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 19, 2015

Volcanic Activity

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Moon; from the Gods and Titans Oracle, "Typhon:"
           Isn't it strange how a smell can trigger a memory, or a discussion with a friend can produce a restless night full of dreams? Our minds are huge storage cabinets full of every experience we've ever had, but most are filed way back in the dusty corners to make room for what's applicable at the moment. Back in my drinking days, my friends were always amazed at how I transformed from an easy-going gal to a someone looking for a fight after a few too many. The domesticated side of me obviously let down its guard under the influence and let the wild wolf out for a run. Bev's box of stifled emotions got unlocked and opened wide.
          Typhon was the last son of Gaia, and his purpose for living was to express rage. His violence knew no bounds until Zeus locked him under the volcano Mt. Etna. The oracle guidebook suggests that this card implies a need to be aware of how I handle both my own anger and that of others. Trying to stuff it under the couch cushions won't work, but allowing it to fuel reactive, destructive behavior isn't a good idea either. The catch-22 of rage is that it can make me feel powerful in a powerless situation. Yet using its energy in damaging ways is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline; it will not relieve me of the pain and fear that lies underneath. But if I can give it space and quietly observe its physical sensations instead of feeding it, it will eventually burn itself out.

8 comments:

  1. Drink always loosened my tongue. I seldom have anything to say and suddenly I could carry on a conversation without being ill at ease.

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    1. It had that effect on me too. Unfortunately, I couldn't roll the words back in later!

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  2. Oh I do relate Bev!
    I was mostly a fun drunk...but my sarcasm would get me into trouble. Smells and dreams sure are powerful triggers. Like they say, resentment isn't an afforded luxury and all that goes with it is toxic.
    Great post.

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    1. Thanks Catherine. I was the kind that was fun for the first hour, then the kind people would pay for a taxi just to send me home!

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  3. I do not drink but I do know how suppressed anger and rage can either hurt me or burst out and hurt others. It is very difficult to express my anger before it is to late. Anger was not done when I was a girl, so I never learned to cope with it the right way. I am glad to say I am getting better at it

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  4. I think one of the classes that should be taught in school is "Emotional Management!" :)

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  5. As a Youth Care Worker for over 20 years we used to facilitate what was called a F.O.C.U.S. program to the kids, based on getting basic emotional needs met. I also facilitated an art program that enabled the kids to be able to express themselves, particularly those things that were difficult for them to verbalize. These programs helped a lot. Teachers have so much on their plate. Not many are able to cope with kids that have behavioural or emotional concerns. I'm far from a fan of the public school system because there needs need to be a paradigm shift, like Sir Ken Robinson talks about, particularly when it comes to creativity, the intuitive and expressive arts. The educational system is in a mess.

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    1. My mom taught kids with learning and behavioral disorders for the last half of her forty years as a teacher. Her biggest complaint was not with the kids themselves, but with the administration and other teachers who didn't understand the needs of these children. I can definitely see how art could help these children express themselves!

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