A Light in the Darkness

The Fool was drawn today from the Bohemian Gothic Tarot:

With a moon shining brightly through the clouds, a person balances in a martial arts type pose on the roof of a cathedral.  In some cases, the Fool is seen as making an impetuous, immature judgment, but not in this case.  The full moon's light brings clarity, and the tai chi like posture shows his focus is completely in the present moment.  It is time to step away from the known and into the unknown, not with fear or ignorance, but with trust and awareness.

     The card drawn from the Oracle of Shadows and Light is the "Lantern Fairy:"

For some reason this image reminded me of a backpacking trip (one of many) I took in college.  The mountains we were on had steep trails that were poorly marked.  One evening, after hiking all day with 40 lb. packs, we realized we had veered far off the trail we should have been on.  Finding a rattlesnake in the middle of our camping spot didn't make matters any better.  But instead of being angry and blaming each other, we decided to get some rest (after relocating the snake), and backtrack in the morning.  The Lantern Fairy is a card to buoy one's spirit, insisting that there is a way through the wall, under the fence, or over the water.  Whatever the challenge, there is a solution, but wasting one's energy on fear or resentment will not help.  Calm logic and patience will show the way.

Traps and Transitions

  From the Bohemian Gothic Tarot today comes the Five of Pentacles:

A woman with a haughty demeanor stops in front of a doorway to St. Martin's church (Martin was the patron saint of beggars).  The children who cling to her have haunted looks, as if they are cold and hungry.  Crows have settled on the doorsteps, scavenging for whatever food they can find.  While the children are still very much in touch with their animal instincts of survival, the woman seems to have replaced hers with pride and prejudice.  This card encourages us to avoid the traps of the ego and to reach out for help when a need exists.

     The card pulled from the Oracle of Shadows and Light today is the "Angel de los Muertos:"

Dia de los Mueros (Day of the Dead) is a festival in Mexico and other Hispanic communities that celebrates loved ones who have passed, but does it in such a way that death seems a natural part of life not to be feared.  There are other types of death than the physical, such as when a person becomes so overwhelmed with life they want to give up - "I just want to die."  This angel reminds those who have come to those hard, devastating places that they don't have to allow life to crush them.  Life is a constant process of creation, and sometimes we have to allow a cycle to end and pick up the thread of another.

Right Action

I drew the King of Pentacles from the Bohemian Gothic Tarot this morning, a card based on St. Wenceslas:

  

Wenseslas was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935, supposedly by his brother.  Because of his good deeds, he was posthumously declared king and patron saint of the Czech state.  One chronicler wrote that Wenceslas "went around to God’s churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but the father of all the wretched."  This King of Pentacles reminds me that while you can't take your riches with you when you die, you can certainly leave a legacy behind based on your actions while on this earth.
     As an added bit of trivia, the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas, which tells of Wenceslas taking food and fuel to a poor man on a bitterly cold winter's night, is unusual in that doesn't mention the nativity.

     Today from the Oracle of Shadows and Light was drawn "Fairy of the Highlands:"

This Scottish lass holds a sword, a symbol that often represents truth and justice.  The companion booklet states that she does not want to fight, as it is not in her nature.  Yet it is time for her to pick up the sword, take a stand, speak the truth, and not back down when conflict arises.  She reminds me of Prince Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita who tells Krishna he does not want to go to battle against his cousins.  I think most moral people who are emotionally mature will avoid conflict if possible, but like this lass and the prince discovered, sometimes fear or doubt must be overcome in order to act for the greater good.  It's time to have the courage to fight for what is right.

Living Fully

This morning's card pulled from the Bohemian Gothic Tarot is the Nine of Pentacles:

My first thought on seeing this card was, "Now that hairdo must have taken a whole can of hairspray," and then feeling gratitude that I don't have to please anyone but myself with my hair style.  This woman is well-dressed, and the hooded falcon she holds looks well fed (going by the collection of tiny animal skulls beneath it).  Judging by her appearance and the huge house on the hill, she is independent and enjoys this lifestyle.  Indeed, if she were a "kept" woman, I think she would feel as tethered and hooded as her falcon.  She relishes her freedom to live as she wants, having to answer to no one for her tastes or opinions.  The Greek aphorism "Know thyself" is a lesson practiced daily by her; she realizes that while she may have companions, security and contentment rest solely on her shoulders.

     From the Oracle of Shadows and Light comes the card "Poe:"

Standing in front of a steam locomotive with a pocket watch in her hand, this young woman seems trapped in the past.  Ask most people today what time it is, and they'll pull out their cell phones to check.  Technology has made sweeping changes in the world, some good (global connection and information) and some not so good (we rarely communicate face-to-face and spend too much time indoors).  Edgar Allen Poe, for whom this girl is named, is considered the inventor of detective fiction.  It is a good idea to keep up with technological advances, but like Poe's book characters, I must investigate to see which is worthy of my time.  Do I just use these innovations to stay busy and avoid actually living my life, or are they tools to help me live more purposefully? 

Rethinking Priorities

     This week I'll be using the Bohemian Gothic Tarot, created by Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov.  Today's draw was an extra card added to the deck, Memento Mori:

Memento Mori is a Latin phrase that mean "remember your mortality."  This particular image, showing a woman admiring herself in the mirror that from a distance looks like a skull, was taken from a drawing done by Charles A. Gilbert.  It is appropriately titled All Is Vanity, a not-so-gentle reminder that all life is transient.  Late last night I heard the tornado sirens go off, and almost immediately an emergency broadcast from our local television station came on urging everyone to take cover.  It is amazing how clear and precise your thinking can get in a situation like that, and what becomes immediately important.  My first thoughts were of my family and pets, and to make sure they were in a protected place.  My husband was out, so I called to tell him to hunker down where he was.  We were lucky, as the tornado lost its spin quickly, almost as soon as it crossed the county line.  I can hear the sirens going off again this morning, and my worries are already narrowed down to a very few...

     The oracle deck I'll be pairing with the Bohemian Gothic is the Oracle of Shadows and Light, with illustrations by Jasmine Becket-Griffith and designed by Lucy Cavendish.  This morning's draw is called "Strangely Lonely:"

This doe-eyed girl holds a Celtic cross like it has become a barrier of protection.  The cross represents her belief system that has come to define her but also separates her from others.  Ouch.  Lately I have felt very lonely, thinking that my ideas and principles were alien from most of the other people in my life.  I have been under a self-imposed isolation.  If I am honest with myself, I will admit that it is not other folk's responsibility to adopt my views or make me comfortable.  Nor is it necessary for me to avoid those who don't see eye to eye with me.  Somewhere there must be some middle ground.

Discovering What I'm Made Of

  From the Shining Tribe Tarot today, I pulled the Star:

Pollack associates the woman in this image with Persephone, the Greek goddess who spent her winters in the underworld, but who came back to earth in the spring.  "It is part of our nature," Pollack writes, "that we must suffer and be tested in order to discover our true selves."  This card was like a spring breeze to me after struggling through the last few weeks.  But combined with the Wheel of yesterday, it lets me know that this cycle is about to change - sort of a pat on the back with a "hang in there" admonition.  Sometimes its hard to remember that the $hit that rains down may just be the fertilizer that helps me grow.  And as the author reminds me, it can have other benefits: "We not only change ourselves through our ordeals, we learn how to help others."  I look forward to the positive changes ahead...

     Today I drew "Beaver" from the wooden tiles, an animal I am quite fond of as you can tell by my blog avatar:

"Busy as a beaver" describes the hard-working, industriousness of this animal.  She has a plan, and come what may, she continues to build it.  Who would ever think such an animal could fell a tree and construct such intricate lodges?  Her perseverance (that borders on pure stubbornness) makes such an imposing task possible.  Though work is important, she is very family-oriented as well, and reminds me that there needs to be balance in all things.  Seeing my old friend show up this morning encourages me to keep paddling along, and not abandon what I've been working toward.

Making Progress on My Own

Today's draw from the Shining Tribe Tarot is the Spiral of Fortune (Wheel of Fortune):

Unlike most Wheel cards, this one contains a spiral.  Life is a series of cycles, but am I repeating the same pattern over and over (going in circles), or am I making progress through each one (moving in a spiral)?  Do I hold on to blind beliefs, or do I step out and take an objective look to see how I can change?  The bird represents seeing the big picture - implying a detached inventory of myself.  The four small circles represent the four worlds of Kabbalah:

Atzilut - divine inspiration
Beriah - divine understanding
Yetzirah - divine emotion
Assiyah - divine action

While I'll never reach the perfection found in the four worlds, I do believe in spiritual evolution.  But to take any steps toward advancement, I need to monitor myself to see whether I'm stuck in a rut or moving smoothly along the spiral.

     The animal chosen this morning from the wooden tile oracle is the "Cougar:"

Averaging between 140 to 160 pounds, the cougar is one large and powerful cat.  It is a solitary hunter, preferring to take its prey by ambush.  These cats communicate with each other through scratched up areas that contain urine and feces called scrapes.  The sites are like huge "No Trespassing" signs to other cougars, and by mutual agreement they avoid each other.  Cougar reminds me that I need to have firm boundaries established, and I should be respectful of the boundaries of others.  His isolated way of life teaches me that I must blaze my own trail; I cannot rely on the opinions and choices of others to make my decisions for me.