Wide Brush

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Hierophant; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, 'Apricot:'

          This is quite a different looking Hierophant than the usual representation as Pope. Yet the bullish look to this constellation still has the same ramifications - conformity to the rules will be required. Is it worth one's personal freedom to be able to join this cultural, man-made tradition? Of course, this card doesn't just represent religion but any long-standing group such as civic clubs, educational institutions, and corporations. Apricot offers the suggestion to laugh and release the burden of anxiety that is clouding the clarity of choice. Without that burden, it may be easy to see that authority figures automatically trigger resistance and close the mind. Step back and look with a lighter attitude, these cards imply. It may be that we're painting with too wide of a brush. Crows walk like a duck, but they are most definitely not a duck.

It is certain that the study of human psychology, if it were undertaken exclusively in prisons, would also lead to misrepresentation and absurd generalizations. 

~Jacques Yves Cousteau

What is Hope Built On?

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Tower; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, Apricot:

          A house sits on a cliff that the water and weather have eroded over time, making the land unstable for support. The occupants may deny what is happening, but eventually their home and all that's in it will slide into the sea. This card reminded me of a gospel hymn whose verse starts out, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." What is my hope built on? Is it religion, money, knowledge or power? The problem is not that I place my faith in something, it's that I think this lucky rabbit's foot is going to protect me from pain and loss. Unfortunately there's absolutely nothing that has the power to do that. Perhaps a better question is, "Where do I draw my strength and peace of mind from when life gets tough?" Apricot is given the phrase 'rejoice and laugh.' Not exactly what I want to hear when I feel my life has been ripped down the middle. But Segal also suggests to remember "all the golden moments you have experienced in your life." Some of the most healing services I've attended for someone who died are the ones not focused on religious platitudes but the love, laughter and joy that was a key part of that person's life. We all have a treasure chest full of those kind of moments; I just need to remember to use them as a prescriptive resource.