Go Deeper, Not Wider

From Hadar's Le Veritable de Marseille, the Eight of Coins; from the Greek Alphabet Runes, 'Rho:'

          Bursten assigns the verb 'obtaining' to the Coins suit and 'efficiency' to the number eight. Looking at the flowers still connected to the vine (with one in full bloom), it's obvious that discipline and hard work have resulted in skills and knowledge. The leafy parts of the vine seem to divide the coins into different levels, suggesting that one must progress in study and practice to achieve mastery. This card reminded me of the philosophy 'Go deeper, not wider:'

The guiding philosophy is 'Go deeper, not wider.' Drill down for value and enrichment instead of fanning out. Turn to the wealth of options already in your house, literally and figuratively.

~ David Cain

There's an allure to starting something new. Yet a commitment to staying in what you know and digging deeper opens a world of possibilities that fewer and fewer ever gain access to. There's a mastery that comes from going deeper.

 ~ Dan Cumberland

The Greek letter 'Rho' is often used to designate a former Rhodes scholar, a person chosen from a pool of outstanding international students for a postgraduate award to study at Oxford University. Just as the person who consistently applies him or herself in the Eight of Coins suggests, focus and sustained effort will be rewarded.

Decisions, Decisions

From Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille, the Lovers; from the Greek Alphabet Runes, Rho:

          Bursten writes that some parts of human nature just won't succumb to force or rationality. In this illustration, the older woman with the laurel crown represents Virtue and the woman with the flowers in her hair symbolizes Sensual Desires. Whoever the man is looking at when Cupid lets loose his arrow will be his choice, and at the moment that would be Virtue. Emotions tend to short-circuit our ability to think logically; some salesmen are adept at getting potential buyers overly excited and enthused for this reason. But the good news is that emotions don't last forever, and eventually the rational side of the brain will awaken. This is where the Greek letter Rho comes in, a symbol used to denote a former Rhodes Scholar. If we can learn, as Margaret Mead put it, "how to think not what to think," it's likely we won't be so completely caught off guard when emotional decisions arise.