Fair Exchange

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Son/Knight of Swords; from the Pictish Oracle, Snake:

When I am angry, what I want becomes holy. What the other person wants becomes irrelevant.

—friend of Susan Heitler

The eye is drawn to the lines in this card; they seem to funnel downward, like a gutter directing rainwater. The Son of Swords has both a sharp intellect and tongue. He likes to debate rather than discuss, often confusing what is true or right with his personal information and opinions. He can grind folks down, exhausting them with his arguments. They may pretend to agree simply to get away from the onslaught. The Snake was a complex symbol for the Celtic world: its ability to coil and strike caused fear, but its habit of shedding its skin connected it with healing. Words have the same power with their ability to hurt or heal. In a heated debate or argument, we are usually more concerned with being heard than listening, which holds no hope of reconciliation. On the other hand, Esther Perel reminds us, "Dialogue, in contrast, is an exchange with no winner, where the speaker listens and responds based on what they heard."

Transactions

This week I'll be using the Prairie Tarot, created and self-published by Robin Ator. Paired with it will be the Medicine Cards, a deck and book set published by St. Martin's Press and created by David Carson and Jamie Sams. Today's draws are the Six of Coins and Snake:

I learned to value the small transactions as well as the large.

—Frank Lowy

Rather than an act of charity, this Six of Coins shows a transaction. Is this man buying just the horse or acres of land too? Either way, honesty and integrity are relied upon. The seller (or bank) wants payment in a timely manner, and the buyer wants to know he's not investing in something worthless. As one man reaches out to 'shake on it,' the other pauses to consider whether this is a deal he wants to commit to. Both parties need to do their homework before the deal is struck. Snake medicine represents the transmutation of poison into understanding and wisdom. Past lapses in judgment can help us be more wary of current transactions. As John Cena put it, " If you don't learn from your mistakes, then they become regrets."

Only Borrowed

This week I'll be using the Herbcrafter's Tarot, created through the combined efforts of Joanna Powell Colbert and Latisha Guthrie. The set is published by U.S. Games. Paired with it will be the Green Wheel Oracle, created and self-published by Danielle Barlow. Today's draws are the Ten of Earth (Horsetail) and Snake:

We have not inherited this earth from our parents to do with it what we will. We have borrowed it from our children, and we must be careful to use it in their interests as well as our own. 

—Moses Henry Cass

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a plant related to ferns and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. This herb contains silicon, which helps strengthen bone. For that reason, some modern practitioners recommend horsetail as a treatment for osteoporosis. The Ten of Earth represents solid and secure foundations that are often seen as an inheritance to pass on to others. But we have a responsibility to later generations not just for the money and material things we leave them, but for the condition we leave our planet that they will inhabit. Snake calls for sacrifice and shedding habits that are causing our 'foundation' to falter. As Lyndon B. Johnson stated, "If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it."

The Waters of Our Life

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Five of Cups; from the Pictish Oracle, the Snake:

Love and sadness are blended together in the waters of our life, and we must drink them together, just as they are. Neither cancels out the other.

— Wayne Muller

The exhausted hang of this horse's head reflects the same physical feeling we have when sorrow and despair show up. Yet if we wait for a bit, those who care about us will tell their own stories of loss - not to invalidate our emotional struggle, but to remind us that it is universal. No one is invulnerable. But those tales will be followed by the story of a new and different road, one that doesn't forget the value of what was lost but allows them to move on. The Snake had a complex meaning in the Celtic world. Its ability to coil and strike caused fear, but its habit of shedding its skin connected it with healing. Loss usually creates anxiety, but given time and acceptance, healing may wedge itself into our heart and overpower it. 

 

While You See a Chance

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Ace of Coins; from the Beasts of Albion, Snake:

While you see a chance, take it.

―Steve Winwood

To rephrase the words of Cesare Pavese*, opportunities aren't given, they're taken. In the realm of the material Pentacles, that would include anything that can be spent: our time, money, energy/health. But what if we miss the chance to be wiser about our finances, forget to set aside time for meditation or exercise, or stay up too late and binge eat? The Snake is a symbol of change and regeneration, reminding us that a new morning offers new opportunities. No need to waste time in regret and despondency - reach out and make use of today's gifts.

*"Lessons are not given, they are taken."

Transmutation

This week I'll be using the Prairie Tarot, created and self-published by Robin Ator. Paired with it will be the Medicine Cards, a deck and book set published by St. Martin's Press and created by David Carson and Jamie Sams. Today's cards are the Two of Cups and Snake:

When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.

~Joseph Campbell

This cowboy appears to be shy, allowing the woman to take the lead. At the start of most relationships, whether they're based in business, friendship or romance, one partner seems to take the initiative. Yet once established, the best partnerships (and generally the most healthy) allow each partner to take turns leading the dance. There's usually always something one partner is better at than the other. Snake is given the keyword 'transmutation,' meaning a change to a higher form (suggested by the snake shedding its skin). As Campbell points out, our greatest transformation can come when we step out of self-centeredness and include others in our orbit.

Rabbit Holes

From the Herbcrafter's Tarot, the Devil (Blackberry); from the Green Wheel Oracle, Snake:

As a child, I spent several years on a farm; we were 'dirt poor', meaning we didn't own the land or home. But if we wanted something sweet to eat in the summer, blackberry bushes abounded in the hundreds of acres surrounding us. Blackberries have small but sharp briers, and rattlesnakes often hide within the brambles hoping for an unwary rat. Care and caution have to be employed while picking berries. Thus the Devil is a warning not to become ensnared by pleasure while ignoring everything else. After drawing this tarot card, there was no surprise that snake showed up. But its symbolism implies a way through more than a warning. Snake suggests we stay grounded and connected to the earth it moves on. Otherwise, we might disappear down a rabbit hole of self-absorbed gratification and lose our way.

Don't slide down the rabbit hole. The way down is a breeze, but climbing back's a battle.

― Kate Morton

It's Messy

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Wheel of Change; from the Pictish Oracle, the Snake:

This Wheel of Fortune made me smile, because it is just as messy as real life. Rarely are things crystal clear; we think we're making progress only to find we're headed in the wrong direction. Yet there is change for the better too, which allows us an optimistic view of the sunny side of things. The Snake in Celtic lore had a mixed message. On one hand it instilled fear with its ability to strike quickly. Yet the ability to shed its skin also offered the alternative meaning of healing. Basically, the snake was seen as a symbol of unpredictability (just like our journey on this planet). 

Often the most unexpected, unpredictable moments in life are the ones that leave the biggest impression and that teach us to roll with the punches. ~Natalya Neidhart

Avoid Bites

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Father (King) of Cups; from the Pictish Oracle, the Snake:

          The King of Cups has the ability to keep his heart open and listen attentively. He'd like everyone to be in touch with their feelings so they might realize how easily emotions can override common sense. Having experienced the brutality of war and the violence of family strife, he understands the damage emotional energy can do. It is a fire that can keep us warm and cook our meals, yet left unchecked, it can burn everything around it to ashes in the right conditions. The Snake has a complicated symbolism in Celtic lore; its ability to coil and strike produced fear, yet its habit of shedding its skin seemed to represent healing. Snakes are like emotions - both should be respected and watched carefully. The more we learn about both, the less chance we'll be bitten by either one. 

Emotions are really good at raising questions and really bad at answering them. 

~Zach Teutsch

Laws of Love or Lock-down

From the Nigel Jackson Tarot, the Emperor; from the Viking Lenormand, the Snake:

          This Emperor sits before his city with the key to its gates at his feet. He decides who is welcome and who is refused entry. In the middle of a pandemic, strict rules of behavior are necessary and helpful to keep everyone safe and well. But how different it looks when the Emperor wants to build a wall, not to protect the well-being of those in his care, but because those outside the gates are simply different in some way. The Snake can represent betrayal or selfishness and greed, and it is the latter meaning that fits with this Emperor. Are his laws created for the benefit of all, or only to benefit himself?

Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.

~Oscar Wilde 

Exercising Kindness

From the Ferret Tarot, Strength; from the Nature's Wisdom Oracle, the Snake:

          Weight-lifting might seem the wrong kind of power Strength generally implies, unless you think of the focus on breathing as it is done. Any kind of exercise (such as holding a yoga pose) creates intentional stress in the body; as the muscles tighten, it is easy to constrict or hold the breath. It takes a conscious effort to relax the diaphragm and let air flow through the lungs. Daily life is full of a similar type of stress that often contracts the body and breath. But remembering to breathe slowly and deeply can create space to think clearly rather than impulsively react. Snake's message of healing combined with the Strength card suggest compassion and kindness. Pema Chodron explained three steps of developing these traits:
1) The king or queen - the leader can't help the kingdom if his or her own life isn't in order. Practicing kindness towards oneself (rather than self-pity or self-indulgence) is a requirement if one is to be of benefit to others.
2) The ferryman - the ferryman has everyone in the same boat with him or her; the realization dawns that no matter how different we are, we all suffer. Everyone will experience pain and eventually death.
3) The shepherd - the shepherd puts the needs of the sheep ahead of his or her own wants. This isn't done out of expectation or obligation, but because he or she cares about the sheep.

Honeyed Words

From the Tyldwick Tarot, the Nine of Coins; from the Antiquarian Lenormand, the Snake:

          Whenever I see trunks and chests like these, I think of two things: treasure and travel. The Nine of Coins shows a the basement of a person who has finally learned to manage their resources wisely. Hard work, discipline and perseverance has paid off handsomely. Not only is there a nice little "nest egg" to show for all that effort, there is leisure time for trips, artistic exploration, intellectual pursuits or just enjoying life in general. The Lenormand card shows a circus snake charmer, a woman who handles animals that elicit fear in most people. The Snake represents dysfunction or deception of some sort, which demands a sharp alertness (much like that of a snake charmer). What's more enticing to a scam artist or other untrustworthy 'snake' than someone who lives independently and has a bit of money saved? Honeyed words often hide something poisonous underneath, so an investigation may be needed to uncover the truth.

Tossing and Treading

From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea, the Two of Pentacles; from the Celtic Lenormand, the Snake:

          The keyword given for the Navigators card is 'permutation,' or the act of changing the arrangement or order of something. Instead of the usual one person, this illustration has two figures who toss their pentacles to the other. The booklet states that "You need support from partners and friends to work toward a successful outcome in business or creative projects after you have organized your enterprise carefully." Once I get my ducks in a row, I need to ask for assistance. I can adopt the two-year-old mentality of wanting to do it myself or the victim mentality of thinking no one has time to help, but neither of these options will prove useful (and will likely add to my stress level). It would be much more beneficial to reach out. McCracken foregoes the usual meanings of the Snake - manipulation and deception - and chooses to use the meaning of transformation. As the snake is pictured shedding its skin, this makes sense. However there is still a need for warning, as Doctors Foster and Smith point out: " During this period, the snake's vision is impaired and behavior can become unpredictable and aggressive since the snake is in a vulnerable state." After working alone, it may feel like someone is stepping on my toes with their suggestions. Better remember not to take everything so personally and to be careful where I step too.

Don't Waste the Day

From the Llewellyn Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Beasts of Albion, the Snake:

          Looking at this sunny Ace of Pentacles, I hear a weather forecast in my head: "It's going to be a beautiful spring day - don't waste a minute of it!" Here is an offering of  time and energy, a physical body and the finances to provide for my needs. Will I piss it all away, not realizing the gift I've been given? Or will I wisely use these resources, being a good steward while developing them? The Snake in this deck represents the cycle of change because it sheds the skin it outgrows. What labels and patterns of behavior do I need to let go of? I need to let go of my label of 'accident victim' and get back into my exercise routine (even if it is just walking). My pain has been a booger bear lately, and it's been easy to use it as an excuse not to exert myself too much. Yet I know this is what will keep my muscles and joints supple and in good working order. I also need to realize it's okay to spend a little money when there is extra available, even if it is not on something I need. We all need a few toys to play with. So how about you, my fellow bloggers? What do you need to shed?

Don't Rain on the Parade

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Pictish Oracle, the Snake:

          A butterfly rises from a tangle of brush; Krans says that this is "a card of victory, of rising up against the odds." I would guess that at least half of those obstacles were created by our own minds telling us there was no way to be successful, that we might as well quit before we embarrass ourselves. But thankfully the pull of reaching the goal strengthened the will and gave us reason to persevere. But what if those same negative thoughts come back in different form? The Snake symbol appears 14 times on Pict inscribed stones; it likely represented both fear (sudden strike) but also healing (shedding skin). We may wonder how we could ever top this moment, or how we could ever have enough willpower to meet another such challenge again. But like the butterfly's brief existence, our lives are short. This is the time for the joy of celebration, not worry; it's time to rest and relax. The Wheel will turn and there'll be plenty of opportunities soon enough for another quest. This is the moment to embrace what is, not what might be.

Leaning Back on the Edge

From the Prairie Tarot, the Nine of Cups; from the Medicine Cards, the "Snake:"

          This cowpoke seems so happy and content. He's had the perfect week, and now with his pay in his pocket, he's relaxing at his favorite saloon. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but his chair is about to tip over. There's a rattlesnake waiting outside that's coiled and ready to spring. It could be an old friend who's betrayed him or his foreman telling him he's having to make cutbacks. Whatever it is, it will push him to his edge.

Most of us do not take these situations as teachings. We automatically hate them. We run like crazy. We use all kinds of ways to escape -- all addictions stem from this moment when we meet our edge and we just can't stand it. We feel we have to soften it, pad it with something, and we become addicted to whatever it is that seems to ease the pain. ~ Pema Chodron

But Snake's message isn't all bad; it can lead to transformation, something that changes us from the inside out if we don't zone out or freak out:

 Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—this is the spiritual path.

Because of mindfulness, we see things when they arise. Because of our understanding, we don’t buy into the chain reaction that makes things grow from minute to expansive....It all comes through learning to pause for a moment, learning not to just impulsively do the same thing again and again. It’s a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately filling up the space. 

In the words of the sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, “You take it all in. You let the pain of the world touch your heart and you turn it into compassion.”

~ Pema Chodron

"Use This Now"

From the Greenwood, the Ace of Stones (Pentacles):

Large stones seem so immovable and heavy, no wonder they make people feel grounded and stable. On this particular stone are all types of incisions; many of them are commonly referred to as "cup and ring" marks except for the labyrinth in the center. Some archaeologists have posited these symbols might represent certain resources found in the area such as streams or lakes, fish or game. This card made me think of how often I waste time (and money) looking for something when I have plenty of resources right in front of me (books came instantly to mind). I don't need to buy anything else until I use what I have already. Otherwise, my acquisition will probably end up on that dusty pile in the corner. Ram Dass is famous for his quote, "Be here now." I need one tattooed on each hand that says, "Use this now."

From the Pictish Oracle comes the tile "Snake:"

The snake was a complex symbol with the Celtic tribes. On one hand, it inspired fear with its ability to strike and bite. Yet because it shed its skin as its body grew, the snake was also seen as a symbol of healing. For me, that sums up how I feel when I want to try something new. Moving beyond my comfort zone causes fear, but if I can push through it, I often find a facet of myself I was unaware even existed. In blending this tile with the card above, I am cautioned that I don't need to rush off to another seminar, buy another book or sign up for another class. Sometimes the creative potential and knowledge I seek can be found inside me. I don't need to worry; what's there is quite useful and good enough.

Spewing Soda Bottles

From the Ancient Tarots of Lombardy, the King of Cups:

This king's body language (sitting on the edge of his seat) tells me he is listening intently to what is being said. Yet he keeps the lid on his cup (staying composed regardless of what he is hearing). I'm sure you've had the unpleasant experience of opening a soda can or bottle that had been shaken hard. As soon as the top is popped or the lid lifted, it spews everywhere. The King of Cups reminds me to get out my umbrella instead of my own can of soda when drama is going on. If I let myself get emotionally sucked into the situation, I'll just be adding another spewing soda. Then there will be two messes to clean up, and one will be my responsibility.

From the Lenormand de Marseille, the "Snake:"

I couldn't help but think of the Garden of Eden myth when I pulled this card. The serpent tells Eve if she'll eat from the Tree of Knowledge, she'll be as wise as God. The serpent didn't actually lie, he just didn't tell her the rest of the story. She and Adam would get kicked out of their idyllic home, have to learn to survive on their own, and eventually die. There are plenty of manipulative folks around who excel at dangling bait and catching people on the hook. Like the serpent, their motives are entirely selfish; they are so good at being slick, sometimes it's hard to see behind their veil of half-truths. The King of Batons in this card would probably take his staff and give the snake a solid whack on the head, as it would only misdirect him from the goal he seeks. With the King of Cups above, I am warned to be aware of those who might attempt to emotionally manipulate me today.

Transformation is a Steep Climb

This week I'll be using the Llewellyn Tarot created by Anna-Marie Ferguson and published by Llewellyn.  Today's draw is the Universe (World):

Ferguson's version of the World/Universe is based on Cadair Idris ("chair of Idris") seen here:

This horseshoe-shaped mountain in Wales is regarded as the "Great Seat of Poetry;" legend has it that those who spend the night staring at the stars from its peak will return either as a madman or poet.  When I was younger, I backpacked along the Appalachians.  I distinctly remember the heat and sweat, rocky trails, and copperheads barely avoided.  After climbing hard for several exhausting hours, all I could think of was, "What could be worth all this trouble?"  Then I would reach the top, and the view would be so amazing it would leave me speechless.  The Universe/World encourages me not to give up halfway up the mountain; I will eventually see a broader, holistic view instead of just random details.

The oracle deck I'll be using this week is called Beasts of Albion.  It was created by Miranda Gray and published by Aquarian.  This morning's card is "Snake:"

Because of the necessity of shedding its skin as it grows, it makes sense that Gray sees the snake as the "Path of Change."  As I grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, there are old ideas and values I must slough off in order to make room for the new ones.  The torc the snake winds around has two ram heads on the ends, reminding me that I will need courage and determination to continue to adapt to each change as it comes.  Like reaching the mountain peak, the result of my efforts will eventually open my eyes (and mind) to a new perspective.