Beginning Within

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Absurd, created and self-published by Jessica Rose Shanahan. I'll also be using another self-published deck, the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk by Masha Falkov. The draws for today are the Emperor and Waterfall:

          With his belligerent expression and stabbing finger, I can almost feel the big boot of this Emperor on the back of my neck. He's become overzealous in his law and order tactics and extreme in his attitude. There's no fatherly concern here, only a "my way or the highway" mindset. The Waterfall brought to mind something neuropsychologist Rick Hanson said: “We live life at the lip of a waterfall… our mind is forever trying to grab what has already disappeared over the edge.” Though we might like to put life in a box complete with all our labels and preferences, constant change is the natural state of all things. While this Emperor is busy trying to Gorilla glue his box tightly shut, the bottom has already spilled most of its contents out. Fear generally brings a hostile perspective such as his. The only cure is accepting that he can't control everything, especially change.

You can’t remake the world

Without remaking yourself.

Each new era begins within.

—Ben Okri

Giddy-up and Whoa

From the Oriental Tarot, the Knight of Coins; from the Art of Asia, "Waterfall" by Gyokudo Kawai:

          I'm with the horse (looking back toward his warm barn) this morning; it's a chilly, wet day that makes me want to stay in bed. But the Knight of Coins won't put up with any groans or dragging feet. He's determined not to waste a minute of the day. Bursten's keywords for this card are 'obtaining' and 'focusing,' and this dependable fellow is very good at both. The Knight of Coins is one of just a few court cards in this deck that has a quiver of arrows by his side, ready to defend. In order to fully reap what has been sown, he must protect it from those who would take advantage of his hard work. I can relate to such a protective mindset. We have a lot of break-ins in our area during the holidays, and for that reason I never put presents under our tree until Christmas day. The Waterfall card has been paired with a quote by Mikhail Lermontov: "Many a calm river begins as a turbulent waterfall, yet none hurtles and foams all the way to the sea." What a great reminder that all the busyness (insanity?) of the holidays will soon come to an end, and a more relaxed pace will be the norm once again.