Checking Up on the Committee

From the Fey Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the I Misteri della Sibilla, the Two of Clubs (Pride):

The mind’s committee is less like a communion of saints planning a charity event, and more like a corrupt city council, with the balance of power constantly shifting between different factions, and many deals being made in back rooms.

― Thanissaro Bhikkhu

A fey works to develop mental awareness and concentration in order to train her mind, guiding it so that it works in skillful rather than unwholesome ways. The ego is only concerned with thoughts that benefit it (if our ideas are selfish, self-referencing, or self-centered, we know who's chairing our mind's committee). The Two of Clubs - Pride - is one of the ego's favorite tools. It tells us we are always right and always know the best way to handle things. Unfortunately, it creates a hellish divide between us and all our relationships. This fey has the right idea; unless we're aware of what passes through our mind, we'll never question it.

Trail Blazer

From the Cosmic Cycles Tarot, the Knight of Pentacles; from the Magic Neko Deck, the Two of Clubs:

Climb every mountain

Ford every stream

Follow every rainbow

Till you find your dream

~Patricia Neway

          This basketball player as the KoP believes in training hard, listening to the advice of his coaches, studying the opponent's tactics, and giving one hundred percent in each game. He doesn't dream of being a great player one day, he determinedly practices every day to become one. The Two of Pentacles card suggests digging deep for courage when the normal avenues to one's goals are blocked and blazing one's own trail. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail."

Explain It

From the Tarot of the Masters, the King of Wands; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Two of Clubs:

          My only quibble with this deck is that I would have enjoyed knowing the paintings used to draw each card. I don't know who this particular king is, but he looks very intent about something. One of Ricklef's affirmations for the King of Wands is: "I have a clear vision of what I want, and I am making it happen." This leader's goals are not hazy or ephemeral but very specific, and he doesn't shy away from doing all he can to reach them successfully. He might be open to helpful suggestions, but I imagine any negative Neds would get the boot. He doesn't want to get stuck in the problems; he wants to find and apply solutions. The verse for the Two of Clubs reads:

 Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree, 

Up went pussycat and down went he, 

Down came pussycat, away Robin ran, 

Says little Robin Redbreast, "Catch me if you can.

The verse is actually a fingerplay - a rhyme that pairs hand movements with the words. It makes me think how often I use my hands to speak, gesturing to underscore the words I say and to explain what I mean. If that King wants to do more than chase his dream, he might need to use something other than words to help people better understand what he wants. Some folks (like me) tend to be more visual than auditory. 

Down, Kitty

From the Tarot of the Masters, Strength; from the Key to the Kingdom, the "Two of Clubs:"

          "No matter how calm and peaceful they might look, there is a killer inside each one," stated a National Geographic biologist studying lions. The same could be said of humans; everyone has a trigger that will wake up the beast inside. And though I believe that inner beast can be useful in protecting oneself and those who are vulnerable, it can also cause destruction and chaos when loosed in other arenas of our life. Some of my favorite verses on anger and hatred come from the Buddhist Dhammapada:

• “Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.” 
• “Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth.”
• “A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.” 

The Two of Clubs card has been paired with the "Little Robin Redbreast" poem with a cat and bird playing "catch me if you can." Being owned by a pair of cats, I can attest to their hunting instinct. But because I'm also a bird lover, my two stay inside. Just because an instinct is "natural" doesn't mean I have to let it have free reign.

Folded Feathers

From the Fey Tarot, the Knave (Page) of Swords:

With his sword hanging in midair and his arms in motion, this fey reminded me of someone doing t'ai chi ch'uan (tai chi). Though his body performs gentle, flowing movements, his mind is calm, still and focused. He has become a finely honed antenna, perceptive and attuned to his environment. Let's hope he is just as mindful with the information he receives. He might take a lesson from the tai chi master who responds to outside forces but does not try to meet them in an aggressive manner.

From the I Misteri della Sibilla comes the card "Pride / Two of Clubs:"

With his brightly colored, showy tail feathers, it's easy to see how the peacock came to be associated with pride and vanity. In combining this card with the one above, it reminds me that knowledge can be used to impress and intimidate or to help and heal. Just because I have information doesn't mean I have to share it, especially if it may cause harm. Sometimes those tail feathers need to stay in the folded position.

Focus and Persistence

  From the Tarot of the Masters, the Youth of Coins (Page of Pentacles):

   

This young person is often associated with studies and learning new things.  In the image above, the girl is wrapped in a cloak with a scarf covering her head, implying that in order to focus, sometimes I need to keep out as many external distractions as possible.  Our society is known for the emphasis it puts on multitasking and the ability to keep several projects going at once.  I admit, there are times when life drops several things in my lap at the same time, but if I'm going to commit to delve into something deeply, I need to concentrate on it rather than fifty other things competing for my attention if at all possible.

     From the Key to the Kingdom comes the "Two of Clubs:"

Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree, up went pussy cat, and down went he;
Down came pussy and away Robin ran;
Says little Robin Redbreast, 'Catch me if you can.'

I've watched the feral cats in the neighborhood trying to catch their supper, and while they might miss the bird (or mouse) nine times out of ten, those that persist eventually have something to eat.  This card reminds me of two things - first to persevere in whatever goal I'm pursuing, and second to make sure what I'm chasing is a reality and not some shadow of it.