Ten of Pentacles - Why I Love Oat Cakes and Maple Trees

After making some Nova Scotia oatcakes and picking fresh yellow beans from my garden, I called a dear friend today. I told him about how lovely it is to be enjoying my Summer, sitting under the shaded canopy of the magnificent Maple tree in my front yard with a cold drink. He said that sure made him feel good to know. Of course that made me feel good too, to hear him say this.

I really have been soaking up the small numerous pleasures of the season, and thinking about how very grateful I am to have these things to get so much pleasure from.

The card I drew today, the Ten of Pentacles is all about a sense of completion, contentment, security and having a sense of permanence. We see a happy family who is safe and secure, living a full life of contentment.

I've been thinking about these matters a lot lately and upon drawing this card, I realize as time passes, just how very blessed I am. I'm increasingly more grateful for life and all the gifts that have been so freely bestowed upon me.

In another four months it will be three years since I paid off my house. Each year this reality sinks in more, as opposed to when I first saw the end of my mortgage. It was a little surreal to me then, and hadn't begun to really sink in. I had gotten so use to struggling as a single woman on my own, for so very long, over the past 20 plus years. It's taken time to catch up to experiencing the relief of not having to struggle quite as much as I have in the past, and to know that it will continue to get easier for me. That's a really good feeling.

The symbols of happiness represented in the Ten of Pentacles never seemed possible to me, though I longed for such things in my life. They were elusive I thought, but apparently were a concrete reality for others, not for me. It took me a long, long time to figure this all out.

I see now reflecting back, that I was on a path that eventually lead me to the kind of happiness that comes with completion, contentment, security and permanence. But I didn't reach this phase of life easily. It came very hard, and painfully.

Most importantly, it came with the help of the God of my understanding and with the help, love and support of my family and friends. I believe we never find happiness on our own, but it's absolutely essential to be grateful. If not, it's impossible to find the happiness we seek and we miss seeing the forest for the trees.

Speaking of trees I'm going out again to sit under the Maple tree canopy, with a couple of Nova Scotia oatcakes and a cup King Cole tea, and maybe a cat on my lap!

Nova Scotia Oatcakes Yum!

Shaded Maple Tree Canopy

Ten of Swords - Do You Need a Reprieve?

Lately I can't seem to get away from Swords in my daily draw of Tarot cards. This card makes sense to me today because I had a bit of a reprieve from my nagging problems, like the Furies that have almost done poor Orestes in.

There's not a human being alive that hasn't been through low points in life and sometimes there's nothing else left to be done except a divine intervention of sorts. Some people might consider it luck that changes, or somehow turns around. It could be a change in attitude toward one of optimism and hope, in spite of what negative events are happening. This isn't easy, being hopeful in the midst of crisis when we feel despair.

For me, it's been a habit of having hope that I've tried hard to work at over the years, to keep my sense of humour, and to remember I'm human. I've also needed to see things from a perspective in knowing that things could always be much worse, and to be truly grateful. Living one day, one hour, and sometimes one minute at a time, has made a big difference in how I approach problems.

For many, especially those under violence and persecution throughout the world, who are imprisoned for their beliefs, often times some how find the strength to rise above it all and are able see the beauty in life, in spite of their circumstance. 

I heard one such beautiful 50 year old woman by the name Marina Nemat yesterday, on the CBC Radio Ideas program entitled, Hope Within Horror who talked about how she'd come to see the beauty of life after being imprisoned and tortured in the most notorious Iranian Evin prison, when she was only 16 years old.  It was remarkably inspiring and moving to hear her speak, and sure put life into clear perspective.

Marina Nemat

 "That is humanity -- when we love despite evil, when we care despite evil, when we stand against evil with what can fight it the best. Evil cannot fight evil. My friends taught me that even in a place like Evin Prison, there is a clear road to humanity. And I will never ever forget that"
- Marina Nemat

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

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.

Ten of Pentacles - Permanence

My apologies to my readers for having no posts as of late. My internet had been up and down, but mostly down the past few weeks, the result of power outages due to Spring snow storms, and problems with my new devices for my internet settings. Thankfully it's all good now!

In spite of nothing in this life being permanent, the internet appears to be, unless it doesn't work! One can get the impression that the internet, and our online presence will live on forever, even after we leave this mortal coil.

Ironically, the card I picked today from the Minor Arcana is, the Ten of Pentacles, the card of permanence, signifying what outlasts us, and the legacy we leave. It can be in the form of material possessions, and life achievements, that are passed on to others and the ones we love. This legacy can also be the creative ideas that endure through the example we have imparted, through our values and beliefs. These creative ideas can  also be in those tangible ways through a book, writing, a painting or other artistic achievements. What is passed on to us or to others matters greatly. What we have achieved , whether it be in material inheritance is something not to be squandered or misused. It can give us not only a feeling of security and contentment, but perhaps more importantly, it gives a deep sense of belonging, and the knowledge that we are loved.

There is a lesson that can be gleaned here, in that we need to pass along, or pay it forward, what is so freely given to us.

Today I saw the return of the Canada geese on my frozen over salt marsh. They come every Spring, and that seems also to be permanent. I hope for their return always year after year.

The one thing that is always permanent is hope, which really does spring eternal, in spite of the storms of life that come our way. It is my hope that Spring will always come again.