Feral Feelings: The Tower and The Star
[caption id align="alignnone" width="5184"]
The Tower and The Star. Photo by Derek Firenze [/caption]
Dear Feral Feelings,
Since the election results, I have been in a downward spiral of hopelessness. I am in my late 60’s, I am mortified to think I’ll never see the change I have so hoped would come to our country. I wanted to see a woman become president, but I doubt I’ll live long enough to see that happen. I am not sure how to pick myself up and keep going. Any guidance you might have is appreciated.
Sincerely, Hopeless
Dear Hopeless,
Thank you for submitting this question, I imagine you aren’t alone in your feelings of hopelessness. During 2020, when COVD-19 first ravaged our lives, I remember a coworker telling me, “We’re not all in the same boat, but we are in the same sea.” This was a deep comfort to me and to many others who felt isolated in a shared experience of global upheaval.
We are in a time of upheaval now, yes, and we will be for some time to come. I won’t tell you that you are wrong; neither of us have any way of knowing if you will live long enough to see the change in the world you are seeking. And I won’t try to comfort you with reassurance because this kind of upheaval guarantees chaos, disorganization, and pain for many people.
For some time, I have been an avid Tarot reader. I read Tarot cards for myself, my loved ones, and I use Tarot in my clinical practice with clients. I am less interested in the notion that Tarot cards somehow predict the future– I don’t observe that to be true, personally. Instead, I am excited by how the 78 cards of the major and minor arcana tell stories about universal human experiences. The word arcana translates to “secrets” or “mysteries,” of the human condition. I am not the first psychotherapist to make use of Tarot; the field of psychology has certainly made great use of the archetypes and situations detailed in the cards. Carl Jung–one of the forefathers of modern psychology for instance–utilized tarot in the creation of his theories, particularly the theory of collective unconscious. The collective unconscious is the realm of universal symbols, knowledge, and imagery, where any person can relate no matter who they are, what they believe, or where they come from. If I were to pluck any set of cards from this collective to reflect your current state, Hopeless, I would choose two: The Tower and The Star.
The Tower is infamous among tarot enthusiasts. When it is drawn in a reading, it is felt by both the reader and the querent. Featuring a tall tower struck by lightning, cast against a dark and stormy sky, the 16th card of the major arcana is truly ominous. Two figures fall from the flaming tower, their faces twisted in fear as they descend. The Tower is a card of upheaval, a harbinger of chaos and dramatic change. The Tower reflects a moment of intense, powerful disruption, like a break up or other personal losses. Certainly, the political is personal, and I can see that for you, Hopeless, this recent election has resulted in a tremendous personal loss. And, also, the card that follows The Tower, The Star, carries a vital message for all of us: After upheaval there is rebirth, and in rebirth, hope can arise.
The Star depicts a woman, naked at the edge of a river, pouring water from two pitchers. One pitcher pours water on to the land, the other pours water into the river where she kneels. Above her is an 8 pointed star symbolizing balance and harmony. In the Tarot, The Star represents hope and the chance of renewal after disaster. When we have hoped over and over again for something to happen and it doesn’t happen, we experience great disappointment, sadness, and frustration. Hoping over and over again for a woman to become president in your lifetime, only to reach your elder years and realize that may never happen, is a very valid and understandable place for hopelessness to grow. In fact, you may feel it is more adaptive not to hope at all, since you are surely tired of feeling let down. And, as I’ve said, you’re right, Hopeless–you may never see that day come. At the same time, hope is deeply medicinal in dark times. Hope is the lantern you illuminate in the dark. The Star of the Tarot teaches us to reach for hope in the wake of disaster, it invites us to see how rebirth is possible in the bleakest of times. Please, plant your hope somewhere it can grow. In your loved ones, your garden, your spiritual practice, or in your own ability to heal from upheavals. I invite you, Hopeless, to take your pitcher, and pour back into yourself, so that you, too, can be renewed.
