Through a Fool's Eyes

This week I'll be using the Roots of Asia Tarot, created by Amnart Klanprachar with Thaworn Boonyawan and published by AGM Müller. I'll also be using the Mah Jongg Oracle, created by Derek Walters and published by Thunder Bay Press. Today's cards are the Fool and the Pearl:

[Consciousness] photocopies experiences, and then the next time you encounter something similar, it shows you the copy and you think your earlier experience is happening again. But it's a copy, not the original. Reality has changed - it's always changing - and we're living in the photocopy.

—Cuong Lu

The Fool represents emptiness. Tsoknyi Rinpoche defines this as the "infinitely open space that allows for anything to appear, change, disappear, and reappear. The basic meaning of emptiness, in other words, is openness, or potential." This state is empty of opinions, rigid judgments based on previous experiences, preferences and prejudices. It simply sees what is as well as the multitude of possibilities that are available. There is a Chinese saying "a pearl in one's palm" that is very similar in meaning to the English phrase "the apple of one's eye." Both refer to something honored, something precious and loved. Such is the ability to see the world with this Fool's eyes.

Joy Received and Given

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Pearl:

Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half sorrow.

~Swedish Proverb 

          The cup at the top of this card pouring out its contents into the other two reminds me of sympathetic joy. This type of joy is pleasure derived from someone else's well-being and good fortune. It takes an open heart to welcome another person's happiness. All too often we are jealous or resentful; it seems we are better at gloating over another's misfortunes. But as the Dalai Lama explains it, there are so many people in this world, it simply makes sense to make their happiness a source of our own. Then our chances of experiencing joy “are enhanced six billion to one,” he says. “Those are very good odds.” The Pearl ('Moon at the Bottom of the Sea') suggests honor, but not simply because of the knowledge, power or resources we hold. It is earned respect because of the generous and compassionate way we use those things.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. ~Maya Angelou

Lighting a Fire

From the Rohrig Tarot, the Ace of Batons; from the Master Tarot, 'The Pearl:'

          A match of inspiration has been struck, but like an actual flame, it needs oxygen, fuel, and protection from the wind to take hold. Fully fleshed ideas, resources, and effort will allow the inspiration to take form. But perhaps it is wise to pause and consider what type of fuel will feed my bonfire. I've been motivated by anger and fear, and the actions that I took under their sway did not turn out the way I intended. The Pearl tells a story of a merchant who had a load of goods, found a priceless pearl, then sold what he had to buy the pearl. The wisdom the story hints at is that what appears as valuable and worthwhile on the surface is not what it seems; there may be a better option. The Zen sage Hsin Hsin Ming gives a few hints that might help:

When love and hate are both absent 

everything becomes clear and undisguised. 

Make the smallest distinction, however, 

and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart. 

If you wish to see the truth 

then hold no opinions for or against anything. 

To set up what you like against what you dislike 

is the disease of the mind. 

When the deep meaning of things is not understood, 

the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.  

Dance of Delight

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Empress; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, Pearl:

          Seeing this image made me think of dust spinners, those little whirlwinds of breeze that pick up leaves and spin them round and round. It also brought a memory of a perfect spring day: the breeze made the pine boughs swish, and the sun warmed my skin. I spun in a slow circle with my arms outstretched trying to embrace it all. The pleasure of being alive and able to enjoy what the senses perceive is the essence of the Empress. Her ability to nurture is found in nature. The phrase given in the booklet for Pearl is 'connect to the Divine.' Instead of viewing this as deity, I prefer to use the definition of 'what is excellent and delightful.' The lustrous white color is soothing; its shine is soft, a symbol of being relaxed but alert. I find this pleasure and delight most deeply in the present moment, a space that is as near as my next breath but always elusive. Yet the Empress is persistent and encourages me to dance with my senses wide open, delighting in the wonders of creation.

Ruby Lips and Ivory Pearls

From the Rohrig Tarot, the Queen of Wands; from the Master Tarot, "The Pearl:"

          I can hear the Eagles singing about this queen: Raven hair and ruby lips, sparks fly from her finger tips. There's  no doubt this woman has a sex appeal, but getting a man is not her objective. She uses her allure and charisma to charm people to do what she wants. See that key in her hat/crown? She knows it doesn't matter what gender someone is; if you give them the right kind of attention they'll follow you anywhere. She can ferret out their ego's needs, and she'll use just the right words to captivate them. By the time she's worked her magic, they'll ask "How high?" when she says "Jump."
          The parable of the pearl tells of a merchant who finds a pearl of great worth and sells all his merchandise to purchase it. The lesson behind it is to stop being distracted by what's bright and shiny and look for what has enduring, true value. I can see two possible messages behind these cards. The first is that sensual and magnetic appeal can only last for so long. Looks fade, and eventually words will be questioned. Sincere kindness however, will stand the test of time. The second meaning could be that I need to investigate what has caught my eye and check it's true worth.