Wise Motives

From the Tarot of the Crone, the Two of Swords; from the Wondering Traveler's Oracle, Worth the Effort:

We all remember epochs in our experience when some dear expectation dies, or some new motive is born. ― George Eliot

It's time to make a decision, but what to choose? We could make the choice to appease someone and to look good; we might make the choice that goes against tradition but follows our personal ethics. The decision might be self-centered or include the concerns of others. Humans have the ability to reflect on our own thoughts, to dig up their underlying motive, whether that's a treasure chest or a decaying corpse. Perhaps the better question would be, "What results and residual effects will each choice have a year from now? Worth the Effort suggests that any major decision deserves a patient endeavor to gather as much knowledge as possible so that we can choose wisely. 

Light Not Heat

This week I'll be using the Daniloff Tarot, created and self-published by Alexander Daniloff. I'll also be using a set of Kuan Yin Sticks with the corresponding verses from Stephen Karcher's book The Kuan Yin Oracle as well as from www.kuanshihyin.net. Today's draws are the Two of Swords and Verse 46:

One cool judgment is worth a thousand hasty counsels. The thing to do is to supply light and not heat. 

―Woodrow Wilson

The two rocks on either side of this woman seem to indicate she is between a rock and a hard place - she faces a situation that doesn't have great options on either side. The blindfold and 'earmuffs' head covering suggest she is shutting out all the people trying to steer her in one direction or the other. She will rely on inner wisdom and intuition to make this decision. The Kuan Yin verse reads:

Even a withered tree will bloom again one day.

Count on the rhythms of nature.

Stay still for now

and let things be just as they are.

Sometimes people or situations won't show their true colors unless we wait patiently instead of poking them. As Lao Tzu asked, "Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?" We must put our stirring sticks down if we want to see with clarity.

Barely Speaking

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Two of Blades; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk Oracle, the Orchid:

The fact is, the heart and mind aren't always friendly. And in my case, they're barely speaking.

—Alyson Noel

It appears the mind and heart are at cross purposes, each with its own intentions and goals. How do we come to a decision, having to choose between a logical choice and a compassionate one? First, don't rush into anything. Second, consider the Orchid, a lovely flower that's "easy" to grow once you understand and create all its ideal conditions (and there are a lot). This plant reminds us that simply making a decision is not the end of things - we must then continue to follow through with whatever energy, time and support it will require. To which of these are we willing to make such a commitment?

Difficult Decisions

From the Anna K Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Meditation Cards, Distractions:

The best thing about making difficult decisions is that you get to be wrong on your own terms.

— Anonymous

This fellow is in a place of stasis, unable to move backward or forward. He's got to make a decision, but neither choice is ideal. It is a "caught between a rock and a hard place" position that seems to have no solution. I understand his confusion. I had a horrible, long-lasting reaction to some osteoporosis pills, yet now my doctor wants me to try an infusion (same family of drug but given once a year). I know this would probably help the problem, but once bitten twice shy, as they say. Distractions show cats climbing all over a meditator. When there's a tough choice to be made, being distracted by a multitude of difficulties can keep us from making a rational decision. If we can let things settle down, both within us and around us, it might help us see the better choice. In the words of John Tarrant, "Abiding nowhere, the heart comes forth."

Finding Our Core

This week I'll be using Tarot of the Secret Forest, created by Lucia Mattioli and published by Lo Scarabeo. I'll also be drawing from the Faeries' Oracle created by Brian Froud with text by Jessica Macbeth; it was published by Simon & Schuster. Today's cards are the Two of Swords and The Laume:

It is only in solitude that I ever find my own core.

—Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A lone figure stands on a rocky ledge next to an evergreen tree as he ponders a decision. The booklet states that this is a time for renouncing emotions and analyzing things rationally. This is often easier when we follow Lindbergh's words above. Solitude can remove the pressures of others trying to influence us; it allows us to see at our core not only what we want but what we need. The Laume is a fairy who knows the joy in giving without expectation, but she also encourages receiving without shame. As Jane Goodall said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” What would be a kindness to others as well as oneself - not just now but in the long run?

Way of Integrity

From the Forest of Enchantment Tarot, the Two of Challenges (Swords); from the Mushroom Spirit Oracle, Chaga:

You enter the forest at the darkest point, where there is no path. Where there is a a way or path, it is someone else's path. ―Joseph Campbell

A young man pauses for clarity in front of a magic mirror that reminds him of who he is an what he thinks is important. For too long he has been the person other people wanted and expected him to be, but now a decision must be made that could change all of that and expose his true self. Will he follow the way of integrity or remain attached to the desires and demands of others? Chaga is a fungus that resembles burnt charcoal and is often found growing on birch trees. These mushrooms are one of the best sources of antioxidants; they can also stimulate the immune system, reduce inflammation and increase physical endurance. Chaga reminds us that people pleasing - while sometimes an easier path - is not the path of wholeness. As Martha Beck explains, "Because our true nature is serious about restoring us to wholeness, it hauls out the one tool that reliably gets our attention: suffering."

The One that Nurtures

From the Hezicos Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Way of the Horse Oracle, Promise:

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

– Nelson Mandela

What do we do when making a decision leaves us caught between a rock and a hard place? Griffin suggests this moment of indecision reflects a time of feeling vulnerable and defensive, which tends to close minds rather than open them. Yet as Omar Bradley wrote, "we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live." Promise, with a painting of a mother and her new foal, represents nourishing new life. It implies that the better choice might be the one that nurtures rather than manipulates (ourselves or others). 

Bridge Building in the Mind

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Two of Clouds (Swords); from the A'HA Oracle, Dragonfly:

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

―Paul Tillich

The term "schizophrenia" was first used in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler; it comes from the Greek roots schizo (split) and phrene (mind). Although Padma isn't referring to the psychiatric disorder, she is pointing out how making a hard decision can make our mind seem fragmented. It doesn't help matters when we are stretched between the past (that might happen again!) and the future (what if this happens?!). Dragonfly represents a deeper understanding that leads to transformation. How can we build this bridge of wisdom to help us make a decision in the present? Each plank might be formed by these questions:

• How does each option stack up next to my core values?
• Do I have enough knowledge about each option so that I don't have to make assumptions?
• When I imagine myself having made a particular choice, how does it feel in my gut?
• What techniques or practices can I use to calm my emotions so that my decision isn't hijacked?
• Although the responsibility for my choice is mine, do I realize that making mistakes is part of what helps me to develop and mature?

Curiosity, Not Assumptions

 From the Tarot de St. Croix, the Two of Swords; from the Archetype Cards, Magical Child:

Those hard decisions are often between the choice of the mind and the choice of the heart. Others, thinking to help us, will generally take one side or the other. We can easily get caught up in discussions that create more chaos than direction. Yet only we know what crosses the line of our personal ethics and values; only we know the depth of our experience and what it has taught us. Our own insight is what will give us confirmation. The Magical Child can also help us let go of the rigid outcomes we assume for each choice and see a wider range of possibilities. As Zenkei Blanche Hartman teaches:

Beginner’s mind is Zen practice in action. It is the mind that is innocent of preconceptions and expectations, judgments and prejudices. Beginner’s mind is just present to explore and observe and see “things as they are.” I think of beginner’s mind as the mind that faces life like a small child, full of curiosity and wonder and amazement. “I wonder what this is? I wonder what that is? I wonder what this means?” Without approaching things with a fixed point of view or a prior judgment, just asking “What is it?”

Relax, Release, Resist Nothing

From the PetraK Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Astrodice, Mars/Gemini/6th House:

We can approach our lives as an experiment. In the next moment, in the next hour, we could choose to stop, to slow down, to be still for a few seconds. We could experiment with interrupting the usual chain reaction and not spin off in the usual way.

—Pema Chodron

The swords lying on their sides and the pastel colors of this card suggest this person took Chodron's words (above) to heart. To pause for a few moments without feeding the mind allows the aggressive feeling that we must choose NOW to pass. When a modicum of peace can wedge itself within us, we realize the only real danger is making an impulsive decision. Even when dealing with difficult choices, such clarity can help us see that the easier choice might be the worst one down the line. The Sixth House from the Astrodice roll involves health or work - two areas where discernment needs to be exercised. Yet the fiery nature of Mars and the restlessness of Gemini might push us into a spin again. Relax, release, resist nothing. Let the mud settle, the water clear and the right choice will be apparent.

Patience IS a Virtue

From the Anna K Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Meditation Cards, "Softening:"

If most of us had a decision to make or problem to solve and were given Emerson's advice to "adopt the pace of nature," we'd choose the speed of a cheetah or a peregrine falcon. We've been brainwashed into believing that a patient pause is not a virtue but a vice. Yet stress not only constricts the muscles, it also narrows the mind. We imagine solutions and choices to be an either-or category without any other possibilities. However the Softening card suggests another alternative:

When we feel our bodies tighten, when we see our minds freeze, we can begin to soften and relax.  

~ Pema Chodron

All fixed ideas and sense of “self” become “forgotten”—in other words, softened, dissolved, dropped away, expanded to include all that is.

~ Susan Murphy Roshi

Illuminated Choice

From the Stone Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, a verse from the 26th chapter of the Dhammapada:

Stone's painting shows that whenever we must make a choice between two opposing ideas or two different options, our clarity is always tinged by our passionate reaction to each one. It can feel like a no-win situation, caught between a rock and a hard place. Yet the verse from the Dhammapada gives some direction:

Whenever one turns away from the intent to harm, suffering is allayed. 

Before making a decision, we can check our intentions, and secondly (and most important), we can ask if this choice will cause undeserved harm to anyone (including ourselves). In the words of Mary Jane Dodd, may we "shine to lessen the darkness of another being's suffering."

Tribalism

From the Swietlistej Drogi, the Two of Swords; from the Mirrors of the Heart deck, Gentleness:

Tribe: an aggregate of people united by a shared story.

Tribalism: mistaking story as history in service to the elevation of one tribe over all others.

—Rabbi Rami Shapiro

I can just imagine the conversation between these two people: "It says in the Bible that women should be submissive to their husbands." "But wasn't the Bible written and compiled by men?" We all belong to a tribe of sorts, based on everything from religion to hobbies or experiences; however, an issue develops it becomes an 'ism.' We all see through a lens based on our story, yet it's important to realize that our view is just one very tiny slice of the whole. Gentleness is a reminder that if we want to see and understand more of the whole, we're going to need to bear witness to the other in a tender, humble and open manner. It is what can heal our divides and help us create a world that works for the well-being of all.

Into the Proper Hands

This week I'll be using the Anima Mundi Tarot, created and self-published by Megan Wyreweden. Paired with it will be the Nature's Pharmacy deck, created by New York Botanical Garden and published by Chronicle Books. Today's draws are the Two of Swords and Garlic:

Swords pointed upward symbolize a readiness for battle (think of fencers about to duel), but crossed swords imply a fight has commenced because of cross purposes. For the Two of Swords, this battle is one waged within our mind between two opposing choices. Pressure from others to lean one way or another can cloud the matter further. Garlic's hot taste and strong smell are the result of phytochemicals evident when it is chopped, crushed or chewed. Its sulfur compounds are believed to have evolved as a defensive mechanism, deterring animals from eating the plant. When metabolized, the compounds form allyl methyl sulfide which cannot be digested and must be excreted through the lungs and skin. Garlic's deterrent properties recommend that we distance ourselves from others who may manipulate or persuade us to follow their wishes. It might be helpful to remember the words of Thomas Sowell:

 It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.

Flapping Thoughts

From the Margarete Petersen Tarot, the Two of Feathers: from the Elemental Dice, Steam:

Ordinarily, our minds are like flags in the wind, fluttering this way and that, depending on which way the wind blows. ~ Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

If we had to be a stenographer for every thought and feeling that flowed through the mind, we'd be exhausted by mid-morning. It's no wonder that we often find ourselves distraught over making a decision, getting even more stressed as our thoughts flutter and flap. Steam suggests that this limbo can be like a build-up of pressure, such as when water is heated and its volume expands. We may feel desperate to make any choice, right or wrong, to relieve our pressure. Yet, as Mingyur Rinpoche explains, "Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the “support,” of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached." Watching our thoughts and emotions without judging or feeding them tends to slow our mind down. We begin to have some space between thoughts and see them with more transparency, hopefully realizing that we can't please everyone, we can't fix anyone, and there are many situations beyond our control. In that clear, quieter space we can make a skillful and wiser choice.

Self-Awareness

From the Forest of Enchantment Tarot, the Two of Challenges (Swords); from the Mystic Mushrooms, The Deceiver:

Part of self-awareness is self-honesty, which allows us to clearly see our strengths and weaknesses as well as our motives, beliefs and emotions. Most of us might think we know ourselves pretty well, but the ego is a master of protecting and projecting a good self-image; it won't hesitate to release ideas in the mind to encourage us to run and hide (even if we have the potential to accomplish something) or jump in with both feet (even if we don't have the skills or knowledge). What we think of ourselves may be very different from who we are, which changes daily. And as Bence Nanay put it, "If we change while our self-image remains the same, then there will be a deep abyss between who we are and who we think we are." The Deceiver (Laccaria laccata) is a mushroom hard to identify because it can shift its shape and color as it grows. Its cap may be convex or flat and its color can range from pink, red, orange or brown. Its message is to check ourselves for self-deception: Do my actions match my beliefs? Are my choices based on emotion or on deeply-held values? What are my strengths and weaknesses?

Stuck then Moving

From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Blum/Gern Rune Cards, Raido:

          The Wilson's plover is a coastal wader that moves along the shoreline in search of food (hoping for a fiddler crab). The shore is one of those in-between places, not quite ocean but not quite land. This place of limbo is how we often feel when there is an important decision to make. Though uncomfortable, it can help us reassess, step out of our habitual patterns, and reorder our priorities. Raido suggests a journey, whether physical or within. It is movement beyond the usual places we prefer to places of uncertainty and the unknown. Raido invites us to stay curious rather than anxious, to keep our mind open rather than hide. Both these cards seem to encourage us to embrace change, which is the natural flow of life. 

A spiritual practice can be an island, a place where opening to uncertainty and doubt can lead us to a refuge of truth. —Joan Halifax

When the Brain is Offline

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Goddesses and Sirens, Kuan Yin:

Conflict wreaks havoc on our brains. ~Diane Musho Hamilton

          It doesn't matter the source of the conflict (inner or outer) or whether it is fueled by anger or fear, our brain is geared by evolution to react. Stress hormones flood the body, preparing it to fight or flee while also shutting down the neural pathway to our prefrontal cortex. Without the prefrontal cortex to rely on, complex decision making disappears as well as our ability to access multiple perspectives. No wonder we need a time-out from making any major life choices. Kuan Yin (who in this weird illustration seems to be suffering from 'resting bitch face') is the bodhisattva of compassion. She reminds us that in this period of mental conflict, we would do our mind and body a favor by taking care of them rather than stressing them out further. Eventually our nervous system will calm and our brain will come back online; then we'll be able to discern the better choice. 

Limits of the Little Self

From the Nature Spirit Oracle, the Two of Swords; from the Australian Wildflower Reading Cards, Grey Spider Flower:

          A great egret, known for standing still in the water to allow prey to come within striking range, is nearly hidden by field bindweed. Both plant and animal suggest not making a move (or decision) but rather being patient until the muddy water of the mind clears. Waiting, especially when it feels like we're standing on the edge of a crumbling cliff, is not what we prefer to do. Yet the Grey Spider Flower suggests we have faith. Like the spider who patiently rebuilds its web when damaged by wind or animal, we are asked to not give in. Yet perhaps there is something to give up - our narrow viewpoint. In the words of Andrew Cooper, "Faith must ripen through uncertainty and doubt. It must open us to something larger than our concepts, for these arise from within the limits of the self."

Act, Love, Walk

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Yud:

Yud painting by Dani Antman

          Decisions, decisions... Discerning choices can be difficult to make for several reasons: our desires get in the way of reality, our opinions override facts, or our emotions hijack rational thought. Cognitive dissonance (conflicting ideas and attitudes) may require us to have a sit until all those noisy, internal voices quiet down. Yud, often translated as 'hand,' is given the title Infinite Point by Ginsburgh. In geometry, the point begins all figures, whether it becomes a simple straight line or the complex spiral of a nautilus shell. Our choices also hold this power, but in what direction should our point go? Perhaps Micah 6:8 holds a clue, as it encourages us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.