Balancing Kindness and Generosity

This afternoon I drew the King of Pentacles from the Jolanda Tarot:

  

This Amazonian-looking king has the Midas touch - whatever he involves himself in seems to prosper (like the tree he holds loaded with fruit).  Yet the reason he is so successful is that his ideas are grounded in reality; he is not the sort who would invest in some crazy scheme, because he does his research and comes to his own conclusions.  He has an unusual hoodie - made from the head of a snake that resembles a cobra.  In Buddhism, the serpent is often represented as a guardian of temples and other sacred places.  This connection probably resulted in the observation that some snakes, such as cobras and rattlesnakes, will hold and defend their ground when threatened.  Though generous, the King of Pentacles is also protective of his assets, whether time, energy, health or money, and won't tolerate someone stepping across his boundaries.  Just check that necklace of teeth around his neck for further verification.  His message is clear: kindness does not mean allowing someone to take advantage of me.

     The card drawn from the Bird Signs deck is the "Flamingo - balance:"

No one knows the reason flamingos balance on one leg.  Scientists speculate it could be to conserve heat and help with blood flow, to look like a reed to prey, or because they turn off half their brain when they sleep (allowing the other half to control the leg they stand on).  Considering that their legs are longer than their bodies, and most of their weight is oriented horizontally, it is an amazing feat.  But what appears to be their knee is actually their ankle; a flamingo's knee is hidden underneath its feathers.  The ankle has a locking mechanism that allows the bird to maintain its balance.  Like the flamingo, humans are made to stay balanced, not on one leg, but in the areas of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.  Maintaining my equilibrium often requires me to have some firm boundaries in place.

Frozen Ideas

From the Jolanda Tarot today comes a card from the major arcana, the Hierophant:

The Hierophant represents orthodoxy, conformity, and traditional teachings.  In this image, he covers himself with a cloak designed with elephant prints.  The elephant in Asia, known for its memory and intelligence, is a symbol of wisdom.  Such a garment seems to reek of arrogance on this pompous fellow.  What is more disturbing is the figure of a woman that seems to be trapped in the bull.  The bull in tarot is often associated with Taurus, one of the fixed signs of the zodiac, thus its meaning of stability but also stubbornness.  The sword, representing truth and justice, is locked inside the woman, as if she isn't allowed to speak or live in a way that she feels to be right.  These symbols illustrate that the Hierophant may represent a sense of belonging, but the shadow side is that we may become a captive of another person's ideas.  This card reminds me of an article I recently received about a Roman Catholic bishop whose love of power seems to have erased all of his compassion for humanity.  You can read about the story here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126985072 

So what is the lesson for me?  I must be vigilant about the groups I associate with, because what looks like belonging and support may really only be a cleverly disguised prison.

     The card drawn from the Bird Signs oracle this morning is "Penguin - purpose:"

Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere and can survive in temperatures that reach -80 degrees Fahrenheit.  As someone who thinks it's winter when the temperatures dip below 70 degrees F, I can't imagine living in that environment.  Yet these flightless birds manage not only to stay alive, but to mate and raise a family in these conditions.  Carbone writes that the wisdom of the penguin is to teach us to stick to our purpose, even when we meet challenges.  By relaxing rather than stressing out, we will uncover how to flow around our obstacles rather than become frozen in the ice.  When I bang my head against a brick wall, the answers never come, but if I can step away from the aggravation, I will usually find a solution.

Whistle While You Work

The card drawn from the Jolanda Tarot this morning is the Knight of Pentacles:

A knight rides in a cart pulled by an ox as he sows stars in the field.  The ox is a perfect symbol for this knight, as they both represent tenacity, endurance, and thoroughness.  This fellow's clothing is covered with glyphs of Venus, emphasizing his desire for his efforts to be fertile.  He doesn't think outside the box much, preferring to stick with the tried and true, but he will get the job done.  The migrating geese are a reminder that when the seasons change, the food that will be harvested is going to be needed.  Unlike the grasshopper in Aesop's fable, this knight chooses to work hard so that he'll be prepared and ready for the changes to come.  Although the weather has turned chilly and I would love to stay curled up in the bed with a book, this card warns me not to be caught unawares.

"All things are difficult before they get easy."  ~ Thomas Fuller

     The oracle card drawn today from Bird Signs is "Gull - laughter:"

I didn't exactly understand the reasoning behind associating this bird with laughter until I read what Carbone wrote about the laughing gull.  These birds' vocalizations do sound a bit like a group of cacklers - you can hear them at this link:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/laughing_gull/sounds

With the knight above, this card encourages me to meet my obligations with lightheartedness.  It is so easy to get caught up in the "slash and burn" mindset of holiday shopping and preparations, and lose one's sense of humor.  Today I shall try to find a reason to smile and laugh at every opportunity.

Convincing Others

This week I'll be using the Jolanda Tarot created by Hans Arnold.  The draw for today is the Seven of Wands:

A woman holds a torch aloft and grips a club in her other hand as a snarling lion confronts her.  Another lion and a lioness stand behind her, seeming to be friendly.  The Seven of Wands is usually about standing up for yourself, and proving wrong your naysayers.  But it is rare to convince others with only words.  One tactic is to give concrete examples of things you've accomplished in the past - "See these giant stalks of asparagus?  I told you I could be a good farmer!"  And if that's not enough, she wears a wrap made from a leopard's skin, clearly showing she's not afraid to face any challenges that come her way.

     The oracle deck I'll be using this week is Bird Signs, written by G.G. Carbone and illustrated by Mary Ruzicka.  Today's bird is the "Quail - Trust:"

Bobwhite quails spend most of their time in small groups (coveys) on the ground foraging for food.  They sleep in a wagon wheel format, with tails pointing to the center, allowing an easy take-off if a predator approaches.  Being part of any group requires trust of those involved.  But before I can ask anyone else to trust me, I must first have confidence in myself and my ideas.

Management of Resources

oday's draw from the Hoi Polloi Tarot is the Ace of Pentacles:

Since the pentacles suit generally refers to physical matters, such as health and finances, I was surprised to see the color chosen for this coin as blue (often associated with water and emotions).  When I gave it some thought though, I realized how much an indicator my emotions are of my health.  Whether I am sad, angry or discontent, these feelings often alert me to how I'm taking care of myself physically - exercise, rest, and eating habits.  The gift of health is so easy to take for granted until something goes wrong.  Today I will try to be mindful of the wonders of this blessing.

     The hexagram chosen from the I Ching deck today is "Mountain over Dragon:"

This hexagram offers the mental image of a dragon resting and growing strong in the deep chambers of a mountain.  In the image above, one man focuses on a scroll while another looks out from the balcony of his home.  The key phrases for this card are "building up power" and "controlling your resources."  Before I take any sort of major step in my life, I need to take an inventory of my assets, add to my knowledge through study and the wisdom of others, and make preparations.  Then my knapsack will be loaded with all the supplies I need when the time comes.

"Aha!" Moments

From the Hoi Polloi Tarot this morning comes Judgement:

Rather than thinking of this card as a sentence or verdict for some behavior, I see it as an "aha!" moment.  This is that moment of clarity that brings wisdom that can help me change my life.  My eyes, ears and mind are finally open to receive it.  It reminds of the astonishment my daughter felt upon putting on her first pair of glasses - everything was suddenly in sharp focus.  But what will I do with this gift?  Will I act on it or just turn it over in my mind?  I'm sure those folks in the card don't want to crawl back in those caskets and close the lids again...

     The card drawn from the I Ching Deck today is "Fire over Thunder:"

A man with the air of an emperor holds a scroll and sits between two pillars.  The keywords and phrases associated with this card are "biting through," "judgment," and "getting down to essentials."  In other words, its time to cut through the fluff and take the bull by the horns.  Decisive action is called for - there should be no half measures.  Confrontation is likely, and I will need to be assertive and firm in handling it.

"for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." ~ Isaac Newton

Taking Justice out of my Hands

   The Hoi Polloi brings forth another sword wielding character today, Justice:

I often pull this card when something is out of balance in my life.  Not the physical things, such as health, money, or time management, but things that have to do with relationships - honesty, fairness, and respect.  In this image, the woman wears a purple tunic and has a purple jewel on her crown.  Purple is the color of wisdom, but it is also a mixture of a warm color and a cool color (red and blue), indicating that no favoritism will be shown.  The white cloak and robe represent her purity (no dishonesty or prejudice), but the red stole around her neck and the red mat under her feet tell me that action will be taken to bring things back into balance.

     The card from Clark and Gill's I Ching deck today is "Wind over Dragon:"

The rice paddy workers remind me of a saying my father-in-law had: "Keep your head down and your tail up."  In the food business, it served us well on busy days when we needed to pay attention to the customer in front of us rather than focusing on all the people waiting to be served.  The key phrase associated with this trigram combination is "exercise restraint."  I often want to fix a situation or wrap things up on my on timetable, but there are times when it is in my best interest to do the task in front of me instead of forcing an outcome to happen.  As Gill states, "A gentle approach brings progress and success in the end."