Blustering Windbags

This week I'll be using the Ship of Fools Tarot created by Brian Williams and published by Llewellyn. Paired with it will be the Wisdom of the Four Winds created by Barry Brailsford, illustrated by Cecilie Okada and published by StonePrint Press. Today's draws are the Five of Staves and Whitebait:

The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.

—Albert Einstein

Four fools brandish their batons angrily while another fellow rests his on the ground and speaks calmly. It's strange that the loudest and rudest folks seem to be listened to more than those who speak quietly and tactfully. But I think Einstein has a point - the loudmouths are generally just spewing unhelpful opinions while the gentle conversationalist often comes up with a beneficial creative solution. Whitebait are tiny fish (2 inches) that have a life cycle similar to the much larger salmon - beginning in the ocean and then migrating upstream to a freshwater habitat. A popular delicacy, they are often caught in nets. These tiny fish symbolize determination and commitment, and they encourage us to speak up, even if we're surrounded by a bunch of blustering windbags. 

The Courage of Truth

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, Justice; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Whitebait:

 He will soon be panting, he who

Constantly bickers like a child,

And thinks that he can blind the truth.

~Narrenschiff

          The prose that was written for the original "Ship of Fools" implies that the Fool's effort to keep Justice in the dark won't come out in his favor. The crown lying on the floor suggests that no matter what one's status, eventually the rent will come due. Unfortunately, such comeuppance rarely occurs on the timetable most humans would prefer. But it's impossible to keep blindfolds tightly tied forever. Whitebait live in streams and lay their eggs in the tall grasses when flooding occurs. When the next flood comes again, the eggs are washed out to sea where they hatch. The fish then resolutely make their way back to familial streams, earning their association with the keyword commitment. Together these cards point to integrity - the courage to act from one's ethics and values regardless of the opinions of others. Included in this trait is the willingness to speak up when the truth has been covered up with pleasant-sounding lies.

Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.

~W. Clement Stone

Some Good, Some Bad

This week I'll be using the Ship of Fools Tarot created by Brian Williams and published by Llewellyn. Paired with it will be the Wisdom of the Four Winds created by Barry Brailsford, illustrated by Cecilie Okada and published by StonePrint Press. Today's draws are the Pope (Hierophant) and Whitebait:

          Now this card looks a lot like the church as I remember it. One fellow confesses his sins to the priest while two other congregants gossip about it. Whether a religious group, book club, PTO, community service organization or some other group of people with a common goal, there will always be challenges within organizations because they are made up of humans. Personalities may clash, and members may rank themselves and each other on scale of worthiness. But these groups aren't all bad, as I recently experienced. Not only do they give us a sense of belonging and purpose, but they can offer support, guidance and encouragement when needed.
          Whitebait is the juvenile form of inanga, a freshwater fish of New Zealand. During the high spring tides, these fish lay their eggs among the grasses; the eggs develop out of the water until the next high tide which stimulates them to hatch. The larvae are washed out to sea where they spend six months, then the fry migrate back to rivers and streams where they mature to adulthood. Whitebait are assigned the keyword "commitment" because of the challenges of their life cycle. Added to the Pope card, I am reminded that it does require a commitment to be a part of any group, including acceptance of the good with the bad.