A New Game

I ran across this blog post from September 25, 2009 on a blog named Paradigm Shift, and decided it is well worth sharing.  As I read through it I found I was reading about my own life-long struggle, except that I hadn't found the answer yet. Well, there is an answer. According to this article you just:

Stop Playing The Game

“The game keeps us searching, comparing and fighting for relief but there is none. Perhaps brief flashes of liberation, but they are always fleeting.

So is there anything we can do?

Yes!

Quit playing the game.

Surrender. Just give up. Decide you are not going to play the game anymore.

Turn your life over to your higher self. Trust in the part of you that is infinite. A part of you that, believe it or not, is omnipotent – all knowing. Why in the world would you want to limit yourself to your finite mind? A mind so cluttered and full of lies and deceit that it really can’t even see the world for what it truly is.”

I had already started to catch on to this, but I haven't been able to implement it very well yet.  As I read on I saw The Hanged Man in the words written on the page, and realized finally just what that man is doing hanging there, apparently of his own free will.  He's stopped playing the game and turned himself over to a higher power to guide his life for him.  That's why he looks so serene!  When we stop playing the game, a world of worry and weight is lifted from our shoulders and we begin to relax and accept our experience, moment by moment,  without needing to control or judge it. 

Since my ego seems to need a game to play, I can say that this one is just as much a challenge as the old one was.  It isn’t easy to maintain this surrender.  I have to re-commit to it everyday, and then remind myself several times during the day of my commitment.  But, if my ego has to have a game to play, this sure is the one I would rather play!

Micki

See entire post “Stop Playing The Game” here.

Find Paradigm Shift on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/shifttoday

Four of Cups

Cups represent water and water needs to flow freely.  So it isn't hard to see why this element wouldn't fare well in the solid and staid structure of the number four.  When water is contained and prevented from flowing it becomes stagnant. 

It is often the same with our emotions.  We may feel bored and apathetic; or distant and withdrawn, feeling like we are unable to connect with others.  There are no real problems, but we're not feeling any joy either.

The real problem with this card is that when we are feeling like this, we are not open to new possibilities and may miss the very thing which will help us.  The figure in the card is so self-absorbed that he fails to see the offer of the fourth cup which might contain the very thing he needs to snap out of it and begin feeling connected again. 

This may not be a time to try to kick up our heels and go paint the town, but simply reaching out connecting with someone we care about can go a long way to getting our emotions flowing again and helping us to realize we are not so alone and isolated after all.

Micki

Image:  Universal Waite 4 of Cups

Four of Wands

More so than the other suits, the numerical progression in the Wands has always struck me as fairly seamless.  Beginning at the Ace, we have a recognition of the desire to create something new.  In the 2 there is the choice of a direction in which to invest our energy.  In the three the new venture is launched and we must wait to see the results.  In the 4 the ships have returned with a full bounty providing us with a good foundation for the future.  Now it is time to relax and celebrate with others, sharing and giving thanks for our success and good fortune.

This card suggests that we have an occasion to celebrate something.  It is more ceremonial than the 3 of Cups, possibly because it is a four which is more structured and formal than the spontaneous three.

Traditionally this card represents formal celebrations such as those for a wedding, a grand opening or a house warming; laying a solid foundation for future growth and prosperity; and seasonal and commemorative celebrations. 

Micki

Image:  Universal Waite 4 of Wands 

Six of Cups

This is a lovely card which suggests that today is a day to relax and enjoy simple pleasures with someone.  Plan a nice dinner out in the evening, spend some time in front of a beautiful fire tonight, or just kick back and let your mood take you where it will. 

Associated with nostalgia, you may find that your thoughts turn to memories of  special and loving times from the past.  Don't be surprised if you hear from or happen onto someone from your past.

Let someone you care for know how much you love them, and maybe go just a bit farther than you usually would to add some special touches to whatever you do.  This is a card of mutually shared experience, and innocent giving and receiving of love and emotional support.  It is in the exchange that the joy is found.

So relax and enjoy this day.  And for those who will be working today, take this attitude to work with you and spread some joy around today. 

Micki

Image:  Llewellyn Tarot 6 of Cups

Seven of Pentacles

A farmer pauses to survey his work with satisfaction.  Though it is not yet mature, he knows the crop will produce a good harvest and he thinks of his plans for the future. 

The 7 of Pentacles suggests it may be time to take stock of what we are working toward to find out where we stand.  Review what has been done to this point checking to see that everything is still on course.  Evaluate the worth of what has been achieved and assess the progress in various areas to see if a different approach in some areas should be considered.  

This card can also indicate that it may be time to consider a change in direction or trying a new strategy.  Look into some different approaches and weigh the possible benefits of such a change.

However, do not forget to relax for a bit and enjoy what has already been accomplished. A lot of hard work has been invested already, and a pat on the back is in order.  This is a card of slow steady progress toward a long range goal.  Don’t forget to take note of and enjoy each stage of growth along the way.

Micki

Image:  Robin Wood Tarot 7 of Pentacles

Ace of Wands

A new horizon appears and invites us to explore it. 

The Aces represent the essential energy which permeates their suit, containing the undeveloped seed which sprouts and grows as the suit progresses. 

This is a card of potential for an exciting new adventure, a new vision, a new sense of life and the feeling of abundant energy.  Everything seems to spring to life and we find a new sense of vitality and purpose. 

When the Ace of Wands appears it is a sign that we need to stay open to something new that we find inspiring so we will not miss the potentially wonderful opportunity that it carries within it.  Throw caution to the winds and look into whatever this Ace presents, be it a new venture, an opportunity to travel, a new area of interest, or an inspiring vision.  Follow it wherever it may lead and enjoy..

Carpe diem!  Seize the day! 

Micki

Image:  Thoth Ace of Wands

The Moon

Like her phases, there are many sides to the Moon. It represents our emotions and instinctive behavior and the cycles found in nature. It is also a card of dreams, visions, imagination and increased psychic impressions. 

Often we receive messages in our sleep in the form of dreams or a clear vision.  Perhaps a message just as we are waking.  The Moon councils us to listen to these.  Pay attention to those vague impressions that tend to fade away even before we become fully conscious of them.  There are messages in them. 

It is not that the Moon represents unclear vision or self deception.  It is the subtlety of the energy that confuses us as we stand mesmerized but unable to express or capture what we are feeling.  Subtle tides which go unnoticed, subtle shifts in the atmosphere.  Don't overlook these little things.  They are not hidden, they are always in plain sight.  We just tend to miss them or dismiss them.  When the Moon appears, it is a sign that these subtleties will be present in the situations in which we find ourselves.

The energy of the Moon is illusive. If we focus directly on it, it disappears.  The Moon represents what is just at the edge of our consciousness and our impressions must be noted within rather than spoken out loud.  Communing with these energies brings them into awareness and the more we do this the easier it becomes to recognize and make use of them consciously.  Often not in line with rational thinking, do not attempt to explain them rationally to either yourself or others.  Just broaden your awareness to include them. 

And let us not forget what is best and most beautiful about Lunar energy.  I think Leila Vey, creator of The Tarot of Timeless Truth, states it better than I’ve seen anywhere:

“Open yourself to mystery. Explore your dreams and visions for truth that will help you live to the fullest and find answers you seek. Welcome enchantment and imagination into your life to break up dreariness and monotony. Embrace the shadows for in them you will find great treasure.”  Leila Vey

Reversed this card can indicate confusion, unclear vision, illusions, anxiety and vague irrational fears.  It is best to explore these feelings to see if they have any basis in reality, rather than avoiding or trying to repress them.

Micki

Image:  Tarot of Timeless Truth, The Moon

Seven of Swords

An unsettling card, to say the least.  The traditional image of this card is of a maleficent looking figure stealing away with five of seven swords in the dark, and the usual interpretation is to watch out for secrecy, theft and deceit, either in ourselves or at the hand of someone else.. Though this narrow interpretation of the card may apply in some situations, it isn't all there is to it.

The number seven represents creative challenge and swords represent the mental element.  A wider interpretation would be using our wit and applying our instinct, intelligence and cunning to the issue at hand.  Since the seven represents challenge, we may find ourselves in a situation where it is necessary to take a calculated risk. It could also represent a situation where one finds a way to "level the playing field" when faced with a stronger opponent.

There are times when it is necessary to keep certain things to ourselves.  The real challenge then is an ethical one.  When faced with this sort of situation, we must examine our motives.  Are they purely selfish, or based on what is the best for all concerned?  There is a fine line between secrecy and deceit, and we must be careful not to compromise our integrity no matter what the outcome may be.  Openness is usually the better choice, but we must take into consideration whether that openness will cause greater harm to others, and if so, weigh those consequences seriously.

Whatever our situation may be when this card appears, it does represent choices that are less than optimal and it may be wise to consider this famous quote when considering our strategy:

"Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive." 
- Sir Walter Scott

Micki

Image:  Robin Wood Tarot 7 of Swords

Two of Pentacles

You may be feeling that you have more on your hands today than you can handle.  Look again!  The key here is to relax, expand your awareness and take it all in.  Don't let it throw you off balance.  You will find that, with a little successful juggling, you will be successful at all that is required of you.

The title of this card is "Harmonious Change" and it is associated with Jupiter in Capricorn.  Jupiter, the expansive and optimistic planet of good fortune operating in Capricorn, the sign of business and structure, gives the ability to stay grounded and on purpose if you stay open and flexible.  With a little joyful juggling and a light hearted approach, you will find that you can accomplish more than you thought was possible.  At the end of the day you'll be looking at all you've done and thinking, "Whew!  How'd that happen?"

Reversed this card can indicate feeling off-balance or a resistance to changing circumstances.  You may be approaching life as if it is a chore and forgetting to have some fun and see the value in each moment.  Loosen up and learn how to "dance" through it all.

Micki

Image:  Robin Wood Tarot 2 of Pentacles

Six of Swords

This card is a welcome sight for those of us who have had a struggle on our hands.  It represents an easing of tensions after a period of conflict, either internal or external. 

Traditionally this is a card of rest and recovery, possibly even rescue from a violent or potentially violent situation; moving away from danger to a place of peace and safety; travel over water; moving from turbulence into calmer waters. 

In the Lo Scarabeo Tarot, pictured here, the six swords appear in the form a six pointed star, a Star of Hope, and the Rose Cross on the figure's blue robe along with the hand-held rose give the feeling of movement from a turbulent mental state into the calm, healing energy of the Heart. 

This card can also represent that flash of insight that comes with thinking outside the box or arriving at a perfect understanding of all the elements surrounding a discordant and contentious issue.

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
   - Albert Einstein

Reversed, this card represents resistance to help, or being too tired and despondent to recognize it. It can also indicate being stuck in a mental rut where we are unable to see any solution.  The need to relax and let go of our “treasured position” is strongly emphasized.  There is a need to entertain the idea that we may not be "right" about whatever it is that we are insisting on.

 Micki

Image:  Lo Scarabeo Tarot 6 of Swords