Gaian Tarot Artist's Journal

It all comes down to Gratitude.

I'm honing in here on the idea of gratitude.  I'm beginning to think that all the spiritual practices in the world and all the strategies we devise to get us through rough times all come down to this one: gratitude.

Gratitude changes the way we view the world.  We see the same events through a different lens, a rainbow-colored lens, as it were.  Not "rose-tinted glasses" in the sense of being in denial or ignoring the ugliness in the world.  But choosing, every moment, where to put our focus.  Do I focus on the things that make me scared or anxious or bring me pain?  Because if I do that, I'm going to miss out on all the beauty, joy, kindness and generosity that surround me.

Gratitude brings us into the present moment.  We can't be brooding over the past or fretting over the future if we're noticing what's around us right now, right here.  What else do we have but the present moment?

Gratitude attracts more things to be grateful for.  Not to get all Law of Attraction on you — but it is true: when you are looking for things to be grateful for, you will find them.  And then you'll find more. And more.  And more.

How do you work your way out of an emotional meltdown?

An appropriate topic for a New Moon in Cancer, don't you think? 

I've been making notes for a couple of weeks on this topic, then yesterday responded to Lunaea's post along similar lines.

My current anxieties have to do with a new cycle of grief over leaving my island home, as we prepare to put the house on the market for the upcoming holiday weekend.  I'm also feeling the familiar powerlessness and angst over the state of the planet, especially after a scientist friend wrote to a group of us a couple of days ago that the global warming crisis is actually much worse than the general public has been led to believe.  

I'm usually able to keep myself on a fairly even keel, but a couple of weeks ago I completely lost it.

You know it's Midsummer when . . .

. . . there are blossoms and falling leaves at the same time.

8 of Fire, 8 of Wands

My 8 of Fire is a simple card, that echoes the RWS imagery of eight wands flying through the air.  

Meteors with trails like sparkling diamonds, streak swiftly towards the earth. Meteor showers are spectacular sights that fill our hearts with awe and wonder. The ancients believed they were portents of great change, for good or ill. They can inspire us to move quickly and burn brightly, as we move towards making our visions a reality.

On to the 8 of Water!

HMOTD: Island Twilight

I've been posting my #HMOTDs (Happiest Moment of the Day) on Twitter, and quite a few folks have joined me.  I thought it could be a micro gratitude journal, and would help me to focus on the blessings in my life instead of focusing on my complaints.  Another way of going complaint-free.  I didn't realize, however, how much I would enjoy reading other people's HMOTD. TarotbyArwen says it's subversive, and PeelAPom suggests it could become a meme. It's very fun. If you feel so inclined, please join in!

what i miss most about the island

watching the full moon rise over mountain

the quiet

the fresh salt air

the darkness at night and the brilliant stars

my neighbor colleen

the feeling of safety when I walk alone late at night

the water’s edge

the herons and eagles

the community

watching the full moon set over water

the quiet

the dark

the fresh salt air

the quiet

the water

the moon

Gaian Tarot Music Video!

Somewhere online I stumbled across Animoto, a great little service that allows you to make your own music videos — or rather they make them for you.  It's free if your video is 30 seconds, or $3.00 for a full song. Such a deal!  You can upload your art or photographs and add a tune, and they do the rest.  How cool is that?  (Of course you need to be sure you have the permission of the copyright holder for both music and images.)  

So here's my Gaian Tarot video, set to Craig's "Circle Song," which he recorded about ten years ago on his CD "Beyond the Cedar Moon."   Enjoy!

Offering to the Queen of Summer

Moments of Grace: Summer Solstice Sunrise

8 of Air, 8 of Swords

Are you wondering why this 8 of Air is so different from the RWS 8 of Swords?   It’s because I’m looking at the energy of the number (8) and how it’s expressed in its element (in this case, Air — which is about communication, conversation, making plans, study, talking and listening — all that good Gemini/Sag/Aquarian stuff!).

If you remember, I’m following Teresa Michelsen’s vision of the numbers as 3 sets of 3 mini-dramas, plus the transitional 10.  The three middle cards (2, 5 and 8) are the challenge cards in each of these mini-dramas.  I see the 2’s as a test of choice; the 5’s as a test from the world outside; and the 8’s as a test of transforming the vision or intention of the 7 into reality. 

In the 8 of Air, we see a small group of people sitting in circle.  They’re holding council.  One man is talking while the others are actively listening.  Perhaps they are planning a political action, remembering the words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt the ability of a small group of concerned citizens to change the world.”  Perhaps they are working to achieve consensus on an issue that is important to their bonds as a spiritual group.  Maybe they are a peer counseling group. Or they could be participating in the deep transformation that can happen when we tell our authentic stories, and others listen deeply from their hearts.

In the RWS 8 of Swords, we may feel blind and unable to move.  It’s more of a challenge from the inside out.  In my 8 of Air, the challenge has to do with making a vision into a reality, with the help of others.  But it’s also about the challenge of working with other people in small groups.  Anyone who has spent hours in circle, attempting to reach consensus, will understand the shadow side of this card!

May we all learn to give good attention to others, to listen deeply and to listen well.

This card is dedicated to James Wells and his work with council circle.