Seeing the Truth

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Hanged Man; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Tet (artwork by Anya D. Leveille):

Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver. 

—Ayn Rand

This fellow has coins spilling out of his pocket. It brings to mind the idea that if we just throw money at something, we can fix it or make it go away. Ask the parents of an addict who've spent years sending their child to every rehab facility they could afford how well this works. There are some problems that can't be solved by money; rarely do internal problems respond to an external solution. The Hebrew letter Tet resembles a vessel with an inverted rim and is associated with and is the meaning of "good" (Hebrew: tov). It suggests a hidden potential - even in the face of what looks awful, there are positive seeds that can be cultivated. Those of us on the outside can only point out these assets and abilities, encouraging rather than manipulating or forcing. As A.A. Almaas wrote, "Only when compassion is present will people allow themselves to see the truth."

You Have the Tools

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Magician; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Tet:

There are times where you have all the tools you need and all there is to do is to do it.

― Nnedi Okorafor

The Magician points upwards (inspiration and imagination) and downwards (the physical manifestation). Although his mind is full of ideas, his body is the conduit and agent of creation. Those tools on his table are the resources he needs; when combined with effort, he has the ability to bring an abstract idea to fruition. The Hebrew letter Tet is associated with the number nine, a symbol of goodness. Its shape suggests a pot or a bowl with an inverted rim. Tet's message is even when life is difficult, there is still hidden good. Our creations and projects don't always turn out as expected. We might want to keep in mind these words of an anonymous writer: "It is when our plans go 'wrong' that wonderful, unforeseen things are allowed to occur." 

In-depth Examination Required

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Devil; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Tet:

Tet painting by Dani Antman

 We must hold still in the midst of our burning thoughts, our anxieties, our fears, and our emotions. We must remember to settle into our bodies and allow them to do the knowing, the resting, the connecting to the earth beneath us. We have a chance now, while the world has stilled, to feel the wind and the sun, to walk outside in the rain, to notice the small, yellow faces of dandelions emerging from the mud. We have a chance to remember what matters in this fleeting, fragile life – our connections, our loves, our families, friends, communities and our host, this endlessly beautiful and constantly changing Earth. —Elizabeth Monson

          What do we do to outrun fear? Some of us find oblivion in drugs and alcohol, distraction in buying and consuming, or deflection in channeling our anxiety into rage. These 'solutions' are the Devil; patterns of behavior that we slide into and then find ourselves chained to destructive habits. Tet offers an alternative. Ginsburgh describes this letter as representing hidden goodness. It is a reminder that even among tragedy, hatred, cruelty, and hardship the light of good can be found if we look hard enough.

Keep Your Eye on the Leg...

From the Restored Order Tarot, Intuition/Juno; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, 'Tet:'

Tet artwork by Allison Carter

          In this tarot deck, two major arcana cards have been added: Intuition/Juno and Truth/Jupiter. The companion book states, "In this stage Intuition seduces the ego to follow her - this seduction is the reason why traditionally Intuition is portrayed with one leg uncovered. The traveler must overcome vain personal insights." Intuition attempts to trick the ego so she can become the primary guide. Why? Because if the ego is doing the looking, it will interpret every symbol and bit of information it finds in a self-centered way. Juno was said to have given the peacock its 'eyes' to be all-seeing, giving her access to the past, present, and future. This card represents an understanding that is beyond the personal and the linear. Tet (which happens to be the first letter for 'peacock' in Hebrew), is shaped like an open container. It signifies a space for potential. Yet there is duality in this letter; it is the beginning letter for both 'purity' and 'impurity.' These cards combined offer a caution about being aware of what we put in our inner containers. It won't just affect us but will carry outward like ripples from a stone tossed into a lake. 

All Natural

From the Tarot in de Herstelde Orde (Restored Order Tarot), the Empress:

Perhaps it is the relaxed way this Empress rests against her chair that brought to mind the words of one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver:

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

The Empress tells me to do what it is natural for me to do: love and nurture, create and develop. She doesn't try to tell me how to do it; like the stream behind her, it must flow naturally. If I can love and create without coercion, it will produce something both beautiful and pleasurable.  And the seeds of that fruit can be used to plant even more.

From the Oracle of Kabbalah comes the letter "Tet:"

artwork by Anya D. Starr

Tet is the initial letter of the word tov, meaning "good," and thus has become associated with goodness. The Zohar states its expression might be concealed and not easily noticed: "its good is hidden within it." The number associated with Tet is nine, and thinking of the Empress above, it was natural to make the connection with nine months of pregnancy. Tet reminds me that nurturing what is good takes time and patience. It will eventually materialize if I don't try to rush things along.