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

Monday, January 12, 2015

Pain and Sacrifice, or Yes It's Monday

From the Bonefire Tarot, the Three of Swords; from the Day of the Dead Lenormand, the "Cross:"
          The boat adrift on the sea is an accurate description for how I've felt after major losses in my life - confused, heartsick, and moving in circles with no direction. Sorrow and grief are like living in a fog, where nothing seems quite real or clear. Now don't get me wrong; I think it is natural to sit with our pain, acknowledge it and hold it for a while. But at some point, I need to grab that wheel and steer the boat back to land. Otherwise, those swords are liable to sink my boat, and I'll be down in the dark depths (a very hard place from which to return).
          The Cross is associated with pain, but also with sacrifice. What more could someone have to give up who's already had their heart shredded? I don't need to let go of good memories or lessons learned from the situation. But what I do need to release is the fact that all the tears and heartache in the world is not going to change history. What's done is done; I must use my energy for dealing with the present. Goodness knows, there's enough to keep me busy right here.

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5 comments:

  1. EllenJanuary 12, 2015 at 8:13 AM

    Sacrificing what you cling on to is hard. Most grief is not about the loss itself but about the person grieving: feeling sorry for yourself, being angry at the one you've lost, being scared of living without them etc. Those things have to processed and then let go.
    After that the love remains and memories can be cherished again.
    Hugs

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    1. thesycamoretreeJanuary 12, 2015 at 8:58 AM

      I think you're right - there is a lot of anger and fear to deal with besides the grief. But wrapping it around me like a quilt isn't dealing with it. Eventually I have to come out from under the covers. :)

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  2. Neopagan PriestessJanuary 12, 2015 at 5:11 PM

    Sorry to hear times are hard ((hugs)) As for the Cross, for me it is not just pain and sacrifice, but also a reminder of the things that help us deal with those: faith, and a clear sense of where your ethics lie...

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    1. thesycamoretreeJanuary 12, 2015 at 5:28 PM

      The "loss" I'm feeling today is really nothing much. I think it has more to do with another birthday creeping up; my body doesn't have the "giddy-up" it used to have, and it requires some adjustment and acceptance! :D

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    2. Neopagan PriestessJanuary 21, 2015 at 4:09 AM

      Yeah, older and wiser is all well and good, but sometimes it feels like older and can't do stuff :/

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