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, January 8, 2014

Unraveling Hems

From the Vision Quest Tarot, the Four of Air (Swords):
Though the Thoth Tarot's subtitle for this card is "truce," the creator of the Vision Quest assigns "contemplation" to it. The booklet however, describes it as detachment. For me, contemplation means looking thoughtfully at something over a period of time, while detachment is a process of disengaging and separating (and not mulling over anything). The peaceful image implies a breathing space, an interval of rest without worrying and trying to solve all the world's problems. It reminds me situations often work themselves out successfully without my interference. That pot of water on the stove is going to eventually boil whether I stir it or not.

From the Bird Cards this morning comes the "Nightjar:"
Nightjars are interesting birds that are only active during twilight or night. During the light of day they rest, camouflaged by their plumage which is colored to look like bark or leaves. It's quite easy to see why this bird is associated with fear; when we don't have our busyness to distract us in the evening, those anxious thoughts come out to play. With my magnifying mind, those thoughts become like a loose thread. I keep pulling and pulling until the whole hem unravels, solving nothing but leaving me with a bigger problem. My best bet with the thread is to cut it off with scissors. Likewise, I can stop my fear from spinning out of control by realizing those thoughts are projections into the future, they are not reality.

3 comments:

  1. I prefer detachment too. Especially when my rambling fearful thoughts are concerned. I love the metaphor of the boiling water. How often do I stir without being asked or needed. :D

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    1. Yes, if I could just let it boil on its own, I would save myself a lot of worry and headaches!

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