Well Lived Life

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the King of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Pride:

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.

—Bessie Anderson Stanley

This King believes in living a full, well-lived life, not simply as a leader, but as a companion to others. Known for his charisma and guidance, his curiosity remains intact. He is a creative visionary, and he encourages us to follow our own innovative ideas and think outside the box. Pride shows a one-legged warrior who lifts his chin to those who offer him pity. He knows he is strong and capable; however, he has learned not to turn down someone who offers a hand in kindness, who regards him as an equal. On our own journey of following what pulls us, there will always be those who attempt to force us to do things their way. Skip their advice and look for those who help without trying to control.  

Humble Pride

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Chariot; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Pride:

Judy Lief might have some good advice for this chariot full of fairies: "pay attention to the difference between having a goal and being taken over by your hopes, fears, and speculations." When working toward an objective, we should focus on what is in front of us, what needs to be attended to at the moment. If we get distracted, we may miss what's important. Pride can either be a virtue or a vice. Psychologist Charles Carver explains: "Hubristic pride tends to be associated with a fragile ego, and with anxiety and aggressive tendencies as people strive to keep up the illusion of competence and control. Authentic pride, on the other hand, is associated with increased social support, lower anxiety, and a greater desire to help others by sharing one’s expertise." David DeSteno clarifies: "For pride to work, it must be paired with humility — a humility to know that no matter our skill set, each of us depends on what others have to offer."

Social Connections

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Knight of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Pride:

If you're looking for a small, low-key get-together, you might not want to invite the Knight of Wands. When she's not in search of her next exciting adventure, she's ready to party and cut loose. But if you want to shake things up, send her an invitation. Most everyone will enjoy themselves because her enthusiasm is contagious, and she doesn't leave anyone out of the fun. Just don't look for her to help with the clean-up afterwards. Pride depicts a warrior who has lost his lower leg. Eifler suggests that when we experience any sort of physical or emotional trauma, it can make us hypervigilant with a determination not to ask for the help of others. The Knight of Wands would applaud his bravery but would also tell him that being an island unto oneself can be lonely and joyless. She'd advise him to take a risk, join the party, and meet someone new and different from himself.

The trouble is, once you filter out everybody that doesn't agree with you, all that's left is maybe this one retired surfer guy living in Idaho. ― Barbara Kingsolver

Celebrating Small Steps

The draw from the Picture Postcard Tarot this morning is the Four of Wands:

A woman rests against a stack of logs; behind her, it looks as if land has been cleared.  Perhaps she will be building a log cabin home or a barn.  She has the resources, now all she needs is to continue forward with her plan.  I'm betting she has saved and worked for this moment, and now wants to celebrate that her dream is in its first phase of becoming a reality.  This card reminds me of the importance of celebrating all the stages in working towards a goal or becoming the person I am trying to grow into.  Such positive reinforcement can keep me moving in the right direction.

     The card pulled from the Steps to Serenity deck this morning is "Pride:"

"Pride is the basic breeder of most human difficulties, the chief block to true progress."
~ 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

I remember seeing one of these beautiful birds at an animal park, looking at himself in the reflection of a car door.  He would strut, spread his feathers, then run at what he thought was another male; it made me laugh to see him go to such effort over an illusion.  There are two kinds of pride - healthy and false.  Healthy pride allows me to acknowledge my gifts, skills and accomplishments without arrogance.  False pride tries to take credit where credit is not due and always looks for outside confirmation to cover up an inner feeling of inadequacy.  It lacks humility and tries to always be better than someone else.  Today I will be grateful for the skills I have and realize that many of them came because others were kind enough to share them with me.