I use tarot and oracle cards as tools for reflection and contemplation. Rather than divining the future, they are a way for me to look more deeply at the "now."
"The goal isn't to arrive, but to meander, to saunter, to make your life a holy wandering." ~ Rami Shapiro

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Fish Out of Water

From the Illuminated Tarot, the Page of Cups:
Intuitive, empathic and sensitive, the Page of Cups is a "fish out of water" only when he is not allowed to express his emotions.  He loves to do small kindnesses and offer words of encouragement to keep others' spirits up.  He seems to know what a person is feeling even without being told.  His heart is always full, but like the "water" that seems to spill from his hat, his emotions often overflow at times too.  He tends to take everything personally, whether intended or not.  A beacon of light shines above his head, almost as if announcing, "Give me your sad, your grieving, your huddled masses who need cheering."  With his cup extended, he does bear a certain similarity to the Statue of Liberty...

From the Dreaming in Color deck comes "Anger:"
The dark, blood-red color of this card is in direct contrast to the cool blues and greens of the Page above.  The spiraling, tunnel-like design reminds me how quickly this emotion can suck me in and take me to a place of aggression.  I struggled with finding the connection between this draw and the one above, until I realized how little patience I have with overly emotional people.  I grew up in a home where tears were not only made fun of, they were also punished - anger was the only emotion that was deemed "strong."  It's no wonder that even today I quickly become uncomfortable and irritated with people who cry a lot.  I must remember the problem is not with them, it is with me; maybe by allowing other people to express themselves, I'll learn to do the same.

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