The Power of Tenderness

From Hadar's Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille, the Knight of Cups; from the Greek Rune Tiles, Zeta:

Man is a messenger who forgot the message. 

~Abraham Joshua Heschel

The Hadar's LWB reminded me that this knight is a messenger of love (note the covering of his chalice is off). He's not there to make a marriage commitment, he's there to remind people that they are loved no matter what. Such a difference that could make in people's lives if they knew someone (or even the Universe) cared about them deeply! Zeta can represent vorticity, the measure of rotation in fluid or air. That rotation can lead to a dust-devil or a tornado, depending on its power. Similarly, our messages of kindness and compassion often have power fueled by our sincerity (as opposed to doing it out of obligation or wanting to look good). As Mother Teresa said:

Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.

Reconstructing Balance

This week I'll be using Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille, restored and reconstructed by Kris Hadar and published by Mortagne. Lee Bursten's The Marseille Tarot Companion will be a resource for reading with this deck. The oracle I'll be using is one I created myself called the Greek Alphabet Runes. AlaskaLaserMaid on Etsy burned the designs on cedar tiles for me. Today's draws are the Six of Staves and Zeta:

          Bursten assigns the word 'creating' to the suit of Staves and the phrase, 'Keeping it going' to the Sixes. After the previous challenge and imbalance of the Fives, the dust is beginning to settle and some progress is being made. When I scanned the Hadar card this morning, I initially labeled it Six of Wants instead of Six of Wands. That was a red flag I needed to heed. The flowers growing on the side of the staves are buds that are still rooted while the top and bottom blooms have been cut. Likewise, I must let go of my wants and focus on the fact that my needs are being fully met if I want to keep moving forward. Zeta is a letter that has been used to measure the vorticity of fluid or air, such as in whirlpools or tornadoes. It implies a busyness that drains my energy and dissembles rather than creates. For instance, watching the news for hours or being constantly attached to my phone may feel like I'm being constructive even though it's not. As Margaret Mead reminds me, "Human nature is potentially aggressive and destructive and potentially orderly and constructive." I have a choice in which one I nurture.

Avoiding Side Effects

This week I'll be using Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille, restored and reconstructed by Kris Hadar and published by Mortagne. Lee Bursten's The Marseille Tarot Companion will be a resource for reading with this deck. The oracle I'll be using is one I created myself called the Greek Alphabet Runes. AlaskaLaserMaid on Etsy burned the designs on cedar tiles for me. Today's draws are Temperance and 'Zeta:'

          Temperance was a common subject in medieval and Renaissance art. Her title and action symbolize the practice of mixing water with wine to temper the wine's effect. This card is also connected to the Greek theory of the four humors or temperaments; it was believed that an imbalance of these liquids in the human body caused illness. Temperance offers the encouragement to avoid extremes, physically or psychologically, which will result in a more balanced mind and body.  Zeta is a letter that has been used to represent vorticity, the measure of rotation in fluid or air as seen in whirlpools and tornadoes. It cautions us not to get caught up in the kind of busyness or mental rumination that results in 'spinning our wheels.' These two draws are not about restriction so much as being able to enjoy life without experiencing the side effects that extremes cause.

Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.     

~ Epicurus

Stop Spinning

This week I'll be using Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille restored and reconstructed by Kris Hadar and published by Mortagne. Lee Bursten's The Marseille Tarot Companion will be a resource for reading this deck. The oracle I'll be using is one I created myself called the Greek Alphabet Runes. AlaskaLaserMaid on Etsy burned the designs on cedar tiles for me. Today's draws are the Two of Coins and Zeta:

          Bursten suggests the Two of Coins means weighing and comparing resources. The two flowers on this card are indeed different - one is a bud about to bloom and the other appears to be a rose hip formed after a successful pollination. An example might be if I have the money to go do some shopping but not the energy or time. Some kind of compromise will have to be made if I want to make sane choices that will lead to constructive results. Zeta is a Greek letter that is used to represent vorticity, the measure of rotation in fluid or air. This spinning motion can be observed in such things as whirlpools or tornadoes. I had a boss years ago who used to call me 'Hurricane Hattie' due to my forceful, single-minded nature when I wanted to get things done. And though I'm not nearly as pushy and energetic as I used to be, I can still get so focused on accomplishing something that I forget to check the balance and availability of my resources first. Stillness rather than spinning can help me see with clarity and take a more rational approach.