Abiding Joy

From the Victoria Regina Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from the Alchemist Oracle, 'Mentor:'

          The Ten of Cups represents an abiding, mature joy that is present regardless of what swirls around us. There is a realization that we don't need it all, and neither do we need to compare ourselves to others. Our contentment comes in each moment as we acknowledge life may be difficult at times, but it is still good. It comes when we realize our greatest resource is made up of people who care about us unconditionally. The Mentor card suggests being a guide for others as they search for emotional fulfillment. Our role is not to do the work for them but to be encouraging and offer objective suggestions. We help them understand that lasting joy comes from inside and not from what is external. Yet even a mentor needs a guide to see his or her blind spots.

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own. — Benjamin Disraeli

Exposing the Heart

This week I'll be using the Victoria Regina Tarot, a deck and book set created by Sarah Ovenall with text assistance from Georg Patterson. This tarot set was published by Llewellyn. I'll be pairing it with the Alchemist Oracle (aka Connected and Free), a deck and booklet set self-published by Lauren Aletta. Today's draws are the Five of Coins and 'Think with your Heart:'

          Could there be anything more overwhelming than to not only be cold, hungry and penniless but to also have two young children in tow? Ovenall says this was the position of many of the immigrants in the 19th century; even those with jobs worked a ridiculous number of hours in horrendous conditions for very little pay. The Alchemist card suggests that when we find ourselves or others in physical need for whatever reason, we stop trying to apply an intellectual solution and act from the heart. If I am the woman who is struggling, then perhaps I should lay my pride aside and remember Sarah Conover's words:

My suffering does not set me apart: it makes me belong. I now know that my being with whatever arises is a purification, a lens polished with which I must stand firm against the waves of segregating myself from the world.

Yet if I am the watcher, I should not be afraid to expose my tender heart and listen to it. I could see the wisdom in the words of Stephen Fulder:

Pain and joy, love of life, and fear of death know no boundaries of us and them. We can all wake up to realize that our happiness depends on the happiness of our neighbors and vice versa, and our real safety is in togetherness, not intractable conflict.

Window Within

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Queen of Wands; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk, the 'Shaman:'

          This Queen of Wands has both muscles and impressive flexibility. It's no wonder she has the ability to organize folks and motivate them to get things accomplished. Yet the Shaman card suggests other abilities she might cultivate for wholeness. The modern shaman journeys within the client's body and mind to find spiritual sickness that presents in physical and psychological ways. He would probably tell the Queen that she should work on developing inner strength and mental flexibility. What is within will fuel and sustain her physical body.

People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

One Grain of Sand at a Time

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Hermit; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk, 'The Key:'

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report written on birds that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books about birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” 

― Anne Lamott

Natural Orientation

From the Tarot of the Absurd, the Ace of Coins; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk, the 'Klein Bottle:'

          The Ace of Coins is a reminder of all the physical resources we have, beginning with the body we live in. Money is secondary to what we do with our primary assets. Where there are resources, there are projects and a sense of purpose. Yet these things must be used mindfully; not all of them are renewable or easily replaced. It's a good thing this fellow seems to be wisely considering how to use those in his possession before he begins.
          The Klein Bottle is similar to the Möbius strip in that they are both non-orientable. Basically, this means that if we travel on the surface, our natural orientation such as left and right or up and down get flipped around until they no longer have meaning. When that fellow quits meditating and decides to start using his resources, he might have a linear plan, but life rarely moves in a direct line. If he wants to continue, he will have to learn to adjust and adapt.

Taking a Seat

From the Tarot of the Absurd, Temperance; from the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk, 'The Eye:'

          Two angelic figures create one fountain, suggesting a middle way rather than an extreme. Our society seems geared to force people to pick sides, choose this or that. It makes others uncomfortable when we don't because they can't figure out what box to put us in. If the law of impermanence applies to everything and everyone, there can be no permanent labeling.
          The Eye is described as 'unfiltered seeing,' meaning that there is an awareness of what is happening as it happens without judgmental labels applied. We all have this ability to connect to our inner, unbiased witness who can see with clarity. But it requires a consistent meditation practice; it's simple but not easy. Achaan Chah metaphorically described it this way:

Take the seat in the center of the room, open the doors and the windows, and see who comes to visit. You will witness all kinds of scenes and actors, all kinds of temptations and stories, everything imaginable. Your only job is to stay in your seat. You will see it all arise and pass, and out of this, wisdom and understanding will come.

No Winners

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Absurd, created and self-published by Jessica Rose Shanahan. I'll also be using another self-published deck, the Post-psychedelic Cyberpunk by Masha Falkov. The draws for today are the Devil and the Glass Bead Game:

          This person is in chains and twisted up like a pretzel. The horns from his head suggest a Pinocchio-like lesson about how our thoughts, words, and actions have consequences. Yet all of us get 'knotted up' by something, usually fear or anger. When that happens, our behavior is reactive and self-serving, designed to make us feel better. But often we end up adding fuel to the emotions that twisted our minds in the first place.
          The Glass Bead Game is an example of how we piece together information like a DJ mixing songs or a quilter combining fabrics. Word of mouth, social media, television and printed media all are in the bowl of beads we choose from. We may choose only what is positive, only what knots us up (the negative), or a combination of both. These two cards encourage us to be careful what we add to our mind when it is running full tilt toward a cliff's edge; there won't be any winner in that game.