Five of Coins / Pentacles — Spiritual Message of the Day

The clutter in our lives impedes our spiritual progress. It’s not just about having an attachment to material things, as in the proverbial case of a wealthy man having less chance of entering the Kingdom of Heaven than the camel has of going through the eye of a needle. Material possessions can anchor us in the material world, and they can easily come to possess us more than we do them, especially considering all their demands for protection and maintenance. This doesn’t necessarily happen, but it’s easier to focus on our soul’s needs when we don’t have so many mundane concerns vying for our attention. This isn’t an admonition to embrace poverty, but it is advice is to simplify and de-clutter your life and to avoid attachment to your possessions. (I recently read a wonderful book that can help you de-clutter your home: Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston.)

In addition, “clutter” can also refer to mundane pursuits as well as material possessions. So much of our culture is based on attraction to that which is external and impermanent, typically by distracting us from that which is essential and within us. In fact, we have an entire industry dedicated to this. It’s called “advertising,” and it is expert in the art of distraction, keeping us from being mindful and serene as it seeks to convince us that we need things that we don’t. And so we have an ADHD culture of rampant consumerism, with the resulting problems of war, crime, and pollution. Simplification is the key here too. Focus on what is essential and recognize how you allow unnecessary complications into your life.

Today, make an honest assessment of what you need and don’t need in your life, considering your habits, responsibilities, and hobbies as well as your material possessions. Then see how much of all that you can eliminate. For example, do you really need to spend so much time on Facebook or watching funny videos on YouTube? What would your life be like if instead you spent that time meditating, helping others, or being with someone you love?

If you enjoy these words of spiritual advice from the cards, you will love my Tarot book, The Soul’s Journey: Finding Spiritual Messages in the Tarot. 

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