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

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Cosmic Mixer

From the Margarete Petersen Tarot, Mediatrix (Temperance); from the Elemental Dice, Fire + Earth (Volcano):
          Petersen writes that this "Cosmic Mixer" can change the "seven poisons into the seven wisdoms." My biblical upbringing made me think of the seven deadly sins and their corresponding seven heavenly virtues:
Lust  ~  Purity of Thought
Overindulgence  ~  Self-restraint
Greed  ~  Generosity
Laziness  ~  Diligence
Anger  ~  Patience
 Envy  ~  Kindness
Pride  ~  Humility
Contrary to the Church's teachings, I prefer thinking of the "sins" as natural human desires (though I agree they need to be tempered). As an example, if I see a bare-chested, athletic young man out for a jog, I can appreciate the beauty of his body without wanting to jump his bones. Labeling such desires as "sins" and making them seem unnatural can cause other problems in trying to pursue the other "perfected" extreme. For instance, how patient should I be when there is an injustice that needs to be set right? Sometimes anger is what can motivate action. Moderation - using discernment according to each situation - might be a saner choice.
          The Volcano combination from the dice this morning reminds me of passive-aggressiveness, that simmering anger that lurks beneath a calm exterior. Both card and dice made me think of the story of the prodigal son who spent his inheritance with wild living but was welcomed back by his father. But the other son, the one who had been virtuous, was extremely angry that his brother got "rewarded" even after his sinful ways. Perhaps the middle way might be more virtuous than rigid categories of right and wrong.

5 comments:

  1. that prodigal son story..so wrong is so many ways :)

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  2. That is the most intriguing Temperance I have seen. Definitely a card to meditate on and maybe it could help me see the sins that still lurk in my subconscious.

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  3. Beautiful card indeed. The literal translation of the Hebrew word for sin is:to miss, to be absent, being unaware of the consequences of your behavior. the opposite is being mindful and present. In that way anger can be used mindfully to fire up some energy but not for lashing out in the heat of the moment. :)
    In short: Being absent is sin and being present is virtue

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    Replies
    1. I like Paul Tillich's definition of sin, seeing it as a state rather than an act. For him it is estrangement - from god, others and ourselves.

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