Intoxicating Focus

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, Justice; from the Pages of Shustah, Scorpio:

What we need to strive for is not perfection, but balance.

—Ani DiFranco

What does balance look like in an individual life? At times our focus gets caught up in a project or crisis and loses track of everything else. Bills don't get paid, bodies don't get exercised or rested, and connections with others become frayed. Our world shrinks down to whatever focal point has intoxicated us. Justice looks like she wants to poke us with that big sword to get our attention. Scorpio tells us it is time to investigate and discover where our scales are out of balance, but without any pettiness. It might appear that someone or something else is to blame, but we ultimately have the final say in how we direct our attention.

Bitter or Better

From the Sheridan Douglas Tarot, the Three of Swords; from the Pages of Shustah cards, Scorpio (Card of the Scorpion):

The darkness of this Three of Swords emphasizes how pain and betrayal can be so unexpected that it seems to come out of nowhere. It leaves us hurting and wondering why someone lashed out in such a way and what we might have done to instigate it. The booklet that comes with this deck suggests this is necessary suffering in order to see the situation or people around us in a clearer context. Such an awakening can often roust us from our cocoon of denial so that we no longer ignore the truth. The Scorpio card represents high energy that can be channeled toward moody vindictiveness or can be used for investigative purposes. It would be a shame, however, to use all that energy on 'why' (which will never really give us any satisfaction). Instead, we might ask 'what now,' and focus on finding our footing, moving ahead and not making the same mistakes again.

You either get bitter or you get better. The choice does not belong to fate, it belongs to you.

— Josh Shipp