A Full Gas Tank

From the Spiral Tarot, the Queen of Wands:

This queen holds an alchemical vessel; the heat she adds comes from within herself. She won't tell you to follow your head or your heart, she'll tell you to follow your passion. Her advice is to love what you do and do what you love. If a career doesn't meet these requirements, then find some sort of hobby or outside interest that does. Inside the vessel is an ouroboros, indicating a constant recreation of something - in this instance one's self. The Queen of Wands encourages me to continue to recreate avenues to do what energizes me regardless of whether I get a paycheck from them or not. It is my spirit that is at stake, not my bank account.

From the Sacred Journey Cards comes "Fortitude:"

When I think of tenacity or perseverance, I think of continuing to put one foot in front of the other, gradually making external progress towards my objective. But when I consider the term fortitude, it seems more a force within, a resolve that helps me continue to move forward. Both the queen above and this card remind me that what feeds my spirit can help me keep doing what is required of me. What I find joy in doing will keep my gas tank full as make necessary stops to take care of other obligations along the way.

Just Enough with a Little Growing Room

From the Spiral Tarot, the Nine of Pentacles:

Flowers that were planted long ago have now grown tall and are in full bloom. This woman is enjoying what has been produced by her hard work and dedication. She is self-sufficient and independent; the butterflies symbolize her transformation from a timid young girl to a woman full of self-confidence. Yet the tiny snail is also an important part of this card. It gradually builds and adds to its shell each year, but it will never be motivated to create a shell the size of a VW bug. It only needs one big enough for shelter and protection with a little extra room for growing. In the same way, this woman isn't focused on building mansions or buying every new gadget that comes out. She's content to have what she enjoys around her, what allows her to appreciate the beautiful life she's created for herself.

From the Sacred Journey Cards comes "Wisdom:"

Most people would think having a lot of knowledge would make you wise, but here is a suggestion to embrace humility too. The intellect can trick me into thinking I know something about everything, but wisdom is quick to admit the more I learn, the more questions I have. Wisdom reminds me to be content with being a student of life instead of wanting a tenured position of power. In this place of humility, I have nothing to prove; I can enjoy each moment instead of worrying if I will win the game.

Blooming While Sauntering

This week I'll be using the Spiral Tarot book and deck set, created by Kay Steventon and published by U.S. Games. This morning's draw is the Ace of Pentacles:

I tend to live in my head at times, so this tree spirit with its roots firmly planted in the pentacle indicates I need to get grounded in reality. The peacock in the top of her branches is known for the "eyes" on his feathers, and suggests I should look around at the resources available to me. There is a sense of "bloom where you're planted" with this card. In other words, change what I can but make the best of what I can't. The peahen sits on a nest in the tree while waiting  for her eggs to hatch. Likewise, the physical changes I want to see will come if I consistently do the work and have enough patience for the results to appear.

The oracle deck I'll be using this week is the Sacred Journey Cards, created by Cheryl Thiele and published by Pomegranate. Today's card is "Saunter:"

I had to chuckle when I saw this card, because it describes my early morning walks. While I do enjoy the exercise, my true purpose is to use my walk as a meditation - paying attention to whatever I happen to encounter. In her booklet, Thiele says the practice of sauntering can help to "quiet our expectations regarding when things will occur and where we experience them." Here is an opportunity for an adventure of exploration.

Those Dark, Deep Holes

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Devil:

In some cases, the Devil represents a need to "let down your hair" and have a bit of fun - but not here. The beast dances on top of a cliff with a heart caught in his cobwebby hands. Beneath him, a woman curls her body in reaction to the desperation and hopelessness she feels. The small cave she hides in reminds me of the "hole in the soul" so many people in recovery talk about. It is a nameless fear that creates a huge emptiness inside. We may try to fill it with food, drugs, promiscuity, or unrestrained shopping, but all we get for our efforts is the weight of shame added to our already heavy load. The mask above the woman hints at a solution: we need to stop trying to pretend we have it altogether and have all the answers. Honesty, open-mindedness and a willingness to change are keys that will open the locks that bind us.

From the Cedar Runes comes "Tiwaz:"

Tiwaz is named for the Norse god Tiw/Tyr who sacrificed a hand to a wolf in order to protect others. As a result, this rune has come to be associated with courage and action in spite of fear. It may demand some self-sacrifice on our part in order to find the success or satisfaction we seek. The sacrifice I see in relation to the card above has to do with my ego. I must admit I don't have all the answers, be open to other ideas and suggestions, and then become willing to put them into practice.

Sturdy but Stubborn

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the King of Pentacles:

This king is as sturdy as the trunk that makes up his body. The crop of acorns his branches are producing speak of his skills in finances. But because he "has," he is often flooded by the "have nots" who want to stand under his tree and gobble whatever nuts he drops. But this king will have none of that; he's generous, but he doesn't want to become like one of those self-feeders you buy for your pet. He'd rather give you an acorn, explain how to cultivate it, and let you grow your own crop. For him, self-sufficiency is the golden ticket. The only vice of the King of Pentacles is his stubbornness when someone suggests trying something new (he's big on tradition). If the winds of change blow too hard, he's liable to be uprooted and fall over.

From the Cedar Runes come "Sowilo:"

The sun is ever a joy in the hopes of seafarers

when they journey away over the fishes' bath,

until the courser of the deep bears them to land.

~ Anglo-Saxon poem

The rune Sowilo means "sun" and is associated with hope and success. In the Icelandic poem, it is called the "destroyer" of ice. Both these poems make me think of being stuck (frozen) without a solution to a problem. I used to hate it when people told me to "sleep on it," but now I know they were on to something. The more I try to force a solution, the more it seems to hide. But when I relax, my intuition can kick in and offer ideas and guidance. I'd do well to avoid the King of Pentacle's stubborn mindset; instead I'll keep a window open to allow fresh air to blow through.

The Beauty of the Ordinary

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Fool:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

~ Mary Oliver

A woman stands on her toes, as if ready to make a free fall into whatever is below. Even the fox, normally cunning and quick, seems entranced by her. The doves swirl around, grabbing at the ribbons around her waist. At first I assumed they were trying to hold her back, to keep her from falling. But her body is a gift they are unwrapping, like an excited child with a birthday present. She's been given this amazing human incarnation as a vehicle with which to meet the world. The stone monkeys that make up the peak on which she stands hold a heart, a rose and a butterfly, indicating she will need a combination of feelings/intuition, passion, and reason on the journey ahead. The pair of bees buzz impatiently, "Don't waste time - jump! Let's go make something sweet with this beautiful life."

From the Cedar Runes comes "Wunjo:"

Bliss he enjoys who knows not suffering, sorrow nor anxiety,

and has prosperity and happiness and a good enough house.

~Anglo-Saxon poem

It's simplistic to think that bliss comes easily to those who don't experience suffering, but I don't think that's the meaning of this rune. Rather it reminds me to use the tools I have in the place I find myself and discover my bliss. It's not a longing for what I don't have, but a contentment in knowing what I am capable of creating. It is paying attention to all those random moments that outwardly seem so ordinary but in reality are what fill my heart with beauty, awe and warmth. Life is good enough if I allow it to be.

Coming and Going

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, Temperance:

A fairy woman holds a sphere of yin energy and yang energy, while above her a water dragon and a phoenix dance. Temperance reminds me to take the middle path between extremes. Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) was raised in an environment where every wish was granted; he was never allowed to witness sickness, old age or death. He later left all his wealth behind to live as an ascetic, punishing his body and surviving on a few grains of rice each day. Buddha discovered that neither way would lead to happiness and peace. A balance must be struck between the "all or nothing" polarities, a compromise that negates neither but incorporates some of both.

From the Cedar Runes comes "Fehu:"

Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen;

the wolf lives in the forest.

~ Old Norse poem

Fehu literally means "cattle" and symbolizes possessions and wealth. The mention of the wolf in most myths portrays him as a ravenous creature, always wanting to consume something or someone. It symbolizes the constant feeling of discontent and irritability of either thinking I don't have what I deserve or thinking someone might try to take away what I do have. The Temperance card above reminds me that I need to practice nonattachment when it comes to "stuff." I can appreciate what comes into my life, but like the ebb and flow of the tides, things change.