Maximizing Assets

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Nine of Disks; from the Ascension to Paradise, the "Skua:"

Meleen uses an abacus to illustrate this card; the green beads moved to one side suggest the tally is a favorable one. There is a sense of counting my physical blessings here, the good fortune of health, financial stability, and time and energy to spend on what brings me joy. Yes there are bumps in the road, but life is good.
I had to laugh when I drew the Skua card. Here I was feeling all positive and happy, and I then I get splatted with bird poo. The Skua is a large gull-like bird in the polar regions known for attacking other birds. They do so to get the other bird to dislodge its food, so they can steal it. The bird's message is an attempt to dislodge an issue I need to deal with, mainly my health. I was just talking to a friend the other night about how shocking it is to find that as I get older, my strength and energy quickly decrease while my weight increases. Maintenance didn't require so much work when I was younger. At this point in my life I find myself wanting to concentrate on spiritual development, but the Skua reminds me I can't exclude taking care of my body. While my eating habits aren't bad, I don't always make time for exercise. Yes, life is good, but if I want it to keep enjoying it, I need to start making use of my weights, rebounder and yoga mat that are gathering dust.

Into the Darkness

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Hanged Man:

The Hanged Man is associated with the Hebrew letter Mem ("water"), a symbol of the fountain of  Divine Wisdom.  The man's relaxed posture into this stream reminds me of "tubing" as a kid, when we would float on tire inner tubes down a river, letting the current carry us along.  Meleen describes this card as the "descent of light into the darkness," bringing to mind camping at night in a forest and relying on a flashlight to find my way around.  This man's fingers have become roots, willingly plunging into the dark earth.  The "dark night of the soul" occurs when I find myself overwhelmed, confused and helpless to change what is going on.   Only when I give up my need for control and detach from my emotional need to do something about everything (see the heart-shaped beehive?) will my flashlight click on.  Relax, breathe, pay attention...

From the Ascension to Paradise deck this morning comes the "Skua:"

Skuas are gull-like birds of the polar regions and nearby continents.  They are strong, acrobatic flyers and generally have aggressive dispositions.  Skuas are often called avian pirates because of their habit of stealing food caught by other birds.  They strike by attacking in midair and forcing their victims to drop their kills in flight.  I don't think it's a coincidence that this image shows an eclipse, and the tarot card above referred to a plunge into darkness.  The Skua pushes me to look at the way I may be trying to force my will on people or situations.  I have no right to "steal" their freedom to make their own decisions.  Goodness knows I have enough of my own to make.