Work Environments

From the Sasuraibito Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Soul Cards, Grace and Merit:

We all start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.

—Jean Toomer

Three points always define a flat plane, meaning a three-legged structure will never wobble on uneven ground. Triads introduce diverse viewpoints and prevent stagnation that might afflict simple binaries. When expanding our horizons, collaboration and cooperation with others can help us develop a more stable and far-sighted plan of action. Grace and Merit refer to two different gifts - offering forgiveness, kindness, and patience (grace) or the rewards that come from ethical, generous actions and good works (merit). When working with others, the gift of grace can lead to the gift of merit. Grace fosters connection and respect, allows mistakes, and is more likely to produce work that benefits the whole. What a boon to be in an environment where each person feels inspired and believes what they do is meaningful and appreciated. 

Word Engineer

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Three of Sticks; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk Deck, Void Engineer:

Feedback is the compass for greatness; it tells you what to avoid, what to learn, and where to excel. 

—Henrik Ceder

The Three of Sticks (Wands) implies expansion, an exploration of new ways of doing things. Of course, these endeavors will have some hiccups as methods, timing, and resources are sorted out. But at some point, an assessment will be needed, an objective look to see if the output is worth the input. It may not be comfortable, but such feedback can help us decide what to keep, whether we need to revise anything, or if we should choose a completely new direction. Void Engineer is the creator of words for things that have no labels. Some words, like 'splash,' mimic sounds while others are named after people or locations (like denim from serge de Nîmes, fabric from Nîmes, France). We all engineer our words, choosing and putting them together either thoughtfully or carelessly. But if we want people to listen to them, we need to be mindful in our construction; our words should improve and motivate rather than dishearten. 

He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.

—Abraham Lincoln

Begin By Descending

This week I'll be using the Swietlistej Drogi Tarot (Tarot of the Radiant Path), created by Alla Alicja Chrzanowska and published by Studio Astropsychologii. I'll also be drawing from the oracle Mirrors of the Heart, created and self-published by Lily S. May. Today's draws are the Three of Wands and Humility:

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. —St. Augustine

Like this fellow, architects and engineers often create small-scale models before building the project that is intended. Bob Borson explains, "Individuals have always seemed to be much more responsive to physical models that have the ability to convey a sense of depth, dimension & texture. All you have to do is put a model in the middle of a room where there are images on all the walls and watch where the crowd spends their time." Threes are about synthesis: knowing what we want to create, being confident in our ability, and making concrete progress. Yet what happens when our "prototype" proves that our calculations are slightly off? Do we bulldoze ahead anyway, or do we back up and rework our plans? Taking the latter course does not mean we have failed but are conscientious. As Simone Weil stated, "Humility is attentive patience."

Becoming

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Three of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, Death:

Don't be afraid to expand yourself, to step out of your comfort zone. That's where the joy and the adventure lie. –Herbie Hancock

This fox, who has moved beyond familial territory, pauses in amazement at all that lies before him. Being willing to take a step into the unknown can open up a world of wonders and excitement that we never knew existed. Making use of the dormant potential within us can change us in positive ways. Death arrives as a bringer of natural endings. What ends? That terrified part of us that thought such change could never be navigated successfully.  As John Ruskin wrote, "The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."

Untitled for Now

From the Norse Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Wolf Pack, Persistence:

You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

 — William Faulkner

As the saying goes, if we want something different in our life, we must do something different. Expanding our horizons, regardless of whether it has to do with our finances, other people, or simply learning something new, requires us to be willing to be uncomfortable and uncertain for a while. Persistence underscores this necessity, encouraging us not to give up because we feel a bit lost or nervous. As Bob Goff wrote, “Embrace the uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later.”

More Than Just Sea

From the Forest of Enchantment Tarot, the Three of Spells (Wands); from the Mushroom Spirit Oracle, Golden Teacher:

They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.

—Francis Bacon

When we want to expand beyond our current boundaries, we must use our creative energy to physically put something new out into the world. It will require some risk and planning, then patience once we launch our project. As Mary Engelbreit reminds us, "Fear is a misuse of imagination."  Golden Teacher is a hallucinogenic mushroom known for its introspective and philosophical effects on the mind rather than a psychedelic trip. It reminds us that it's not always the outer world that constrains us. We often need to break through the limits we place on ourselves in order to grow. 

1 + 1 = 3

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Sidhe, created by Emily Carding and published by Schiffer. I'll also be using the Green Man Tree Oracle, created by John Matthews and Will Worthington with Connections as its publisher. Today's draws are Warriors Three (Three of Wands) and Holly (Tinne):

What's interesting about collaborations is the possibility for one plus one to equal three.

―Rei Kawakubo

Three points can make a shape, a third leg can produce a stool that stands, and a couple can create a family. Three is the number that gives form to things, helping them expand beyond the two-dimensional. Carding writes, "A gate is opened in the east; A threefold sum of power increased." Cooperation and teamwork allow for talents and resources to be shared, giving rise to what was not possible before. The Holly's ogham - tinne - carries the meaning of 'ingot' or bar of metal. Erynn Rowan Laurie writes that it was associated with not only wealth but "with creativity, skill, and physical mastery of arts and craftsmanship." Just as Holly requires bees to produce its berries, we need knowledge and talent as well as financial backing to create something innovative. 

Those Who Dream

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Cedar Runes, Dagaz:

The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were. 

~John F. Kennedy

From high atop a rocky outcrop, a woman surveys the land. This view gives her a much wider perspective than being closed in by the trees below. The companion book states that this card encourages us to expand our horizons and discover uncharted territory. But to do these things we must first believe in such a possibility, then we must push away from our comfort zone. We step away from our assumptions and broaden our scope, moving toward what is different rather than away from it. Dagaz means 'light' and suggests an awakening - a truth breaking into our reality. Moving out of our routines and usual trajectories can't help but awaken us to a wider, exciting world.

Eye-Opening

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Three of Wands; from Rory's Story Cubes, Glasses:

In all her life, Rose had never properly seen a star. Tonight there was a sky full. Rose looked up, and it was like walking into a dark room and someone switching on the universe.

― Hilary McKay

I imagine this crowned woman running for some election - a stretch into new territory for her. She knows the job itself, but not how to run a campaign. She hires someone who can wisely manage donations and pay for ads as well as an outgoing, energetic public relations person. For big projects, she knows it takes a team with diverse skills and knowledge to be successful. Glasses suggests bringing things into focus that were a blur before. Being surrounded by friends or coworkers who aren't just like us can help us see and understand details and the roots of things below the surface level. It can be an eye-opening experience!

Uncommon Results

From the Slow Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the ROAR Oracle, Amelia Earhart:

[Teamwork] is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.

~Andrew Carnegie

Three people watch to see what their collaboration has produced. Being willing to work with others toward a shared goal means adding talents and creative solutions to the pot. But it does require a lack of arrogance and ego if there is to be discussion and progress rather than arguments and stalemates. Yet before cooperation can materialize, there must also be courage - to be willing to expand one's views and ideas. Amelia Earhart, the aviator pioneer, said it beautifully: "The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life and the procedure. The process is its own reward."

You Never Know

From the Hezicos Tarot, the Three of Rods; from the Way of the Horse Oracle, Lionheart:

Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.

~Paul Tillich

When we expand our world, looking to grow and develop in new ways, there's naturally a bit of trepidation. Yet there is excitement too, and often a feeling of release when we step out of the box we've been in. We wait and watch to see what these new efforts will bring. And as C.S. Lewis wrote, "You never know what you can do until you try, and very few try unless they have to." But few beginning projects and plans go as desired, and Lionheart reminds us to be assertive without being aggressive, to be protective without sacrificing sensitivity. Just because the outcome doesn't replicate our original vision doesn't mean our efforts have failed.

Shifts and Changes

From the Hoi Polloi Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the I Ching Pack, Hexagram 49 (Lake over Fire):

With these two cards, the expansion of the Three of Wands and the revolution of Hexagram 49 pair up. Here clarity and confidence arise along with a big push to do something different. It is the recognition that our well-being requires a big change, and then having the integrity to follow through. In doing so, we may rediscover our joie de vivre and become amazed as if seeing everything with fresh eyes.

Change can be frightening, and the temptation is often to resist it. But change almost always provides opportunities - to learn new things, to rethink tired processes, and to improve the way we work.

~Klaus Schwab

Recognizing Our Debt

From the Urban Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Principles to Live By, Generosity:

In Thoth-based decks, the Three of Wands is given the keyword 'virtue.' The number one is ''all about me" and number two represents "just us;" at three, an understanding and awareness dawn that we're all in this together. The fiery wand triad realizes that responsibility, and so that the effort expanded outward is directed toward a worthwhile (virtuous) goal. Generosity suggests a willingness to share resources, including time, energy and attention. The quote for this tile comes from Master Hsing Yun: "Generosity begins with our recognition of our debt to others."

Principled Living

This week I'll be using the Tarot Lukumi, a deck created by Caelum Rainieri, Ivory Andersen and Raphael Montoliu. It is published by Dal Negro and the artwork was done by Luigi Scapini. The oracle deck I'll be using this week is the Diloggun Cards, a digital set created through the use of art by Mase Lobe. Each card is associated with an Ifa ethic as well as a proverb, with information from a book by Ifa Karade called The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts. Today's draws are Three of Wands and Iwori (14 mouths):

A king is seen climbing the tallest royal palm tree (associated with the Orisha Shango) to collect leaves to be used in ritual. Only those with 'dignity' were allowed to make this high climb. In the traditional meaning of the Three of Wands, a collaboration of efforts brings expansion. It makes sense that wise folks would only want to invest energy and resources in someone who embodied principles they respected. The Diloggun proverb for Iwori reads: "What you help a child to love can be more important than what you help him to learn." Ambition is easy to learn, but how does one learn to love dignity? We often model what we receive; if we give respect and live with principles, then those we influence may be encouraged to do the same.

Show respect to all people, but grovel to none.

~Tecumseh

A Matter of Balance

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Rune Cards, Yew/Eoh:

There is something both exciting and satisfying when we take action on any creative inspiration. This fellow's third staff with intertwined snakes is that of Hermes; a symbol of commerce and negotiation, it balanced exchange and reciprocity. In other words, the Three of Wands is about expending and obtaining - each acts as a counterbalance. The unique shape of Eoh (Yew), with its two ends pointing in different directions, are like the traits of the tree. On one hand it is evergreen, long-lived and currently used in cancer treatments, while on the other hand many of its parts are poisonous and can be fatal. To borrow the words of Thomas Merton, the message today seems to be that it's "not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony."

Diplomacy

From the SKT Revelation, the Three of Scepters (Wands); from the Empty Cup Oracle, Flying Fish:

In this illustration of three Babylonian magi, there is a coming together to work for a common goal. Wen suggests that diplomacy, tact, pragmatism and prudence are what enabled these three to cooperate. Their ability to be honest yet sensitive to the other's ideas has led to a collaborative effort that looks to be successful. The Flying Fish, though it cannot fly like a bird, is able to make self-propelled leaps out of the water where its long wing-like fins allow it to glide for considerable distances. It implies the ability to move and think outside our normal parameters, giving us a taste of the lives and perspectives of others. I can't imagine any group - whether allies, investors or co-creators - working well together without cultivating such an ability.

I do believe that in order to be a successful negotiator that as a diplomat, you have to be able to put yourself into the other person's shoes. Unless you can understand what is motivating them, you are never going to be able to figure out how to solve a particular problem. ~Madeleine Albright

Steady On

From the Slow Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the ROAR Oracle, Estee Lauder:

Bryant describes the Threes as representing "the potential of unrelated forces coming together to create something new." In the case of the Three of Wands, it would be a cooperative effort that results in development and expansion. Managing a collaborative effort takes energy, attention, communication, and the ability to make sure everyone feels heard and appreciated. Though people might assume Estee Lauder had a privileged upbringing, she was actually born to a working-class, Jewish immigrant family. With the help of her uncle, a chemist, she began a home-based business of creating face creams and marketing them to friends and local salons. After years of selling products on her own, she officially formed Estée Lauder Cosmetics Inc. in 1946, eventually becoming the richest self-made woman in the world. She stated, "I've always believed that success comes from not letting your eyes stray from that target. Anyone who wants to achieve a dream must stay strong, focused and steady." Most often success comes through steady effort rather than attachment to constant excitement and immediate recognition.

Quality of Care

From the Hidden Realm Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Heart of Faerie Oracle, Temptation:

The Three of Wands card represents a return on efforts expended: a couple finally gets a chance to adopt a child; multiple job interviews eventually result in employment; an overseas service man or woman gets released from duty to return home. These moments are filled with relief and gratitude, hope and enthusiasm for the future. The Temptation card, however, suggests a moment when our desires override our common sense or when our emotions drown out our ability to be rational. We forget the joy of what we have and reach desperately for what we don't. We no longer want an adopted child, we want one that sleeps through the night. We aren't satisfied with our job because our boss always correct us more than he praises us. The military spouse needs to go back overseas because they create more domestic duties which take up more time. Rather than feeling discontent, perhaps it is time to consider the words of Frank Sonnenberg: "If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, chances are it’s getting better care."

Snap Judgments

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Tiger:

We only need 10 percent of stimulation from the outside world. It is our brain that experiences, figures out, anticipates, and projects what might happen, that leads to our experience. —Guo Gu

          The Three of Wands implies that we have taken our creative inspiration further, expanding beyond the status quo into something new. But the instruction booklet encourages us to be fully conscious of our experience rather than taking a glimpse and automatically filing it into a preset slot. The card's three lotus blooms show one in the bud stage, one beginning to open, and one fully open. It may appear that the center one is the 'best' at first glance. But we may not be fully conscious of all that is involved. The Tiger of Mah Jongg symbolizes authority. In this case for example, someone with more knowledge (even a book!) might help us realize that these are different types of lotuses that bloom at different times. 

The next time you make a snap judgment about a situation, take a few moments to understand an opposing viewpoint. —David J. Lieberman

 

Creative Accountability

From the Tabula Mundi Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Universe Cards, Supernova:

          The two outer staves on this card, each topped with a pine cone, are known as thrysus wands (symbols of fertility). Yet fertility does not mean one should sow seeds of creativity unless there is someone who is dependable to nurture them. Thankfully the caduceus wand (said to wake the sleeping) is topped by a pair of ram's horns (strength of intellect and creativity). The fiery Wands suit now begins to understand its responsibilities - thus its keyword of Virtue. A Supernova occurs when a star draws off matter from a companion star and accumulates too much or when a star runs out of nuclear fuel and its mass flows into its core. The result from either situation causes a massive explosion. The elements from the supernova travel on to form new stars, planets and everything else in the universe. Sometimes we mature into responsible humans naturally; at other times, life gives us a head-slap that wakes us up and helps us develop accountability. Either way, the lessons are not wasted.