It's Not a Twin Thing

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Two of Cups; from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, the Right Triangle:

          This couple is dressed so alike, they almost appear as a mirrored reflection. Their coming together is a movement toward cooperation and partnership. But the 'twin' outfits are a bit concerning; does it mean one of them must give up their ideas and ways of doing things in order to be like the other? Or is there enough respect between the two of them to blend the best of what each brings to the table? The Right Triangle is made up of one 90 degree angle with two other smaller sized angles that together equal 90 degrees (for example, 90 + 60 + 30). This is a relationship that is not about equality, but about playing a part in the whole (180 degrees of the triangle). Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses depending on what the subject or situation may be. Some days our partner might need to wear the bigger shoes, but other days we may need to fill them. The bottom line is not who is better or smarter, but who is more suited for the task at hand.

Cup of Comfort

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Four of Cups; from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, Discontinuous Proportion:

          In Buddhism, the near enemy of compassion is a kind of grief that is often seen in cases of burnout. Look at the helping professions and volunteers of all kinds; you will find this kind of depression and weariness from people who have been in the game for too long without a breath of fresh air. They drown in the suffering of other people while forgetting to hold on to the lifeboat of self-compassion. The anguish of the Four of Cups is reflected in Discontinuous Proportion (no measure of equivalence between variables). In this case, the woman offers numerous cups of kindness and compassion to other people, but refuses any sips for herself. Do we think this kind of behavior makes us a good person or some kind of savior? Self-compassion requires that I examine my own suffering. I must be willing to pull back the curtain and expose the irrational thoughts behind my discomfort.

Don't Hide

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Ace of Swords; from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, the Hexagram:

          The Ace of Swords often represents mental clarity that helps us see the truth. But this fellow has added a shield to his sword, as if he is protecting himself. Perhaps he thinks he is preserving the truth, but my guess is that he is using the shield to keep from fully seeing reality. Reminds me of this description by Bodhipaksa:

 Worry can make us behave in ways that perpetuate it. I was surprised, talking at a class one night about how I sometimes leave mail from the tax office unopened for several days, to find out that I wasn't alone. In fact almost everyone there said that the fear of knowing what was in a tax notification stopped them from opening the mail, sometimes for weeks! So what happens here is that our anxiety takes an unknown that could be resolved in a moment ("Hmm. Mail from the tax people? I wonder what's in it? Let's see!") into a prolonged bout of dread ("Oh, god it's still there! I wonder what's in it? OK, I'll try and ignore it a bit longer!"). The mind multiplies and amplifies our sufferings.

The Hexagram is constructed from two equilateral triangle pointing in different directions, suggesting a balance of opposites - yin with yang, light with darkness, pleasant with unpleasant. To live life fully, I can't continue to run in the direction of one and leave the other behind. All of it is valid and deserves my time and attention.

Drops Filling a Giant Pot

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the Five of Swords; from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, Continuous Proportion:

          It's one thing to win an argument, but it takes it to another level when the other side is cowed into submission by intimidation. It's not enough that he wears a horned helmet to advertise his bullheaded personality, this man also wears the skins of cats to remind the others who is in charge (and who holds the only opinion that counts). He might get the 'honor' of always being right, but I bet he sleeps with one eye open. Continuous Proportion means that you can't change one thing without affecting everything else. Do something on one side, and the other side will be transformed too. Remove a dam and the water previously held behind it will seek its own level. Though I don't concern myself with rebirth, reincarnation or any form of resurrection, I do put stock in karma (intentional acts, words or thoughts). Both today's cards suggest taking Patrul Rinpoche's words to heart:

Do not take lightly small misdeeds

Believing they can do no harm

Even a tiny spark of fire

Can set alight a mountain of hay.

Do not take lightly small good deeds

Believing they can hardly help

For drops of water one by one

In time can fill a giant pot.    

Bubbling Cups

From the Tarot of the Cat People, the King of Cups; from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, the Circle:

          Though this King of Cups isn't near water, he holds a bubbling cup and wears a hat that mimics a fountain. Now this king isn't a scientist; he might not know carbon dioxide is formed in champagne by the mixture of yeasts and sugars or that a mixture of vinegar and baking soda will produce the same gas. But he has objectively watched relationships form and dissolve as well as mediated more than his share of dramas. The King of Cups is very familiar with the continuity and repetition of the circle. No matter what side or point someone starts on, they always arrive at the same place eventually. If a person is unhappy in their relationships (romantic or otherwise), it is likely they are walking on that circle and repeating the same behavior over and over again. I imagine he would advise not to spend time trying to figure out the deep psychological source of the problem, but simply see the pattern and do something different.

  

I Dare You

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Cat People, created by Karen Kuykendall and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, a deck and book set created by John Michael Greer and published by Llewellyn. Today's cards are the Nine of Wands and the Dodecahedron:

          These cats and warrior don't seem like they are assertively standing up for themselves; they almost seem to be inviting a fight. When does standing up for our rights become more about demanding things be the way we want them to be?

Whenever your assertive declarations are imbued with a certain self-righteousness, you can’t help but convey the message that your perspective really is more important than theirs—that it’s superior, and so ought to be given priority. In such instances, you’re simply unwilling to consider that the other person’s position is—in the world of their experience—just as sincere, authentic, or heartfelt as yours, and held with every bit as much conviction. ~ Leon F. Seltzer

The Dodecahedron is made of of 12 pentagon faces and is one of the Platonic solids. Now when I think of a pentagon, I think of The Pentagon -  a five-sided concrete and steel symbol of America's military strength. Add to that the twelve sides that could represent the twelve months of the year. That kind of show of power feels a bit over the top. Yet Greer gives this figure the keyword 'transcendence,' the ability to go beyond ordinary limits. Perhaps there is a better way to show strength than pure aggression... (Can someone please make Mr. Trump aware of this?)

The Cuckoo Clock Chimes

From the Vision Quest Tarot, Grandmother (Empress); from the Bird Cards, the Cuckoo:

          In the creation myths of some East Coast tribes, the Great Spirit created their homeland by placing earth on the back of a giant turtle (and why some contemporary Native Americans refer to North America by the name "Turtle Island"). This Empress card is a nod both to Mother Earth and the feminine side of wisdom. Such wisdom expresses itself through compassion and creativity in ways that serve others. When I hear the word 'cuckoo,' I think of the clock named for the bird call that marks each hour. The cuckoo has been associated with the start of warmer seasons, as seen in this 13th century medieval English round:

Summer has arrived,

Sing loudly, cuckoo!

The seed is growing

And the meadow is blooming,

And the wood is coming into leaf now,

Sing, cuckoo!

Both the Empress and the Cuckoo suggest than now is the time for my compassion and creativity to bloom; there's no need to wait for everything to be perfect.