Comparison shopping

Appearances can be deceiving.  What looks exactly like something else, can appear completely different from another's view.
The 'Eye of the Beholder' type of thing.
I am reminded by the show Star Trek, the original series, and the episode of "Let That Be Your Last Battlefied." 
Two individuals that appeared the same to the crew of the Enterprise but were so vastly different to each other and being the last of each of their kind, they could not live while the other existed.  Both had black and white faces, the glitch is they were on opposite sides, white and black, and  black and white. We can get hung up on such insignificant differences.
Spend one, save the other.  Spend both. Save both and go have a cup of tea and count your blessings. 

A view apart

I wonder what it takes to be a heavenly master, portrayed by the dragon, phoenix, tiger, and black turtle?  They are no longer on The Wheel but have risen above the mundane and not swept along by the Wheel of Chance.  The Wheel can crush us some times and then take us to joyful heights.  Which is all good and well but the adrenaline overload and the ups and downs do take their toll. 
So what can the Dragon, Phoenix, Tiger, and the Black Turtle give us a advise.  Alchemy I expect.  Transformation. 
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

The Chinese Tarot

Outdated programming

You know those five young guys battling back and forth in the Rider version of the Five of Wands, here they are all grown old, and still gathering.  They put their grievances down on paper those many years ago and have abided by their decisions made way back when. 
Well what was, is not now, and those rules no longer fit, not for them and not for this ever-changing world. 
Why do we continue to hold on to that doesn't work anymore?  I am older now and still working on some of the programming my parents installed.  Something to consider as I move forward with the choices that need to be made. 

Smugness

Excessively pleased with himself, this knight.  He completed his quest but at what cost?  I get an icky feeling from this knight.  Has he done more harm than good doing the job? 
Today I will beware the smiley face, especially the one that acts like they are doing something for me. Ick, no thank you.  I will do it myself.





The Chinese Tarot

To each their own

Happiness.  An experience or moment enjoyed.  Whether dancing a happy dance by yourself or with others under the rainbow of good fortune, we all have those moments by design or happenstance. 
Appreciation of Life
Moments of Pleasure
State of Well-Being
Satisfaction and Contentment.
I wonder if I found my 'Happy Thought' (Peter Pan) where would it take me?




The Chinese Tarot

Offense

The best defense is a strong offense, I think it is the quote, to who first said it, is inconclusive. 
Prepare for the worst and expect the best, a similar thought.
In the typical Eight of Swords a woman is portrayed as passive, a prisoner of her own making, her unwillingness to be proactive.
Not really a good choice.  Nor is this, come out with swords at the ready.  That is enough to put anyone on the defense and a contest ensues.  Some new approach is a better choice, but you have to get through the 8,9, and 10 of Swords to get to the Page, and then you begin to rethink all that fear, anger, worry, doubt.



The Chinese Tarot ~ Jui Guoliang

Nothing expected

Not expecting any kind of call today.  If it comes, I will listen.  Join a group?
Lately I grow more fear-full of the going ons of the world.  So much hate so much anger.  I wonder how many eons will it take when we can truly join hands in community.  I keep trying within my own sphere, but when reaching a lot of the time another hand is not extended.  Their fears keep themselves tightly bound.
Bright Blessings to the World and all who call it home

Time out

I seem to vacillate between boredom and being overwhelmed with to much to think about and do.  The thinking is what is the issue.  Might need to take a break and go sit by the water.  Can't get to the ocean at the moment.  All rain and chilly for the next few days, so I might perch in my car and sit down by the river since the riverbanks are too wet. 
Respite.

Mesmerize

The intensity of the glare captures you and draws you in.  The energy of the suit of Wands stirs things up and gets you going.  You can't ignore her when her eyes capture yours.  Something to learn, something that must be heard, something that must be done.
I had a dream last night about being out maneuvered.  The warning was it would happen unless I just refused to get strung along.  This wise-woman tells me to listen to the advice. 
Typical Card would be the King of Wands, who normally sets the pace and would not be out flanked.  Hopefully neither will I.

Just when you think you can relax and enjoy yourself, someone wants to spoil it. 

Dance a little dance

Yesterday I spoke of moments of complete happiness.  Little windows that open up and let me know that all is well.  This Wands dancer is opening herself up to one of those moments.  A perfect moment when you feel you could live in that bliss.  Of course as soon as you try to hold on to it, if begins to shift and drifts away.  It has to, we are beings of movement and learning. 
I have been working with energy healing and moving the energy through the meridians in my body and this card reminds me that my work continues on and for me.  Get up and Dance!

Yearning.

I can feel the urge, the yearning.  It presses upon.  Time for movement and change.
I have been wanting change and something else, and the more I yearn for it. the more impossible it seems to achieve.  And you know what, I am okay with that now.  Happiness is not something yet to come, that comes when it will, but being okay with this moment,  That's all we have.  I have been having these little moments of complete unity. Happiness, so much so in those little moments, I comment "I am happy"
The journey continues until it doesn't. 

Ever Hopeful

"I got sunshine on a cloudy day" ~ My Girl, The Temptations.
I could use some sunshine today to chase away those clouds of weird dreams that are hanging on.  Something my subconscious is trying to relay to me. 
I need some days sitting out in the sun.  A chair in my backyard with a big glass of ice water. Drifting, relaxing, soaking up some Vitamin D, cloud watching.  Winter has been sort of mild here this winter, but not today.   Too much indoor time. 
Today I will look for some patches of sunshine through my window and soak it up, holding on and holding out for the return of Sunny Days.


The Gaian Tarot - Joanna Powell Colbert

Can't do that again.

This card reminds of a couple of summers fifty or so years ago.  Age fourteen and fifteen, I worked the hardest stretch of work for six weeks both summers.  Corn detasselling.  Up at 4:30 am and drove to a local school and then bused to corn fields an hour or so  away, to pull tassels from corn tops.  Hybrid corn.  Ten hours in the blistering hot sun. Face and arms sun-burnt and cut from the corn stalks and leaves; you had to wear white balm on your face and long sleeved shirts in the insufferable heat. If it had rained you slogged in mud up over your ankles. Then another one and half-two hour journey home.  Where you took a bath, ate a bit of dinner and went to bed. Hard work but I got a decent check with a fair amount for me even after I had to split some with my Mother for driving to and from the school. I loved making money and being outside.  A guide-post for post retirement and extra pocket money work.
Traditional card, the Queen of Pentacles.

Past to Present to Future

I always wondered if Pamela Colman-Smith had specific reasons for the placement of Queens and Kings in The Rider Waite-Smith Tarot.  In the Wands the King is looking off to the right and the Queen, here is looking off to the left. In the Cups, the King appears to be looking off to the left and the Queen to the Right, The Swords, they both look straight out at us, and the Pentacles, the Queen and King are both looking down at the pentacle they are holding.
Here I think the Queen is reviewing where they have been so she can advise her King on the next move forward.
When I see this Queen of Wands, it always makes me think about driving across Kansas in August and all the fields of sunflowers that you pass through.  An absolute stunning sight.  In review, maybe I will put that on my list of something to do in the next few years.

Choices to chosen

From the Seven of Cups yesterday, it appears a choice was made.  The unknown one, me.  There were many interesting options but the one that makes the most sense is the one of self discovery. 

I am intrigued by the wave of the water behind the Page this morning.  Don't know why.

Why ask why?

A trigger yesterday sent me in search of why?  Why?   Is there a reason for events that happen to us?  Mostly I believe so.  All though everything seems like random chaos. I feel there is some yet known reason for things that occur.  Short stick draw? Karma?  Shit floats around until it lands on you.  Maybe, but then, I do believe there is a reason for most of our choices, at least the major or impactful ones.  Some are discovered, most go unanswered.  So the question is to choose or let Life run over you why you are asking your self "Why?"

Disagreement

I am discovering that most disagreements these days are with myself.  In that discovery I have to acknowledge that a fair amount of disagreements throughout my life then, must have been with myself.  Decide is my 'Word of the Year' and I have figured out before I 'Decide' I need to figure out who I really am. If I decide based on old outdated programming and mis-information, the outcome will not be what is needed, expected, or hoped for. 
'let it go' is an over used euphemism, for easier said than done.

Gift Horse

'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.' 
When presented with a boon, a bonus, something extra, a pleasant surprise, except your the good fortune.  There have been times when I felt very uncomfortable receiving a blessing; so much so I spoiled the giving.  Either thinking what can I do in turn or being so profusely grateful, I realized some part of me didn't think I deserved the gift.
Today I am grateful for today and anything extra the day brings, good for me.  Thank You.

The Straw

The Straw, the One that broke the camel's back.  Taking on too much is not an option anymore, at least for me. I was always one to take a bit too much on.  Now I am more in a clutter clearing stage of life.  Now when something with in me wants to add...I stop and say, nope let it be, let someone else pick up the lead and carry the burden.  Me, I think I will go cloud watching.






Rider Waite-Smith Tarot

Boggy resistance

Today this king doesn't come across as benevolent and thoughtful.  In fact, today the King of Cups appears to refuse to listen to his intuition nor does he trust his feelings.  They are just about to drown him in warnings; but no he suits-up and acts like everything is just fine as it is. 
No things will not right themselves by a-wait and see position.  It is time for action.  Maybe he needs to call his cousin the King of Wands to send his nephew the Knight of Wands over to help get things moving.  Something other than drowning in his own quagmire of inaction.

Light the corners of my mind

Sifting through child memories we find that there are good and not so good memories of childhood.  The ratio is determined by family.  We all need love, guidance, a firm hand, and a soft place to be comforted in and that is determined in our familial environment.  I can say there were some really good times and there were some really not good times. Both shape who I am and both are remembered through my younger girl's eyes and reality.  Lately I have been trying to work through some of those more difficult moments, as to release them.  They no longer serve me or very useful at all.  Forget the fright, flight, and freeze effect, I am done being chased by lions, and tigers, and bears, OH MY!
I am reminding myself that Spring is on her way.  Times of walking outside and feeling the soft grass between my toes and making clover bracelets.  Memories then and now.

Spinnin' Wheel

I heard the song 'Spinning Wheel' by Blood Sweat and Tears as I turned the The Wheel of Fortune card over.  I have heard myself say that several times over the last week or so, with the beginning of the New Year.
"And The Wheel Turns."  Let's hope it spins freely and not grind us under it's weight. 

Tip the boat

When I first started to work with cards I did work with them in the reversed position and then not.  Occasionally one will present itself reversed, I am guessing because I need to look at something from a different perspective. All those swords and concerns we travel with as we go along.  After a time we get used to them being there and yes, if we pulled them out, the boat might leak, or an issue or some trauma spills over into our life. 
We can reason away, forgive, and or forget a pain, a fear, a betrayal but really those traumas and issues are always with us; shape us.  When we start digging and pulling at those stored away things, life becomes uncomfortable, fear and anger can drown us if we are not careful.  This reversed perspective says let those swords fall away as they loosen.  I don't need to pull at them.

Reconciliation

I had a visitation during the night.  An acquaintance from a time ago.  I think it was a goodbye of sorts and most definitely a quest of forgiveness.  I heard the word 'Reconciliation' spoken in a program yesterday and it has been swirling in my pre-frontal cortex in contemplation. I think the reconciliation is more for myself.  I am exhausted from me disagreeing with me.  My own internal monologue is what keeps me up on those long nights. 
'Decide,' my year word; deciding to let old hurts and frustrations go. Release and leave them behind me where they belong.




Rider Waite-Smith Tarot

Progression

From the Ten of Cups yesterday to the Page of Cups today.  A goal of mine this year is to let go of my anticipated outcomes, if that says it right?  I am always thinking ahead and planning for this or that to occur, and when it doesn't, I feel defeated and deflated.  All that work and effort in either mind, body, or spirit and then not reach my expected conclusion.  Yesterday's Ten of Cups was a early lesson to remind me it will all work out. Yesterday ended up being a really good day, and I had no preconceptions or expectations.  This Page of Cups has turned away, not in frustration, regret, or defeat, but to limit her distractions and "tune-in and listen"
Good enough for me.



The Linestrider's Journey ~ Siolo Thompson

Wait and see

Not sure what this Ten of Cups is bringing to me.  Maybe a revelation later in the day.  Rainy all day, so maybe later there will be a rainbow revealed.  Life is good, and the reveal of the Ten of Cups is that at the moment all is well and life is good. 
Not really sure, kind of grabbing at tale feathers. 

Over Thinking

Action.  This bird is building a bower, a nest for...what comes next.  I am pretty sure birds do not make plans and draft lists of the size, twigs, and batting material needed.  They know what needs to be done and just do it. They may reshape and reevaluate along the building phase, but still they get started without over-thinking the process.
A call to action in my thoughts this morning. My normal thought is to over-think things before beginning.  When I was a younger gal I was more of make it up along the way, this draw of Seven of Pentacles advises, 'get going.'  Work it out along the way.  As the old sage Yoda said "Do or not do, there is no try."

2nd Call

Yesterday's draw of the Hermit and today, the Four of Swords.  Message received.  Rest and rejuvenation is the advice. 2020 has begun.  No need to rush to get things started or finished., 366 days to get it all in. 
Slow and Steady wins the race. 
Happy New Year!