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, August 9, 2015

The Most Important Thing

This week I'll be using the Tarot of the Cat People, created by Karen Kuykendall and published by U.S. Games. I'll also be drawing from the Sacred Geometry Oracle, a deck and book set created by John Michael Greer and published by Llewellyn. Today's cards are the Queen of Swords and "Hexagram:"
          Unlike yesterday's Queen, this one looks more mature. She doesn't have a domesticated cat, but a black panther; the stone statues in the background remind me of China's terracotta army. Her power and respect have been earned by successfully navigating her life experiences. She's seen the peaks of joy, the depths of pain and all the other subtle shades in between. Her sword tip touches the ground and suggests she expects me to practice what I preach.
          From an alchemical standpoint, the hexagram is a combination of elemental symbols - fire and water, earth and air. Greer states these opposites don't mean a choice of one over the other, but finding a way to balance and blend them. Comparing yesterday's cards to this morning's draws, I'm beginning to feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Yet today, I have the lines from a James Taylor song circling through my head:
I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you again.
That verse in turn reminded me of two questions posed by Pema Chodron: "As I go into this day, what is the most important thing? What is the best use of this day?" The impermanence of life along with those questions could shape my actions through mindfulness and equanimity.

4 comments:

  1. "Mindfulness and equanimity" Two beautiful words to wrap up this post. I like it that the same card from different decks can evoke such a variety of thoughts and feelings and still stay true to their core meaning

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    1. Those two qualities are such game changers if I can add them to my day. :)
      It is interesting how my thoughts went off in different directions with the two queens - one of the many reasons tarot decks in all their forms are so awesome!

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  2. the most important thing today...eat less work more :)

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    1. My important things: Relieve my husband of some of his mom duties and find something to cover up the dead animal smell emanating from under the house (ack!).

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