What is Gift Giving?

Queen of Pentacles http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/pents13.jpg

The queen is symbolic of water energy -- intuition, emotion, feeling, caring. The pentacle is symbolic of earth energy -- money, materialism, growing, nurturing, groundedness.

The queen sits on a thrown, holding a large coin on her lap. She is motherly, intuitive, kind, caring yet, she enjoys the good things in life, and she is generous and giving at the same time.

This is a time of year for all of us to learn to balance our own materialistic needs and desires with the loving nature of being upon this earth, caring about others and giving generously from our hearts.

This is a time of year where giving does happen but it is often not coming from the heart. What is giving? What is a gift? Is it a gift if the person doesn't need that gift? Is it a gift if it's something that enables that person? Is it a gift if it's done because you just feel obligated? Is it a gift if you're always worried that the person will or won't like it? We live in a society where people are embarassed to say to each other -- "please don't get me anything" or "I'm sorry -- I haven't gotten you anything".

On the other hand, we all have different ways of accepting gifts. Some people feel people owe them and they are due a gift or gifts. They are insulted if the gift isn't worth a certain amount or of a certain quality. They would never say it to the person's face but they will say it behind their back. In relationships, gifts are "expected". Relationships might end because of a gift. If the husband/boyfriend doesn't give a necklace worth a certain amount of money, the wife/girlfriend may leave to find someone who will. Workers expect a certain gift amount/tip/bonus and they will leave that position if it doesn't come to pass. The flipside of all of this is feeling uncomfortable receiving a quality gift. Sometimes, people feel uncomfortable receiving any gift of help at all. This is purely arrogance as we all need help.

This time of year can bring a lot of stress. They feel obligated to buy a certain number of gifts. They have their family, relatives, co-workers, friends. It becomes such a huge burden. It's just expected -- how would it look if they didn't deliver? Then, there are huge sales to lure shoppers. Everyone is shopping at the same time and the parking lots, stores, cashiers are jam-packed. The commercialism of the season is festive, yet the energy of the season is angry. People become nasty, selfish, abusive. Many people are depressed, especially single people. Some people have no family, friends, jobs. Some people have recently lost a loved one. The message in the air that we all keep hearing is peace on earth, good will toward mankind, but the energy is each man for himself and what a burden this season is.

Everything comes back down to balance. The Queen of Pentacles is balancing her loving, kind, caring, nurturing nature with her gift of giving. We all need to learn to check in with ourselves and find out if we're giving out of love or out of obligation. If we're giving out of obligation, then is it something that can help enhance this person's life, not just feed their ego. We can learn to avoid the negativity of the season and spread the messages of peace, love, joy and happiness. We can transform like the Grinch who suddenly opened his heart and shined with loving light.

We all have it in ourselves to know the difference. We all have the ability to give the gifts of the season. We all have the power to be the Queen of Pentacles.

Happy Holidays!