Cleaning Out the Basement

From the Rohrig Tarot, the Moon; from the Master Tarot, "The Swordsman:"

          This woman has a serious case of moon-shine. It could be a good thing if it enables her to access those deeply hidden memory files. The past could show what is behind many of her behavior patterns and habits, many of which aren't very beneficial. But just as the moon controls the tides, these memories can trigger a strong emotional reaction. If she can stay grounded in reality - not frightened into thinking the past is happening in the present - she can make great strides in moving forward.
          The Swordsman parable is found in the Gospel of Thomas and tells of a man who wanted to murder a very powerful man. He drove his sword into the wall to see if he would be strong enough to kill him. After successfully doing so, he went out and assassinated the man. The authors suggest the powerful man is the ego, and the only way to overcome it is with the sword of impartial awareness. This part particularly caught my eye as it paralleled the Moon: "We start then separating ourselves from our habitual patterns, from our mechanical and automatic reactions... dropping them right there and then, because these things are not me." The ego is only concerned with itself. If I want to clean out my basement, I'm going to have to get past it first.