Ruffled Minds

From the Sun and Moon Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Animal Tiles, Platypus:

A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. — Charlotte Bronte

I've been waiting for daylight all night. It's not that I wasn't tired, but that I couldn't sleep. I'm a list maker, someone who's mind (when on autopilot) is constantly thinking, analyzing and categorizing. Insomnia is not new for me; I've learned that drugs rarely help. Instead, I steer it in other directions - I read a nonfiction book, or I think of pleasant things like ideas for the next library display or children's bulletin board. My mind obviously doesn't think these things are important, and I eventually drift off. Platypus is a shy mammal that looks like a cross between a duck and a beaver. It reminds me that I don't have to think or act like the rest of my family, I can embrace my uniqueness. That said, some time spent on my own while I'm with them this week will help me stay balanced.

Insiders and Outsiders

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Nine of Wands; from the Oracle of Dreamtime, Platypus:

          The Nine of Wands shows a group of Aboriginal didgeridoos and a carved petroglyph. I can't think of a better illustration for being alert and ready to defend than an indigenous people who have been overrun by outsiders. Take away a person's culture and land, and you rob them of their spirit. All over the world today, people are appropriating native culture for their own purpose (usually to line their pockets) without a thought as to how it might dishonor or hurt those from whom it was taken. The story of Platypus tells of the three tribes of animals - the mammals, the birds and water creatures - that asked platypus to join their tribe. Platypus told each of them he recognized a part of himself in each tribe, but decided not to join one of the groups but all of them. The wisdom this story imparts is that of diplomacy, tolerance and unity. It's message is important today as the media constantly reminds us of "the threat of terror" and attempts to convince us we have a terrorist living next door. A conspiracy is knowledge with large gaps of missing information that is filled in with fear and opinionated beliefs. While there is a need to be watchful and cautious, we could stamp out paranoia by getting to know our neighbors (locally and globally); we might discover we have more in common than we thought.