I use tarot and oracle cards as tools for reflection and contemplation. Rather than divining the future, they are a way for me to look more deeply at the "now."
"The goal isn't to arrive, but to meander, to saunter, to make your life a holy wandering." ~ Rami Shapiro

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Compass of Common Sense

From the Mythic Tarot, the Knight of Wands:
Illustrated here is the myth of Bellerophon, a young man wrongly accused of making advances toward the king's wife.  To rid himself of the competition, the king sent Bellerophon to kill a ferocious chimera.  The young man was not intimidated by the possibility of death, and managed to kill the beast with the help of Pegasus and a block of lead attached to his spear. Of course it would be natural to be proud of such a feat, but Bellerophon's ego convinced him he was now a part of the A-List.  He decided to ride Pegasus to Mt. Olympus and hang out with the gods. Zeus was not amused and sent a fly to sting Pegasus, who threw the impudent young man back to earth. Bellerophon spent the rest of his life as a blind and crippled hermit. His downfall reminds me of a recovering alcoholic or addict, who after staying sober or clean a year, goes on a binge to celebrate. The Knight of Wands encourages me to dive into adventure and meet my challenges head on, but warns that common sense rather than pride should be my compass.  

From the Symbolon Deck comes "The Absolute Fool:"
The title of the card lets me know without a doubt this fellow isn't just a fool, he's the epitome of dunderheads. He dreams of being a hero but has neither the skills nor the knowledge to become a "knight in shining armor." The booklet tells me the way of wisdom is not filled with showy acts of bravery and fighting; instead, it is a path of humility that doesn't seek the approval of others. It is important to do the right thing - the courageous thing - but don't go around asking for pats on the back for doing it.

No comments:

Post a Comment