King of Cups - No One Loves The Man Whom He Fears - Aristotle

Having an affinity with the King of Cups and is for me about loving men who are not afraid of relationships or of their own emotion or emotions expressed by others. I also admire women who have the same capacity. That said, I also identify very much with the King of Cups, with being fearful of his emotion and of relationships. I have experienced both kinds states of mind and perceptions, living life accordingly.

When I see this King, I think of the Queen of Cups, who feels and drinks deeply from the cup of life, but unlike her, this King feels deeply, and may want desperately to partake in his feelings, but he holds back in fear of fully participating in relationship with himself, with others, and even with the God of his understanding. He is disconnected from life when it comes to his relationships. He can feel very much alone, in a crowd.

His fear of intimacy is the avoidance pain, however in reality he actually creates for himself, the pain he is trying to avoid at all costs. But the price he pays is great. He has a kind of living problem, or what I call a hole in the soul. Loving another is just to risky.

Until the King of Cups can find a way of uniting and his male and female nature within, he is not a man fully alive. There is still a apart of himself that does he is unable to accept that does not allow room for love. The result is a constant underlining unhappiness, unacknowledged, misunderstood, and unchanged. He lives in a kind of lonely, dark underworld psychologically, that can culminate in mental health problems, such as deep depression , break downs, or even suicide.

He can immerse himself into to his rich creative life for comfort and escape, but for whatever reason he is without the ability to share openly through an intimate relationship, with someone he is willing to trust as a confidant. There is now a fertile environment laid and the antecedent for addictive behaviours that can threaten his very life, mind, body, and soul.

 Addiction is a disease of the emotion, and a living problem. Life is full of hurt and disappointment. Life is also very full of love and joy. If we cannot accept and find a way to cope and accept life on life's terms it is impossible to find happiness within.We cannot experience the love and joy without feeling the weakness of disappointment and pain. This is what gives us our strength and power.

Five of Cups - When Bad Things Happen

Here in the Five of Cups we see Psyche in full pursuit of Eros. Her joy has turned sour, she is feeling great loss, and even resentment over unfulfilled dreams and her severed relationship with Eros. This Minor Arcana card that I drew today, is about when bad things happen to good people and how we deal with these events. We can choose to withdraw when circumstances beyond our control manifest in negative, or even destructive ways. When we see the glass half empty, or isolate in fear with cynical contempt toward others or toward life in general, in order to protect ourselves from getting hurt, it is not realistic, how to live a happy fulfilled life.

Things can happen directly to us or to others, and can have a profound affect on our lives. I am no different and have had many difficulties and heartaches that have changed me, and my life.

 I once asked an elder wise woman who had several hardships, why bad things happen, and why it seems some folks have more of their share of hardship, heartache and loss.

She shared with me, that when these events happen to us we become different people. We have the opportunity to be more compassionate toward others, and we can help them to overcome the burdens they suffer. We can become stronger individuals from the struggles we endure. Those who have not had this experience can often lack understanding and compassion, or often do not have the same depth of character. When my friend shared her thoughts, it made a lot of sense to me, and my experience had found this to be true. I saw things differently from this point on.

What happens to us in life of course, and how we respond, I must say, depends on our own attitude, our philosophy, and how we actualize this in our daily life. Remorse over unfulfilled dreams or regret, is simply living in the past. Acceptance of our circumstances and appreciation of life, and all that it has to offer makes the difference.

 If of course we have overwhelming feelings and thoughts, that are affecting our mental health, beyond our control, we have to find and seek help, and those around us hopefully, will help us, to help ourselves. We can not say to people, I know things are difficult, but just  be positive and things will improve, like Pollyanna. It is just not that simple for so many of us.

I cannot help but think of the association Glenn Close helped to initiate called, BringChange2mind or Robin Williams and how he suffered silently with a smile on his face, making others laugh like none other on earth.

 I can't say that we can  prevent another from depression, addiction and any other circumstance or malady. However we cannot stick our heads in the sand, in denial, pretending that is does not exist, or that someone does not need our support, help, acceptance and most of all our love.

Bad things do happen to us, but so do good things, and they are worth fighting for in life.

The Hermit - The Way To Wisdom

I love the Hermit card, as I have always had a thirst to understand spiritual matters. This is a card of strong healing, as a result of solitude, loneliness, patience, and from which comes, insight and understanding.

 Who is this Hermit? He is the ancient God Cronos, who's name means time. The Fool, the first Major Arcana card of the Tarot deck, has four moral lessons to learn, and the last of these, is the lesson of time within the cycle of life, and the lesson of mortality.

Deciding to move to the countryside, being in close contact with nature, has allowed me to focus my mind and heart. Through quite reflection, and the solitude of living alone has provided me with serenity amidst the storms of life.

Spending my childhood and early youth, and early adulthood in the city, I understand all that it has to offer. As an adult I came to the realization I was unhappy, and that I was the only person responsible for my own happiness. After asking myself, when was I the happiest in life, the answer came to me immediately. It was when I spent hours in the country. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to now live in rural Nova Scotia for twenty years.

Some folks don't understand why someone would want to live in the country. I understand why folks want to live in more urban city locations, but I know I would be very unhappy, and out of touch with that serenity and solace, that I had longed for since I was a child.

There is a deep part of my soul that has become the Hermit, and believe this is why I identify with this card so much.

 I think of the wise words that the late Robin Williams echos my thoughts and feelings about the Hermit.

  " I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone." 

Canada Geese - The View From My Studio - Catherine Meyers Photography

Eight of Wands - Carp Diem

Like Eight of the Wands we are all 'The Captain' of our own vessels traversing, and trying to maneuver the wild ocean waters of life.
We all face struggles and conflict, which can help or hinder our creativity. Some of us are overwhelmed, and there is not the help available that enables us to navigate through the rough seas over the passing of time.

Time passes quickly. " It seems just like yesterday. " " Life is short, and the older you get the faster time passes. " These are all statements I heard from my elders when I was a youngster. Now I find myself thinking and saying the same. Life can change in an instant, and we can get left behind. Carp Diem I always remember from Robin Williams film, The Dead Poets Society. There are universal truths in life and Carp Diem is certainly one of the more important ones.
 If you know someone that seems is struggling on rough seas, or that might be overwhelmed, reach out to give them a hand up, before they drown. Don't hesitate, seize the moment, you may just save their life, or maybe even your own.

O Captain! My Captain!

By Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

                         But O heart! heart! heart!

                            O the bleeding drops of red,

                               Where on the deck my Captain lies,

                                  Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

                         Here Captain! dear father!

                            This arm beneath your head!

                               It is some dream that on the deck,

                                 You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,

From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;

                         Exult O shores, and ring O bells!

                            But I with mournful tread,

                               Walk the deck my Captain lies,

                                  Fallen cold and dead.