Matter Matters

From the Secret Forest Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Faeries' Oracle, Laiste, Moon's Daughter:

It is vitally important that we understand how matter matters.

—Karen Barad

          Matter is anything that has mass or takes up space; it usually comes in the form of a solid, liquid, or gas. Humans desire matter to serve them, forgetting that matter is what sustains them. Matter is what deserves our stewardship and protection. Folks are often impressed by their own knowledge and cleverness yet forget that without matter these traits wouldn't make a difference. The Moon's Daughter brings a soft light to guide us. Laiste doesn't have any patience for people who won't pay attention and will gladly let them bonk themselves on a tree limb if it will wake them up. Added to the Ace, she might whisper the words of Diane Ackerman: "There is no way in which to understand the world without first detecting it through the radar-net of our senses."

Seasons of Change

From the Secret Forest Tarot, the Wheel of Fortune; from the Faeries' Oracle, G. Hobyah:

          Eggs become caterpillars that transform into butterflies that die after mating. Flowers grow from seeds, bloom, and leave behind seeds for the next generation. The Wheel turns, bringing lessons wrapped in both joy and sorrow. Sometimes it's easy to get caught in the emotion of change and miss Nature's instruction manual. G. Hobyah is doing his best scary impression, but since he's tiny and not the size of Sasquatch, it is a little funny instead. Our fears are much like Hobyah, small and often without any concrete foundation. If moods and emotions aren't fed by thoughts in the mind, they dissipate like mist when the sun rises. They too will pass and change. 

Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry—all forms of fear—are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence. — Eckhart Tolle

Hefty Keyring

 From the Secret Forest Tarot, the Ace of Cups; from the Faeries' Oracle, the Guardian at the Gate:

I'm pretty easily overwhelmed and pretty tough as well. I think I'm tougher than I used to be. There's been a lot of hardship along the way. But that's what life is. And it's how you deal with those things, and how you let them shape you that makes you a better person and defines what sort of person you're going to be. ~Nathaniel Rateliff

          Like the lotus or water lily, sometimes beautiful, amazing things grow out of the muck. I can easily think of several women who (in my opinion) have dealt with more than their share of hardships. Yet their hearts remain open; their generosity, compassion, and kindness are easily witnessed. Their challenges have not shaped them into bitter people, but people who remain grateful and find joy in small things. They are my role models. The Guardian at the Gate allows those who are ready to pass from one phase or stage to the next. People who have not developed emotionally and spiritually, who remain self-absorbed and unaware, do not go through. But those who deal with what comes as best they can - rather than shaking an angry fist at the universe - have quite a hefty keyring.

Seeds, not Bolts

 From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Tower; from the Faeries' Oracle, the Singer of Connection:

          Before moving in, I'm sure this little fairy researched which tree was less likely to be hit by lightning, uprooted by wind storms, or toppled by flooding. Yet even with all her preparation and knowledge, the crash came anyway. When we feel like we've figured the 'why' of things, it can be comforting and give the illusion of control. But sometimes having all the answers still doesn't prevent life from turning upside down. As John Ciardi put it, a good question isn't like a bolt to be tightened but a seed to be planted. The Singer of Connection prods us to get out of our roly-poly, self-pity mode by remembering the one thing all people have in common - the experience of pain. If our own suffering is acknowledged and held with compassion, it allows us to sit compassionately with others who are dealing with similar experiences.

We can bring empathy to ourselves by meeting pain with embodied awareness, curious about the sensations. It’s not that we long for the pain to continue. We can aspire for a release from pain, but we bring kindness and compassion to whatever is happening.

—Sebene Selassie

Mugged by Reality

 From the Secret Forest Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the Faeries' Oracle, Bodacious Bodach:

          When we stubbornly follow blind beliefs (ideas based on opinion or emotion rather than evidence), we end up in blind alleys where we get mugged by reality. That kind of experience can make us question everything, often leading us to be more open-minded. But Bodacious Bodach appears as a caution; this fairy is known for being meddlesome and an 'unhelpful helper.' To put it in the words of Terry Pratchett: "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it." Before adopting another set of ideas that could be based on ignorance or misunderstanding, we need to figure out whether their foundation sits on any facts.

Feel Without Fixing

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Queen of Swords; from the Faeries' Oracle, the Singer of Healing:

The detached observer's view is one window on the world.     

~Kenneth L. Pike

          This unusual Queen of Swords covers her face with her hands. She may be a parent, therapist, 12 Step sponsor, or simply a friend who has tried to pull back the curtain of fantasy and delusion for someone and present an objective view of reality. But there are people who, no matter how much suffering they endure, hold on to their illusions and refuse to change their mind or behavior. This queen performs a ritual of detachment, letting go of the need to feel responsible for their decisions and their happiness. The Singer of Healing would suggest she avoid tossing them away like an amputated, necrotic limb. Rather than armoring her heart against hurt, it would beneficial to heed the words of Lama Palden Drolma: "The gateway to compassion and lovingkindness is to be able to feel our own pain, and the pain of others. If we are able to open in this way, our hearts can melt, and the healing salve of compassion can anoint all our wounds." We can feel without trying to fix. 

Briars and Bandaids

This week I'll be using Tarot of the Secret Forest, created by Lucia Mattioli and published by Lo Scarabeo. I'll also be drawing from the Faeries' Oracle created by Brian Froud with text by Jessica Macbeth; it was published by Simon & Schuster. Today's cards are the Eight of Swords and the Bright Mother:

          We all find ourselves in the briar patch eventually; sometimes it's our own choices that get us there, and sometimes it's just the unexpected twists and turns of life. But how I meet my situation - my relationship with it - will determine whether or not I manage to extricate myself. If I sit around wringing my hands and conclude the sky is falling, those thorns will just grow in more snugly. But if I take the Brer Rabbit approach, remembering I've been given a mind that is geared to come up with some solutions or options, I can eventually nibble my way clear. The Bright Mother suggests a combination of creativity and compassion. While I'm busy disentangling myself using a variety of tactics, I must not forget to practice some self-care along the way. Bandaids, both literal and metaphorical, can be beneficial when I get pricked too hard.

Viewing slips as simple alerts that our willpower is fatigued and needs to recover (instead as indications of failure) will allow us to acknowledge the lapse without getting further off track.

― Guy Winch