Telling the Difference

From the Prairie Tarot, the Page of Swords; from the Medicine Cards, Alligator:

Discernment is not a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right. —Charles Spurgeon

This fellow is obviously a more mature Page of Swords. Rumors and gossip (birds, dragonflies, leaves) swirl all around him, yet he keeps his sword tip in the ground. Half-truths and juicy tidbits can be easy to swallow if we aren't willing to track down reliable sources (without an agenda), ask questions, and uncover the facts. Alligators have a slow metabolism, so they digest food over an extended period; because they are cold-blooded, they lie in the sun to help increase their metabolism and digestion. Alligator's message is that we may have missed some important information in our assessment (it hasn't been 'digested' in our awareness). We need to check and see what we might have overlooked or consider if we may be unaware of a bias. It's been said that intelligence and wisdom rarely keep company, but if humility is thrown into the mix, we can consider that we might be wrong and recheck our judgment.

Layers

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 Page of Blades and Matrioshka:

I understand how a first impression is often just that: a quick snapshot that, on its own merit, is meaningless. —Adriana Trigiani

This sly, saucy Page has a mind as quick as lightning and a tongue as sharp as her sword. She is full of knowledge and likes to surprise people with how much she knows. Though she understands and collects information, it amounts to one grain from all the world's beaches. She has not yet grasped that what she wields isn't wisdom; it will take time and experience to learn to use it well rather than as a weapon or as an arrogant display. Matrioshka, or Russian nesting dolls reminds us that first impressions may not accurately give us enough information to judge a situation or person. We all have had days when we were stressed and reacted badly, or in the past, when we were young and cocky. Given some time, a fuller picture can be revealed, good or bad.

Slowing the Fire

From the Anna K. Tarot, the Page of Swords; from the Meditation Cards, Firebreak:

By slowing things down, you can interrupt the tossing of the match into the pile of leaves. You can say, 'I don't need to go there. I see what's coming.' —Judy Lief

We all have to learn things, but it is especially important to have a skillful knowledgeable person to teach them. In this Page's case, he is trying to learn to use his intellect and words (sword) in a conflict. Hopefully his mentor will explain that a debate is not a diatribe; the point is to influence rather than impale the other person. The Meditation Card is Firebreak - a gap in vegetation or combustible material used to stop or slow the spread of a wildfire.  At times, we all need a person who can act in this way; someone who knows our propensities and can slow us down in heated situations before we leave only scorched earth behind.

Tiptoeing Around Elephants

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, the Princess (Page) of Dreamers (Swords); from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Birch (Beith):

By acknowledging how ridiculous something is, people know what’s real again. We need those refreshers. It’s amazing how out of touch people can be when pretending there’s no elephant in the room. ―Karl Kristian Flores

This Princess/Page is always listening to the whispers on the wind, picking up pieces of information like a magnet finds iron. She is clever and perceptive but lacks tact and diplomacy. Similar to an Alzheimer's patient who's lost their social niceties filter, the Princess tells what she sees and hears. Of course, things can get awkward with her announcements, as with the child who pointed out the Emperor was wearing no clothes. Yet she is an ace at clearing the table of games people prefer to play instead of just being honest and open. Birch, because of its ability to quickly repopulate damaged forests, symbolizes new beginnings. It asks us, "Can there be a good conclusion without a good beginning?" Perhaps it is better to be direct and candid than to pussyfoot around any elephants.

Wonder

From the Badgers Forest, the Kit of Badgers (Page of Swords); from the Gemstone Oracle, Moss Agate:

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. 

—Dorothy Parker

Curiosity is what gets this Kit/Page out of bed every morning. It's not so much that he craves certainty, it's just that the world is so interesting and surprising that it pulls him like a magnet.  He follows a mystery, asks questions and reads to find answers, only to discover another wonder to uncover. Moss Agate symbolizes growth and natural cycles. As Frederick Douglas said, "Inaction is followed by stagnation." Our minds work the same way - if we think we have all the answers, they become closed and inflexible. As Socrates said, "Wisdom begins in wonder."

Acts of Stewardship

From the Swietlistej Drogi, the Page of Swords; from the Mirrors of the Heart, Help:

If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody come sit next to me.

―Alice Roosevelt Longworth

As much as it might pain us to admit, we've probably all got a little Alice in us. The Page of Swords, who enjoys collecting and disseminating information, would probably have a permanent seat next to her. He hasn't yet learned the importance of making sure what he hears is fact of fiction, he's just excited to pass it along. Help is a reminder that whether we tell stories about others is an ethical choice. Yonatan Hambourger reminds us: "When someone is misrepresented in a conversation, something delicate is placed in your hands. In small communities especially, word travels fast, and a sentence spoken casually can shape a reputation for years. Choosing to correct gently, to remain silent rather than amplify harm, or to speak with care when others are absent—these are acts of stewardship..."

Threshing Floor

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Masters, created and self-published by James Ricklef. (I'll also be referring to Ricklef's Tarot Affirmations book.) The oracle deck I'll be using is The Key to the Kingdom, a transformational cards and booklet set created by Tony Meeuwissen and published by Running Press. Today's draws are the Youth of Swords and the Two of Spades:

A mind not agitated by good questions cannot appreciate the significance of even the best answers. It is easy enough to learn the answers. But to develop actively inquisitive minds, alive with real questions, profound questions—that is another story.

―Mortimer J. Adler

The Page's mind is like a sponge, soaking up information he hears and the answers to questions he asks. A trove of knowledge is a worthy asset, but doubt is a powerful tool to sort through what has been accumulated. The Two of Spades is paired with this poem:

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe,

Get it done by half past two; 

Stitch it up, and stitch it down,

Then I'll give you half a crown.

While information in our day and age is a necessity, the Two of Spades encourages us to take action - threshing the wheat from the chaff - to find what's worth keeping. As Steve Albini wrote, "Doubt the conventional wisdom unless you can verify it with reason and experiment."

Juju

 From the New Era Elements Tarot, Daughter of Air (Page of Swords); from the Tao Oracle, Hexagram 46 (Pushing Upward):

The game of life is a game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later with astounding accuracy. ―Florence Scovel Shinn

The Daughter of Swords is bright, outspoken and soaks up information like a sponge. But intelligence does not equal common sense, especially when it comes to the consequences of our words. She's realized that words have power but is only beginning to find out that they can also seal up a heart or a doorway. That kind of juju needs to be respected, not used indiscriminately. Hexagram 46 shows mushrooms pushing up through the ground - the fruiting bodies of fungi. It represents rising to a higher level as we learn from our mistakes and the wisdom of others. In this case, we understand that we don't have to say everything we think. As Ernest A. Yeboah said, "We only shout when we neglect what silence can do."

A Servant

This week I'll be using the Osho Zen Tarot, created by Ma Deva Padma with Osho and published by St. Martin's Press. I'll also be using the A'HA Oracle, created and self-published by Linnie Lambrechtsen. The card draws for today are the Page of Swords (Mind) and Talisman:

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.

—William James

This card is a bit horrific, yet what would all the thoughts in our own mind look like? Tapes that play over and over the same thing? The Page of Swords has not yet learned that the mind is meant to be a servant, not our master. Our lives are shaped by our thoughts, especially when we're unaware of them and don't question whether they're fact or fiction. And as Iara Gassen warns, "Be careful of your thoughts, they may become words at any moment." Talisman is usually thought of as a magical item, but Linnie suggests this item can be anything that helps us remember what is important and maintain our focus. It might be a polished stone in our pocket or a silicone wristband - a great way to remember to pause and check on what our mind is up to.

Picking Up Information

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Herald/Page of Winter (Swords); from the Haindl Rune Oracle, Laguz:

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.

―Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Herald of Winter is direct and bluntly honest. He warns people of things they need to know about and brings news of good things. Those pointy ears are like a radar, listening for whatever information he can pick up, which leads to him spilling the beans on some things that don't need to be aired. He's smart but not yet mature enough to be discerning. Laguz is generally translated 'water,' whether a lake, ocean or waterfall. The ancients looked upon it as a blessing and a danger: it could aid travel and supply food, but it could also cause drowning. Such vast expanses of water needed to be respected. Likewise, the ability to collate information is a talent, but the ability to discriminate between what is helpful and what is harmful is necessary. Just because we know it doesn't mean we need to tell it. 

A Little of Both

From the Gill Tarot, the Princess (Page) of Swords; from the Circle Deck, Trust:

The heart has its reasons, which reason does not know… We know truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart. ― Blaise Pascal

Having a lot of knowledge and the intellect to wield it can be a dangerous thing if there is no kindness to balance it. Such intelligence has need of an ethical counterbalance (think of Sherlock's Watson). Whether we are weighted on the heart side or the logic side, the Trust card encourages us to give the other end of the seesaw some leeway. Our well-being and that of others depends on both.

Slow Engine of Destruction

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Page of Swords; from the Cedar Runes, Sowilo:

Fire and swords are slow engines of destruction, compared to the tongue of a Gossip.

~Richard Steele

The Page of Swords always likes to have an intellectual edge, so she and the swans have a daily gossip fest. She explains that it's important to have as much current information as possible, although most of the scuttlebutt shared is greatly exaggerated or untrue. Gathering such hearsay is simply a way for her to feel like she has an advantage over others. She has not yet learned that this is a sieve that will never fill and hold what she seeks. Sowilo is translated as 'sun' and considered a guide to success. The rune poems call it the light of the world and the destroyer of ice; it gives clarity, shows us the truth, and thus destroys any deceptions. It would suggest the Page take a clear look at her self-serving motives for gossip and see that it doesn't really serve her at all.  

From Atop the Mountain

From the Tarot by Caro, the Page of Swords; from the Holitzka I Ching, Hexagram 52:

We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality.

~Iris Murdoch

Precocious and intelligent, it's easy for the Page of Swords to think she knows everything (which she'll gladly share, whether you want to hear it or not). Yet the clouds and blowing wind suggest her ideas about life are rather foggy. Our discernment can be skewed by opinions and prejudices, emotions, attachment to desires, or a lack of knowledge. Just because we think it's true doesn't make it so. Hexagram 52 is often titled the Mountain or Keeping Still. It suggests that it if we want to see with clarity we must still our mind and observe it. Are we making assumptions or seeing only a small slice of reality? What is at the root of our beliefs - evidence or something else? The Mountain gives us a higher, wider perspective of things rather than from a single viewpoint. 

Wipe out imagination: check desire: extinguish appetite: keep the ruling faculty in its own power. ~Marcus Aurelius

Motives Make a Difference

From the Sacred India Tarot, the Page of Arrows (Swords); from the Land Sky Oracle, Devotion (Hanuman):

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

―Alexander Graham Bell

Nakula and Sahadeva were twins who were exceptionally bright and knowledgeable in every field of study. Although they demonstrated their bravery during war, they were rarely in the limelight and were mentioned more as "supporting actors" in the Mahabharata. The young and overly ambitious over focus on rewards instead of the task at hand, but like the twins, we must all put in the effort and time in order to fully develop our skills before we receive acknowledgement. As researcher Dr. Agata Ludwiczak wrote, "High rewards are not enough to ensure people put in the effort they need to achieve their targets." When we're busy fantasizing about the fruits, we're not very diligent farmers. Devotion is illustrated with Hanuman, the Hindu god of the monkeys, devoted himself to the service of Rama (incarnation of Vishnu). Rather than looking for any reward, his dedication and assistance was based in devotion and faithfulness. Motives make a difference.

Even the Antidote

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 Page of Swords and Darkness:

There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.

―Ansel Adams

Mental constructs have a heady effect on this intellectual Page. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the world experience she to realize a concept doesn't cover everything. Unfortunately, that's how extreme 'isms' get born, like nihilism or asceticism. The Buddhist lojong slogan, "Self-liberate even the antidote," points out that even ideas that are useful in some ways can be too constrictive for the constant change of life when applied too widely. The card Darkness shows how tightly held constructs can shrink our world, squeezing out any hope for other possibilities. Even when those opportunities arise, we can be so blinded by our ideas we don't see them.

Incomplete

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Crone, a book and deck set created and self-published by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince. I'll be pairing it with Transforming Dragons, a set created by Sonia Cafe and published by Weiser. Today's cards are the Beast of Swords and Cerbeu:

There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.

― Douglas Adams

What traditionally is called the Page of Swords, Lorenzi-Prince instead gives the name 'Beast' to describe the primal, wild expression of this element. The crow makes me think of the saying, "as the crow flies," meaning taking the shortest route rather than longer, well-traveled roads. Yet the quick and impatient way means missing out on a lot of knowledge and experience that could lead to wisdom. Worse still, we might assume that what we've learned is completely accurate, without realizing it's just one facet of the whole. Cerbeu represents ignorance, meaning the true nature of things is hidden through denial, delusion or a lack of information. But if we perceive ourselves as holding only one grain of knowledge compared to all that is available, we might become willing to listen and learn in order to add to our inventory.

 

Check Your Sources

From the Dark Mansion Tarot, the Page of Swords; from Miss Mai's Victorian Oracle, Planchette:

On the plus side, the Page of Swords is eager to learn and has his ear bent toward any new information around him. On the down side, he's not yet learned how to wisely wield the sharp sword of knowledge that he's collected. His mother will hopefully apprise him of what it takes not only to be intelligent, but also trustworthy: Just because you know something, you don't have to share that information with others unless it helps more than hurts the people involved. The original Planchette was a flat piece of wood equipped with two wheeled casters and a pencil-holding aperture pointing downwards. It was used to facilitate automatic writing by mediums who claimed to be able to communicate with the dead. The device would later be replaced by the pointer used for Ouija boards. It is rather suspect that the intercessors who used them had to be paid a substantial sum of money so spirits could communicate to their family instead of the dead using a more direct method. Which is another lesson for this Page: sometimes people feed us misinformation or nonsense for their own gain. 

It has become more important than ever that we teach students how to do research, and how to evaluate different sources of information. ~Jimmy Wales

MU

From the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, the Page of Swords; from the Button Oracle, Guitar:

The Page of Swords is like a radar, constantly observing, listening and asking questions to collect information. With little experience in the world, however, he tends to take what he knows and make wide generalizations. He reminds me of the monk who asked his teacher if a dog had Buddha nature, to which the teacher replied 'mu.' Mu can be translated 'without,' but it would be a mistake to assume it was the opposite of answering yes. As Robert Pirsig explains, "Mu becomes appropriate when the context of the question becomes too small for the truth of the answer." The Guitar quote comes from an African proverb: "When the music changes, so does the dance." No concept can pin down anything all the time. Life is in flux and it's mysteries rarely have easy answers.

THINK First

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Seer/Page of Swords; from the Mystic Glyphs, Judgement:

This Page's fox companion seems to know what she does not: just because we're good with words doesn't mean we should use them indiscriminately. As the Judgement card encourages, we need to use some discernment before opening our mouth. The T-H-I-N-K acronym (attributed to Alan Redpath) is a helpful way to do just that:

T – Is it true? Is it accurate, factual information, or is it just hearsay or my opinion?

H – Is it helpful? Will this benefit everyone involved or just me?

I  – Is it inspiring? Will this encourage or discourage others?

N – Is it necessary? Will harm come to someone if I don’t speak or act? Will an opportunity for  good be missed?

K – Is it kind? Are the words I say chosen carefully and compassionately? Are my actions considerate and respectful? 

Pause for Clarity

This week I'll be using the Animal Totem Tarot, created by Eugene Smith with a companion book by Leeza Robertson; the set was published by Llewellyn. I'll also be using the Blum/Gern Rune Cards created by Ralph Blum and illustrated by Gabrielle Gern with publishing by Connections. Today's draws are the Page of Swords and Isa:

Runs with scissors - phrase seen on a t-shirt

The Page of Swords as a roadrunner made me chuckle; it's not that he isn't intelligent, it's just that he's impatient. This Page wants to know everything and inform everyone all about it by yesterday. He may hear the tail-end of a conversation then think he has the whole story. Or he may learn a concept and attempt to apply that idea to all without exception. While he is learning, albeit in a helter-skelter sort of way, he's liable to create some chaos as he goes. Isa is a rune that refers to ice, a time of being frozen. Blum suggests the keyword 'standstill,' a good reminder for the Page of Swords to pause for clarity and do a deeper dive on what he thinks he knows.

It’s wonderful to have the freedom to continually widen our interests. But like many luxuries, it has an insidious downside. Ever-branching possibilities make it harder for us to explore any given one deeply, because there’s always more “newness” to turn to when the old new thing has reached a difficult or boring part. —David Cain, "Go Deeper Not Wider"