Worth a Fight?

From the Norse Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Wolf Pack, Prayer:

With homes burning in the background and menacing sword-wielders up front, this appears to be a very confrontational card. Way more than an argument, this encounter seems designed to intimidate and overpower. Is this a battle that needs to be fought, something worth standing up for? Or is ruffled feather resistance based on self-importance or arrogance? Prayer suggests connecting to something greater than my ego, an attempt to grasp and understand a wider perspective that includes the well-being of all. From that viewpoint, what I need to do will become much clearer. 

...it all boiled down to a fundamental difference in the way we perceived life, the context within which we defined ourselves and our world.

―Azar Nafisi

It's All Fun and Games...

From the Rohrig Tarot, the Devil; from the Master Tarot, "Prayer:"

          Yea, it's all fun and games until someone gets their eye poked out by one of those waxed eyebrows.  I think most people like to occasionally take their "bad" side out for a spin on a Harley-Davidson without a helmet. Pushing our normal boundary limits can be a thrilling way to deal with the stress of day-to-day life. But in that wide-open state, blowing down the highway at 100 mph, there is a line that I can cross. That line is called insanity - when I am trying so desperately to change the way I feel, I don't care about the consequences.

          I was listening to an online retreat with Phakchock Rinpoche in which he explained the reason why Buddhists do prostrations (a physical form of prayer). He said it was a reminder to reduce the ego and pride. Buddhist chants and prayers aren't directed toward an external force. The object is awaken our own inner capacities of compassion, courage and wisdom and to change our egoistic nature. Such prayer transforms my thoughts, words and deeds; it inspires me to open wide my heart and mind. The Devil and Prayer remind me that when I cross over into insanity, I am looking for an outside fix for an inside problem. The problem is within, and that's the only place I'll find a lasting solution.

One of the "Nones"

This week I'll be using the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, created and self-published by Ciro Marchetti (with a mass market edition published by Llewellyn). I'll also be using Steps to Serenity, a deck I made for myself that is based around the principles of the 12 Step program. Today's draws are Faith (Hierophant) and "Prayer:"

          In Marchetti's image of Faith, members of the four major religions stand in front of a column of light. The column implies that there is a similar thread that runs through all religions and philosophies if you dig past the rituals and dogma. I am reminded by this card of the long journey I've traveled to find the "right" faith. What I discovered instead is that none of them are a good fit for me. I am one of the "Nones" - a group which considers itself spiritual but not religious. Without a religious label, I can follow moral principles without dogma; I can believe in Something greater than myself without having to use a prepackaged definition. Though I no longer believe any religion is the one true religion, I do think there are some messages of truth to be found in each one. And I can use practices and tools from these various belief systems to keep me spiritually grounded in the every day world. I also find it necessary to associate with like-minded individuals who can keep me from rationalizing and glossing over my self-centered actions.
          Prayer is a bit of a buggerboo for me. I don't believe in a deity that interferes in an individual person's life, at least not on the physical plane. I do however feel that I can receive guidance, strength and peace from Something greater than me. I "pray" using tonglen meditation and loving-kindness meditation, and I ask for those who I know are suffering to be blessed. This type of "prayer" lets others know they are not alone, reminds me of a kindness I might do for them and helps me remember that I'm not the only one who suffers in this world.