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, September 28, 2013

Picked Clean

This week I'll be using the Shadowscapes Tarot, created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and published by Llewellyn (there is also a companion book written with the help of Barbara Moore). Today's draw is the Six of Swords:
An exhausted fellow escapes on the back of a swan, while five crows continue to caw. I had a flash of a cornfield picked clean when I saw this card. Whether the ideas I discuss deal with religion, politics, philosophy or ethics in general, I can begin to feel drained and "picked clean" when I talk with certain people. When everyone involved has their mind set in concrete, only debate and argument will ensue. I guess some people feel energized by such an exchange, but it only leaves me with a migraine and a resentment. I don't need to change these folks' minds, I need to move on and find some peace.

The oracle I'll be using this week is a set of cedar runes created by Alaska Laser Maid. This morning's rune is "Algiz:"
The Elk-sedge is mostly to be found in a marsh;
it grows in the water and makes a ghastly wound,
covering with blood every warrior who touches it.
~ Anglo-Saxon Poem
The Algiz rune is like a shield of protection; it doesn't actively attack anyone, but it does put up a barrier. It reminds me to respect other people's boundaries and to defend my own when necessary. In pairing it with the card above, I get the impression that there are some folks I don't need to have certain discussions with, no matter how many buttons they push. It is better to walk away unharmed while they snarl and foam at the mouth like rabid animals.

7 comments:

  1. A great combination of messages. I always find the six of swords somewhat soothing for the mind. And I think walking away can be a sign of strength. By the way, I LOVE the Shadowscapes tarot!!
    Your post reminds me of my own runes which have been collecting dust in my bookcase. time to pick them up :)

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    1. I have continued hope that one day they will release another version of Shadowscapes with larger images; it's such a shame the images on the cards are so small. Thank goodness for scanners! :)

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    2. I haven't seen this deck in person but we are on the same page today I think.

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  2. Sometimes, staying out of it is the best thing to do. Wishing you calm sailing :)

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    1. I guess that is one nice thing about getting older - it gets easier to know when to stay out of stuff. :)

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