Why Am I So Stingy?

I think we all can have those moments of “Mine! It’s mine, mine, mine!” I know I can. Particularly around food. I feel threatened and angry if someone eats my food. It’s one of my stumbling blocks.

Wildwood_14SwordsToday’s card is from the re-envisioned Greenwood Tarot now sold as the Wildwood. Here is the King of Arrows (Swords) seen as the Kingfisher. This is a bird whose very name invokes a very real and very large king in my world.

I wouldn’t say that I’m a fan of Huey P. Long, former governor of Louisiana. He was assassinated in the capital building. It’s something of a pilgrimage for all Louisiana children to go to the capital to see the hole in the wall where one bullet struck.

I was taught by a woman who told stories of her early teaching career. Days when a whisper against Long in north Louisiana on a Monday could find you with out a job or prospects in Louisiana on Tuesday. The man had a long reach.

The Kingfisher of the avian species is one I’m also familiar with. I’ve been fortunate enough to see this bird in person on several occasions. Don’t try to get into his fishing range if you are another fishing bird. He will use that long, pointed beak to drive you off. What is his is his.

I think we all can have those moments of “Mine! It’s mine, mine, mine!” I know I can. Particularly around food. I feel threatened and angry if someone eats my food. It’s one of my stumbling blocks.

Another thing about this particular king is his focus. This bird doesn’t get distracted. He can sit for hours watching his water waiting for the fish to surface. I’m not that patient. Are you?

I see the two sides of this king today. One the all-consuming, all-selfish ruler of his world who doesn’t want to share and can’t see why he should. Two the focused individual who shepherds his thoughts from incubation to fully fledged ideas that can take wing on their own.

For my 180 seconds today, I am going to contemplate why I am so stingy around food. Why I have this prehistoric, knee-jerk reaction over the last cookie or the last cracker.

What will your 180 seconds be today? I challenge you to search in yourself for one area where you don’t share well. Then examine that to see if you can figure out why.

If you feel safe, tell me here. And I will be doing yesterday’s readings tonight so don’t despair if you were one of the folks who participated yesterday!

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

King of Arrows, The Wildwood Tarot: Wherein Wisdom Resides, 2011

Deity, Guns & Fierceness

Today’s card is from a deck I used to have. I got it, hated it and traded it. Hate is such a strong word, isn’t it? But this deck caused a huge reaction in me — this card particularly.

Still, the quote I read yesterday by Ntosake Shange reminded me of this card.

“I found God in Myself & I loved Her…I loved Her fiercely. ~Ntosake Shange”

Loved Her fiercely. Another strong word–fierce. Here we see Rodin’s Thinker repurposed into a man contemplating suicide. That’s such a permanent answer to a temporary question to my way of thinking. I understand why some choose it. I’ve been at that dark spot myself.

Going back to the Shange quote. I love this quote because it reminds me that Deity (no matter what you call it/Him/Her/Them) is within all of us. That is why we should treat one another with love and compassion–including ourselves.

And not shoot one another. Think what it would mean to point a gun at someone and know you are killing God. Or any other weapon including your words and your fists.

What if you are yelling at God? What if you are calling God a fat, ugly bitch when you do that to yourself?

Just think about it. If you knew you were in the presence of Deity, would you change what you do? Would you change what you say? Would you offer Deity more love, more compassion, more grace of being?

Find God in yourself and love Her/Him fiercely.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Gunman (King of Swords), The Pomo Tarot: A Postmodern Deck for Navigating the Next Millennium, U.S. Games Systems, 1994 (OOP)

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Tarot&Food: King of Swords’ Balls

I’m green. No, really. Cut me and I bleed green just like a Vulcan. Or more correctly, just like a Girl Scout. We turned 100 this year. Happy birthday, us! The Girl Scouts have been fundamental in my life. They gave me extra time with my mama (she was my leader for years). They gave me my best friend forever AND ever (we met at a Girl Scout canoe clinic in 1977). They gave me two unbeatable life experiences (riding in a wagon train across North Dakota was one of those. Move Em’ Out 76). They gave me confidence and helped me feel more comfortable in my own skin.

In a word, they gave me balls.

Well, sort of.

They gave me porcupine balls to be exact. When we would go camping, we always looked for yummy things we could cook over the fire. Did you know I am an excellent cook even over a stone pit and an open flame? The things I can do! I can even bury a dutch oven and serve you apple pie later. Oh yes I can. But we aren’t at dessert yet. First we need to discuss the King of Swords’ balls.

I paired this with the King of Swords because he is a man of many swords. Like this recipe, he can be a bit prickly at times. This is a yummy (and super easy) entree. You can have your kids help you. They will enjoy the results.

King of Swords, Victorian Romantic Tarot

King of Swords’ Balls

1 Lb ground beef, lean (you can also use ground turkey)
1/3 C uncooked long-grain rice
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 C water
1 tsp Tabasco, optional

Combine the ground beef, rice, onion, 1/4 cup of the water, salt, and pepper. Now for the fun part. Roll this up into walnut-sized balls. You can get 12-15 for a lb of meat. Set them aside for a bit.

Combine the soup, chili powder, and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add meatballs; reduce heat, cover, and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and be careful. You don’t want to beat the poor King’s balls to hard.

Serves 4 and just has to have some good bread and a salad to balance it all out.

Let me know if you try the King’s balls. I’d love to know what you think.

For the record? I really wanted to name this “Vulcans, Balls & Girl Scouts.”