Parting the Mists

OK, today’s card was bookended by two very strong figures, the Woodwose and the Stag. Both  can be intimidating, but both are important. I couldn’t overlook them even though the Ace of Vessels was clearly the strong card today.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week. Tonight, the women’s group I’m in will be making poppets, which will be a lot of fun. What is everyone else up to?

NINE OF BOWS (Woodwose) – RESPECT

When nearing the heart of a sacred quest, motivation and integrity of human desires are challenged. Ancient wisdom demands the seeker be humble and forgiving. Respect for others and for the environment is required to proceed along the path to enlightenment. There is no completion without overcoming the challenge.

THE STAG

On a personal level, some kind of adjustment or interaction has taken place. The keyword here is responsibility. We must, as individuals, constantly observe the rules and regulations of society, and these can fluctuate as the view sand knowledge of civilization change. Whether on a political or moral level, we subconsciously know when a realignment of our perceptions is due. This is a time to welcome the justice that has arrived with the coming spring and the fire of creation. Face the coming season with honesty and integrity and trust to right and appropriate action.

Ace of Vessels – The Waters of Life

Meaning: The waters of life retain the ancient wisdom ready for reawakening. The moonlit pool of the universal soul retains all memory, ready to renew the inspired quest.

Reading Points: The suit of Vessels represent the primal mystery of human emotions, and the Ace focuses on the very essence of these powerful, yet elusive, traits. Since prehistory, emotions have been represented by the element of Water and, however far we have evolved, we are still largely ruled by our emotions and instincts. Our powers of reason, intellect and science have given us mastery of the oceans and skies, but what propels the driver to explore, invent and build is still human desire and curiosity.

Biologists would argue that our emotions are simply a manifestation of the ancient evolutionary process and are covered by the limbic system or mammalian brain. What influence the ancient reptilian brain (on which the mammalian brain sits) has on our emotional reactions is still a mystery. Our emotions need to be harnessed for positive ends, and suppressing our basic emotional needs will lead us to rebel and become detached. Gather your emotional energies and keep them in balance for health, creative, and loving interaction with all nature, including the sometimes irrational and destructive energies of humankind.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington