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.

Tenacity with a Little TNT

From the Vision Quest Tarot, the Son of Earth (Knight of Pentacles):

The creator of the Vision Quest suggests this young man has wisely invested his energy to produce something worthwhile. The Son (or Knight) of this suit may seem quite boring to some folks, but they sure do love the results of his labor. Like the postman, he plods on through rain, snow, sleet or hail (which may be translated as mind-numbing monotony, exhaustion, lack of encouragement, and an avoidance of distractions). While his tenacity might not rate as exciting as a fireworks display, what he creates will most definitely be appreciated and acknowledged.

The bird drawn from the Bird Cards today is the "Shrike:"

The shrike is also known as the butcher bird, because it impales its prey on thorns or barbed wire to kill it. It's not surprising to learn the energy of this bird is rather harsh and formidable, though it can be beneficial if employed wisely. What happens if (like the fellow above) you encounter a block to your progress, especially one that serves no purpose? It could be that someone has convinced you that what you're doing is useless or hopeless. It may be you've become distracted from your goal by a new plaything. The shrike is the TNT that helps us move beyond those obstacles and continue toward our objective.