Vitality

From the Somnia Tarot, the Sun; from the Spirits of Nature Oracle, Water:

The opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality.

― Andrew Solomon

A life of loathing, fear, and misery will keep us behind a gray wall, away from warmth and joyful enthusiasm. But this fellow has realized the trials of life can shape him with wisdom rather than resentment. Atop the wall, he enjoys the Sun that now provides him with clarity and fills him with exuberance. Water is given the keyword 'lifeblood,' an indispensable factor that gives something its strength and vitality. What is this factor? It is our attitude toward what shows up on our doorstep each day. As Andrew Solomon wrote, "I hate these feelings but, but I know that they have driven me to look deeper at life, to find and cling to reasons for living, I cannot find it in me to regret entirely the course my life has taken. Every day, I choose, sometimes gamely, and sometimes against the moment's reason, to be alive. Is that not a rare joy?"

A Tale as Old as Time

This week I'll be using the Greenwood Tarot, created by Chesca Potter and published by Thorsons. The oracle I'll be using is the Rune Cards, created by Tony Linsell and Brian Partridge and published by Anglo-Saxon Books. Today's draws are the Three of Arrows (Swords) and Water (Laguz):

One who is fed on promises eats from an empty bowl.

―Marsha Hinds

It's a tale as old as time, as the saying goes. We find a group, a job, or a person that we think will care for us as we care for them, who will have our backs as we have theirs. Then that tapestry of trust begins to unravel as we discover confidences were not kept, promises were broken, and the relationship not honored. It's easy to spot the red flags in hindsight, but how do we move on when we carry that kind of hurt? Water's (Laguz) rune poem emphasizes this feeling of uncertainty:

Water to men seems everlasting when they must venture on an unsteady ship,

and waves scare them very much; the brine stallion heeds not the bridle.

We can't control our relationships any more than we can control the sea, yet we can learn from our pain. As Sara Al Madani said, "Stay open. Stay soft. Stay wise. Protect your peace, but don't punish the world for what one person broke."

Hitching of Fools

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, Love (Lovers); from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Water:

To my line I have hitched many a fool.

~Venus in Das Narrenschiff

Venus - the power of love and desire personified - shows just how much control and influence she has in this illustration. As I have recently been made aware of, being a soft touch can make a person susceptible to saying 'yes' to things that can have heavy repercussions later. We may then begin to feel like an overburdened donkey, motivated to keep plodding along because of promises and obligations to those we care about. Such duties don't create love but resentment, the opposite of what got us into this mess. Water suggests cleansing, not just of the body but the spirit too. This cleansing is a restoration of integrity, of being honest with ourselves as well as with others about the load we can bear without negative side effects.

Our Best Ally

From the Greenwood Tarot, the Archer (Chariot); from the Rune Cards, Water/Lagu:

To reach any goal we strive for, we must be mentally steady with a clear intention - just as this archer must maintain a steady, focused aim to hit her target. Our mental energy must not be distracted by unimportant things, no matter how attractive or unpleasant they might be. Any of the 'worldly winds' might affect our aim: joy or suffering, recognition or insignificance, praise or blame, and gain or loss. The Water/Lagu rune poem parallels the Chariot card as it describes those who voyage on the sea but must deal with the fact that "the sea-stallion heeds not its bridle." What can throw us off track quicker than anything is emotional intoxication with whatever is going on. But our mind, wisely used, can be our best ally.

Sobriety is to develop your own capacity to face yourself as you are—in all your vulnerability, pain, or anxiety. Most deeply, it can mean facing the impermanent nature of all of our states of being and the very limited control we have over what happens in our lives or comes up in our bodies and minds. It’s to cultivate resilience in the face of reality. —Matthew Gindin

 

Earthy Heaviness

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Ten of Pentacles; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Water:

          It is thought-provoking that the creators of this deck use elephants for the suit of pentacles. These earthy animals can also symbolize the heaviness of responsibility we incur from our earthly gifts. The more we have, the older we become, the weightier our obligations. It is no wonder that the booklet suggests meritorious action for those of us with such gifts, which fits nicely with the symbolism of Water. Merit in Buddhism is something done to purify and improve the quality of the mind and actions that will bring harmony to one's life. There are ten such merits under the umbrella of three categories: Dana (Generosity), Sila (Morality) and Bhavana (Meditation). Having generosity as the foremost merit isn't a surprise. Being willing to share one's resources, including time and energy, with others helps keep stagnation and heaviness at bay.

It's About Me

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, Judgment; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Water:

 Putting out of our minds the wrongs that others had done, we resolutely looked for our own mistakes. Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened? Fear set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? ~ AA basic text

          A plague of locusts and frogs descends on the Fool. Like most folks, he will complain that this is unfair and undeserved then immediately start pointing out the faults of others. I thought of our current President who is excellent at deflecting and distracting, but this too is simply a diversion for not looking at my own stuff. I can't change other people, but I can change my thoughts and actions and the misery they will inevitably cause. The Water card is associated with cleansing, and in relation to Judgment, it makes me think of forgiveness. As Gina Sharpe reminds me, "Forgiveness is really not about someone’s harmful behavior; it’s about our own relationship with our past. When we begin the work of forgiveness, it is primarily a practice for ourselves."

Exceptional Days

This week I'll be using the Buckland Romani Tarot, created by Lissanne Lake and Raymond Buckland; this book and deck set was published by Galde Press. Along with it, I'll be using the Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards, created by Chief Archie Fire Lame Deer and Helene Sarkis; this deck and book set was published by Inner Traditions. Today's draws are the Ten of Bolers/Wagon Wheels (Pentacles) and 'Water:'

 Our life is what our thoughts make it.     

~Marcus Aurelius

          I believe many of us often have exceptional days in our lives like this Roma family - a safe place to live, food to eat, a companion or two and the wonders of nature to admire. But usually, some small frustration appears, like a long wait or an annoying phone call. Suddenly that is all we can see, ponder on, and talk about. We lose our perspective as we focus not on all the good around us, but on this one irritation that has suddenly mushroomed into a mountain. The verse for the Water card reads:

I am clarity and purity; therefore I am cleansing.

I am liquid and flowing; therefore I am change.

I bring forth life; therefore I am creativity.

I sustain life; therefore I am nurturing.

It's time for a mind cleanse when our focus becomes so narrow. We can change our thoughts by using our creative imagination, bringing back memories of joyful times in the past and reliving them. We can look with fresh eyes at all that nurtures us that we have taken for granted. If we do this regularly, we might be surprised to find just how many exceptional days we've been given.

Be Like Water

From the Buckland Romani Tarot, Kolo (Zero) - the Fool:

Though the boy might be blindly following the bluebird off the cliff, his canine companion looks eager to make the jump. If the dog (his survival instincts) is so enthusiastic, I don't think there are jagged rocks or crocodiles down below. I needed this encouragement to embrace the day ahead with childlike trust. I've got a birthday party (with my mom coming into town) early today and my first beginner's meditation class tonight. As someone who likes order and structure, it's hard to let go of my expectations and worry. I'll think I'll tuck the words of Russell Simmons in my pocket today: "one of my favorite quotes from the Bhagavad-Gita (the main religious scripture of Hinduism), is 'You have control over your work alone, never the fruit.' To me, that means stop worrying about how much success you have (the fruit) and instead just stay focused on your work itself. Because when you embrace the process of your work, instead of focusing on the results, you’ll be much happier and do a much better job."

From the Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards comes "Mini - Water:"

I can't think of another element whose meaning and symbolism would agree so well with the Fool above. Water is receptive; it doesn't fight obstacles, it just moves around them. There is no jumping up and down of droplets yelling, "But this isn't how I planned it!" Flow and flexibility are its lessons, reminding me that plans are fine as long as I don't attach an expected outcome to them.

Controlling or Relinquishing?

Today's card from the Ship of Fools Tarot is the Queen of Staves:

A queen holds ropes that tether a bird, a sheep, and a bull.  She is a charismatic woman full of energy who likes to have several projects going (as suggested by the animals).  She prefers to be the leader of all these endeavors, maintaining control of how things are done (signified by the ropes).  The snag in her strategy can be seen on the right - the fool pulling the tails of the sheep and bull.  He represents all that can go wrong with her nicely laid-out plans.  I recognize this queen's love of organization and desire to direct in my life.  My challenge lies in realizing I need to be able to adapt to the unexpected and be open to the ideas of others.  No matter what my ego tells me, sometimes I don't have the best solution or the most useful creative concepts.

     The card drawn from the Wisdom of the Four Winds deck today is "Water - cleansing:"

This image makes me think of the last time I was at the coast.  I sat under the stars and moon, watching and listening to the waves roll in and back out.  The rhythm soon calmed my breathing and my thoughts.  I let go of all my plans and "what ifs" and relaxed in the moment.  Water teaches me to be receptive to what is, and release those situations over which I have no control.