From the Rider Marseille, the King of Swords; from the Ostinato Oracle, the Bar:
You take wisdom and you take compassion, and with these two wings, each of us can learn to fly and make a difference in the world. ―Tencho Gyatso
This stony-faced King seems to be saying, "Yes, Virginia, things ARE always black and white when you use logic. Yet even the Stoics - lovers of logic - would disagree with this approach. Marcus Aurelius wrote that we should think of the universe as a single living being, and as parts of that whole, understand that we were formed by nature to benefit others. However, the musical Bar, a symbol of boundaries, lets us know that neither the discernment of wisdom nor the kindness of compassion should be taken to extremes. That is why we need both when we consider any situation, making use of our heads as well as our hearts.
One cannot pursue one’s own highest good without at the same time necessarily promoting the good of others. A life based on narrow self-interest cannot be esteemed by any honorable measurement. Seeking the very best in ourselves means actively caring for the welfare of other human beings. Our human contract is not with the few people with whom our affairs are most immediately intertwined, nor to the prominent, rich, or well educated, but to all our human brethren.
—Epictetus
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