In the Zone

From the New Era Elements Tarot, the Nine of Fire (Wands); from the Tao Oracle, The Arousing (Hexagram 51):

The zone is a state of mind which is marked by a sense of calmness. In addition, there is a heightened sense of awareness and focus. Actions seem effortless and there is an increased belief that your dreams or goals can become achievable and real.  – Dr. Jay Granat

Pieper illustrates the Nine of Fire (Wands) with an inside look at the National Ignition Facility - a laser based fusion device. When we are physically tired, we often must focus our will and mind towards the task at hand in order to reach completion. Fantasy-filled distraction will cause a leak to develop in our determination and discipline. As Julie Myoko Terestman explained, "That’s the sweet spot, where you’re not thinking about what you’re going to do next—you’re just in that zone where one thing is leading to the next thing ..." The Arousing (hexagram 51) suggests the jump scare of an unexpected crack of thunder and a flash of lightning. It has the effect of shaking us awake, out of our reverie and back into the present moment, back into the awareness of what is currently happening.

Shake-up That's a Wake-up

From the Art of Life Tarot, the Page of Swords (detail of Paul Writing by Camille Pissarro):

When the student is ready, the master will appear. ~ Often attributed to Buddha but actually a Theosophical saying.

This kid is probably writing down everything he heard and saw during his day, and I can guarantee it was a lot. He's like a sponge soaking in everything, even stuff that most people would never notice. But does he make any connections in his outer world to his inner one? In a way, I can relate to this Page; I'm always stashing bits of trivia about random things in my brain. But every now and then, some of what I hear or see is like getting doused with a bucket of icy, cold water. It changes from something trivial to something important, because I see its relevance in my life. The "master" can appear in all sorts of guises - human and otherwise - and hopefully I'll recognize its worth when it does. 

From the Tao Oracle comes the card "The Arousing:"

Padma calls this image "a shake-up that's a wake-up." It made me remember an incident when I first started driving on my own as a teenager. I was on a curvy, country road going too fast when I ran slightly off the road. I instinctively jerked the wheel to get back on the pavement, and the car tried to flip. I was in a heavy, old Chevy Impala, so instead of flipping, I rode on two wheels a ways before the car eventually rolled down on all four wheels. I was so scared, I don't think I took a breath the whole time. But the experience did teach me a valuable driving lesson. Like the Page above, I need to pay attention and apply what I've been taught so I don't have to learn all my lessons the hard way.