Padma describes the attraction of adventurous learning as being drawn by a sense of wonder. Those who have accompanied me on my walks outdoors know I am prone to stop suddenly or veer off the path to go examine something more closely. I've been known to walk into sign posts while following a hawk or step into potholes trying to find a bird whose song I hear. My curiosity makes me pause to enjoy a mushroom peeking out from leaf litter or be amazed by the softness of a bald cypress's needles. I heartily agree with Albert Einstein who said, "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed."
The concentric circles on this oracle card remind me of a pebble dropped in water and the waves that radiate out from its impact. It is like the third of the Buddhist Four Reflections: things aren't random; they have causes and effects. As Vishvapani explains, "What I am today is the product of many influences: my family, culture, education and relationships. It’s also the product of choices I’ve made, of how I’ve acted, of my mental states and habits." We have a tendency to think only of bad decisions and consequences, yet there are also many good effects from the choices we've made. For instance, choosing to develop a friendship or partnership with someone or getting interested in a craft or art that later became a passionate hobby. Those pebbles we drop can radiate out in wonderful ways too.
I like the notion that as long as we are dropping pebbles in our life's pond, we will grow and change.
ReplyDeleteThis Page of Rainbows is my most favorite depiction of the Page of Pentacles. It makes me feel like a little girl, sneaking out of my parents garden :)
I like this Page too. :D And I particularly like the idea of dropping pebbles instead of letting that water stagnate.
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