Thursday, May 14, 2015
Identifying Bugs
From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Nine of Swords; from the Faeries' Oracle, "The Oakmen:"
This poor fellow is surrounded by a giant millipede or centipede. The flattened body of a centipede has one pair of legs per segment, and it has a pair of poison claws behind the head. On a millipede, the body is rounded with two pair of legs per segment, and they have no poison claws or legs. They usually coil up when disturbed, which makes me think the invertebrate in the card is a millipede. But based on the fellow's body language, he's made the assumption that he is in some kind of trouble or danger. The Oak Men show up to add a dose of strength and wisdom. They suggest looking deeply at the situation, past the layers of superficiality, and consult with others who have more experience. I think my mentors would tell me to grab my snowball of thoughts and emotions as it begins to roll downhill; before it picks up speed and size, I need to take a close look at it. Is life as I know it really coming to an end, or have my emotions colluded with my thoughts to convince me of something that isn't even true? Eckhart Tolle wrote, “The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation, but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking.” Question everything.
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I like your snowball metaphor. It beautifully describes how fast our thoughts and emotions can branch out in every direction from the original idea.. Being a master worrier myself It is a good habit to look to the actual situation in the present moment. it is often never as bad as we presume
ReplyDeleteI hate bugs with a lot of legs!!!!
Yes, if I can catch that snowball and dismantle it at an early stage, I'm much more likely not to be conned by my own assumptions and projections!
DeleteI loved bugs when I was a child. I mostly played with roly polies (sow bugs), but once I brought home in a jar a spider with its egg sack. It was a black widow (I just thought it was pretty) - I though my mom was going to freak out.:D
Seeing the curl of the fellow's spine mirrored in the centipede's curving armature juxtaposed with the root system of the tree I'm wondering, how is your back doing?
ReplyDeleteWell I probably didn't do it any favors playing kung fu warrior with the bamboo, but it seems to be okay. :)
DeleteI am glad to hear that :)
DeleteWow what a powerful card combination! I love the illustrations too!
ReplyDeleteBev that's so true that about our thoughts. I loved (still do) that video game centipede and millepede...but unfortunately I guess, I have a bug phobia..that can almost lead to hysteria, especially if one like a sticky June bug gets in my hair, I'm right off the deep end with my thoughts!
You sound like my daughter. :) I came home the other day and heard her screaming like she was being attacked. Turned out there was a wasp in the house. :D
DeleteYup that'd be me. I've gotten more control of myself since becoming growed uo you know lol but still would do an amazingly spontaneous impromptu dance of hysteria, with a june bug or a wasp on me!
ReplyDelete:D
DeleteAh yes, the Oakmen take the long view, not distracted by something so passing as a sudden fear and freak out :) I like spiders, generally, but I might freak if one of my boys brought in a poisonous one. Good thing we live in tame old Britain :D
ReplyDeleteThe long view... I like that. Similar to trying to explain to a child the vaccination will hurt for a moment but will keep him safe for a lifetime.
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