Fuzzy Concept

From the Mary-El Tarot, the King of Swords; from the OH Cards, Turn Around:

There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.

―Ansel Adams

Marie White gives this fellow with a dragon tattooed on his back the name Reason. His name implies his gift: the power of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments by a process of logic. He has the ability to cut to the chase, undistracted by side issues, and get to the core of things. His impressive skill at abstract thought brings a caution, however, as the emergency personnel in the Turn Around card suggests. It can be easy to get caught up in concepts instead of simply paying attention to what’s going on around us. Ideas and labels can't encompass living beings, no matter how much we like to categorize them. 

On Good Terms Without Surrender

From the Mary-El Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the OH Cards, Monster Cat:

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

―Max Ehrmann

Marie White's wolf brings to mind the Cherokee legend of black and white wolves fighting within. The internet version paints the white wolf as kind and humble while describing the black one as angry and violent; it ends with the caution that the one we feed will win. But the real legend explains, "But if I acknowledge him [black wolf], he is happy, and the white wolf is happy, and we all win. For the black wolf has many qualities – tenacity, courage, fearlessness, strong-will and great strategic thinking." When we are getting pushback for taking a stand in our lives, we need the beneficial traits of both. Monster Cat resembles the type of art that results from hearing about an animal instead of actually seeing one - filled with assumptions. When others try to give us advice about what we are doing, we don't have to assume they're trying to tear down our ideas or us. They actually might have some information that would be helpful to hear. 

Balanced Order

From the Mary-El Tarot, Justice; from the OH Cards, Post and Line:

Truth is what imposed order, law, justice, morality and balance upon primordial chaos.

―Marie White

Justice is illustrated with Ma'at, the goddess of truth, justice, balance, and order. Things get out of balance because we think there some things/people more special and important than other things/people. But Ma'at asks us if the weight of our heart balances with the feather of Truth. Not our personal truth (opinions and beliefs), but the universal, capital 'T' one. Post and Line also brings up the idea of balance and adjustment - that line won't stay taut unless it's attached to another firmly grounded post. Likewise, justice must be balanced with mercy just as wisdom must be with compassion. 

Nature's Timetable

This week I'll be using the Mary-El Tarot, created by Marie White and published by Schiffer. I'll be pairing it with the OH Cards, created by Ely Raman and Joe Schlichter and published by Eos Enterprises. Today's cards are the Knight of Disks and the Sun:

Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor. 

―Hesiod

The Knight of Disks represents Air in the element of Earth, reminding me of the importance of wind driven pollination in bearing fruit. Besides being reliable and resourceful, he is also creative when it comes to improving material matters. But if this Knight is so hardworking, why is he resting in the shade of a large tree? The Sun from the OH cards suggest this is the heat of the day. As the poet and farmer Hesiod stated, balance and timing play a huge part in the success of what we're doing. Watering plants at noon when evaporation is at its peak does very little good (and wastes water). And working outdoors in such heat is an invitation for heat stroke. Sometimes we must work on nature's timetable and not our own. 

Pauses and Flashes

From the Delta Enduring Tarot, the Seven of Cast Irons (Pentacles); from the Southernisms Oracle, "I feel it in my bones:"

Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.

―Jonas Salk

A young boy looks over his impressive harvest of tomatoes. Behind him, stalks of corn look more yellow than green. If he's smart, he'll record what he did right with the tomatoes and add that corn needs more frequent watering than his other vegetables. Pausing helps us take stock of what we're trying to grow or develop, acknowledging if our timing has been right, whether needs have been addressed, and if a consistent effort has been applied. The phrase "I feel it in my bones" goes back to older folks whose arthritic or mended bones would ache with a weather change; however, it came to include an intuitive alert about other things as well. Intuition arises from an accumulation of knowledge and experience that is stored in the brain as well as in the cells and tissues of the body. The flash of insight we have from our body-mind is well worth our attention.

The Only Place

From the Delta Enduring Tarot, the Sage of Cast Irons (King of Pentacles); from the Southernisms Oracle, "If I had my druthers:"

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

- Vidal Sassoon

Teens that see this Sage's success want to have what he has. If they'd talk to him, they'd find out how hard he worked at their age, first as a bus boy then as a cook. He had to learn to manage his money, how to handle and cook food properly, and the patience of interacting with customers. It was a long road to his lucrative business. "If I had my druthers" is a combination of "had rather" which was turned into a noun that meant a preferred choice. Some may think a restaurant might be a preferred option rather than a food truck. But the Sage knows it would require a heavier investment of time and money. Plus, business areas boom and then recede; with a truck, he can travel where the customers are found. Success requires flexibility.

Using a Compass

From the Delta Enduring Tarot, the Two of Oaks (Wands); from the Southernisms Oracle, "Lost as last year's Easter egg:"

We keep trying to chip away at our confusion, to straighten it out, to get rid of it... what we really need to do is to examine it and in doing so transform our view of it. We need to look below the surface to how we perceive reality altogether. ―Judy Lief

A labrador retriever pauses in his romp through the marsh, considering whether he should head home, have breakfast, and dry off or keep exploring. The Two of Wands is a choice between expanding and risking the unknown versus maintaining the less uncertain status quo. "Lost as last year's Easter egg" is a saying that describes feeling lost in the weeds with no clear path ahead. Do we go all in, turn around and go back, or sit down and pause until we're clearheaded? Discernment involves sifting through information, reflecting on potential outcomes, and objectively considering how our desires and fears might be twisting our view of things. It's a great compass to use.