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

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Still Time

From the Albano-Waite Tarot, Death; from the Rumi Cards, Whatever you look for, you are:
Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows 
an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it.
Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows 
a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves. 
~ Dhammapada (Eknath Easwaran translation)

          When the Buddha spoke of the mind, he wasn't just referring to thoughts, but also feelings and volition. The mind's habitual patterns shape the kind of experiences we'll have in this life. Both these cards made me wonder what would be engraved on my gravestone (or stuck on my Folger's can, since I plan to be cremated). Imagine that an accountant could add up my entire life's thoughts, feelings and motives, then would use the top thing of each category as my epitaph. Would it read, "she thought most about checking her emails and texts?" Would the ranking of my feelings be topped by resentment or by compassion? And what would dominate the motive behind my actions - selfishness or benevolence? Skully on the death card reminds me that there's still time to leave behind some of those unflattering habits.
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6 comments:

  1. Carolyn TindorJuly 14, 2016 at 9:31 AM

    What a poignant reminder for us all. "Whatever you look for you are." Most days I feel tethered to my phone since I am in Sales. I look forward to the day the I can just let it be and not worry about missing that important next client.

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  2. Sharyn Mallow WoerzJuly 14, 2016 at 10:06 AM

    there is an arrow behind the knights foot or the horses foot that points back to the hills on the other side of the river. It is so easy to get distracted. No wonder monks live together, reinforcing each other.

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 14, 2016 at 2:02 PM

      I had forgotten about the arrow. :)
      I imagine that's why the sangha is considered one of the three jewels of Buddhism.

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  3. EllenJuly 14, 2016 at 3:18 PM

    I've started a new crochet and a knitting project. It keeps me from thinking and brooding too much.
    Don't worry too much about your ranking, I am sure you'll do just fine.
    Hugs

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    1. thesycamoretreeJuly 14, 2016 at 4:11 PM

      I guess it's not so much the ranking as the kind of legacy I'll leave behind.
      I've just started trying to crochet; my first project ended up looking like a christmas tree because I wasn't adding a loop (or two) when I started another row. :D

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