Queen of Pentacles - The Happiness of Pursuit

This generous and gracious Queen of Pentacles is a great lover of the finer things in life and loves nothing more than  to share them. Not necessarily monetary possessions but the love and attachment to her environment and to the natural world around her.. This is kind of appreciation is the foundation of what is what is essential to her own personal happiness, much more so than physical things. It enables her deep spiritual connection that transcends, and transforms her into a better person of depth and character that is defined by who she is, not by what she possesses, or her status is society.

When I see the Queen of Pentacles today, I immediately think about how we can all get caught up in material possessions and acquiring things that we think will make us happy. We worry about how we are going to manage to either get ahead financially, while going deeper and deeper into debt, living in a culture where many of us live credit rich, and cash poor.

I think the Queen of Pentacles urges us to involve ourselves more in the happiness that comes from the happiness of the pursuit, instead of the pursuit of happiness.

" It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in the happiness of pursuit. "
                                       - Denis Waitley

Ten of Wands - Oppression Versus Wearing The World As A Loose Garment

Hmmm, what to say about the Ten of Wands. Looks pretty oppressive, and Jason is overwhelmed and hemmed in by all those flaming wands. He's feeling not only overwhelmed, but what he had taken on, in pursuing and finally obtaining the Golden Fleece, has left him depressed, and bored under the weight of everyday responsibilities which has definitely cramped his style.

Jason's great ship the Argo is wrecked, beached and mouldering. He has achieved what he set out to do, but isn't happy. The initial enthusiasm when he began this great undertaking, has long vanished. Jason may have been naive to think that the pursuit of this kind of adventure is not what is really going to bring him sustained happiness.

Like Jason, we can accomplish great things through our projects, and once they are achieved,we can be left with that feeling reflected in that old song,  "Is that all there is?" The answer of course is no, that's not all there is, but we need to find a sustainable happiness within the real world. I am not what I do. This makes me ask myself, is it the pursuit of happiness or is it the happiness of pursuit, or both that are important?

 In the past I was addicted to a state of hyper-vigilance. This kind of addiction I believe is rooted in unmet needs growing up. I grew up with this kind of addiction, because I never knew what was going to happen in our dysfunctional home, and so I unconsciously found myself in similar situations in life and in particularly in my relationships. It just felt normal to me, but I sure was not happy. Like Jason I was unaware of my limitations, and I often made the wrong choices or took on more than I could ever handle.

 Some folks are addicted to the adrenalin rush that comes with some possibly dangerous risks, and they are never happy or satisfied unless they are in pursuit of the next big thing.
Today I can challenge myself within the real world with smart, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound goals. I can still partake in risk and adventure, that awakens the imagination  with new ideas, new goals, and a new gamble, while wearing the world as a loose garment, to avoid burn out.

 I don't feel the need to achieve huge great things today. Hyper-vigilance is not something I want anymore, but changing my habits for the better these days is, with not too much of an adrenalin rush needed.
Getting my next art series completed, having an exhibit, and getting my garage cleaned, that would be real big to me.

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.