Dead Wood

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Rune Cards, Tiw (Tiwaz):

There is very little right/wrong or good/bad in this world. There is, however, use and not useful.

― Clarissa Pinkola Estés

As we move through life, humans are usually unaware of the mental 'burrs' that stick to us. We pick them up from family and friends, the values held by our culture or society, and experiences that make an impression on us. While some are useful and help keep us safe and whole, many others are detrimental. Potts suggests the Seven of Wands indicates that now is a time to clear the dead wood from our lives. What is holding us back? What makes us rethink every choice we make? Tiwaz is associated with the North Star in the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, describing it as a guiding star that never fails. Are we relying on our mental burrs to guide us, or do we trust ourselves? Margie Warrell's words can encourage us:

Trusting yourself is not about becoming invulnerable to fear or eradicating self-doubt. It’s about daring to lean into a deeper source of power that lives within us and around us. It’s about taking the ultimate risk and placing a bet on ourselves that within us is all that’s required to meet the demands of each moment as it arises. 

Life on Life's Terms

This week I'll be using the Tarot of Timeless Truth, with both the deck and companion book created by Leila Vey.  Today's draw is the Ace of Pentacles:

A dryad (tree spirit) holds a pentacle as the sun appears on the horizon.  Great trees grow from small seeds, rooted firmly in the earth, then mature to produce seeds of their own.  This card is a prompt to pay attention to the opportunities in my life and take advantage of them.  Just dreaming about how I want things to be will never create them.  My accomplishments will come from practical actions that move me in the right direction.  I don't have to do it all in one day, just one step at a time.

     The oracle deck I'll be using this week are the Rune Cards, created by Tony Linsell and Brian Partridge.  This morning's draw is "Tiw:"

Tiw is a guiding mark.  He keeps trust with all men,
is ever on his path above the night's mists and never fails.
Anglo-Saxon Poem

Tiw is the Norse god of courage and victory, law and justice.  Here in this image he sits on his mountain with arms outstretched, the sword of justice laid across his lap, as he watches the rider pass by.  I envy those who have faith in a god that watches over all they do, intervenes in certain circumstances, and does their bidding when asked respectfully.  I do have faith that the sun will rise and set, that the moon will wax and wane, and that the seasons will change.  The power that moves through these things is what I turn to, not to craft things according to my wishes, but to give me the strength and serenity to live life on life's terms.