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

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Hard and Soft Elements

From the Prisma Visons Tarot, the Nine of Pentacles; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, "Bronze:"
          The Nine of Pentacles suggests the two "Ds" have paid off handsomely - dedication and discipline. A red-tailed hawk keeps this successful woman company out in her garden. The booklet suggests the raptor symbolizes intelligence and fierceness of spirit; I would also include the ability to stay focused on an objective. This independent woman always reminds me of the Arthurian tale in which Arthur is asked a riddle: What do women desire above all else? The answer: "to have sovereignty, to rule our lives as we see fit, to not be beholden to another." 
          Independence involves more than being true to my vision and principles. As the Bronze card implies, it also means taking care of the vehicle of my body. The pat answer for strengthening the body is generally to eat healthy and get enough exercise. But as I age, I find I also need to get enough sleep, to be aware of my posture whether sitting or moving, and to allow my body time to heal if it is injured or sick. Bronze is an alloy, made of copper and another metal to give it strength. But like this alloy, I need to employ both hard (discipline) and soft (kind attention) elements to keep it strong. 

5 comments:

  1. This post reminds me of how we often forget our physical body while searching for spiritual purpose. Since we all live in this earthly realm it seems that caring for our body it the most sensible way of honoring Spirit.

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    1. Absolutely. If I could step outside my body, I would probably be shocked at the way I treat it sometimes - as an indentured servant rather than friend.

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  2. On my tablet the Bronze card looks like swirls of chocolate which is what I thought it was at first glance. Nine of Pentacles is one of my favorite Minors with its intimations of solitary pleasures, luxury and taking time to enjoy them. So I'm sticking with my original takeaway for this combo...enjoy some fabulously decadent dark chocolate and tea in the company of the trees, the birds, the breeze. In other words, embody a moment of beauty that nourishes. So easy when chocolate is involved ;)

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    1. So that's what she's doing in the garden - eating dark chocolate while enjoying the sounds of crickets. :D I wonder if she'll share with the hawk...

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