Practical Kindness

From the Tarot of the Master, the Queen of Coins; from the Paracelsus Oracle, 'Puella:'

          The Queen of Pentacles is not much of a collector of 'dust-arounds.' She is practical and believes that if you have it, it should be used. Resources should have a function, in her opinion. Now beauty and comfort might fall under that category, however, as she is definitely not an ascetic. Puella means 'girl' and can refer to a softening of the heart and kindness. The booklet suggests an intervention of sorts, help offered to improve a situation or person's life. The Queen would probably say we should wait to offer help until it is asked for; no need in wasting resources if the person or group isn't interested.

As the Tray Turns

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Master, a recolored version of Giovanni Vacchetta's original deck published by Lo Scarabeo. Paired with it will be the Geomancy Cards, a digital deck I created for myself. Today's draws are the Six of Chalices and "Puella:"

          The little tiered table the cups sit on remind me of a Lazy Susan, a revolving server tray. The keyword "memory" has been assigned to this card, and reminds me that I have every experience of my life tucked away somewhere inside my gray matter. As the tray turns, which cup will I choose to sip from? From the Geomancy Cards was chosen "Puella" (girl), a figure that suggests happiness and peace. It is connected to Venus, which further adds pleasure, beauty and tenderness to its meaning. Unfortunately I have plenty of memories that have nothing to do with any of these words, so Puella cautions me to be careful of the chalice I choose. Dwelling on a memory of fear can lead to neurotic worry; a flashback to anger can produce a simmering resentment. I have the power to guide my mind to more beneficial places, to thoughts that can help open my heart and mind rather than close them. It seems a shame not to use those reins.

A Shield of Protection

From the Tarot of the Master, the Six of Coins:

At first sight, this card appears to be like the Four of Coins with its shield and crossbow so prominently displayed. But then I realized the soldier was being protected by the shield, not the other way around, and I was flooded with memories of the death of my dad. When I got the call, I was at the vet with my dog, who dying of an unknown illness. I hurriedly tossed clothes in a bag and left town to be with my mom, but I also sent out an SOS to friends and acquaintances so they would know what was going on. Compassionate teachers helped my elementary-school daughter make sense of what was going on. My husband (whose only shopping experience had been with his boys), helped her find a dress and shoes for the funeral. A friend made daily calls to the vet to check on my dog, and the vet continued to provide care and boarding (and eventually got him well again). As I look at the different faces on the coins in this image, it reminds me of all those people who supported me when I was in crisis mode. As far as resources go, I think it is so much easier to give money  - usually a one-time donation - than to share your time and energy. I will be eternally grateful for those folks who helped restore and maintain balance in my world when I could not.

The geomantic figure produced today was "Puella:"

Puella means "girl" and refers to a peaceful receptiveness; it is the container that holds what is poured into it. Puella is ruled by Venus, the planet of love. Yet in this case, it is the tender side of this emotion rather than the romantic aspect. With the Six of Coins above, I envision it as a hug full of caring.

A 360 Degree Mind

From the Wild Unknown, Justice:

 Two cats, one white and one black, are separated by a sword in between them.  The two colors represent two sides of an argument, but truthfully, there three sides - the two perceptions of the people involved and reality.  The diamond shape that separates the cats reminds me of a clear Austrian crystal whose many facets reflect rainbows of sunlight.  Looking at the crystal, I can only see one side of it, just as I can often only see one side of an argument.  But there are always many other facets; like the new moon, just because I can't see it or haven't experienced it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.  Justice teaches me that if I want to be objective, I'm going to have to think with a 360 degree mind.

The roll of the geomancy sticks produced "Puella:"

Puella means "girl," and is associated with the planet and mythological goddess Venus, known for love and beauty.  The figure itself represents happiness and harmony, but may also indicate a sense of pleasantness without depth.  Being born a Southern girl, "be nice" is ingrained in my psyche.  Unfortunately, I seem to have inherited some wild genetic off-shoot as well, and there are times when I itch to give people a V8 head slap.  Yet combined with the Justice card above, this geomantic figure seems to hint that the only way I'll uncover the whole truth and get the full story is by being pleasant.  Even if my V8 side doesn't want to cooperate, I need to smile and listen respectfully today.