Rise up this mornin'Smiled with the risin' sunThree little birdsPitch by my doorstepSingin' sweet songsOf melodies pure and trueSaying', (this is my message to you)Singing' don't worry 'bout a thing'Cause every little thing gonna be alrightSinging' don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing'Cause every little thing gonna be alright...Three Little Birds ~Bob Marley
During what felt at the time like one of the most difficult times in my life, I stood in front of a speaker in my living room and just patted and tapped myself all over my body as Three Little Birds played, on repeat. I was reminding myself and my body that truly everything was going to be just fine, in fact everything was already just fine. It was extremely helpful and now, when I hear that song, I can’t help but remember that time in my life, when parts of me were not sure how I was going to make it...and yet here I am, fine, and still breathing and living and loving and playing and working and being, and actually pretty much better than ever. And so many wonderful (and difficult) things have happened to me in between then and now.
We ThreeMy love wanders the rooms, melodious,flute notes, plucked wires,full of a wine the magi drank on the way to Bethlehem.We are three. The moon comes from its quiet corner,puts a pitcher of water down in the center.The circle of surface flames.One of us kneels to kiss the threshold-dust.One drinks with wine-flames playing over his face.One watches the gathering and says to any cold onlookers,This dance is the joy of existence. ~Rumi
It’s no coincidence that here were 3 little birds in that song. The number three has long been considered a magical number. In fairy tales there were the three bears, the three little pigs and the three billy goats gruff, and others, where three, the youngest of whom usually became the protagonist of the story. That person almost always went through 3 trials and how they were handled lead to the outcome. Or three wishes, the third of which almost always was the most successful. The third time's the charm, and everything always happens in threes...is it just in fairy tales or have we also experienced this in our lives? Does it happen because we believe it or do we believe it because it has happened? Or is is all just “coincidence”? Regardless it is entrenched enough in our belief systems that you know what I’m talking about.In the major arcana, the 3 is represented by The Empress (LINKED). She is the symbol of the active aspect of the divine feminine. She represents creativity, fecundity, prosperity and birth, release and surrender. In this card she speaks to me of Persephone, who is the Queen of The Underworld for 6 months of the year, assisting the dead in their journey to crossover and for the other 6 months of the year she is Demeter’s devoted daughter above ground, encouraging Spring and Summer…She represents the light at the end of the tunnel for those crossing over to the light at the end of their lives and for those in the birth canal. And she is the perfect card for the beginning of Spring, here in the month of March when on the 21st we mark the Vernal Equinox, after which the days become longer and the nights shorter as we head towards summer and then again towards winter in that eternal dance of light and dark that occurs as we move through the seasons.That dance of light and dark, the tension between the opposites elicits its own magic that births the number 3. Carl Jung spoke of this quite extensively and I have experienced it symbolically and specifically once so far. This is when we come to a place of tension with another, regarding opinion or perspective and there is the probability of conflict. Carl Jung suggests that rather than going into conflict or the immediate release of capitulation, we just hold that tension, and in that tension of both disagreement and respect, love of self and love of the other, a magical third, if given the space, will appear. And, as we are approaching Spring, it is appropriate that my story involves eggs.A decade or so ago I was with my beloved, at that time, at the grocery store buying eggs for an event we were attending. We stopped at the fancy Ralph’s as it was on our way. As we approached the egg section we simultaneously reached for eggs. His eggs were the least expensive, factory produced eggs, my eggs were the most humane, organically fed, tender loving & tending the free roaming hen, eggs at about twice the price. We had yet to have a major disagreement, he & I, and so when we both stood there with our eggs it became apparent that there was going to be a stand off. I am not spending that kind of money on eggs, said he, well I am not buying those cruel kind of eggs, said I...And we both of us stood our ground.Being in the throes of fairly new love I wondered at what was going to happen. Neither of us had taken such a stand before. The tension increased, we looked at each other and both stood strong, I truly could not buy those eggs after watching Diet For A New America a decade before and seeing how the hens were treated, no matter how much I loved him; and he truly could not imagine spending such an exorbitant amount on eggs, not matter how much he loved me, we had no solution only tension. Then, at the same moment we both looked down and saw, on special sale, a dozen local free range brown fertile eggs for actually 50 cents less than the eggs he held in his hand. I’m good with those, he said, are you? Yes, I’m good with those, said I, and off we went to the check out stand.For the remainder of that relationship when we came to a conflict point we would help ourselves through it by reminding ourselves of the fertile eggs. However, at the end, even those magical eggs could not save that relationship, regardless how much we we wanted them too. They have however, become a major example, a touchpoint, for me in my own life about how beautifully the universe works in mysterious ways to help us when we most need it and we are open to learn; a phenomenal example of the magic that occurs from holding the tension between the opposites!
Three Gates“Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates:At the first gate, ask yourself “Is is true?”At the second gate ask, “Is it necessary?”At the third gate ask, “Is it kind?” ~Rumi
three of cups
The three of cups is a celebration of the emotional abundance of feelings; acknowledging the importance of sharing of our feelings and connecting with others on an emotional level. When this card appears in a reading it provides an encouragement or an observation of the opportunity to share with others in a heartfelt way.Do you have a circle of friends that you can share your innermost depths with? People who will celebrate your joys and hold you while you cry? It reminds me of my women’s circle and also of ACA (Adult Child of Alcoholic & Dysfunctional Families) meetings, where the authentic human being, in all our glory is welcomed; all emotions and feelings, celebrations and challenges are given space, welcomed and embraced. We heal in that safe embrace.Acknowledge and embrace those people and communities who have this gift to share with you. According to modern scientific studies it is communities and sharing and support that help us to live longer happier more satisfying lives. This is true magic!three of wands
The Three of Wands represents the virtue & enjoyment of hard work, dedication and passion. There is a difference between learning to juggle (It took me 4 hours and a sunburn, to learn it one summer day at a Juggling festival.) and what it takes to actually juggle with fire while standing on the edge of a cliff.The core strength and balance, the physical grace and ease to stand at the edge of a cliff while juggling is no small feat. I’ve stood still at the edge of a cliff and felt that I needed to get down on my belly to look over and down, just to make sure I don’t fall! The practice and commitment it takes to become a master juggler and then move on to juggling with fire! I have watched people take that journey and it was possible because they really LOVED juggling, and the better they got at it the more they loved and the more they wanted to stretch themselves. I have known fire workers; the ones I have met are intense and passionate people who have a powerful relationship with and great respect for fire.Where in your own life do have (or want to work towards) this kind of relationship to what you are doing? It's this that the three of wands is speaking to.three of pentacles
What is success? What is mastery?The three of pentacle reminds us that it is doing what we love and connecting in with our own, individual, specific, innate creativity that gives us that edge. When this card enters a reading it is often a reminder to the querent that it is important to integrate their creativity into their work life. It is a sign that something creative wants to come through them and an encouragement to allow that; to follow their heart and gut and their creative fire in order to manifest (or mammafest) what is coming into being.For it’s not just hard work and technical knowledge that makes a master, it is also that inspiration and willingness to let magic through us that creates masterpiece in art, in business, in relationship...in life.three of swords
”break my heart open so I can love more”Ohhhh heartbreak! We have all experienced it or we will all, at one time in our life have the opportunity to experience it; some of us have already had our hearts broken many times over. When the three of swords comes into reading, it is bringing attention to that heartbreak, it is asking us to stop and acknowledge, feel and honor and allow the heartbreak to bring its gift through the doorway of the wound.When I see this card I slow down the reading, take a deep breath and ask the qurerent about their heartbreak, I ask them what needs to be honored that was lost recently, or even long ago, and to take a deep breath and feel. Usually that is a time for tears, holy waters, that are welcomed for the blessing they are, helping to honor and release the pain that the heartbreak engendered. Once the heartbreak and pain are honored and felt and lovingly acknowledged, then we can begin to look at moving forward.
Three ButterfliesThe people of this world are like the three butterflies in front of a candle's flame.The first one went closer and said:I know about love.The second one touched the flame lightly with his wings and said:I know how love's fire can burn.The third one threw himself into the heart of the flame and was consumed: He alone knows what true love is.
~Rumi
Many blessings on your Spring Equinox, may your lives be filled with the magic of fertile eggs!And please stop by, the 4th Friday, March 23, to see what creative magic is in the cards for you!
