Calming the Mind

From the Victorian Romantic Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Dreaming in Color Deck, Foreboding:

Besides being hereditary, some causes of sleepwalking are exhaustion and stress. Like nightmares, the mind tries to deal with anxiety in its own way. What else can it do if we live on a crumbling emotional edge, and our thoughts swirl around our panic rather than anything productive? Foreboding - fearful apprehension that something bad is going to happen - often instigates our sleepless, worry-filled nights. Gehlek Rinpoche offered this advice: "Understanding comes from patiently reasoning with yourself. You cannot force your mind or order it about." Gentle prodding to look at the facts of now rather than living in a projected future may help calm the mind. Once it is calm, we can consider if there is anything beneficial we can do rather than torment ourselves.

Sacred Pause

This week I'll be using the Victorian Romantic Tarot, created by Alex Ukolov and Karen Mahony with Magic Realist Press as publisher. I will also be drawing from Dreaming in Color: the Luman Deck, created and self-published by Mindy Hope Sommers. Today's draws are the Nine of Pentacles and Catharsis:

Just pausing for two to three breaths is a perfect way to stay present. This is a good use of our life. Indeed, it is an excellent, joyful use of our life. ~Pema Chodron

One of the nicest things that hard work and self-discipline bring - besides being financially self-sufficient - is that it gives us free time to spend on interests besides work. We have the opportunity to grow and arrange flowers, watch the hummingbirds feed, develop a new hobby, or have coffee with friends. Catharsis, a healthy discharge of tension or emotions, implies that a sacred pause is as necessary as our daily bread. As Khalil Gibran wrote, "For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."

Carefully Administered

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Six of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of Fiery Pigs:

Memories are narcotic... Each dose, carefully administered, use as directed. Too much and they become dangerous. Too much and they'll stop your heart. ―Jamie Ford

Memories can be a balm for healing if we use them with discernment. We can remember those who were benevolent benefactors, those who encouraged us, those who made us laugh. We can remember days when just being in the wonder of the moment brought us great joy. Or we can dwell on 'the good old days,' when we imagine the past to be infinitely better than anything currently happening. In the latter case, memories add to our discontent and depression rather than benefit us. On the Island of Fiery Pigs, the voyagers found dangerous pigs that came out to eat from the apple trees during the day and birds they came to feed in the evening. This card suggests a skillful balance, and in the same way we can use our memories. 

Examining Assumptions

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Two of Wands; from the Celtic Book of the Dead deck, the Island of the Crystal Keep:

In this Two of Wands, an unknown person tries to hand another staff to this young man. However, his hands are full; if he wants to take the second staff he will have to put down something that he currently holds. It's so tempting to grab what is new because it seems exciting, but we should pause and consider what we will have to let go of in order to have the time for it. The Crystal Keep card describes the voyagers coming upon an island with a fortified tower made of crystal. Feeling entitled, they made demands on the maiden in residence. While she gave them food and drink, their assumed privilege got them booted off the island (which disappeared). We often let our minds override what we see or hear in favor of what we want. Only when we question our assumptions can we see the truth more clearly.

Back to Now

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, Strength; from the Celtic Book of the Dead deck, the Island of the Falcon:

Strength may suggest courage, but it often refers to the ability to calm our emotions so that we can see a situation with clarity and respond appropriately. As Joan Sutherland explains, "If you and I are having a conversation and I become angry, I might find my emotions so compelling that suddenly I’m not in a conversation with you anymore, but with my anger." My feelings are what take center stage rather than the person I was talking to or what we were discussing. On the other hand, if we can let this energy move through us and dissipate without reacting to it, our mind has a chance to clear. As Sutherland states, "[A] response emerges from the whole of oneself, grounded in the whole situation, with each element assuming its true size and shape. In responding we’re not doing something about a situation, but participating in it." The Island of the Falcon card illustrates the voyagers being led out of the Otherworld by a falcon. It suggests finding a way to be grounded in the present, with both feet on the ground. Using our senses, whether that is feeling the grass under our bare feet or listening to the wind in the treetops, is a simple tool for re-emerging when we've been hooked by our emotions.

Getting Unhooked

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Celtic Book of the Dead deck, the Island of Sorrow:

The calm sea behind the King of Cups is a reflection of his inward self. He doesn't numb or avoid his feelings; he realizes emotions are like energy waves that wash through him and then recede. A few of the Otherworld voyagers, however, got hooked by past memories when some went ashore on the Island of Sorrow. Instead of focusing on the sensations of the emotional waves, they fed the mental stories that created them and ended up becoming mourners who had to be rescued from drowning in their own memories. As Mark Williams and Danny Penman explain:

Pure awareness transcends thinking. It allows you to step outside the chattering negative self-talk and your reactive impulses and emotions. It allows you to look at the world once again with open eyes. And when you do so, a sense of wonder and quiet contentment begin to reappear in your life.

Without Demands

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Four of Wands; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of Trees:

The Four of Wands shows a celebration in the making, likely for the castle nearly completed in the background. It makes sense not to try to plow through to the finish line when it takes great effort to finish a project. Rest and a bit of fun can be the break we need to restore our enthusiasm and energy as well as prevent mistakes caused by exhaustion. The Island of the Trees card shows Maelduin with a branch plucked from a tree as they passed by. The branch would produce apples for forty days, aiding in the health of the voyagers. The meaning of this card is gratitude, but it is the type of thankfulness that doesn't demand more than what was given. At some point, we must continue with our task, grateful for what we've been given but with a commitment to finish what we started.