The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance;
the wise grows it under his feet.
James Oppenheim (1882-1932)

Surprise! Another Ten this week, and another “stage” card!

And how sweet to see such a joyful message in this time of ever more disturbing challenges. In harmony with Monday’s Aries New Moon, and the blossoming of early Springtime here in the Northern Hemisphere, we welcome the Ten of Cups.

The Cups are the suit of the emotions, dreams, intuition, and love. And, as we have learned with our other recent ten, there is a message here about the journey’s end, as well as the zenith and overflow of what is possible in the suit.

In this case, we have the ultimate fulfillment of our emotional needs: love, happiness, family harmony, celebration.

The happy couple, holding each other tenderly, celebrates the appearance of the cup-crowned rainbow, as their two little children dance and play. In the distance is their modest home, and a clear horizon. This is a card of harmony, gratitude, and true happiness.

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, this is yet another one of Pamela Colman Smith’s “stage” cards, referring to the horizontal line across the card that makes it appear they may all be on a theater stage. This certainly gives the appearance of the happily-ever-after ending of a play or story.

So is it real?

The answer the Tarot always gives is — it’s up to you.

The Promise

Rainbows, of course, are often considered a sign of Divine blessings and protection. They may also be a bridge, like the Norse Bifrost, that connects the human realms (Midgard) with the Divine (Asgard, land of the Gods).

The rainbow is the promise that humans can journey to the transcendent threshold of Divine connectedness.

We are given the realization that, at the ending of the story, our joy and the joy of God(dess) are one.

Many are the sorrows and troubles that each of us may be facing individually, and as a global community. But the Ten of Cups shows us that beneath all the complexities and challenges of our world, the formula for happiness for each individual remains quite simple.

All that most of us really want is a secure and happy home, joyful connection to our beloveds, the pleasures of beauty and creativity, hope for the future, and soulful contentment.

These desires are common to every religion, race, gender, sexual preference, education, nation, age, and social status. Except for those who are mentally ill or soul-wounded, kindness and friendship are natural to us.

It is up to us to ensure that we are vigilant that such wounded people never be ignored, much less given power, for they are treacherous to the common good.

Instead, the Ten of Cups depicts the promise that these private and universal longings can be fulfilled.

When we aspire to and achieve times like this gentle scene, war, scarcity, hate, prejudice, and fear are revealed as the tools of deception that they are.

The Ten of Cups affirms that when our hearts overflow with Good, we find we have all that we need. Ours is the power of healing, forgiveness, and peace.

Blessing the Seeds of This New Moon

With Monday’s New Moon in the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, we, too, are at a bridging time – the ending of the end and the beginning of the beginning.

My friend Elisabeth Grace writes:

The New Moon kicks in with impassioned flair at 7 degrees of Aries at 10:57 PM ET. This is the time to light a candle and focus on your list of intentions to develop over the next four weeks.

A New Moon in Aries suggests a need to be a courageous, inspiring pioneer and/or warrior, preferably on the side of the angels.

And at Cafe Astrology, Annie Heese agrees, noting:

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and thus a New Moon in Aries is especially ripe with opportunity for new beginnings.

We might consider acting on a constructive impulse and following a hunch or taking a risk. Aries learns through experience and action so that we might treat ourselves to a little adventure now.

It’s also a good cycle from which to discover the benefits of expressing ourselves with authenticity – expressing ourselves as we are, without putting on airs.

Embracing Life As It Is

If relationships have been suffering from tension or conflict, this may offer you a healing opportunity in which to cultivate peace.

If worries about current circumstances, personal or global, have been taking up your energy, stop a moment.

Recognize the incredible Love that fills and defines this world of ours. Despite the untruths and hatefulness spewing from the halls of power, life as it really is has plentiful beauty and grace for us all.

This week, remember that even the most divisive, painful human situations can be improved by finding our common ground and opening our hearts to one another.

Through the giving of our love — abundant, overflowing, and without measure — we cross the bridge to our own divine nature, and access the very heavens.

At the end of this rainbow, your wishes can come true. Your happiness is here, growing under your own feet. Celebrate and give thanks, exactly where you now stand.

Welcome home.