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

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Joy of Doing

From the Art of Life Tarot, the Three of Pentacles (detail from Tightrope Walker by August Mack):
The reward of a thing well done is to have done it. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The fellow on the tightrope didn't just hop up there one day and do it perfectly. I'm sure he had people and tools to help him: a mentor to teach him, a pole to help him balance, special shoes to wear, and a net to catch him if he fell. And though he may be a master of the rope now, some of those resources he continues to use to perform his act. Yet it is more than just a job and a paycheck; I'm sure the thrill of accomplishment and the awe of the crowds encourage him too. As Emerson reminds me, loving what you do and being able to do it is the true reward. And I can't think of a better way to thank those who help me do what I love by doing it joyfully.  

From the Tao Oracle comes the card "Conflict:"
Two robot-like beings struggle with each other, creating steam above their heads from the water they stand in. The bricks and stones that make up their bodies make me think the conflict is one between the two different beliefs of institutions and individuals. I feel this card indicates an internal struggle for me between the "shoulds" of society and what my heart wants to do. Money is necessary, but it sure can't buy happiness. If I look for where the greater benefit will be found, the choice is easy. If I'm doing what I love, then that joy will spill over to other people too. 


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