Tree Climbing

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Four of Pentacles:

When I was a child and things weren't going well at home, I'd climb a huge southern magnolia tree in our yard. From the top of its branches I would hug the tree trunk, feeling more secure and grounded even though I swayed with the breeze. So I can relate to this fellow in his tree, feeling unbalanced and out of sorts. Unexpected expenses, time crunches or health issues can make me feel that way too. But in his tree are apples, coins and a ring, telling me that there is no evidence for his worries. Perhaps he will see all his resources when the sun rises. Then he can find the keys and unlock the truth for himself. But he shouldn't feel badly for needing to hang on to that tree trunk to get him through the night.

From the MentorSpirit deck comes "Kindness:"

"It's not your job to like me - it's mine." ~ Byron Katie

I remember growing up and hearing that I should be kind to others, but I missed the message that I needed to apply it to myself. I am my own worst critic, and I hold myself up to impossible standards that I would never set for anyone else. Yet when I practice self-care and self-forgiveness, I have a much deeper well to draw from when I reach out to others.  

Inner Tubes and Transformations

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Two of Pentacles:

This guy doesn't look at all stressed from juggling his many duties and roles. What's his secret? The two boats behind him are a clue and represent two ways we can deal with life: rowing against the current or with it. I'm a list maker and like to be able to check off what I need to do each day. But if I can't do what's at the top of my list - for instance looking up some information on the internet - how do I react? If the internet is down, I can cuss and complain (wasting my precious time) or move on to something else on my list. If I don't want to drive myself crazy, I must learn to flow with life. Now where's my sunscreen and inner tube?

From the MentorSpirit cards comes "Transformation:"

"What you're supposed to do 

when you don't like a thing is change it. 

If you can't change it, 

change the way you think about it." 

― Maya Angelou

The biggest transformation I can make begins not with how I look or act, but with how I think. Once I change my attitude about a person or situation, everything shifts. Things that seemed overwhelming become tolerable, even solvable. If I find myself becoming angry and frustrated or anxious and defeated, my best strategy will begin with changing my perspective.

This Girl is on Fire

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Ten of Wands:

Where I live, you can't walk more than fifteen feet or so without running into a pine tree. It's not uncommon to see bulges of resin coming out of the bark, and those who've spent time in the woods know these globs are very useful in starting a fire. The resin is saturated in the heartwood and stump of the tree; many farmers have found stumps in their fields over 100 years old. While it might seem like this wood would be great for building, it is extremely flammable and burns very hot. As I look at this woman with her load of pine branches, I see a bonfire just waiting to happen. She needs to take a break from her obligations and projects and enjoy a dip in the healing waters of the river behind her.

From the MentorSpirit deck comes "Communication:"

There is a solution to climbing out of the black hole of being overwhelmed, and it begins with honest communication. I don't know why, but we humans seem to think the people we spend the most time with should be able to read our minds. We expect them to know we need help, and we expect them to know exactly what to do. Unfortunately, all this does is add resentment to the pile of work and worry we already find ourselves under. But the funny thing is, I've never yet had anyone turn me down when I asked for help.

What is Right vs. What is Easy

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Seven of Swords:

At first glance, this pale, weak-looking fellow doesn't look like he could hurt a fly. But the wolfish beast appearing on his shoulder tells another story. His nature is to be hungry for what is not his, but he's cunning and has learned to hide his true identity. It's easy to judge someone based on their outer appearance, good or bad. I remember once crossing paths with a fellow in a crafts store when I was looking for beads to make a book thong. Built like a Mack truck with a long beard, shaved head, tattoos and leather vest, he resembled a Hell's Angel biker. But when we got into a discussion about a certain type of charm he was trying to find, I realized how wrong my perceptions had been. The eyes on this card warn me to be discerning today, judging people not by how they look or what they say, but by what they do.

From the MentorSpirit deck comes "Integrity:"

Integrity to me means something more than just being honest. It is speaking and acting authentically, from your own foundation of morals and ethics. It can be tempting to follow another's lead, however. Recently we had a scandal here with school teachers who changed answers on standardized tests to make their kids look more knowledgeable than they actually were. The state had put them in a bind - raise the scores or your job may be in jeopardy. But you can't get parents involved that don't want to be, and you can't make kids learn who have no desire to do so. They made a decision to cheat, but eventually got caught. Choosing what is right instead of what is easy can be tough for anyone if they're put in the right circumstances.

Untangling Kite Strings

This week I'll be using the colorful Bonefire Tarot, created and self-published by Gabi Angus West. Today's draw is the Page of Wands:

"Red sky at night, sailors delight..." I have no doubt this young Page could explain that this means the light is shining through an atmosphere full of dust and moisture; at sunset, this would indicate high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. Nothing is more exciting to her than information that gets her mental gears turning, enabling her to learn and make connections. Unfortunately, her lack of maturity can cause her to make associations that someone with more experience would see as faulty logic. This tendency might explain why she's up in a tree trying to untangle some kite strings. In the process, she's slipped off a limb and is now about to get a rather hard lesson on gravity. But no worries here - her young bones aren't brittle like someone much older. Unlike many adults, she's flexible enough to learn from her mistakes so she doesn't have to continually repeat them.

The oracle deck I'll be using this week is MentorSpirit, created by Kathy Tyler and Joy Drake and published by Inner Links Associates.  This morning's draw is "Openness:"

I generally use free association with these word cards, and the image that came to mind with this one was an open hand. A palm with fingers extended can both give and receive. It works the same way with a heart or mind too. When there is an open channel, there is no stagnation, allowing growth and renewal to occur. As the Page above reminds me, it's good to develop flexibility in more than just my body.

Crossing Lines, Following Threads

From the Mythic Tarot, the Devil:

I'm all for having fun and enjoying the pleasures in life, but there can be a fine line between a bit of self-indulgence and obsession. If my desires lead me to cause harm to myself or another, then I've crossed that line. Pan was infatuated with Syrinx, a nymph who had taken a vow of chastity to serve Artemis. But when she refused his advances, Pan wouldn't take "no" for an answer and chased her to the edge of a river. Realizing she was about to be assaulted, she called out for help. Syrinx was turned in a reed by the gods, yet even then Pan was determined to have her one way or another. He cut all the reeds and turned them into a flute for himself. The Devil indicates there are instincts at work that could lead to faulty thinking and choices with dire consequences. Time to stop listening to the music and start relying on logic.

From the Symbolon Deck comes the "Two Faces of Eve:"

This woman is torn between choosing a simple life and one filled with glitz and glamour. It is tempting to choose the one where the pleasures outweigh the hard work, but what she really needs to ask is, "What will nourish my soul?" Neither choice is inherently bad, unless abuse or harm is the result of one or the other. Instead of looking only at the beginning, sometimes we need to follow the thread all the way to the end to see what's dangling at the bottom.

Relationship Heaven and Hell

From the Mythic Tarot, the Ten of Cups:

After Eros discovered everything Psyche had done for his mother in an attempt to win him back, he forgave her for her betrayal. As a wedding present, Zeus allowed Psyche to sip ambrosia, the drink of the gods that made her become immortal. Now the two lovers were united as equals, instead of god and mortal. The ending of the story reminds me how hard it is to find fulfillment and happiness when one partner feels "above" the other in some way. I've seen finances, education, family connections or outward beauty used to keep one partner in line while the other ruled the roost. But only respect and unselfish love - mutually extended - can create the kind of joy and contentment that even the gods would envy.

From the Symbolon Deck comes "Disaster:"

Contrasting these two cards, the one above seems to illustrate relationship heaven while this one is a look at relationship hell. And it's not just spineless, weak single folks who get caught in these chains. Plenty of business partners looking for security and success have hooked up with people they later found out were master manipulators. Once devoted to them and their ideals, they have taken a peek behind the curtain at reality. What they thought was the glitter of gold, they now understand is only the shiny handcuffs securely fastened around their wrists. Hopefully they'll detach themselves from these relationships but won't forget the hard lessons behind them.