The universe is always changing.  Karma is a Sanscrit word meaning “action,” tied to the belief that changes occur in cosmic cycles, and the idea that everything in the universe happens for a reason.

Energy put into important undertakings may sometimes require patience and trust to pay off.  The world wasn’t built in a day, and long-term goals need the same perseverance.

Fear and ignorance are powerful forces that drive many people to do extreme things.  Digging through to understand hidden underlying reasons is often a vital first step to changing such situations.

During the Renaissance, a petty thief might be shamed in a public stockade.  A nobleman who broke a business deal might be shamed by being publicly dangled inverted, or even just painted as such.

Following in the wake of the sometimes chaotic dynamics of a large group operation, a single leader may need to emerge to gather support and help the group coalesce around a common goal.

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.”

When seeking knowledge, always be aware of its source.  A school, a church, a professional speaker, a guru or just a friend, even if their information is correct, may have a larger agenda.

Never regret a day in your life. Good days can give happiness, but even bad days can build experience. Worst days can still offer lessons, while best days can create cherished memories.

There is an ancient but well-known saying among sailors: A good seaman weathers the storms he cannot avoid, and avoids the storms he cannot weather.

Rods represent energy in its many forms, including action, creativity, desire, passion and spirituality. It is the suit of ambition, drive, enterprise, initiative and risk-taking.

The author Christan Nestell Bovee once wrote, “The method of the enterprising is to plan with audacity, and execute with vigor; to sketch out a map of possibilities, then to treat them as probabilities.”

The poet Henry David Thoreau once asked, “Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.”

There is a French expression “entre chien et loup” (literally “between dog and wolf”) that evokes the uncertainty over whether something new and mysterious will turn out to be friendly or hostile.

Actions have consequences. Some consequences can be immediate and obvious. And sometimes, choosing to act for a short-term gain may overlook a potential long-term result.

Patience is a virtue, but some choices have a time limit.  If our doubts keep us from making an important decision that may involve change, a great opportunity may be missed.

With great power comes great responsibility.  This modern saying has been noted for centuries.  Moliere added, “It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.”

How can you tell an infatuation from a true first love?  Your first love may be the sweetest, yet the first cut will be the deepest.  A first love doesn’t have to be perfect.  It just needs to be honest.

It has been said by many that the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.  At its extreme, those that completely lack empathy for others are often inhuman and open the door for true evil.

Sometimes, just one of something isn’t enough.  Even someone in control of their own resources may want to gain more, and in doing so overreach.

Security is not the absence of danger. It is the presence of stability and certainty, no matter what the situation. That strength can come from external sources, or from within your own core.