From the Middle Way Arcana, Judgment; from the Vertical Oracle, Magic:
Being learned is great, but it’s not the point. Being a good meditator is great, but it’s not the point. The point is transformation… ~Judy Lief
Hearing the bell of dharma is a moment of seeing through our habitual mental patterns and recognizing our part in creating our own suffering. Yet it calls us not just to see with a new understanding, but to make changes in how we relate to ourselves and our world. In the quote above, Lief warns that study and practice by itself can give rise to spiritual materialism - feeding our ego rather than kicking it off its pedestal. 'Selfing' in biology refers to self-fertilization, and it can apply to the ego as well. Asking ourselves some questions may help notice it: Do I focus on my own advantage at the expense of others? Is my orientation to the world from the standpoint of how it affects me? Do I constantly compare myself to others? If I answer 'yes' to any of these, I'm likely coddling my ego rather than working on transforming myself. The Magic card doesn't refer to any kind of hocus-pocus, but to opening the intellect through imagination, curiosity and wonder. The red-winged blackbird is arrives in spring with an easily discernible song, symbolizing the need to see what has been ignored or overlooked. It's time to clean off our glasses and see with clarity rather than simply seeking comfort.
I like the term "Selfing"
ReplyDeleteI do too. What's interesting is that plants capable of selfing risk a failure to adapt to new circumstances because of their closed (inbred) system. Much like close-minded people!
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