Eight of Vessels - Rebirth

My card for Today is the Eight of Vessels from the Wildwood Tarot. The caption for this card is Rebirth. There is a large cauldron hanging in a tree. It gets filled with water (probable rainwater) from three bowls hanging in the branches above and it overflows and fills four cups which stand on the rocks  and in turn, overflow into the stream.
In short this is the cycle of water. Like with energy there is no drop lost nor added since the beginning of time. The first living creatures on Earth drank the same water as we do.
Each drop evaporates (dies) and condensates again (is reborn) This is a beautiful metaphor for our own life: We live and do the best we can. We make mistakes, we love, we experience, we release and let go and we start over, to try again and to do better or to seek out a different path. We do not need to physically die to be reborn again. Making a shift in perception or in attitude can be such a major change in life, it could be perceived as a rebirth. And for every rebirth something has to be released; has to die first.
The river needs to keep flowing because when water is stagnant it will become smelly and overgrown with algae. So letting things go and moving on is a natural, sometimes difficult, part of life.
When I look back at my own life the most challenging times have brought me the most precious gifts. In order to receive these gifts I've had to embrace the release (death) of some important aspects of my life. Living without regrets and to go with the flow, is an art I have not fully mastered yet, but I am still learning.
“Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix.” Christina Baldwin

The Wheel – Weave your own destiny

For today I've picked up My Wildwood Tarot and I've pulled The Wheel. Usually I am at bit at a loss when I draw The Wheel of Fortune but this one with the loom, speaks to me more clearly than most of my other depictions of this card. I love how it feels like this loom is waiting to be used. I feel invited to pick up the shuttle and continue to weave this garment. It has already a woven wheel of the year design, a representation of ongoing cycles and inevitable changes. In the back we see three herons waiting for the weaver. They are symbolizing the three Norns or Fates. They spin the threads of life for each person and decide when to cut it. When I think of the balance between fate and free will, I guess this loom is a perfect symbol. Perhaps the waft is the Grand design and the weft is our own personal destiny which we shape with each choice and action we make.

Yesterday M had two wisdom tooth removed. The surgeon had offered her to wait some months to be more prepared and accustomed to the idea of having her teeth pulled but in the end they would have to come out anyway. She made the brave decision to go ahead with the procedure and now she feels fine and is so relieved. This choice has become a strong piece of yarn to weave in her robe.

“Fate is what you are given. Destiny is what you make of it”

New moon in May

For this new Moon in May I've drawn, as usual two cards from my Osho Zen Tarot. Because I've used this deck for all my new moon readings, it is no wonder the same cards come up now and then . Both these cards have been pulled for a previous New Moon readings. No-thingness was in the Release position this last Lunation and Patience came up in the same position in January.

Release: Seven of Rainbows – Patience

It has been a difficult period with lots of challenges these last few months.  And all I could think was: “When this is over I will…..” But perhaps I should have known it is never over. This is just life. There is always something which is more important than my own needs, desires and aspirations. I will have to say goodbye to the waiting game. My time is Now!

Embrace: V No-thingness

When I do let go of the waiting there is this great black void of No-thingness to dive into. I have been so busy with everybody else's life I've forgotten to color my own. But for the next lunation I will embrace this emptiness. This space between breaths were everything is possible:

“All you can do now is to relax into this no-thingness...fall into this silence between the words...watch this gap between the outgoing and incoming breath. And treasure each empty moment of the experience. Something sacred is about to be born.”

Prince of Pentacles - Steady as she goes

Where would the King of Pentacles be without his trustworthy Prince of Pentacles from the Druidcraft Tarot (aka Knight of Pentacles). Look at him standing there, watching from the hilltop over the land. Guarding it, keeping it safe and if necessary defending it with valor. He is pragmatic, reliable and he gets the job done. This card is for me all about doing the same chores day in day out and keeping our home running: Cooking, doing the dishes, grocery shopping, paying bills, gardening etc. I always have found fulfillment in being “just” a stay at home mother. It is hard to belief how many times I had to defend my decision to quit my job after having my first child. Of course I was in the luxurious position my husband had a job too but it was definitely a financial challenge. It has worked out for all of us and that is what counts the most I guess.

Nowadays I feel I am the king as well as the Prince. Luckily I have two princesses around who are willing to help me as much as they possibly can.

"It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones who win in the lifelong race".Robert W. Service
(Ps. I've learned the drop shadow technique from Prince Lenormand)

King of Pentacles - Enjoy the earthly delights

Today’s card, the King of Pentacles from the Druidcraft Tarot, has a whole different feel than the two previous cards from this Deck. They were both painted with a cooler color palette of mostly blues and greens. This card however, with a lot of red, yellow and orange, has a much warmer colour tone.

It is like this king is inviting us to join him for a glass of wine near his fireplace. The day is done and he is satisfied with his accomplishments in his earthly realm. He is barefoot, a symbol of his deep rooted connection with the element earth and all it's aspects like food, health and money. Don’t expect to have an in depth talk about your feelings with him, but he does make you feel comfortable and he is willing to share his practical expertise and his secret of how to enjoy the earthly delights without feeling guilty afterwards.

While conversing with this king I've learned I have a lot to be thankful for. My table is set for dinner every night. I have a warm and cozy house. The health of my family is good. We have a steady income. I am proud to say my household is organized sufficiently; no need for perfection here J. So in the Pentacles area no worries are insight.(Expect the annual checkup for our car) And realizing this I sit back and enjoy with a great sense of gratitude the life I've build for us right here and now. This calls for coffee and …….

Five of Cups – Every tarot card has a silver lining

Another gloomy card for today: the Five of cups from the Druidcraft Tarot. We see a cloaked figure with a sad demeanor, staring over the lake where a salmon is  being chased by an otter. (Cerridwen is chasing Taliesin) Next to him there are three empty cups fallen over. It  looks like everything is lost. But behind him two filled cups are still standing. The question is: Which cups is he going to focus on?

Maybe it is time to take off this cloak of sadness and emotional protection. The otter (playfulness) is chasing the salmon (inner wisdom and reflection) Perhaps this fish could do with some fooling around.

If the man would turn around and look at the two cups behind him he would see that all is not is lost. Maybe a sip or two from these cups will restore his believe in the future. Sometimes it is a good thing to turn around and see how far we’ve come and how much we have achieved. Yesterday Sycamore gave me the advise to make  a list of all that I have gone through and came out okay on the other side. This has given me a renewed sense of trust and believe in myself.

So all and all  in the end this is quite a positive card. Every cloud has a silver lining: Every tarot card too.J

Ten of Wands – enough is enough

My card of the day is the Ten of Wands from the Druidcraft Tarot. The depiction is following the Rider Waite  tradition: a man carrying Ten Wands uphill which is obviously a heavy load. In this card however there is no house at the end of the road; in fact there is no house at all. We know nothing of his destination. The man is walking on a road with no beginning and no end and for me this enhances the severity of his exhaustion. There is no where else to go than uphill and we don’t know how much longer he has to carry this load. 

Maybe he should sit down for a while and enjoy the flowers on the side of his path. Who knows he might be able to leave a wand or two behind…..

I have the tendency to pick up the wands of those who are more tired, more stressed and more busy than me. As I've stated before that is very often the case since I underestimate my own need for rest. Perhaps this is a bit of a martyr mentality???

Anyway I see this card as an advice to pick up only my own wands today and be very cautious to pick up other's too. Because my path is very steep these days and I don’t know yet when I will reach my house where I can lay down my wands, I need to prioritize and be mindful of the beautiful flowers along the way

“It is sometimes good to stop and ask: 'Do I really need to do this?'