Today’s card is The Woodward (Strength) from the Wildwood
Tarot. We see a hunter with a mountain lions mask. He is holding a
spear with blood on it in one hand and a cup in the other. From the shaft is hanging a lion
headed figure. The hunter is waiting, assessing what the right next move
should be. Each moment he has to find the balance between the darkness of death
and the beautiful gift of life. He is
both hunter and guardian of the forest.
The book says: “The Woodward is a hunter whose prey is
solutions to moments of crisis. He acts as an emotional backstop when fate, or
the destructive energy in a situation, faces us with seemingly irrational or
overwhelming disaster.”
This card reminds me to reevaluate my own backstop; my inner place of strength
and protection; How can I maintain a balanced stance like this Woodward and
wait patiently for the right moment to act and the right words to say? If
possible I retreat myself from a stressful situation to regain my focus and balance
but usually I just have to try to keep my mouth shut, breath and pray for guidance.
It is so easy for me to blurt out my first reactions and try to get my way but
it is often not very helpful for the long run. My greatest challenge is to keep
silent and have the patience to listen to others involved and to that soft voice within.
Only then I feel I can make the right decisions for the good of all.
I love this card. And I love it that for once, it's not a 'gentle maiden' in the position of strength! The Woodward, too, needs to find inner balance, tune in, overcome himself.
ReplyDelete"My greatest challenge is to keep silent" - ha! I empathise Ellen ;)
That is a fun thing about blogging; to learn so many of us struggle with the same issues :)
DeleteWhen I first glanced at your card, I thought the cat was swallowing the man! But in a sense this is what Strength is all about - being able to use that power in a constructive way.
ReplyDeleteYes I see it too. Finding the balance between feeling this raw energy and not get overwhelmed by it is something we do, day in and day out :)
DeleteOh boy I relate to this message. "Stay clam, be brave, watch for the signs" "Think" before I speak! "Think" before I act! And pray for guidance. A good post for reflective thought! Thank you Ellen. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Catherine! It is a good reminder for myself too. Especially the praying part :D
DeleteIt's tough, especially when you have ultimate responsibility, to not feel like you should have the ultimate say. Yet, just being custodian doesn't mean you can or should ignore the views of those you care for. For good or ill, they have a right to make their own mistakes sometimes. And sometimes they may turn out not to be mistakes after all. This is a tough one for mothers, I think, but as you say, we can just pray for guidance and try to give them space :)
ReplyDeleteHugs, Kerry
Spot on Kerry. And this mothering thing goes on and on. It never stops how old you children might be. Their problems change, you're distance changes accordingly. it is a perpetuate and universal rhythm we try too follow
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