Wheel of Fortune - Would Life be Easier as a Cat?

 I had the blessing and privilege of doing another reading yesterday, which I am very grateful for. Providing readings for people, gives me the opportunity to practice my skills, and it makes me feel good to know I am providing an important service, that makes a difference in people's lives, including my own.

 Being involved with Tarot over the past eight years has been a great blessing in my life. It has deepened my relationship with myself, with others, and with the God of my own understanding.

 Today fittingly as always, I drew The Wheel of Fortune, the card that addresses how life is a series of good or bad and both.

How I have been experiencing my own wheel of fortune lately, I will spare you to gory details, but the day before yesterday, I had reached a saturation point with things that have been building up over the past month. I do take responsibility for how I contributed to this situation, but none the less, it was so difficult, psychologically and even physically that I was seriously beginning to wonder how I was going to cope with the next few days, and then finally, my prayers were answered yesterday.

 I suddenly went from feeling desperate, discouraged and even physically sick, to feeling elated and happy and so very grateful. The struggles and the blessings that have happened to me over the past month or so, has got me thinking about life and I don't think there is any other card that sums up just what what life is like, than The Wheel of Fortune. It is all about ups and downs, the highs and lows we all experience on our journey.

 Would life be easier if I was a cat? Maybe, my brain certainly would be different, but surely it wouldn't be so interesting. I wouldn't get to experience the phases of life that bring change, a depth of growth and healing, and that always brings with it, many blessings to be so grateful for, but I might get some good belly rubs.

Ten of Swords - What Gets You Singin'?

Athene is giving those Furies the finger, telling them that's enough, back off, and has read them the riot act. The Furies have beat this poor bugger down to a pulp, and he appears to be dead in the water, without hope.
The Ten of Swords might look like a card of dread, defeat and victimization. And it a way it is, but there is hope and relief ahead. Oretes unconscious on the ground, is symbolic of a Christ-like kind of figure. Some might see Oretes as being symbolic of a victim.

There exists in this universe a life force for good, that helps us to find inner strength, and enables us to rise above our seemingly hopeless situation. I know this to be true, because I am speaking from personal experience. You don't have to look very far in this world to see examples of such horrendous circumstance that many have overcome. They come out the other side, and not only to lift themselves out of their situation, they will often help others to do the same through their example their own experience of strength and hope that comes from a power greater than themselves, from this life force.

I remember years ago, sitting in a living room with an elder, who I had so much respect for and greatly admired. She had been through so much suffering in her life. She was so strong, full of compassion, wisdom, humility, and gratitude. I put the question to her. Why is it many seem to get through life without suffering, and others get more than their share?

She had no pat answer, but she did share this. She said people who do experience more suffering are often able to experience compassion and empathy toward others, and have a depth of character that is often lacking in the individuals who don't experience this kind of walk in life.

I read the other day a comment the struck me, from another wise and spiritual woman. She stated that the Divine is not found in suffering but is found in joy. I've thought about this, and I asked myself is there joy to be found in suffering? I don't think so. But perhaps there is beauty and hope not because of the suffering itself, but because of what a person believes and how it changes them, and then they begin to can feel joy and the Divine.

I don't have the answers to this, but I know there are many important life lessons to learn through the struggle and heartache that comes with life. I do believe the God of my own understanding comes in through my wounds. We have the opportunity to decide how we respond to those wounds. We either lay down and give up, or we sing a special song, and maybe we even dance till the end of love.

I think Leonard Cohen said it best in his song You Got Me Singing.

Six of Cups - No Regrets

Psyche is contemplating about days gone by. She's feeling a certain amount of sentimentality about what has happened between her and Eros and how she lost her love and the good life. However she hasn't any regrets because she a learned so much about herself love and life. What she has gained is experience, strength and hope.

It's tempting and easy to be reminiscent of days gone by, and about our past. There may be pleasant memories, or not. There is nothing wrong with looking back at our past, and we shouldn't shut the door on it. It's when we stare, that's when we can get into problems. Not being able to let go of what has happened, means we can't accept that things have changed, or we long for and cling to the way things once were.We can't let go.

What if we had no past or we couldn't remember any of it? There would be no reference point for us, and it would be difficult, if not impossible to see a future. We'd only have the present moment. Most of us can hardly imagine what this would be like, having no past, no future, and only the present moment. Animals have this skill of living in the present moment down to an art. How many of us who are animal lovers look at our critters and think, oh to be that cat, or dog. Laying around all day waiting for some love and affection and something good to eat.

Many of us as we age think about our past, what was good, what wasn't, and we hold those special memories and moments dear to us.

Having regrets isn't a productive thing, unless there is actually something we can do to change what we regret, if we have harmed someone or ourselves. We can always make our amends, and resolve to treat others, and ourselves with respect and kindness from this point on.

Nostalgia is a feel good state of mind, regret is not. And so Psyche reminds us not to regret, move forward, not backward, and live the very best life we can, be our authentic selves, and to be grateful for the life's memories and moments of every day.

Three of Pentacles - Creative Collaboration

I did a personal reading for myself covering the next six months. My question concerned what was ahead for me in the 2016. Well I'm not surprised it's all about the Pentacles, representing the material plane, signifying concerns over the physical body, home, and material possessions. It's true, I need to get myself back into shape, and I will be getting some get work done to my house. I also need some serious bucks and a new to me used vehicle, that I really have my eye on, need and want real bad.

The Three of Pentacles I drew today, along with my personal reading indicates collaboration, finding insight, being communicative, and sharing intellectual ideas with another. I have been involved doing just this over the past couple of weeks., and I am about to continue to creatively collaborate with another person on a special kind of project over the next few months or more, which are both very excited and enthusiastic about.

I feel like I've finally found my niche. Just as the Three of Pentacles reflects, the first stages have been completed, and now we are ready for the next phase. There is hard work and difficulty ahead, but it is cause for celebration, and hopefully our efforts will lead to a very rewarding outcome.

The Devil - Why Do Bad Things Happen?

I have to preface this post first off by answering the question I've asked, saying I don't believe the devil has anything to do with why bad things happen. Yes, I certainly do believe there are those who choose to inflict pain and suffering onto others, but the rest is simply life. The sun shines on everyone, as does the rainfall.

The more important question for me is, what do I do about it, that's the hard part.
This card reminds me of how many people have died over the past year and a half, and how illness has taken their lives and presented all kinds of suffering. I know there isn`t anything I can do to change these events, but I`m working toward changing myself and my attitude, and living life on life`s terms. I can do this because I`ve got the freedom to choose. I can either add to the already present chaos, or lessen it.

Having experienced a lot of death in my life I'll be the first to admit, sometimes I really don't cope very well with death, the death of others, and in particular, the death of those I love.  I think it's a combination of PTSD and my cultural conditioning not to talk about death. When it comes to attending funerals I have to force myself to go, and sometimes, more often than not, I stay away, which I know mostly is not the way forward to growth.

The devil symbolizes those fears and beliefs that prevent us from becoming whole people, and from experiencing growth. We are not fully alive, living from this perspective, and are in a kind of emotional bondage, as a result of these fears and beliefs.

In this New Year, here`s to resolving to facing fears and to changing beliefs.

Suffering is meaningless unless you decide otherwise.

- Rabbi Harold Kushner

 

Wheel of Fortune - One Day I Walk

 

I've been nursing a cold between snow storms, here in the heart of rural Nova Scotia. Winter has really arrived now, after having some above normal temperatures for many months. Though I'm never thrilled about the dead of Winter's arrival, I'm slowly learning to accept it and adapt. It's only been 22 years living here in the country, so I guess I'm feeling like I'm finally making progress! I've always been a slow learner, especially when it comes to accepting the things I don't like.

It's the people, places, and the things, we are really challenged by, that allow for the most valuable life lessons learned. It's certainly always been my experience.

Depending on our philosophy or spiritual beliefs, we might have the perspective toward our life's journey, as being a path that we are on. We walk a road of valleys and hills, with craggy sharp rocks, and pastoral countryside along the way, and like a pilgrim we are headed toward home. This is true for me. I'm making another place my home, not of this world.

I am reminded of 1980 when I was in the grand library in downtown Toronto, listening to an old archival Smithsonian Folkways recording by a Capella choir in the mountains of Kentucky sing, I am a Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow. It took me a while, but I found it on line.


Bruce Cockburn's One Day I Walk is the perfect song to listen to on a cold and snowy Winter's day.

Ace of Cups - No Energy Versus Raw Energy

I have about as much energy today as a popcorn fart. Don't ask me what that is, I really don't know. But I think it just doesn't have much energy behind it.

Not enough sleep last night is what I attribute my laziness to today. Gray skies on a Saturday, feels more like a Sunday, and so drawing the Ace of Cups is just what I need to see to encourage some needed oomph . A very encouraging card, that indicates having a cup that is overflowing with raw creative energy, and an abundance of love.

The beginning of this year presented some challenges, but no sooner did they arrive...

I had to stop this post mid sentence because another Santa arrived with more fire wood! Wow talk about having a full cup! I've needed wood but didn't have the money to get any and so some one so very kind has given this to me, making sure I'm warm this Winter, not once, but four times this kind of thing has happened to me this New Year!

As I was saying, things have had a miraculous way of turning around 180 degrees for me and this New Year of 2016 is off to a stellar start. I found out yesterday I have the opportunity to facilitate some art programming to kids and actually get paid for it too! I am feeling very blessed!

It's 8:00 o'clock here, and I've worked straight out for over three hours stacking wood to make room for another load that's coming! I'm so exhausted. And here I thought I was being lazy with no energy. Nope. Now I really have no energy, but managed to make myself a couple of homemade pizzas for a late supper.

You know it's a wonderful feeling, knowing that we're cared for, loved by others, and by the God of our own understanding when we can't seem to love ourselves. It's truly just as important that we really know what it means to love ourselves, because we can't give, what we don't have.

I'll very gratefully sleep well tonight, feeling very loved and blessed.

Oh, and according to the online urban dictionary, it has a number of descriptive sentences, using the adjective, popcorn fart. The one I like most is, a faint, non-smelly fart, hardly worth the effort. I was feeling that not much was hardly worth the effort today, at the beginning of this post, but that sure changed in a hurry! And now I just feel like a very big ole happy fart.

What Does 2016 Have In Store For You?

In celebration of this New Year of 2016 I am offering my readers, until the 31st of January, two Celtic 
Cross spread tarot readings for the price of one. For 65 dollars you  receive two in-depth readings. 

Over a six month period, I will do one reading for you every three months. This is a great gift to give someone you care  about, or you might want to get a reading for yourself, and for a friend.

Perhaps because of its versatile ability to cover many aspects of a situation in great depth, the Celtic Cross is a staple of tarot spreads.

The Devil - Did The Devil Make Me Do It?

No the devil didn't make me do it, sometimes that's the way I felt, but that would simply be another excuse, and after a while I didn't need one.


What am speaking of? It's what this card can indicate in it's interpretation, and if it does come up in a reading diplomacy, empathy, and sensitivity need to be used. Addiction or being in some kind of bondage, can and often does include a wide scope of things outside of ourselves. It's a topic many of us avoid or deny, and denial is often the hallmark of addiction. Usually everyone else knows before we do.

As in life and with each Tarot card there is both dark and light to be found in it's interpretation. I'm always on the look out when The Devil card appears for the questioner, because they might be dealing with some kind of addiction.

In my case, drawing this card today, is synchronicity at work, as it is my 22nd AA anniversary of being clean and sober, which I am so grateful for each and every sober day. I don't look for congratulatory comments. I once heard it said by a fellow long time recovering friend say, that giving an alcoholic a congratulatory medal is like giving a cowboy who has hemorrhoids, a medal for not getting back on his horse. I thought that was pretty funny, but I think he was right. Of course, I do acknowledge my sobriety, and have many medallions. I share my struggle with addiction, because  it may give someone else hope.

Addiction involves all kinds of "isms" and I still have a few. There is always lots of talk and controversy about when addiction begins, or if it is curable etc. To me that all just doesn't matter to me, because I understand my addiction, I know I'm an addict, and I know what I needed to do to get better, and what I need to continue to do to maintain contented sobriety.

 The best explanation of addiction I have ever heard came from Dr. Carl Jung. He called it "Spiritus contra spiritum" which is Latin  meaning,  "Spiritus" in Latin means both "alcohol" and "religious experience," while "contra" means "against." Carl Jung wrote this phrase to one of the founders, Bill W. of Alcoholics Anonymous and Jung described it as being,  "Attempting to fill a spiritual void with a material reality", is Jung's definition of addiction. Bill W. and Dr Bob felt that is was Dr. Carl Jung who enabled them to lay the foundation for the 12 Steps.

My desire for the drink or substances has gone, thank God, and I thank God for the 12 Step fellowship, that is second to none.

Three of Cups - What Do You Celebrate?

The Three of Cups augers celebration, accomplishment, joy, love, and the happiness within the soul. The union of Psyche (Soul) and Eros (Love or Desire) is being toasted, by the three water nymphs.

It is a welcome card on this, the first day of the New Year, 2016. For me personally I always look forward to the New Year, new beginnings, new life, and light. It represents a chance to start over. Tomorrow, January 2nd, marks my 22 A.A. recovering anniversary and so it's always an extra celebration, although now, it's all very quiet, and on the down low, much like my New Year's Eve.

My first year A.A. anniversary was the very best in retrospect, because my father and mother were still living, and they came to the open anniversary meeting to celebrate with my very supportive and loving home group. At that time I didn't realize how very special it would become to me as the years past. I feel very grateful to have been so blessed., because many don't have the love and support of family.

Life and love are both full of dreams and expectations when we are young, and are often not so realistic. As we get older our dreams and expectations change, and are more reflected and rooted in reality. I've learned that curiosity is the stuff of what dreams are made of, and though we may be more realistic in our perspective, we can always remain curious which enables our creativity, our dreams and reality, that no longer need to be based on unrealistic expectations. Today I celebrate that, now that my experience has rendered me older, and wiser.

What do you celebrate?

Time to break out the disco!