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, July 21, 2015

Combustible Combination

From the Thoth Tarot, the Prince of Wands (Knight); from the Vertical Oracle, "Escape:"
          The fiery Prince of Wands represents the airy part of fire, a combustible combination. Seasoned firefighters who discover a room pulling air into itself (for example through a crack under a door) generally evacuate, because it is a sign of a backdraft. A backdraft happens when oxygen in a fire is depleted, then a sudden intake of oxygen occurs and creates an explosion. Yep, that sounds like my buddy the Prince. He's got many great qualities - passionate enthusiasm, courage, charisma, an adventuresome spirit - that can take a terrible turn if arrogance takes control. Those around him who are caught unaware may get burned; he unfortunately will be too self-absorbed to care.
          The Escape card suggests an alternative to getting burnt to a crisp. Alli describes it as a "temporary grace period." The woman riding on the back the back of the dragonfly is able to rise above all the excitement and view things from a larger perspective. Away from the magnetic personality of the Prince as well as the herd mentality, she might have a clearer understanding of the likely repercussions. With a bit of the water element thrown in, she'll look for a way to prevent casualties instead of being indifferent to them. But since this is only a temporary reprieve, she's going to have to go back in the trenches. Hopefully it will be with a fire hose in hand.

9 comments:

  1. Fire seems to be an unfolding theme here in your week. I'll be curious to see what tomorrow's cards are. Stay cool ;)

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    1. I was thinking the same thing. I'll be keeping my eyes open for any dragonflies... :)

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  2. As long as you don't jump accidentally on any fireflies :D
    I love how the little tender dragonfly can hold a burdened woman and take here somewhere safe. Sometimes grace can be found in the smallest of things.

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    1. It was a nice reminder for me that the mind can move in any direction, even if the body can't. :)

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  3. There is something that strikes me about the imagery of fire and flying in these cards, Must be the element of air that draws. Makes me think of light and cracks. "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen

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    1. Gosh, that would be a perfect quote of the dragonfly card! :)

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    2. Old Leonard, he's a wise one!

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  4. Powerful draw. Would that we could leap back and draw in and unbiased view. In the flames it is hard to see.

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    1. To be able to take that view back in would take a lot of courage, and would mean not catering to the crowd.

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