Preceded by Mind

From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Ace of Swords; from the Oracle of the Dreamtime, Whale and Starfish:

All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, and suffering follows as the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox.

—Dhammapada (Gil Fronsdal trans.)

The Ace of Swords parts the night from day, bringing clarity. One part of my daily prayer is "May I move through each moment mindfully, lightly and with clarity." In other words, paying attention, having a sense of humor, and seeing the world not as I want it to be, but as it is. That last one is the toughest; it requires I cut through my emotions and propensities if I want to glimpse reality. Whale and Starfish were best friends in this Dreamtime story, but they lived on an island that had become overpopulated. Many wanted to move to another island, but whale - who had the only boat - refused to let anyone use it. Starfish decided to lure him to sleep with stories so that the others could leave. However, when Whale awoke and realized what had happened, he attacked Starfish, and the sea star retaliated. Our minds have a way of rationalizing whatever we think is right without considering what harm our actions might lead to. To quote the Dhammapada once again, "Hatred never ceases through hatred."