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, June 9, 2016

Dedication with Daring

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Knight of Coins; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, Kiwi:
          I was curious about the crowned pig this knight rides; the original illustration shows the sow with a bell around its neck. After doing some investigative research, I found out this was a "tantony pig." These runts of the litter were donated to the hospital built by St. Anthony the Abbot, a prominent figure among the Desert Fathers. Identified by the bell around their necks (the monks who ran the hospital were "bell-ringers" when asking for donations), they were allowed to run free and forage on what they could find; it was considered an act of charity to feed them. The whole idea of physically donating and caring for something (both the pigs and the hospital) in order to help the community as a whole reminds me of this responsible and loyal knight. He asks me, "What are you dedicating your energy and resources toward, and who benefits?"
          Kiwis are shy and nocturnal. Being a flightless bird, it digs burrows instead of having a nest. It lays the largest egg in relation to body size than any bird in the world. These unique traits explain Brailsford's choice of the keyword 'courage' for this animal: "Dare to be different; that makes the difference." The combination of these cards reminded me of how the current generations have a fear of poverty and operate from a sense of lack. It does take courage to open one's heart and share one's resources (whether time, energy or money) without being threatened by not having enough.

2 comments:

  1. I suppose you've given enough for the time being. Maybe you should be the one for a change to dedicate time and energy to
    Hugs

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    1. May I become an island for those seeking dry land
      A lamp for those needing light,
      A place to rest for those who desire one,
      And a servant for those needing service.
      —Shantideva

      It's my intention to live this way, though it doesn't mean not taking care of my needs along the way. :)

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