Two of Wands - Choose Empathy

Today I heard a wise women, Mary Gordon speak about empathy and a program. The Roots of Empathy that's been developed for children in schools. It's been proven to reduce bullying and aggression in schools.

This program involves parents bringing their own infants into the schools and a trainer enables children the opportunity to interact and observe the baby in order for the children to begin to what Mary Gordon calls "catching" empathy. She describes childhood as being the springtime of life.

When human beings are given the opportunity to discovery empathy this is where real personal growth and progress begins.

The Two of Wands depicts Jason  as he stands before the Centaur Chiron's cave, who is healer, priest and the great wise spiritual teacher, advising Jason to be bold and to know he's strong enough to change his dreams into reality. And like Jason we too must be the same and emulate the spiritual values that enable us to manifest real empathy toward others through an individual vision of the spirit. This vision will guide us as we leave childhood behind however we can still choose to live in the springtime of life watching the flowering of our life continue, and we will then be graced with unforeseen strength.

Two of Wands - Out of the Sanctuary of the Cave

The Two of Wands signifies the formulation of a new vision and creative idea that is coalescing. This card indicates a pervasive sense of duality or polarity, and the opportunity and having the willingness to pick up with both hands, all the progress and discovery that is freely offered, enabling a harmonious and positive future.

Tomorrow Canadians, or many of of us, will celebrate Canada Day. I don't share this enthusiasm. Oh yes I will emphatically state, I'm so grateful to live in Canada, as there's so much to be thankful for living in this country, and I will always feel this way. But as far as the celebrations over the past 150 years, I can't feel much more than the sting of hypocrisy because this history is heavily overshadowed by the dark legacy and travesty against Indigenous people in countless ways, that was an attempt to commit nothing short of genocide through Colonialism, and this is nothing to celebrate.

I may not share the enthusiasm of Canada Day but I certainly do share the hope of a new creative vision for Canada's future, that depends upon individual courage and faith in that invisible creative power and capacity to generate positive change. This vision of the new path ahead, where human beings are united together as one people, will make a better country, and a better world.

 Does my attitude make me any less Canadian?  I don't think so, but I do hope it just might make me a better Canadian because I share a different vision in hopes that we can't make the same mistake twice.

Two of Wands - Are You A Conscious Choice Maker?

Here we see Chiron the healer and teacher in the cave, well hidden from view. Jason stands with two burning wands held on either side. Jason has left his more base behaviours behind thanks to Chiron, and come out into the light on his own to face the world, to decide what direction he will take.

Behaviour that is part of our the human nature we all possess, often referred to as being our monkey mind, that behaves according to a fight or flight reaction, is instinctual, and somewhat opposed to the intellectual or intuitive and moral direction. But we all have choices to make in spite of our basic instincts.

We all can find ourselves in situations where humans are behaving badly, my mother use to call it "cuttin' up your didoes," it is displaying some kind of foolish and destructive antics in other words. This saying is of unknown origin, but related to the Greek legend of Dido, who committed suicide after she'd been abandoned by her husband. Bad behaviour stems from deep hurt of some kind. The bad behaviour can become so convoluted, that most of us have a difficult time feeling much compassion or understanding for another with whom we just want to get the heck away from, or we want retaliate with similar reactive behaviour.

Christmas seems to bring out the worst or the best in folks, being a time when emotions are often close to the surface. Many are of us are stressed, overtired, overwhelmed, and over spent. We can be depressed by unrealistic expectations never fulfilled, and wound up tight as a drum. Someone is sure to get their underwear in a knot, and then next thing you know, there's a big blow up.

Many adults I know that grew up in alcoholic homes, can recall how the Christmas tree often got fired out the door, and onto the street. Fortunately this is not one of my unpleasant memories.

We have a choice how we respond to someone else's bad behaviour when they are cuttin' up their didoes! We can react in kind to their inappropriate actions, which only escalates matters, or we can extend a hand of understanding and kindness.

Dido

This was my experience Christmas Day with another behaving badly. I offered understanding, and a big hug. I was then was shown tears and appreciation for doing so. It was an important lesson, for me mostly, on "becoming a conscious choice-maker."

"By becoming a conscious choice-maker, you begin to generate actions that are evolutionary for you and for those that are around you. And that’s all you need to do." ~ Deepak Chopra

Two of Wands - Courage

In drawing the Two of Wands this morning, courage is the subject.

In this Minor Arcana card, we find Chiron the healer, astrologer, teacher, and tutor with a youth nurturing nature, and as Jason's life long protector. Chiron played very important roll in Jason's life from birth, and into his adulthood. Without Chiron to help and protect Jason, there would be no Golden Fleece. Not unlike those in our own lives, who act as our own courageous mentors, champions, and personal heroes, they inspire, enable our visions to come into fruition, help us to achieve our goals, and without them, we would not be able to realize or forge our dreams.

To live a life of courage is not necessarily manifested in heroic events, like saving the lives of the drowning, rescuing others from burning buildings etc. These events, and heroes should be held in very high esteem, and revered.

There are also those heroes who persevere, living everyday lives, performing acts of courage, and simply living their daily lives. So many mothers, fathers and families and mentors, strive to impart loving values to children, protecting and lifting up others who are discouraged, frightened or without hope in a world filled with so much strife, poverty, disease, and violence. These heroes are more often unsung, but are the protectors of the vulnerable and of truth.

Brazilian lyricist and writer Paulo Coelho describes, "An act of courage is always an act of love."

Two of Wands - Courage

I love the Two of Wands in the Mythic Tarot because it speaks of courage, that is imparted to another, represented here by Chiron,  the centaur, half human, half horse, the wounded healer or the teacher. Jason has been told about the Golden Fleece and that he is a prince, and rightly needs to claim his inheritance to the throne.

Chiron

 The adventurer and the beginning of a creative vision is represented here in the Two of Wands and a goal that is believed in, though it is not clear as to how this goal will be achieved. This goal is full of creative potential, depending on the courage of this individual to face the unknown and to put their faith in the invisible creative power.

This is a wonderfully affirming card, spurring and inspiring the individual to come out of the cave so to speak, face the fear and to take hold of the new adventure and bring this new vision into fruition and concrete being.