The Darkest Night

From the Margarete Petersen Tarot, the Devil; from the Elemental Dice, Night (Darkness + Darkness):

Whatever concerns a man ultimately becomes god for him, and, conversely, it means that a man can be concerned ultimately only about that which is god for him. 

― Paul Tillich

We humans love the pleasures of the senses, which is a natural source of enjoyment. But sometimes we can become obsessed with things, convinced that what we desire will provide us with contentment and take away pain. We don't look at the long-term costs of such gratification and can end up trapped like the people in Petersen's shiny diamond. Night, the roll of the Elemental Dice, suggests a darkness in which we can't see a way out. We've used up our of our strategies and tricks with no relief; we are left only with confusion and despair. Hope may be found beyond our own approaches - we seek others who have successfully found a healthy way forward. As Harvard Associate Professor of Psychiatry John F. Kelly found: "The results suggest that social context factors are key; the people who associate with individuals attempting to begin recovery can be crucial to their likelihood of success.”

Landfall

This week I'll be using the World Spirit Tarot, published by Llewellyn and created by Jessica Godino and Lauren O'Leary. The oracle deck I'll be pairing with it is the Mystic Glyphs; it was published by Red Wheel and created by Barb Rogers. Today's draws are the Eight of Wands and Night:

          Eight fiery wands fly through the night sky at a downward angle and will soon land. The companion book assigns the keyword 'opportunities' to this card, implying that the energy and effort that have been generated is now coming to fruition. While there is excitement about the possibilities that will become available, the Night card suggests there is much still hidden and unknown about this auspicious circumstance. No worries; no one knows what a gift holds until it is unwrapped. And even then, no one is obligated to accept it. But let's not jump to conclusions... 

To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.

~Benjamin Franklin

Convictions and Biases

From the Swietlistej Drogi Tarot, the Emperor; from Mirrors of the Heart, 'Night:'

          Looking at this Emperor's soldiers, I question whether he's more interested in protecting his people or in being 'Number One' among nations. While 75% of Americans consider themselves to be Christian, I wonder how many of them know the historical early stance on war taken by this faith?

St. Augustine (354–430), the most important theologian in the first thousand years of Christianity, developed “just war” theology—the conditions under which Christians may support war. The criteria fell into two categories: the justification for going to war and just conduct in war. For the former, the war had to be one of self-defense and last resort. Starting a war was prohibited. Just conduct in war meant acting as humanely as possible, including not deliberately harming noncombatants. (Convictions, Marcus Borg)

The Night card made me think of the wisdom often given to people struggling to make a decision: 'sleep on it.' Researchers are beginning to find that there is actual science behind this suggestion. As John M. Grohol explains, "The primary difference is that in unconscious thought, the usual biases that are a part of our conscious thinking are absent. In unconscious thought, we weigh the importance of the components that make up our decision more equally, leaving our preconceptions at the door of consciousness." Leaving out those biases is something that Emperor might want to work on.

Drifting with Desires

From the Margarete Peterson Tarot, the Seven of Cups; from the Elemental Dice, Darkness + Darkness (Night):

          An elderly person imagines different versions of himself sailing in various boats. These aren't memories, but a stream of desires and fantasies that play through his mind. He may imagine winning the lottery and buying a large vessel with a captain included. The problem is not that he dreams, but that he feels like his present life is empty and meaningless without having his desires fulfilled. Petersen suggests watching these movies of the mind without getting attached to them. The Night roll of the dice suggests a darkness so impenetrable that we lose all sense of direction and balance. We can no longer see what is around us. Geshe Kelsang wrote, "Delusions are distorted ways of looking at ourselves, other people, and the world around us." Like being in complete darkness, it represents not being in touch with reality. Yet the mind has the potential to detach through the use of awareness.

Do everything with a mind that lets go... If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom. ~Ajahn Chah

Feeding the Fire

From the Swietlistej Drogi Tarot, the Ace of Wands:

Breathe, breathe, fill your lungs with better air.

Reach, reach, like you know it's waiting there

I've found, letting go of what you're holding

Leaves your arms and heart a little more

Wide open.

~ Travis Meadows

At the house party last night I was trying to keep the fire going in the chiminea as we waited for the music to start. I wandered around the pasture picking up small limbs that had fallen, but soon realized some were quite wet that hadn't been under the shelter of a tree when it had rained earlier. I had to be choosy in what I tossed on the fire, so it wouldn't go out. Likewise, I need to check-in and see what I'm using as fuel to feed my passions and goals. What kind of logs have I been putting on that fire? Are they too large or too wet? I sure as heck wouldn't toss a tangle of poison ivy in the fire (you can breathe in the toxin from the smoke), yet I can have ulterior motives that are just as toxic. Today I need to see what I've got stacked in my wood pile and do some cleaning out.

From the Mirrors of the Heart comes the card "Nighttime:"

Crickets are chirping, leaves are rustling in the breeze, stars are twinkling and a faithful companion keeps watch. What could be more peaceful? In combining this card with the one above, I am reminded just how much my drives affect my serenity. If my intentions bear fruit, will this create cracks and divisions or wholeness and beauty? I may not be able to control what impulsive thoughts pop into my head, but I do have a choice in whether I feed my desires or douse them with a bucket of sand.