The Unexpected

From the New Liminal Tarot, the Tower; from the Inward Oracle, Purpose:

No matter how organized we are, or how well we plan, we can always expect the unexpected.

~Brandon Jenner

The look of shock and fear on these faces is one I know well. No matter if we pay our insurance, eat healthy, put away some savings and take care of what we own, life can still throw us a curve ball. A hurricane can rip up the house we've paid off with thousands of dollars in damage. A mammogram can show some growths that weren't there before. We spend so much time in protection mode, we forget to cultivate our dealing-with-reality mode. The Purpose card shows a woman doing a Reverse Warrior Pose, a challenging asana that can  release tension in the muscles around the ribs, allowing for a freer deeper breath. The Purpose card asks me what my objective and aspiration is for my life. Is it merely to hide and attempt to avoid the hard, unpleasant stuff, or is it to embrace it all as a spiritual warrior? 

A warrior is always on a journey, and a main feature of that journey is fear. This fear is not simply something to be lamented, avoided, or vanquished. It is something to be examined, something to make a relationship with. ~Pema Chodron

Here Kitty, Kitty

From the New Liminal Tarot, the Chariot; from the Inward Oracle, Compassion:

Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later.

― Mary Bly

          Having been a cat owner for several decades, I realize that while I may consider them a pet, they have me (and the rest of the household) well trained. Lia, who can cry more pitifully than a baby, gets instant results. Likewise - as I consider the beams connecting the dragons and the charioteer - I wonder who is pulling the strings. Is his mind well-trained enough not to be pulled to and fro by his instincts and emotions (the dragons)? The Compassion card shows a heart-opening yoga pose of exposed vulnerability. Compassion comes from a tenderness and warmth of the heart in response to suffering, either our own or someone else. When the habits of my mind make me say and do unkind things, compassion rather than shame can help me improve. Of course that doesn't negate the responsibility of making amends. But can I see how others get yanked about by their own mental habits (often without awareness), and have compassion for them as well while still holding them accountable?

Lia

Critical Appraisal

From the New Liminal Tarot, the Seven of Discs; from the Inward Oracle, Integrate:

A woman comes to assess the ripening fruit of a tree that she has nurtured to maturity. She holds out her skirt to catch those ready for picking. If you've ever planted seeds, it can become a daily thrill to see how they are growing, checking to see if they have enough sunlight or water. Humans relish feedback on their actions and words, but often we don't want to hear anything other than praise. Like worm-eaten fruit, we tend to toss any comments that to us may seem negative. Yet Integrate suggests another approach. The forward bend illustrated here can be calming, but it also may be tough for tight hamstrings or backs. But flexibility is something that comes with time and practice, just as it does with our acceptance of constructive criticism. Like physical discomfort, it can show us where we need to make adjustments.

He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.

~Abraham Lincoln

Bridging the Gulf

From the New Liminal Tarot, the Page of Discs; from the Inward Oracle, Love:

          With her pup by her side, this sweet Page holds a freshly painted shield of the four seasons. This Page is often known as a student, but she does more than just study and learn. She must take what she has learned and apply it in daily life, whether it is practicing artistic skills or taking care of a dog. In the Love card, a woman practices restorative yoga by lying back on a bolster in a heart-opening posture. Another woman uses the energy healing of reiki on her resting companion. Just as the Page knows to apply what she's learned, so too is how love is supposed to be practiced. Understanding love is not the same as showing love to ourselves or another person. Knowledge is not action. 

One of the great tragedies of life is that men seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Legacies and Letting Be

This week I'll be using the New Liminal Tarot, created by Penelope Cline and self-published through Make Playing Cards. I'll also be using the Inward Oracle, created and self-published by Rayna Graham.  Today's draws are the Ten of Discs and Trust:

That is your legacy on this Earth when you leave this Earth: how many hearts you touched.

—Patti Davis

          Cline's card shows an elderly couple alone on their estate. Perhaps they have no children or are empty-nesters. But if you were to walk inside their home, I'm sure you would see pictures of friends and loved ones on their mantel. They have learned to live mindfully - appreciating what they have - but also feeling a deep gratitude for those who've shared the journey with them. When they die, they may leave money and goods to others, but more importantly they will leave hearts that are full and brimming too. In the Trust card, a woman stands on her head, elevating her heart about her head. When I worry, my mind busily churns out thoughts about a future that I am trying to outmaneuver as if it will arrive just as I imagine it. What might be a better option is to feel my emotions without feeding them (imagining the worst) and being tender and gentle with myself. Clarity needs two wings to fly, compassion and wisdom.

When we open to our feelings as they arise, we create the causes and conditions of mental and physical health. This is what acceptance-based inner awareness entails; it is not a practice to put off, any more than breathing, sleeping, or consuming nourishment.

― Josh Korda

Looking Widely

From the Daniloff Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Kuan Yin Oracle, Verse 42:

 

Kuan Yin painting by Wendy Wiese

With a dark wing and a light wing on his shield, the King of Swords is asked to judge between goodwill and ill intent, between what is harmful and what is beneficial. His discriminating intellect looks for truth as he seeks to provide fairness and equality. Yet the Aquarian water bear on his shield is a reminder not to forget his humanitarian side, the side that sees the way conditions and causes shape people; labels tend to be self-fulfilling. The 42 verse reads:

You are showered with heavenly gifts

and live in an earthly paradise,

whether you realize it or not.

Our emotions color our entire world, if we let them. Anger can make us see everyone as living an entitled life without a drop of kindness. Sadness can color even a rainbow in gray scale colors. While we might feel a certain way, it doesn't represent reality. There is goodness, beauty and joy if we are willing to look widely.

Fear-Inducing Responsibilities

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Empress; from the Kuan Yin Oracle, Verse 59:

          Alexander's Empress is more queen of her kingdom than a Mother Nature archetype. While her husband might be more concerned with law and order within and military might on the borders, she focuses on protecting others in more nurturing ways. She wants the realm's children to be educated, her people to have enough to eat and drink, and for everyone to have sufficient shelter from the elements. She has to be strong enough to take on the king when his desires try to roll over the needs of others. The Kuan Yin verse speaks of how fear can take over our common sense: "it makes about as much sense as holding your breath when you are trapped in a thorny jungle." The adrenaline surge of fear can make us want to hide, run or cover our eyes and ears. But fear is simply a messenger, suggesting we search out available resources and put them to use while adapting to the situation at hand. 

Do not fear things that arise in the mind; question them, know them. The truth is more than thought and feelings, so do not believe and get caught by them. 

—Achaan Chah