Behavior Constellations

From the Forest of Enchantment Tarot, Starlight; from the Mushroom Spirit Oracle, Amethyst Deceiver:

To understand is to perceive patterns. —Isaiah Berlin

The fairies observe patterns of stars that move as a group over the seasons. They give these constellations names and tell stories about them. We also have such constellations in our lives - behavior patterns that we inherit or habituate ourselves, not realizing that while some might be helpful, others can create our undoing. When we're flat on our back, there is no better time to start investigating. Amethyst Deceiver is an edible mushroom that is a lovely deep violet color when the weather is wet. But dry weather causes it to develop a much paler shade, making it resemble a toxic mushroom that collectors leave alone. When we've been knocked to our knees, it's easy to see every hand that reaches out as an enemy. Look closer and watch longer before making that decision. 

Checking Advice

From the Slow Tarot, the Star; from the ROAR Oracle, Toypurina:

A man's pride can be his downfall, and he needs to learn when to turn to others for support and guidance.  ―Bear Grylls

Crossword puzzles often use the word 'asea' for the clue 'confused or uncertain.' In Bryant's card, a woman recognizes that she is lost and uses a sextant, a celestial navigational instrument for determining longitude and latitude. Embarrassment over our face plant may lead us to try the same thing over again, but those who've learned from their fall reach out for guidance. Toypurina was a Kizh medicine woman who led a revolt against the colonial rule of the Spanish missionaries in California. Though the missionaries promised them heaven, they took the indigenous people's land, culture and freedom instead. Toypurina cautions us to look for hidden motives before we follow anyone's adamant opinions. Will their advice empower you or oppress you?

If We're Willing

From the Hezicos Tarot, the Star; from the Way of the Horse, Horse Ancestors:

Perhaps there is a better way - we think so.

―AA basic text

No one heals unless they rest, allowing what flattened them to be purged. Nevertheless, it's tempting, once we are feeling more like our old selves, to go back to the familiar. We start strategizing, trying to revamp the same thing that caused our fall. The Star tells us there is guidance to be had if we're willing to set aside our plans and listen. Yet listen, as Krishnamurti encouraged, "without your prejudices interfering – listen as you may listen to the song of a bird." Horse Ancestors implies that we have inherited certain habits from our family or culture. However deeply entrenched, unhealthy patterns can be changed if we're willing to do the hard work of learning new behaviors and attitudes. 

Vigor and Vitality

From the RainShadow Tarot, the Sun; from the Liminal Spirits Oracle, Star:

There’s always the sunshine, only we must do our part, we must move into it. 

— Clara Louise Burnham

Two stars appear in the cards drawn today, one that rules our days and the other our nights. The Sun brings warmth and light, creating vigor and vitality. In the tree world, vigor is the capacity to survive and thrive while vitality is the ability to respond and grow. It's a day for sending our roots down and our branches up and outward. The Star brings guidance into the mix. It would be easy to waste our energy on what we can't control or on situations that don't really matter in the big scheme of things. If we feel like we're spinning in circles, it might be a good idea to check and see if we've lost our focus.

Against the Current

 From the Sun and Moon Tarot, the Star; from the Animal Tiles, Beaver:

It means entering the stream of the river of life to go against the current.

―Stefano Bettera

The Star represents a turning point; the energy of its water can bring healing, hope and guidance. But we must first dip ourselves into the stream rather than grouse about our troubles on the bank. That is the step of awareness and acceptance - realizing how we got to this place and our part in getting us there. Beaver, with its excellent dam building abilities, represents industriousness. These animals are triggered by the sound of rushing water, an alert that there is a break or hole that needs to be repaired. Beaver suggests effort as our second step: we must swim against the stream of our conditioned patterns and habits. As Paulo Coelho reminds us, “When you repeat a mistake, it is not a mistake anymore: it is a decision.”

Our native azaleas (that come in shades of apricot, pink and white) resemble honeysuckle.

Build, Don't Destroy

From the Tarot of the Master, the Star; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Puer (boy):

Let your energy be used to build, not destroy.

~Yogi Tea company

Scholar Robert V. O'Neill suggests that the Star card's message of hope and guidance may be linked to two biblical stories. The first comes from Isaiah - a prophecy of the fall of Babylon that would come: "Sit in the dust, virgin, daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground dethroned." The second is from Matthew and tells the story of the wise men following the star. When life humbles us and grinds us down with its boot heel, we often become open to seeking guidance and wisdom. Those who do so understand that a new direction and fresh ideas (two urns of water) must be used instead of relying on old patterns. Puer, while translated as 'boy,' describes a youthful male athlete and is associated with Mars. Rather than using forceful energy to angrily destroy what caused our fall, we can use it to build on a foundation of new knowledge.

Self-forgiveness

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Star; from the Dreaming in Color Cards, Loss:

Love yourself, accept yourself, forgive yourself and be good to yourself, because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.

— Leo F. Buscaglia

There are times when we hurtful things in anger, when we make a terribly wrong choice or when we judge harshly someone who blameless. The consequences may be that we lose people and things that are important. How do we wash away the pain and heal our grief? First, we must acknowledge our part in the mess, which helps us be accountable as well as learn from our mistakes. We make amends and restitution where it is possible. But perhaps the hardest part is the process of self-forgiveness. Yet as Tara Brach explains, “Feeling compassion for ourselves in no way releases us from responsibility for our actions. Rather, it releases us from the self-hatred that prevents us from responding to our life with clarity and balance.” 

What We Expect

From the Spacious Tarot, the Star; from the Phenomena Oracle, the Rainbow:

Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect.

― Margaret Mitchell

The Spacious guidebook describes the Star as a "peaceful reprieve." Indeed, it is a place where we can rest, find our bearings and reflect on how we wound up flat on our face. The Star often represents hope; yet there is wishful hope tied to specific expectations, and wise hope that simply believes that conditions will eventually change. When we find our feet again, it might be wise to take Brandon Sanderson's words to heart: “Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.” The Rainbow is the promise of sunny skies after the storm. The only tempest that can last is the one we continually stir in our mind.

Me Too

This week I'll be using three decks, all created by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and illustrated by Will Worthington. The Druidcraft Tarot and the Druid Plant Oracle were published by Connections; the Druid Animal Oracle was published by St. Martin's Press. I've combined the two oracles and will be using them as one deck. Today's draws are the Star and Stag:

Taking care of myself doesn't mean 'me first.' It means 'me, too.

― L.R. Knost

When I saw the Star card this morning, I had the thought "what is poured out will be returned." But pouring out - as in giving of ourselves in service - is different from being drained and squeezed dry. The Star shows Ursa Minor in the night sky, a 'dipper' for scooping or receiving. It is time for rest and healing, a time to be refilled not only physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well. We must pause, reflect and listen to our inner wisdom and guidance that may have been ignored in our busyness. The Stag, which sheds its antlers in the autumn and regrows them in the spring, is a symbol of renewal and confidence as we make a new beginning. When we are whole again, our cup will naturally overflow.

Pivotal Moments

From the Sacred India Tarot, the Star; from the Land Sky Oracle, Shaucha:

There are certain pivotal moments in life when clarity replaces its opposite in the blink of an eye.

― Sol Luckman

Ushas is the goddess of dawn in the Vedas, revered as the bringer of light and new beginnings. Associated with cosmic order and moral harmony, she symbolizes the transition from darkness to light, and the awakening of the world. There are times we sprint hard and fast, holding our ideas and ambitions so tightly, we're only aware of them and not what is real. Others may try to warn us about the cliff we are heading for, but being blinded by our objectives, we don't heed their word until we are falling. The Star is our point of awakening, when we can at last see our obsession and arrogance for what it is. Clarity comes in that moment when we can become grounded and regain our common sense. Shaucha literally means purity, cleanliness, and clearness of mind, speech and body as well as our personal environment. It is not enough to understand; we must commit to the task of cleaning up our inner self as well as any mess we've made.

Still Hope

From the Classic Tarot, the Star; from the Constellation Cards, Cygnus:

Go down, sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, queen city of the Babylonians. No more will you be called tender or delicate.

~Isaiah 47:1

The Star shows the first naked figure in the Marseille tarot, implying that one has been stripped bare of all pretenses and resources. She pours her jars of water back into the stream, as if now recognizing that she took what was not given. Robert O'Neill suggests that this card might be describing the Fall of Babylon to the Persian King Cyrus the Great. Isaiah depicts Babylon as a former queen who loses everything because of her arrogance, mercilessness and selfishness. Though the biblical chapter ends with "No one shall save you," the owl and stars suggest there is still wisdom and guidance to be found. Cygnus ("swan"), according to myth, was a devoted friend or lover of Phaethon who scorched the earth with the chariot of the sun and was subsequently struck by Zeus with a thunderbolt. Grief-stricken, Cygnus dove over and over into the river trying to collect his bones. The gods were so touched by his devotion, they turned him into a swan and then placed him among the stars. Life often gives us a wallop, perhaps the result of our unwise actions or at times just as a random incident. However, wise hope is ever present if we have the ears to hear and the eyes to see it.

Re-Wiring

From Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot, Connection (Star); from the Saltwater Reading Cards, Albatross:

We are all wired for connection.

~Gabor Maté

When we take a blow that knocks us to our knees, we feel confused, scared and hurt. But even worse, we can feel separated - from any spiritual source, from other people and even ourselves. We may immediately try to recover what was lost, when we would do better to pause and give ourselves time to heal and reflect. As Toni Cade Bambara writes in The Salt Eaters, "Are you sure, sweetheart, that you want to be well? … Just so’s you’re sure, sweetheart, and ready to be healed, cause wholeness is no trifling matter." Albatross is a sea bird that spends much of its life riding the ocean winds and has adapted to be able to drink salt water. It's message is one of endurance and resilience as we deal with challenges and loss. Life is hard, but it is also wonderful if we look wide enough. And when we see that, we'll see any separation we feel is only an illusion.

Forget the Desperate Measures

This week I'll be using the Idiosyncradeck Tarot, created and self-published by Jessica Bott. Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Mixed Emotions Cards, created by Petra Martin with Kris Wiltse (Illustrator) and published by Heron Lake Press. Today's draws are the Star and Desperate:

This is one more piece of advice I have for you: don't get impatient. Even if things are so tangled up you can't do anything, don't get desperate or blow a fuse and start yanking on one particular thread before it's ready to come undone. You have to realize it's going to be a long process and that you'll work on things slowly, one at a time. ―Haruki Murakami

When life flattens us, we instinctively look for hope and a way out of our predicament. Yet Desperation, that frantic fear of impending doom, can throw our guidance system off kilter. Suddenly we see 'signs' where there are none, look to 'gurus' who are simply con men in robes, and spend money on any scam that promises a quick fix. We'd do better to take a few calm breaths until the logical part of our brain comes back online. It's likely that we didn't get here overnight, and it's probable that it will take some time to get back on our feet. 

Turn the Mind to the Moment

From the Tarot of Hidden Realms, the Star; from the Heart of Faerie Oracle, Prick Up Your Ears:

It is the presence of mind that makes me unaware of everything else.

― G.K. Chesterton

This young faerie was following fireflies into the woods when he suddenly realized that he had lost his bearings. Nothing look familiar, and he suddenly felt very alone and vulnerable. But right before panic set in, he noticed an iridescent moth. Knowing it would lead him to the lights of home, he followed it. Prick Up Your Ears is a reminder that while our senses are constantly taking in information, our mind is rarely attending to any of it unless it is something dangerous. We may be in a (metaphorical) dark hole, but we're so busy wallowing in our predicament, we miss the ropes or hands offered to help us out. We need to turn our mind to the moment and the information it brings. As Mark Nepo said, "When feeling miserable, we must look wider than what hurts."

The Shine of True Colors

From the Osho Zen Tarot, Silence (the Star); from the A'HA Oracle, Integrity:

 

The thing about chameleoning your way through life is that it gets to where nothing is real.

― John Green

It's a humbling experience to have a strategy and big goals, to think we have expertise that will see us through, and then suddenly our plans crash. We realize how very little we actually knew and understood. The Star/Silence suggests a time of healing that will require stillness and receptivity. Instead of talking, we listen; rather than fantasizing, we contemplate what went wrong. Otherwise, we'll be stuck on a rinse and repeat cycle. Integrity means our words and actions are shaped by ethical principles in all circumstances. Like the cracked egg in this illustration, it doesn't imply we are perfect but that we are genuine and sincere. Rather than hide our mistakes and flaws, we learn from and try to transform them. Peace of mind always outweighs appearances.

After the Tilt

From the Wayfarer Tarot, the Star; from the Curious Oracle, the Honey Bee:

The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves. 

~Pema Chodron

The nakedness of the Star shows the moment when we are stripped bare of our assumptions. We discover that in this world, there is no such thing as an expert who can handle everything. For the moment, we are receptive and quiet. The Honey Bee (nourishment) suggests that instead of blame or self-flagellation, we rest. Later, we can look with an objective eye to see what was going on when life tilted; we can check to see if there was something we were running from instead of toward. True nourishment can come in accepting that at times, no matter how much knowledge we have, we just don't know the answers beforehand.

When we think that something is going to bring us pleasure, we don’t know what’s really going to happen.  When we think something is going to give us misery, we don’t know.  Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. ~Pema Chodron

Labor Lost

From the Gill Tarot, the Star; from The Circle, Reflection:

In the companion booklet Gill writes, "Following the period of instability (Tower), which invariably led to much inner questioning, many of us in fear and relief turn to constructing another Tower, again on our old ways of thinking." It's that instant reflex that seeks only to protect rather than understand that keeps us repeating old patterns. Yet the ibis, a symbol of truth and wisdom, suggests a better way - the one that the Reflection card represents. Of course it can be tempting to reflect on and blame the actions of others, but a true reflection shows only our own face. If we really want positive change, we need insight into our choices and their results. As Confucius stated, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."

Beware of Salesmen in Sheep's Clothing

From the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, the Star; from the Button Oracle, Claddagh:

Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.

― Voltaire

The Star cards shows Tasmania's Richmond Bridge and St. John's Catholic Church behind it. What transpired to break Granny's certainty and stability? Was she told that if she fervently believed and prayed without ceasing she would be granted her wish? Yet it could be that she is guiding someone else who has been crushed by disappointment or a foundational collapse. Hope is a good thing if we don't tie it to a specific outcome; confidence that things will change might be the safest aspiration. The Claddagh button is a symbol of loyalty and trustworthiness. We all need the support of others, but we need to be careful and discerning about those we offer our trust. As Alejandro Alex Jadad put it, "Never sell your head to buy a hat."

It's Much Larger

From the Wild Unknown Tarot, the Star; from the Pictish Oracle, Crescent and V-rod:

We often look at our lives (and concretize how they're supposed to work out) like we might pick out a constellation from the night sky. "Yes," we say, "I'll have Orion but pass on the Big Dipper." The irony is that there is no solidity to any constellation, they are simply a pattern of stars that humans named. There are no lines that connect those billions of stars. Likewise, there innumerable possibilities and conditions involved in our own trajectory. A simple shift in effort, attitude or thinking can be like taking our eye away from the telescope and seeing from a much wider perspective. We don't have to settle for just one pattern. There is evidence that the Crescent and V-rod symbol referred to a seasonal sundial, something akin to a farmer's almanac. While we watch for outward chances, we must not forget the inner changes or harbor expectations. As Joseph B. Wirthlin wrote, "Those who stand at the threshold of life always waiting for the right time to change are like the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass so he can cross on dry land."

Not Suitable for Recycling

From the Tarot of the Sidhe, the Star; from the Green Man Tree Oracle, Gooseberry:

Sometimes the strength within you is not a big fiery flame for all to see, it is just a tiny spark that whispers ever so softly, 'you got this, keep going'. — Anonymous

Carding suggests that rather than searching the skies for hope and answers, we should look within for our own ember. There is some wisdom in this thinking - we must take responsibility for the direction we choose to go in. Yet, based on the Gooseberry card, we might take Krishnamurti's advice to "start as if you know nothing." Gooseberry was used centuries ago to ease the pain of childbirth. In the 19th century, gooseberry bush was slang for pubic hair, from which came the saying that 'babies are born under the gooseberry bush.' Rest, reflection and recuperation are needed now. But when it is time to begin again, perhaps birthing something new would be wiser than recycling old ideas.