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, February 2, 2016

Throw Off the Bowlines

From the Jolanda Tarot, the Seven of Cups; from Bird Signs, Hummingbird:
          Who hasn't read a book or magazine and dreamed of visiting some far off place, having an exciting job or making a difference in the lives of others? Reading always feeds my fantasies. I suppose that's where change starts - in the dreams of what could be. But Hummingbird shows up with the keyword "energy," suggesting my ideas need more than just imagination to fuel them. In Buddhism, a vow (or commitment) is composed of four parts: basis (the object of focus), intention (the wish), endeavor (acts of effort), and completion (the fulfillment of the objective). The Seven of Cups has the first two parts covered, but to make what I envision a reality will require physical work and perseverance. So while I agree with Dr. Seuss who said "Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living," I also need to heed the words of H. Jackson Brown Jr.:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. 

6 comments:

  1. I fully agree Bev But sometimes for me it is harder to discover what it is I truly want than to take action. Often I pursuit something and I realize it wasn't really what I wanted to do in the first place.

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    1. I guess that is where the first part - imagination and fantasy - comes in handy. We can imagine ourselves in a particular role or place without actually doing it and see how it feels. :)

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  2. Speaking of books, I'd recommend The Shotgun Arcana, R. S. Belcher and

    The Dungeoneers by Jeffery Russell.

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    1. Thanks for the suggestions - I'll have to check them out. :)

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  3. Those two quotes make such a perfect pair, they complete each other wonderfully. I love the expression on the Sphinx in the Seven of Cups...very content :)

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    1. The quotes did feel a bit like bookends! Her smile is what I look like when I'm involved in a good book. :)

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