The Difference

From the Touchstone Tarot, the Three of Coins; from the John Waterhouse Oracle, The Danaides:

          A patron, or financial supporter, looks on as an artist paints a canvas. Here is a painter who has been recognized for his talent and passion in his work and has been rewarded by having a backer. Ask anyone who does creative work of any kind how hard it is to find such support, and you'll likely hear a groan. Even if what you do is incredibly good, it is hard to even get noticed these days. Being turned down over and over can begin to feel like the daughters of Danaus (The Danaides) who were punished for killing their husbands-to-be by spending eternity trying to fill a cauldron with an opening in the bottom. But one of the fifty daughters defied her father's order to murder and allowed her suitor to live. Because she did her own thinking, she was not punished. And perhaps that is the message from this one woman: Don't be afraid to be an original who does things differently.

An original idea. That can't be too hard. The library must be full of them.

― Stephen Fry

Full Circle

From the Golden Botticelli Tarot, the Three of Pentacles:

An angel holding a mandolin-like instrument walks on a pathway of coins. Who laid the stepping stones for her to become a master of music? I would guess a combination of other people and herself. There are people who mentor and encourage me (and often provide me with resources). Yet I must also be willing to be a student, to open my mind and learn the basics before I add my creative two cents. But then I still have hours and hours of practice in order to refine my abilities. Those are the stepping stones I walk on.

From the Sacred Geometry Oracle comes the "Circle:"

When I chose this card, I thought of the phrase "coming full circle." Does this just mean I end up where I started from? I don't think so, especially if I've been able to see from different viewpoints and learned something along the way. I may wind up in a similar place, but hopefully it is with more wisdom than I started out. Greer also advises that patience is needed, because some things need to unfold on their own without me pushing them.