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, January 12, 2016

Beg and Bargain

From the Tarot de St. Croix, the Chariot; from the Archetype Cards, "Beggar:"
          These two cards fit together perfectly for the story of Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita begins with the story of two families - the Kauravas who have illegally taken control of the kingdom and the Pandavas who fight to take back their power. Yet the archer Arjuna (whose charioteer is Krishna) can't bring himself to kill his family and friends. He sobs and rants, throws down his weapons and refuses to fight. Krishna then commences to explain to him why he must do his duty; he must live the life that is unfolding in front of him rather than hide from it. In Chapter 6:34-35, Arjuna complains that the mind is strong and obstinate, even the wind is easier to restrain. Krishna replies that although the agitated mind is difficult to bridle, through the practice of meditation and the use of objectivity it can be mastered. The Beggar card (with wheels that reflect the Chariot) is that Arjuna moment when I throw up my hands and say, "I can't do this. I won't do this." I demand that someone else take responsibility and and make the choices, not me. But the great cosmic joke is that I only have this present life, and no one can live it for me. Whether I act and put forth an effort or not is all on me.

6 comments:

  1. The bridled mind..is such a thing possible. Yes I think, but seldom for long.

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    1. To just be aware of what we are thinking instead of being dragged along can make a difference. We did a meditation a few weeks ago where we just rested in the stillness and quiet. When we became aware that we were thinking about something, we said to ourselves, "I'm thinking about ____." It can be quite illuminating to see the rabbit holes my mind goes down. And being aware of my thoughts is the first step of getting the bridle on. :)

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  2. Whoa, this is a powerful combo...her hands covering her eyes against the dynamism and motion in the Chariot...need to sit with this one!

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    1. Isn't it though? Unfortunately I can relate at times to wanting to hide from reality and not deal with it.

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  3. Dealing with reality.... I've been hiding for so long but I prefer my raw and honest daily life with its ups and downs above pretending all is well when it obviously wasn't

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    1. So true... otherwise it's like trading a trickle for an eventual flood.

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