The Star - Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down

The quote that I often hear repeated "Don't let the bastards grind you down" is a good way to describe this Major Arcana card, The Star. Here we see hope and inspiration embodied in the image of Pandora who in myth opened the chest which Zeus maliciously gave to mankind and now Pandora has released all the Spites.

This card embodies the experience of hope, meaning and faith giving this promise in the midst of difficulties.

 I thought the above quote was attributed to Viktor Frankl, who survived the Nazi concentration camp and wrote Man's Search For Meaning. I think he would have certainly identified with this outlook when he said " “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

These quotes I believe describe what it means to let go.

Saint Francis of Assisi described letting go well.

"Wear the world as a loose garment, which touches us in a few places and there lightly” – St. Francis of Assisi

This is what I have found I've had to do throughout so many times throughout my life and it has become my own personal philosophy and perspective towards life in general. I've learned to wear the world as a loose garment and I've had to change myself and my attitude toward the situations I couldn't change.

 It sounds simple enough, but it isn't. It's an attitude and skill I've had to practice and continue to make it a life long habit. For me it's about learning to detach with love. Before recovery I was attached to just about everything; my hyper-vigilance and waiting for the other shoe to drop, attached to the past and the future, and attached to my misery and all that it entailed.

I'm so very grateful  every day, that I was introduced to the philosophy of letting go and that star of Hope.

Page of Wands - Self-Reliance

The main message here in the Page of Wands, that represents the element of Fire which embodies action and energy. This card urges us to express ourselves, and let our voices be heard, and not to hold back.

Expressing ourselves in a clear, precise, and assertive manner, is a way to feel good about ourselves. There is a confidence that comes from knowing, valuing, relying, and believing in yourself.

We let go of what others think, this may be risky in one way or another, as others may not approve or agree. They may even think that you've lost you mind all together, dismissing your ideas as silly or fantastical, especially if you have a particular goal, adventure or quest in mind.

I have been reading a wonderful book by Chris Guillebeau, The Happiness of Pursuit. In Chapter 5 entitled, Self-Reliance. There is something said here, that I think is very interesting, a very important point to consider when on a quest, and is at the heart of the Page of Wands, as it speaks of the need to be self-reliant, regardless of what others think or how they dismiss or judge you.

" WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT AN ADVENTURE OR QUEST THAT INVOLVES PERCEIVED RISK: "

 Successful Outcome: brave, courageous, confident
 Failed Outcome: stupid, risky, naive, arrogant



Life is risky but nothing worth pursuing is risk free.

We need to be our own heroine or hero, having a deep sense of self-reliance and purpose, in expressing our creative voice. If not, we can experience a restlessness and unease, in unrealized hopes and dreams, possibly resulting in not having a sense of knowing who we really are, and what we can achieve through all the action and energy that the suit of Wands has to offer.