Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle - 8 Cry For Nature

lalalibra

8 Cry For Nature "Mourning for something sacred which seems lost"

This card can signify the resurfacing of old wounds and traumas which need to be acknowledged and/or expressed. It can symbolize accidents. It can also signify being (or feeling like) a victim of circumstance or actions which are cruel and heartless. Just as in card 6 Dark Moon, the black and white (or sepia?) coloring in the card emphasizes the importance of recognizing the balance in life, for there is both light and dark in this experience. Both can be worked with in order to find wisdom.

You can see how the tree is sliced clean by machinery rather than by a natural cause such as a lightning bolt. Something feels like it has gone missing; like it's been broken, lost, or taken away. We may even be feeling this way about our own selves...

It is important to mourn before you can see things clearly. Notice how the faery has her face buried in her arms. To her, it's important to feel her pain. She doesn't get up and fly away. And she doesn't meticulously count the rings in the tree stump, because it doesn't make a difference: no matter how old or young this tree was, something of value has been cut away from its previous expression.

Sometimes the cards may point us in the direction of finally moving on and letting go of the pain that's no longer serving us, but this card is more about the importance of experiencing the pain that is naturally and undeniably there -- releasing and expressing your grief and hurt emotions for as long as you need to and before you can "move on" properly. It's not a very happy card, but sometimes we may hurt ourselves more by trying to be happy before we are completely ready for it. Sometimes you need to cry, and there's absolutely nothing unhealthy in doing so. It's actually very important and very healthy. When we cry tears, our body is releasing chemicals which would otherwise contribute to depression if they were to be held in. If you can cry, then please do so. It is healing. You're lucky to have the tears flow, because there is such a thing as actually needing to cry but being unable to do so, and in such cases, the pain continues in the form of a dull, uncomfortable, hazy feeling that's much harder to pinpoint as it remains trapped and locked away, almost like internal bleeding. (If this is happening for you, then please take the time to lay down or sit with yourself, in silence and free from all distractions. If you have rose quartz, place it over your heart chakra or hold it in your left hand. Watch yourself breathe. You do not need to alter your breathing; simply pay attention to it. Do not push away the thoughts; observe them. Do not try to force it or expect anything; just breathe. It can take some time, but if anything rises to the surface, let it out.) As the guidebook says, sometimes the tears are the waters that nourish new life, and so the pain has its purpose. When you release the emotional congestion, you make room for fresh emotions to flow into that space. You make room for a new cycle in your experience...

Sometimes when we observe all the pain and hardship and injustice in the world, we may feel overwhelmed. We feel it even though it not happening directly to us -- but the truth is, we feel like it is happening to us because it is. We are all connected and we are all one. It is impossible to identify any part of the environment that is not connected to another part of the environment. All is one, and any disturbance is felt throughout the whole. So this card can also symbolize the deep pain that we experience through empathy and connection - which may actually be very bittersweet.

The faery is also completely nude, showing her purity, but also, perhaps a certain level of vulnerability that goes along with that purity. She does not hide her emotions. She is not afraid to express herself. She is not afraid of looking weak, because she knows that she is not weak. It takes great strength to honestly and freely express yourself. It takes strength to be vulnerable in such a way. Others do not need to acknowledge this in order for it to be true. It takes strength to face the darkness and the pain of life, especially when so many run away from it. When you avoid the pain, you avoid truly facing the source of the pain, which is what it is needed in order for problems to be solved and for the cycle to not repeat itself.

But one thing that I especially love about this card is the word seems lost. Perhaps on some level, nothing is ever lost, and it's our own perceptions which cause us the most pain. Life and death are inseparable. It is said that energy is never lost or destroyed, only transformed. Nothing ever dies. Nothing is ever truly lost... Either way, our emotions have their own way of understanding things. Feel what you feel in a way that is safe and healthy for you.

:heart: