Stretching Time

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Two of Coins; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk Deck, the Mad Scientist:

Time is the master of all things.

—Jamaican proverb

The joint popping posture of this fellow reminded me of what I heard on the radio yesterday: if we want the best dental health, we should brush our teeth three times daily. Holy cow, my feet hit the ground and stay in motion before the sun is up until it sets. I'll have to settle for good dental health because I don't think I can wedge anything else in my schedule. I have learned, however, that certain things take priority over others when something unexpected occurs. For instance, while my 30 minutes of stretching in the morning is a must if I want to keep moving, I can forego a day of aerobic exercise. The house doesn't have to be thoroughly cleaned every week, but repairs need my focus. Rather than managing time, sometimes we must prioritize our attention. The Mad Scientist is a reminder of how technology has changed our lives, both in helpful and unhelpful ways. I text my mom (who is 88 and lives alone in another town) early every morning to check on her and say hello. I am a plodder at texting, so I've learned to use the talk-to-text option, which allows me to continue with my chores as I talk. But often, between my southern drawl and morning croak, it doesn't recognize what I'm saying and just adlibs. The other morning, I was telling mom that I was herding cats (trying to feed them). She texted back, "Why are you hurting the cats?" Like I said, it's both good and bad.

Stay on It

From the Daniloff Tarot the Two of Coins; from the Kuan Yin Poems, Verse 85:

Sometimes when you're overwhelmed by a situation - when you're in the darkest of darkness - that's when your priorities are reordered.  —Phoebe Snow

When we're trying to keep our balance while dealing with too much, it helps to have a sense of humor. This clown's barrel reminds me of rodeo clowns who must protect a thrown cowboy from a 2000 lb. bull until he can get to safety. They began using reinforced barrels to jump in and protect themselves when the bull turned on them. But his barrel is full of holes and water. This fellow needs a safe space to catch his breath too. The Kuan Yin verse reads:

On the way to the summit,

the clouds part.

The way is hidden in the mist.

Having too much on our plate can create a pattern of running back and forth from one task to another without getting much done. The wisdom in this verse tells us to pick a path and stay on it; the way will become clearer as we make progress.

Give Me the Good News

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Two of Coins; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Nine of Hearts:

You gotta dance with the one that brought you.

~ Shania Twain

Ricklef's rendition of The Star by Edgar Degas brings to mind a line from Twain's song. Sometimes we don't have a choice about the many obligations we must juggle. Yet wouldn't it be better to dance with them rather than being disgruntled and sullen? To be resilient means we are flexible as a dancer, able to rebound instead of curling around our resentment. The nursery rhyme associated with the Nine of Hearts is:

What's the news of the day,

Good neighbor, I pray?

They say a balloon

Is gone up to the moon.

Humans have a cognitive bias toward what is negative. We must balance out this tendency if we want to relieve our stress and anxiety. Instead, we can note: what made us laugh or smile, what touched our hearts, or what made us pause in awe or wonder.

Who Planted the Seed?

From the Deirdre of the Sorrows Tarot, the Two of Coins; from the Victorian Flower Oracle, "Wild Rose:"

The thorns which I have reaped are of the tree I planted; they have torn me, and I bleed. I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed. ~ Lord Byron

          Unlike most of the RWS versions of this card, the fellow here looks sullen and angry. Dressed in the clothes of the jester, he must feel like the butt of life's joke. His yoke holds one coin with books and another coin with a house; I would guess he's feeling squeezed by trying to pay for both an education and living expenses. Or, he might be overwhelmed by not having enough time and energy for either one. The Wild Rose has been assigned the phrase "a thorny question," and asks this young man to look beneath the cause of his resentment. Was he honest with himself and others when he made the choice to take on so many commitments? Is he being truthful with himself about being able to handle these things without help? He might be angry at what he perceives as the unfairness of life, but he should take a closer look at who actually sowed those seeds. However, there's no need for self-flagellation; see the lesson for what it is and then do something differently.

Inner Tubes and Transformations

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Two of Pentacles:

This guy doesn't look at all stressed from juggling his many duties and roles. What's his secret? The two boats behind him are a clue and represent two ways we can deal with life: rowing against the current or with it. I'm a list maker and like to be able to check off what I need to do each day. But if I can't do what's at the top of my list - for instance looking up some information on the internet - how do I react? If the internet is down, I can cuss and complain (wasting my precious time) or move on to something else on my list. If I don't want to drive myself crazy, I must learn to flow with life. Now where's my sunscreen and inner tube?

From the MentorSpirit cards comes "Transformation:"

"What you're supposed to do 

when you don't like a thing is change it. 

If you can't change it, 

change the way you think about it." 

― Maya Angelou

The biggest transformation I can make begins not with how I look or act, but with how I think. Once I change my attitude about a person or situation, everything shifts. Things that seemed overwhelming become tolerable, even solvable. If I find myself becoming angry and frustrated or anxious and defeated, my best strategy will begin with changing my perspective.