Trees and rivers

Shining Tribe Tarot

No question, no positions. Just a draw. Quotations from companion book by Rachel Pollack

The Place of Trees - 'The Place of Trees is a state of mind, or even an actual place, where we feel safe and natural, and where knowledge makes us more alive.'

4 of Rivers - 'The card [is] the image of Akiba in paradise. He has cast off his old self and freed his true being so that now he can move peacefully through the glorious wonders of the spiritual world. New beginnings, commitments. Casting off old limitations, admitting past mistakes. The ability to handle difficult situations with balance and peace.'

Knower of Trees - 'Above all this is a card of opening your arms to life. It tells us to embrace the world around us in all its aspects, to hold nothing back. We do not pick and choose what we want to accept in this life, or in a partner, but instead love the winter as well as the summer. Through such acceptance we gain real knowledge of ourselves and others.'

I am reminded again of the three tools of acceptance: Unconditional Self-Acceptance, Unconditional Other-Acceptance, Unconditional Life-Acceptance.

Unconditional Self-Acceptance:
1. I am a fallible human being. I have my good points and I have my bad points.
2. There is no reason why I must not have flaws.
3. Despite my good points and my bad points, I am no more worthy or no less worthy than any other human being.

Unconditional Other-Acceptance:
1. Other people will treat me (or others) unfairly from time to time.
2. There is no reason why they must treat me (or others)  fairly.
3. The people who treat me (or others) unfairly are no more worthy and no less worthy than any other human being.

Unconditional Life-Acceptance:
1. Life doesn't always work out the way I would like it to.
2. There is no reason why life must go the way I want it to.
3. Life is not necessarily pleasant, but it is rarely awful and it is nearly always bearable.

(Source: SMART Recovery training tools from the website www.smartrecovery.org.uk)