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Tolerance and Temperance

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 18:05 — Christiana

Protesting at the UMC General ConferenceThere are so many conversations about tolerance these days.  I had thought by 2012 our species would have grown past basic issues of prejudice.  What has happened instead is that our shrinking world has put us face-to-face with people who are different than we are.  For many people, knowing there were different types people in the world was much less unsettling than having to actually acknowledge those people as equals, neighbors, or peers.

Constantly I need to remind myself that here in the US mixed-race marriages only became legal within my lifetime, and women have had the right to vote for less than a century.

Recently, ordained ministers of the United Methodist Church conducted a protest at their General Conference.  They occupied the assemble floor and served communion, wearing rainbow colors, to decry the Conference’s decision to continue a policy of non-inclusion for members of the LBGT community.  It was a protest of which Saul Alinsky himself would have been proud.

Beltane for All!

Tue, 05/01/2012 - 12:34 — Christiana

World Spirit Tarot Four of Wands Pictures a MaypoleWe celebrate Beltane (Beltaine) on or around the first day of May.  Beltane is the Pagan holiday of fertility.  Its rituals include dancing the Maypole, jumping the Belfire, crowning a May King and Queen and drinking from the Maybowl.

Beltane celebrates the union of masculine and feminine.  That is not to say that it is specifically a holiday for the heterosexual, or for those who are actively partnered.  Although it is the holiday of fertility, its magick is not reserved only for those who wish to have children.

Tarot, Fear and Faith

Fri, 04/27/2012 - 13:02 — Christiana

Tarot Card SpreadPerhaps some people fear tarot because tarot is a reflection of life, and of truth.

Well-placed fear can protect us and keep us alive. Fear of failure, success, change and growth can keep us from living.

When we walk in fear we lose so many opportunities for joy. That may be the ultimate goal of the spiritual journey, no matter what the culture or belief set may be. We all need to learn to walk in faith, rather than in fear.

Mixed Virtue

Tue, 04/24/2012 - 16:14 — Christiana

Doreen Virtue has published a tarot deck!I have said this before and I will say it again. I am tired of spiritual teachers maligning tarot out of laziness and ignorance. Tarot words, images and symbols are only scary if we don’t take the time to learn what they mean. Through that study, we grow, not only in our understanding of tarot but also in our understanding of ourselves and of the Universe.

The Middle Way of Tarot

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 16:57 — Christiana

The High Priestess - A Card of the Middle Way, both Study and IntuitionThere is a lot of misunderstanding of tarot in the world. Some of it comes from well-intentioned tarotists.

For once, I am not talking about the Gypsies who use tarot to swindle their clients. We already know they are propagators of misunderstanding. I am referring to smart, spiritual tarot students and practitioners who haven’t yet found the sweetest spot of tarot interpretation and understanding – the Middle Way.

The concept of the Middle Way (or the Middle Path) is Buddhist, although its tenets show up in many philosophical teachings. A secular way to describe it is the happy medium, which is also a great play on words when talking about tarot.

Stronger

Sun, 04/15/2012 - 15:53 — Christiana

RWS Strength CardFriedrich Nietzsche has been getting a lot of airplay on contemporary radio recently. Kanye West had a hit with his song “Stronger,” which paraphrased Nietzsche, “now that that don’t kill me can only make me stronger.”

Recently Kelly Clarkson hit the charts with “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger).” Her lyrics are similar; “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, walk a little taller.”

It’s no surprise that during a difficult recession our artists inspire us with this ancient philosophy. We need to be inspired, we need to remember our strength, and we need to find some value in the hardship that many are facing.

It’s the Message, not the Messenger

Tue, 04/10/2012 - 13:01 — Christiana

There is a human tendency to believe there are those among us who possess spiritual gifts that are greater than human. Our religious mythology is rife with demi-gods, prophets, saints and gurus.

It is not my intention to argue the divinity of Christ, for instance, nor the enlightenment of Buddha. It is my intention to point out that these archetypes are plentiful throughout history, and in seemingly every culture. For some reason, we humans need examples of humans who have a greater connection with the divine than we seem to.

On the other hand, most religions include the concept of divinity that resides within and around each one of us. The idea is that each of us is divine, and part of a greater spiritual whole. In Christianity, we call this the Holy Spirit. In Wicca we “Draw Down the Moon,” to invoke the Goddess into a human priestess.

Envy

Wed, 04/04/2012 - 11:17 — Christiana

Envy is one of the Roman Catholic Seven Deadly Sins.  As a tarot reader, I have an interesting perspective on envy.  On one hand, I see a lot of it at my table.  On the other hand, because I get a sense of what life is really like for people whom I might have otherwise perceived as more fortunate than me, being a tarot reader precludes my envying others.

A Clear Line in the Sand

Wed, 03/14/2012 - 17:52 — Christiana

For this week’s blog post, I had intended a different topic. Recent events in the news take precedence. There was an article in the Sun-Sentinel about the sentencing of Gypsy psychic Olivia Evans.

First, here is the letter I have written to the Sun-Sentinel. I don’t know if they will publish it, but it contains everything I want to say to the public. Following that, I will give my comments to the metaphysical community in general, and the tarot community in specific.

Desiderata in the Language of Tarot

Wed, 03/07/2012 - 14:20 — Christiana

Do you remember the books we read as children?  There was a certain type of book for early readers; I am not sure if these sorts of books still exist.  There would be a simple narrative.  Some words were missing, and instead there would be a picture.  Maybe the words were present under the picture.  I remember things such as: “John played with a [picture of a ball].  Judy lives in a [picture of a house].”

This concept invites an interesting tarot exercise.  What if we took a poem, or set of lyrics, and found tarot cards to represent the concepts therein?

Obviously, there would be no right or wrong way to do this.  It would be a great way of teaching how tarot cards can communicate concepts, and be read as sentences and paragraphs.

So, today I decided to try this with my favorite poem.  Perhaps other tarot enthusiasts will find different cards, or more cards. 

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