I Promise

Last night I settled into a corner of the couch, prepared to read or pull some cards while my husband watched an episode or two from one of his Hulu series. But then he passed me the remote control. I switched over to cable, figuring I'd flip channels until I found something interesting. The moment the television sparked to life, I saw a news anchor announcing the start of Barack Obama's farewell speech. For the next hour, we witnessed his final, formal words as President of the United States.

No matter what anyone says, I love, and will always love, this man. He wasn't perfect (and I'm sure he would agree), and not everyone supported his stances on matters such as healthcare and foreign policy. However he accomplished a lot of good during his tenure; he was a fundamentally good person. He is that. He is deeply intelligent, thoughtful, discerning, wise, and kind. His partnership with Michelle Obama is a beautiful testament to what a good, strong, balanced relationship can and should be. He didn't fulfill everyone's expectations for what he should do (no leader ever achieves that), and yet he will forever stand high above his predecessors, and in my heart, as one of the best presidents the U.S. has ever had.

Last night's speech was a beautiful farewell, and also a gentle-but-firm warning that the future of this country depends on the active involvement of every citizen. As I was listening, I pulled some cards from the Cosmos Tarot and Oracle:

The first card I pulled was meant to capture Obama's essence: Ace of Water, Hydrus.

The Ace of Water, an act of love. That was abundantly evident in his speech and his demeanor. The keywords on the bottom of the card caught my attention: "In one's element" - he certainly was. "Ease of action" - I don't necessarily assume that any of his speeches are "easy" to give, but he certainly makes them appear so due to his depth of grace and comfort in his own skin. The guidebook says:

Hydrus is a symbol of wisdom, steadiness, and focus. Snakes possess a fluid, elegant form that borders on elemental. Water snakes, above others of their species, signify awareness, flexibility, and subtle strength.... one can take time to celebrate a period of emotional peace with oneself.

All I can say is: yes. Not only does this encapsulate how I experience President Obama, the last bit connects beautifully to the core essence of what his farewell speech was all about. 

The next card I pulled was meant to signify Donald Trump's emergence in U.S./World politics: Comet.

An orange monkey that is far too big for the porch it's sitting on holds a woman captive by the throat, and binds her feet with its tail. Hmmm...... I think I'll let that speak for itself. The keywords read: "A sign of fate; a harbinger of change." Yes, that about sums it up. The guidebook reads:

As a comet passes close to the sun, it heats up and begins to emit gases which create a visible aura called a coma. Sometimes the visible coma can be seen from Earth. The coma's presence has given rise to speculation that comets are harbingers of doom or incredible change.

I believe that both are true. Change is already underway, for better or worse. In his speech, Obama touched on the fact that there is a subsection of the U.S. population that has been essentially ignored over the past couple of decades, and that it is that hole that ultimately paved the way for Trump's election. Understanding that dynamic is critical. I believe that many of us feel "doomy" about what is happening in our country... but I do believe that it is when we are faced with the dark that we learn how to shine our light most brightly. So in the end I also believe that we will certainly get through this difficult time to come, and that we will emerge the better for what we are able to accomplish in the meantime. 

Finally I pulled a card asking, "What can I do? How can I help?" I pulled the Moon from the Oracle deck.

Frogs and lizards huddle around a full moon, in a celestial embrace. Frogs represent healing energy, and the moon is the great light that shines in the dark. The positioning of the frogs looks protective: and indeed it's probable that protecting women's rights - especially in terms of healthcare - will be a significant matter in the years ahead. The moon also represents uncertainty and the unknown, which is how I've been feeling lately in respect to politics and the upcoming inauguration. I know that many will take to the streets - in fact even my mother will be heading to Washington D.C. in a couple of weeks to joint the Women's March on Washington. There is value in popular dissent. In my 20s I was very involved in political and social activism, and participated in a great number of marches, across several states. But it doesn't quite feel "right" for me at this moment. There must be another way. The moon governs the darkness, and as the keywords state: "secrets, mystery, cycles." Perhaps my way of acting will be more subtle - less attention-drawing. The guidebook says:

As a card, the Moon suggests that those who act behind the scenes can be extremely influential.

Yes, I thought. I don't have to march to make a difference. I just have to act. I said silently to myself in that moment: "I promise." I promise to speak when I see injustice, and to act in support of environmental preservation, human rights and equality in all its forms. I looked down at the oath ring on my left wrist, as if to seal my promise in its silvery sheen. 

A Time for Healing - and Action

Though Hillary won the popular vote, the electoral college system awarded the presidency to Donald Trump. I won't bother attempting to tone down my dismay. I called in sick today because between not getting any sleep last night, and being stunned by this turn of events, I can't think straight. I'm a proponent of positive thinking and the value in choosing to focus on what's possible, and what's good, especially when it's most difficult to do so. But today I'm granting myself much needed space to grieve - not just for the loss of my candidate, but more so for what this "Republican" win means for my country, my family, and myself. I was not pleased (to say the least) when Bush won the highest office in the land twice in a row, but that feeling just doesn't compare to how I feel on this day. 

Still, the show must go on. These are the moments that Tarot was made for - when you are stumbling around in the dark, confused and unsure of your surroundings. So I shuffled my Zombie Tarot and pulled two cards:

Where does healing begin: 4 of Pentacles (rx)

A man sits in his supply room, surrounded by food stores, and cradling a rifle. His ears are plugged against the group of people banging on the boarded doors, seeking refuge from a coming onslaught of zombies. He is safe, and isn't willing to take the risk of opening his stronghold to invite others in. He doesn't want to share his resources with anyone else, either, otherwise he won't last as long as he might on his own. This card tells me that it's okay to take some space apart to process the significance of all that is happening around us, but it's also critical that we not shut ourselves off from each other as we move forward. Sharing with others who feel the same way that we do helps to weave strong bonds of solidarity; helps us remember that we're not experiencing this pain in a vacuum. We may question our community, and the fabric of our very society. We may look at our surroundings with new eyes. But ultimately we must connect with each other - and that includes those who see the world differently than we do. If we are going to heal as a nation, we have to forge bridges, even where we feel they've been burned.  And if they crumble, we have to be willing to rebuild them, or find a new path to understanding. This is not simple or straight forward, but it's necessary. 

How do we take the first step forward? Queen of Pentacles (rx)

This woman sits in a drawing room with tear-stained cheeks. She has no arms, and a chain reaches from a chair leg up under a blanket to close tightly around her neck. I am sure that many in our country feel momentarily powerless; at a loss for where to go from here. Indeed there have been many tears shed in the last 12 hours, and a deep sense of disenfranchisement. There are vibrant fears at the idea that racist police protocols such as "stop and frisk" may be revived, and that Muslims may be discriminated against through the application of a broad (and vague, and un-American) "Muslim ban" on immigrants. Furthermore, the opportunity to break the glass ceiling in terms of the ability of women to achieve the highest office in the land was hugely important to many people. Knowing that the new President-elect is a man who disparaged women in a variety of ways, who touched and kissed women against their will because he believed that his power and prestige awarded him such liberties - that has been hard to swallow. Awareness that women's health issues may come under fire, and that marriage equality for all humans may be at risk, is high in the minds of a large segment of America's population. Many discuss the possibility of relocating overseas, or to a neighboring country more friendly to progressive ideologies. But is that the best way? At some point we have to recognize that we do have a voice, and there are contexts in which our advocacy is still needed - perhaps more now than ever before. Rather than resigning ourselves to a new order, or giving up on our country, it may be just the right time to get our hands dirty. We are in fact not powerless. 

Find a cause and dedicate yourself to it. Be selfless, and show kindness to strangers. Speak up when you witness bigotry in action. Ally yourself with legislators in your area that are fighting for you. Advocate for immigrants and refugees. Bring cross-cultural trainings to your workplace. Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. Remember that one person can make a difference. 

The Responsibility of Power

Along with power and leadership comes a sacred responsibility to be impeccable with one's word. According to Don Miguel Ruiz, to be impeccable with your word means to:

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. 

Avoid using the word to speak against yourself 

or to gossip about others. 

Use the power of your word 

in the direction of truth and love.

This morning I pulled the Sage card from the Dreams of Gaia Tarot:

Like a blend of the Hermit and the Magician, author and artist, Ravynne Phelan, describes the Sage as a wise man who searches for new knowledge, reflects upon the past, and then imparts his wisdom to others through eloquent speech.

The shadow side of this card may be seen in those who distort reality and disseminate false information to support their own agendas, or who simply engage in rhetoric or impart advice and guidance based on faulty knowledge. (In either case it is almost irrelevant whether or not the guide is well-intentioned or not, because in either case damage can result.)

Power can be a dangerous thing if that sacred responsibility is not solemnly accepted and tended.

As I sat drinking my morning coffee today, the eve of the conclusion of our wild ride of a U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump was shown addressing attendees at a campaign event. Though Hillary Clinton has been officially cleared of wrongdoing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (for the second time in a matter of months), he nevertheless chose to cast ominous doubt over the affair, implying that the FBI did not conduct a thorough investigation, and that they perhaps had bowed to some sort of clandestine pressure from the Clintons. He said, specifically: "You can't review 650,000 emails in eight days." As he spoke, the crowd jeered. I started to yell at the television set: "They didn't have to review that many emails in eight days! They reviewed a tiny fraction of that, and only those that had any correlation to Hillary Clinton. Does he not understand this?" (Well, speaking factually has not been a priority of his campaign, so it shouldn't be a surprise.)

But as I sat there fuming, I thought of how utterly manipulative this man is. He has no respect for the office he is seeking. He pays no mind to the pain and fractures he is creating, nor the tornadoes of discrimination and distrust that he is fomenting. In reality, I believe it feeds him.

Just yesterday at a Trump rally, a peaceful protester holding a "Republicans Against Trump" sign was knocked down and tackled by attendees before being whisked outside by a group of police officers (par for the course considering Trump's previous encouragement of violence at his rallies). Someone in the crowd had yelled "gun!" and so the secret service had swooped down and hurried Trump off stage. Ultimately there was no gun. The words of the peaceful protestor afterward, when asked about his treatment by the crowd:

I like these people. These are my fellow Americans. I love these people. 

I understand that they came here because they're patriotic. They want to 

do good for their country. So, the things that were going on...

this is the main reason why I do not support Donald Trump. He's fascist. 

You know, he's a dictator. And these type of people, they take good people 

and they turn them into animals. 

(For contrast, this is how Obama handled a pro-Trump protester at a Clinton rally recently).

So, does Trump's manner bear some resemblance to fascism? Yes, according to Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a scholar of fascism at New York University, in an article written by Jonathan Blitzer for the New Yorker. A particularly potent and somber excerpt:

In the speech of Mussolini, Putin, Trump, and also Berlusconi, 

Ben-Ghiat notes a pattern: they are at once transparent about 

their intentions and masters of innuendo. “Trump trails off. 

He uses ellipses and coded language. He lets his listeners fill in 

what they want.” When Trump seemed to suggest that gun owners 

should deal with Hillary Clinton themselves, or when he talked 

about needing to “watch” certain communities out to steal the 

vote on Election Day, his statements were more powerful for their 

ambiguity. “It’s all about letting listeners convince and mislead 

themselves,” she said. 

Yes, that has been one of the most terribly fascinating aspects of this election cycle.

Excerpts from stanzas 63-64 of the Havamal read:

Inquire and impart 

should every man of sense 

who will be accounted sage...

His power should every wise man

use with discretion.*

May the outcome of tomorrow's election afford us the opportunity to continue - as individuals, as a nation, and as a planet - the important work of spreading the noble virtues of respect, justice, equality, wisdom, integrity, kindness, patience, and responsibility. 

*Benjamin Thorpe translation

2016 Presidential Election Prediction

I know we're more than a year from the formal vote, but I've been hearing so much about the potential candidates lately that I decided to pull some cards to see if I could identify a party win for 2016. Of course, as of now the candidates haven't even been selected yet, and only the Republicans have begun their primary debates. Nevertheless, here we go!

I selected one card to represent the Democrats (I decided it would be the left-hand card for obvious reasons!) and one for the Republicans. I also considered the card at the bottom of the deck for underlying energies. My specific request when shuffling was to understand the energies surrounding election success for each party:

Democrats: World
Republicans: Ace of Swords reversed

Tarot de St. Croix/Lisa de St. Croix

Well... wow!....that was my reaction when I turned the cards over. I find it very interesting that we have the final card in the Major Arcana, and an Ace from the Minors paired together. I'm going to call this for the Democrats, and in particular the woman on the World card brought to mind Hillary Clinton. This is truly someone who has reached the apex of their career, and potentially their life as a whole. It's an incredibly powerful symbol of everything coming together, of profound synthesis of experience and knowledge, and in a literal sense the creation of a new world leader. The constellations represent all of the background support being provided and the bolstering community (at times undefinable to the lay person) that is in place.

Interestingly, the Ace of Swords in its reversed position shows logic and reason falling apart. There is confusion, and strong ideas that miss their mark. Upside down, the sword in this image descends, rather than rising up in triumph. I think it is interesting that both cards feature a deep blue night sky with a background of stars. But whereas the World card feels harmonious, the sword pointing down into the moon suggests the inability to create the sort of clarity, rationale, and focused intent that people can get behind. When I think of what I've read about the current Republican primary debates it does certainly sound like there is already some confusion and lack of decisiveness in the mix.

We will see how it all plays out!

The card on the bottom was: 9 of Wands

Tarot de St. Croix/Lisa de St. Croix

In this card an elderly woman walks alone down a dark path at night. From the vantage point we can see where she's come from: there are the pillars from the High Priestess, and lightening striking a tree, reminiscent of the Tower. She's been through a lot of ups and downs, but she's still walking. In general this shows me that it's going to be a long and exhausting trek to the finish line. And again we have a woman here, which (again) brings my thoughts back to Hillary Clinton. She has a lot of air to clear if she hopes to earn the support of the majority of the nation, one of the more significant issues being the Benghazi emails. But she is a sharp, masterful woman with many long years of high-level political experience behind her. I suspect that she knows exactly what she's in for, and that she has a Plan.

Now that I have drawn my cards, there's nothing left to do but sit back and see how it all unfolds!

UPDATE - 11/10/16

Trump ended up claiming the Republican nomination, and Hillary Clinton did in fact become the Democratic nominee. Clinton was highly favored to win, and after a long, brutal election cycle, Clinton did in fact win the popular vote, however Trump won the presidency via the electoral college. The cards I pulled so long ago were all quite accurate in the sense that there was (and still is) a lot of confusion, disagreements, and division among the Republicans, their nominee, and the public. A day after the results of the election, streets in many cities across the country were filled with protestors claiming that "Trump will never be my president." It's hard when the majority of voters express preference for a candidate, but due to the electoral college, the other candidate is awarded the grand prize. Thus there are also petitions circulating at the moment demanding to either abolish the electoral college altogether, or at the very least update it to reflect modern day America.

Interestingly, Hillary Clinton won support from the current President and First Lady, a number of star celebrates and musicians, a long list of renowned newspapers and news magazines, and many international figures as well (World card). She certainly walked a hard and long road as shown in the 9 of Wands, and the email scandal definitely came back to haunt her toward the end (though it was ultimately resolved to her favor). It may be a small comfort, but at least Clinton can move forward knowing that she was chosen by the people.

What will the next year look like as we transition into a very new and unexpected future government?  Only time will tell.....