Object of Focus

From the Motherpeace Tarot, the Three of Discs; from the Toltec Oracle, 'Witsilopochtli:'

          Women work together to construct a building that the community can enjoy. Each knows her liabilities (such as a fear of heights) and her strengths (strong legs for climbing). Their focus remains on the group's objective, not who does what. As Jesuit Father Strickland said, "One may do a great deal of good in this world if one does not care who gets the credit of it."  Witsilopochtli means 'left-handed hummingbird.' For the Toltecs, the hummingbird was considered a brave warrior because its heart was so big in relation to its body. 'Right' meant logic and strategy while 'left' referred to mystery and spirituality. So this figure was a spiritual warrior whose job was to work on himself in order to overcome his own weaknesses. Just as a group can get much accomplished when no one worries about accolades, so too can much good be done when each person focuses on their own actions rather than pointing fingers of blame at other folks.

The Tool of Perseverance

From the Motherpeace Tarot, the Magician; from the Toltec Oracle, Witsilopochtli:

          Motherpeace's Magician is a shaman, a person who accesses wisdom from the natural and spirit world for purposes of healing. But Noble also calls her a 'tool-maker;' she not only brings knowledge to help her people, she creates something that will be useful to them. She is the hollow bone through which information flows as well as the ability to manifest that which would be helpful in a practical way. Yet Noble also points out that this will require "a certain diligence or self-discipline that is hard to come by." Nothing gets dropped in the lap fully formed with instructions attached. From the Toltec Oracle comes Witsilopochtli ('left-handed hummingbird'), who was considered a god of war. The hummingbird was sacred to the Toltecs, a symbol of mysticism and strength. The relative direction left was considered the side of mystery and spirituality, while the right side was associated with logic and matter. Witsilopochtli represented the spiritual warrior, a person who works to improve or correct her own weaknesses. Sanchez warns against self-pity and while encouraging the warrior to maintain a peaceful heart even amid the struggles. I am reminded that moments of challenge don't exclude moments of joy just because work is involved. In the words of N. Gingrich, "Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did."

Fight for Right

From the Motherpeace Tarot, the Magician; from the Toltec Oracle, "Witsilopochtli:"

          This particular Magician is actively using all four tools - the intellect, emotions, ambitions and physical resources. She wears the skin of a predator, yet she stares at a spiritual symbol (sphinx). She is focused on what she wants to create, but the sphinx holds her in check so that her will is not used to harm or take advantage of another. Her hunt is likely to be successful.
          Witsilopochtli is literally the "left-handed hummingbird" who also happens to be the Toltec god of war. Now a hummingbird seems like an awfully strange totem to choose for war, because it is so tiny. Although it is so small, it was chosen because it has the largest heart of all the birds. For the Toltecs, the right side referred to the physical and rational part of humans, while the left side symbolized the mysterious and spiritual aspect. So like the leopard-clad shaman, Witsilopochtli has plenty of fire and power, but it is employed by a spiritual warrior rather than a self-seeker. The noble fight for right is an internal rather external one.