Seeing the Whole

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Ten of Cups; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Seven Stars:

The creators of this tarot suggest that finding emotional fulfillment has nothing to do with the external - finding the perfect mate, friend or community group. Instead they suggest that it comes from a virtuous mind, one that does not covet, entertain thoughts of malice, or hold distorted views. Those that do these things never can seem to find any contentment because their focus is always on what isn't right in the world. The Seven Stars (part of the Ursa Major) was considered the seat of the gods by the ancient Chinese; it symbolizes creative imagination. Our imagination often creates our reality, seeing it either in a good or bad light. But reality is full of joy and sorrow, birth and death, hatred and kindness. Better to see the whole (and undistorted view) rather than just a part. 

If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine.

~Morris West

Fulfillment, not Filled Pockets

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Sword:

If we are making spiritual progress, don’t judge by how many visions or kind of lights one sees. What we have to look at is how one behaves. Have I become less selfish? Has my world narrowed down or has it expanded? Do I feel bad for the child next door or is it only for my child?

— Sri Madhukarnath ji 

          The booklet suggests this King represents spiritual fulfillment from earthly endeavors. In other words, he's looking for something more substantial than self-indulgence; he knows that pleasurable feelings lasts about as long as a lightning strike. He represents the middle way when it comes to our resources, neither asceticism nor excess, but a meaningful use of them. But the Sword card - symbolizing a dilemma - suggests what happens when when find ourselves with a surplus. One part of the brain tells us to go crazy and splurge, and the other says to save it for an emergency. The King would tell us to use some, save some and share some. But only if we are looking for fulfillment rather than a momentary high.  

Earthy Heaviness

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Ten of Pentacles; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Water:

          It is thought-provoking that the creators of this deck use elephants for the suit of pentacles. These earthy animals can also symbolize the heaviness of responsibility we incur from our earthly gifts. The more we have, the older we become, the weightier our obligations. It is no wonder that the booklet suggests meritorious action for those of us with such gifts, which fits nicely with the symbolism of Water. Merit in Buddhism is something done to purify and improve the quality of the mind and actions that will bring harmony to one's life. There are ten such merits under the umbrella of three categories: Dana (Generosity), Sila (Morality) and Bhavana (Meditation). Having generosity as the foremost merit isn't a surprise. Being willing to share one's resources, including time and energy, with others helps keep stagnation and heaviness at bay.

Cradler of Secrets

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Queen of Cups; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, the Dragon:

Being a cradler of secrets has, as the years have passed, made me gentler and more accepting.

― Irvin Yalom

          The Queen of Cups nurtures by being able to listen deeply and compassionately without judgment. She's not in a hurry to give advice or fix. She would agree with Vicki Lannerholm about the role of counseling: "Sometimes what we need is time. Time to feel what we are feeling until our emotions run out of energy and we can resurface for air." The dragon - a symbol of good fortune - is a remind of how fortunate we are if we have a friend who can keep our secrets, listen to our pain, and provide comfort just by their presence. May we never take them for granted.

They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. 

— Carl W. Buechner

Great Awakening

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, Judgment; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Bamboo:

All beings are Buddhas,

But obscured by incidental stains.

When those have been removed, there is Buddhahood.

 —Rangjun Dorje

          The creators of this deck call Judgment the Great Awakening, when the ego sheds its illusions and our true nature is revealed. Every sentient being contains this seed, but like clouds that hide the sun, our luminous mind is hidden by our habitual patterns of thought and action. Yet nothing we do can tarnish it; it is there waiting for us to open to its infinite clarity, compassion and wisdom. Recognizing our patterns is the beginning to finding our inner sun. Bamboo has been admired in China for its many uses, including for paint brushes and pens. Thus it is connected with writing, learning and scholarship. It points to the need for instruction in waking up, as we often are so good at hiding even from ourselves what hinders us. How often have you read a book and suddenly been gobsmacked by a statement, realizing, "Yes, that describes me"?

At its most practical, our Buddha-nature affords us the potential to grow, evolve, and embody our genuine goodness. When we understand, and eventually through meditation experience this as our essential nature, there is less room for getting sidetracked by our unexamined destructive emotions and thoughts, and more room for living compassionately from within an interconnected whole.

—Scott Tusa

Snap Judgments

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Three of Wands; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Tiger:

We only need 10 percent of stimulation from the outside world. It is our brain that experiences, figures out, anticipates, and projects what might happen, that leads to our experience. —Guo Gu

          The Three of Wands implies that we have taken our creative inspiration further, expanding beyond the status quo into something new. But the instruction booklet encourages us to be fully conscious of our experience rather than taking a glimpse and automatically filing it into a preset slot. The card's three lotus blooms show one in the bud stage, one beginning to open, and one fully open. It may appear that the center one is the 'best' at first glance. But we may not be fully conscious of all that is involved. The Tiger of Mah Jongg symbolizes authority. In this case for example, someone with more knowledge (even a book!) might help us realize that these are different types of lotuses that bloom at different times. 

The next time you make a snap judgment about a situation, take a few moments to understand an opposing viewpoint. —David J. Lieberman

 

Broken Glass

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 Three of Swords and Carp:

          Where there was once a head and trunk, now there is only a pierced heart in this painting. When we have been betrayed or hurt, our world can begin to rotate around our pain. The booklet suggests this card is about coping with sorrow caused by the loss of something in which we were emotionally invested. We desperately crave for things to be different, to go back to the way they were when we were happy. But the more we funnel our thoughts in this direction, the worse it gets. It's as if we accidentally step on broken glass in bare feet, then continue walking back and forth across the sharp pieces. The Carp symbolizes inner calm and contentment, a time when troubles might not be over, but we have come to terms with the situation. How do we move from a place of suffering to acceptance? As Bodhipaksa writes, we focus on self-care rather than the mental story we've constructed about the situation. 

Once we’ve practiced by turning toward our pain and offering it care, we often find that things shift radically. The sacred pause of mindful compassion becomes a conduit for wisdom and other inner resources that we sometimes aren’t aware we had. 

—Bodhipaksa