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

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Forget the Crystal Ball

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Two of  Air (Swords); from the A'HA Oracle, Ammonite:
          Padma has tastelessly assigned this card the keyword "schizophrenia" to parallel the feeling of being in mental limbo with someone who has difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary. The reason there is such uncertainty with the Two of Swords is that we are desperately trying to peer into the future to see where each choice might lead. Sometimes neither decision will have a good outcome; do we stay with the devil we know or choose the devil we don't know?
          Ammonite is a fossil from an extinct squid-like creature whose shell resembles a spiral (it was named after Amun, who was associated with the ram). They lived in the outer chamber and constantly built a larger shell as they grew. The spiral shape is what has meaning in relation to the Two of Swords. If our lives are like a spiral, getting wider and higher as we age, we will begin to feel like "I've been here before." However the spiral allows us to see "what was" from a distance; we have more objectivity about past choices and results. If nothing else, it reminds us that we survived and moved on. Instead of looking forward into the future, perhaps looking back at similar situations might give more useful information than a crystal ball.

4 comments:

  1. That two of swords is a most compelling card. The Fool in everyday life literally stepped off the edge and then thought twice about the fall. With your thoughts of 'looking back' makes me think of your post yesterday of Glory Days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thinking it fit well with yesterday's post too. :)

      Delete
  2. I think it was you who introduced me to the notion that our life's journey is a spiral path. It has stuck with me ever since. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I could remember who introduced me to the idea many years ago so I could give them credit! :)

      Delete