Change, Repeating Patterns

The card chosen today from the Millennium 2000 Tarot is the Wheel of Fortune:

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was selected by Folchi to represent this card.  Nietzsche believed that religions want to protect their moral codes against change, even though this attitude was not in the best interests of humanity's well-being.  He thought that reality was in a constant flux, thus the fixed truths in morality and religions were an illusion.  Nietzsche claimed the exemplary human being should craft his own identity through self-realization and do so without relying on myths.  I have met many people who use religious faith as a lucky rabbit's foot, thinking it will protect them from all harm.  But life doles out good and bad to everyone, regardless of religious affiliation.  The past few days have taught me well how quickly life can change, and often the only control I have over some things is my attitude and acceptance of them.  But life is about movement; I trust that "this too will pass."

       The card from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk deck today is "The Fractal:"

A fractal is a pattern that is repeated at ever smaller scales to produce irregular shapes and surfaces that cannot be represented by classical geometry.  However close you zoom into it, you'll always see roughly the same pattern.  For instance, a tree's branches are similar to the shape of the tree itself.  Falkov explains that this phenomenon links us to the larger universe - the inner mirrors the outer, the minor reflects the major.  It reminds me of this quote by the Dalai Lama: "We can never obtain peace in the world if we neglect the inner world and don't make peace with ourselves.  World peace must develop out of inner peace."

Unpublicized Compassion

The Queen of Cups is the card chosen today from the Millennium 2000 Tarot:

Folchi chose Marilyn Monroe to portray this court card.  Marilyn grew up in a series of foster homes as a result of having no father and a mentally unstable mother.  She managed to marry three different times in her short life and endured two miscarriages.  The media either portrayed her as a sex symbol or an ill-tempered, demanding star.  Yet Marilyn had a compassionate, private side that the public rarely knew about.  For instance, jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald attributes much of her success to Monroe.  Marilyn used her influence to get Ella a gig at a very popular nightclub, telling the owner she would sit at a front table every night.  With her presence there and Ella's amazing vocals, the press went crazy, and Fitzgerald's career was off to a roaring start.  In her last interview, Monroe pleaded with the reporter to use the following quote: "What I really want to say: That what the world really needs is a real feeling of kinship. Everybody: stars, laborers, Negroes, Jews, Arabs. We are all brothers. Please don’t make me a joke. End the interview with what I believe."  If I want others to think of me as kind and loving, I need to live this way instead of just extolling the virtues of such a life.

     From the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk deck this morning comes "The Maze:"

There are times I wish I had such a visual aid for my life.  There would be a red star proclaiming, "You are HERE," and a purple line showing how to navigate all the twists and turns (and avoid the dead ends) to get to my goal.  But then I look back on my life, and remember all the unexpected adventures I've had so far from those twists and turns, and all the wonderful people I've met.  While there are some things I might like to change - such as any pain or sadness I caused - maybe having a Google map of my life wouldn't be such a great idea after all...

Seeing Possibilities

    The card pulled this morning from the Millennium 2000 Tarot is one from the major arcana, the Sun:

Folchi chose Louis XIV, the longest reigning king in France, to represent this card.  Louis XIV felt it was his duty to make France great - l’état, c’est moi - "I am the state."  He was known as (and considered himself) the Sun King, the radiant giver of life and warmth around whom everything revolved.  The sun was associated with Apollo, god of peace and arts, and was also the heavenly body which regulated everything as it rose and set. Like Apollo, the warrior-king Louis XIV brought peace, was a patron of the arts, and dispensed his bounty.   One thing you can say about this king is that he never lacked in self-confidence!  This tarot card describes finding the power that comes when I recognize my own inner light, and the self-assurance, energy, and freedom that is its result.  It brings clarity that may show me my weaknesses, but will also point out my strengths and talents as well.  It doesn't give me a license to act arrogantly, but rather with purpose and intention.

     The card drawn from the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk today is "The Cat:"

"The Cat Who is Both Dead and Alive" is not some morbid reality, but a thought experiment created by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrodinger.  The scenario presents a cat that might be alive or dead, depending on an earlier random event.  The idea serves to demonstrate the apparent conflict between what quantum theory tells us is true about the behavior of matter on the microscopic level, and what we observe to be true on the macroscopic level (everything visible to the unaided human eye).  Falkov uses this card to encourage seeing several perspectives at once, rather than believing that for every event there is an inevitable consequence.  Scientists understand a great deal, but the more they learn the more new unanswered questions occur to them.  Nothing is set in concrete.

Power Drains

  This week I'll be using a quirky tarot deck by Amerigo Folchi, the Millennium Tarot 2000.  The majors, aces, and courts commemorate famous/important people in the last millennium.  The other pip cards (2 -10) are based on regular RWS imagery.  Today's draw is the Four of Coins:

When I first started learning tarot symbolism, I always interpreted this card as a miser who was being stingy with his time, energy and money (an Ebeneezer Scrooge of sorts).  Indeed the coins on his head, over his heart, and under his feet suggest that his mental, emotional, and physical focus is in the material realm.  Yet there are times when being focused on oneself is not necessarily a bad trait, especially if I am being drained by circumstances, whether emotionally, physically or financially.  Like this man who sits far from the city, sometimes I need some time away from a situation to assess whether my involvement in it is beneficial and productive for all involved, including myself.

     The other deck I'll be using this week is a set of trippy handmade cards I found on Etsy, created by Masha Falkov, the Post Psychedelic Cyberpunk.  The black and white images are a combination of photography and line drawings.  Although Falkov labels it a tarot, I believe it falls more into an oracle category.  Today's card is "Energy:"

This flower-like image looks as if some kind of mechanism is spinning inside it.  Exactly what is energy?  The dictionary defines it as "the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity."  So food and rest in the right amounts are necessary, but just as important is what feeds my soul.  Art, nature, and the use of spiritual tools can be helpful here.  But I also must be careful with the "leeches" that drain my energy - worry and anger.  Added to this list are the people who seem to plug in to others and suck the life right out of them.  Have you ever been around someone who constantly seems to have chaos going on in their life, or the "Eeyores" who swim in self-pity?  Not only what I do can affect my energy level, but the people I choose to associate with as well.

Sword vs. Pen

  From the Tarot of Durer this morning comes the King of Swords:

Here is a mature king who very much believes in truth and justice, but who prefers to listen and make his decisions calmly rather than rashly.  He is definitely someone I need to model right now, as I am one angry woman.  There is a Baptist church in my neighborhood that seems intent on paving over every piece of earth for miles around and building huge concrete monstrosities.  They've recently bought a lot next to a holding pond near my house, an area that boasts many majestic, old trees and is home to various wildlife - great blue herons, Canadian geese, and mallard ducks to name a few.  Yesterday evening, I noticed they had tagged many of these trees to be cut down!  Now if a tree is diseased, I don't have a problem with removing it.  But these trees are healthy and providing food and shelter to many animals, as well as adding beauty to the landscape.  My first reaction was to tear off the tags, but then I thought the idiots would probably just remove all the trees.  Then I thought about calling the church and asking them nicely to reconsider.  But I've dealt with these people before, and they are more interested in recognition and making a name for themselves than environmental impact.  Plus, I'm sure I would end up talking to a poor secretary who would have no idea what I was talking about, and instead would concentrate on getting me to church next Sunday.  What to do?  I finally shot off a note this morning to the local newspaper's "squawkbox" about what was going on.  I hope in this case the pen is mightier than the sword...

    The draw from the Philosopher's Stone deck this morning is "Breakthrough:"

I feel this stone person's frustration; he can't see past the big boulder in his way.  But suddenly, a crack appears in the rock, and a sliver of daylight emerges between the pieces.  I guess my choice in writing the newspaper instead of resorting to eco-terrorism is my breakthrough today.  I can't help but feel it will make little impact.  However, I did notice the holding pond's water level had dropped significantly yesterday, which makes me think the lime sink might be developing a large crack underneath (which has happened to the pond before).  Would it be wrong to pray that the earth would crack open and swallow the Baptist church whole (sans people)?

 

Crossing Boundaries

This morning from the Tarot of Durer comes the Seven of Swords:

A group of men, holding their weapons high, give chase to a fox who has been helping herself to their hens and eggs.  The fox pauses beside a single blue flower as the men continue down the hill on the other side.  Blue flowers symbolize faithfulness and loyalty (which is why brides in the West carry "something blue" down the wedding aisle).  Generally this card implies something underhanded going on, which makes sense with the fox, but why put a blue flower next to this animal?  But what if she is a mom with kits, and has been stealing food in order to provide for her family?  She is then being loyal to them.  I would judge this situation differently depending on whose shoes (or paws) I'm in at the time.  Today I will look carefully at my motivations, and endeavor not to violate others' rights with my self-will and wants.

     The draw from the Philosopher's Stone deck today is "Composure:"

Talk about being "in your face!"  This group of rocks are so close to the stone man, his face is in their shadow.  I think some folks cross those personal space boundaries just to intimidate.  Will the stone man lose his cool, or choose the emotionally mature option of just walking away from the situation?  For me, there is an instinctive reaction to push back, to step on the liberties of others who have crossed a line with me.  But does that actually help, or does it just make me a carbon copy of them? 

Rebalancing

  Today I drew another six card from the Tarot of Durer, the Six of Pentacles:

An eagle flies over a building, letting coins fall freely from a pouch in its talons.  It may seem like a waste of money, but the number six indicates a return to harmony from a place of imbalance.  The coins mean more than money, they also represent time and energy.  My first reaction to this card was to see the castle-like building below, and think, "Looks like they've got plenty of money, why would they need more?"  I have so many subtle prejudices hidden within my thoughts that sometimes I am unaware of them.  Perhaps the giving of myself or my resources is more to help me grow beyond my own narrow-mindedness.  That could be the inequity that needs to be righted.

     From the Philosopher's Stone deck this morning comes the card "Freedom:"

free·dom: the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint

Paired with the card above, I am reminded that it is not only my physical self that can be confined.  My past experiences, the education I've received, and the people I've associated with all have played a part in developing my mindset.  When I react to a situation (rather than purposefully act), I am chained to these lessons and beliefs that play a continuous tape in my head.  Not all of these ideas are unhelpful, but if I truly want to have freedom, I must take the time to look at them carefully, trace them back to their source, and judge with objectivity their value.