From the Navigators of the Mystic Sea Tarot, Strength; from the Celtic Lenormand, "Cross:"
Seeing this fearless woman surrounded by beasts, I half expected to hear the opening theme song from
She-ra, Princess of Power. But her animals represent what she has tamed inside herself: the lion is the fierce, impatient rage that lashes out, the snake is the passive-aggressive anger that can slither in and constrict relationships, and the wolf is the hidden motives fueled by resentments. The booklet speaks of "resolving issues within your own personality," which makes me notice the people standing in the background with holes in their centers. At the base of all that emptiness (and the beasts that try to fill it) is fear.
For me, the Cross symbolizes sacrifice and the spiritual principles or faith by which one chooses to live. My ego tells me to take everything other people do or say
personally, but the compassion and kindness of Strength reminds me to do otherwise. I don't need to sacrifice my sense of self-worth, but my self-centered ego. Which then leads me to focus on the standards by which I live my life. But what if there were no nouns to describe any religions or philosophies? What if all I had to rely only on were verbs? The only way people would know I believed a certain way or held certain ethical principles would be for me to
live that way.
I had a friend once who told me she strived to be a living exhibition of her faith and what difference knowing the love of God made in her life.
ReplyDeleteThat was in her opinion a better way to evangelize than preaching. Although I do not follow her beliefs I did admire her intention. :)
I find I am much more curious about how people live their lives (which makes me ask questions and start a dialogue) than what their beliefs are.
DeleteI'm struck by the sense of solidity in both these cards. And what is the tree of the body if not the cross upon which we live, the confluence of aspiration and its expansion right there at the center of it all, the heart. The two together make me think of the Body-in-the-Body being the Strength to bear witness to the breath-by-breath dying and resurrection of the soul.
ReplyDeleteForgive my impractical and lofty thoughts today. Our morning began in an extremely earthy and visceral way with a dog who needed a bandage changed rushing out the door into the yard before we could get said bandage on. I needed that little bit of esoteric wandering that your spread provided today. Thank you ;) I normally comment as Rose here btw.
Glad to supply you with a visual prompt for your esoteric walkabout today. :)
ReplyDeleteYeowzers She-ra is right! Lol
ReplyDeleteGreat post Bev, thoughtful and enlightening.
I always say 'talk is cheap'. Many can profess to be religious. 'Christian' or whatever. You can make a religion out of a chair. (Church of the Great Couch Potato) I just made that one up. ;)
I pay attention to how people live their lives. It's the same thing with children they learn and pay attention to how we live as example, not so much by what we say.
I think I've attended the Church of the Great Couch Potato some. :D Amen to "walking your talk!"
DeleteOh ya! I've been so many times I could get myself ordained!
DeleteIt's interesting, one of the more personal meanings I have for the Cross is ethics. To me, that is the crossover point between belief and action.
ReplyDeleteWas it the LWB that described the snake as passive-aggressive anger slithering in to constrict a relationship, or is that all you? Fabulous take, either way :)
I agree with your crossover point. :) The snake description was mine. I find I do better doing my own thing with this deck than trying to go with the lwb.
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