Replanting

From the Badgers Forest Tarot, the Four of Wands; from the Gemstone Oracle, Citrine:

          Our city has spend 52 million on tree debris pickup since January, with (literally) tons more to clean up (property owners are responsible for cutting up the downed trees and getting them to the roadside). We've had to create make-shift landfills to handle the overwhelming task; some trees are being reduced to wood chips for use by a local factory.  So many native trees have been lost, it is disheartening to think of the beauty we will miss and the habitat the animals will no longer have. VanderHoeven's painting of a rabbit under the cover of four trees suggests a place of stability in our endeavors. It is a time to commemorate our progress, but also a time to pause and make sure we are advancing in the direction we intend. Citrine's quote from Rachel Joyce reinforces this idea:

Beginnings could happen more than once or in different ways. You could think you were 

starting something afresh, when actually what you were doing was carrying on as before.

A fresh start implies not doing something the same way as before. In the case of our town, the commissioners are more concerned with the tree debris removal, which makes sense at this point. Yet hopefully when the city gets to that Four of Wands place, we'll consider replanting some of what was lost.

Here Comes the Sun

From the Badgers Forest Tarot, the Star; from the Gemstone Oracle, Turritella Agate:

          I can just imagine how startling it would be to see a white stag at night. Instead of blending in to its woody surroundings, it would conspicuously stand out. What a great card to see after several nail-biter days - a light in the darkness. The hope it represents reminds me of Pema Chodron's words that nothing stays fixed or stable; it is natural for things to come together and then fall part (and then come together again and fall apart again). There will be more storms to come, but now I can relax and enjoy a clear view of the sunrise. Even the Turritella Agate seems to agree with this wisdom, with words from Heraclitus:

What was scattered gathers. What was gathered blows away.

The gemstone is a mass of  silicified snail fossils. The snails no longer live, but part of them is preserved in stone. Life is a progression of cycles, of endings and beginnings. Both the stag and Chodron would probably encourage me to attend to each moment without trying to grasp or cling to it. It's all worthy of being noticed.

Stop Freaking Out

From the Badgers Forest, the Six of Badgers (Swords); from the Gemstone Oracle, Picasso Jasper:

When we freak out, it's often because we have distorted views we're not very conscious of. Even when we're unaware of these views, they profoundly shape how we think and feel; in fact the less conscious we are of them the more likely they are to be affecting our experience. Bringing those views into the light of conscious awareness can help us to find more emotional balance, because it allows us to change the way we look at life. ~ Bodhipaksa

          I'm currently taking a course by Buddhist teacher Bodhipaksa called "Stop Freaking Out," which seems timely. Today schools, public offices and many businesses are closed because we are expecting more severe storms (hail, lightning, tornadoes). I am trying to prepare rather than freak out. But like the badger, I tend to be better at fiercely defending rather than hiding in my hallway. It feels far too passive for my tastes, but I have no choice. The Picasso Jasper's quote comes from Dale Partridge and reflects my inner conflict:

Remember, confrontation is about reconciliation and awareness, not judgement or anger.

Again, awareness is underscored rather than trying to fight or rewrite reality. This weather frightens me, and the unending pounding we've taken in the last few months has been exhausting. But rather than going into battle mode (or flipping out), I'll try to take Bodhipaksa's words to heart: "We can't just "uninstall" our old assumptions and upload new ones, and both the old and the new perspectives exist in the mind simultaneously. Instead, we slowly train the mind to see the world and ourselves in a different way by consciously putting more energy into the new and more helpful ways of seeing things. In doing so, we're actually rewiring the brain."

*Note to all my blogging buddies: I don't know if I'll be able to access the computer after this post as the storms have already started. I apologize for my lack of comments on your blogs, but hope to catch up later. Please send some good thoughts out for those in the line of these storms. Thank you!

Care for the Creation

From the Badgers Forest Tarot, the Ace of Crows (Pentacles); from the Gemstone Oracle, Rose Quartz:

          I can relate to this crow's good feeling as he takes a splash in the bird bath. We just got our power back on after 24 hours of having no electricity. With the days already heating up to 85F, it feels great to have the ceiling fans on and the AC running. Now that the refrigerator is cold again (and restocked), we have some cold drinks to help us cool off. I've felt the same relief and boost of energy after being sick and finally feeling well again. There is a joy to this card as well as a reminder not to take the body and all that it helps us do for granted. The quote for the Rose Quartz comes from John Muir:

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we 

find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.

Muir's passion for the wild outdoors (and everything in it) helped create the first national park system. The stone's message like that of Muir is that we are all interdependent. Every bit of soil, every bug, plant and animal plays a part. Caring for the earth and its inhabitants is not just something we should do, it's something our existence depends upon!

A Cure for Sadness

From the Badgers Forest Tarot, the Kit of Foxes (Page of Cups); from the Gemstone Oracle, Sunstone:

          Is the little kit watching a flight of birds, or is he watching the changing shape of clouds? If you begin to talk about how you feel, this Page will search your face in the same way he attends to the changing sky-scape. He looks for clues to what you don't say, and his intuitive empathy allows him to pick up on what churns beneath the surface. His sweet sensitivity is sincere; he is only interested in making you feel better. The Sunstone's quote comes from Michael Dolan:

Anticipate the day as if it was your birthday, and you are turning six again.

This quote suggests that beginning the day with a positive attitude and an open mind can be immensely helpful. "Come stand on my hill," the kit begs, "and see all that is beautiful and wonderful around you. Look with fresh eyes at what is good." Being a poetry lover, he quotes a few lines from Mirabai:

I know a cure for sadness:

Let you hands touch something that makes your eyes smile.

I bet there are a hundred objects close by

that can do that.

Look at beauty's gift to us -

her power is so great she enlivens the earth, the sky, our soul.

Lessons of Living

From the Badgers Forest, the Fool; from the Gemstone Oracle, Tiger Eye:

          This little squirrel is so intent on reaching those acorns, he is unaware that the branch is about to bend with his weight and send him downward. It's a good thing squirrels generally land on their feet and can survive many falls. The downside of being so fully trusting and eager for any new experience (without worry or preparation) is that the Fool often learns his lessons of living the hard way. It can be painful to watch these folks jump in the fire with both feet, knowing (from our own experience) what is likely to happen. Which leads into the quote for Tiger Eye by Lama Surya Das:

Taking the decision-making process away from people disempowers them. It also 

makes them much less likely to buy into the decision, however right it may be. 

Even if I lead in with, "I had a similar experience that didn't end well, " most people will think they will be the exception to the rule. Hopefully they will survive and not get on the insane 'rinse and repeat' cycle expecting the next time to be different. We all learn, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. Yet generally it is only our own experience we trust.

Hold Up the Light

This week I'll be using the Badgers Forest Tarot, a deck created and self-published by Nakisha VanderHoeven. Along with it, I'll be using my Gemstone Oracle (with actual stones). The meanings for the stones have loosely been chosen from the book Crystal and Gemstone Divination by Gail Butler (I added quotations with the keywords). Today's draws are the Hermit and Bloodstone:

          Opossums are nocturnal and thus prefer dark places when the sun starts to rise. I was startled to find a young one last year sleeping under a large, overturned pot. The Hermit indicates a time for withdrawal and contemplation in order to make a spiritual assessment. Where did I start from and where am I now on my path? What beliefs did I test and what wisdom have I gained? In what areas do I still need to grow and mature? The goal of this inventory isn't a guilt trip or accolades, but to get a bird's eye view of progress made and any detours taken. What I learn (both from mistakes and successes) can be passed on to other interested travelers. Bloodstone has been paired with a quote from Jim Butcher:

You're in America now. Our idea of diplomacy is showing up with a gun 

in one hand and a sandwich in the other asking which you'd prefer.

That quote reminded me of a woman who recently told me she was going to Israel on a missionary trip to 'help' Muslim children (carrying a fun/care package in one hand and a Bible in the other). Assistance of any kind isn't really compassion when it is forced on another person through intimidation or a bribe. Each person has their own spiritual path to walk; what works and makes sense to me may not be appropriate or useful to someone else. The Hermit needs only to hold up the light of his lantern rather than wallop people over the head with it.