The 9 of wands is the card I've been contemplating today. A man holds a staff, eight others form a fence behind him, and he looks like he's eying them warily. There's a bandage on his head indicating an injury. The green world spreads out far behind him. For me, this is a card about choosing one's path.
I'm lucky to have an abundance of choice. I can do, think, feel, be what I want.
This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The plus side is obvious, but on the other hand, I often question my choices, or feel like I'm stuck in an old choice made long ago that no longer seems to fit the new me. The implications around choosing rightly or wrongly seem very weighty indeed, especially in an uncertain time. I could get hurt, or hurt my loved ones, if I make the wrong choice.
If I take my life less seriously, then my choices don't seem so impactful. I can then choose with a lighter heart. Looking closely at the card, I notice that there are no paths in the hills beyond the fence of wands. Perhaps I could keep all my options open and wander around my life more freely. I can make a choice, and if that doesn't fit, choose again. I can also choose not to choose.
There is a part of me that finds security in making a choice, but a larger part knows that any choice I make is temporary. Change is the only certainty. I can learn to be flexible, and choose depending on circumstance, and only make a choice when it feels "right".
I'm learning that a big part of making choices is being able to let them go if they don't work out. Stubborn consistency doesn't make for enough flexibility. It's like a cement river. It doesn't flow all that well.
I will go with the flow.
Finding Method in the Madness:
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Emperor's True Clothes
Today's card is all about power.
The Emperor hints at how you run your world. Do you seek power over a situation or person, or do you seek to empower others? The emperor tells you how powerfully your ego impacts your life.
The ego is not usually your best friend. The ego is a collection of the habits of behavior you learned as you grew up. What actions might have been appropriate to you as a child may no longer be appropriate as an adult; yet the ego, for its own survival, encourages you to still use many immature weapons of control such as: sulking, the silent treatment, flattery, manipulation, and all the tricks we rely on to get our own way.
Poorly aspected, the emperor in our nature wants to be the "king of the hill", and will use whatever he or she can to achieve that goal. The well-aspected emperor strives to empower others, knowing that, ultimately, what best serves all is what best serves oneself.
There is a high level of trust in this point of view. Remembering this truth helps one relax into one's life, let go of the struggle and negative patterns of behaviour, and know that all is well.
That's true power.
The Emperor hints at how you run your world. Do you seek power over a situation or person, or do you seek to empower others? The emperor tells you how powerfully your ego impacts your life.
The ego is not usually your best friend. The ego is a collection of the habits of behavior you learned as you grew up. What actions might have been appropriate to you as a child may no longer be appropriate as an adult; yet the ego, for its own survival, encourages you to still use many immature weapons of control such as: sulking, the silent treatment, flattery, manipulation, and all the tricks we rely on to get our own way.
Poorly aspected, the emperor in our nature wants to be the "king of the hill", and will use whatever he or she can to achieve that goal. The well-aspected emperor strives to empower others, knowing that, ultimately, what best serves all is what best serves oneself.
There is a high level of trust in this point of view. Remembering this truth helps one relax into one's life, let go of the struggle and negative patterns of behaviour, and know that all is well.
That's true power.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Fool
I've decided to change the focus of my blog. I'm going to pull a Tarot card each time I post and discuss it's import. Since it's April Fools Day, I'm starting with the Fool.
I love this card. It's a "throw caution to the wind" card that strikes a chord with me. The fool strolls purposely towards the edge of a cliff. Will he fall? Will he notice his direction and change it? Perhaps he'll walk right off the edge and end up airbourne.
Whatever happens, his trust in the universe is evident. His rucksack and his faithful companion are all he needs.
Trust in the moment, companionship, happiness, a beautiful day, contentment with life as it is: these are all any of us really need to be happy. Disaster may strike, but worrying about it won't help. In fact, worry about anything may bring unwanted results about more quickly if it's true that you get what you focus on.
The Fool inspires me to live in the moment and go with the flow. Foolish? Maybe, but life is filled with nothing but moments in time. What are you doing with your moment? Are you enjoying it? When you look for the good in every moment, you are creating your heaven on earth.
Happy April Fool!
I love this card. It's a "throw caution to the wind" card that strikes a chord with me. The fool strolls purposely towards the edge of a cliff. Will he fall? Will he notice his direction and change it? Perhaps he'll walk right off the edge and end up airbourne.
Whatever happens, his trust in the universe is evident. His rucksack and his faithful companion are all he needs.
Trust in the moment, companionship, happiness, a beautiful day, contentment with life as it is: these are all any of us really need to be happy. Disaster may strike, but worrying about it won't help. In fact, worry about anything may bring unwanted results about more quickly if it's true that you get what you focus on.
The Fool inspires me to live in the moment and go with the flow. Foolish? Maybe, but life is filled with nothing but moments in time. What are you doing with your moment? Are you enjoying it? When you look for the good in every moment, you are creating your heaven on earth.
Happy April Fool!
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Challage of Even Small Changes
It's a beautiful February morning in California. The rain has cleared the air and the Bay is sparkling.
I got a new camera, and it's so complicated it scares me. I'm frightened by a small machine that takes pictures. Oh brother!
It's always a challenge for me to learn something new, especially something I think I should have learned as an art student in college. It's a source of regret for me that my college years were more devoted to protest marches and finding boyfriends than art.
Water under the bridge, as they say. I notice that a fine source of unhappiness for me is dragging my history into the present moment and thinking that what I did and who I was in my twenties (or even earlier) is my inevitable future. Not helpful in any way. My peace of mind demands that I let go of this debilitating belief.
This moment is a fresh, new opportunity. Nothing I did or didn't do in the past has any power over this moment unless I insist that it does. I have so much more power in this moment to change, grow, and be content than I had previously allowed myself. Change and growth are inevitable, I best flow with them and not resist what life brings me.
Life dropped a camera in my lap. It's a challenge, but it's a pretty exciting one, and I want to see where it leads me. I've always wanted to be a better, more competent photographer. It's another tool that will help me further and improve the artwork I do.
THAT thought feels better. In fact, that thought feels GREAT!
I got a new camera, and it's so complicated it scares me. I'm frightened by a small machine that takes pictures. Oh brother!
It's always a challenge for me to learn something new, especially something I think I should have learned as an art student in college. It's a source of regret for me that my college years were more devoted to protest marches and finding boyfriends than art.
Water under the bridge, as they say. I notice that a fine source of unhappiness for me is dragging my history into the present moment and thinking that what I did and who I was in my twenties (or even earlier) is my inevitable future. Not helpful in any way. My peace of mind demands that I let go of this debilitating belief.
This moment is a fresh, new opportunity. Nothing I did or didn't do in the past has any power over this moment unless I insist that it does. I have so much more power in this moment to change, grow, and be content than I had previously allowed myself. Change and growth are inevitable, I best flow with them and not resist what life brings me.
Life dropped a camera in my lap. It's a challenge, but it's a pretty exciting one, and I want to see where it leads me. I've always wanted to be a better, more competent photographer. It's another tool that will help me further and improve the artwork I do.
THAT thought feels better. In fact, that thought feels GREAT!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Gung Hay Fat Choy
Happy New Year, and, whew, what a month!
Obama is our President and congratulations to us all!
What happiness throughout my world. So many joyous people are flooding the news, the TV screen, the radio waves, the blogosphere with their happiness and praise for this man. What a lifting of spirits. Hope entered my soul like air enters my lungs. Every cell was refreshed and renewed.
Despite my gushing, I don't see our President as a messiah. He, himself, made it clear that the way to a better world was through personal change. The personal is the political and great strides can be made as we individually plan, dream, and work for a new world.
What strikes me, what really makes me glad, is that I don't feel as alone as I used to do.
I now see that millions of people throughout the world shared my vision of what America can be and how a worthy leader sounds and acts. Because the thoughts and prayers and actions of so many helped Obama into office, it shows that the culture has lifted it's collective consiousness to a whole new level of awareness.
As Abraham says, your thoughts are more powerful than your actions in creating the world you want. So many thoughts, so many "rockets of desire" were launched, that Barak Obama become our president.
I wonder what else will this huge change in attitude will create for us?
I'm guessing a better and happier world.
Obama is our President and congratulations to us all!
What happiness throughout my world. So many joyous people are flooding the news, the TV screen, the radio waves, the blogosphere with their happiness and praise for this man. What a lifting of spirits. Hope entered my soul like air enters my lungs. Every cell was refreshed and renewed.
Despite my gushing, I don't see our President as a messiah. He, himself, made it clear that the way to a better world was through personal change. The personal is the political and great strides can be made as we individually plan, dream, and work for a new world.
What strikes me, what really makes me glad, is that I don't feel as alone as I used to do.
I now see that millions of people throughout the world shared my vision of what America can be and how a worthy leader sounds and acts. Because the thoughts and prayers and actions of so many helped Obama into office, it shows that the culture has lifted it's collective consiousness to a whole new level of awareness.
As Abraham says, your thoughts are more powerful than your actions in creating the world you want. So many thoughts, so many "rockets of desire" were launched, that Barak Obama become our president.
I wonder what else will this huge change in attitude will create for us?
I'm guessing a better and happier world.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
On Being Free
How important is freedom to personal happiness?
To my mind, it's essential. Physical, mental, emotional, and financial freedom provide us with more options in terms of activity, ability, health, and opportunity. That means more ways of being happy.
We are all, more or less, as free as we allow ourselves to be.
We are also as free as we allow others to be.
Anger and criticism are prison guards of our soul. These feelings negatively affect ourselves far more than they affect the object(s) of our ire. Carrying anger around, holding grudges, and making harsh judgements forge heavy chains indeed. Their weight can break our hearts, fill our souls with pain, and our minds with confusion.
I advocate letting these feelings go! Whenever they come up, think of something else, read a good book, watch the tube, walk your eternally happy dog. . .
It works. You'll immediately feel lighter and freer yourself.
How do you feel when you feel light and free?
For me, that feels like HAPPINESS.
To my mind, it's essential. Physical, mental, emotional, and financial freedom provide us with more options in terms of activity, ability, health, and opportunity. That means more ways of being happy.
We are all, more or less, as free as we allow ourselves to be.
We are also as free as we allow others to be.
Anger and criticism are prison guards of our soul. These feelings negatively affect ourselves far more than they affect the object(s) of our ire. Carrying anger around, holding grudges, and making harsh judgements forge heavy chains indeed. Their weight can break our hearts, fill our souls with pain, and our minds with confusion.
I advocate letting these feelings go! Whenever they come up, think of something else, read a good book, watch the tube, walk your eternally happy dog. . .
It works. You'll immediately feel lighter and freer yourself.
How do you feel when you feel light and free?
For me, that feels like HAPPINESS.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Your True North
We've been trained to seek approval from others. We recieved grades from our teachers and words of praise from parents, coaches, and friends. It feels so good to recieve these pats on the back, and they help us feel important and successful.
The danger here is that we feel awful when the praise turns to criticism.
We need to re-train ourselves to find happiness through self respect and self love independent of anyone else's opinion. We must walk our own path and follow our own direction.
It's great to have the support and love of others, but the only person that will be with you your entire life is YOU. Therefore, the person you most need to impress is yourself.
Do your actions and life choices arise from a desire to please others, or are they a true reflection of who YOU are? Have you betrayed your own beliefs in order to earn the regard of another, or have you risked rejection by following your heart?
Genuine happiness can only come from being genuine. Trust yourself, be true to yourself. Love yourself. It's the only way to be truly happy.
The danger here is that we feel awful when the praise turns to criticism.
We need to re-train ourselves to find happiness through self respect and self love independent of anyone else's opinion. We must walk our own path and follow our own direction.
It's great to have the support and love of others, but the only person that will be with you your entire life is YOU. Therefore, the person you most need to impress is yourself.
Do your actions and life choices arise from a desire to please others, or are they a true reflection of who YOU are? Have you betrayed your own beliefs in order to earn the regard of another, or have you risked rejection by following your heart?
Genuine happiness can only come from being genuine. Trust yourself, be true to yourself. Love yourself. It's the only way to be truly happy.
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