Building a Bridge

From the Gill Tarot, the Princess (Page) of Swords; from The Circle, Celebration:

          The Princess/Page is just as intelligent as her mother the Queen, but she hasn't acquired the wisdom of experience. In particular, she needs to learn how to respectfully communicate with others (which in many cases means to control her tongue). Words can be powerful - just look at the way those poor trees bend away from her. Speaking is not the same as communication; intimidation, manipulation and arrogance without listening is not an equal exchange of ideas. While the Page might initially get her way, those who give in won't do so willingly. At the first opportunity, those folks will be trying to take her down a notch. If she does learn to relate to others with kind regard, she will find she has more allies than adversaries. Then (like The Circle's card) she will have reason to celebrate.

I learned that a long walk and calm conversation are an incredible

combination if you want to build a bridge. ~ Seth Godin

Begin Again

From the Gill Tarot, the Queen of Swords; from The Circle, Beginnings:

          Beside this Queen's throne is an alembic, an alchemical still used to distill chemicals from a solution. Like the alchemical apparatus, she purifies the information she receives and extracts essential information. She can soothe the lizard part of the brain (the brainstem, which is only concerned with avoiding harm) long enough to see if there are logical reasons to be concerned. We've got another tropical system headed our way (Nate), and because I'm physically and emotionally tired, my lizard brain is sending out a red alert. According to the Weather Channel it will likely arrive as a hurricane because of the warm waters it is traveling over, but it's intensity and landfall track is still very uncertain. The Queen would tell me to calm my 'lizard' by preparing, but also by taking care of my body's physical needs so the trickle of anxiety doesn't turn into a flood. The Beginnings card suggests I can change the track of my thoughts if I find them heading down dark tunnels. If I consider the facts instead of the 'what ifs,' I can begin again where there is light and clarity.

Can I Change?

From the Gill Tarot, the Seven of Disks; from The Circle, Origin:

          Gill writes in her lwb that "delay is always instructive." Delay pushes a pause button that I likely would not have pressed, giving me an opportunity to look more closely at the situation and myself. My frustration may point out my lack of commitment and that my persistence is slipping. My impatience could show how I live in the future rather than focus on what is in front of me. When my mind is elsewhere, I'm likely to miss crucial details that will make a difference later. The Circle's booklet states the Origin card reflects discovering the source of something: "Your past plays a significant role in your day-to-day life." While I was at my mom's last weekend, she gave me a copy of her ancestral DNA breakdown (via Ancestry.com) since it would represent half of my own. The results were: Great Britain 28% (Scotland & England likely), Western Europe 26% (Germany likely), Ireland 20%, Scandinavia 16% (Holland likely), Italy/Greece 7%, Iberian Peninsula 2%, and Eastern Europe 1%. In a study of twins reared apart, it was found that more than half of personality traits were due to genetics. Does this mean I can't change my characteristics like impatience? Only if I'm not willing to make the effort.

 Saying "I can't help myself" may not be a valid excuse after all.

~ Romeo Vitelli

Painting with a Wide Brush

From the Gill Tarot, the Six of Swords; from The Circle, Appearances:

          Six swords are blasted by the sun's rays, making four of them disintegrate. It is as if long held beliefs and ideas are taken out of the shadows and finally seen for the illusions they are. But what about those two on the ends? They seem to be protected from direct light and appear to be whole. Could these be assumptions and generalizations that have been held back? The Appearances card warns that fiction needs to be separated from fact. Circumstantial proof is not the same as hard evidence. I've noticed lately a tendency for certain groups to take one situation or person and use them to paint everything with a wide brush. It reminds me of a quote by Mark Twain:

We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it and stop there lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again and that is well, but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.

Consideration of Self

From the Gill Tarot, the Lovers; from The Circle, Peace:

           This card shows the different pulls on my time and energy I've felt this past month. One tug is from the physical world that says take care of yourself and have some fun. The other is from the spiritual side that says to be of help to others. The problem is that I've felt overwhelmed from dealing with those others (whose problems for the most part are not of their own making but from life's whammies). I actually left town this past weekend to get a break from all of it. Of course when I came back, it was all waiting on me, but it was nice to have that space with room to breathe. The Circle's companion booklet gives a suggestion for the Peace card: "Consideration of those around you is preventing you from acting in your own best interest. Stop struggling to please everyone." Sounds like it is time to start listening with a compassionate heart to my own needs too.

The problem for caregivers is that when we’re in the presence of suffering, we feel it in our own bodies....we need to generate lots of compassion — for both ourselves and the person we’re caring for — in order to remain in the presence of suffering without being overwhelmed. In fact, sometimes we may need to spend the bulk of our attention on giving ourselves compassion so that we have enough emotional stability to be there for others. ~ Kristin Neff

Advice on Loss

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 Five of Swords and Spirit Guides:

          Gill explains the four swords at the bottom of the card are "interwoven between the clouds of illusion." What beliefs do I hold that are based on false ideas? Have I held onto expectations that have a snowball's chance in hell of being fulfilled? Persistence can be a positive trait unless evidence proves it fallible. There is however a fifth sword in the card that points upward, away from the clouds - a symbol of clarity. Unfortunately my stubbornness can sometimes necessitate learning through loss. The Circle card suggests that I consult my spirit guides after undergoing such a mental wallop. I would like to believe there are angels or other guides willing to help, but I've lost my faith in such things. However I do often ask myself, "What would ____ do?"

• My cat - find a comfy spot in a shaft of sunlight and take a nap.
• My grandfather (deceased) - go for a walk.
• The sycamore tree - let your roots go deep to seek out what will nourish you.
• My grandmother (deceased) - call up some friends and play some cards.

There's always advice from unexpected resources to be found.

Whose Rules?

From the Da Vinci Enigma Tarot, the Emperor; from the Insectorum Divinorum, the Swarm:

Where is the authority in your life?

What are the boundaries of safety and order?

          This sketch of a man in a helmet leaves the impression of someone who is stern and refuses to give foolishness an audience. The questions above raise an interesting question about where I stake my flag when it comes to allegiance and boundaries. My guidance and structure comes mostly from two philosophies - Buddhism and the principles behind 12 Step programs. From the first, I see the need to develop wisdom and compassion while trying to alleviate the suffering of others. From the second, I understand the importance of honesty, open-mindedness and willingness (to do the work) in my life. Yet the Swarm card implies a herd mentality - collective beliefs that may appear as wisdom but is just the opposite. Though I may follow a set of philosophies, I still need to retain my ability to think independently and with clarity. Otherwise, I'm just a lemming following the crowd off a cliff.