Wild boars are an invasive species here in the States. They cause extensive damage to pastures and crops and eat everything from acorns to newborn mammals (including livestock). They also carry diseases that are transmissible to humans. It is telling that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has a year-round open hunting season with no limit for them. Wild boars that are heavily hunted have adapted by foraging at night instead of the day. They are intelligent, wily and vicious if threatened. I admire their survival skills and tenacity, yet I respect and fear them because they are dangerous. The parallels between this animal and leaders (especially of religious or political groups) are obvious. Individuality is not favored; it is a closed community unless you want to join. But if you do, don't bring any doubts or personal opinions - they aren't allowed.
The quote and keywords chosen for turquoise are:
There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.
~ Miguel Ruiz
lasting inner peace, contentment and satisfaction, equanimity, simplicity
Whoops... it appears from Mr. Ruiz's statement that my prejudice is showing. Just because I've had a bad experience with a few communities doesn't mean they are all bad. Many groups can give people a sense of belonging and offer encouragement when life gets tough. If life is chaotic and overwhelming, their philosophy can help them understand it and provide hope that things will get better. I suppose I shouldn't paint with such a wide brush.
Honestly, at this hour of the morning both these cards look like they're depicting a figure meditating. Are they meditating on each other, I wonder? To my sleep-drenched self it appears that, yes they are, which is really rather an intriguing image of interdependence.
ReplyDeleteI think I would need to borrow your brain and eyes to see the meditation image. :) But interdependence makes sense; the group depends on the members, and the members depend on the group for support and security.
DeleteIt is hard not to be prejudiced. We often color our perceptions with our own experiences. So is the boar just an animal who follows his instinct and who has no ill intent.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of communities I don't agree with but to each his own. As long as they don't deny me my freedom of choice.
I've become less judgmental of most groups, unless they trample over other people with no regard. Then it's hard for me to be open-minded about them.
DeleteI wonder what the boar thinks
ReplyDeleteHe's doing a version of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" (substituting "we" for "I"). :D
Delete"There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally." Gosh, isn't that the truth. I better post again soon, your cards match my life right now! I just haven't sifted through my thoughts long enough to share them just yet.
ReplyDelete((BB)) Hope the dust settles and your thoughts get clearer soon!
DeleteI'm having a good morning giggle at some of the reactions to your post Bev. ;) Gloria Gaynor, that's gold!
ReplyDeleteOdd in some ways to think of the Hierophant as a wild boar, on second thought maybe not. There certainly are many aspects in particular the negative authoritarian issues around power and control.
Many moons ago I read a book called Christ and Contemporary Culture which talks about all aspects of Christianity including evangelism. One of the points made was that each aspect of the Christian religion serves and fulfills a need. On one hand II can understand this. When it comes to extremism I don't agree regardless of what, and you can make a religion out of anything. Abuse of power and control is never for the greater good spiritually. It is both boorish and boring! And I snort it heir general direction!
I'm guessing the boar came from the Hierophant being associated with Taurus perhaps (no bulls out in the forest, but this was close to it :D). I think all religions serve a need, but any form of extremism causes more problems than any solutions it might offer.
DeleteNo, no bulls in the forest, lol.
DeleteAgreed. Extremism I think is associated with personality disorder.. There a lots of sociopaths out there too!