December 23, 2009 - The Tower

"So what do I need to know today for the health and happiness of my heart?" (I have come to think, at least for now, that my path and the health and happiness of my heart, both literal and figurative, may be one and the same.)

The Tower

When the Tower comes up in a reading, my heart sinks. I don't react with terror or fear as much as "again" and "still." It has been a major theme the past few years. And just about the time I think maybe I can start rebuilding, that the wheel of fortune is ready to turn again, bringing me high from the lows, the Tower card comes and tells me "not yet." I wonder as I write this if maybe I'm to move the site of my foundation, build somewhere else. Perhaps this ground cannot sustain me anymore. Perhaps it is not just about rebuilding but about finding somewhere else, a better place to settle, the right place.

In the Jane Austen Tarot, the Tower is depicted by the crumpled form of Louisa Musgrove. She has jumped for a second time from the steps on the quay. The first time she was successful, the second she suffered a significant head trauma. Everyone mills around, not sure what to do, with the exception of Anne Elliot. She is the only one that bends over the body trying to ascertain the extent of her injuries. There is a certain impulsivity implied in this card. Our own rashness has often led to our transformational changes. At least, mine did, which doesn't make it any easier.

Louisa Musgrove's accident is a pivotal point in the novel, Persuasion. As devastating as it is to all involved, good things come from it, although no one at that moment can see. Captain Wentworth, so angry at Anne for her refusal of him years ago, so determined to hurt her, realizes her worth and the love he still feels for her. Louisa, a poor match for Captain Wentworth, finds during her long recovery, a better match, someone better suited to her temperament.

What would Jane Do?

"Life serves us difficult experiences that we simply must live through, and sometimes it seems as if our particular cloud utterly lacks a silver lining. But we need to realize that while we may be powerless in the face of external events, the one thing we have complete control of is the attitude we take toward them." P. 44

Lemonade out of lemons. As much as I hate that saying, it still holds true.