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

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Fire and Water

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Knight (King) of Wands; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, "Dolphin:"
          Normally when I think of the King of Wands (Thoth Knight), I imagine a CEO striding through the halls of a large corporation while barking directives in between talking on his cell phone. Yet Genetti uses a Tibetan monk who's idea of getting the job done involves sitting in meditation. He holds a dorje in his right hand (representing the masculine aspect of method or "skillful means") and a bell in his left hand (symbolizing the feminine aspect of wisdom). Their union represents the attainment of enlightenment, an abrupt and pivotal change in consciousness. This monk reminds me that sometimes "doing" doesn't look much like "busy."
          The myth of Dolphin reads a lot like the story of high school bullies who pick on those who are weaker, except in this case it involved dolphins and shells. The female dolphin leader refused to tease and treat the shells badly, and instead she tried to be their friends. It became a delicate balance to love both her clan and the shells. The group of dolphins were one day attacked by a shark (though warned about its approach by the shells). The female dolphin was the only survivor; she eventually was reborn as a human. Unconditional love for others is one of the main lessons of this card, which is interesting because the "skillful means" of the dorje is often explained as compassion. Like the female dolphin, sometimes it is the only thing that survives and thrives in a tumultuous world.

6 comments:

  1. Sometimes "doing" doesn't look much like "busy." I can relate to that. I am "doing" quite a lot lately but it doesn't show around the house :)

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  2. Though the elements represented aren't complementary the colors and movement in these cards somehow work together. The Knight has a body mudra similar to Dolphin's and she looks like she wants to leap into his landscape. Perhaps she senses a kindred spirit...receptivity finding a container in warmth. This is a new way for me to see how water and fire might coexist.

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    Replies
    1. Makes sense when I see the feminine wisdom as understanding the why behind compassion, while the masculine method applies the how in action. :)

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    2. I learn so much here :) Your explanation is crystal clear.

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