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, December 13, 2015

Concrete Expectations

This week I'll be using the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, created by Granny Jones and published by Kangaroo Press. Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Button Oracle, a set I made myself from a collection of buttons. Today's draws are the Nine of Wands and "Spider:"
          I hope that thunderstorm is moving away from Granny, otherwise that metal bucket on her head might provide her with more inspiration that she bargained for. The eight wands stuck into the hillside suggest she's successfully met challenges before, but she still has one more to go before she can tie up loose ends. Spider scuttles over to suggest that detachment might be necessary in order for the outcome to be beneficial. This button immediately made me think of the lojong slogan "Abandon any hope of fruition," which teaches that I should focus on the task at hand instead of being so preoccupied with my expectations. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna constantly tried to impress this upon Arjuna:
The intention behind action is what matters. Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do.

You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction.

Perform work in this world, Arjuna, as a man established within himself – without selfish attachments, and alike in success and defeat. 
          I'm an organized, structured sort of person, and part of my planning always involves a vision of what the outcome will look like. Which, if I just had an objective to shoot for, wouldn't be a problem. But what often happens is that my joy and sense of self-worth gets tied into a very specific result. I get selfishly attached to what I want my labors to produce, which sets me up for being miserable if things don't turn out exactly as planned. My focus should be on my actions only; non-attachment will naturally lead to equanimity. 

8 comments:

  1. Ah yes. We have to detach from planned outcomes, in order to get out of our own way.

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  2. I love your post this morning Bev. It brought me a smile, a good giggle, with some introspection about attachment to boot!

    Poor Granny! She best get that bucket right off her head!

    Getting caught up in outcomes instead of enjoying the journey is an ongoing challenge with the human condition eh? I learned this very poignantly over and over again for many years, as an artist, not involving myself in the present moment without expectation of the final outcome or product ruined the creative process. I still have to make a conscious effort until it becomes more of a habit. Not easy to change old habits eh? I know my Canadian is showing eh?!

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    1. Glad it brought you a smile and gave you something to contemplate. :) It is hard to change old habits; I have to be constantly reminded about my behavior that will only leave me feeling miserable so I'm willing to change it.

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    2. :) Oh and I meant to say I LOVE your Button Oracle! Awesome! Hugs <3

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  3. This reminds me of a totally failed apple pie I've made recently. It felt as a big defeat.
    But making it together with M felt so good and it smelled delicious:D

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