Multi-color or Monochrome

From the Illuminated Tarot, the Star:

The Star is often a message of hope and healing, but it is also about the guidance needed to get there.  Where will it come from?  I see several sources in this card: the pool of water, representing the intuitive Self; the five streams of water on the ground, symbolizing the five senses; and the bird in the tree, signifying study and the intellect.  It seems all of these will work together as a collective whole, if I will only do my part by paying attention to all of them.

The card drawn from the Dreaming in Color deck this morning is "Resentment:"

The reddish-orange of this image almost obscures the green underneath.  I am reminded of how a migraine completely colors everything going on in my life - as if it was the only focus in my life.  Sommers defines resentment as a tightly-held, lingering bitterness due to feeling unjustly wronged.  Taking into consideration the Star above, I realize that I will be missing many messages of guidance if all I'm thinking about is the person who hurt me.  But how do you trust someone untrustworthy?  How do you have compassion for a person who has no qualms with causing pain to others?  Perhaps it is enough now not to hate; after all the best revenge is to enjoy life. 

Helping or Hurting?

   This morning the card pulled from the Illuminated Tarot is the Empress:

The Empress is like Mother Earth, who gives to us without reservation.  She sustains us, nurtures us, and offers her abundance without measure.  The Empress is also associated with Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and resembles her as she is pure emotion.  The only downside to this lovely lady is that she can give to people who need to be doing things for themselves.  Compassion and care can be a good thing, but these traits need to be balanced with allowing people to learn how to meet their own challenges and obligations.  Like the earth, my resources will run dry if I offer myself with no limits.

     The Dreaming in Color deck offers the "Resentment" card this morning:

When I first drew this card, I thought it an odd combination with the Empress above.  But now I realize it represents my "tipping point."  I can be supportive of others and offer them encouragement, but if they refuse to even try to help themselves, I'm going to start feeling annoyed.  And if I choose to continue in this one-sided relationship, that feeling of annoyance will become resentment.  Before I get to this point, I need to check my own motivations for perpetuating an unhealthy behavior in another person.