The Importance of Listening

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Queen of Cups; from the Faeries Oracle, Arval Parrot:

          The Queen's element recognizes her as one of its own as it swirls around her. This lovely lady is known for her compassion; she leans in toward the suffering of others rather than away from them. She is concerned for the emotional well-being of people, and doesn't worry that their pain will rub off on her. If she's as wise as I think she is, she'll know that pity or mutual despair won't help the person she's listening to. A drowning man needs a raft, not another drowning person. Arval the faerie appears to remind me of the importance of communication, especially in the form of listening. His last name - Parrot - makes me think of a skill we learned in counseling classes. To make sure we heard what we thought we did, we would have to repeat back in our own words what the person had said. This exercise helped clear away the debris of assumptions, prejudices and generalizations. Both of these cards would likely agree with these words from William H. Vanstone: "Most of the noise comes from the shallow end."

Some Things Can't Be Fixed

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Five of Cups; from the Faeries Oracle, the Topsie-Turvets:

          This is one of the few cards that show humans in this deck. Here the earth seems to have crumbled between two people, creating a chasm. All relationships are based on some common ground, whether it is shared interests (a cause, commitment or a hobby), similar religious or political beliefs, mutual values or the same bloodline. The ribbon that kept these two together has broken, and now they go their separate ways. I've experienced this loss among a few friends as the gap between our values and ideas widened until a collapse happened. It makes me sad that we can't simply agree to disagree, but I am powerless over their decision. The Topsie-Turvets show up to suggest looking at things from a different view (I keep hearing "turn that frown upside down!"). They suggest challenging assumptions and encourage me to see things as they really are instead of how I want them to be. When I can do that, I'll move away from the cliff and toward emotional contentment.

Untie the Boat From the Dock

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Six of Swords; from the Faeries Oracle, Lady of the Harvest:

          This image of a stream flowing through the forest for the Six of Swords reminds me of words from Wayne Dyer:

Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.  Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.

How am I being rigid in my thinking or attitude? Do I want to be right, or do I want to be at peace? I might not have the power to change my circumstances or other people, but I can change myself. The Lady of the Harvest implies completion and endings; her job is to help folks grieve, release what was, and bring closure. Again there is a repeated message, "It is time to move on." Cast off the mental boat from the dock.
Photos of our community below:

Uncovered Cup

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Moon; from the Faeries Oracle, Singer of the Chalice:

          Two moth-like faeries stare at a hazy moon in the dark forest. Without specialized night vision, it would be difficult to see what would be obvious in the daytime. The Moon speaks in symbols rather than literal language, and it can be hard to decipher. Things can be even more fuzzy and unclear if I my mood is off-kilter (tired and stressed, anxious, depressed or angry). Signals from others and my environment will bypass me; I'll be like a driver who pays no heed to traffic lights. During this time, the Singer of the Chalice cautions me to be patient. This does not mean being indifferent, as if sitting around with a bag over my head. The symbol of the chalice is consecration, a time of sacredness. Instead of being frustrated, I can be attentive and curious while I wait for the light to come. It is in the stillness where I will find joy as long as I remain open.

Positive Purpose

This post is a little late because our county was one of several hit by a line of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that blew through the South last night. My family was one of the lucky ones that just lost power and phones; a lot of the city looks like a bomb went off. Many friends and neighbors have huge oaks and other trees crushing their houses and cars. It is amazing that no one died here. Feeling grateful but also wanted to ask for good thoughts for those who weren't so lucky. 

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Magician; from the Faeries Oracle, Honesty:

          When things fall apart or when life brings the unexpected, what happens to a person’s sense of personal power? Can the will be used to help clean up the chaos that is often left behind, allowing forward movement to eventually begin again? The lemniscate below the Magician is a reminder that the self-will is always within; yet the Magician can use it for positive purposes or to trick and manipulate. The Froud fairy Honesty shows up as a beacon for truth, and a warning to avoid lies, passive-aggressiveness or dramatics for attention. His message is to be honest but also tactful and compassionate. Clarity will be the result, making sure we are moving in the right direction. An objective and realistic view can be immensely helpful when trying to put one foot in front of the other.

Loss and Creative Chaos

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Ten of Swords; from the Faeries Oracle, That Gnome:

          I know some people may be creeped out by the large spider and little crawlies on this Ten of Swords, but it reminded me of one of my favorite children's books, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Charlotte the spider befriends a runty pig named Wilbur and ends up saving his life. She writes messages in her web about him, and people begin to believe he is a special pig worth saving. At the end she dies, leaving an egg sac which eventually hatches. All the little spiders abandon Wilbur's barn except for three (who become new friends). The book and card both remind me that I may have good ideas which work for a long time, but because life changes, at some point I need to let go of them when they no longer are useful and pursue others. That Gnome is a trickster who brings creative chaos in order to break down old habits. The book states that "the first steps in breakthrough can feel like breakdown." I imagine that is how poor Wilbur felt when Charlotte died. But with the right attitude about such changes, I might discover talents and resources I didn't know I had.

Cusp of Darkness

This week I'll be using Tarot of the Secret Forest, created by Lucia Mattioli and published by Lo Scarabeo. I'll also be drawing from the Faeries' Oracle created by Brian Froud with text by Jessica Macbeth; it was published by Simon & Schuster. Today's cards are the Eight of Wands and the Dark Lady:

           A flower has ended its life cycle, and now seeds from its head float to the ground. Hopefully they will find good soil, and some of the seeds will sprout in the spring. The squirrel seems to know he only has a limited time to harvest from the forest his food supply for the winter. Everything is in motion because time is of the essence. There is the sound of scurrying everywhere in the woods. The Dark Lady has come and soon their will be an ending and stillness. Once burrowed in their winter homes, the dark season will be used not just to surrender but to regenerate. The hidden world of self will be explored, looking for what needs to torn down and what needs to be rebuilt. The author makes the suggestion to "meditate, retreat, seek serenity and inner peace."

Peace to you and and all beings everywhere in the new year.