Traveling in Circles

From the Tyldwick Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Antiquarian Lenormand, the Rider:

          When the mind finally sees beyond the chaos and emotional turmoil, it sends a directive to leave it behind. With the world map and globe in this card, it may seem the world is our oyster. Yet the Rider shows up with an important message we need to hear before leaving. Before we run away from those external situations that seem to be causing our problems, we need to pause and consider the part we played. Without changing our habitual patterns, we will likely recreate exactly what we left in a new place.

Without knowing it, we are coloring everything, putting our spin on it all.

If we hope to go anywhere or develop ourselves in any way, we can only step from where we are standing. If we don't really know where we are standing... We may only go in circles...

― Jon Kabat-Zinn

A-Ten-Hut!

This week I'll be using the Nigel Jackson Tarot, created by Jackson and published by Llewellyn. I'll also be using the Viking Lenormand, created and self-published by my dear friend Carole Beasley. Today's draws are the Two of Coins and the Rider:

          The companion booklet describes the Two of Coins as 'skillful management,' an apt explanation of this card's meaning. How do the scales balance when it comes to assets and expenditures, self-care and the care of others, or rest and work time? The scales might not be even each day, but over a period of days, they should look a little more in line with each other. The Rider appears with the reminder to be aware of what's going on within and around us instead of going through our days with blinders on. There may be messages from our bodies, our bank accounts or friends and family that need our attention.

We must hold still in the midst of our burning thoughts, our anxieties, our fears, and our emotions. We must remember to settle into our bodies and allow them to do the knowing, the resting, the connecting to the earth beneath us. We have a chance now, while the world has stilled, to feel the wind and the sun, to walk outside in the rain, to notice the small, yellow faces of dandelions emerging from the mud. We have a chance to remember what matters in this fleeting, fragile life – our connections, our loves, our families, friends, communities and our host, this endlessly beautiful and constantly changing Earth. —Elizabeth Monson

Moods and Mirrors

From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Celtic Lenormand, 'The Rider:'

          The Queen of Cups angles her crystal cup so that the moonbeams reflect on the ocean below. Turk assigns her the keyword 'fascination;' it is rather interesting to understand the moon's pull on the sea as well as how our moods affect our behavior. Being a good therapist, she doesn't take things personally because she is more curious about what is at the root of the emotional symptoms. Of course, even if she grasps what is causing the turbulence, it doesn't mean the person caught up in it will. Sometimes the chaos can be more alluring than the reason behind it. The Rider shows up from the Lenormand deck signaling an agent of change is in route. She doesn't just bring the information, she is the information. Adding a third person provides a mirror, as we tend to see the world as we are, not as it is. Hugh Prather explains it quite well:

If I feel aversion toward someone, if I find myself ignoring or turning away from someone in a group, I am probably avoiding within myself what this person represents that is true about me. If something that you do rankles me, I can know that your fault is my fault too. The criticism that hurts the most is the one that echoes my own self-condemnation. 

Integration

From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea Tarot, the Lovers; from the Celtic Lenormand, the Rider:

          The Navigators booklet describes this card as being two parts of the same person. As we become adults, we begin to discriminate between us and them, me and you. We adopt labels - wife, mother, Buddhist, Aquarian, Democrat, American - that discriminate between who we think we are and others. But by labeling ourselves, we cut off other avenues and possibilities. We erect barriers that are really only intellectual illusions. Turk proposes that we find the parts of ourselves that we have cast aside and reunite with them to become whole. Today's Rider is a female bard, and she seems to be moving at a slower pace. McCracken suggests she is a reminder to open ourselves to the messages of wisdom and guidance that nature and other people have for us. I tend to do this on my walks. For instance, the other day I noticed several criss-crossing condensation trails left by jets in the sky. It made me think of how words and actions can have lasting effects that might not have been intended (reminding me to think before I act or speak). Today I'll try to keep my mind and senses open and see what nature has to say about becoming a more integrated person.

What is the point of letting go of identity? Freedom from identity is what allows and enables us to be truly human—to be an ongoing response to the challenges, demands, and needs of life. It’s the freedom to be constantly moving in the direction of balance and addressing the tension and struggle in the lives of those around us and in the world at large. ~ Ken McLeod

Generating, Reviewing, Editing

From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Celtic Lenormand, the Rider:

          A man appears ready to catch a frisbee-like pentacle flying his way. The keyword for this card is generation: the act or process of bringing into being. I immediately thought of a quote by Annie Dillard: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." What have I generated in my life with this body and mind I've been given? At first glance, not much. There are no overflowing bank accounts in my name, but the bills are paid and there is food in the cupboard. Yet I'm sure Dillard was pointing to something much more important than accumulating money and possessions. Perhaps it is the people I come in contact with, and the attention (or inattention) I give them. Or it may be focusing on the joy I find in each moment rather than expectantly waiting for happiness to arrive in the future. The Rider is generally interpreted as news, messages or movement. In this deck, he is also a bard - a storyteller, musician and poet. He reminds me that I am writing the story of my life, and it I don't like the chapters so far, I still have time to move in another direction.

Watch Out for Nimrod Thinking

This week I'll be using the Nigel Jackson Tarot, created by Jackson and published by Llewellyn. I'll also be using the Viking Lenormand, created and self-published by my dear friend Carole Beasley. The draws this morning are Tower and Rider:

          This Tower looks much different from most, with no falling bodies and a giant eye in the sky. Jackson explains that this is the Tower of Babel, built under the direction of King Nimrod of Shinar. According to the KJ Bible, the kingdom as a whole decided to construct it: "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves." So basically this project wasn't about wanting to commune with Jehovah, but a desire to be recognized and be in the spotlight. Their Lord wasn't pleased with their prideful ways, so he caused them all speak in different languages (the ensuing confusion ended their venture). All humans - even the most introverted - crave some level of attention and have a need to feel special. Yet pride sets us up in competition with other people. As C.S. Lewis stated, "Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man." The Lenormand Rider trots in with a message of caution: self-worth built on material possessions or acclaim won't last. What we have or do will quickly be topped by someone else. He reminds me to stop competing and comparing and enjoy each moment, because even the bad ones won't last forever.

Forget the CPR

From the Tyldwick Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the Antiquarian Lenormand, the "Rider:"

          Seeing the bloody smear over the Marseilles-style Ten of Swords made me think of the phrase "beat a dead horse." Race horses and work horses that pull loads are often encouraged to move with a crop or whip. But if that horse isn't alive, it's not going anywhere no matter how much you flog it. The Swords suit refers to thoughts or communication; the Ten implies there is no further to go and no potential left. Whatever issue or ideology this card represents, the life has been suffocated out of it with no possibility for resuscitation. Yet the Rider card gallops in, suggesting the arrival of something new. I can stubbornly stand over my "dead horse" or pull myself up into the saddle of the "live" one. It's a choice of taking on the role of a martyr or deciding to try something different. I believe I'll be saying "giddy-up."

Poetry in Motion

From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea Tarot, the Three of Pentacles; from the Celtic Lenormand, the Rider (Bard):

          These two cards couldn't be more perfect, since today is D-Day (my mother-in-law is being discharged from the hospital). We spent yesterday with the therapist, who showed us what she could do, couldn't do, and could do with assistance (including how to safely get her in and out of a car). The hospital equipment folks arrived and set up things at her house. We've got a plan in place, though we know it needs to be flexible and have a back-up just in case. The last thing I said to my sister-in-law last night was that I would be their "Go-girl" today. While she and my husband will be waiting to sign papers and jump through hoops at the hospital, I'll be on call for taking care of last minute details. We'll be communicating closely to make sure things go as smoothly as possible. My first two tasks this morning will be to find a wheelchair cushion and buy some groceries. Once I deliver them, I'll be waiting for any other requests or instructions. The sun is up and it's time to hop on my horse (or rather in my Honda). The bard's harp makes me hope for poetry in motion, as we move through the day.

The Whole Package

From the Ancient Tarots of Lombardy, the Eight of Swords:

Have you ever had an insight that allowed you to see into your thoughts and behavior - a spiritual epiphany of sorts? I always think that once I have such a realization, I'll never again let my thoughts go unquestioned, leading me like a ring in the nose. Yet it takes no time at all before I find myself overwhelmed by emotions caused by thoughts left to run amok. As I look at this card, I see half the swords pointing upward and half downward. The skyward ones imply that half of my ideas are based upon fantasy and assumptions, while the ones with points toward the ground symbolize ideas based in reality. An example would be like me thinking "I would like to build a bicycle" (which might be possible) followed by "and ride it to the moon" (definitely not a possibility). The Eight of Swords encourages me to examine all my thoughts; just because a few are based in reality doesn't mean the whole package should be labeled as truth.

From the Lenormand de Marseille comes the "Rider:"

When I think of the horseback riders from years ago, I imagine them as the Pony Express or visitors who brought information from distant places. The keywords generally associated with the Rider are news, approach or delivery, and because Lebrowski uses the Nine of Cups with this Lenormand card, I interpret it as the arrival of something beneficial. With the tarot card above, I see it as information that will ground my thoughts back into the reality of "what is" instead of "what may be."