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

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Haughty or Humble?

This week I'll be using the Whimsical Tarot, a deck created by Dorothy Morrison and illustrated by Mary Hanson Roberts; it is published by U.S. Games. The other deck I'll be using with the Whimsical is the Over the Moon Oracle, created and self-published by Kristen through PrinterStudio.com. Since each back also represents a playing card, I may also make use of Kristen's Twelve of Hearts Cartomancy online guide. Today's draws are the Ten of Swords and "Support:"
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Four-score Men and Four-score more,
Could not make Humpty Dumpty where he was before.
 Samuel Arnold - Juvenile Amusements, 1797
          When the Ten of Swords is happening to me, it feels as if the world is plotting against me. I perceive myself as the innocent victim who had no hand in the cause of my fate. But what would the outside observer see? Smug arrogance or a sense of intellectual superiority could possibly be their point of view. I can't help but think of the widely touted, largest ocean liner with all the latest amenities - the Titanic. Sometimes pride can make you miss important details (like having enough lifeboats).
          The Support card (Six of Clubs) shows a young boy giving a girl with a package a lift in his wheelbarrow. If the young lady was haughty and self-centered, I don't imagine the lad would be willing to help. Perhaps instead she admitted how heavy the box was, and how tired she was after walking such a long way. Humility has a way of opening doors. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." Here's to a day of keeping doors and minds open.

13 comments:

  1. It took me some time to understand that the Ten of Swords wasn't a dead end after all. The only (but ever so difficult) thing we have to do is turn around our mindset and ask for help. Sorry for Humpty Dumpty though....:D

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    1. Maybe he'll be reincarnated as a scrambled egg, heehee.
      My thoughts and attitude can definitely make my life heaven or hell!

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  2. It's so exciting to see my cards on someone else's blog! I appreciate you using them in your daily reflection. Perhaps the girl in Support has collected Humpty's broken pieces in her hatbox and is gingerly bringing him home for some tender, loving care!

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    1. I like the thought of her bringing Humpty home for repair (hope she has some Super Glue in the box too!). :)
      You're oracle is a delight to read; I love the old book illustrations you used. I'll be using them with the Whimsical all week.

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  3. Kirsten's site gives me a mangled page with a note at top that the site is out of date. Google is putting into effect as of late week, new results based on the sites ability to be read well on phones and tablets.

    Anyway...what I saw first was the boy having to brace himself to keep from going willy-nilly down the hill. Too much weight vs. not enough strength. One of them needs to get out and use their own supports...

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  4. I was referring to the link in your post re: Kristen
    Clicking on her response above takes me to a different page entirely.

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    1. Hmmm... It is an archived page (the Twelve of Hearts one), but it is still pulling up for me. Perhaps go to the link under Kristen's name and go to her website (http://overthemoon-oraclecards.blogspot.com/). She has a link there to the archived site.

      It is interesting to see all the different takes on the oracle card! This is definitely an easy to read one, no matter how you choose to interpret it.

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    2. Thanks for the clarification of my websites. I have several of them lol! My current one is http://overthemoon-oraclecards.blogspot.com/

      I also have a fairly recent one that I don't blog at anymore but there's lots of info on divination.
      https://twelveofhearts.wordpress.com/

      And then there's the archived one that you mentioned that I created in the early 2000s on my playing card system. Some of my meanings have been revised since then.

      I designed the oracle cards to be read easily with a story method of interpretation. I hope you have as much fun as I do with them.

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    3. Thanks for listing your websites, Kristen. :) I have no doubt I'll be having fun with the Over the Moon deck!

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  5. I'd never thought of the Ten of Swords as representing hubris! I notice what looks like a bit of egg shell on a nail in the wall. Seems like Humpty Dumpty is not the first good egg to fall. Then again, arrogance tends to blind us to what is going on around us...

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    1. I guess I was thinking about the phrase "pride comes before a fall." :) Thanks for pointing out the piece of shell - arrogance is a common vice I suppose.

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  6. I think pride always teaches a lesson sooner of later and though it is usually a hard one, after that there is growth and hopefully we will get it together after falling apart, like poor Humpty.
    Love these cards Bev and a thoughtful post.

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    1. I agree Cat; sometimes falling apart can let us put the pieces back together in a new and better way. :)

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