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

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Tame the Lion to do the Task

From the Alchemical Renewed Tarot, Strength; from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun, "Versatility:"
          According to Place, "Strength represents self-denial performed for the sake of others." Indeed, the courage, tolerance and patience this woman represents is born of love and selflessness. It contains both feminine characteristics such as receptivity (moon) as well as masculine characteristics such as action (sun). The green lion in alchemy symbolizes Mercury, a deadly poison that will be transmuted into a healing elixir. I can't think of a more appropriate metaphor for taming my inner beast through self mastery.
          When I hear the word "versatile," I think of a jack (or jane) or all trades - someone capable of moving easily from one project to different one. This Radiant Sun card illustrates the Sun in Gemini, or success meets with an agile mind. It is interesting that Gemini is often described as having "mercurial" moods, which ties in nicely with the green lion of Strength. Looking from oracle to tarot (which is how I drew them this morning), the cards suggest much can be accomplished if I concentrate just as hard on taming the lion as I do the task at hand. And as the cards indicate, Strength needs to lead the way.

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4 comments:

  1. EllenSeptember 8, 2015 at 9:57 AM

    By doing what needs to be done we learn to master the beast in our day to day life and not only on the meditation cushion
    And when I do my chores more mindfully, it quiets down the beast almost by itself.

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    1. thesycamoretreeSeptember 8, 2015 at 11:43 AM

      I can "lose my lion" when I'm doing a task (especially one that I'm enjoying or think is important) and someone interrupts me (Where is my book? Can you order this on Amazon?, etc.). But if I'm honest, I'm sure I do the same thing!

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  2. RoseSeptember 8, 2015 at 4:19 PM

    I like seeing the obvious sun repeated in both these cards and the more oblique moon repeated, this time in waxing crescent phase, in the body position of the acrobat. This feels like a natural pairing today.

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    Replies
    1. thesycamoretreeSeptember 8, 2015 at 4:35 PM

      These two cards seem to have a lot of parallels! :)

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