The Chariot - Metanoia

I love languages and words. Today I read a great post by a special Rabbi, Brian Meyer, from whom I always learn so much, reading his very insightful and thoughtful blog Religion Outside of The Box. In today's post he explained the meaning of the word Metanoia. There are a number of varying interpretations of the meaning, which is Greek in origin. The meaning I find most appealing is, "a trans-formative change of heart" or "change of mind".

In life we are always facing some kind of decision and but often do need to have a change of mind and heart, asking ourselves questions like, do we go this way or that, is this too much or too little, and sometimes, if not most times it's a real struggle to find our balance.

 I spent the first part of my life out of balance, without enough direction until I came to a crossroads and juncture in the road, where I had to decide which way to go, and to learn how to find balance. The only way I could do this was to make a decision, as a result of a trans-formative change of heart and mind. It didn't happen over night. It was a long process, that wasn't easy.

Driving the chariot is Ares the god of war, embodied in this Major Arcana card. He's, trying to contain the two horses pulling in opposite directions. Ironically Aphrodite, the goddess of love and Ares are very
drawn to one another like ying and yang.

The white and black horses representing the two ends of the spectrum of positive and negative, of good and bad that we all grapple with, and have to find balance in some way, because one cannot exist without the other.

What To Do With B'shert - The Star

The Star is a very hopeful card, where guidance is found from within, giving meaning and faith, in the midst of difficulty, when Pandora's box has been opened. I drew this card Friday and didn't get a chance to blog about it. It has been on my mind since, because I have been thinking a lot about life, destiny, fate, and thought I'd continue with the post as soon as I could, after a busy few days.

I subscribe to a site, and am part of an online community. Rabbi Brian sends along 'wisdom biscuits' from his site that he calls ' Religion Outside The Box '. I am glad I was late in posting about The Star, because when I received the post from Rabbi Brian today, I thought it fit well with The Star, a card that warns us against having blind hope, when our dreams don't match up with reality, but urges and reminds us to keep the faith, and to know that deep within, we possess a will to live. We need to hold tight to hope, as it can make all the difference between life and death, in some circumstances.

It is easy to feel like things are meant to be when things are going our way, but I ask myself what happens when they aren't working the way I want? Do I lose hope and faith, feel sorry for myself, and ask why me? Certainly all the struggles, suffering and burdens, many of us bare more than our share, and it is sometimes very hard to have hope and faith.  Are those difficulties meant to be? I don't think so. It is simply the reality of life. Life is what happens, when we are making other plans as John Lennon once said.


Rabbi Brian calls it, "b'shert", the saying we all hear "it was meant to be" Here is a story he shared on his post today. 

" A man, because he couldn't figure out how to say no to the request, reluctantly loaned a set of silver serving spoons to his neighbor. They were returned along with a shiny silver teaspoon. 

"I lent you only 2 serving spoons. Why are you giving me this teaspoon as well?"

"Apparently, one of the spoons was pregnant and, in the course of the night, it gave birth. I figure that this rightfully belongs to you."

A few weeks later, the request to borrow a bronze platter was made. With less hesitance than previously, the loan was made. The platter was returned, along with a saucer and with a similar explanation of how it came to be.

When the request to borrow candlesticks came, the loan was instantaneous.

A week later, the borrower came empty-handed explaining that the candlesticks had died in the night.

What could the man say?

So it is with my life. Why do I only accept the things that I like as being the way they are supposed to be?

This week's spiritual advice: 

Contemplate our egocentricity with regard to the unfolding of reality. "

{B’shert, (Yiddish: באַשערט), is a Yiddish word that means “destiny”.