Oh I had a feeling, and was hoping for a "good" card today. This is it I thought, The Wheel of Fortune! I haven't drawn this before for myself. I was excited or maybe I just had too much coffee!
A Major Arcana card, cause and effect, along with Karma are the operative words. Reaping what we sow, bla, bla, bla. Sorry, I know I sound jaded, and cynical but please hear me out.
Unknowingly until now, I've been thinking about all this meaning, present in the Wheel of Fortune, really, since yesterday, and today. Perhaps because I've been doing some readings for folks lately, that have caused me to contemplate my own life, but I do this a lot, in one way or another, because I am involved with reading the cards everyday, but I've always been introspective. I got that contemplating my navel thing, down pretty good!
The Wheel of Fortune's meanings makes me think, yes I agree, we do reap what we sow. But what about those of us who seem to frequently get more of our share of suffering, and difficulty? It is hard to make sense of it all. We can feel even like, there has got to be some kind of person responsible for this, and when it all goes bad, we want to lash out in anger, and find someone or something to blame, because it is unjust, unfair and even cruel. When it goes well, sometimes we forget to be grateful, to really appreciate what we do have.
I think it's important to acknowledge the unfairness, and the unjustness of life, and allow ourselves to be angry. Anger is a feeling and I think it is more productive to simply feel and accept our anger in order to let it go, so we don't live in the problem and allow resentment to enslave us, our attitude toward life, and the universe. But it is just as important to see and exemplify fairness, justice, kindness and mercy in the world.
Life certainly is not all flowers and roses. We don't want or need to hear a bunch a platitudes and psychobabble we find condescending, and that minimizes what we are going through. Usually, when we are experience hard times, we just need someone to hear us, and listen, we don't want advice or and philosophical gobbleygoop. My spell check won't even accept that word!
I heard a program today on the radio about aging. This older gentleman called up, and said he uses a slogan often to help himself wade through the messes of life. " Now Here This ". This isn't a spelling mistake, here refers to the here and now. He compared the past and future as being swamps, that we get stuck in, and can create more unhappiness than what we are already experiencing. What this wise man in his eighties said, gave me serious reflection.
There are definitely laws of nature we can't deny, mostly we don't understand them, and it requires a faith and trust in something mysterious, unseen and seemingly unknowable. There is nothing we can do to control these laws. I wonder, if we could in fact control these laws, and the cycle of life, what would happen?
It probably wouldn't work out so well in the long run, I strongly suspect. Human beings don't seem to be able to make good choice when left to their own devices and without the help and guidance of a power greater than ourselves.
The Wheel of Fortune depicts the Moirai, the three fates, daughters of Mother Night, conceived without a father. They wove the thread of life in the darkness, and in the secrecy of a cave, symbolizing the womb. They represent the source of life itself, older than the oldest gods, with so much power, the king of gods Zeus, dares not to challenge them. The profound inner journey is heralded. and coming to terms with one's life, past, present and future.
The Fool is now shaken from complacency and begins the inner journey of humility, that will lead him to his own source.
The Wheel of Fortune is a card of sudden change in fortune, be it bad or good. Rest assured, whatever way the Wheel turns, there will always be growth. I think this is the positive bit. Granted we must dig in to our inner resources personally.
If we refuse to accept or challenge our circumstance by shaking our fists at God, we may be afflicted with what was called hubris, compounded with even more problems, due to our false pride, and even arrogance. What ever we are in denial of, becomes a harmful nemesis. You don't want to mess with a nemesis, believe me , I know. She is the spirit of divine retribution for hubris. She is a real drag, and will bring you down.
2 comments:
The fates: it is such a universal theme. I've got to know them as the Norns beneath the Ygdrasil. I think life is cruel and beautiful and things good or bad just happens. What we do, how we react. The stories we keep telling ourselves is what really matters
I do believe in a benevolent God(des) who guides me trough joy and sorrow:
I can't stop the rain
From falling down on you again
I can't stop the rain
But I will hold you 'til it goes away
<3 True wise words Ellen. Hmmm interesting I've not heard of the Norms beneath Ygdrasil. Must do some research. :)
Post a Comment