Part 3 of my look at the concept of guilt, and I think my last post on the subject.   (Maybe, we will see how this one comes out.)  My question as I shuffled was, “Can guilt ever be seen as something positive?”

The suit of Swords we associate with the thinking mind, logic, and intelligence, as well as conflicts (inner and outer) and troubled thoughts.   We have the Page of Swords again, and she looks quite dwarfed by the extra large harmonica she is carrying around.   Although this depiction is cute, she is having a very hard time of it.  Since I am asking a direct question on the subject of guilt, it would seem that this little tyke has more than she can handle.  With children, guilt takes the form of shame.  If children are taught to be ashamed of certain behaviors or actions, these will carry into adulthood and become feelings of guilt.  (These observations are totally my interpretations and opinions and should not be considered otherwise.)

The Page of Pentacles child appears to be a little older than the first, but still very young.   The coin she carries, which represents guilt/shame in this scenario, is much more manageable and in proportion to her size and age.   She appears happy and more at ease with no apparent struggle as she carries it easily.  The suit of Pentacles we associate with more physical aspects like, material goods, the act of learning and applying that knowledge, practical skills and application.  A more grounded and well rounded approach to life in general.

The Queen of Wands is her own woman.  She is a confident leader and knows how to assert her personal power to get what she wants.  She is creative, self-assured, and passionate.  At her best, she is witty, articulate, charming and driven.   Was she always this way, or is this audaciousness learned and adapted?  In the book, Tarot – Your Everyday Guide, Janina Renee (page 169) gives this advice about the Queen of Wands:  “To climb out of the abyss, summon all of your energy to act as if you are the Queen of Wands, even though such a high-energy personality may initially be hard to sustain.  People think that our moods determine our behavior, but science has discovered that it also works the other way around:  our behavior can alter our moods.”

In the real world, the aspects of this queen are only a small part of the puzzle that make-up the whole of a personality.  Some people have more of this trait than others.   But, in my experience, you will see less of this trait in people who have a low self esteem and lack self confidence due to the effects of excessive guilt.  This then leads to self-defeating actions, thoughts, and depression.   A horrible vicious cycle I have seen too many times.

Can guilt have a positive effect, or is it always negative?   A little guilt keeps us human, excessive guilt, on the other hand, is debilitating.

Well, this has certainly become long winded.  I will put off the summary in a fourth (and final, I promise!)  post.

(above images are from The Victorian Trade Card Tarot by Marcia McCord.)

Today’s draw is about my daughter.  I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going at first, until I turned up The Star, and then I knew.   (her middle name is Starr)  She is a young working mother of two and she and her husband are working 10+ hours a day.  Add to that, 2 hours drive time each day.  I know she feels like something has got to give, and soon.   Juggling home and work, a balance is needed.  The course correction and the opportunity for new balance will present itself soon, and the promise of an easier and calmer time ahead with this beautiful Star card.

A restful and healing time is coming, and is much needed.  She just has to keep up this  ‘juggling’ act a little while longer.

*images are from the sun and moon tarot by vanessa decort and published by US Games Inc.

This post continues the discussion on Guilt.  See part 1 here.

Today’s question asks, What is it good for?  Every time I think this question, the song ‘War’ by Edwin Starr, runs through my head.   “What is it good for? ….. Absolutely nothing!”      To help with this I pulled the above three cards from the Victorian Trade Card Tarot.   The World, Page of Swords, and 2 of Cups Rx (reversed or ill dignified).

The first thing I notice about this ‘World’ card is that the globe is tied and nailed down, held stationary.   Excessive guilt can also have this same affect if it is all consuming, leaving you paralyzed with fear and feeling unable to break free.   The Page of Swords is more likely to add to this dilemma than relieve it.  Immature and sometimes erratic, the Page often creates mountains out of molehills blowing matters out of proportion.   What in reality is more than likely a small matter to feel some guilt gets blown out of proportion until it is too big to carry.   The 2 of Cups (reversed) seems only to add more doom and gloom without alleviating the situation.  In Tarot Dynamics, Anna has this to say about the 2 of Cups.  Emotional/Interaction “The more challenging the situation the more you feel as if everyone is against you or trying to patronize you.  ……people that you thought you couldn’t get along without, may suddenly annoy you to no end.”   So in this line of thinking, if someone is guilt ridden to the point of being paralyzed – and it has compounded and fed on itself until it has become unmanageable – the tendency to isolate yourself and push people away only feeds the vicious cycle.  By allowing relatively small matters to grow to such large proportions, this imbalance leads to feeling that everyone is against you.

“Guilt is both a cognitive and an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes that he or she has violated a moral standard and is responsible for that violation. A guilty conscience results from thoughts that we have not lived up to our ideal self. Guilt feelings may also inhibit us from falling short of our ideal again in the future. Individual guilt is an inner reflection on personal wrongdoing, while collective guilt is a shared state resulting from group—such as corporate, national, or community—wrongdoing.”   ~Encyclopedia of Psychology~

To be Continued…….

Marcy Currier is the creator of the adorable, The  Mystical Frog Tarot, which is in progress and set to be published by US Games Inc., created this cute and wonderfully revealing tarot spread she calls, “Warts and All… A spread for self-acceptance.”  This is a must-try spread that can give you lots of insight into the ‘Warts’ we all have and must deal with.   Marcy graciously gave me permission to share it here on my blog.

“Warts and All”

(copyright Marcy Currier, 2011)

Below find the cards I drew for this spread and a summary of the reading.  Be sure to try it out for yourself and check out Marcy’s facebook page, The Mystical Frog Tarot.

1.       Self-concept:  7 of Cups

2.       The wart I don’t like (fear)  The Devil

3.       The wart I don’t’ see or deny.  3 of Wands

4.       Love those warts!   10 of Swords

5.       Integration of 4-5,  Page of Pentacles

6.       New Vision.  8 of Cups

A quick overview of my cards:  I certainly see myself relating to the 7 of Cups, being open minded about life in general, I feel,  gives me lots of options and variety in my thinking, my choices, interests, and my friends.  My Wart, what I don’t like or fear, The Devil – no surprise there.  Excesses and overindulgence along with rationalizing is certainly devil energies with me.   The Wart that I don’t recognize or deny, well to be honest, I’m not real sure that I see what this wart is.  After-all, this is something I don’t recognize.  Possibly it is not taking advantage of opportunities, not following through and not always practicing what I preach.  How to fix cards 2 and 3, by integrating cards 4 and 5.  Hmmm, first of all the 10 of Swords is traditionally thought of as a very negative card, but I need to look at it as a lesson card.  In Tarot Dynamics, Anna B. Cook describes the 10 of Swords as meaning (in part) to create self-imposed restrictions such as, “I can’t”, “I’m not smart enough” or “I can’t do all that.”   The more positive lesson here is, “you won’t give up on yourself and you’re always willing to help others who are trying to help themselves.  This is where my ‘practice what I preach’ lesson comes into play.  Combine that with the Page of Pentacles energy and it is pure potential.  Although the page is a young energy, it is a practical energy.  It is this ability of being practical and realistic that will make it easier to transform a losing matter into a winning proposition.  The Page lesson combined with the 10 of Swords is one of Taking the bull by the horns, and not just saying that or thinking it, but by taking action!  Now to get a new vision a new outlook, a better look at these warts and how to fix them.  A change of scenery may be called for.   Meet new and interesting people, get someone else’s advice or opinion and listen to it.  Leave behind the old demons and devils and make a fresh start.

*Card images are The Victorian Trade Card Tarot by Marcia McCord.

(limited edition deck, get yours before they are gone.)