Moments Big As Years

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Six of Cups; from the Tapestry Oracle, Congregation:

We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams. ―Jeremy Irons

This card made my heart squeeze a little, remembering our sweet Auggie Doggie who adopted us. She could climb a fence like a cat, and decided our house was now her house. Good memories are good medicine as long as we don't get stuck in them. They help us exit negative thinking and can aid in increasing our sense of well-being. Congregation offers us present-day medicine. Being a part of a group, knowing that someone has our back and is there to celebrate our achievements, is beneficial in experiencing the joys and challenges of life. Whether pets or people, we are social animals.

As we've gotten older, we seem to just collect stray cats rather than dogs. Our latest addition is Tadpole, who came to us starving (weighing only a few ounces), blind in one eye, and making noises like a spring peeper because of a respiratory infection. He's now about 13 lbs. and is walked daily on a leash in the yard because he's so full of energy. He's outgrown his name, so we just call him Taddy Boy.

Well Lived Life

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the King of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Pride:

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.

—Bessie Anderson Stanley

This King believes in living a full, well-lived life, not simply as a leader, but as a companion to others. Known for his charisma and guidance, his curiosity remains intact. He is a creative visionary, and he encourages us to follow our own innovative ideas and think outside the box. Pride shows a one-legged warrior who lifts his chin to those who offer him pity. He knows he is strong and capable; however, he has learned not to turn down someone who offers a hand in kindness, who regards him as an equal. On our own journey of following what pulls us, there will always be those who attempt to force us to do things their way. Skip their advice and look for those who help without trying to control.  

Real Wealth

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Ten of Pentacles; from the Tapestry Oracle, Source:

Contentment is the only real wealth. 

―Alfred Nobel

In 2000, a middle-income family could expect to spend roughly $9,201 per year to raise a child; in 2025 that figure jumped to $20,787. A lavish lifestyle can jack up that number to an astronomical level. Money is important to survive in this world, to provide for basic necessities, but is it worth our physical and mental health to work multiple jobs or excess hours to keep up with the 'happiness' portrayed by TV ads and social media? Source suggests we find activities that ground and nurture us, those that don't require us to empty our wallets. As Sharon Salzberg advises, "We need to find ordinary things that can give us a break, can sustain our energy and optimism to keep us going."

Up for It

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Page of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Fate:

Every why hath a wherefore.

―William Shakespeare

Good luck getting this high energy gal to sit still in a desk for a long period of time. She responds to and thrives on new sounds, sights and experiences, always ready for a challenge or for testing something innovative. Creating rather than settling for the same old same old stokes this Page's enthusiasm. No one gets bored in her company (tired maybe, but not bored). On the other end of the spectrum is Fate, often defined as something that unavoidably befalls a person. Are there things we can't change, that force us to float in that boat with the tide? We can't change our genetics or the past, but we can make an effort in the present that will affect our future. And if we need some encouragement and inspiration, we should invite a Page of Wands along. She'll probably have us carving some oars.

Closed Clam

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Seven of Wands; from the Tapestry Oracle, Reflection:

Listen to others, but do not become a blind follower. 

―Thurgood Marshall

Try to do anything new or different, whether it's learning a new language, writing a novel or changing careers, and the pessimists and naysayers will appear. Commitment can mean keeping our head down and doing the work without getting distracted. But this young woman has enclosed herself in a bubble, completely walling off herself from any comments. Reflection asks us to consider if there is no room for advice in the methods we're using. Have we taken such a rigid stance that we refuse to hear any other perspectives, compromises or alternatives? There might be a nugget of wisdom in what those worriers and cynics are shoveling at us.

Come and See

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the King of Cups; from the Tapestry Oracle, Faith:

When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.

— Tara Meyer Robson

In a leadership position, the King of Cups must be a good diplomat, listening to what the other person needs and skillfully communicating how that need might be met without conflict. Diplomacy also requires emotional intelligence: the ability to be aware of and manage his own emotions while understanding how they influence his interactions with others. The King connects with his senses to ground himself when emotions are especially intense - the smell of the ocean air, the feel of the water, and the sound of the waves. He has Faith in his technique to calm himself because he has verified it through use. He invites us to try this direct experience for ourselves. 

Turning Towards

This week I'll be using the Light Seer's Tarot, created by Chris-Anne Donnelly and published by Hay House. The other deck I'll be drawing from is the Tapestry Oracle, created and self-published by Kendall Eifler. Today's draws are the Moon and Nurture:

We turn away from the difficult, we turn away from freedom.

—Anshin Devin Ashwood

Emotions that we thought had been tamped down, stuffed into our subconscious mind, have a way of reappearing and pulling us under. Grief, anger or fear can wrap us in their tentacles. Father's Day has this effect on me, after having three dads - one that abandoned, one that abused, and one that loved but died unexpectantly. Yet emotions don't want to hurt us, we just need to feel them without attaching any stories. As the discomfort fills our body, we allow their intensity to crest, then fall away. Nurture reminds us to offer ourselves the warmth of unconditional kindness when these emotions knock us off our feet. As Anne Lamott reminds us, "“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you."