Is There a Cure for Greed?

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Four of Coins; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Kauri:

The usurers perpetrate a vile trade

And prey upon the poor

Without heed, that in so doing

They starve the world.

~Das Narrenschiff

The only thing worse than a miserly person is one who is stingy and greedy. Usuers (a person who lends money at unreasonably high rates of interest) are getting rich while the poor get poorer. As a former bookkeeper for a business, I often had to deal with garnishing employee wages when someone couldn't pay back their loans. I remember telling one lender, who called to verify employment, not to give a person a loan because he would not be able to pay it back at such a high rate of interest. They gave it to him anyway. These companies create a debt treadmill that makes struggling families worse off than they were before - but they don't care because they are raking in money. Kauri is a huge tree with a trunk diameter big enough to rival Californian sequoias. The size and strength of kauri timber made it a popular wood for construction and ship building, but by 1900 less than 10 per cent of the original kauri survived. Balance is its message, and makes me wish for a cure for greed.

Avarice hoards itself poor; charity gives itself rich.

~German proverb

Speaking Truth

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Knight of Swords; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Earthquake:

I'm a faceless man, I'm a trickster

Speaking truth like I'm reading from a scripture

~w1tchlxrd

The traditional Knight of Swords is seen as a daring, impulsive fellow, always ready to save the world from injustice. The fool/jester was a more humbly dressed servant, though he was just as fearless. As Jake Page wrote, "Common belief held that children and fools could speak only the truth. This belief was a kind of protective covering for the jester — after all, who could blame fools for saying whatever came into their heads? Laughter was the oil a jester used to slip inconvenient truths into the royal presence without offending it." He could even mock Church officials, pointing out that they weren't living up to certain standards. Earthquake shows the effect revealing such truths can have. Although chaos may ensue for a time, bringing to light factual information can help reshape things into a healthier whole.

Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All.  

~Gospel of Thomas

A Game of Cards

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Nine of Coins; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Penguin:

Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will. ~Jawaharlal Nehru

This group of fools has enough gold coins in their leather pouches to take some time off for a friendly poker game. Some folks don't know how to manage their money and overspend, while others are tightfisted and rarely splurge on anything that's not a necessity. I was raised by grandparents who lived through the Depression, then later had a stepfather whose financial missteps kept us living a hand-to-mouth existence. I tend to be frugal with my money and often don't allow myself many purchases for pleasure; my mind insists that poverty could be just around the corner. Yet Penguin - an aquatic, flightless bird - arrives to encourage me to have faith and expand my perspective. I don't have to throw away my past experience, but neither do I need to let it rule me. I can be prudent and still allow myself a few pleasures too.

Play Date

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, the Tree of Life:

Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.

~Dr. Seuss

Three lasses have donned fool's robes, making me think of Halloween and going trick-or-treating. But instead of candy, they might be asking for a refill of their cups. I remember over forty years ago going to the grocery store with friends (when we were 'in our cups'). We took dozens of kid and adult sunglasses off their display stand and adorned all the fruits and vegetables in the produce section, chortling the whole time at our artwork. There is nothing like laughing until you cry as a pressure valve release; it can reset one's outlook on life. Pohutukawa - the Tree of Life in Maori mythology - is a tree that can survive on the salty edge of the land, clinging precariously to impossible rocks and cliffs. With its crimson, feathery flowers, this tree has a spiritual meaning for Māori, connecting the beginning and ending of human life. In my busyness, when I forget how precious those limited circles around the sun are, it's time to find some friends for a play date.

An Effective Weapon

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Nine of Staves; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Fantail:

The Nine of Wands generally suggests staying alert and defending what is important. But sometimes it may be just about us; we are simply trying to keep at it in order to reach a goal so that we don't let exhaustion or other distractions deter our effort. It could be that we're trying to finish a project before a deadline, get through the last course of treatment for an illness, or complete a course that adds to our skills and knowledge. It may seem easier to say 'the hell with it' than hang in there. Yet a bird offers us an effective outlet. Fantails, when perched, often continue to rock back and forth, spin 180° on the spot, wag their tail from side to side or fan it. This bird is a source of joy and laughter, reminding us that humor can help restore our sanity and determination. As Mark Twain said, "The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter."

Hitching of Fools

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, Love (Lovers); from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Water:

To my line I have hitched many a fool.

~Venus in Das Narrenschiff

Venus - the power of love and desire personified - shows just how much control and influence she has in this illustration. As I have recently been made aware of, being a soft touch can make a person susceptible to saying 'yes' to things that can have heavy repercussions later. We may then begin to feel like an overburdened donkey, motivated to keep plodding along because of promises and obligations to those we care about. Such duties don't create love but resentment, the opposite of what got us into this mess. Water suggests cleansing, not just of the body but the spirit too. This cleansing is a restoration of integrity, of being honest with ourselves as well as with others about the load we can bear without negative side effects.

Skillful Practice

This week I'll be using the Ship of Fools Tarot created by Brian Williams and published by Llewellyn. Paired with it will be the Wisdom of the Four Winds created by Barry Brailsford, illustrated by Cecilie Okada and published by StonePrint Press. Today's draws are the King of Cups and Albatross:

We need to be aware of what we are practicing in any moment. Because whatever we practice, we get better at, whether it’s the skillful or the unskillful.

―Christina Feldman

This kind and generous King appears to be offering his cup to the fool. What will he do if the fool steals the cup or throws it on the ground? Will he seek to punish him or vow never to be benevolent to commoners again? Humans are easily provoked for a number of reasons, but especially when a kindness is returned with spite or insolence. Yet this King has trained in maintaining his composure and compassion, regardless of the circumstances. He knows rage and bitterness have no beneficial results and will only destroy his equanimity. The Albatross, after spending a year riding the ocean winds, will return to his island to find his mate. In the same way, our aspirations can be our compass, returning us to our center so that we don't allow emotional drama to throw us off course.

Let my heart turn to practice.

Let practice become a path.

Let this path dissolve confusion. Let confusion become wisdom.

~Gampopa