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

Friday, October 28, 2016

H.O.W.

From the Restored Order Tarot, the Fool; from the Oracle of Kabbalah, Dalet (Daled):
          In 12 Step rooms around the world, the 'HOW' in "How It Works" stands for honesty, openness and willingness. Doesn't that sound just like the Fool? His ego hasn't developed much muscle yet, so he's not concerned with shifting blame or hiding the truth. His heart and mind are unclouded by opinions and prejudices. And he's ready to try almost anything, because just being alive is an amazing adventure in his eyes. Will he learn things the hard way? It's likely, but at least he won't miss a drop of joy or wonder. The Hebrew letter Dalet is often given the meaning 'doorway,' which has a very different meaning from 'door.' Doors can be closed or open, but a doorway remains a threshold for coming and going. Thoreau once wrote, "However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names." It is tempting to close the mind and heart, to isolate the body and spirit, when life becomes heavy and hard. The Fool and Dalet encourage me not to run away or close the door, but embrace it all. Sometimes it is in the darkness that much is learned; it is where seeds develop and sprout.

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8 comments:

  1. Sharyn Mallow WoerzOctober 28, 2016 at 10:14 AM

    your fools feet led me to a whip round of fool cards, not many have unmatched footwear. Love this fool https://www.pinterest.com/pin/267682771577621265/
    the fool that got held back a few years in school :)

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  2. Carolyn TindorOctober 28, 2016 at 10:41 AM

    Has your fool just crossed the threshold from the Dalet card. 'When one door closes another opens.' Time for a new adventure.

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    1. thesycamoretreeOctober 28, 2016 at 7:20 PM

      I think the Fool moves from one threshold to another.

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  3. Inner WhispersOctober 29, 2016 at 1:40 AM

    I notice how brightly the sun shines below the Fool. There is so much joy in acting with honesty, openness and willingness (I'd never heard that before - it's great). Doorways always open into potential. Whether you're going in or out, there's something new on the other side. Maybe that's why he's got the odd shoes - doesn't know if he'll end up in a cozy home or on a wild mountainside :D

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    1. thesycamoretreeOctober 29, 2016 at 5:54 AM

      Another phrase 12 Steppers use is "happy, joyous and free" which does seem to fit with that sun you pointed out!

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    2. thesycamoretreeOctober 29, 2016 at 5:57 AM

      By the way, I keep leaving comments on your post, but they don't show up or do then quickly disappear. It might be because I'm trying to leave links for Kristen Neff's website who has done a lot of research on self-compassion:
      http://self-compassion.org/

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    3. Inner WhispersOctober 29, 2016 at 3:04 PM

      Thanks for the heads-up. I checked the comments spam folder and approved your comment. And thank you for the links - the website has a lot of lovely content, and I shall try to watch the TED talk in the next couple of days :)

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