Turning Towards

This week I'll be using the Light Seer's Tarot, created by Chris-Anne Donnelly and published by Hay House. The other deck I'll be drawing from is the Tapestry Oracle, created and self-published by Kendall Eifler. Today's draws are the Moon and Nurture:

We turn away from the difficult, we turn away from freedom.

—Anshin Devin Ashwood

Emotions that we thought had been tamped down, stuffed into our subconscious mind, have a way of reappearing and pulling us under. Grief, anger or fear can wrap us in their tentacles. Father's Day has this effect on me, after having three dads - one that abandoned, one that abused, and one that loved but died unexpectantly. Yet emotions don't want to hurt us, we just need to feel them without attaching any stories. As the discomfort fills our body, we allow their intensity to crest, then fall away. Nurture reminds us to offer ourselves the warmth of unconditional kindness when these emotions knock us off our feet. As Anne Lamott reminds us, "“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you."

Finding the Pearl

From the Gill Tarot, the Fool; from The Circle, Nurture:

Why then the world's mine oyster,

Which I with sword will open.

~ William Shakespeare

          Shakespeare's quote popped into my head this morning when I saw this fellow gleefully walking off the edge of a cliff with a globe in his hands. Oysters can supply nourishment and on rare occasions a pearl, but it takes a little digging to get them open. With all the positivity fueling this free spirit, he would likely consider any effort just an adventure. It seems to take much more work to be an optimist than a pessimist these days. Primarily, I must look beyond my personal concerns and search out what is beautiful, awe-inspiring and heart-warming. It's there if I'm willing to dig it out. The Nurture card reminds me this attitude can develop further if I care for it by nourishing it with good rather than toxic things. My husband and I are heading to the four-year-old's preschool this morning for Grandparent's Day. That should be a hoot and a help.

Luck? I Don't Think So.

This week I'll be using the Gill Tarot, created by Elizabeth Gill and published by U.S. Games. Today's draw is the Ten of Cups:

Someone asked me the other day how I got so lucky to have such a good marriage. Believe me, luck has nothing to do with it. In this card, that bottom cup rests on a foundation of bedrock. In relationship terms, that means honesty, loyalty, patience, perseverance and kindness. Good looks fade and the "newness" and excitement wear off pretty quickly. There needs to be more substance than that if a relationship is going to sustain itself. In her companion book, Gill speaks of a "sustained effort" needed to make it up that mountain. I agree 100%.

The oracle deck I'll be working with this week is The Circle; it was created by D.R. Taylor and published by Versation Publishing. This morning's pick is "Nurture:"

When I saw the nursing babe and the keyword, I picked up the companion book expecting to read words that encouraged me to give of myself. Instead, Taylor makes it very plain this card includes both giving and receiving. He writes that nurture involves an understanding of grace and realizing "both giving and receiving require humility." Relationships can't thrive if the people involved are only takers, yet neither will it survive if the participants refuse to be receptive. It's a two-way street.

The Cialis of All Enterprise

From the Spiral Tarot, the King of Wands:

This king has just as much enthusiasm as the rest of his court (check out that dragon throne), but he knows how to keep the fires burning slowly so they don't go out or burn up what he's cooking. The Page is eager for new adventures and ideas, the Knight is energized by gathering resources to make it happen and the Queen is enthused about nurturing and supporting them. But the King is the Cialis of All Enterprise. He guides around obstacles and through bumpy challenges without faltering. He's not constantly distracted by every "new and exciting" thing that comes along, because his goal is to see things through to their completion. He teaches me to stop channel surfing and finish what I started.

The card from the Spiral Journey set for today is "Nurture:"

Perhaps this is the secret behind the king's success - he knows how to nurture himself so he can keep the coals hot. I tend to get pulled away from projects and goals when other people need me. It's hard to say, "I'll get back to you soon, but right now I need to take care of something." Ellen at Greylady's Hearth and I were just talking about this the other day. She made the statement that there are times we need to put out a sign that says "Down for maintenance" - simply brilliant. If I wait until I have time to take care of my own needs and desires, there will never be any available. I'm going to have to make the time for myself.