The Ocean Oracle – 16 – Octopus – All Encompassing

All’s Well

Truth be told, I’m not feeling all that much different tonight than I did when I sat down to write last night. I’m unsettled. In some ways, it feels like my mind is telling me I need to just chill out, step back, and realize all’s well that ends well.

But is it? My head may be telling me all is well, but my other means of perception aren’t as easily persuaded.

I ask myself, am I being alarmist? Paranoid? Is it possible I’m simply so used to relentless chaos and discord that the very prospect of returning to some sense of normalcy, at least with respect to the highest levels of our government, leaves me feeling…wary?

I don’t know. I’m an inherently optimistic person. I want to ride the waves of relief emanating from Delaware, where President-elect Biden held a public announcement of his incoming National Security team. I’m excited to learn who he intends to nominate as Attorney General, head of the EPA, and a variety of other cabinet posts. (And I can’t believe what a nerd I sound like.)

And yet…

Ocean Oracle

So I decide to pull a card. Perhaps I’ll glean some insight. My deck of The Ocean Oracle, by Susan Marte, beckons.

I chose the Octopus Card (All Encompassing). Because the background ‘Story’ of the card feels every bit as important as the ‘Message’ included in the booklet, I’m going to include the whole thing. It all feels somehow relevant:

“The Story –

She was walking along the rock pools, contemplating her situation. Something did not feel right but she was not sure if it was something within her or something inherent in the situation. She came to a deep, clear pool of water where the tide had deposited a small octopus on its way out towards low tide. The octopus had its tentacles wrapped around something which seemed to be struggling. She wanted to help the trapped creature but then saw a large crayfish heading towards the octopus. She could not tell whether the octopus was protecting what she was encompassing from the crayfish, or whether she was intending it as her own prey. There was no way to be sure so she stepped back, allowing the creatures to sort it out for themselves, just as she had to step back in order to sort out her own situation.

The Messages –

Too much or too little? Embracing or restricting? Everything held within can either be a blessing or a curse. Perspective helps here. The situation may be the same but how are you perceiving it? What is the intent behind the situation? Take a step back, gain perspective, notice the intent. If something is too much, loosen your grip. What has been struggling to fall away, to get out of your grasp, will lighten. This will help give you a different perspective.”

My Take

Perhaps we’re being encouraged to step back and just watch everything unfold. Maybe it’s time to stand back and rest up, gather our power. It’s important right now to maintain perspective, keep our distance, and keep our eyes and ears open. There’s certainly a lot of spectacle. But that’s actually a distraction. And we can get sucked into ‘rescuing’ or getting upset with one set of circumstances, when the true danger might appear benign and slip under our radar.

Perhaps we’re not seeing everything we need to see in order to make an informed judgment.

(T-367)