Seven of Cups - What's In Your Bank Account?

Psyche is praying to Aphrodite for mercy and for a miracle. She's appealing to the goddess of love to heal her relationship with Eros, to relieve and heal her from her overwhelming emotional burdens.

Often human beings when we find ourselves in desperate circumstances, we end up turning to the God/Goddess of our understanding to zealously plead our case. We can perhaps also expect to be physically healed from illness or relieved from another malady or circumstance.

Miracles come in all kinds of forms. I try to expect them, but much of the time my change in attitude can be just the kind of miracle I really need, though it might not necessarily be what I want, regardless of how unrealistic I am being. I need to understand, and accept what I can or can't change, and figure out the difference between the two.

 Acceptance for me is the key to everything in my life, no matter how difficult the circumstance. That's certainly not to say this is an easy task, not at all, because the things that happen are often very painful, and cause me to be fearful, caused by my lack of faith and trust. At this point I have replaced these with worry, anxiety and unrealistic expectations. It takes a lot of ongoing practice and work, one day at a time, sometimes one minute or second at time to gain faith and spiritual strength.

Realistically, my faith and spiritual strength is contingent on my maintenance of my daily conscious contact with the God of my understanding. I compare it to being rather like a bank account that I make regular deposits to, so I have a resource or emergency fund to rely on when the hard times come.

The Lovers - Trust in Action

In this Major Arcana card The Lovers, we see a potentially very stressful situation were three women are pitted against one another in a kind of competition. Love, Rejection, jealousy, self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence, guilt and even shame would all come into play in this stressful scenario, because Paris the Trojan prince, has been commanded by Zeus to judge a beauty contest between Hera, Aphrodite and Athene who had been quarreling about who was the loveliest. Paris has had a very a stressed life to begin with, because his own father King Priam had sentenced him to death, but fortunately he was rescued by a kind shepherd. The three goddesses and Paris all find themselves in a stress filled circumstance and they all have a choice as to how they are going to respond.

Many of us, myself included I've noticed, can get ourselves feeling stressed when it's really unnecessary, or can be avoided. I believe this is rooted in worry and lack of trust in the midst of chaos and trouble. It can be our default mode, particularly if we have had trauma or difficult home lives growing up. We are used to living in our bodies in state of hyper-vigilance, and are perhaps always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Most of my life and I have had to fight against this, because it robs me of my happiness. That said, I also know reality and life are stressful for everyone in one way or another, and I am no different. I also know a certain amount of stress is normal and the fight or flight instinct in very strong within us.

 I can physiologically feel when my stress level increases, and most times it never feels good. I have to make a conscious concerted effort to change my reaction to that reality, doing whatever it takes in order to remain calm and to prevent stress..


Today I read this statement for a book of daily readings, which  really stood out for me to today. "Calmness is trust in action." I think this statement speaks for itself, and it is a good reminder to try to live this way, everyday.

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.

Six of Pentacles - What's Love Got To Do With It?

Giving at Christmas is the spirit that seems to preoccupy most of us this time of year. Many have no material possessions to give, others have more than enough, and some are more interested in getting if, they are buying into the commercialism and consumerism of it all and have completely lost the message.

The Six of Pentacles is about generosity and really about love.

  “When people love each other, they are content with very little. When we have light and joy in our hearts, we don't need material wealth. The most loving communities are often the poorest. If our own life is luxurious and wasteful, we can't approach poor people. If we love people, we want to identify with them and share with them.”
― Jean Vanier, Community And Growth

I have been very blessed and loved by many this past year, and I am so very grateful.
When people experience difficulty and extreme hardship. they we can find strength in their weakness, and become resilient, and find hope.

My prayer is to find spirit of love at Christmas or whatever holiday it is that we celebrate, that will last all through the year, every year.

The Sun - Is The Sun Indifferent?

I can't remember when I last drew The Sun for my daily draw. It's uplifting, hopeful, positive, and a very promising card, on this gray overcast day here in Nova Scotia.

Recently I've been feeling inundated with the media hype about Donald Trump. I'm really so sick of seeing his foolish face, and all of his negative racist pronouncements.

This morning I heard some one say, good people need to speak out against this racism and injustice. I agree. I took this point to heart, though many of us might be think if we ignore Trump, he'll just go away. I'm tempted to think the same myself. Then I remembered, and reflected on what Eli Weiss said about indifference.

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death."         

                                               - Eli Weiss


The Sun is the antithesis of indifference. It's the life force, the power of consciousness to dispel darkness with affirming purpose, foresight, and a faith in the striving of the human spirit.

The Lovers - Choice & Consequence

 This Major Arcana card, The Lovers is mostly about choice. A personal choice that we make for ourselves. I have some choices to make and frankly it's tempting to just ignore these, and do nothing, but that is a choice as well, and the consequences will soon follow I know. As it's been said in many ways, "Choose the behaviour, choose the consequences."

 Many choices we make are difficult, and some even easy, including all the seemingly little inconsequential decisions we make from day to day. These choices involve material, emotional, and intellectual decisions, and they mirror back to us the kind of person we wish to be.

 When we strive to do the right thing with discernment, regardless of how difficult it may be, we then have the opportunity to become stronger happy individuals with integrity, who have the courage of our convictions, and to be all that we are meant to be. 

 Here we are dealing with our own free will and instinct. This card can often signify a choice in love, career or creative activity. We are urged to look carefully at the implications of our choices, instead of jumping into something blindly without careful consideration.

Four of Wands - Thriving Versus Surviving

Before I drew the Four of Wands today, I felt I was being drawn in the direction of love, loving others, and loving the self. I was also reflecting on the difference between surviving and thriving. This was confirmed when I saw this card.

The Four of Wands reflects the joining of forces in order to support one another. Jason could never have achieved his quest for the Golden Fleece had his companions not supported, believed, and joined him in this bold and dangerous journey. Jason also did the same for his companions, he had their backs, and they all not only survived this journey, but they thrived.

Often we are so ready to help, forgive or recognize the beauty in another, and have difficulty accepting help, forgiving or recognizing the beauty within ourselves. Loving others, but not loving ourselves, is to survive. But when we can love ourselves, is to thrive. Thriving extends beyond to include to every aspect and every area of our lives whether is be personal and professional development.

Wheel of Fortune - Love-Go-Round

Yesterday I saw this quote by Marianne Williamson.

" Until seeing someone's darkness, you don't really know who they are. Until forgiving someone's darkness, you don't really know what love is." - Marianne Williamson

This description parallels the Wheel of Fortune, in that we never know what we are going to get, when it comes to life, or love. It is in acceptance where love lies. I am not referring to accepting injustice. But knowing what we can and cannot accept or change, and knowing the difference. Loving means acceptance of the good, bad and the ugly. Acceptance, and forgiveness with detachment does not exclude love, but includes and precisely defines love, in a way that is healthy for all concerned, and brings peace if we make an effort to change what we can. The only person we can truly change is ourselves.

Seven of Pentacles - Generousity

 It's a beautiful thing when someone generously gives the gift to another from their heart, without expectation of return. I'm fond of the saying it is not the gift of the giver that is important, but the giver of the gift. In other words, it is in the giving where the value lies, not in what is given materially.

Generousity is one of the seven gifts given, that are the teachings of Indigenous peoples, along with Honesty, Humility, Courage, Wisdom, Respect and Love.

The Seven of Pentacles portrays Daedalus being offered the seventh golden pentacle by Queen Pasiphae, who is King Minos wife, and for whom Daedalus has a position of royal favour, that he has worked hard to obtain.

Pasipae, out of desperation is making Daedalus an offer that is tempting, and difficult to refuse. However there is a risk in the decision to be made, and may result in a dangerous, possibly 'immoral' outcome, as it means that he will have to betray the King Minos and risk all that he has gained. On the other hand this offer could result in personal growth, and hoped for success. Daedalus has a difficult decision before him and needs some discernment in this situation.

When we're made an offer of generousity, perhaps the intention of the giver is not pure intended generousity, but there's a hidden agenda, in that the giver is looking unscrupulously to get something in return. This is not using the gift of generousity with honesty, courage, wisdom, respect or love.

 In the words of a Lakota Elder, "You should be able to give away your most cherished possession without your heart beating faster."

I believe when we're offered something, we have to take into consideration the intention and motive of the giver, as we must consider our own intentions when we give, and our hearts will not beat faster..

Circle of Courage - Martin Broken Leg

The Lovers - A Heinz 57 In The Shadow of the Beloved

The sign of Gemini, the twins, and my birth sign, are associated with The Lovers. Love, friendship, and partnership, are all suggested in this card. There is an implied duality of earthly and divine love. I see it as a push and pull tension between the two and having to make a decision.

I reflected today when I drew this card, on how I have always longed and searched all my life, for a relationship with divine love, but truthfully in the past, I was more preoccupied with earthly love. My search for the Divine involved attending Church, with my mother at a young age, which I know now, had planted the seeds of faith. I wasn't so much searching then, not until I hit puberty during my adolescence.

When I was 13, and a very troubled kid, I would often go to find solace, in a big Cathedral church that sat on top of the hill, overlooking the city where my family lived. I could find peace and comfort there. I loved the statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and felt a deep connection with her. Today I see why, because of my identification with the goddess.

 I then began to meagerly, explore Zen Buddhism, and soon went on to seriously involve myself with studying Christianity in a formal way at 18. I was soon baptized and confirmed as what is commonly known as an Anglo-Catholic, which has all the bells and smells of Roman Catholicism, minus the belief in the infallibility of the Pope, and a few other differing adherences.

Once I hit 30, I decided I had really always been very drawn to Catholicism, and so I converted, took all the classes, joined a church and became a Roman Catholic, prior to all the sexual abuse issues coming to light within the church. 

After several years of being a Catholic, and around the time I became a member of a 12 step program in the 80s, my ideas surrounding belief, slowly began to evolve, into what I would call less religious, and more spiritual. I came to realize I could no longer be a member of a church that was full of corruption, that embodied abuse, through power and control. I was finding spirituality and fellowship, that was second to none, in the rooms of recovery. I knew this is where I belonged.

At this stage of my life, I have a positive relationship with the Divine, that is about knowing the meaning of the God of my understanding, and feeling a deep sense of serenity, because of that understanding.

I am so blessed to have had a very open minded and loving mother, who never forced her religious beliefs, and let me find my own way. You might say I have been a Heinz 57 religiously.
My mother gently instilled and imparted her faith, gave me a sense of wrong and right, and a belief in God.  I am so very grateful that we were able to share our simple faith in those quiet moments, between mother and daughter, that have stayed close to my heart, all of my life, and always.

Queen of Pentacles - Generousity

Here's one of my favourite Queens. She's has great feminine strength, is sensual and an earthy, hard working woman, who loves the abundance and luxuries of life. The Queen of Pentacles is generous of heart, and always ready to quickly share with others. She is a true patron of the arts and charity. She is stable, receptive, and symbolizes the sensuous elements of the earth.

Generousity is putting our gratitude into action otherwise it is just a pleasant emotion. I don't believe we can be truly grateful if we are not generous. My Creator, and so many people in my life have been so generous, and I need to give to others what has been so generously given to me, in whatever way I possibly can. We also need to be willing to be generous toward ourselves, not in a selfish manner, but in the sense of self-care, because we cannot give to another, what we do not have ourselves.

Love has no price tag, and demands nothing. There are many rewards in selfless giving especially with a joyful heart. For me this is what the Queen of Pentacles embodies, and in the best sense is truly a 'Lady of Leisure'.

Page of Wands - Gratitude For Creative Inspiration

As I went to shuffle my Mythic Tarot deck this morning, to draw my daily card, the Page of Wands seemed to jump out of my hand, and it landed on the table. So I thought, this is my card for the day. A card that is full of promise in the year to come..


This messenger brings the good news of delicate beginnings, and creative inspiration. I'm definitely feeling the restlessness, and unease associated with this the Page of Wands. But there will be new ideas, new ventures, and a new phase to come.

 The creative imagination that inspires, sometimes can seem to be at odds with the realities of mundane everyday responsibilities, like paying bills, getting you car fixed, leaking hot water pipes, or dealing with others who can't figure out why in hell you would ever pursue an art 'career', because many creatives live in poverty. But having wealth isn't about having money.

 Many people couldn't care less about art or creativity, and really may even think, you have lost your mind completely, if you actually ever had one!

Living a creative life is what makes me really happy, and I am very grateful for my health, and for an abundance of love in my life.

Today I take responsibility for my own happiness, no one else's. I have come to understand what makes me happy and unhappy.

 Artist's can change the world for the better, and that is most important to me, as it is my vocation. I look very forward to Christmas Day, tomorrow and to the New Year, as I hope we all do, and whatever your vocation, my hope is that you will change this global world, to make a more joyful, peaceful and wealthier place to live, for everyone, everywhere.

Love Never Dies - Queen of Swords

The Queen of Swords continues on bravely in spite of loss.
She is very much the idealist, in that she can expect a lot from others. This can be a big disappointment if these expectations are unrealistic. My experience has shown me that people will, and do disappoint, because they will never measure up to unrealistic expectations.  I have to accept my short comings, know and understand, that I have in the past, and no doubt will continue to disappoint someone in some way, simply because I am a human being. I need to forgive and love myself and others for not 'measuring' up.

On the other hand people can surprise, delight and display loving kindness that will restore faith, and my belief in the capacity for love. In this troubled world today, I need to hold fast to this, because it gives hope.

 I don't have to expect others to believe in what I believe, but if they can truly love others, and show human kindness, this is what is important to me.

I lost a close friend to death yesterday, and though I know he was not so much a believer in God, he displayed more generousity of spirit, gentleness, and love than many people who don't, but profess to love God. I never expected this of him, and accepted him as he was, as he accepted me, warts and all.

I certainly will miss him, very, very much. He had a lot to teach others about love, and I hope he knew just how much he was loved. My friend had three essential qualities in order to live a full life, a love for his fellow man and woman, humility, and a great sense of humour. It was a privilege, and a great blessing to have known him.
Howard helped to show me the way, and to know that love never dies.

Getting Smart With Your Choices - The Lovers

 Choice can be a  real difficult thing, especially when it comes to making the right decision.
 The Lovers, a Major Arcana card, is about making a choice, as Paris needs to decide who is the most fair and beautiful, Hera, Aphrodite or Athena.

Learning to make the right choices with honesty, and self-assurance or assertiveness can be a life long lesson. Many of us don't learn how to make assertive choices based on love, especially when we don't feel like being very loving after someone has done something to hurt us, or been very disrespectful. We either react in a passive manner avoiding the whole situation, or we lash out in aggression, and not with assertiveness.

 I know myself well enough to understand that it is unhealthy to let feelings fester, when I know I need to be assertive and to have faith in myself. At the same time I do not want anger and bad feelings to dictate negative behaviour toward myself or toward another. I have a choice to make choice to stand up for my own rights while not infringing on another's rights.

How I choose to stand up for myself is what will make all the difference for me, especially because I need to be loving, and at the same time get my message across, that what has happened is not appropriate or acceptable.to me. Then I need to let the situation, and what has happened, go, and not carry around a resentment, that I stick in my gunny sack.

" The problem of choice in love, which reflects one’s values because those choices are a mirror of the kind of person we wish to become. " The Mythic Tarot

The Secret of Happiness -The Sun

The Sun is definitely the card of happiness, warmth, love, growth, accomplishment and success.

I was very happy after a wonderful trip away to see good friends. Upon return, I was tired out, but am now starting to feel more rested and less stressed.
I went to see a life long friend's art installation of 5,000 paintings he was commissioned to create, for the newly built Halifax Public Library. Wow, was that inspiring! The whole experience left me very reflective and introspective, happy and sad simultaneously, for reasons I won't go into, but in considering this card, it helps me to understand on a deeper level. After all you can't have the light, without the darkness.

 The Sun card is very timely for me to draw, and it makes me feel happy, especially because it mirrors much of the way I am feeling at present, and it gives me a deep gratitude.

 The sun-god reflects the power of the consciousness to dispel darkness, and where the bright light casts away shadows in the dark places of the Moon. The sun-god Apollo dispels fear, bringing faith and hope. The Sun symbolizes clarity, optimism and a renewed trust of the human spirit, moving toward our goal.

The Sun and the Moon are so closely related and one without the other, we would be lost. I am so grateful for both, grateful for happiness, pain, rainbows, and the rain.

The Chariot - Fear & Love

 This Major Arcana card, The Chariot is linked to the Moon, and to the astrological sign of Cancer.
 There are strong emotions here, but simultaneously it symbolizes balance between negative and positive, ying and yang, to achieve success in order to control the direction of one's life. It's been said that true love castes out fear.

Today I read a review of a late artist I love and deeply admire. The critic stated the particular artist reflected a constipated terror in his paintings. I thought this was a very negative and offensive thing to say, however I think it is a accurate description of the way fear can make you feel, leaving us emotionally drained, weak, powerless, and out of control,

 We must understand the nature of good and evil. Maintaining focus, attending to details, which can be difficult for many of us living in a hurried, and overindulgent world, particularly in the West. We can get caught up in our own problems, wants and needs, becoming myopic in our perception.

 We can't allow ourselves to be controlled by fear, but need to allow love to direct our lives.

Two of Cups - Relationship With Your Self

The Two of Cups is about relationship and love.
 I was visiting a friend tonight and when I got back home I drew this card. My friend and I had been having a real heart to heart talk about relationships and being single. We discussed what it is like to be in a bad relationship, that we had stayed in, because we didn't want to be alone. We agreed when you reach the point when you are so miserable with little to no happiness, contentment or peace of mind, it is time to get out.

This scenario makes me think of that jumping off point, many an alcoholic experiences, and that we talk about.You can't live without the booze, and you can't live with it. It's a very desperate state of mind.

It isn't always easy to be alone, but it is far harder to be alone, and lonely in a relationship, that is unhappy, and unhealthy. What I have learned, the hard way, over the years is, there are far worse things than being alone and single. The other important thing I learned, is that I had to have a good relationship with myself, to be happy with who I am, to be comfortable in my own skin, and love myself enough to know, I am the only person responsible for my own happiness; that I deserve to be happy, whether I am in a relationship or on my own, as a single person.

Another person can hopefully add to our happiness, but they can not make us happy.
Here in the Minor Arcana card, the Two of Cups, Eros and Psyche have become whole people within themselves, and they bring this to their relationship. They are complete, and happy individuals, prior to being united as a couple. They don't complete each other, and have their eyes wide open.

Two of Wands - Courage

In drawing the Two of Wands this morning, courage is the subject.

In this Minor Arcana card, we find Chiron the healer, astrologer, teacher, and tutor with a youth nurturing nature, and as Jason's life long protector. Chiron played very important roll in Jason's life from birth, and into his adulthood. Without Chiron to help and protect Jason, there would be no Golden Fleece. Not unlike those in our own lives, who act as our own courageous mentors, champions, and personal heroes, they inspire, enable our visions to come into fruition, help us to achieve our goals, and without them, we would not be able to realize or forge our dreams.

To live a life of courage is not necessarily manifested in heroic events, like saving the lives of the drowning, rescuing others from burning buildings etc. These events, and heroes should be held in very high esteem, and revered.

There are also those heroes who persevere, living everyday lives, performing acts of courage, and simply living their daily lives. So many mothers, fathers and families and mentors, strive to impart loving values to children, protecting and lifting up others who are discouraged, frightened or without hope in a world filled with so much strife, poverty, disease, and violence. These heroes are more often unsung, but are the protectors of the vulnerable and of truth.

Brazilian lyricist and writer Paulo Coelho describes, "An act of courage is always an act of love."

Ace of Cups - Aphrodite and The Realm of The Heart

Oh well, once more it is, the Ace of Cups. I've drawn this card again today. I had a very recent discussion with some fellow Tarot readers regarding cards that we regularly choose in our own daily draws, and what this means. We were all in agreement that it provides an opportunity to dig in deeper and see the card from different a perspective. We may be avoiding certain aspects or issues that the card brings our immediate attention to.
I do believe the reason this happens is because there is a message there that needs addressing. And so, I am going to do this today, as much as it is uncomfortable, and it makes me feel very vulnerable. So be it, I really don't care as I feel ready now to address what it is I have honestly been avoiding.

The message of this card directly points to the issue of love and we meet head on the complex force of nature, the goddess of love, Aphrodite. In Greek myth she is really the mother of all, having created all beings.

In the Mythic Tarot the Ace of Cups signifies new bright beginnings, prompting us to have an open heart and strong faith that implies the law of attraction so to speak.

Okay, I am going to do this, keep my heart open, and have faith. There is a certain someone I am most fond of, who will for personal reasons, remain anonymous. I am quite certain if he ever does read this post, he will quickly realize I am talking about him as being the object of my great affection. We went to University several years ago, and have reconnected over social media after all this time. We haven't seen each other face to face  for almost fourty years! That's a hell of a long time! SO as you can imagine I have all sorts of thoughts, wanderings, maybe a few fantasies. hope, and longings,whirling around in my head, like dancing twirling dervishes!

So that's it, done, and I've put it out with open heart, and faith into the Universe, and I must say I do feel better, and I am ready for a great journey of the realm of the heart.

Seven of Cups - Discernment

 

 Psyche petitions Aphrodite with prayer, for help in matters of love. Aphrodite concedes, and guarantees   being there to help her, but not without making certain demands, and confronts Psyche, who will have to work hard in order to reunite with Eros.

Though Psyche has been given the green light, her fantasy and dreams will not enable this reality. Only with time, dedication to the tasks at hand, and being able to actualize what she desires, is the only way her goals will be realized, and this requires the risk of being humiliated and hurt.

Love always carries risk, and the possibility of getting our hearts broken. We choose what we want to do, and we cannot foresee the future, and there are no guarantees when it comes to love or life.
 In order to make careful decisions, discernment and having a willingness to commit to the work needed to be done, is what will enable us to move forward.

 I don't think love should have to be so difficult. But then again life is difficult, it can be humiliating, and full of suffering, but if we utilize what ever tools we have at our disposal, we are more prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead. There will always be challenges, and obstacles to overcome, that never changes.

 Love can be scary, and we have to discern whether it is worth the effort or risk, depending on what or whom we think we love and we must be ready for love with much forethought, having an open and balanced heart. We need to make the connections with what we value and hold dear.

I've heard it said that the longest path is the one between the head and heart. Patience, faith, and perseverance will be our light to illuminate our way.