Lopping Off Relationships

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Four of Pentacles; from the Marseille Oracle, "Troubles:"

          Like the fellow in the RWS Four of Swords, this king has found a place of solitude, away from people. But in the Four of Pentacles, the king seeks stability and security of his resources: time, energy, health and finances. Yet he seems to be over-protective almost to the point of paranoia. Time to get practical and look at the facts (reality) rather than assumptions or fears.
          The Marseille Oracle image shows a framed bow saw; the frame allowed the use of thinner blades often needed to make curved cuts. The keyword "troubles" is given with the explanation that a relationship is being severed. Is this a situation where there is an unhealthy dependence, or where there is manipulative control? If so, then it is time to put the saw to use. But perhaps it is that one person is stingy when it comes to making time to spend with others. If that's the case, then someone else is liable to be lopping off a one-sided relationship.

Freedoms of Friendship

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Two of Cups; from the Marseille Oracle, "Fantasy:"

          My mom is coming into town today; I always look forward to her visits and our time together. My relationship with her has changed dramatically from what it was. Growing up, I had to share her with a stepfather and four step brothers and sisters. Between family and a full time teaching job, there wasn't any time left to spend with me. Our interactions were more along the line of "Clean your room and wash your clothes today." I was full of resentment toward her and felt cheated by our lack of relationship. Yet now that I am the mother and the wife, juggling roles and obligations, I understand. She was doing the best she could with what she had. And so the caduceus hovering over the couple in the Two of Cups feels like a relationship that may have scars but is definitely healing. The Fantasy card suggests allowing the imagination to float free. For me, it represents cutting loose the ropes of resentment from the past that held tight my relationship with my mom. It is a visual of the freedom of the friendship that is developing between us.

Who's Zoomin' Who?

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Hermit; from the Marseille Oracle, "Deceit:"

          The Hermit is almost always an older person. Like the knight, he too is on a quest. But what he searches for is a spiritual life, which is why he prefers solitude. He's made plenty of trips around the sun by now, and he's got lots of experience in dealing with the ups and downs of life. What he's discovered is that joy radiates from the inside out. If his life doesn't reflect such happiness, it's an ego problem needing the diagnosis of a self-inventory. Assuming that he's veered off the spiritual path, blaming other people won't help him find his way back.
          The Deceit card shows an old-fashioned straight razor used for shaving. Without the safety of modern shavers, it was often referred to as a "cut-throat razor." The keyword for the card made me think of Aretha Franklin's song "Who's Zoomin' Who," or in other words, "Who is fooling who?" I can imagine myself in a hermit hut listing all the people who've made my life miserable. Yet to clearly see the patterns in my life that put me in those situations or my habitual responses that caused my problems is going to require an exacting honesty. Better make sure that lantern is burning extra bright.

Seeing Behind Closed Eyes

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Fool; from the Marseille Oracle, "Inspiration:"

          The Ettellia image of the Fool is connected with folly, which is not hard to comprehend since he's walking around with his eyes closed. He's also associated with eccentricity, yet I wonder if there is a method to his madness. I'm very practical - what I see and experience, I believe in. But that kind of thinking relies a lot on the files already in my mental file cabinet. Everything gets compared to and labeled under something that has come before. Now this is not a bad thing, because it helps me stay organized and prevents me from being overwhelmed with too much information. But it's hard to squeeze in an unlabeled file that one can do something creative with. Which brings me to the Inspiration card: the image of a candle waiting to be lit. The door to the lantern is open, suggesting an open mind like that of the Fool. But the booklet suggests that I "listen to advice from those who love you." I suppose if I'm going to walk around seeing the unseen rather than reality, it could be very helpful to have folks who can act as a cane for the visually impaired.

Get Crackin'

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Queen of Wands; from the Marseille Oracle, "Undertakings:"

          If you want to know how the King of Wands manages to follow through on all his many obligations and projects, look no further than the woman behind the man. This queen nurtures by encouraging others, goading them when self-confidence flags and cheering for them as each step of progress is made. She has a way of choosing people she knows are capable (notice that pointing finger), though they may have little faith in themselves. Her enthusiasm is infectious; she's like lighter fluid added to a small flame. The pair of boots used as a depiction for Undertakings made me remember visiting a fire station with a group of preschoolers and watching how fast a firefighter can get ready. One of the first things they do is jump into their boots and pull up their suspenders. The booklet's phrase for this card is "Don't hesitate to proceed." Sounds like I better get crackin' this morning, or that queen might light a fire under me.

The Magician's Mojo

From the Deck of the Bastard, the Magician; from the Marseille Oracle, "Loss:"

          This Magician looks like one from the Etteilla deck; instead of the usual items on the table, he has a figure resembling himself. This may be because Etteilla's magus was given the keywords "Sorrow or Illness." He is literally trying to enact the proverb "Physician, heal thyself." He's lost his mojo and is desperately trying to get it back - which leads to the Loss card. However, this may not be something physical that has been lost. If a candle is snuffed out, it is the illumination that disappears. His thinking is cloudy rather than clear. These cards suggest that whatever needs to be healed, it is going to require me doing the work. There is no magic pill to take, enlightening book to read or guru to give advice. I'm the only one who can make the changes necessary to get back my mojo. I know what to do, I just need to do it.

Chugging Along

This week I'll be using the Deck of the Bastard, so named because it is a compilation of historical decks, including the Rider-Waite, Soprafino, Etteilla and others. It was created and self-published by Elaine Wilkinson (aka Seven Stars). The other deck I'll be drawing from is the Marseille Oracle, created and published by Lo Scarabeo with a booklet by Isa Donelli. Today's draws are the Knight of Pentacles and "Progress:"

          G.K. Chesterton once said, “Do not free a camel of the burden of his hump; you may be freeing him from being a camel.” This quote describes the dutiful, hard-working Knight of Pentacles. He doesn't have any armor on because he has tasks to begin and projects to complete; he could care less about fights or arguments. He is grounded and practical, focused on fulfilling his obligations and producing something he can be proud of. Though he might not be speedy, there's need to worry about his loyalties - he's as true blue as they come.
          With the combination of this knight and train, it's impossible not to think of "The Little Engine that Could." This children's story was often used to show the value of optimism, hard work and tenacity. Donelli's booklet suggests "Follow your instinct." Even if the train has to switch tracks at some point, all these qualities are bound to help you make progress. I'm wondering if these cards reflect the fact that after weeks of no interest, I recently sold a Lojong deck and received an email from another person requesting to buy one. I'm a happy little locomotive today.