Valid and Valuable

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Cedar Runes, Jera:

We don't have to force a smile or pretend we're OK and write that we're #blessed when we feel we're not. It's OK to believe life sucks sometimes - because it absolutely does. It can also be beautiful. It's not either/or, it's both. —Lori Deschene

This Queen's grace and fluidity is guided by her heart and intuition. She is unafraid of her emotions and doesn't believe one is better than another; in her world, they are all valid and beneficial. If we are curious and acknowledge our feelings, we can glean information from them. But if we try to ignore them or become intoxicated by them, they are like a great stone that pulls us under the waves. Jera is a rune that is related to cycles of time and relates to the harvest in particular. While a harvest is associated with a profit or benefit, it also requires a struggle and hard work to obtain the yield. Likewise, learning  from and managing our emotions will bear beneficial fruits, but it requires a persistent effort.

The Thoughtful Soul

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Hermit; from the Cedar Runes, Laguz:

The thoughtful soul to solitude retires.

~Omar Khayyam

If we want to untangle our mind and perceive how our behaviors have created unskillful patterns, we need solitude. Away from the noise of people, the ping of smartphones, and blaring televisions, we find the space needed for reflection, contemplation and a wider perspective. Philosopher Martin Buber called solitude the "place of purification," and Anne M. Lindbergh wrote that it was the only place where she could find her own core. Yet the circular stone in this card is a reminder that solitude is not meant to be permanent; we must return to transform our daily lives with what we have discovered. Laguz means 'water,' and can be both a blessing and a challenge. It provides travel and sustenance, yet as the Old English poem states, "the brine stallion does not mind it's bridle." Flooding and stormy seas are beyond human control, just as much of life is as well. It helps, however, if we take time to see what pushes our buttons or motivates us, so that we can influence our own thoughts, attitudes and actions.

Embrace the Day

This week I'll be using the Shadowscapes book and deck set published by Llewellyn. The artwork is done by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and the book is written by Barbara Moore. I'll also be drawing from a set of Cedar Runes; The Serpent and the Eagle by Chris Travers will serve as an accompanying text. Today's draws are the Sun and Raidho:

 The bright Sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man...

~Charles Dickens

We've had quite a few gray, rainy days lately, but as soon as blue skies and the sun return, the neighborhood will fill with people taking walks or gardening. Sunshine seems to be magnetic that way, pulling people (as well as animals and plants) upward and outward. It's no wonder the Sun is a symbol of vitality, radiant joy and growth. Our energy and optimism return, motivating us to embrace the day. Raidho ('riding') suggests an internal or external journey. As the Anglo-Saxon rune poem alludes, it's easy to romanticize such a challenge, but actually being on the road can demand energy and tenacity. As John Steinbeck put it, "we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." Keeping our mind clear of glamorous expectations can help us meet any obstacles with skill and humor, while appreciating new sights and insights.

Pause and Appreciate

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Ten of Pentacles; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Dalet:

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths. 

—Etty Hillesum

Well-being indicates not just health and wealth, but a safe place to live. These three generations have these gifts, likely made possible through the efforts of the elder of the family. The scales on the post suggest not only his generosity, but the teaching of moderation in all things to maintain this well-being. The younger couple appear to be full of plans for the day. Yet the older man pets his dog, while making eye contact with his grandson. On the back of his chair, between the two crescent moons, is a design that reminds me of the digital symbol for pause. The elder knows that they are only temporary custodians of all they own. He understands the importance of stopping to appreciate it all during the day. The Hebrew letter Dalet is said to have three meanings: door, a poor person, and to lift up. It is the recognition (door) that we don't really own anything (poor), yet we have been allowed to make use of the resources we have been given (lift up). Its shape represents the form of a bent-over person, signifying humility. In his old age, the head of the family now acknowledges this wisdom.

Unmoving

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Chariot; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Hei:

When you know what you want you go toward it. 

― Ayn Rand

The sphinxes asleep in the field of flowers suggest that something has gone awry with this charioteer. They move in the direction of his mind, and he seems to currently have a case of analysis paralysis. Is he afraid of making a wrong choice? Then he should take the words of Bryant McGill to heart: "A person who makes few mistakes makes little progress." Perhaps the journey isn't proceeding as planned, and now he doesn't know whether to keep going forward or turn back. Yet refusing to move won't help; he can make progress or make excuses. Hei is a Hebrew letter that means 'behold' and suggests a nudge to get us to wake up, pay attention, and get out of our rut. Progress doesn't depend on speed, just motion.

A Relative Path

 From the Restored Order Tarot, the Page of Pentacles; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Kuf (Qof):

Everything is relative; and only that is absolute.

—Auguste Comte

This Page appears to be fully absorbed in his pentacle; no wonder he is considered such a good student. But even this young fellow knows that although absolute truths and abstract ideas make us feel intelligent, they are a bit useless unless we can see how they relate to the world in concrete ways. This Page will do his own homework, testing out each theory in tangible ways. Kuf represents two opposite concepts, the spiritual world and the physical world. It's shape is like the eye of a needle, and numerically it represents completeness (100). It reminds us to find the holy and sacred (abstract and absolute) sewn into our relationships with the earth and all its beings. 

In order to make the leap to the realization of our absolute nature, we have to walk on our relative feet, on a relative path.

—Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

New Priority

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Four of Pentacles; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Zayin:

Self-care has become a new priority—the revelation that it’s perfectly permissible to listen to your body and do what it needs. ―Frances Ryan

When people see pentacles, they think of money and financial security. So it's easy to look at this guy and think he is a miser, obsessively protecting his hoard. But pentacles also represent this body that carries us around, the vehicle that allows us to love, create, and fight for what we believe in. We often take better care of our cars than our bodies, maintaining them far better. This fellow asks if I'm sustaining and nurturing my body, or if I've forgotten how precious it is. Zayin is a paradox. It means 'weapon' (and resembles a sword), yet numerically it is associated with the number seven (the day of rest). Sometimes the sword is not used for fighting, but for cutting a loaf of bread or (metaphorically) dividing our time so that we can rest and care for our bodies.