Three Of Pentacles - The Strawberry Moon

The Three of Pentacles, a celebratory card is a well suited draw today with this first Full Strawberry Moon in June of Summer.

Though I'm not one to celebrate Canada Day, I'm grateful to be Canadian, and I'm sure there will be many celebrations on this long weekend ahead.

Every where there have been graduation celebrations, proms and the end of the school year, which for some, is a bitter sweet time, seeing our children spreading their wings, flying the nest, when we just wish they'd slow down..

When the Strawberry Moon arrives, we can look forward to enjoying fresh sweet strawberries as this is where the Strawberry Moon gets it's name. Sometimes called the Hay Moon for the first harvest of hay or referred to as the Rose Moon when the first bloom of roses arrive.

I didn't grow strawberries this year, but first thing this morning I motored to town in my new to me motor car, and purchased a hanging strawberry plant and some other garden delights to adorn my flower garden out in my front door yard.

June is a month of Birthdays and tomorrow I will help celebrate two of my dearest friends Birthdays.

The Strawberry Moon is a time when Indigenous woman spiritually cleanse themselves. It's a great time to get our lives uncluttered.

It's a time to celebrate who we are, reflect on our dreams, happiness and success. So go ahead, celebrate Summer and allow yourself the harvest of those sweet strawberries and reap the rewards of your hard work. There is much to be grateful for and more work ahead to come.

Five of Pentacles - The Fat Cat

The Five of Pentacles comes up in my daily drawn card more often than I'd wish, and appears at the times when I'm feeling worry and insecurity over my financial state, which is exactly what this card's meaning implies. It's not my favourite, but on the positive side, I see it as a card of transformation, if I trust my intuition and have enough faith to allow the God of my understanding to do what I can't do for myself.

This perspective has enabled me to become rather immune to my worry, and the fear of financial insecurity. Experiencing these feelings in many ways has made me stronger, given me more compassion and gratitude. The most difficult bit about being in this situation in the past and occasionally today, is, I don't want to ask for help. I know this is a common experience for many people, they find it difficult to ask for help. The problem being, this is false pride, and it makes you angry. You don't want to appear weak, or you might fear being judged, causing an individual to cut their nose off to spite their face, and now added to your trouble, you're walking around without a nose, not a pretty sight!

Two of Pentacles - How to Keep Your Balls in the Air

It might seem oddly amusing to tell some that I learned how to juggle on Prince Edward Island, where. I was hanging around two fellows who were juggling clowns and was desperate to learn how to keep my balls in the air!

Little did I know what that would lead to, and what was ahead for me, an adventure of a life time. Once I learned how to juggle I was hooked and wanted to know everything about clowning and found myself leaving the protection of a very rural farming community of P.E.I. and heading to the mean streets of the city to study Mime in Toronto Ontario.

This is where and when my life changed forever through deep a profound love, followed by tragic loss. Needless to say I was no longer interested or able to know how to keep my balls in the air and simply wanted to give up on life. I'd reached that jumping off point that so many young people experience after loosing someone to death, whom you love so much.

 I was no longer "juggling". I was barely treading water, and felt like I was rapidly loosing ground. I kept on for my family, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, until I met a community of others who cared for me more than I cared for myself and they loved me back to joy, and to life.

One thing that never changes in life is change, as I'm reminded of this today, drawing the Two of Pentacles. Looking back I see how juggling has become the metaphor for my life. This card symbolizes change and the fluctuation in the flow of creative energy that needs to be grounded, channeled balanced, regardless of my circumstances.

Five of Pentacles - Mercy

Daedalus is seen here having to let go, leaving his past success and acclaim behind, as he's lost all his wealth, experiencing poverty, insecurity, and he's full of worry over his adversity. More profoundly he's lost his self-respect, having confused his self-worth with material security, causing him to loose his sense of direction and faith in himself.

When we edify material success, whether it be in the form of people, places or things, there is a price paid. Ultimately we  must take responsibility for the part we've played in becoming our own worst enemy, like Daedalus has become.

However personal transformation is always possible, the kind that goes soul deep.
 Making a conscious choice to be kind toward ourselves and to forgive whatever it is that we have done, or how others have wronged us,  forgiveness can make the difference between starting over and redefining what it means to be successful and bring us to wholeness once again.

As Anne Lemott states is her new book, Hallelujah Anyway Rediscovering Mercy, " The way to feel whole is through mercy." 

 We harden ourselves in many ways to life Anne Lemott says. By practicing forgiveness and kindness we can soften that hardness. Denying others forgiveness and kindness, we deny ourselves, and visa versa.
In order for kindness and forgiveness to prevail, there will be no cruelty, but only mercy.

Six of Pentacles - Forgiving

The Six of Pentacles is a card of growth, generousity, charity and giving.

Daedalus has not been the best kind of human being. Here we see Daedalus kneeling and paying homage to King Minos, who knows the extent of Daedalus' actions, but he also knows that Daedalus has suffered, been exiled and humiliated for his crimes, and he has learned many lessons, the hard way. In spite of this the royal King doesn't judge him in a merciless and unforgiving way in which society would. He forgives Daedalus and offers him friendship and generousity in his heart and spirit.

Today is my late big brother's Ralph's Birthday who was ten years older than me. He's been gone for 15 years and I miss him so much and always will. We were very close when I was little. Once I hit adolescence and with all the serious struggles that went on in my family growing up, my relationship with my brother suffered, got complicated and difficult. After I sobered up things got much better, but I was still emotionally bankrupt in many ways and didn't know how to find my way out.

The forgiving and merciful King Minos extends a generous, giving and loving heart toward Daedalus, the way I know my brother extends toward me and I do the same for him. To love and forgive our family is something most of us can't help do, no matter what. Loving our human family is just as important. We are all wounded in some way, have done things we are not proud of because we fell very short in many ways. Perhaps we haven't been the kind of person we should have been or wanted to be. Being forgiven especially by those we love that we have hurt is one of the best gifts we can be given.
 What is more difficult, is forgiving ourselves, but we need to this in order to heal, and move forward so we can grow into the people we are meant to be and be happy.

Eight of Pentacles - The Apprentice

No I'm not talking about you know who, Donald Trump on the Apprentice! Definitely not, but Donald Trump's got a few things in common with Daedalus, who was extremely prideful, jealous, cold heart-ed, impulsive, quick tempered and I suspect very sleep deprived.

The Eight of Pentacles is a card of change, education and engagement and here we see Daedalus in the role of the apprentice. He's dedicated to working at his craft and he conscientiously applies himself to achieve the skills he needs to be successful and happy. But I ask, is he really happy?

Being conscientious does relate to every aspect of our lives, but we aren't human doings, we are human beings. Though it's essential I believe, to love what you do and do what you love, but more importantly if we love the essence of who we are, embracing the positive and the negative characteristics within our being, it's not only reflected in all that we do and how we live life, but is very evident and reflected especially in our relationships with others.


We aren't simply going to be fulfilled and happy by doing what we love to do if our relationships are not fulfilled and happy, especially the relationship we have with ourselves.

So on this Saint Valentine's Day remember to love yourself, love others and love the God of your own understanding.

Four of Pentacles - A Living Prayer

Here in the Four of Pentacles, we see Daedalus tightly gripping his golden pentacles. He doesn't want to relinquish them, and is being consumed with fear of financial insecurity, and the ongoing stability of his life as he knows it. Daedalus is afraid he's going to be replaced by his young apprenticing upstart nephew. Daedalus defines his self-value and confidence materialistically, and by his worldly position.

 One of the most significant lessons in my life was learning how to let go. Instead of chasing happiness or believing that it was somehow elusive to me, and was something for everyone else but me; stability and security didn't seem to exist within the confines of structured religion or in financial wealth or position. These were never my pursuits in life. I was on a spiritual quest, as far back as I can remember.

It took experiencing many years of instability and insecurity to finally discover what would make me feel stable and secure. I now know it was eventually found, after realizing my spiritual quest, and when I began to understand the Divine. This is what I had longed for and when life really started to make sense, and it's what would nurture my creativity and nourish my spirit.

 Living in a very rural area enables me to feel and understand on a deep spiritual level, a real sense of belonging, independence, mastery and generosity.

It was only when I learned how to let go, that stability and security became more often than not, my reality.
Today, learning to let go, is what I would define as being my living prayer.

Seven of Pentacles - Do you Know What Your Answer Is?

This has been a month of decision making for me and the cards I have been drawing daily, have definitely reflected this.

I see this decision making theme once again in the Seven of Pentacles, upon seeing today's card where Oueen Pasiphae is wanting to make an offer to Daedalus he can't refuse. Daedalus already has lots of golden coins, (Pentacles). However she's got another one in her hand to freely give him, none the less for a price he may not be prepared to pay.

When someone offers you something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

 I have  generally found this to be one of those truisms in life.
This past week I was offered one of those kinds of deals and honestly, I was tempted initially until I gave it careful thought. I concluded in my heart that is wasn't a good decision for me realistically, because I'd be in a worse case scenario financially, then what I am in presently.

That said this is the kind of society we live in today. There are various modern day snake charmers offering big things, with a big price that is often hidden or we rather not think about because we are reacting emotionally.

When it comes to money, and consumerism, we live in an economy that is credit rich and cash poor.
Taking a page from my grandparents book of debt, thinking about how they lived, and remembering what my mother once said. "If you don't have the cash to get a bargain, it isn't a bargain."
In those days, there were no credit cards, which I think now are mostly misused and are the scourge of our economy, affecting people and our world on so many levels.

This card has the message not to react impulsively. Care and forethought are necessary in order to make the right decision.

Every situation and person is different and so perhaps the question to ask is, am I going to be further ahead if I put my energy into a new project or should I continue to develop what I have already worked hard at in achieving.
I know what my answer is. Do you know what your answer is?

  

Five of Pentacles - Letting Go

The Five of Pentacles always reminds me of Persephone descending the staircase to the underworld, certainly not a fun journey, but it's not all bad either.

Daedalus isn't going to the underworld. He's however in a very dark place in his mind and spirit, wrestling with forces somewhat beyond his control, and let his ego get in the way making some really bad decisions, that has lead him here.

Things may look dismal, and foreboding but the moon is lighting his path and all is not lost. It's in his power to change his attitude and to look inward for guidance to provide him with discernment, in order to make the right decision. Indecision and is also a decision, and often waiting is the best choice until the way becomes clear.

Pentacles indicates a financial loss that presents a very difficult situation, possibly causing us to have a loss of faith in ourselves. Letting go, forgiving ourselves, and preparing to start over is the best way to get our bearings again.

What is necessary is to take inventory of how we contributed and exacerbated the problem. Then we can re-orientate ourselves on an financial level and on an inner one.    

Nine of Pentacles - My Mouse Is Alive!

I drew this card a few days ago, but didn't write a blog post about it, I thought about quite a bit about it's meaning, and just put it back in the deck. Sometimes the relevance of a card doesn't become clear until later. That's what happened here.

We had a planned power outage this morning, which lasted less than half an hour. I had forgotten about it until it went off.

So, I then began to write in my long hand journal with my cup of coffee, while sitting at my computer with no power. I was grateful I'd got my breakfast and coffee before the outage. The next thing I knew I'd knocked over my coffee onto my computer desk. I never impress myself when I do this. Shortly after cleaning that big mess up, the power came back on, only to find I could no longer use my mouse to orient my way around the computer. Argh!

I spent the next following hours booting ( not literally ) as much as I felt like it, and rebooting, reading manuals, etc., when it dawned on me, perhaps I'd drowned my poor mouse in coffee?

I was determined to take my mouse apart, if I could only find a small enough screw driver to loosen the screw that held it together, in attempt to hopefully dry out my mouse. More argh. I couldn't find a small enough tool to get the thing apart. I went into the bibs and bobs drawer to see what I could find. Nothing that would fit, but finally discovered one screw driver. It was perfect! A really handy one my friend had given me a while ago, I'd completely forgotten I had. My friend is a real technological wizard.

 I went from much frustration to hopeful elation. I got it open, cleaned and dried the guts of that mouse. It was pretty gross. Finally I got it snapped back together. and twisted that screw back in where it belonged.

This whole process took me four friggin hours.  But I have to tell you I felt exactly like Daedalus in the Nine of Pentacles. My hard work and determination paid off and I'd resurrected my mouse! I really felt that self-satisfaction that comes with hard work and determination, in spite of my frustration. There's nothing wrong with celebrating your small accomplishments, and to feel proud of yourself. If I can overcome and achieve the small, seemingly incidental things it helps me to believe, and to know I can accomplish more than what I think I am capable of achieving.

 I'm sure I would've  felt differently if my mouse had truly bit the dust. I'd have to accept that, and try to find the best resolution to my problematic dilemma. But in the mean time, I am overjoyed that my mouse is alive, and like Daedalus, I am justifiably pleased with myself with what I was able to achieve, and I appreciate my skill!
 
I've learned to approach life as an adventure , it's not about the success or failure. It's more often than not been my experience, that I learn more from mistakes.

Two of Pentacles - The Adventure of Little By Slowly

Daedalus stands at his table working on his skills and using the tools of his trade. Decisions are to be made and decisions made in the past have lead to his present circumstances that have benefited him.

Having the tools in hand, to get the job done, we can continue to build a good foundation, one the skill at a time. The challeges ahead will be accomplished if we use discernment in choosing the right tools, and apply ourselves to achieve our goals.

 Sometimes it is easy to get impatient, and ahead of ourselves. We want everything yesterday or immediately, and may even want to give up, especially when we are closest to our goal. Slow and steady wins the race. Little by slowly we can reach our destination. Perseverance, trust and a little prayer goes a long way.

There is always a risk involved if we want to grow.  Adventure in growth is often scary. We can't control the outcome, and the unknown can cause us to be fearful, especially when there are road blocks and hurdles along the road.

Regardless if we succeed or fail life lessons will be learned and confidence will be gained. True it can be a balancing act, in that we should weigh the pros and cons. Sometimes we have to throw caution to the wind, have faith, we need to trust and believe in 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

Eight of Pentacles - Apprentice of Life

Sometimes I find myself often thinking about the same thing. I keep returning to a certain reoccurring thought or concern. I believe this is a result of having lessons I am still attempting to learn, only on a deeper level. I also think it is an indication that I haven't completely mastered the skill of letting go of something that needs to be addressed. I really don't mind being an apprentice, because I have learned that it is important to involve myself in life long learning.

Daedalus is portrayed here once again as the apprentice. He is diligently working hard at his skill through dedication, and having a focused energy toward the tasks at hand. There is no sense of instability, but perhaps a sense of being in a kind of mid-life crisis, as he has already been an apprentice and has achieved a level of success.

He is perhaps feeling a bit stuck, as he is already established, but there is still work ahead. This card indicates being a quick study. A commitment to and application of hard work and effort there is reward gained in even stronger work habits and circumstance, resulting in positive growth, change and success.

At some juncture in everyone's life, we hit some kind of mid-life crisis which leaves us perplexed. Depending on the attitude we have approaching this phase of our life, will determine it's outcome. Having a positive and enthusiastic attitude, I believe will make all the difference. We are all apprentices of life.

How To Take Control Of Our Difficult Decisions - Seven of Pentacles

There has been a theme about choices, and decisions over the past few days with the cards I have drawn.  In the Seven of Pentacles here we see Daedelus being made an offer by Queen Pasiphae, who has the white bull behind her. She is offering Daedalus a seventh pentacle in exchange for services rendered. He scratches his chin in pensive thought, wondering just what he should do. This is a difficult decision, and an offer that is hard to refuse. It requires patience, as things will happen, but not immediately.


Sometimes you can feel you've taken two steps ahead, and may be about to take three steps back. Just when you feel you're making good progress forward, things can change instantly, and suddenly you feel like you could just as easily be going backwards, especially if you make a particular decision. But this is the way life is for most of us, if not all. Things are given and things are taken away.  You wonder if your decision will be of positive or negative consequence.You might even panic, or suffer from indecision, which may get you into more confusion and into a quandary.

Today I heard about a fellow who is skilled in surviving emergency and crisis scenarios in the wilderness. He had a great acronym, to enable you to make a difficult decision. I think this acronym can be applied to life.

The Acronym is STOP.

1. Stop.
2. Think.
3. Observe.
4. Plan.

These kinds of simple acronyms can be very helpful when we need to focus, and figure out our next step. Panic is a killer, and you don't need to rush in like a bull in the china shop, that is represented by the white bull that stands as a warning, behind Pasiphae.

An so we need to stop, slow ourselves down, so we can think, observe,  take stock of our situation in order to figure out our next step, make a plan and carry that plan out.

We can't always make the safe choice, and if we do this may lead to stagnation. Difficult decisions, often involve risk, but the more we are prepared the better the outcome.

Four of Pentacles - How To Save Yourself From Yourself

Being anxious and consciously attached to material possessions and money, is not a good way to go. It is a continuum in that, the more you have, the more you want. On the other hand, poverty is no fun either, and can cause a similar preoccupation and anxiousness, because you can be constantly thinking and worrying about how you are going to make it til the end of the month, pay your bills or having to  swallow your false pride and humble yourself to ask for help in one way or another, which is difficult for most people. I admit I am guilty of worrying and getting stressed out about my lack of funds. My fear of financial insecurity can be very stressful at times.

The Ten of Pentacles came up yesterday, when I did a reading for a client and again today, in my daily draw the Four of Pentacles. It is often stated that money is the root of all evil,  but in my opinion, it is when people place so much importance on it, more so than on personal values, and a healthy sense of inner well being and serenity that is only drawn from inner resources. This is when the myriad of problems are mostly manifested.

 Perhaps it is our desire for, and addiction to perfection, that causes our preoccupation, and anxiousness. We feel we are not successful, and are always falling short, based on an image and not reality. We strive to fill that void within ourselves, that can only be filled spiritually within ourselves.

Addiction is addiction, regardless of what it is we are addicted to. The writers of The Spirituality of Imperfection address this in their book when  they write,

Addiction represents the ultimate effort to control, the definitive demand for magic...and the final failure of spirituality...the desperate (and doomed) attempt to fill a spiritual void with a material reality to make "magic" a substitute for a miracle. - Kurtz and Ketcham in The Spirituality of Imperfection (1992)


Addiction to material possessions and monetary success, makes me think of what Mother Teresa once said in regards to the East having material poverty, but is rich in spirituality, and the West, does not lack so much in rich  material wealth, but has great spiritual poverty. It is no different for individuals.


I believe this addiction to people, places and things, it is what is wrong with our world. Generousity, having gratitude for what we have, and actively showing  kindness, could alleviate so much suffering in the world.

In the Four of Pentacles Daedalus clutches his four coins and gives his nephew Talos a very angry stare. Daedalus is both threatened of being usurped by his young talented nephew and he is also very jealous of him, and this card is a symbolic warning against envy and avarice.

Daedalus lacks confidence in his abilities to compete, is overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy due to not being able to let go of his control, and lacks emotional generousity. As a result of Daedalus remains materially and emotional stagnant, without the flow of creativity and energy.

La Larona - Catherine Meyers

Five of Pentacles - I Can't See The Forest For The Trees

Well now isn't this a fine howdy doo!  I drew the The Five of Pentacles this morning. I admit, my immediate gut reaction to this card, no matter how many times I look at it,  my reaction it always negative. It looks gloomy, dark with just enough impending doom to make me jump into bed and pull up the covers over my head! But that's just me.

When I am experiencing negative events especially fear surround financial insecurity, I can go into a quick panic mode and so I have to consciously take action to resolve whatever it is I am dealing with. So I did this this morning and I am feeling much better now. I reached out only to find there really was absolutely no need to panic. Seems this is a lesson I have a hard time learning because it comes up for me more often than I would like or perhaps it is a life long lesson to be learned.

The Five of Pentacles presents an individual focusing on their own distress and failing to see that help is at hand. Oh ya that's the card for me today!

When I think about panic I always reflect on when I got certified as a SCUBA diver. It was emphatically expressed to us over and over, to overcome panic, because it could kill us. As well, we had to plan our dive plans, and dive our our dive plans. We could make mistakes on our dive plans when being taking our exam to get certified as this would be an immediate fail, because this could kill you too. There is an important life lesson here for me I believe that I need to apply. Breathe deep, breathe in, breathe out, don't panic, and make a plan. Breathing is essential to staying calm, considering we need about 80% of our oxygen for our brains to function properly. It's only when we are in a relaxed state, when we can concentrate and make the right decisions.

Panic ensues when we lose faith in ourselves I believe, not unlike Daedalus did. He confused his self-value is  with his material security, and he lost his sense of direction. When this happens we can start again and reorient ourselves to the outer and inner level.

Next time I draw the Five of Pentacles, I hope I'll see it in a positive new light.

Ten of Pentacles - Stability & Foundation

Life is fleeting, and very often unstable in that we can't control what happens. We don't ever know what the future has in store. I have come to understand and believe the only stability we really have is within ourselves, that flows from the well spring of faith, to find meaning in whatever happens and it is wise to learn about how to develop trust, faith and persistence.

If we are fortunate enough to be blessed with good health, we will hopefully enjoy our lives into an older age. We can come to a point in life, were we don't have to wait until we are an elder to have many lessons learned under our belts, and content and find stability in the now.

Here in the Ten of Pentacles we see an older man, Daedalus, closely surrounded by generations of his family, representing  a dynasty of sorts. He now has a legacy that he can pass down to his loved ones. There is a sense of permanence, security and safety in what he has achieved personally and professionally. He has much to impart to others with wisdom, and perhaps in material possessions, which will endure, and be passed on to others because has built a good foundation from a life well lived.

The Ten of Pentacles is a card of hope and optimism in a world that seems unstable, and without strong foundation.

Eight of Pentacles - Ambition

Here we see the young apprentice Daedalus working hard at developing his skills and he will be rewarded for his effort because he is dedicated and very focused.
Being conscientious is an essential quality if you want to advance, in whatever your vocation. We will be rewarded for our efforts, and care. That's the way it's supposed to work. Unfortunately this isn't always true, in the monetary sense of reward. So, what is a person to do if you are looking to be rewarded, but you receive little or nothing in return?

Life and society are like this, we aren't always rewarded or punished for our behaviours. The truth is we can be punished for good behaviour, and rewarded for bad. If we expect to be rewarded, disappointment and disillusion can often follow, if the choices we've made are not prudent.

So, we have to find our internal reward, making sure not to set ourselves up for unrealistic expectations, or to allow others to take advantage of us. Believing in our capacities and honing our skills will help to prepare us.

Ambition is a positive thing, but can be a negative character defect, if we allow it to take over our lives, in our pursuit of material gain, leaving us feeling unfulfilled, and unhappy.

 Not only is is wise to develop the skills relative to our vocation, we must have the inner skills to acquire the balance that will allow us to persist, and dedicate ourselves to our success.

 Everyone experiences a period of time, that is called a 'mid-life crisis.' This can result in creative stagnation if we don't continue to take risks, because we are fearful, anxious about losing the security and stability already established. If we can transition through this time, it will result in an enthusiastic renewal, pursuing interests in learning new things.

Whether or not we are ambitious, we will always need to take risk, but not in a fool hearty manner.. Trusting our intuition, having a willingness to be willing, with an open heart and mind, will enable us to actualize our dreams. Last but not least, being grateful will give bring us happiness and success, leaving the world a better place. I think this is a great ambition.
 

Five of Pentacles - Loss

Daedalus is skulking away from his hideout. He has done a terrible thing. Symbolizing the inability to accept the loss of material wealth, social position, and the loss of faith in oneself. This card represents the need to come out of the dark and to not continue to hide from others or from ourselves.

Being so focused on our own problems, can cause us to not be able to see the forest for the trees.  Our sight is obscured, even blinded. We walk alone out of the darkness, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The brightness of the moon lights the way.
Material things and a sense of self may be lost, but there are spiritual riches to be gained along the road. There is always hope, and many gifts of the spirit.

 I have heard it said, that the Five of Pentacles is the worst card in the deck, but I don't think there is any particular card that is the worst, nor necessarily the best. The cards are the cards. What is important is that we pay attention, and what we decide to do when presented with the message they give us.

 Yes, this card could indicate mistakes made, and opportunities missed. But we can not focus on the negative, or we will not be able to move forward. Regretting the past, and projecting into the future is a useless endevour. We need to focus on the present, forgive ourselves, improve our attitude and circumstance. We can not allow false pride to stop us from asking for help either. These proactive behaviours will free us from the burden of our loss.

Often the person who is the most difficult to forgive, is ourselves.

Two of Pentacles - Balance

This Minor Arcana card, the Two of Pentacles that I drew today is appropriate, and something I find useful for me right now. It's the card that signifies balance; juggling things and the matters of life, and not loosing sight of other areas, that are in need of attention and care. We can't take on more than we can handle.

Material matters may be disrupted in some way.
Daedalus is portrayed here at the table where all the tools of his trade are spread before him. This represents if we take on too much we can loose our way. If we are to put our money and energy to work, we must be firmly grounded, in order to do so with patience and hard work, one step at a time.

Many years ago I learned to juggle with those hard rubber balls. It's not an easy skill to learn. Many folks, when they decide they want to learn how to juggle, or any other skill, think they can skip the steps needed to learn. We start with one ball at a time, one step at a time. Once we can conquer the first skill, we can move on to the next and work our way through each steps.
In a similar way, the concerns we have that pertain to our lives, like juggling this requires us to first have our feet securely planted on the ground, we need to be relaxed, so we can focus, and concentrate on the task at hand. We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted, thwarted by storms, or chaos that are going on around us. Our priorities and goals need to be clear, set in our minds, and built upon on sure footing but being light footed simultaneously.

We learn to develop a skill by watching another who is skilled. Then we are shown the skill, and we follow up with practice, which leads to mastery of the skill. It is important to have mentors, that we can learn from. But it is ultimately up to us to do the leg work necessary for us to accomplish our goals, and we can ask for help.

The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you've lost it. Anonymous