I Will NOT Make a List

From the Urban Tarot, the Eight of Cups; from the Principles to Live By Oracle, "Gratitude:"

          Since Scott's Urban Tarot is Thoth-based, she's given this card the keyword "indolence." Now on the outside, this looks like inertia, laziness and sloppiness. But these are just external symptoms of an internal cause. If you were to peer inside the head of the person who owns this work space, you would find the emotional roots. It might look like the darkness of depression or the desperation of being overwhelmed. Professor Taima Hendler, of TAU’s Sagol School of Neuroscience recently did a study that showed how exhaustion affected the brain's reaction to emotional images. She described her findings: "The ability of the brain to tell what’s important is compromised. It’s as if suddenly everything is important." Add the adrenaline of "it's all important" to an already stressed person, and it's no wonder we give up trying and shut down.
          The cornucopia disc represents Gratitude; to be grateful is to be deeply appreciative of what I have received. The first suggestion I usually hear when I tell someone how I feel is that I should make a gratitude list. But if I am in a such an exhausted, emotional state of despair, I'd probably respond with "Fu*k that." Joan Chittister wrote, "Darkness deserves gratitude. It is the alleluia point at which we learn to understand that all growth does not take place in the sunlight." Perhaps instead of making that list or lying in the bed I could examine what is going on with my body and mind. Just maybe I will be able to follow the roots back to the seed of the cause. Then I could renew both body and mind by following the advice of Gary Kowalski: "Feelings of awe, reverence, and gratitude are primary, and these can never be learned from books. We gain them from sitting high on a cliff side, gazing at the sea, lost in reverie and listening to the laughter of children."

Earning a Gold Star

From the Urban Tarot, the Prince (Knight) of Cups; from the Principles to Live By Oracle, "Trustworthiness:"

          Scott depicts this Prince/Knight as a filmmaker, who she says has a need "to evoke, to beguile, and to charm." And what better way to do that than through the making of movies. I'm sure his creations are sweeping, epic melodramas - the types that make you reach for a kleenex in one tender moment, growl at the antagonist the next, and clap wildly for the hero or heroine at the end. He sees himself as a sensitive romantic, and he might be - if didn't live inside a fantasy world. This is the guy who will never remember to take out the trash at home, because his head is always adrift in a pink cloud. The star symbol represents Trustworthiness; to be trustworthy is to be dependable and responsible. Now there's nothing wrong with emotional free spirits like the filmmaker - unless you want to have an adult relationship with them. They're great in the world of art, drama, dance an poetry. But they haven't a clue how to be responsible. They don't understand they need to call if they can't show up to meet someone, or that there are bills that need to be paid when they're due. Yet if they want a grown-up relationship that's physically real, they're going to have to learn to be dependable enough to earn the trust of others.

Little Room for Egos

From the Urban Tarot, the Five of Wands; from the Principles to Live By Oracle, "Simplicity:"

          Two baseball fans, one who pulls for the Yankees and one who cheers for the Red Sox, have an arm wrestling contest. I imagine it got started over a discussion of who had the best team. At least with sports, there is usually a championship game to decide the better team. But businesses and other group relationships require a discussion of strategies to decide the best way to reach an objective. The conflict can be as mundane as a husband and wife arguing over the best route to take on a trip, or as complex as a new advertising campaign for a company. Yet different suggestions and ideas can be a positive thing. If I take the time to think over each one as I sift through them, I might find a gem I hadn't even considered before.
          The square is a symbol for Simplicity; to be simple means living a life that is moderate and uncomplicated. Relationships have a hard time with this concept when there is a struggle over how, when and where to do things. As soon as we bump into an opinion opposite from our own, we want to trash the person and bring up any past mistakes they made. Unfortunately, this takes the focus off the issue at hand; often whoever screams the loudest or is the most denigrating gets the prize. But Simplicity reminds me to bring things back to the basics - what here is most important? As Albert Einstein once said, "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction."

Both Light and Dark

This week I'll be using the Urban Tarot, a deck and book set created and self-published by Robin Scott. I'll be pairing it with an oracle I created called "Principles to Live By." Today's draws are Hierophant and "Open-mindedness:"

          Scott's card shows both light and darkness, which she says are in any organization whose primary purpose is to teach. What is taught can provide understanding that gives us a sense of belonging or offer dogma that provides us with a sense of self-righteous separation. My choice to learn from others requires me to know what's in that glass before I drink it down. Yet even I am not naive enough to think that most groups can easily be labeled as all good or all bad. As Scott says, "They give our lives structure; they teach us and support us when we are in need."
          The disc shows an empty bowl, a symbol for the spiritual principle of open-mindedness. To be open-minded is to be receptive to new ideas and viewpoints other than my own. Now I have to admit when I drew this disc with the Hierophant I laughed. I've carried a trunk-load of resentments against the church for a long time. The fundamental church I grew up in was teeming with bigots and misogynists. Yet if I look with fresh eyes, I can see that they provided me with the three things Scott lists: structure (purpose for my life), spiritual teachings (how to live in this life), and support (people to depend on when life got tough). The Talmud proposes another way to look at such groups rather than automatic rejection: "Who is wise? One who learns from all."

What is Essential?

From the Gill Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from The Circle, "Healing:"

          Gill gives this Queen the keyword "contemplation," which comes from the Latin contemplatio, meaning a cleared space in front of an altar. This word and meditation are often confused, especially within the mix of various religions and philosophies. I like Sri Chinmoy's explanation: "Concentration gives the message of alertness. Meditation gives the message of vastness. Contemplation gives the message of inseparable oneness." I've no doubt this Queen has the noble heart on her altar, a heart without the armor of protection. As the sea eagle seeks sustenance flying over the water, she seeks the truth based on compassion. The lone figure in the Healing card suggests an interior restoration; added to the Queen, it would indicate a renewal of the heart. The two cards made me think of a recent mini meditation I heard from Rick Hansen (adapted by me):

Imagine coming home after a long, tiring trip and standing at your front door with two heavy suitcases. These suitcases seem to be filled with lead, and your arms tremble as you hold them because of their great weight. One suitcase is filled with regrets of the past; the other is filled with worries about the future. Do you want to continue carrying this heaviness into the new year? Put them down, and feel the relief of no longer holding them. As you place your hand on the doorknob to enter, pause and ask yourself, "What is really important in my life? If I trim all the nonessential daily concerns away, what is left?" Now open the door and enter into your home and the new year. 

Leaping Rather Than Falling

From the Gill Tarot, the World; from The Circle, "Celebration:"

          It's hard to believe I drew these two cards randomly; both are perfect for the new year. In Gill's World card, she contrasts the fall of the Fool into the physical realm with the leap of the androgynous dancer into infinity. Yet the Greek (equal-armed) cross behind the figure suggests there is still a tie to the four elements; the figure's leap is not so much in the body but in the mind. This shift in thinking produces inclusive rather than exclusive perspectives. There is a verse in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that this reminds me of:

Lead me from the unreal to the Real

Lead me from the darkness to the Light 

Lead me from the temporary to the Eternal 

This is not a prayer asking for immortality, but an intention to be aware of one's essential nature (luminous mind, Buddha-nature, etc.), and see the world through that lens. Truth looks very different when noticing commonalities rather than differences.
          The figure's posture in the Celebration card mimics that of the dancer. Taylor emphasizes choosing happiness and living in the moment as much as possible. But these words particularly caught my attention: "Do not talk yourself out of happiness... Celebrate your successes as they happen." I would add that being able to take care of the basics while taking time to notice the extraordinary in the ordinary  is cause enough for celebration. It's a conscious decision to see from such a viewpoint. Ready to take that leap with me?

More Doing

From the Gill Tarot, the Queen of Discs; from The Circle, "Responsibility:"

          All the queens nurture in their own way. The Queen of Cups will let you express your feelings and offer comfort; the Queen of Swords can give an objective view and come up with a strategy; and the Queen of Wands will help keep you motivated along the way. But the Queen of Discs is where practical reality lies. Home Depot (a store for home improvement and construction supplies) has a catch phrase that says, "More Saving. More Doing." This queen would change that to "Less whining, thinking and cheering. More doing." She's got a lot of oyster shells at her feet, and she had to open each one in order to find that pearl in her lap. All that time spent in emotional, mental and inspirational effort now needs to be redirected into creating something concrete.
          Americans tend to be fired up about rights, but when someone mentions the other 'R' word (responsibility), we scurry off like cockroaches in a bright light. Our first inclination is to say we're too busy; our second it to try to pay someone else to do it. If we are warned that we need to change our habits, we wait until the inevitable has already happened and then expect someone else to fix the problem. But responsibility reminds me that I am the one who is accountable for my actions. I can't blame or offload the work that needs to be done on anyone else. More Doing indeed.