More than Chaos

From the Everyday Enchantment Tarot, the Empress; from the MentorSpirit Cards, 'Understanding:'

          Walk into the home of the Empress, and one will be met with a chaotic collection of noise, color, and activity. There are scattered blocks and Play Dough on the counter, a dog and kid running pell-mell through the house, and a box of opened crayons on the floor. Look closer and one will see happy faces and hear laughter; there are bouquets of flowers in many rooms, and the smell of something delicious cooking in the oven. Here there is the freedom to create and be oneself, but mostly there is love. Understanding suggests tolerance because of the ability to comprehend a situation on a deeper level than just the surface. It goes beyond labels and expectations - it is the skill to see things with clarity. So when the baby starts whining, the Empress realizes he's not a brat but teething. When the daughter knocks over her glass of milk, she can discern she is just excited to tell her mom about her day at kindergarten. Yes, there is disorder and at times pandemonium, but there's a whole lot of kindness too.

Wisdom of Understanding

From the Sun and Moon Tarot, the Emperor; from the Wisdom Keepers Oracle, 'Understanding:'

          This has got to be one of the most laid-back Emperors I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure that globe he's holding is an aromatherapy diffuser with lavender in it. But why shouldn't he be relaxed? The sun is shining, the sheep are grazing and the bees are making honey. All is peaceful and stable in his world for the moment. Yet I have to admit I'm a planner, always looking to prepare for future possibilities. Sometimes when I try to chill out, I feel like I'm doing something wrong or have left something undone. The Wisdom Keeper of Understanding speaks these words: "I know and trust that at some point your hard-working mind will exhaust itself, and you will break free into a new way of being." Her point is that the mind needs to rest as much as the body, and by resting, it allows the heart to be heard (the intellect can be such a bully sometimes). Understanding comes from information and compassion; it expands and improves my perception.

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. ~Albert Einstein

We're Off to See the Wizard

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Fool:

Maybe it was the red shoes and the little dog, but I couldn't help but think of the Wizard of Oz when I saw this card this morning. Like the Fool, Dorothy finds herself in a strange place where nothing is as it appears at first glance. On her way to enlightenment (the yellow brick road), she discovers knowledge (scarecrow), love (tin man) and courage (lion) - all part of the bundle the Fool has on her bindle stick. But Dorothy's dog, Toto (from Latin meaning "total" or "whole"), reminds her that all these qualities need to be used together as a whole. They'll help her unmask (unveil) the charlatans, meet the challenges she'll face and find true wisdom.

From the MentorSpirit comes "Understanding:"

This card reminds me that while I might know something, it doesn't mean I understand it. I know electricity is what gives me light and allows me to use my appliances, but it doesn't mean I can suddenly become an electrician and rewire my house. Understanding on the other hand will help me discover the nature of electricity, how it works, how it can be dangerous and how it can be useful. Intelligence does not necessarily equal wisdom.