Swords); from the Citadel, the Queen:

Someone who knew what he was talking about once remarked that pain was the touchstone of all spiritual progress. ―Bill Wilson

Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, exposed the insecticide DDT's dangers to the environment. One of the many harmful effects of this chemical was that it made the eggshells of eagles so thin, they broke when the birds sat on them. The Nine of Arrows/Swords is about mental pain and anxiety. Most humans attempt to deal with it by denial and distraction, anger and blame, or self-pity. The Queen arrives to tell us not to shy away from what we can do or how we might influence the situation. It takes determination and courage to move toward the source of our suffering. Yet when we dig deep to the root of the problem, however painful, we may find solutions. Such explanations can't change the past, but they can make the future better. 

The Downside of Imagination

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Marseille Oracle, Presentiments:

When we resist change, it’s called suffering. But when we can let go and not struggle against it, that’s called enlightenment. ~Pema Chödrön

A woman covers her eyes in fear as her horse-drawn sled is surrounded by wolves. The stripes on the wolves are a hint that she's not seeing reality but lost in the forest of ''what ifs." The trumpet represents presentiments, or apprehensions and expectations. When something unexpected and unwanted happens, our mind generally heads down the road of Worst Possible Outcomes. We can become so anxious that we fail to see what we can do that might be beneficial. Before we freak out, let's open our eyes and see what is in front of us rather than what we imagine is there.

It's Not Personal

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Spring:

Q-TIP: Quit taking it personally. ~Al-Anon

A man crouches in pain and fear as swords rain down, serpents slither and buildings crumble. The companion book states this card represents someone who perceives themself as a victim of malice beyond their control. There is no doubt that the world can hit us with metaphorical hailstones at times. But what often makes things worse is that we feel whoever has set these things into motion has a personal vendetta against us. We can get so caught up in our hurt and anger at the other, we forget to take care of ourselves. Spring suggests an awakening, an ability to see anew as if through a child's eyes. It reminds us to ask, "What if it's not really about me?" This doesn't mean people aren't accountable for their actions, but it does allow our emotions to settle so that we can see the situation more clearly and respond appropriately.  

Lay of the Land

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Turtle:

Instincts like fear and sex are important, but you don't want to be acting on them all the time. We need to be able to dynamically control our instinctive behaviors, depending on the situation.

~Cornelius Gross

The Nine of Swords is generally associated with anxiety and sleepless nights. But in this card, the gulls give the sprites a lift, allowing them to get the lay of the land. Instead of relying on an over-active imagination that churns out assumptions and worst case scenarios, the sprites get an actual view of things. Now they can respond appropriately. The Turtle card shows hatchlings instinctively hurrying to the sea before they get eaten. The driver of our instincts is the brainstem; the prefrontal cortex plays a role in keeping those instincts in check. Neuroscientists have shown that the emotional and deliberative circuits in the brain are in constant interaction (some would say struggle), and the former, for better or for worse, often holds sway. Before we 'trust our gut,' we need to make sure our prefrontal cortex has enough facts and an accurate view of what's going on to balance out those brainstem urges.

Calming the Mind

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Foreboding:

Besides being hereditary, some causes of sleepwalking are exhaustion and stress. Like nightmares, the mind tries to deal with anxiety in its own way. What else can it do if we live on a crumbling emotional edge, and our thoughts swirl around our panic rather than anything productive? Foreboding - fearful apprehension that something bad is going to happen - often instigates our sleepless, worry-filled nights. Gehlek Rinpoche offered this advice: "Understanding comes from patiently reasoning with yourself. You cannot force your mind or order it about." Gentle prodding to look at the facts of now rather than living in a projected future may help calm the mind. Once it is calm, we can consider if there is anything beneficial we can do rather than torment ourselves.

Bad Moments, Good Friends

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Healing:

This is the human version of Chicken Little's "the sky is falling." Keep in mind those swords are thoughts and words, and it's easy to make the comparison. Granted, biology has wired us for cognitive bias. But sometimes we need to pause and ask what actually has happened and what part is the imagination mushrooming things into a destined disaster. The body doesn't know what's real or fantasy, so it will keep pumping out adrenaline and stress hormones based on what the mind settles on. No wonder Healing makes an appearance. In such cases, the best remedy can often be a wise, compassionate friend who will listen and then show us how we have taken a bad moment or situation and stretched it into never-ending woe.  

Compassionate listening is a very deep practice. You listen not to judge or to blame. You listen just because you want the other person to suffer less.

—Thich Nhat Hanh

  

Habits of the Mind

From the Somnia Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Lojong for the Layperson, Slogan 15 (Four practices are the best methods.):

We all have those nights when restorative sleep can't be found. Often our worries meld with our imagination - we think of every worst outcome possible. It can feel like we are being proactive, but really we are only exhausting our mind and body. It helps to remember the advice of Shantideva (via the Dalai Lama): "If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry." Slogan 15 offers four practices to change our conditioned thinking and behavior: cultivating generosity without an agenda; acknowledging and refraining from our neurotic patterns; using challenges to wake up to reality; and seeking out wise mentors. We can let circumstances and 'what ifs' mold us, or we can use them as agents of change.

We have an infinite number of ways that we distort our experiences through habits of the mind.

~ Sharon Salzberg

Healing Arrows

This week I'll be using the Greenwood Tarot, created by Chesca Potter and published by Thorsons. The oracle I'll be using is the Rune Cards, created by Tony Linsell and Brian Partridge and published by Anglo-Saxon Books. Today's draws are the Nine of Arrows (Swords) and Oak/Ac:

Based on paintings found in the caves of France, there is speculation that the hunting bow may have been used as a musical instrument from as early as 13,000 B.C. In Potter's drawing, a woman uses her bow as a healing, musical instrument rather than a weapon. The Anglo-Saxon poem for the rune for Oak (Ac) speaks of this tree with much respect as it feeds the pigs which provide meat for men and it provides the wood to make their boats. Thus it represented usefulness and potential power. Together, both of these cards remind me of a quote by Pema Chodron: "If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it's fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be much better to turn your attention to the fact that there's an arrow in your heart and to relate to that wound." In other words, we drop our story line and look beneath it to see what is creating our anger or fear. We tend to our wounded heart rather than trying to battle reality.

Get Some Sleep

From the Anima Mundi Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Nature's Pharmacy deck, Horseradish:

Wyreweden illustrates her Nine of Swords with a turkey vulture, a scavenger that feeds almost exclusively on recently dead carrion. Having a particularly large olfactory lobe, it is able to search high above the treetops by picking up the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay in dead animals. Likewise, we humans have a tendency to sniff out trouble, even if it is irrelevant or imagined. Horseradish is known for its root, which makes is used to make pungent, eye-watering condiments. Its distinctive taste comes from allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil), a compound released when the root is crushed. Yet once exposed to air or heat, grated or chopped horseradish loses its pungency. These cards imply that before I spin out about something, I should expose what I'm worried or angry about to a little air and heat (solid evidence). Is this something that actually has to do with me (is it even my business)? Is this in the future, something that may or may not happen, something that I don't have enough information on at present to make a wise judgment on? It would be smarter to let it go and get a good night's sleep.

Carved Cup

From the Hidden Realm, the Nine of Swords; from the Heart of Faerie Oracle, the Lady of the Forest:

Moore describes this young fairy as someone who has been running and fighting for so long, she has forgotten what stillness and rest was like. I think anyone who has been through a traumatic experience knows what it is like to have an overly sensitive, inner trip wire. Nearly everything can trigger us, causing a fight, flight or freeze response. Our survival instinct keeps us from seeing that not everything that sets us off is an actual threat. The Lady of the Forest symbolizes the feminine, embodying the characteristics of creativity, compassion, connection, courage and receptivity. She would likely tell this fairy that what she is running from is the threat within her mind, not something tangible that surrounds her. Perhaps with the help of a therapist, she could learn some self-soothing techniques and train her mind to listen to her body with gentleness and intimacy. 

The “mud” and mess of our most painful experiences can become the fertile ground for the blossoming of our understanding and self-compassion. This is a hard truth to accept if we are resolved to seeing a good life as consisting only of positive events. It is true that the cool waters of happiness are sweet and precious, but it is suffering that carves our cup.  —Sister Dang Nghiem

Embodied Experience

From the Ellis Deck, the Nine of Swords; from the Brownies Oracle, Entanglement:

 ...the path is only accomplished through the body. It is also why we have the Zen saying, “You cannot wash off blood with blood.” That is, you cannot change your mind—your way of seeing—with the mind alone. ~Meido Moore

          If I am anxious before bedtime, I might try reading something uplifting, praying, or chanting Julian of Norwich's phrase "all will be well." It's easy to forget that worry is also carried in the body and will hijack the brain to make sure I stay on red alert. I recently heard a Zen teacher say that people often try to calm themselves with meditation and then complain because it was too hard to focus. He explained that we should start with the body - using a body scan or lengthening our exhales - to allow the body to relax first. Entanglement illustrates the mind-body connection, reminding me of Bernie Siegel's words: "The mind and body are not separate units, but one integrated system." There's no trying to please the one and ignore the other.

 It is through sensations of the body that it actually becomes relaxed—not by concepts and words.

~Guo Gu

Put a Pin In It

From the Lukumi Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Diloggun Oracle, Ika (thirteen mouths):

          The Nine of Swords shows a chichereku, a magic doll used for spells. When we are intoxicated with fear, anger or some other emotion, most people have a tendency to look outside themselves for a solution. Some situation or person is often (we think) the cause of our misery. We want a doll full of pins to solve our problems. The ethic and proverb for Ika read:

Ifa: Ifa divination is to be performed so that the forces in one’s life be understood and controlled.

Proverb: Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.

Divination is often a tool used to relieve the seeker of responsibility - "Tell me what to do," many querents request. But it works best (in my opinion) as a way to look inside of ourselves, to see what needs attention and requires change. It may seem like a miracle that by making small changes in ourselves, the rest of the world seems transformed as well.

Shake It Off

This week I'll be using Lo Scarabeo's Tarot of Pagan Cats (mini) with booklet by Barbara Moore and art by Lola Airaghi. Paired with it will be Brownie Wisdom, the smaller deck included with The Brownies Oracle created and self-published by Doug Thornsjo. Today's draws are the Nine of Swords and 'Cheerful Heart:'

          The back leg shake of this cat reminds me of our youngest cat whose curiosity makes her paw at (and get stuck to) pieces of tape when I'm wrapping a gift. Worry and regret can be hard to shake, especially if the mind keeps replaying the experience over and over again. But history can't be erased or rewound, I can only do what I can in the present. The Brownie's wisdom points out that unfulfilled expectations can be a cause of regret or resentment. As the sage Shantideva teaches, "Whatever joy there is in this world all comes from desiring others to be happy. And whatever suffering there is in this world all comes from desiring myself to be happy." When it's all about me, there will always be something to be bothered about.

If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry. ~Dalai Lama

Regret, Rewind, Regret

From the Sacred India Tarot, the Nine of Arrows (Swords); from the Land Sky Oracle, Pranayama:

          Bhisma (Bheeshma) was a mighty warrior and excellent archer in a battle against people he didn't want to fight. His king had already accused him of not fighting at his full strength, so Bhisma secretly told his opponents how to kill him and help end the conflict. He would refuse to fight anyone who was or had been born before as a woman. Faced with such a person, he allowed himself to be shot full of arrows by his opponents (who complied but were conflicted about this course of action). Pranayama is the control of the breath in yoga. These breathing exercises can increase breathing ability, relax or rejuvenate, and help one practice concentration. Life is full of situations that put us between a rock and a hard place but require a choice. Once decided and acted upon, there's no going back. But pranayama is an option to rein in the mind rather than getting hooked by overwhelming regret. In the words of Shantideva, “If you can solve your problem, then what is the use of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?”

Spaciousness

From the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, Soaring (Nine of Air/Swords); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Coral:

          The traditional Nine of Swords shows a woman in a bed waking up from a nightmare (or being unable to sleep because of worries). It illustrates how our emotions and thoughts can create disturbing stories that appear to be real. But Palin's card shows the solution - to rise above those thoughts and seek a spacious, wider perspective. There are many more possibilities than what I create with my limited thinking. Coral are marine animals that secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton. Not only does this hard structure help protect them, it also acts as a refuge for other ocean animals. Its ability to create its own stronghold reminds me that I too have an inner source I can tap into when I need to ground and center myself.

 Mind’s nature has two qualities: a sense of spaciousness, expansiveness, or totality, and a vivid, wakeful awareness. —Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche