Fear and Hope

From the Fey Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the I Misteri della Sibilla, the Lover (Queen of Hearts):

Natural intelligence is always accessible to us. When we’re not caught in the trap of hope and fear, we intuitively know what’s the right thing to do. If we’re not obscuring our intelligence with anger, self-pity, or craving, we know what will help and what will make things worse. 

—Pema Chodron

From the safety of his nest, a fey peers at the beautiful valley below. It's spring and a time for change, but he is conflicted about whether to stay or explore. He wavers between hope and fear. The Lover of the Sibilla cards - lounging and eating cherries - would suggest he stay where he's comfortable and secure. She's a kept woman with little obligation or responsibility, enjoying the pleasures of her married lover. But what happens when she gets older or he gets bored? Any commitment to something different requires effort, but it can also widen our perspective, help develop new skills, and provide an alternative foundation, which might be needed if unexpected change comes (the nest gets blown away).  

She Blooms in Any Garden

From the Cosmic Cycles Tarot, the Queen of Pentacles; from the Magic Neko Deck, the Queen of Hearts:

          Not every Queen of Pentacles has babies and bakes casseroles; some of them bring home the bacon. Perhaps her husband left her, she chose not to marry, or she is a teen that escaped an abusive situation at home. Her past has taught her to learn how to take care of her own needs. That is why she's so nurturing to others - she knows what it's like to be without. The Queen of Hearts represents that feeling of being grounded and offers a firm foundation to rest on while the rest of the world spins. We all need something to help us feel sane when the people we're around seem to have lost their minds. These two queens have likely had some engaging and enlightening conversations.

Lotus flowers lead harrowing journeys. Their seeds sprout in murky swamp water, thick with dirt and debris and snarls of roots. For a lotus to bloom, she must forge her way through this terrible darkness, avoid being eaten by fish and insects, and keep pressing onward, innately knowing, or at least hoping, that there is sunlight somewhere above the water's surface, if she can only summon the strength to get there. And when she does, she emerges unscathed by her journey and blooms triumphantly.

― Sarah Jio