Fixed vs. Flexible

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, Temperance; from the Marseille Oracle, Wisdom:

All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns.

~Bruce Lee

The shoulder yoke on this lass implies that we must constantly adjust our stance and behavior based on each situation rather than having a fixed position. If my neighbor's dog runs loose and digs up my yard, I might speak to her about keeping her dog on a leash or in a fenced area. If that same dog is hit and killed by a car, she does not need my input on leashes or fences, she only needs my compassion. Wisdom suggests something more than the facts and figures of knowledge, which can be gathered simply through education and learning. Wisdom includes knowledge as well as other traits: a wide perspective, experience, and discernment - all of which form sound judgment. 

Supporting Change

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Wisdom:

In the Two of Wands, this woman decided to do something different rather than stick with the usual. In her case, what she was had been doing was okay, but she felt compelled to change, expand, and develop herself further. In the Three of Wands, she has ventured out and seems to be blooming from the choice she made. The Wisdom card suggests that asking for input from others who are more experienced or knowledgeable is a good idea. No change is easy alone; it helps to have the support of other people who can help expand one's viewpoint and understanding. It doesn't mean I let go of what I've envisioned, but I might need to tweak it a bit.

Box Full of Darkness

From the Spirit Within Tarot, the Three of Swords; from the Answer Deck, Wisdom:

Wisdom has to do with seeing clearly, seeing things as they are, that is, coming to terms with the way things are. —Larry Rosenberg

          There's no way around experiencing some deeply felt hurts of the heart for humans. The event itself can be crushing, but then we relive it over and over in the mind, adding immense suffering to that strange mix of anger and grief. Yet the Wisdom card suggests a way to deal with our hurt, beginning with acceptance rather than suppression or revenge. We are relational beings, and so we must find a healthy way to relate to this reality we don't want. We can't change other people, but we can look at our own choices and see if we can make better ones. Surely the rest of our life doesn't need to revolve around this sorrow and resentment. We can make better use of our minds by acknowledging the pain but realizing it is actually a small part of the whole of our life, even though it may feel huge at the moment. 

Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift. – Pema Chödrön

Egotism vs. Wisdom

From the Ancient Italian Tarot, the Devil; from the Marseille Oracle, 'Wisdom:'

          The little booklet came with the Ancient Italian Tarot assigns the keyword 'egotism' to the Devil. Wikipedia explains that this is "the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself, and generally features an inflated opinion of one's importance. It often includes intellectual, physical, social and other overestimations." What does the ego do when it runs into a situation it can't control or manipulate? Unhealthy or unskillful habitual patterns often emerge. There's a reason why Temperance is the trump card before the Devil. Wisdom includes not just knowledge but maturity, experience, and insight as well. It is helps us recognize patterns of thinking and behavior then allows us to change them. Wisdom encourages us to acknowledge both our assets and liabilities, asking for help without shame when we need it.

The Wisdom of Company

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, Wisdom:

While I dance I cannot judge,

I cannot hate,

I cannot separate myself from life.

I can only be joyful and whole. 

-- Hans Bos 

          I've never been trained in any sort of dance (I grew up in a fundamental church that thought dancing was sinful - a doorway to carnal sins). I generally just shake and move in free-form style to the music. And like the quote suggests, I've never been angry, afraid or sad when dancing, just full of joy. The best times have been dancing with a group of girl friends - no one had to impress anyone, we were just there to have fun. It is one of the purest ways to celebrate being alive. Wisdom shows several lotus plants in full bloom. Their seeds start in the mud, then must move through the murky water to the sky above. While I have my 'fun-time' friends, I also have those who've shared a similar dark journey through mud and murky water with me. We delight in having made it to light and air, while simultaneously pointing the way for those still in the muck. I was with such a group of ladies last night. We've dubbed ourselves the 'Ladybugs;' like the insects that congregate for warmth in the winter, we are a haven for each others' hearts.

Be Wise and Prosper

This week I'll be using the Gill Tarot, created by Elizabeth Gill and published by U.S. Games. The oracle deck I'll be using with it is The Circle, created by D.R. Taylor and published by Versation Publishing. Today's draws are the Ten of Disks and "Wisdom:"

          The amazing thing about trees - and plants in general - is that they naturally produce fruit or seeds that will feed some animals while enabling the succession of more plants. Gill assigns the keyword prosperity to the Ten of Disks. How would you personally define this word? Is it having just enough, having more than you need (allowing you to share), or having more than any other person? My apologies to the prosperity preachers and the Law of Attraction alumni, but I have to agree with the philosopher Sophocles: "Without labor nothing prospers." Even the tree expends effort, taking up water and nutrients from the soil and converting sunlight to energy. Yet a tree still needs the right conditions to be fully productive. Winston Churchill suggested humans need to create two: "behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another."
          One of the lines in The Circle companion book states, "Wisdom is the reward for your full participation in life." I agree; if I'm busy whining or angry about the sorrows or disappointments that come my way, the only thing I'll teach myself is that life sucks and is unfair. But if I embrace it all, even the hard parts, I'll gain not only knowledge but insight too. And such insight will generate the third characteristic that fully forms wisdom: compassion. Which leads right back to the Ten of Disks card. If we want true prosperity, we need to figure out how to work together peaceably and be generous with what we have. While I can't make anyone else adopt this guideline, I can at least attempt to follow it myself.

Just Enough with a Little Growing Room

From the Spiral Tarot, the Nine of Pentacles:

Flowers that were planted long ago have now grown tall and are in full bloom. This woman is enjoying what has been produced by her hard work and dedication. She is self-sufficient and independent; the butterflies symbolize her transformation from a timid young girl to a woman full of self-confidence. Yet the tiny snail is also an important part of this card. It gradually builds and adds to its shell each year, but it will never be motivated to create a shell the size of a VW bug. It only needs one big enough for shelter and protection with a little extra room for growing. In the same way, this woman isn't focused on building mansions or buying every new gadget that comes out. She's content to have what she enjoys around her, what allows her to appreciate the beautiful life she's created for herself.

From the Sacred Journey Cards comes "Wisdom:"

Most people would think having a lot of knowledge would make you wise, but here is a suggestion to embrace humility too. The intellect can trick me into thinking I know something about everything, but wisdom is quick to admit the more I learn, the more questions I have. Wisdom reminds me to be content with being a student of life instead of wanting a tenured position of power. In this place of humility, I have nothing to prove; I can enjoy each moment instead of worrying if I will win the game.

Coming Up for Air

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Eight of Cups:

When I was in my early twenties, I got certified as a lifeguard. The instructor was an ex-Marine, and his course pushed me physically and mentally. He was hard on us for a good reason; people who attempt to rescue someone often wind up drowning instead. No matter if the person is a stranger, friend or family member, their fear is so great, they will climb on top of you while trying to get a breath of air. It is easy in my personal life to find myself in the same position. While trying to help, I can get pushed down and held underwater while trying to support another person. The Eight of Cups reminds me constant emotional exhaustion is a warning that I should get out of the water and back onto dry land. There's a beach calling my name I need to head toward where my cups can be refilled instead of emptied out.

From the Marseille Oracle comes the card "Wisdom:"

The little booklet that comes with this deck offers the phrase "Trust in the experience of others" for the Wisdom card. I recently got an email from a friend who shared her experiences about something I'm dealing with. I am grateful that there are people in my life willing to help me navigate through murky waters. The wisdom of experience is much more appreciated and trusted than a truckload of opinions.

The Peace of Gray

This week I'll be using the Gill Tarot, with a deck and book created by Elizabeth Josephine Gill.  Today's draw is the Two of Swords:

Twos represent a duality of some kind - good or bad, stay or go, this choice or that one.  The soft gray in this card reminds me of that "twilight zone" I'm in right before I fall asleep.  I'm still conscious but very relaxed; the hamster wheel of plans, worries and decisions has become still.  In this place (and in meditation as well) is where some of the best creative ideas and solutions have come.  Yet they come without force or demands - through patient waiting.

The oracle deck I'll be using this week is called The Circle; its wedge-shaped cards and companion book were created by D.R. Taylor.  This morning's card is "Wisdom:"

What struck me about this card in relation to the one above is the theme of "gray."  The gray sky above and the silver-gray of this woman's hair remind me that the answers to my dilemmas will not lie in a black or white choice, but in one of compromise - the merging of these two colors.  Sometimes I need to realize that there is a third choice in addition to either/or.

The Full Monty

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Seven of Pentacles:

The title of this card might as well be "When the Best Laid Plans All Go to Hell in a Hand-basket."  This particular version definitely leans toward the Thoth interpretation.  Poor fellow, there's no harvest here, just rocky, bare ground.  I know just the kind of disappointment he feels.  Yesterday, groundwork that I've been laying for over a month finally saw results.  But not the results I wanted to see.  It was painful and broke my heart.  I know sometimes the ground must be cleared and plowed before anything will grow, which requires time, work, and a willingness to deal with the unpleasant.  I'm not giving up, but I need to let go of the "happily ever after" idea I've been holding onto tightly.

     From the L'Oeil de Lotus comes "Wisdom:"

The lotus flower is often used as a symbol of wisdom and enlightenment because of the way it grows.  It begins in the mud (the physical), progresses through the water (the emotional), and finally breaks the surface of the water to rise into the air (the mental).  Only after passing through all three stages does it open to the light (wisdom).  I am reminded that I don't receive wisdom just by reading a book, planting a garden, or talking about my moods.  All of these actions are positive, but I need the "Full Monty" - experiencing, feeling, and thinking - to find what I truly seek.

The Warp and Weft

This week I'll be using the Norse Tarot deck and book set by Clive Barrett.  Today's card is the Three of Cups:

A husband and wife celebrate the birth of their child with a relative or perhaps a close friend.  The weaving loom in the background has given me food for thought with this card.  I enjoy solitude very much, sometimes to the extent that I separate myself from others.  While life weaves the joys and sorrows of day to day living together, I often find myself on the fringe rather than amongst my friends and family members.  It is a strange feeling to want to belong but at the same time fearing being so closely knit.  What strange turn of the mind causes me to be this way?  It's not that I don't love or care about these people, but there is a feeling of being trapped or vulnerable too.  Perhaps the root of it all is pure self-centeredness on my part.

     The oracle deck I'll be using this week is the Wolf Pack, created by Robert Petro.  Today's draw is "Wisdom:"

Two structures made of wooden poles and blankets stand in front of this wolf, looking a bit like entrance-ways.  Will he go through either one, or bypass them altogether?  I am reminded by this card that knowledge comes through intellect but wisdom comes through experience.  Wisdom tends to open perceptions and perspectives rather than narrow them.  It is balance - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually - that allows me to live fully and in harmony, no matter what is going on in my life.  Pairing this with the tarot card above makes me see the wisdom of having balance in all my affairs.