Connection and Protection

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Lovers; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, 'Protection:'

Every negative emotion, every drama, comes down to one or more of the three most basic fears: the fear of losing safety and control, the fear of aloneness and disconnection, and the fear of unworthiness. —Ezra Bayda 

          We seek connection (Lovers) because we want protection (iron nails and salt). What or who do you turn to when life seems frightening, overwhelming and too much to bear? A young me wanted to prove John Donne wrong, that I could be an island. A middle-aged me wanted to surround myself with people who would never leave me. An older me realizes the insanity of both views; nothing is perfect or permanent. Stuff will happen that will make me sad, fearful and angry. But I can find people or things such as Buddhist teachings and the natural world to ground me. I can use them as my touchstones. I may not be able to avoid the uncertainties and challenges of life, but I can find ways to endure it when it gets hard.

Pausing Mid-Pose

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Four of Wands; from the Lotus de L'Oeil, 'Summer:'

          A woman mirrors the bird above her, holding an arabesque ballet position. There are balance and stability reflected in this card, symbolizing a sturdy foundation. The toes that hold her rest on the beginning point of a spiral. Unlike a circle that ends up at the starting point, the spiral radiates outward, suggesting skills gained and knowledge learned as action was put behind inspiration. The Summer card shows a tree at the height of the growing season; its shade is enticing underneath its leafy branches. The fellow making his way towards the tree might be planning a break from the heat with a nap against its trunk. Both of these people - the dancer and the man - can't stay in one position for too long. Life is movement and change, and so they must eventually follow suit.

Relax the Mind, Relax the Body

From the Cosmic Tarot, the Seven of Pentacles; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, 'Illness:'

          The two cards drawn today emphasize the mind/body connection. Just as eating healthy food helps us to have a healthy body, what we feed the mind can affect the body as well. Research shows that mindfulness techniques, as well as other stress-reduction practices, are a good complement to medicine (but not necessarily as an alternative to it).  In the wise words of Sister Chan Khong, "Body and mind are two faces of one reality and they support each other. Because of the way we live and consume, stress accumulates in our body and erodes our sense of well-being. By taking care of our body and incorporating moments of deep relaxation into daily life, we reduce stress, anxiety, and irritation, and help balance body and mind. Sometimes our body needs to rest, but our mind still wants to do many things. Though we think we can overcome the needs of the body with the mind, this is not something we can continue doing forever. From time to time, we need to stop, bring our awareness back to our body, and relax."

Love and Loss

From the Cosmic Tarot, Strength; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, 'Abundance:'

          A naked young woman holds a cloth with a lion on it in front of her. Her strength doesn't come from wealth, physical might or manipulation, but through compassion and courage. The oracle card explains the abundance it refers to comes from a spiritually based love, a love that puts all selfishness aside. It reminds me of the Bible verse in which Jesus tells his followers, "I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." He wasn't talking about money, but acceptance, a sense of belonging, and kindness in action. My oldest kitty died this morning; I've been trying to make sure she was comfortable as possible these last forty-eight hours. If I thought she was suffering, I would have had her euthanized. But she hated the vet with an impressive passion, and so in her final hours I wanted her to be in a place she felt loved and safe. It was hard to keep my heart open and be present rather than close it to avoid the hurt. The abundance card surely reflects the love and loyalty pets bring to our lives. I'll miss my bedtime reading companion.

Ms. Streak (2003-2018)

The Wages of Complacency

This week I'll be using the Cosmic Tarot, created by Norbert Losche and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from L'Oeil de Lotus (Eye of the Lotus), created by Colette and Gérard Lougarre and published by Vox Arkhana. Today's cards are the Prince (Knight) of Pentacles and 'Winter:'

          Unlike most Pentacle Knights who seem to be working diligently, this one is dressed in fine clothes and appears to hold his coin rather tightly. The booklet suggests that pleasures (Venus) may sometimes ensnare this Taurus fellow; his efforts then become about pleasing himself instead of hard work. He reminds me of a young man who goes off to college on his parents' dime but chooses to party and play rather than study. The Winter card shows a bare tree and an elderly man walking off into the sunset. There will be seasons of plenty, but they are generally followed by seasons of need. Maybe this young man will remember Aesop's story about the ants and the grasshopper and discover a purpose deeper than smug complacency.

You don’t get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.               — Jim Rohn

Gratitude and Respect

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the King of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, the 'Collective of Pixies:'

          The companion booklet makes an interesting comment about this King of Wands: he respects everyone, even folks who some people might consider unimportant. He realizes everyone is valuable, regardless of their social class, education or wealth. We all have unique talents and skills that when are combined, keep our communities running smoothly. This King would likely agree with Robin Sharma: "Be a warrior when it comes to delivering on your ambitions. And a saint when it comes to treating people with respect, modeling generosity, and showing up with outright love." The Pixies have been assigned the tag 'joyful participation' because they do their work with a playful rather than resentful attitude. As the Bhagavad Gita encourages, they truly make everything an offering without expectation. I was delivered by two such pixies (in brawny form) when we discovered we had a serious water leak (40 thousand gallons) under the house the day before Thanksgiving. It happened when we were without water for three days after the storm; the rush of water when the city got things running again burst the pipes. We were unaware of it until the water bill showed how much water we had 'used.' These two young plumbers worked for six hours on a day they should have had off without complaint. I didn't care a whit about their social class, but I sure was grateful for their sunny dispositions and skills.

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others. ~Dalai Lama

On the Joy Scale

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Ace of Wands; from the Faeries' Oracle, 'Ekstasis:'

          The name 'salamander' comes from the Greek word for 'fire lizard.' The name for these moisture-loving amphibians came about when logs were thrown on a fire and salamanders were seen running out. The Ace of Wands represents energized inspiration; emotion (of which water is a symbol) can either fuel (with passion) or hinder (through fear) one's actions. Ekstasis is a surge of unmanufactured joy - a brief, orgasmic experience of life. Joy is a good way to assess if I'm on the right path taking the right actions, or if I'm simply being urged on by desperate hopes or fears. 

Most deeply, enjoy relating to the world and to your life not gripped at the throat by desire. —Rick Hanson