Children of Chance

From the RainShadow Tarot, the Page of Cups; from the Liminal Spirits Oracle, Walnut:

Oh! that gentleness! How far more potent is it than force!

― Charlotte Brontë

The rabbit is a perfect symbol of the unassuming and gentle Page of Cups. Like the spring flowers that brighten the landscape after the dullness of winter, this sweet fellow is a soothing balm to all. Yet he is also curious, with his senses and mind propped open to the world. It is a trait that will nourish his creativity and intuition. The Walnut reminds me of a gift given to me by an acquaintance: a walnut with my name on it along with a note. The note said she knew my outer armor was tough, but inside she had discovered the inner me was tender, like the nut itself. Kent Nerburn wrote, "Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say why some fields will blossom and others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices in life no more easily made."

Freedom for All

This week I'll be using the RainShadow Tarot, created and self-published by Claire Mack. I'll also be using the Liminal Spirits Oracle, created by Laura Tempest Zakroff and published by Llewellyn. Today's draws are Justice and Walnut:

I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.

―Coretta Scott King

Anthropologist Ruth Benedict wrote that the purpose of her field was "to make the world safe for human differences." Benedict challenged exceptionalism, the view that a certain group was superior to another. She also promoted cultural relativism, the belief that one culture should not be evaluated using the norms and values of another. Justice involves restoring balance and fairness; rather than punishing differences, we can celebrate them. Walnut is a symbol of discernment as well as protection. It's leaves and hulls contain juglone, which is a natural herbicide that prevents the competition of other trees rooting beneath it. Walnut's message is to see beyond our bias, which shrinks our world rather than protects us. Then perhaps we can embrace the vision of Michelle Obama: "Let's invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less, to make fewer wrong assumptions, to let go of the biases and stereotypes that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the ways we are the same."