Take Your Place

From the Nigel Jackson Tarot, the Seven of Staves; from the Viking Lenormand, the Man:

Head high, my dear! Eyes up! Take your place in the world!

―Rebecca Stead

Spokespeople for major organizations and corporations must be thick-skinned, not easily rattled, and above all, have a comprehensive understanding of the work they represent. This fellow is so composed that he looks bored. He's done his homework beforehand and has answers and explanations to whatever the angry mob throws at him. The Man suggests an assertive and protective response to those who would like to knock us from our perch. We don't need to get angry, but we do need to be resilient. As Colleen Hoover said, "I'm choosing to stand up taller. I'll probably get knocked down a few more times before this life is through with me, but I can guarantee you I'll never stay on the ground."

Just Keep at It

From the Anima Mundi Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Nature's Pharmacy Deck, Horseradish:

Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working.

— Henri Matisse

Sometimes the only way to silence the cynics is to keep our heads down and continue working rather than trying to explain things or win them over. The first blush of success (as with this stem bursting with blooms) can often turn their loud growls of disapproval down to low mutterings. If we're waiting on validation from others, we'll probably never have the confidence to keep going. Horseradish makes every sauce and condiment bracing with its biting flavor. In herbal medicine, it is used for sinus issues, like cold and flu, because its pungency helps to relieve congestion. It reminds us that no matter what our accomplishments, we're going to need to spice up our projects when the usual becomes stale. It can be challenging to move away what was favored and try something new, but even if it falls flat, doing something different can shift our imagination in new directions.  

I've been volunteering at the library for about 5 years now, creating artwork for the display case in the foyer and for the children's bulletin board. (These were for our summer reading program this year.) I have to rely on Maya Angelou's wisdom: “You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

Closed Clam

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Reflection:

Listen to others, but do not become a blind follower. 

―Thurgood Marshall

Try to do anything new or different, whether it's learning a new language, writing a novel or changing careers, and the pessimists and naysayers will appear. Commitment can mean keeping our head down and doing the work without getting distracted. But this young woman has enclosed herself in a bubble, completely walling off herself from any comments. Reflection asks us to consider if there is no room for advice in the methods we're using. Have we taken such a rigid stance that we refuse to hear any other perspectives, compromises or alternatives? There might be a nugget of wisdom in what those worriers and cynics are shoveling at us.

On Good Terms Without Surrender

From the Mary-El Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the OH Cards, Monster Cat:

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

―Max Ehrmann

Marie White's wolf brings to mind the Cherokee legend of black and white wolves fighting within. The internet version paints the white wolf as kind and humble while describing the black one as angry and violent; it ends with the caution that the one we feed will win. But the real legend explains, "But if I acknowledge him [black wolf], he is happy, and the white wolf is happy, and we all win. For the black wolf has many qualities – tenacity, courage, fearlessness, strong-will and great strategic thinking." When we are getting pushback for taking a stand in our lives, we need the beneficial traits of both. Monster Cat resembles the type of art that results from hearing about an animal instead of actually seeing one - filled with assumptions. When others try to give us advice about what we are doing, we don't have to assume they're trying to tear down our ideas or us. They actually might have some information that would be helpful to hear. 

Valor

From the Gill Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Circle Deck, Consequences:

Know what's important and what isn't. Have the wisdom to know the right thing to do, the integrity to do it, the character to stand up to those who don't, and the courage to stop those who won't. 

—Mark Goulston

It's always a jolt to find oneself fired up about something - whether it's an ethical stance or a creative inspiration - and find a crowd carrying buckets of water to douse the flames. We can assume things are hopeless and give up or, like the Seven of Wands, we can burn brighter. Valor requires us not to fall under the intimidation of others, but to hold fast. Consequence implies that there will be repercussions for standing up rather than sitting down. We might lose some friends, or we might discover who our true friends are. We also might develop confidence in our own abilities as we attempt to create a kinder, more beautiful world.

Up in the Air

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Bogong Moth:

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.

— Pema Chodron

The joy and harmony of Six is now undergoing a disturbance. Like the juggler's fiery batons, what once seemed settled has now been tossed up in the air. With such a change, we need to pull on our inner strength and courage to ride this roller coaster to its finish. The key is to see each moment as fresh and not project our anxiety onto how this might play out. The Bogong Moth had beautiful colors and a curiosity to match. It wanted to visit the mountains to know why they were white while the forest it lived in was green. Once it arrived, it began to snow, burying the moth until spring. When it was able to fly again, it saw that all of its colors had faded from its wings and now lived in the flowers. To sacrifice means we give up something for a greater cause, for something of a greater value. Change creates the necessity of letting go of what we know for something different yet still good.

Pledge Allegiance

From the Druidcraft Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Druid Animal Oracle, the Dog:

Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?

―Charles Bukowski

This fellow is energetically asserting himself against those who would like to knock him from his perch. Goals take a lot of mental willpower and physical effort, but above all, they require us to stand up to our challengers and challenges. It's easy to evolve into the person who always asks "What should I do - what do you want me to do?" Instead we can look within, discover our own values and dreams, and pursue what we feel led to do. The Dog is a symbol of guidance, protection and loyalty. Yet the person we often let down the most is ourselves. Don't we deserve our own allegiance?

Check Your Shoes

From the Albano-Waite Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Rumi Cards, You Are:

There's none so blind as those who will not listen.

― Neil Gaiman

The Seven of Wands is generally about standing up for yourself and defending your ideas - a worthy ideal. But this young man has a shoe on the right foot and a boot on the left, suggesting a lack of preparation. Perhaps the wielders of of the other staves are just trying to point out the holes in his theory or plans. They might not want to throw out his ideas, but simply patch them up so they hold water. Rumi's card warns about hyperfocus - having blinders (and ear plugs), attending to only what we seek and desire. That results in our whole identity being centered on one limited thing. Or, we could consider Dorothea Brande's words: "Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier." 

An Organ Grinder's Monkey

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Seven of Fire (Wands); from the A'HA Oracle, Tiki:

Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.

– Nikos Kazantzakis

No matter what kind of work or service we do, there's always a concern about how the public sees us. So not only do we have to accomplish our objective, we feel we have to do some glad-handing and people-pleasing along the way. It is easy to become entertainers as we try to keep interest and opinion high while hiding any not-so-shiny parts. The tiki statues of Polynesian cultures are symbols of their ancestors. Each part had its own meaning: the size of the head represented power, the mouth and tongue were a challenge to opponents, and the eyes reflected infinite wisdom. What would advice would our ancestors give us when we spend so much time tap-dancing to the tune of others?  Perhaps they would tell us to let go of expectations and demands - to cease being an organ grinder's monkey. They might offer the wisdom such as found in the 22nd chapter of the Tao Te Ching:

He does not show off, therefore he shines.

He does not justify himself, therefore he is revered.

He does not boast, therefore he is honored.

He does not praise himself, therefore he remains.

Seven Supports

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Mahjongg Oracle, the Seven Stars:

We learn that our insistence that life, other people, and ourselves be other than they are has the immediate effect of intensifying the tangle. ~Christina Feldman

It can be bewildering when our philosophy of life makes us feel like we're on the opposite side of the fence from those we considered friends and comrades. What do we do? The keyword given for this card is equanimity. Equanimity is a relational way of being with life that takes an objective interest in whatever is occurring, allowing us to embrace extremes without getting thrown off balance. Gil Fronsdal offers seven supports to develop it: integrity (of words and actions), faith based in wisdom (a clear view of reality), stability of mind (mindfulness and concentration), self-care, insight into how conditions shape people (not taking things personally), remembering the nature of impermanence, and freedom from our reactive tendencies. The Seven Stars symbolize imagination, something humans do well, but mostly in a negative sense. Equanimity would ask us to consider that there might just be some good outcomes too.

Get Up, Stand Up

From the Ellis Deck, the Seven of Rods; from the Brownies Oracle, Harmony:

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight.

–Bob Marley

It takes determination and courage to stand up to those who don't like change or new ideas. This is not based on machismo or any other movement with something to prove; it is the heart-led decision to stand one's ground because it is a choice of integrity. Harmony shows the Brownies in chorus practice. They are not required to sing alike, as it is the different vocal ranges that actually create their beautiful sounds. Likewise, ideas or practices that don't conform to the status quo aren't a threat when they simply enrich human lives. 

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavours than can ever be tasted.

–Sun Tzu 

Unplug It

From the Druidcraft Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Druid Plant Oracle, Chamomile:

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.

― Anne Lamott

The Seven of Wands card indicates a challenge - often involving outer and inner issues. I'm having a hard time bouncing back from the surgery; exhaustion seems to dog me. I'd like to take Lamott's advice and unplug, but I have embedded in me a strong streak not to shirk my duties or ignore those who reach out for help. Yet I can't lay the blame on those who request my assistance or support; I must make my health a priority. Chamomile underscores the importance of taking a time out for calm and healing, to give my body a chance to repair and restore itself.

True Valor

From the Rohrig Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Master Tarot, the Moralist:

The Thoth meaning of the Seven of Wands is valor - being bold and daring because there is a personal meaning and purpose beneath one's action. The Moralist is a fellow who could care less about anyone's well-being, only that they follow the rules to the letter. I couldn't help but see the connection to military forces and the politicians that control them. The government might demand bravery and submission from their soldiers, but what happens when the war is over? Who looks after the men and women who suffer from substance abuse, PTSD, and other physical and mental illnesses? True valor, I think, is following our own integrity and truth, rather than being bullied by someone else.

True valor, on virtue founded strong, meets all events alike. ~David Mallet

Begin Again

From the Delta Enduring Tarot, the Seven of Oaks (Wands); from the Southernisms Oracle, "You've got gumption:"

A young hunter, looking to bring home some venison for supper's stew, finds herself the hunted. She knows a wild boar (made huge through her fear) is an aggressive animal prone to viciously attack humans or other animals. Egan relates this Seven of Wands to those who were previously considered skilled in an area and now have some severe competition. It can be difficult to be good at a job or have talents in certain areas and then suddenly find that others with newer skills are more sought after. At my age, I find it easier to learn informative knowledge than to learn procedural knowledge (how to do something). Yet the Southernisms phrase seems to cheer us on with "You've got gumption." Gumption was a term borrowed from Scotland that in the South came to mean boldness, resourcefulness and having initiative. If we enough curiosity, courage and commitment, we can learn new skills, even if it takes us a little longer. As Rich Karlgaard, author of Late Bloomers wrote, "Our brains are constantly forming neural networks and pattern-recognition capabilities that we didn’t have in our youth when we had blazing synaptic horsepower."

Try recalling what it felt like to learn how to do something new when you didn’t really care what your performance of it said about your place in the world, when you didn’t know what you didn’t know. It might feel like a whole new beginning. ~Margaret Talbot

Righteous Cause

From the Gill Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from The Circle, Destiny:

The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. ~William Jennings Bryan

          Seeing this fiery figure made me think of the phrase 'a righteous cause.' Yet if an undertaking is motivated by rage and fundamentalism, it has no noble foundation. Such people will fly this banner, but their true purpose is to protect their own power. They can easily be spotted by their tactics - fueling hatred, blaming others, condoning inequality, and demonizing other points of view. A true righteous cause may be passionate, but it is rooted in kindness and selflessness. Destiny brings up the question of whether it is a matter of chance or choice. While we are all shaped by conditions outside of our control, I personally believe in the power and responsibility of the decisions we make. An irritant in an oyster can be turned into a shimmering pearl or chalky-looking lump. As William J. Bryan stated, "It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Web of Relationships

From the Fey Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the I Misteri Sibilla, Allegria (Nine of Clubs):

          Our world is a web of relationships, a constant cooperative effort of creating, caring for, and repairing. But there are those in this web who would prefer to cut out certain strands simply because of greed or because they don't conform to their preferences. It is up to the rest of the web's strands to protect the integrity and well-being of the whole. Such a goal is not based on aggression and hatred but aimed toward defense and support of those in harm's way. In the words of Jan Chozen Bays, "We can only try to keep our minds as clear as possible and our hearts as open as possible to face each situation as it arises." We do not want to become the people we are defending against. To prevent this, all defenders and repairers need to refuel their spirits as Allegria (cheerfulness) implies. In the words of Daisaku Ikeda, "A truly warm human relationship—how much in the way of hope and courage and conviction it is capable of giving!"

The Old and the New

From the Primordial Tarot, the Era of Blood (Seven of Wands); from the Wisdom of the Forest, Conscious:

          Moore describes this Neanderthal warrior as driven by instinct and survival. However, as communities developed, his war-like solutions would probably not be appropriate in all situations. There may be times when it is necessary to tap into that energy, but many impulsive behaviors need to stay in the past. The Conscious card asks us to be aware of when we are triggered to react from old patterns when a more beneficial solution is available. In the words of Leo Tolstoy, "Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins." 

Solid Ground

From the Vision Quest Tarot, the Seven of Fire (Wands); from the Bird Cards, Shrike:

Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real.

— Unknown

          Being Thoth-influenced, this Seven of Wands exhorts endurance and bravery. It asks us to face formidable situations, and instead of running and hiding, be true to ourselves, our values, and our needs. Here we take a stand with our integrity intact. The Shrike is also known as the butcher bird because of its feeding habits. It hunts large insects, small birds, frogs, rodents and lizards, then pins their corpses to thorns, barbed wire, or other available sharp points as a cache they can return to and eat what is left over later. Those sharp points are symbolic of swords and the truth they represent. When we stand against the allegations of others, we can skewer their words and see if they hold any truth. If what we find is false, we know we are on solid ground.

Cutting Strings

This week I'll be using Songs for the Journey Home, a deck and book set created and self-published by Catherine Cook and Dwariko von Sommaruga. I'll also be using the Raven Cards, an oracle created by Gabi Bucker and published by AG Muller. Today's draws are the Seven of Flames (Wands) and 'Wellspring:'

Right this very instant, when you’re

Under the spell of mistaken perception

You’ve got to watch out.

~Patrul Rinpoche

          This fellow cuts the strings that have pulled his mind and emotions to and fro. While it would be easy to assume other people and circumstances are the causes of our defensive posture, often it is simply the committee in our head. We've all been shaped and conditioned through our experiences, resulting in a mental steering committee that is constantly telling us what is good or bad and what we should or should not be doing. But is this a skewed perception of reality? The Wellspring card suggests there is a place in our mind that doesn't cling to preferences and prejudices but opens to possibilities instead. We find this spaciousness when we relax and let things be, allowing our mind to observe instead of judge. This unconditioned mind enjoys equanimity, without any strings to jerk it around.

This May Sting...

From the Motherpeace Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Toltec Oracle, Malinalli:

          Here in this Seven of Wands is what is supposed to be the celebration party after the victory of the Six of Wands. I'm guessing they can't agree on what happened to who and when. The victor may get to write the history book, but some will rightly question his or her motives. In today's world, those who have felt unheard or treated unfairly have social media to air their side of things. Malinalli literally means 'twisted herb' and refers to the ability of plants to heal or poison. It asks if I am regurgitating blind beliefs or following the trail of truth. Truth, like rubbing alcohol, may sting when first applied, but it can help wipe out infection and heal.