6 Stones: Balance

Yesterday the Queen of Bows brought up the importance of balance between life's various domains: family and career, inner and outer creativity, light and dark.  Today the 6 of Stones (Pentacles) offers another kind of balance - that of material support.  Traditionally it's the "gift card," representing the receipt or gift of money, goods, or even time and energy.  Upright it's a positive message of balanced give-and-take, economic stability, generosity, and "passing it forward."  Reversed it can symbolize either taking too much, or giving too much without sufficient reciprocity.  It can lead to debt and other kinds of financial imbalances, as well as energy imbalances when we give too much of ourselves.

Wildwood Tarot

                                     

The Wildwood Tarot card places a heavy emphasis on the traditional reversed meaning of imbalance which has led ultimately to exploitation, the card's key word.  An elderly man and young woman stand with bowls thrust outward to us in silent begging.  They are surrounded by a desolate landscape.  Empty, partially destroyed bee hives sit upon 6 stone pedestals.  The honey has been reaped but the bees were not nurtured and hence the hives collapsed.  Nothing grows in the dry, dusty earth, tools lay broken on the ground, and in the distance a fire rages, burning away the dead grasses.  The Wildwood places a special focus on environmentalism, encouraging us to be mindful of the way we use resources.  In recent decades humankind has pushed the earth's capacity to support us to the brink of failure by using too much, wasting a lot, and not giving back to the cycle of life.

When I see this card in a spread I usually use the more traditional meaning, because while I understand and agree with the Wildwood message, I think that there is a positive significance in there which shouldn't be lost.  But I appreciate the gentle reminder - even when using the positive meaning - that there is a fine line between reciprocity and exploitation, and maintaining that balance requires acknowledgement and mindfulness.

(Wildwood Tarot, Mark Ryan, John Matthews, Will Worthington. Sterling Ethos, 2011)

The Hare, Queen of Bows

I chose this card as a daily draw to meditate on today, from the Wildwood Tarot.

In the Wildwood deck the Court cards are represented by animals instead of human figures, and I find it an interesting added dimension to traditional understandings of the various cards. The Hare, today, is no exception.  A Hare stands partially upright in a rolling field by night.  One paw lies on a stone image of the Green Man/Green Woman, and high above a round and luminous moon shines.  In the hazy light  a dark shape in the distance looks rather mysterious: it could be a stand of pines, or a tree-covered ridge.  

None of the symbols are anything I would traditionally associate with the Queen of Wands (Bows in this case).  Wands represent fire, energy and movement, and tend to be connected to the sun rather than the moon. The moon represents intuition, and the "dark side of creativity" - the inner mystery as opposed to energetic, outer creative force of the Wands suit.  Normally we see the moon associated with the Queen of Cups, a water card.  The Hare itself represents intuition and rebirth, so it connects well to the moon, however rebirth and hares also connect to the Judgment card, which is represented by the element of fire, and the sun, like this Queen, so there is a unifying element here.  In fact, I like the touch of intuition given to all the Queens in the Wildwood deck (water is included in each depiction except this card, which includes the moon) because it is a quality naturally associated with femininity in general, not just a particular sort of femininity (though the Queen of Cups might have a special depth of intuition, I suppose).

Wildwood Tarot
Mark Ryan, John Matthews, Will Worthington
Sterling Ethos

                                  

 I usually think of the Queen of Wands as "the woman who can do it all."  She is successful, vibrant, and knows how to strike a balance between career and home.  In this way the Hare is appropriate, as it also represents the idea of balance.  The symbol of the Green Man and Woman are also fitting in this way.  In Wildwood, the Green Man is the Emperor, who provides structure, guidance, authority and  protection. The Green Woman is the Empress, who nurtures love, family, and creativity.  I believe the Queen of Wands/Bows embodies both sets of characteristics.  

So as for myself?  I tend to feel that my strongest Queens are Cups and the Pentacles (making for a rather muddy combo!). I feel fairly strong in Wands, though my energy tends to be more passive and introverted.  Swords is the one I'm trying to develop.  When I look at this Queen of Wands/Bows card I don't automatically connect strongly to the book meaning, but I do connect very deeply to the images on this particular version, and feel it's a very good match for how I've been feeling lately: in a process of rebirth, connected and steadily deepening my connection to my intuition, nurturing, creative, balanced.  I really enjoy the new elements that the Wildwood Queen of Bows has to offer.

Hidden Mountaintop, Here I Come!

Today I'm feeling Hermit-y.  On my way to work this morning I was dreaming of a lonely mountaintop, my own private cabin, no one for miles around.  Some days being part of humanity is taxing!  I watch the news and see stories of so many horrible things.  I drive to the grocery store, and on the way have to battle 28 crazed motorists that make me feel like I'm in a battle video game.  At work there is always some new miscommunication in the general environment which leads to rampant gossiping.  I know that escaping is not really the solution, but that doesn't mean
that at times it isn't very tempting!

DruidCraft Tarot, St. Martin's Press
S. and P. Carr-Gomm, W. Worthington

Oh, the Hermit!  The solitary figure on the cliff high above the land.  He is accompanied by a wolf, signifying the power, fortitude, and deep self-understanding that come from being alone, while the moon shines above, a symbol of inner-knowledge and intuition.  The green shade in the sky represents healing, peace, and our innate connection to nature.  In his right hand the Hermit bears the lantern of spiritual illumination and teaching.  He's alone because he chooses to be, not because he must be.  His gifts are the pursuit of truth, guidance and learning, and the wisdom that comes from experiencing the deep quiet within.

Ah Temperance....

Temperance is about balance and compromise, both inward and outward.  It comes with a certain clarity of purpose, where the road ahead is open, and feels certain, so there's no need to rush.  Patience is key, patience and keeping an even keel.  A phrase I often think of when I see this card is "inner peace."  When you are calm on the inside, it's easier to ride the waves of life without going under!

Radiant Rider Waite Tarot (US Games)

So Many Options!

This morning I picked the 7 of Cups for my daily draw, from the Radiant Rider-Waite deck (U.S. Games 2003).  I had to laugh.  This fellow stands in shadow before a brilliant display of options and opportunities..... the hard part...which to choose!  So many glittering possibilities are available for the picking.  Does he finally make a decision?  Or does he decide it's more fun to think about them rather than making any into reality?

I laughed because I've been reading about so many different Tarot decks lately, and my wish list keeps

Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot

growing.  You could easily replace the man in the card with my own image, and fill each of the cups with a different style of deck!  I keep trying to decide which I might buy next, but it's just not that easy.  Some days I feel excited about a particular deck, and think I've made up my mind.  Two days later I feel more drawn to something entirely different, and consider changing my choice.  I'm excited to make that final selection and go for it....and then while it's en route to my house, I get lost in thought about the other decks on my list, and wonder if I should have picked something else!  It's really ridiculous and funny.  I love how different decks carry new takes on card meanings according to the thought behind its creation, or the style of art.  I love how illustrations can affect or influence interpretation and intuition.  So it's no wonder so many readers develop major deck collections over time!  I hope to keep it to something I can reasonably work with - I don't want any decks to gather dust.  But it's certainly a lot of fun exploring all the Tarot diversity!

3 Bows, Fulfillment

Today's draw is the 3 of Bows from the Wildwood Tarot (Mark Ryan, John Matthews, Will Worthington; Sterling Ethos, 2011).  A figure stands on a winding path, holding a bow, and beckons.  Two unformed bows stand out of the ground forming a portal to the future.  This card is all about initial creative successes and planning for the long-term.  Things have gone well, but it's time to open the mind, look for new opportunities, and think ahead to the vision of the future.

I do feel that I'm experiencing this card's energies, and have been spending a lot of time lately considering the future, and where my path is taking me.  In many ways I'm charting new territory which is motivating and exciting as well as a bit daunting and challenging!  But I'm more than up for the challenge, and am looking forward to seeing where the road takes me :)

Wildwood Tarot

                                             

Considering the Pole Star

I love, love this card!  The Wildwood Tarot version of the Star card is probably my favorite (illustrated by Will Worthington).  The Star is all about inspiration, love, optimism, emotional healing, and renewal.  What I love about this particular version is the feeling of quiet hope that comes across so clearly: the Fool wanders into a deep, dark wood at night, but the Pole Star shines brightly above to guide him and illuminate his path ahead- he can walk on knowing that he won't lose his way.

Wildwood Tarot