Truth is not Belief

From the Fey Tarot, the Ten of Swords; from the I Misteri Sibilla, Falsehood (Four of Diamonds):

Truth is complete in itself. Truth has a strong foundation in itself. It is bold, it has no fears. It has no limit of space or time. It is a fearless, free bird in the sky. It does not care for status. It is wealth in itself. Truth stands even when there is no public support. ~Sivananda

          This Fey, under the emblem of Truth, finds herself disintegrating and her sword breaking. Reality can be harsh when we figure out that the beliefs we've clung to are not the same as truth. Those who are wise will acknowledge their error and accept what is authentic and factual. Yet there are others, as the Falsita card illustrates, who prefer to keep spinning lies and telling others what they want to hear. I've heard a number of acquaintances who were on Facebook are now moving to MeWe. Their reason is that they want free speech. What underlies the nice outer wrapping is that they prefer no one to moderate them, giving them a chance to spew all the hatred, falsehoods and divisiveness they want. I'm pretty sure they won't enjoy it for long. Trolls prefer to bait people and stir up trouble - if they're all on the same site, they'll be no one to hook. 

Solid Information

From the Fey Tarot, the Seven of Swords; from the I Misteri Sibilla, Messaggero (Jack of Diamonds):

          This translucent Fey is camouflaged to blend into her surroundings. She isn't interested in a heist but information; she's an undercover operative. Dealing with a big problem by meeting them head-on isn't always prudent or wise. There are times when we need to quietly and skillfully collect evidence. Messaggero (Messenger) is an intermediary who arrives with useful information. While his news is helpful in putting all the puzzle pieces together, the facts the Fey collects will be paramount in making a case. Hearsay should not be confused with certainty.

For any reputable person or organization to be successful, that person's or organization's actions must be based on solid information, not conspiracy theories, not hearsay, not rumors, and certainly not fear mongering. ― Mike Klepper

Quietly Facinating

From the Fey Tarot, the Six of Wands; from the I Misteri Sibilla, Thief (10 of Diamonds):

          Rather than riding on a richly draped steed with much fanfare, this fey makes his way on a tortoise holding a potted plant. His humble entry back to his city gets a quieter reception that he seems comfortable with. Ladro shows a thief picking another man's pocket. What is stolen may be more than coin, however. One of the Buddhist precepts reads, "I vow not to take what is not given, but to practice generosity." There will always be those who hijack conversations and crave attention, seeking a boost to their egos. What they don't realize is that attention will soon fizzle out, but respect is much longer lasting.

I find something fascinating about the quiet man in the background who has no desire to be the center of attention. ~Christian Bale

Manna

This week I'll be using the Fey Tarot, a book and deck set created by Riccardo Minetti and Mara Aghem. This set was published by Lo Scarabeo. The oracle deck I'll be using is the I Misteri della Sibilla, created by Ettore Maiotti and published by Dal Negro. Today's draws are the Six of Pentacles and Money (6 of Hearts):

          My first thought upon seeing this card was 'manna' - originally a biblical term that has also come to mean an unexpected or gratuitous benefit. This giant fey doesn't seem to be making judgments about who will or won't receive her goodwill. Her kind of generosity doesn't worry about worthiness, only need. Denaro shows a fellow deep in thought with a pile of gold on his table. Perhaps he is someone who has learned to live modestly and now wonders what in the world he should do with his good fortune. Surely there are repairs to make, bills to pay and a nest egg to add to, but what about the excess? He could wade into the sea of humanity and exercise goodwill when he encounters distress or destitution. In the words of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, "It takes generosity to discover the whole through others. If you realize you are only a violin, you can open yourself up to the world by playing your role in the concert."

No Vision, Only Strife

From the Tabula Mundi Tarot, the Five of Wands; from the Universe Cards, Satellite:

          Rather than the heated discussion suggested in RWS decks, this Five of Wands implies a destructive power of volcanic proportions that disrupts the current stability. While change may be needed, this aggressive action can seem over the top. I am reminded of those people who in their search for excitement often become 'rebels without a cause' (also known as shit-stirrers). They have no vision they want to work toward and no solutions to offer, only strife and hostility. The Satellite card describes the moons that orbit around the planets of the Solar System, kept in orbit by a planet's gravity. In the same way, these ricocheting rebels are attracted to anything they think can be stirred up and caused to boil over. They live to inflame and engage in battle. The best way to counter them is with facts, humor or silence rather than taking any bait they dangle. 

Anyone wanting to mug a troll would have to use a building on a stick.

― Terry Pratchett

Prosocial Benefits

From the Tabula Mundi Tarot, the Six of Disks; from the Universe Cards, Galaxy Collision:

          The Thoth meaning for the Six of Disks is material success. It arises after experiencing both gains and loss and leads to a wiser viewpoint when it comes to material concerns. Things aren't taken for granted, yet losses aren't perceived as a crushing defeat either. Galaxy Collision happens when a larger galaxy absorbs a smaller one or when two of similar size merge due to the gravitational attraction of both. The term 'collision' is a bit of a misnomer since stars and planets are spaced so far apart that an actual crash between them is rare. This process happens over the course of millions of years and changes the structure of both. Together, both of these cards reminded me of research published in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that showed prosocial people (those interested and engaged in the well-being of others) are more successful than selfish people and tend to have better psychological well-being, physical health, and relationships. It seems altruism does change us, but in wonderful ways. 

Uprooting

From the Tabula Mundi Tarot, the Ace of Disks; from the Universe Cards, Nova:

The desire of craving—the thirst, the fever of unsatisfied longing—is rooted in greed and attachment.

—Joseph Goldstein

          Meleen describes this Ace as "the birth of action in the world of matter and materiality." Everything that has developed has underground roots; everything begins from something sown. Nowhere was this more evident than yesterday when bullies and miscreants invaded the Capitol. Hatred, divisiveness and domination were planted by Trump and nurtured by his followers. Yet the world of matter plainly illustrates that change will happen, regardless of what puny humans desire. Nova shows the eruption on a star nearing the end of its life as a companion star's gravity pulls away matter from it. As one star dies, another grows. As America moves forward, may we remember the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt: ""We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."