2/8/11—Finding Your Place in the Animal Kingdom

Today's Draw: Strength from the Legacy of the Divine. What is your relationship with the animal within? What do you think we've lost or gained as a result of domestication? Do you feel we're higher or greater beings because of it?

 

This is, I think, the third time we've had the Strength card. In the Legacy of the Divine, the card shows a woman with a lion, tiger and cheetah. Traditionally, she'd be shown wrestling or somehow physically controlling a lion to symbolize ...our control over "the lion within". But in Ciro Marchetti's version, there is no physical will involved. Instead she has tamed them with energetic or divine will. By overcoming their animal instincts, they are somehow enlightened.

But are they? We could argue that domestication enables us to live more peaceably in society, but does it really make us better beings? In gaining our domestic nature, humans have also lost much of their connection to the earth. For those with pagan or earth-centered sensibilities, I'd argue that's a bad thing. I think that the more we separate from our animal nature, the more we separate from certain parts of our Selves that may very well be critical to our survival. And if not our survival, they could be key to our spiritual evolution.

This is something I think of often. I'm a peace loving animal myself. And most animals are just that, showing force only when necessary. I still remember a squabble I saw among geese once. It was a territorial thing. And one brash goose tried to invade another goose's space. There was a loud argument, even a chase in the air. But when the offending goose was gone, the other geese went on about their business as if nothing ever happened. Because we suppress these instinctual squabbles, for example, we become animals who hold grudges instead. Is that evolution?

So today, think about your animal nature. Consider yourself as an animal. And ask yourself why we consider ourselves to be higher beings. Is it because we truly are. Or is it because we're the only animal that judges and ranks things that way? What do you think of all this?

2/7/11—Owning Your Power

Today's Draw: The Magician from The Maroon Tarot. Do you ever feel some force has taken hold of your life and is dragging you along? Are there situations you feel powerless to change? Do you have the resources you need to make positive adjustments in your life?

 

The Magician card reminds us all that we have power over our situations. Usually seen surrounded by the main symbols of the tarot, this card tells us we were born with the innate resources it takes to manage our lives. In the Maroon Tarot, ...it shows a powerful figure manipulating earth, air, energy and water to his will.

The Magician wants us to realize our powers...our power over thoughts, our inner fire, our daily comforts and our emotions. We are only victims if we allow ourselves to feel that way. And we are only victimizers if we allow ourselves to feel that way. Other people's words and actions only have the amount of impact on you that you allow them to. Even in controlling relationships, you have choices. If the other person will not and cannot change, you can make a change that affects the overall dynamic. You are not bound to the status quo.

The same goes for all areas of your life. You may not be able to change the fact that a loved one is dying, but you can change the way you respond to and think of their death. You might not be able to change money issues you're having, but you can start feeling more abundant in this very moment. The point is that we often forget how much power we have to make changes that bring us closure, peace of mind, clarity, love, abundance, forgiveness....whatever we're looking for our in our lives....all without having to change others in order to get it. You are not left without choice. There is always a way. Whether or not you're willing to put that power or change to work for you, is up to you.

This has recent relevance in my life. So often we think we have one choice, especially when it comes to relationships with others. But the truth is, "the one choice" we're thinking of is the choice we're accustomed to making or the choice that is traditionally made. There are an infinite number of choices you can make, however. Just stop looking at things so black and white....all or nothing. There's an entire spectrum of choice you can make without the other person even having to cooperate at all.

2/5/11—Getting Out of Your Head

Weekend Reading: Dreamer Eight from Tarot of the Sidhe. Give your head a break this weekend. Put aside all the "should I's?" and "if onlys". Stop worrying about others and how they think or what they might do. Clear out the cobwebs of concern in your head and just be. These things just get between you and your higher self. If you break the habit of worries, you may find there's room for divine insight to slip in.

2/4/11—Connecting to our Animal Nature

Today's Draw: Child of Music from the William Blake. What do you do that puts you in touch with your unique rhythm and voice? How do you connect with your primal voice? And, for fun, if you were an animal other than a human, what kind of animal do you think you'd be?

 

As mentioned earlier in this week, the suits in the William Blake don't correspond to traditional suits. And, speaking of suits, this card shows a boy wearing a wolf's head an pelt, blowing on a horn as he walks through a barren landscape. ...The poem on the card reads:

Piping down the valleys wild
Piping songs of pleasant glee

Within all of us is an animal...one of earth's critters...a wild being trying to survive. We forget that in our ego and our human superiority. But it's there. And with it comes something primal and more tightly connected to the all that is. Consider that...and consider the qualities of that. What and who are you because of that? And what kind of animal might you equate to. We are genetically related to apes, but who are you spiritually related to? A fun thing to do today might be to identify that animal, then google "spiritual meaning of ____" to see what that animal symbolizes and how that connects to you.

I closely identify with canines. Clearly. My howling thread yesterday illustrates how I connect to that primal voice. If you're one of my neighbors, you might be all too aware of how I tend to howl at the moon on select nights. :) But of the canines, I would probably one of the ones in the pack that is a watcher. I often hear people say to me "oh, you noticed that?" Yes, I did. :)

So I'd probably see myself as a wolf of some sort. They're beautiful in my eyes.

As for my unique voice, that's hard, isn't it? I tend to let my mind wander free. I eschew restrictions. Which helps in my career. I may seem unfocused at times, but I'm unfocused like a fox. ;) When I have to come up with a name for something, for example, one of my strengths is that I'm able to see the naming criteria from a million different angles. I'm good at abstract thought. So my unique voice lies in there, somewhere, with a touch of humor. Always a touch of humor. :)

2/3/11—Transforming Self

Today's Draw: 9 of Pentacles from the Science Tarot. What part of your old self are you shedding? And what are you replacing it with? What transformation do see yourself going through now?

 

The Science Tarot equates everything to scientific theories, discoveries or natural phenomenon. And this card's theme is the Aurora. Excited atoms shed electrons in the sun's atmosphere and interact with Earth's magnetic field, creating a b...eautiful display. This stream of particles is invisible until it hits its target and is "made visible" by our atmosphere.

That's kind of how change happens, right? The change happens slowly, invisibly over months or years, then bam! It all comes together into something beautiful. We don't even see it happening a lot of the time and it's not until it has happened that we're able to see the transformation.

This morning I'm thinking about how tired I am of others pushing their agendas on me and judging the way I am, as if they know a better way for me to be. First of all, they should keep their eyes on their own crap and set about making themselves a better person. And second, I call the shots in my life and if you don't like how I am, then please get out of my life. Frequently these people are very judgmental of others, while seeing everything they do as perfect. And it is perfect...for them.

So the change I'm making is to stop giving these people credence and power in my life. We all have opinions. But when you express those opinions without first looking at yourself and seeing your own stuff, then your opinions are not coming from a place of authority in my eyes. I know where I'm falling short of my own expectations and often talk about it here. But whether or not I fall short of your expectations is inconsequential to me. I'm not here to live your life, I'm here to live mine. Which is not to say I don't consider your needs when I interact with you. It's just saying that I don't consider your needs when I shape my life and my interactions with others. And if you need me to bend to your way of being to feel good about me, then please move on. I have a path and mission of my own and I'm not going to change it for you.

2/2/11—Healing Blocks

Today's Draw: Four of Pentacles from the Steampunk Tarot by Charissa Drengsen. Are you holding on too tight to money? Or to an opinion, idea, belief or other notion? Do you feel blocked in any area of your life?

 

The Four of Pentacles usually shows someone who is guarding their "money"....keeping it too close. In this deck, the hold is a bit looser, but still shows a possession. And therein lies part of the rub of this card...do you possess your mon...ey or does it possess you?

And the idea extends beyond money. It's about anything we hold too close to use. Often pride keeps us holding on to an idea or thought, for example. And that, in turn blocks us.

The message is simple...if you feel blocked from something—love, understanding, money, whatever—it's because you're not giving enough of it yourself. You're holding on too tightly to your heart, pride, finances...whatever it is that you desire.

When it comes to money, I have a regular practice of what I call "tithing to the universe". What I mean by that is that I leave a $20 bill for an $8 lunch. Or I'll anonymously pick up the tab at a neighboring table. Or I'll hand the street guy $10 and not even question what he might want to spend it on. In order to increase the flow of something in your life, you have to do your part in keeping the flow going. Some of my most generous moments are when I can afford it the least.

And the same is true for anything in life. If there's something you're not getting, give it. With abandon. Without condition. Without hesitation. What this does is it starts a snowball rolling. If you act abundant, then you'll attract more abundance. If you act in need, then you'll pick up more need. So what type of snowball will you start rolling today?

2/1/11—Kicking Ass

Today's Draw: Knight of Swords from Tarot of the Boroughs. Does someone's ass need a good kicking? And are you the one to do it?

 

So here we are again with the Knight of Swords. Can you tell I'm tired of pulling this card over and over again? :D

The Knight of Swords signifies a clash of ideas...or defending ideas...or expressing ideas. He is young, confident and, some ......would say, looking for a fight. He's also highly sexed. Maybe we'll address this next time he comes up.

Really, there are 78 cards in a tarot deck and I doubt I've been doing these readings 78 days. And this is probably the fourth or fifth time he's come up. And yeah, in this deck it's all about the ass kicking.

So whose ass needs kicking and why? I've got a couple of candidates...a couple of people that I feel could rightfully offer me an apology for their assholian behavior. Knowing these people, I doubt I'll get that apology, though. So an ass kicking will do. ;)

But really...what is it with some people? I offer apologies after conflict or after I've done something I feel bad about. Why is it that some people just don't go there? Is it because I usually let them back in after a time? Is it because they can't let go of their righteousness to acknowledge their tone or words were harsh? Or is it because they're so fragile that they can't admit they're wrong? If you're out there—and if you're thinking I might be talking about you—acknowledging that you're sorry and want to heal the relationship because it's important to you can go a long way in healing. Just saying. Because otherwise I'm thinking that your indulgence of your moods is more important to you than our friendship is.