From the Cosmic Tarot, Temperance; from the L'Oeil de Lotus, "Sadness:"
When the Temperance card shows up, I always think of Siddhartha Gautama. He began his life as a prince, living a life of indulgence, entitlement and excess. But when he realized the luxury he enjoyed wouldn't protect him from sickness, old age or death, he left home and became an ascetic. Siddhartha not only left behind the pleasures in his life, he also severely limited his food intake until he was virtually skin and bones. When he discovered this would not eliminate suffering either, he meditated until he awoke to the Middle Way. There were no extremes on this new path and no labels of good/bad. The inner resource he tapped into showed him how to sit in the center of the see-saw of his mind, unaffected by ups and downs.
The Sadness card uses the owl as a dividing line between an ebony and indigo night sky. It points out the tendency for humans to exaggerate how they feel. I don't just feel gutted, I think I feel a level of agony that no other person on earth has ever felt. But when I fall for that extreme way of thinking, I place myself on a mountain far away from people who have experienced this kind of pain. My "uniqueness" prevents me from accepting their guidance and wisdom. Do I want to be special, or do I want relief? I bet I know which option that owl would choose.
You've got me with this L'Oeil de Lotus deck, I quite like the images. Another expensive one I can enjoy vicariously. You know what I like about it? The variety in imagery: people, objects, nature, animals, everything you could want!
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting insight into extremes of thought and our tendency to exaggerate pain.
There used to be a reliable Ebay seller from France that sold this deck. There was another sister deck to this one called Oracle Soleil (I think), but the seller disappeared before I could purchase it. Lovely artwork in both.
DeleteI suppose it is human nature to think whatever I'm going through is unlike anything anyone else has experienced. But for me, that only makes everything seem worse.
I hope do don't mind if I copy the part about Siddharta and Temperance in my Tarot journal. I absolutely love the analogy
ReplyDeleteThe owl in the picture is turning his head away from the lighter part of the sky.; he doesn't want to know the worst is over. Somebody once called this attitude of feeling unique a form of arrogance and a shut door for help.
I think I first made the connection with the RWS deck that showed a path in between two mountains in the background. :)
DeleteThat kind of attitude does shut a lot of doors, including the doors that could help!
Funny Temperance, looks like she is finding her task vulgar or distasteful.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorely tempted by the oracle also. When I feel my fingers start itching I turn off the computer and go do something else :)
I saw her as not wanting to be influenced - as in a little more of this instead of that. :) This oracle is hard to find, though I think the French Amazon might have it. That might make it easier not to buy.
Delete