Hellish Inner Landscape

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Four of Cups; from the Cedar Runes, Nauthiz:

 Hell is real, but it's not the biblical hell. It's the hell of those who get lost inside themselves.

― Marty Rubin

Everyone occasionally gets in a blue funk, though for different reasons. Some compare their lives to another's and feel they've been given a raw deal; either they don't have things as good as they think they should, or they feel like life has been unfairly hard on them. Other folks may have worked hard but were left with expectations unmet. A dark dissatisfaction with life can be created when we feed the funk, regurgitating and re-swallowing the past over and over. Nauthiz means 'need' or 'necessity' - in this case, the need to stop thinking so much about ourselves and think of someone else for a change. This kind of self-care seems paradoxical, but even some small act of kindness will remind us that we are not alone.

Valid Questions

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Eight of Swords; from the Cedar Runes, Wunjo:

You become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there

Wrapped up in a trap of your very own chain of sorrows

 ~John Prine, "Bruised Orange"

The hummingbird above the swan counsels her to stop fighting the thorns and instead be still and observe them. When I ground my emotional energy, I can then ask myself some questions and understand the situation with more clarity:

1. Is this truly my business or my responsibility?

2. Am I exaggerating any part of this situation? Am I projecting my assumptions about an unknown outcome?

3. Am I making this more important than it actually is? Where should it be on my list of priorities?

4. What part of this situation am I powerless over? What part do I have control over?

5. What skillful, wise action (or attitude change) would benefit this situation?

Wunjo indicates joy, including a positive mental outlook and a healthy emotional state. I can often find joy when I realize freedom lies in questioning the validity of my own thoughts.

Asshats and Angels

This week I'll be using the Shadowscapes book and deck set published by Llewellyn. The artwork is done by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and the book is written by Barbara Moore. I'll also be drawing from a set of Cedar Runes; The Serpent and the Eagle by Chris Travers will serve as an accompanying text. Today's draws are the Five of Swords and Othila:

          I often think of the aggressive fellow in the Five of Swords as a rebel without a cause - someone who fights with no clear end goal to achieve other than to win. Moore describes his actions as "steeped in the battles of self-interest and power." Basically, he engages with others to build and stoke his ego: "Look at me, I'm right, I'm smarter, and I'm stronger." Meanwhile, everyone else sees only a narcissistic asshat. Othila is often translated as 'ancestral estate,' but Travers suggests it alludes to an ancestral responsibility, such as a king who passes the scepter to his son to serve the kingdom or a philanthropist whose children take over his foundations created to care for the welfare of others who aren't as fortunate. What's the difference between the asshat and the king/philanthropist? The first judges himself as separate and better than others. The king and philanthropist consider themselves honored and blessed to be in their position, and they feel they should be generous to others because they are a part of the family of humanity.

Home isn't where you're from, it's where you find light when all grows dark.

― Pierce Brown

Upward Spiral

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Universe; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Lamed:

 Lamed painting by Dani Antman

          The door of completion opens on the Universe card; some level of skill and understanding or some goal has been reached. The androgynous figure holds two wands and acts as a connector, both receiving but also sending. What has been gained is meant to be returned to life in some fashion, not hoarded. Lamed means to learn (and alternately to teach). Ginsburgh suggests its towering form (which rises above the upper line of script) symbolizes an aspiration to understand. Yet this aspiration is rooted in the heart, not motivated by selfishness or self-centeredness. Keep moving and learning, Lamed tells the figure in the Universe card. If your heart is in the right place, more will be revealed.

Always take the high road, it’s far less crowded.~ Charlie Munger

Cup of Kindness

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Knight of Cups; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Pei:

 Pei painting by Dani Antman

          This Knight always takes a little ribbing because he's so romantic and sappy. But right now, I think we all could use a cup of kindness. Pei fits right in with this idea; it means 'mouth' and refers to communication. In several mythologies, the world is spoken into being. Lately, I've been reminded by how much words affect my personal world. No matter how pleasant my day, all it takes is one cutting remark for me to forget my joy. Perhaps if I can remember how it feels when I'm on the receiving end, I'll be more careful with my words, whether verbal or written. Right (Wise) speech in Buddhism encourages me to say only what is true, to speak in ways that promote harmony, to use a gentle tone, and to speak mindfully so that what I say is useful. Or, in the words of Otis Redding, "try a little tenderness."

Act, Love, Walk

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Two of Swords; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Yud:

Yud painting by Dani Antman

          Decisions, decisions... Discerning choices can be difficult to make for several reasons: our desires get in the way of reality, our opinions override facts, or our emotions hijack rational thought. Cognitive dissonance (conflicting ideas and attitudes) may require us to have a sit until all those noisy, internal voices quiet down. Yud, often translated as 'hand,' is given the title Infinite Point by Ginsburgh. In geometry, the point begins all figures, whether it becomes a simple straight line or the complex spiral of a nautilus shell. Our choices also hold this power, but in what direction should our point go? Perhaps Micah 6:8 holds a clue, as it encourages us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.

In-depth Examination Required

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Devil; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Tet:

Tet painting by Dani Antman

 We must hold still in the midst of our burning thoughts, our anxieties, our fears, and our emotions. We must remember to settle into our bodies and allow them to do the knowing, the resting, the connecting to the earth beneath us. We have a chance now, while the world has stilled, to feel the wind and the sun, to walk outside in the rain, to notice the small, yellow faces of dandelions emerging from the mud. We have a chance to remember what matters in this fleeting, fragile life – our connections, our loves, our families, friends, communities and our host, this endlessly beautiful and constantly changing Earth. —Elizabeth Monson

          What do we do to outrun fear? Some of us find oblivion in drugs and alcohol, distraction in buying and consuming, or deflection in channeling our anxiety into rage. These 'solutions' are the Devil; patterns of behavior that we slide into and then find ourselves chained to destructive habits. Tet offers an alternative. Ginsburgh describes this letter as representing hidden goodness. It is a reminder that even among tragedy, hatred, cruelty, and hardship the light of good can be found if we look hard enough.