I use tarot and oracle cards as tools for reflection and contemplation. Rather than divining the future, they are a way for me to look more deeply at the "now."
"The goal isn't to arrive, but to meander, to saunter, to make your life a holy wandering." ~ Rami Shapiro

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Plumbing the Depths

  This week I'll be using the Nigel Jackson Tarot, named after its creator.  Today's draw is the King of Staves (Wands):
Normally when I think of the King of Wands/Staves, I think of a go-getter, a person full of vim and vigor.  But this guy looks pretty sedate and a bit on the wimpy side, until you notice how he is cradling that orb.  The king's orb represents sovereign power and was a symbol of world domination.  I like the addition of the cross on top - in my cynical mind I see it as a way to justify taking what you want, as long as it's in the name of religion.  For some reason, I don't think that whole "love your neighbor" idea involved crushing him underneath your boot.

     The oracle I'll be using this week is the Sabian Symbols described in Lynda Hill's 360 Degrees of Wisdom.  I have a 12 sided die of astrological symbols and a 30 sided die for the degrees that I'll be using instead of a deck of cards.  Today's roll is "Scorpio, 7th Degree:"

Deep sea divers with special machinery.
This description made me think of the divers who went far below the ocean to look at the remains of the Titanic.  This symbol reminds me that if I want to discover my real motivations, sometimes I must plumb the depths.  It is too easy to rationalize or hide a bad intention with a good one - kind of like covering up a cake disaster with a ton of icing.  A quick surface look will not do, and will require the tools of honesty, open-mindedness and willingness.

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