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

Friday, June 26, 2015

Open Ears, Closed Mouth

From the Touchstone Tarot, the Queen of Coins; from the John Waterhouse Oracle, "Thisbe:"

          I am so much like this Queen of Coins, with her table full of offerings. Having a bad day? Here are some fresh-baked muffins and coffee. Are you sad? Let me give you some flowers for my garden. Stressed and anxious? Let's go for a walk. When I was younger, it was an attempt to "fix" people - an external solution for an internal problem. As I got older and realized those solutions didn't work, it became a way to distract folks from what was bothering them. At this stage in life, I'm taking my cues from Thisbe. This lass was forbidden by her parents to marry the man she loved, Pyramus. The two lovers instead exchanged vows through a crack in the wall that separated their houses. The painting shows Thisbe listening intently to Pyramus' declaration of love. Being a good listener, fully present for another person, is perhaps the better way to validate someone's worth.

7 comments:

  1. I can so relate to this attitude, being an apt fixer myself. I try to listen at first, really I do but then I still try to solve the problem, make it all go away. And what about if the problem is the pink elephant in the room which nobody is talking about???

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    1. I might open the door and point out the way, but the other person is the one who has to walk through the doorway. The "fix" is an inside job, and since I'm not a neurosurgeon, I'm powerless! If no one is talking about the problem, my guess is they're not ready to do anything about it.

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    2. I will say asking pointed questions is a good way for them to discover things on their own. :)

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    3. I think letting of motherly control is often the main issue for me

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  2. Physically nurturing has its place, for ourselves and others. Yet being truly present to someone expressing themselves is a whole other level of caring. Even with my toddler, he eats better if I've first 'listened' to what he actually wants :)

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    1. We all need to be validated, no matter what our age (or vocabulary level, lol). I can just imagine your little one babbling away. To embody a little of all four queens is a gift.

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