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

Monday, July 13, 2015

Bringers of Joy and Clarity

From the Tyldwick Tarot, the Sun; from the Antiquarian Lenormand, the "Heart:"
          Lovell has chosen a statue of Surya, a Hindu sun god, to illustrate this card. Surya is the chief of the classical planets in Hindu astrology and ia also associated with healing. He is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed to seven horses (or one horse with seven heads) which represent the seven colors of the rainbow or the seven chakras. Lovell's version feels as if there has been a breakthrough in understanding, one that brings clarity, energy and joy. I felt this way when I came across a verse in the Upaddha Sutta in which Ananda asks the Buddha if spiritual friends made up half of the holy life. Buddha tells him no, that such companions make up the whole of holy life. For me, such friendships definitely add clarity, energy and joy to my life. Which is a nice segue into the Lenormand card, the Heart. This is no decorative, valentine-like heart, but a blood-pumping one. Social scientist Bella DePaulo, who has focused her research on single people and friendships, discovered friends can have a greater effect on health than a spouse or other family member. No matter the number, today is a day to celebrate my sunny companions.

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18 comments:

  1. RoseJuly 13, 2015 at 10:12 AM

    Interesting pairing, they work well visually. In many ways the heart is the sun of the body. I have the Lenormand deck you're using and I have Lovell's Malpertuis Lenormand but not his very atmospheric Tarot.

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 13, 2015 at 10:30 AM

      Lovell is supposed to be working on another tarot deck made with botanical images, but I don't know if he's made much progress. Finally made it to the post office to pick up my Alchemists's Oracle - such lovely artwork!

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    2. RoseJuly 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM

      I saw that on his blog along with about half a dozen new Lenormand decks. He's prolific. As to the Alchemist's Oracle, well, I've enjoyed it enough to want to blog two straight weeks with it. I'll be interested to hear your impressions.

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    3. thesycamoretreeJuly 13, 2015 at 11:50 AM

      I'm going to wait until the Tabula Mundi arrives to use it on my blog, but I've already been enjoying it privately! :)

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  2. Sharyn Mallow WoerzJuly 13, 2015 at 10:43 AM

    wouldn't surprise me, we tell friends things we don't tell spouses.

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 13, 2015 at 10:52 AM

      I'm that way; I don't want to add to his stress load, so I rely on my friends.

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  3. EllenJuly 13, 2015 at 11:45 AM

    I am quite different then. I used to tell my husband everything, Probable the reason I miss him so much.

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 13, 2015 at 11:50 AM

      Yes, that would be like losing your best friend. (((Ellen)))

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  4. Inner WhispersJuly 13, 2015 at 12:19 PM

    Interesting factoid about friends and health. I've just organised to meet two girlfriends on Thursday, getting in a babysitter so I can have my girls' night out! First time in over a year and a half :)

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 13, 2015 at 12:43 PM

      We've got a movie meetup today (to see Inside Out). My daughter and two of her friends along with me and three of my friends.
      Good grief woman, you're way behind in your girls' night out - hope y'all have a lovely time on Thursday.

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    2. Inner WhispersJuly 14, 2015 at 2:50 AM

      I like the sound of Inside Out! Was it good? :)

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    3. thesycamoretreeJuly 14, 2015 at 5:31 AM

      It might have been a "kids movie," but everyone could relate to the voices (thoughts/emotions) in one's head. Parts were heartbreaking (made two of the ladies cry that came with me), but the message behind the movie was a good one: we need all of our emotions, not just the happy ones. I did love Lewis Black as the "anger" and Amy Poehler as "joy!"

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    4. thesycamoretreeJuly 14, 2015 at 5:39 AM

      Even Tricycle had an article about the movie :D :
      http://www.tricycle.com/blog/voices-your-head

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    5. Inner WhispersJuly 14, 2015 at 12:20 PM

      It does sound good! I'll have to wait til it comes out on DVD - going to the cinema is another thing we haven't done in ages due to the kids ;)

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  5. UnknownJuly 14, 2015 at 8:35 AM

    I SO love being with my 'girlfriends'. They are my souls sisters, who love and support me just they way I am. I'd be lost otherwise. We've been having WW for years now ( Women's Weekends) and have one coming up at the end of the month. I can hardly wait! Here's to all our soul sister sunny friends!

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 14, 2015 at 10:14 AM

      Oh, I like the idea of having Women's Weekends; I think part of nurturing our friendships is scheduling time for them.

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  6. UnknownJuly 14, 2015 at 11:35 AM

    They are so nurturing and strengthening Bev. We've been doing it for so many years now we've lost track of how many we've had. There was a time when we'd stopped, but now we are all crones we have come to realize more profoundly how important they are.
    There is another group of women that does the same in the Miramachi in New Brunswick in a cabin along the river. A very special group of women to me because it's NB is where I first got sober. All of them are in recovery. My old sponsor came to visit me just last week which was a total surprise.

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