Actual Needs

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Knave of Batons (Page of Wands); from the Pages of Shustah, the Candle:

          There is no shortage of energy or enthusiasm in the Knave of Batons. Judging by the staff of Hermes printed on his jumpsuit, he likely considers himself a messenger who can tell others how to build or reconstruct something to make it better. He's like most young idealists who don't yet have the maturity or experience to wisely apply their big plans. The Candle suggests illumination that leads to right action. 'Right,' in this usage, doesn't mean 'not wrong' but being able to see reality clearly and with a wide perspective. While the fire-breathing Knave has plenty of fiery light, it is created and nourished by his own ego. In other words, even if he really wants to be of benefit, what he wants is likely to get in the way of seeing what the actual needs truly are.

We have written many more words in our books than what few kind words we have spoken to the poor, lonely, and desperate. We have built so many more temples than orphanages.

—Ajahn Brahm

Intentional Attention

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Ace of Cups; from the Pages of Shustah, the Pregnant Mouse:

          There's no heavenly hand waving this cup under our noses - it just sits in a space with no embellishments. Humans often want to know exactly what is in a cup (relationship) before they take a sip and how it will make them feel. They want it placed in their hands with a linen napkin in their laps. But relationships don't work this way; we have to either take a risk or avoid the opportunity. There is no sure-fire certainty in any connection we make, and what develops will require a lot of effort from both partners to keep it nourished and healthy. The Pregnant Mouse card represents a fear of not having enough. While materially this may be a real concern for some, in the Ace of Cups world it makes me think of FOMO - the fear of missing out. The irony here is that we can only be fully aware of one thing at a time, and the better focus would be on choosing where we place our attention. Otherwise, all that time spent staring at our phones and computers might have some real-life consequences for our relationships.

What we pay attention to grows. This is not to suggest that we should willfully ignore our 'problems;' it is, however, to suggest that attention paid to solutions is far more valuable than attention paid to what is wrong, in our own life, in our friends and family, in the world.

—Jeff Kober

Old Paths, New Paths

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Pages of Shustah, the Return Road:

If we cultivate awareness enough to step back a bit from simply reacting, we can insert a gap or a pause before being carried away. In that little gap, there is the freedom to respond in a fresh way, less predetermined. —Judy Lief 

          Do you follow your head or your heart? Are you more inclined to see facts or go with your gut? I'm more of a follow-the-evidence type of gal, but if I find myself in a corner with a split-second decision to make, I'll listen to my intuition. Personally, I know my choices can easily be colored by emotions, desires or opinions if I don't look for concrete information. The Return Road card complements the Two of Swords, suggesting that there is a known road and an unknown road. But before I choose the familiar, perhaps I should ask myself if what is routine and expected will lead to what is beneficial and constructive. Is repeating the same thing simply easier (even when its destructive or neurotic) than dealing with the unknown? Or could I gather some courage (and some support) and strike out on a new path?

Purring Ego

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Papess (High Priestess); from the Pages of Shustah, the Totem:

 It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.

~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

          Unlike the Hierophant who accumulates knowledge in order to preach to his acolytes, the High Priestess seeks wisdom and insight to apply to her own life. The Totem is a recognition of relationship - our connection to the world (including not only people but things and situations as well). Jane Hirshfield reminds us how the opposite of grasping, ignoring or pushing away can affect these relationships: "In non-attachment the river-life of emotion continues, only our relationship to it alters. The response to the passions isn’t driven by the small self’s benefit but turns instead toward all beings’ well-being." If the insights and wisdom I gather are used only to make me feel superior or smarter, then I am nothing more than a spiritual materialist content to stroke and listen to my ego purr. Spiritual growth only comes when I use what I've learned to help me become a better human and the world a better place.

Cliff Climbing

This week I'll be using the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, created by David Sheridan and Alfred Douglas and published by Sheridan Douglas Press. The oracle deck I'll be using is Pages of Shustah, created by Ann Manser and Cecil North and published by Shustah Inc. Today's draws are the Star and the Black Cat:

We have to let go of the certainty people seem to love more than hope and know that we don’t know what’s going to happen. ~Rebecca Solnit

          When life is difficult for an extended period of time, we eventually feel flat - emotionally, physically and mentally. A break from this suffocating sameness is such a release that we may experience an immense sense of joy. The LWB for this deck describes the Star as a symbol of hope, a pause that gives us time to rest and get our bearings. But it's easy to trade hope for expectations, assumptions that our life will now follow the track of our preference. Rather than a sky full of possibilities, we narrow our multitude of choices down to a specific demand. Yet the Black Cat appears to remind us not to get so caught up in our fantasy world that we fail to see what is in the real one. As Jane Hirshfield said, "Awareness shows us the questions, the problems we might be able to solve and the questions that can’t be answered at all, and awareness makes the hand-holds and toe-holds appear as we traverse the cliff of our lives."

Carpet Bombing

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Empress; from the Ascension to Paradise cards, Mousebird:

          The Empress represents the power and chaos of creative potential to build, nourish, renew, and at times, ravage. She is pure emotion, defending, loving and offering mercy. Yet she can at times be like an unaware, vulnerable teen mother, who is without the intellectual understanding to grasp how she might unintentionally harm those who are innocent. The Mousebird is a small grayish or brownish bird that scurries through the leaves like rodents, in search of berries, fruit, and buds (which is how it got its common name). Rather than being solitary, these gregarious birds feed together outside the breeding season. The web in this card suggests that we consider our connections to others before we speak or act. Though our target may be specific when we launch an attack, we may fail to consider how our behavior may affect those who are blameless bystanders.

I think carpet bombing is an absolutely tremendous idea if the enemy accommodates you by laying himself out like a carpet in the middle of the desert without any civilians or infrastructure around him. Every civilian's death diminishes us, collectively. ~David Petraeus

Center of Balance

From the Rosetta Tarot, the Priestess; from the Ascension to Paradise cards, the Secretarybird:

          The Priestess stands calmly between the ebb and flow of life; the cycles of the moon shift from one phase to another, yet she has found an inner source that keeps her from being dashed by the tides. Meditation for her is not a spiritual bypass, a search for bliss or a way to distract herself from what is tossed upon her shore. As Meleen describes, her practice allows her to become "a middle pillar of wisdom and equanimity." She doesn't hide from life but deals with it on its terms with awareness and quietude. The Secretarybird is a mostly terrestrial bird of prey, catching its victims on the ground and stomping them to death. Its name likely came from the long, quill-like feathers at the top of its neck. I can relate to this bird, wanting to stomp into submission those situations that ruffle my feathers. But although this approach can make me feel powerful and in control, it rarely brings about a lasting, useful solution. Writing down what is surging through my mind often lets me pause long enough to see my own insanity. At that point, I can meditate and then contemplate what a sane response might look like.

I found a new definition of sanity... This sanity offered serenity, a feeling of wellness or well-being, possession of a center of balance from which to operate, and a feeling that my place in this world was just right. — February 1999, AA Grapevine