The Queen of Cups - The Feminine Heroine

Oh she's a grand lady, the Queen of Cups. She's loving, fertile and an emotionally generous woman. She drinks deeply from the cup of life. Her emotions and sexuality flow like water and both are intense. She lives in the inner world of feeling, bottomless and unfathomable. She is beautiful Helen of Troy, the women in the card of the Lovers. I like to think of her as a feminist, and understanding that the personal is political.

This card is very timely and fitting for me, as I am reading a book The Heroine's Journey that speaks of this Queen who represents the deepening and development of the ultimate feminine soul qualities of the individual, her inner life relies on her intuition before her intellect. The Queen of Cups lives the Heroine's Journey.

So much of our identity comes from our mother, in positive or negative ways. Society's perception of the feminine has been distorted, based on a masculine perception, both historically and culturally. This is often why so many women perceive themselves, without confidence or belief in themselves, and not wanting to fully embrace their real identity, because their identity is not masculine. Understanding the Queen of Cups within ourselves, can help us to embrace our real feminine nature.

The Heroine’s Journey by Nazim Artist

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.

Three of Swords - Recovery

The Three of Swords is a card of pain and like all threes in the Tarot deck it signifies completion.The pain has come to the surface, and is a release of energy, so the path is clear to move forward toward recovery and celebration. There is separation and conflict, and indicates an inability to see, because of self-deception and fantasy.

Being sixty one feels great. The blinders are now off and my 'give a shit' has stopped working. The heart ache and pain of the past is behind me, though it still hurts from time to time. Regardless, I am now more comfortable, and confident in my skin, even though life can be problematic, it is a relief to know I can accept,  cope with it and thrive.

 I know I am healing along the continuum. I can care for myself and take responsibility for my own happiness. I now look to the future resolved with optimism. It is a good feeling, as opposed to my younger days, when I felt  insecure and emotionally unhealthy, and most of all, heartbroken.

Presently I am reading the Heroine's Journey by Maureen Murdock. It is helping me to understand myself and the reason's why I behave the way I do as a woman, and what lead to my heartache and pain. One particular statement I read really struck me, and made me think on a unconscious level from an early age I knew this to be true. This I am certain I have always loved dancing, it somehow connected me with the divine.

" Women access their spirituality through movement and body awareness, so a denial of the body inhibits the heroine's spiritual development. She ignores her intuition and dreams and pursues the safer activities of the mind. "

Knight of Swords - Changing Our Perspective

When I drew this card today, thought, I'll put that one back, but then I thought, no this card speaks of the sign Gemini which is my astrological sign. I then impulsively ran outside to get the humungous amounts of grass clippings I had left from mowing over the past three days. The grass had gotten way out of hand. After that I came in and started this post.

This impulsiveness is typical in this Knight of Swords. He runs in like a bull in a china shop wanting, to save the day or causes turmoil like a house on fire. The mercurial character in the card augers sudden change which can be most welcome and can really excite some folks or be very disconcerting to others, because the routine have been disrupted and the apple cart has been upset, which can be a positive or negative.

As a Gemini, I understand the my capacities and the character defects of my dual nature, which is represented in the Knight of Swords that illustrates two men on a horse, identical twins, known as Dioscuri. Castor was mortal and Polydeuces was divine.

Knight of Swords is the one that is the charmer, the Don Juan of the romantic legend. He is the eternal youth, always changing, in search of the next adventure, and can't stay still for long, or he will get board. Some individuals may possess more of this impulse then others.
I am one of those that needs to be weary of this intensely attractive individual, because I will no doubt get my heart broken.

One thing is sure, change is good, even if it might not be seem positive when it is happening. Change can boot us out of our comfort zone, will change our perspective and broaden out vision in one way or another, giving clarity to gain control over our emotion and grow as individuals.

The Hermit - The Way To Wisdom

I love the Hermit card, as I have always had a thirst to understand spiritual matters. This is a card of strong healing, as a result of solitude, loneliness, patience, and from which comes, insight and understanding.

 Who is this Hermit? He is the ancient God Cronos, who's name means time. The Fool, the first Major Arcana card of the Tarot deck, has four moral lessons to learn, and the last of these, is the lesson of time within the cycle of life, and the lesson of mortality.

Deciding to move to the countryside, being in close contact with nature, has allowed me to focus my mind and heart. Through quite reflection, and the solitude of living alone has provided me with serenity amidst the storms of life.

Spending my childhood and early youth, and early adulthood in the city, I understand all that it has to offer. As an adult I came to the realization I was unhappy, and that I was the only person responsible for my own happiness. After asking myself, when was I the happiest in life, the answer came to me immediately. It was when I spent hours in the country. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to now live in rural Nova Scotia for twenty years.

Some folks don't understand why someone would want to live in the country. I understand why folks want to live in more urban city locations, but I know I would be very unhappy, and out of touch with that serenity and solace, that I had longed for since I was a child.

There is a deep part of my soul that has become the Hermit, and believe this is why I identify with this card so much.

 I think of the wise words that the late Robin Williams echos my thoughts and feelings about the Hermit.

  " I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone." 

Canada Geese - The View From My Studio - Catherine Meyers Photography

Eight of Wands - Carp Diem

Like Eight of the Wands we are all 'The Captain' of our own vessels traversing, and trying to maneuver the wild ocean waters of life.
We all face struggles and conflict, which can help or hinder our creativity. Some of us are overwhelmed, and there is not the help available that enables us to navigate through the rough seas over the passing of time.

Time passes quickly. " It seems just like yesterday. " " Life is short, and the older you get the faster time passes. " These are all statements I heard from my elders when I was a youngster. Now I find myself thinking and saying the same. Life can change in an instant, and we can get left behind. Carp Diem I always remember from Robin Williams film, The Dead Poets Society. There are universal truths in life and Carp Diem is certainly one of the more important ones.
 If you know someone that seems is struggling on rough seas, or that might be overwhelmed, reach out to give them a hand up, before they drown. Don't hesitate, seize the moment, you may just save their life, or maybe even your own.

O Captain! My Captain!

By Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

                         But O heart! heart! heart!

                            O the bleeding drops of red,

                               Where on the deck my Captain lies,

                                  Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

                         Here Captain! dear father!

                            This arm beneath your head!

                               It is some dream that on the deck,

                                 You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,

From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;

                         Exult O shores, and ring O bells!

                            But I with mournful tread,

                               Walk the deck my Captain lies,

                                  Fallen cold and dead.

Page of Wands - Time To Get A Backbone!

Being assertive is a hard life lesson for many of us. Most it seems, learn to either be aggressive or passive in our families of origin.

As Canadians, we are often self-deprecating, and make fun of ourselves, always apologizing and chronically saying "sorry". There is a funny element to this, but is also a kind of sad commentary.

I think humour is often our outlet, and maybe why we are known for our comedians. Comedy can be aggressive, misplaced, diverted anger and I understand that, being a huge comedy fan, but it needs to be more than hiding behind the mask of satyr, and cynicism.

Learning to use humour to get my message across,  I also have learned and am still learning, how to be assertive, and not fall into the black hole of apathy. Aggression and passivity are my enemies, and so here in the Page of Wands, is the message to let your voice be heard. If we do not speak up, then what ever is bothering us festers, and we can become bitter. If someone is really creating a problem or disruption and we don't tell them how we are feel about it, we don't give them the opportunity to change their behaviour.

The Page of Wands also encourages us to realize, that it's time to discover a new creative capacity within. Restlessness or a vague feeling of dissatisfaction may be present. It is important to pay attention to these feelings, and to take them seriously and to nurture these harbingers of creative inspiration.

It is essential that I listen and encourage my own inner voice as well, and not let it be squelched out by the noise, resentment and things that cause me to loose my focus. Time to get a backbone!