Lay Down My Sword and Shield

From the Songs from the Journey Home Tarot, Flame Resolving (King of Wands); from the Magic Neko Deck, the Six of Clubs:

I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield

Down by the riverside

—Pete Seeger, Study War No More

The King of Flames/Wands has learned to channel his passion in less aggressive ways. He's realized that 'big sticks' are rarely the best way to settle disagreements, maintain justice or fuel his creative outlet. Some of his restlessness and pushiness is his nature, as he still enjoys a good adventure or challenge. But when the urge to be combative rears its head, he should take Chuck Berry's advice: "If you want to release your aggression, get up and dance." The Six of Clubs shows a kitten asleep on Saturn, implying that it's good for us to get out of our comfort zone and learn to enjoy new places and things. This would also apply to learning to handle situations mindfully rather than impulsively, and practicing a different approach to having our voice heard rather than yelling.

Backup Plan

From the Cosmic Cycles Tarot, the Queen of Wands; from the Magic Neko Deck, the Eight of Clubs:

People tend to freak out when something diverges from their expectations.

― Gayle Foreman

          The Queen of Wands is a planner, a director, and a passionate creator. And even though she's an ace encourager, she has no slackers working for her. Like this Queen, we all have something that we're good at doing. Yet the Six of Clubs asks what happens when we find ourselves out of our comfort zone and completely out of our element? For instance, the person whose job becomes obsolete and must reinvent himself or a person who has spent months in rehab and now must deal with life on life's terms. How do they stay calm and not lose confidence? The Queen would suggest having a plan in place that might include a small circle of reliable friends who could encourage us and give us wise feedback. She'd also say that we need to be proactive, looking for steps we could take instead of hiding under our bedcovers. 

Dream, Design, Build

From the Fey Tarot, the Queen of Wands:

The Queen of Wands for the Fey Tarot has a saucy, fun-loving and mischievous personality. Part of that fun looks like it has produced a new life growing in her. She may not wear her emotions on her sleeve, but she has her creative spirit tattooed on her body. Though my child-bearing days are long since past, the drive to dream, design and build is still quite strong. I think it is an urge that will bring us joy if we follow it passionately. Yet while I may take my craft seriously, it doesn't have to be all work and no play. As this queen would advise, if you want drudgery, you might as well clean house.

From the I Misteri della Sibilla deck comes the card "Surprise / Six of Clubs:"

While this man was digging a hole to plant some seeds, he unearthed a bag of gold. Now that's what I call a nice surprise! He wasn't running around looking for treasure, he was just doing his job. It is the "doing" that often brings unexpected rewards, not happenstance. A woman who is a professional photographer usually asks me to do a reading for her each new year. Yesterday I got an email from her with such a request. She is a friend, so I don't charge her, but she has offered to give me one of her photographs of a full moon with rings of rainbow-colored light around it. Sometimes what is unanticipated can be a wonderful thing.

Truth or Fiction?

   From the Tarot of the Masters, the Tower:

I know this is supposed to be a tower, but I can't help thinking of those models of volcanoes we made in elementary school.  Remember the ones that you would put baking soda inside and then would pour in vinegar for the "eruption?"  Like these volcanoes, sometimes it only takes one added ingredient to disrupt the rigid ideas I hold.  Last night I was reading a post by a woman who is a spiritual teacher, and whom I have held in high regard.  Many of my ideas parallel hers, and so I was quite upset to read what she wrote (it basically amounted to tearing down others without applying the same scrutiny to herself).  Today I feel a bit in limbo, questioning all my views and beliefs, and wondering if there is any substance to any of them...

     From the Key to the Kingdom comes the "Six of Clubs:"

The cheetah, my dearest, is known not to cheat;
The tiger possesses no tie -
The horse-fly of course, was never a horse -
The lion will not tell a lie.

The last line of this poem says, "There is no truth in these things at all."  This card reminds me that all humans wear masks, no matter how wise and enlightened they think they might be.  Can a leopard change its spots?  Not really, but it doesn't have to go around pretending it doesn't have any.