Choice and Dominion

From the Transformational Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Silver Branch:

          Persephone holds a pomegranate, and considers eating the seeds. If she does, she'll be a part of Hades world. As an illustration for the Two of Wands, it makes me wonder if this girl just got tired of being introduced as "Zeus and Demeter's daughter." Did she want to strike out on her own, be a queen of her own world, and thus eat the seeds? Maybe the kidnapping by Hades was just a ruse so she could be sovereign unto herself. And as she found out (like the border of roses, skulls, hearts and a spider suggest), most decisions are a mixture of the good and the bad.
          According to Irish poets, the Silver Branch held nine bells and came from an apple tree that always bore both fruit and flowers. It was a passport into the Celtic otherworld, and if the bells were shaken, the sound soothed the hearts and minds of all who heard it. What would you do if you had such a magical item that would erase bad memories and grant you a lighter heart? I would be tempted to use it on a daily basis. But without my memory, I'd never learn the lessons of unwise choices and would be condemned to repeat them over and over again. In the words of Leonardo da Vinci, "You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself...the height of a man's success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment."

One Cube or Two?

From the Transformational Tarot, the Prince (Knight) of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Apple:

          Ando describes this Knight as an idealist, a person who cherishes and pursues noble principles and causes. These visionaries can point us to something better, but when they cross the border into hyper-idealism, they've lost all practical usefulness. Just look at Narcissus, whose perfect love was himself; that relationship didn't turn out too well. Don't get me wrong, I do think we need dreamers to shake us from our complacency. But can you imagine this guy taking out the trash for his wife and helping coach his kid's tee ball team? There's nothing wrong with dreaming of a better world, but it won't amount to a hill of beans if there's no way to make it real. The Apple is a gift from the Celtic otherworld that represents wholeness and healing. The challenge it presents asks: "What is your heart's desire? Eliminate the 'oughts' and 'shoulds' from your heart." That makes me wonder (now that I've slammed the Knight of Cups) if perhaps I am too practical and grounded. Sure his idealism is sugary sweet, but maybe I need at least one or two of his cubes to sweeten my outlook.

Let's Sleep On It

From the Transformational Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of the Eagle:

          This King has defeated his opponent and now prepares to either grant him mercy or take his life. The chess piece in the background is an indication of this man's intellect and strategic disposition. He is an unbiased judge because he can clearly connect the causes and effects that have led to this moment. His judgment is not based on how his decision will affect him personally. As William James pointed out, "A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices." His choice will be based on how it will affect the whole. The high-flying eagle seems a good fit for this discerning King. The Celtic voyagers were physically and mentally depleted when they arrived on the Island of the Eagle. There the magnificent bird showed them a lake that would refresh and renew them (a nod to Psalm 103:5 - "your youth is renewed like the eagle"). Together these cards remind me that it is nearly impossible to use good judgment when I am tired and mentally overwhelmed. It's no surprise that researchers have found that regardless of stimulants used, it was impossible for people to make good decisions until they had a good night's sleep. No wonder we have the phrase, "Let's sleep on it."

Keep Calm, Avoid Grasping

From the Transformational Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of Trees:

          Neptune unleashes his power in wave form, as his chariot and horses appear above the surface of the sea. He is definitely not a god known for subtlety; his tempestuous and dramatic personality was often destructive. But below all of the hullabaloo is a man calmly walking along the beach - the King of Cups. It's not that he doesn't notice Neptune pitching a fit, it's just that he knows adding a serene element to the mix will be more beneficial. People show up with anger, fear and deep grief, yet this kind and gentle King is like a still lake that allows them to see their own reflection. His composure gives them enough space to let their agitation soften and dissolve.
          The Island of the Trees card shows the voyagers taking a branch of apples with them on their journey. For the Celts, the apple was a symbol of wholeness, health and sustenance. The companion book offers the challenge: "Are you content with the little things of life? Be careful that your desire to possess doesn't become possessive." Isn't that desire to possess what causes so many of our emotional upsets? We want what we don't have or lose something that we did have, and we assume life is tormenting us. But if we look at the reflective surface the King of Cups offers, we might find only a natural cycle at work.

Rushing into action, you fail.

Trying to grasp things, you lose them.

Forcing a project to completion,

you ruin what was almost ripe.

Therefore the Master takes action

by letting things take their course.

He remains as calm at the end 

as at the beginning.

~ Tao Te Ching

Beast of Burden

From the Transformational Tarot, the Seven of Coins; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of the Hound-footed Horse:

          Ando's collage of the Seven of Coins seems full of regret. An older man heading down the tunnel of death wishes he were in the younger man's place. The young man wishes he had an exciting life traveling the world by boat instead of what he's doing now. Both remind me of a quote from Maya Angelou: "What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain." We've become a nation of complainers rather than changers here in the States. We're always looking for someone or something to pin the blame on rather than taking responsibility. In the CBD card, the voyagers come to an island where they meet a beast that is half dog and half horse - two animals that have been domesticated by man. Yet when they try to disembark, the animal attacks them. The meaning is stated in the book: "It is possible you are putting burdens and responsibilities upon others that you might better carry yourself." I am in charge of my own happiness, and I am solely accountable for what I choose to do with my life. No use trying to make anyone else carry that weight.

Less is More

This week I'll be using the Transformational Tarot created by Arnell Ando and published by U.S. Games. The oracle I'll be using with it is the Celtic Book of the Dead, created by Caitlin Matthews, illustrated by Danuta Mayer and published by Edison-Sadd. Today's draws are the World and Island of Many Birds:

          Ando describes this goddess as the World who creates order from chaos. In doing so, she completes cycles that bring understanding and competency. Of course this doesn't mean everything will remain in harmonic balance; a new, more challenging jigsaw puzzle is on the horizon. The Island of Many Birds card suggests there are resources at hand (an abundant food supply). The new challenge is there are so many choices, we can't make up our minds. We make no progress, because we can't make a decision. Psychologist Barry Schwartz declares, "though modern Americans have more choice than any group of people ever has before, and thus, presumably, more freedom and autonomy, we don't seem to be benefiting from it psychologically." Other researchers have coined the term "decision fatigue," referring to a cognitive overload caused by too many choices that tends to make us shut down and avoid decisions or to make rash and impulsive ones. Leave it to humans to make a good thing complicated. No wonder we have books galore on how to simplify our lives! But perhaps the World's penchant for order will give us a clue.

A Sword in the Heart

From the Neuzeit Tarot, the Three of Swords; from Rory's Story Cubes, Fear:

          What first struck me about these three swords is the faces on them are smiling. But isn't that how some of us cover our sadness instead of crying? Take a look at the blades: one has a vampire-like figure, another appears to represent our nurturing/mothering side, and the last is a volcano exploding. People who "feed" on us, people/projects we nurture, and people/situations that fill us with rage - all ways we can feel overwhelmed. Yet my Buddhist training reminds me I am not the only person who suffers (note the four colors behind the swords). And I have some responsibility to take, not for the actions of others, but for the way I've been hooked. Those stories I tell myself keep me anxious (as the Fear cube shows) thinking "something bad will happen" if I don't keep all my balls in the air. And after a while that defeated, fearful feeling can begin to feel like sorrow. As Pema Chodron suggests, I need to stop narrating and pay attention to what's really important:

 If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be much better to turn your attention to the fact that there’s an arrow in your heart...