It’s okay to not be okay. We don’t all have to be happy sunshiny people all the time. Everyone gets the blues. Whether is lingers around forever or is intermittent are two different stories. It is okay to feel like crap. It is human. In this article I am addressing the philosophy of emotion and the tarot linked to emotion. This is in no way a diagnosis or medical advice. If you feel like you are unable to move out of the darkness, feel hopeless, lost, or suicidal then there is help by dialing 988 in the United States. If you live outside of the United States, there is a list of resources here.

I am usually an optimistic person. A bright sunny ray of sunshine is what some would say. But even I have my days. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. Delays, cancellations, miscommunications, conflicts, and sickness can strike any of us. And if you partake in the woo world, then astrologically speaking we are knee deep in eclipse season, and a mercury retrograde right now. The month of March left me with wanting to mirror an ostrich, and leave my head in the sand at moments. These are moments we often look back on and are able to see all the set backs and lessons learned were usually for one reason or another which landed us in a much better place than where we were before. It isn’t always easy to see the forest through the trees though when we are in the thick of the ick. When we are feeling down and out, and luck is not so much on our side… we can turn to philosophy and tarot for some answers.

The Philosophy of Emotion

If all emotions are common coin, then what is unique to the good man? To welcome with affection what is sent by fate. Not to stain or disturb the spirit within him with a mess of false beliefs. -Marcus Aurelius

Stoics would say not to let the emotion lead you, nor control you. I don’t think that we are necessarily allowing the emotion to lead, nor control us by embracing a negative emotion with affection. We are acknowledging the storm passing by. Whether we choose to stay in the storm after it has passed it up to us. But sometimes we just need to reside in the darkness in order to actually see the light again. We have to give the poor luck bear a big hug, and hang out in it’s house for a while to figure out what the heck is going on. Acknowledging instead of denying the ill fated emotion could be half the battle.

Sadness gives depth. Happiness gives height. Sadness gives roots. Happiness gives branches. Happiness is like a tree going into the sky, and sadness is like the roots going down into the womb of the earth. Both are needed, and the higher a tree goes, the deeper it goes, simultaneously. The bigger the tree, the bigger will be its roots. In fact, it is always in proportion. That’s its balance. – Osho Rajneesh

Just like a seed needs to be buried into the earth, it remains in darkness in order to grow. If that same seed were put in the sun, it would not germinate nor sprout. It needs the protected time in the dirt, isolated, with some water and sunshine in order to break ground. We too, need the same thing. Soon that tiny isolated seed will grow into a flower or into a tree or even a flowering tree. That same seed will weather the seasons just as we weather the seasons of our own lives. Losses, new beginnings, lightning strikes of surprise, long sunny days, or shorter darker days. We are here for it all. By accepting it all, we see all phases and move out of our bad mood or unforeseen ill fortune. Taking solace is what helps us sort this matter out.

The Tarot

A few cards come to mind when thinking about poor luck. The ten of swords and the four of cups are just a couple. Ten of swords, not one sword in the back… but TEN. When I pull this card, I feel as though the universe is laughing and telling me to lighten up. It’s not as bad as I think it is.

The four of cups shows a man looking down at the cups on the ground (sometimes spilled and sometimes just empty), and he has no clue what the universe is presenting him opportunity wise. He is so to speak, crying over spilt milk or the lack of what is missing from the cups. He is apathetic. Another portrayal of showing that in darkness and ill fortune, there is opportunity to bring light and/or a new opportunity. There is an opportunity to create. There is opportunity to turn your darkness into something others can relate to. Sitting in a caffe, I listen to Johnny Cash sing Folsom Prison Blues. Just think about how many sang along to that song about watching rich people in the fancy dining car, and look back at getting in trouble, but turning a new leaf. Cash saw the opportunity there, and took it.

Crawling out of the Abyss

Remember goblin mode? Folks commiserating about not brushing their teeth or hair because they work from home. Well guess what? Some people still do this. Others realized wearing yoga pants for a year lead to need a pair of pants a few sizes bigger. Oops! And then there are others that have taken the opportunity to dress up and wear special outfits even if they are walking the dog. Why? Because they see the opportunity, and their situation doesn’t characterize how they live their day to day lives. While there are people who embrace goblin mode, not everyone wants to stay in that space. I think of it as the elderly woman from the movie Benjamin Button, who dressed in her finest outfits and jewelry everyday while listening to opera records. Why? Because it made her feel good. There is the choice to either stay in pajamas, or there is the choice to spruce things up.

As Rumi so beautifully states:

Beautiful days do not come to you. You must walk towards them. -Rumi

Don’t forget, there is just as much beauty in the darkness as there is in the lighter sides of life. There is a balance that must be kept. It’s all in the human experience for a reason.

-Keri