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, April 14, 2015

Abdicating or Accepting Responsibility

From the Tarot of the Masters, Demons (Devil); from the Key to the Kingdom, the "Ace of Diamonds:"
          The painting used to illustrate this card is from one of the Doom paintings of Judgment Day. The gates of hell are often shown as the wide-open mouth of a monster. I believe in demons, but not the type that are typically found in religious texts. Mine are found within - those habitual, unhealthy patterns of behavior that come out when I am emotionally stressed. These "demons" make me want to point the finger of blame at another person or a situation outside myself. They give me permission to abdicate responsibility for my negative actions and attitudes. Yet once I do so, I really have entered the gates of hell, at least metaphorically.
Yellow the bracken, golden the sheaves,
Rosy the apples, crimson the leaves, 
Mist on the hillside, clouds grey and white. 
Autumn, good morning! Summer good night.
The verses for the Ace of Diamonds are from a song by Florence Hoatson called Autumn. I love the gentle seasons of fall and spring, before the harsh extremes of summer or winter arrive. So the pairing of this card with Demons puzzled me. But in the later verses there is a line that goes: "Cradled cosily, cradled deep, wrapped in the warm earth, baby seeds sleep." When I am calm, I can make an intention to react differently. I can plant a new type of seed by maintaining a daily spiritual practice that will hopefully replace the thorny briers that tend to sprout up when the heat is on.


Posted by at
Labels: ,

5 comments:

  1. EllenApril 14, 2015 at 9:17 AM

    This post reminds me of the Strength card. The fiery demon within which can transform in a strong protective lion. I know how the fire can consume your good intentions but it can also strengthen you when you just need that extra push to go on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thesycamoretreeApril 14, 2015 at 9:34 AM

      Now that's an interesting take on the demon card!

      Delete
    2. UnknownApril 15, 2015 at 8:24 AM

      I like you outlook on this too Ellen. For every negative there can be found the positive, and in our weakness we can find great strength.

      We never know where, when, or how those seeds of strength are sowed.

      Delete
  2. Inner WhispersApril 18, 2015 at 2:38 AM

    This week made me think about the seeds sown by a daily spiritual practice, too. Hope your practice is also helping now with your pain and frustration - sounds like it if you are feeling compassion for those with chronic pain :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thesycamoretreeApril 18, 2015 at 6:40 AM

      It has made me feel more compassion for them, which is I suppose a spiritual practice of replacing my own self-pity. :)

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)