Removed from the Flow

From the Spacious Tarot, the Four of Cups; from the Phenomena Oracle, Storm:

Four cups sit high atop a boulder, disengaged from the rushing stream that flows around them. Whether we have been dealing with excitement or difficult challenges, sometimes we need to remove ourselves from the frenzy and find a place of calm to restore ourselves. Yet we may have other motives for our self-isolation - we may be sulking about not getting what we think we need from others. But that idea is inside-out; we actually punish our own self far more than any other person. The lightning from the Storm card suggests waking up from the illusion we've created. That brief bright light can help us see if our thoughts have any evidence to back them up or are just a way to soothe our hurt feelings.

No one can live without relationship.

~Jiddu Krishnamurti

Rippling Along

From the Spacious Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Phenomena Oracle, Tornado:

Although there are rocks and tree roots,

Rippling along, just rippling along,

The water runs.

―Wariko Kai

Like the rocks and tree roots Kai poetically describes, we all meet obstacles and challenges in the stream of life. But it is our companions who help us keep our sense of humor, anchor us when we feel adrift, and provide a light when all we see is darkness. Life is a collective journey, and we should consider our contribution to those around us. The Tornado, on the other hand, is the symbol of destructive chaos. There will always be pot-stirrers, those addicted to drama, and the entitled who refuse to maintain a balance of give and take. If we lose the thread that connects us - love and supportive kindness - we allow the destruction of something precious.

Sandblasted

From the Spacious Tarot, the Five of Pentacles; from the Phenomena Oracle, Haboob:

A wounded wolf limps uphill, hoping to find a safe place to rest and heal. We all take a turn pushing Sisyphus' boulder; everyone at some point will deal with financial or health challenges. The hardest part of these difficulties is acknowledging them while not letting them become the sum total of our world. The Haboob - an advancing wall of dust and debris caused by thunderstorm outflow winds - suggests that this can be a tough sell. Sandblasting everything in its path, this phenomena lodges silt in the eyes, nose and ears, effectively cutting off all one's senses. Like the Five of Pentacles, it can create a feeling of being off-balance and vulnerable. Yet if we can be tender with ourselves, doing the best we can with the resources at hand, we can focus on helping ourselves while not adding to our suffering. Storms may change us and our circumstances, but they don't have to change our love for life.

Where Two or More are Gathered...

From the Spacious Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Phenomena Oracle, Decompost:

Where two or more are gathered (online or in-person), there will be arguments. We all seek validation, and when we don't get it, quarrels and debates break out (though sometimes only in our own mind). Yet the vulture on the lone standing sword indicates the toll this takes on our relationships. When we do not demand honor for our ideas, we won't be dishonored. We can judge our own worth by our deeds, not the accolades of others. Decompose suggests breaking down all the arguments to discover what might need to be known or understood. It will likely look very different than what was originally stated, but its probable that it will nourish our relationships with others.

A Run-Over Beer Can

This week I'll be using the Spacious Tarot, a self-published deck that was a collaboration between Annie Ruygt and Carrie Mallon. I'll also be using the Phenomena Oracle, a deck self-published by Jessica Bott. Today's draws are the Ten of Swords and Geyser:

We all have things we believe in, ideas that we expect (even demand) will manifest into something solid and sustainable. But life rarely follows our plans, and can in fact squash them as flat as a run-over beer can. Then we may feel like this felled tree, having all that gave us vitality and purpose cut away. We can become maudlin (stabbing our own self and creating more suffering), or we can let go and try to remain open as the sky above us. The Geyser - an intermittent column of steamy hot water - suggests that such an opening will allow us to be surprised by ideas that are new and different. And if we nurture them and refuse to put concrete around them, those seeds might grow into mighty oaks. 

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. ~George Bernard Shaw

Influences and Imprints

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Moon; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Seven of Diamonds:

The inlet and the sea beyond in this Moon card remind me that our subconscious is not only affected by our personal experiences but also influenced by the culture and the lands of our ancestors. These are embedded within us, imprinted on our spirits, as the Dineh (Navajo) chant indicates:

The mountains, I become part of it.

The herbs, the fir tree

I become part of it.

The morning mists, the clouds, the gathering waters,

I become part of it.

The sun that sweeps across the earth,

I become part of it.

The wilderness, the dew drops, the pollen

I become part of it.

Yet the pipes and the jack-a-dandy verse used for the Seven of Diamonds suggest that not all we carry is beneficial for our world or for us. I imagine a jack-a-dandy as an arrogant fellow concerned only with his appearance, sitting around in a men's club and spending time in intellectual discussions that serve no one but himself. These two cards remind me to take my feelings and opinions out of the intellectual world and compare them to the grit of the real world. I might find some of them are no longer relevant.

The Best Revenge

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Three of Swords; from the Key to the Kingdom, the Jack of Clubs:

The three dead birds in this Three of Swords reminds me of folks who see lovers not as a person but simply as conquests. For unattached people looking for love, charm can be hard to ignore when they are desperate and being paid some attention. Even if they've heard stories about the charmer, they may believe they can be 'the one.' When that turns into a notch on someone's belt or handbag, it can be easy to want revenge. Yet the Jack of Clubs is given a verse that might make us pause:

Jackass in the box,

Turn the key and up he pops;

On Midsummer's Eve

Take your dreams to bed,

Lest you wake a fool

With a donkey's head.

In the words of George Herbert, "Living well is the best revenge."