King of Wands - The Spirituality of Imperfection

The King of Wands, the counter part to the Queen of Wands ( The Sunshine Lady) and both are symbolic of the creative imagination. This card also embodies a combination of positive and negative characteristics, not unlike most of us. It can be difficult to come to terms with some of these and easier to accept other personality traits within this individual.

What can be very frustrating about the King of Wands is to clearly recognize the strong leadership qualities and capacities that are apparent in someone who could be a heroic figure, a shaper of world events, and has the power to be a visionary influence, having an infectious personality that can be very convincing to generate change.

Here is the caveat. The fact that he/she is intolerant of limitation, impatient, is certain that they are right, and is an unquestionable bad loser. These character defects can undermine and be very detrimental to his or her relationships.

Though we are not the same in our personalities, we share in common the quality of imperfection. We are all human, need to remain humble, and need to have a sense of humour. These are the life tools and qualities that real heroes and heroines possess.

Queen of Swords - The Huntress of Perfectionism

The Queen of Swords embodies the mythic figure of Atalanta the Huntress, who was born the child of King Iasus who'd wanted a male child, not a female. She was rejected and abandoned by her father, left on a hillside, but was rescued and suckled by a bear, who was sent to her by the moon-goddess Artemetis-Hecate.

This card urges us to think before we act, to use our intelligence, to be perceptive and brave. She can seem cool, distant and even calculated. This impression can be seen in her deportment and surface identity. Upon closer look there is an individual who has a great depth of character and influence as a brave woman, and a quick thinker. This Queen, with very high ideals, strives for perfection.

However her high standards may be difficult for many of us to live up too. Her perfectionism, can cause a kind of loneliness, as a result of her unrealistic expectations of others that fall short of her idealism. She is always making an effort to prove herself, and projects this on to others, as a result of her once having been expected to be perfect but failed in doing so.

The message found in the Queen of Swords is that we are human, and therefore vulnerable to being hurt. We may demand superhuman perfection from others and from ourselves, but it more than likely will create problems for us.

The Moon - The Beauty of Imperfection

I always think of the Moon as being beautifully perfect. I suppose because it speaks so strongly to that part of myself that has my Moon in Pisces in my astrological chart which creates a polarity of opposites and contradictions. This is the way I see life. It is a contradiction of polar opposites and fortunately or unfortunately we can't have one without the other, it's just the way it is.

There are so many other reasons that the Moon is such a significant card, representing the sea of the unconscious, being the card of Hecate, that is sometimes interchangeable with the moon-goddess Artemis. Hecate is underworld moon goddess. The confusion, fluctuation and uncertainty of Hecate, is certainly more about imperfection, and the only thing I can do, is to hold on to faith and hope, in the transformation that comes through personal development and growth, which is reflected in the inevitable changing faces of life.

Hecate is vague and elusive, which can cause great anxiety and bewilderment. Along with faith and hope I also need the wisdom of patience in life, which allows for the a gestation period, before I can grasp a clarity and knowledge on the 'royal road' of dreams which is the only road to Hecate's world, where I learn about the beauty of imperfection.

On this road, I learn how to honour the imperfect, to be who I am, and to accept life on life's terms. That is beauty, as sometimes described in the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi, as being "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete." There is spirituality to be found in imperfection.

We Are All Worm Poo - Four of Swords

This morning my frustrations caused me to ask a specific question before I drew my daily card. I was feeling impatient. I was wanting the answer to my question to, what I wanted to hear. 

The Creator has a sense of humour.. We might not appreciate that, but it's true, and this is a good reminder, to wear the world as a loose garment, not to take ourselves too seriously or allowing ourselves to be too bothered by what is happening in our own lives, getting our underwear in a big knot.

It is my experience that, if can only focus on being truly grateful, this keeps me humble.
This sounds a lot easier than it is. It takes practice, soul practice I'll call it.

I always remember one of those life changing kind of books I read, The Spirituality of Imperfection by
Kurtz and Ketcham. Ernie Kurtz relayed a story about the root of the words humour, humility, and human. The root of each word is humus, which means worm poo. This made me laugh. It has always really helped me to remember these three words, and to keep them at the forefront of my mind. Applying these words to myself helps me to accept life, on life's terms, which has become my way of living, and as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said:

 And so again today I drew the Four of Wands, twice in one week, with the same message, don't get your underwear in a knot. I smiled and had a little chuckle, and just got on with my day.

Why Imperfection Beats Perfection

The High Priestess (Persephone) visited once again today via my daily draw. She was exactly the confirmation, and affirmation I was hoping for, but not necessarily expecting, especially today. I hadn't exactly given up just feeling a little discouraged, but I had just let it go.

I think the message here for me, is to have faith, more faith than what I have, in those things seen, unseen and mysterious.

I have to say it is a good feeling to be at a place in your life where you feel things are finally starting to turn around. This is not without hard work, dedication and faith in myself, in others, and in the God of my own understanding.

Life certainly is never going to be perfect, but it is perfect in it's imperfection, and for that I am very grateful, and happy. The imperfection of life and of human beings is what makes the journey of life a deeply spiritual one, and I am always learning. The idea of perfection is so imperfect.

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