Balanced Fun

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Queen of Swords; from the Pages of Shustah deck, the "Little Fool:"

What's interesting about this Queen of Swords is the way she fades into the background. The ring on her finger and her sword seem to glow against the darker colors. The ring suggests a commitment made, possibly to a husband but more importantly to her kingdom. The sword implies her desire for truth and justice to prevail. This is no ego trip - she deeply believes honesty and fairness form the best foundation to build on.
The Little Fool is a child's toy, and thus represents the innocence of wonder and deep trust. He playfully warns the queen not to be a fun-suck. Yet she's lived long enough to know that while life is full of joyful pleasures, there are times when one needs to be cautious. That little clown only has stuffing in his head after all.

Break Time

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Eight of Batons; from the Pages of Shustah, "Death:"

The Eight of Batons shows eight arrows on the downward side of their arc, soon to be hitting the ground. The abundance of green in this card might be worth considering. The first thing I think of with this color is the natural world, and along with that, the idea of growth and renewal. Here autumn has arrived, so the end of summer and abundant productivity is fast coming to a close. I also think of the heart chakra when I think of green. The downward slope of those arrows suggest that perhaps the outer focus of my love and compassion needs to take a more inward direction.
In the Shustah cards, Death refers to the end of an old cycle, which fits perfectly with the Eight of Batons. The scythe brings to mind harvesting the last of the crops and plowing the field under to allow it to rest before the next planting. Both cards imply a brief flurry of activity to tie up loose ends in order to take a much needed break.

Ongoing Opinions

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Pages of Shustah, the "Ouroboros:"

Watched by three pairs of sinister eyes, a man lays fallen and wounded on the ground. Five swords surround him, and he seems to have no choice but to surrender. Life will always be filled with arguments I don't win, decisions taken out of my hands and manipulative people who try to con me. There are times when not fighting back is the wiser move. Sure my pride will take a wallop, but the verbal or intellectual exchange can make me wiser.
The Ouroboros card suggests unity, wholeness and eternal cycles. I am reminded that I have been on the other side of that sword, trying to get someone to submit to my will. I have tried to force my perspective on other people and sway their opinion. I'm not the victim, I'm just part of the evolution of ongoing opinions.

Seeing and Hearing Clearly

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 Sun and the "Strange Page:"

 

Under the bright rays of the sun, twins dance in a protected garden area. The sun can represent a variety of things - clarity, warmth, energy, success, vitality - and is generally a positive card. But my morning did not start off that way. I made an emergency trip to the vet with my tomcat this morning, who was burning up with fever. The doctor gave him fluids and an antibiotic, but had no answers about what the problem might be. I'll meet him early tomorrow morning and then again on Monday for another round of fluids and antibiotics. The twins on the Sun card represent Gemini, a sign known for intellect and the ability to think clearly. I'm hoping I can stay out of the "what ifs" and just deal with the "now;" no need to cover that bright sky with clouds without solid evidence.
The Strange Page represents hearing a message or an inner nudge. But hearing is impossible if I've got too much internal chatter going on. To pay attention is going to require some stillness and quiet on my part.

Dead in the Water

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, the "Hawk:"

At first I thought I was looking at the Six of Swords this morning, but it is indeed the Eight. Look at the unhappy bunch of jesters in that boat. While they all hold swords (and one a pair of scissors), none of them are rowing or using the sail to move their boat. This vessel holds every negative, discouraging and critical thought I've ever had. As long as I hold on to those ideas, I'll never have any room for any solutions or alternatives. No wonder they're sitting dead in the water.
The hawk is a bird I'm very familiar with; they are frequent visitors in my yard and neighborhood. These birds like to be up high, whether circling in the air or watching from the branch of a tall tree. Though they can see the tiny details below, they're vision also encompasses a wide perspective. Brailsford says this bird teaches us about truth and insight. What I'm dealing with might be frustrating and feel overwhelming now, but this is just one moment in time. If I can lay down those beliefs that I'm clinging so tightly to, I might just figure out how to use an oar or unfurl the sail. Then I'll see the big picture instead of just my tiny corner of it.

Poker Night

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Nine of Coins; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, "Wind:"

 Four jesters, both male and female, take a break from their duties to enjoy a card game. There aren't any huge stacks of coins on the table, so I'm assuming this is a friendly game rather than a serious one. Games have been recorded since 2600 BC and generally involve some sort of mental or physical stimulation. They may teach practical skills and strategies, but above all they are fun and help us to relax and unwind. The theme of fun and play seems to be running through my readings this week.
This image of Wind reminds me of the sand dunes here that the wind constantly sculpts. Brailsford describes it as a "Shifter and shaper, Timeless change maker." So what do change and play have to do with each other? I read an article about a politician (whose name escapes me) who believed the only way Congress would ever agree and move forward on anything was away from the White House. He often took members out on his boat for a relaxing ride or fishing excursion. His idea was that if they could connect in some way instead of keeping each other at arm's length because of their political labels, they might make some progress. Sounds good to me.

The Page of ADHD

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Page of Staves/Wands; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, the "Kea:"

The Page of Wands is definitely not a dull boy, but here in the States I bet he would be diagnosed with ADHD. He finds it hard to be still and quiet (he loves that horn), which is necessary if you are going hunting. His attention is all over the place - never focused - so he's oblivious that there are hares darting about right under his nose. No doubt he'll soon lose interest and be off on another adventure. Yet in spite of his inattention, nonstop motion and impulsiveness, this young man has good characteristics too: he's fearless, curious and full of fun.
The Kea, or Mountain Parrot, and the Page of Wands are two peas in a pod. This bird will follow hikers and campers, wait until they put down their packs or camping gear, and have a ball going through all their stuff. Of course the contents may not be usable when he gets through with his playful perusal, but that is unintentional. Brailsford describes the Kea as "the clowning one" and assigns him the key phrase "Innocence at Play." I am reminded of a time when I was in college and went with a couple of friends to a large grocery store late one night. We found a display of children's sunglasses, so we each grabbed as many as we could carry. We went to the produce section and put the glasses on Idaho potatoes, oranges, bunches of broccoli and whatever else we could find. After finishing our fruit and vegetable enhancements, we left, so consumed with the giggles we could barely walk a straight line. Such innocent play helps me bring forth the good characteristics of the Page and depressurize my stress too.