Resistance is Futile

From the Gaian Tarot, the Priestess; from the Goddess Oracle, Vila:

The ego is a circular pattern of thinking.

—Adyashanti

Those who come to the Priestess for answers are told - as she splits open a pomegranate - that truth is not found in scholarly books and revered teachers but within. She points to the goddess of Malta figurine and explains that what is sought can only be discovered in stillness and quiet when we sink below our chattering mind. But before we descend into that calm spaciousness, we must heed the words of Adyashanti: "We must want the actual truth more than we want the truth that we imagine." Vila is the eastern European name for energy that moves through the earth in different forms of nature. Her shape-shifting ability calls on us to flexible with an expanded awareness rather than holding tightly to our illusions. Truth and wisdom do us no good if we resist rather than accept them.

The Guard at the Veil

From the Gaian Tarot, the Priestess; from the Goddess Oracle, 'Vila:'

          The symbols of the Priestess hint at hidden wisdom and healing. These keys are not given from another, as in the Hierophant, but found within. Yet there is a guard at the veil. In the words of Lewis Hyde, "Likes and dislikes are the lapdogs and guard dogs of the ego, busy all the time, panting and barking at the gates of attachment and aversion and thereby narrowing perception and experience." With ego at the helm, we see only fabrications of reality - what we expect and what we want, but not what is. Meditation is one way to dive below the ego and access our wisdom and compassion, though there are surely other practices that will allow us to do the same. Vila is a goddess whose energy moves through all of the earth and enlivens nature. Her message is shape-shifting, not in a literal sense, but a metaphorical one. She would encourage us to lay aside our fabrications of people and situations, and step inside a perspective that is not our own. Instead of a self-centered view, we objectively experience real life in all its forms.

Flexible Friendships

From the Gaian Tarot, the Two of Cups; from the Goddess Oracle, Vila:

          I've always had pets, because I enjoy the unconditional love they offer in a relationship. Human companionship, however, is a bit more difficult. Often we come into a relationship with an expectation of what we think we're going to get out of it, not what we're going to bring to it. But good friends aren't just those who tell us what we want to hear and go along with whatever we want to do, but those folks who can tell us with gentle honesty what we need to know and push us beyond our comfortable cocoons. I need to be able to look outside my own personal interests and opinions, which can be helped along by having friends. Vila is a Eastern European nature spirit whose energy moves through the earth in various forms:

I am flexibility

for by changing my form

I freely flow with whatever comes my way.

How many friendships are lost because we have expectations built around them? If someone changes their belief system or priorities, does that mean I have to drop them? Not if they are comfortable allowing me to maintain my own values without judgment. And by sticking with them (being flexible and open in my thinking), I might just gain a deeper understanding of what is important to them and why. If I can accept them without prejudice, I might learn to see the world through a wider lens.

Simmer for Full Flavor

From the Gaian Tarot, the Four of Air (Swords):

I like finding an empty nest so I can see all that the items the bird used to build it - twigs and vines, moss and leaves, and even bits of yarn or plastic streamers. Finding solutions to problems or inspiration for creative endeavors are often discovered the way nests are built. Imagination and illumination can be sparked from odd encounters of people or things, but before they can become something solid, they need a protected place to incubate. It's like the chili I make in the winter; though all the ingredients are added to the pot, simmering it for a few hours makes the flavor even better.

From the Goddess Oracle comes "Vila:"

Vila is the energy that moves through all of nature, shifting from plants to animals to clouds or even mountains. Her message is to check the flexibility of your thoughts and ideas - can they adapt or even change into other forms, or are they rigid and unbending? Sometimes I need to try or learn something new to get out of my rut. This card reminds me of the "Artist Dates" that Julia Cameron writes of in The Artist's Way: "Artist Dates fire up the imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play. Since art is about the play of ideas, they feed our creative work by replenishing our inner well of images and inspiration. When choosing an Artist Date, it is good to ask yourself, 'what sounds fun?' - and then allow yourself to try it." Fun sounds like a splendid idea for my day ahead.

Innovations and Fresh Ideas

  From the Gaian Tarot, the Magician:

Rather than the wand most magicians have, this man connects to Spirit through drumming.  His spiritual connection is evident not just by the infinity sign over his head, but by the look on his face - pure bliss.  The feather, candle, stone and shell on his altar represent the four elements; these resources are available for him to use to creatively express himself.  There is something quite magical that happens when we release the hold of ego and tap into our Higher Self (or whatever you choose to call it).  What we are able to produce is more innovative and wonderful than anything we could have generated on our own.  Yet inspiration is only part of the equation; the will must be focused so that we bring this discovery down to earth and into reality.

     From the Goddess Oracle, "Vila: Shape-shifting:"

Vila was a name given to the powerful nature spirits in eastern Europe.  These woodland beings guarded the plants and animals of the forest, and could shape-shift into any natural being or element.  Vila's lesson is to become more flexible in the way we think and the way we act.  The way to wholeness is through expanding our awareness and perception rather than fighting to stay comfortably in the our own little box.  It's easy to think we're open-minded and adaptable, but what happens when we meet someone who has opinions or ideas very different from our own?  Do we immediately feel the need to push back by asserting our views and defending our position?  Or can we listen with open ears and a receptive mind to see if perhaps there is something new to learn?