This week I'll be using the Gill Tarot, created by Elizabeth Gill and published by U.S. Games. The oracle deck I'll be using with it is The Circle, created by D.R. Taylor and published by Versation Publishing. Today's draws are the Ten of Disks and "Wisdom:"
The amazing thing about trees - and plants in general - is that they naturally produce fruit or seeds that will feed some animals while enabling the succession of more plants. Gill assigns the keyword prosperity to the Ten of Disks. How would you personally define this word? Is it having just enough, having more than you need (allowing you to share), or having more than any other person? My apologies to the prosperity preachers and the Law of Attraction alumni, but I have to agree with the philosopher Sophocles: "Without labor nothing prospers." Even the tree expends effort, taking up water and nutrients from the soil and converting sunlight to energy. Yet a tree still needs the right conditions to be fully productive. Winston Churchill suggested humans need to create two: "behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another."
One of the lines in The Circle companion book states, "Wisdom is the reward for your full participation in life." I agree; if I'm busy whining or angry about the sorrows or disappointments that come my way, the only thing I'll teach myself is that life sucks and is unfair. But if I embrace it all, even the hard parts, I'll gain not only knowledge but insight too. And such insight will generate the third characteristic that fully forms wisdom: compassion. Which leads right back to the Ten of Disks card. If we want true prosperity, we need to figure out how to work together peaceably and be generous with what we have. While I can't make anyone else adopt this guideline, I can at least attempt to follow it myself.
I know one thing, I have more seeds in my pocket today than the after holiday shoppers :)
ReplyDeleteMe too. I think instead of preaching prosperity, those pastors should emphasize simplicity. :)
DeleteThat last sentence will bring about the greatest change.
ReplyDelete"Nothing comes from nothing", so we will have to put a lot of effort in gaining prosperity and wisdom :D
Yes indeed; it will require more than just good thoughts or intentions!
Delete"Wisdom is the reward for your full participation in life" Love this, much to ruminate on there!
ReplyDeleteI thought Taylor's line was a brilliant way to look at wisdom too!
DeleteWhat an interesting question about the meaning of prosperity. I looked up to prosper: to be financially successful, but also to flourish physically, to grow strong and healthy. I'm not sure we can be truly healthy if it is at the cost of others, or if we see others suffering and do nothing to alleviate it. So, I'll go with your definition, which includes labour and sharing :)
ReplyDeleteYes, make the effort, but do so in a peaceful and generous way. And the peaceful part now makes me wonder if we try to impose our ideas on others who would prefer to live a simpler life (like advertisers). I guess I never thought much about the definition of prosperity either until I drew these cards. :)
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