Four of Swords - Contemplation Vs Shack Whackiness

Here's Orestes, sitting peacefully in front of the patterned swords. He's contemplating, and I would love to know what is going through his mind. Having gone through some really tough times lately, he is in serious need of a time out, to recharge his batteries, to get a re-boot and an oil change!
The Four of Swords indicates, it's time for break.

In the Winter, there are many forms of being shack whacky, and simultaneously, if you are going through tough times like Orestes, you have to try and work with what you have, going with the flow, whatever you want to call it, until you can get your mojo workin' again. I think this is the secret to marshaling run away thoughts, and putting some order into the chaos of life, which by the way, with me, exists mostly if not all, in my in my mind. Whether it be through meditation, prayer, creating art, writing, reading, going for a walk, talking to a friend, playing with your cat or whatever works, I say do that!.

Thank goodness Spring is only a month away. Not being a person who partakes in Winter outdoor activities, my natural tendency is to withdraw, and become introspective inside my house, close to the wood stove. So the Four of Swords suits me just fine right now.

I am not talking about just sittin' around contemplating on my belly button lint, and chanting Om. I am talking about taking advantage of the down time, in order to replenish spiritually, through mindfulness, contemplation and prayer, which helps to keep me calm, and focused on the present, regardless of what is happening. Sometimes this is the only thing to do when the weather seems to be the 'big event' that everyone is talking about right now. I don't want to talk about the weather! I have other fish to fry, and this last stretch of Winter is a real good time for withdrawal and contemplation, that supplies inner resources, to carry me forward.

Yesterday I made a commitment to have a show in June, the week of my Birthday, like I did last year. The preparation for this exhibit will help me to really get focused on my art work, knowing I have a timeline and the commitment. Working on this project right now, will also give more order to my thoughts, and to my life, which the Four of Swords speaks about.

When we are going through difficulties, no matter what they are, we instinctively seek a quiet place in order to take inventory, but often we don't recognize how it is important to value this time for reflection, being caught up in the busyness of daily life.

Sometimes it seems easier just to forget about the whole damn mess, because we'd rather not be reminded, or think about of our difficult circumstance. Avoidance and denial may seem to work for a short while, but is really never, a healthy resolution. We have to deal with it sooner of later. This has certainly been my experience. In the dead of Winter, if I don't take some kind of proactive action, it will simply get me more shack whacky than I already am or worse!

When I lived in Yellowknife, North West Territories we would have what is called the Caribou Carnival in the Winter, on the Solstice, when the sun got stronger,q making for longer, brighter days. It was a good thing to bring people out of their isolation, because we really did get cabin fever. This great gathering would get our minds off our problems, brought everyone together for some fun, because fun break with fellowship is a good break too!

I might go outside, and clear the snow off my car, as it is a lovely sunny warmer day with no risk of 'nostricles' this afternoon! I might even shovel and could even enjoy it, but not willingly. I have a hard time 'embracing' Winter, but today I'll give it a try!

*Two hours later I took action! After I wrote the above, I went outside. I dug a narrow path from my lane out to the mailbox, but the spot where the green super mail box is across the road, isn't plowed out, so no mail. I cleared off my car and dug it out. Warmed up the car. Sounds weird and wonky and was shaking. I think I need transmission fluid. I filled my slow leaking tire.
We are getting another Winter mess tomorrow, but I said I didn't want to talk about the weather.

So I feel better for getting outside, but I didn't exactly have fun.
Good news is, the fellow who plows out my lane will be coming after supper.

Tea break!

Sun, Sun, Sun Here It Comes!

 Being that we are mid -Winter, and many of us are fed up with snow and cold, I thought I would  choose the Sun to study today. I was thinking about what would be the best card in the deck. It is said to be this one, The Sun. It is thought to be the most positive card in the Tarot deck. I have to agree. Whenever I do a reading, and this card appears, it immediately gives me a feeling of happiness, great hope, optimism in the present and for the future. The Sun is after all, the life giving planet, and it makes all things grow, including ourselves. We always feel better when the Sun is shining. I know I certainly do.

After yet another snow storm I was at a loss as to how the heck I was ever going to manage to get dug out again. I had shoveled for over two hours yesterday, and now we had even more snow than last time, and it was heavy! In spite of sun shine I was feeling a little on the very glum side, from being shack whacky and  being completely snowed in. Then a miracle happened. I got plowed out!!! A complete surprise! Oh, and now the Sun is shining even brighter, and my back is feeling better already! Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes! I'm heading out tonight!

The Sun
The naked child mounted on a white horse and displaying a red standard has been mentioned already as the better symbolism connected with this card. It is the destiny of the Supernatural East and the great and holy light which goes before the endless procession of humanity, coming out from the walled garden of the sensitive life and passing on the journey home. The card signifies, therefore, the transit from the manifest light of this world, represented by the glorious sun of earth, to the light of the world to come, which goes before aspiration and is typified by the heart of a child.
But the last allusion is again the key to a different form or aspect of the symbolism. The sun is that of consciousness in the spirit - the direct as the antithesis of the reflected light. The characteristic type of humanity has become a little child therein—a child in the sense of simplicity and innocence in the sense of wisdom. In that simplicity, he bears the seal of Nature and of Art; in that innocence, he signifies the restored world. When the self-knowing spirit has dawned in the consciousness above the natural mind, that mind in its renewal leads forth the animal nature in a state of perfect conformity. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Pictorial_Key_to_the_Tarot#The_Greater_Arcana_and_their_Divinatory_Meanings

 The Sun, the giver of life, represents our conscious mind in Astrology. It represents our will to live and our creative life force.
Just as the planets revolve around the Sun in our solar system, we derive our life purpose from the Sun in our natal charts. The Sun is our ego. It is also our "adult"-- the part of us that censors our "inner child", that reasons things out, and makes final decisions. The Sun is our basic identity, and represents self-realization.  When you are asked, "Who are you?", and you've passed your basic statistics and occupation, your answers will be a description of your Sun. The Sun also represents our overall vitality. The Sun directs us, and can be considered "the boss" of our chart.
The Sun () is so important in the chart, that the happiest people on this earth are those who identify (without over-identifying) with the Sun's expression. Though one might think that the traits of their Sun would come easy to them, the truth is, the Sun shows what we are learning to be. It is very important to remember that the Sun represents reason as opposed to instinct.
With respect to the other luminary (the Moon), the Sun reflects the present or the "here and now", while the Moon infuses the past into our lives through the feelings.
Grant Lewi referred to the Sun as indicative of "the psychological bias which will dominate your actions". He went on to say, "You may think, dream, imagine, hope to be a thousand things, according to your Moon and your other planets: but the Sun is what you are, and to be your best self in terms of your Sun is to cause your energies to work along the path in which they will have maximum help from planetary vibrations." (1)
When we are "acting out" our Sun, we are purposeful, directed, proud, and creative. On the negative side, we can be haughty, overly willful, self-centered, and judgmental.
In the chart, the position of the Sun by zodiac sign represents the native's life purpose and the style in which they leave their mark in the world. By house, the Sun's position shows where our personalities shine. The areas of life associated with that house reveal the types of experiences which contribute to our sense of individuality and which shape our sense of pride. These areas of life are ones in which we seek to express and focus our Sun sign qualities. http://www.cafeastrology.com/sun.html