act the fool, or, too cool for school?
i love trawling the ocean treasures that etsy's depths reveal...plugged in late last night (or should that be very very early this morning!), i fell down the warren marked 'fortune tellers and tarot'...a world of mystics and magic, witchcraft and wizardry, and all things that rattle the black laced veil that covers my brow as my new orleans finger beckons me to take a seat and cross my palm with silver (or chocolate ;-) )
i am learning to read the cards...as yet a novice on this art, i am accompanied by a very well written and wisely worded guidebook...my deck of choice? amongst all the va va voom variety on offer these days, amongst all the bling and gold and vamps and klimt-esque temptations, i was drawn to the simple and standard, rider waite pack...or should i say rider waite smith deck, as the extraordinary visionary gypsy artist pamela colman smith divined the images for these recently centenary celebrated cards
my journey with the cards commenced a few years back when trailing the charity shops in hebden bridge i came across a plain deck of tarot, for the princely some of one golden coin, or a pound to you and me..inquiring as to whether they were all accounted for, and receiving an affirmative answer from the smiling faced seller, i arrived back in manchester, scooted straight for a bookshop, and several flick through and perusals later, chose my beloved guide book...all fine so far and armed with my new goods, arriving home i began to sort through the pack and goddamit, there was one card missing...
justice...
there was no bloody justice!!!
typical ;-)
amused by this turn of events, and now having entered the doorway marked tarot, i went and bought said deck which i use now (in a strange but delightful twist to the tale, its only when i opened the rider waite cards at home did i realise that this is the pack that is used and illustrated in my guide book!)...i love it when all the threads meet in a merry bow at the end! :-)
so its a slow journey but one that gives me great pleasure...i dont seek to divine the future, either in my own readings or for friends, but my sense and lately my experience is, that the cards can resonate and echo what is there for us already...i am always surprised and in respect of the accuracy and wisdom of the cards...and of course, they totally rock my gypsy fantasy of running away with a travelling troubador filled circus!!
the last few days i have been feeling very light...light, playful and full of gratitude...theres a clarity arising and a deeper resting in the what is...an increased appreciation for all that i have and a stronger knowing that all that i might want is possible with effort, dedication, perseverance and commitment...halleluyah!!!
the very first card of the tarots journey, and it is a map of the human journey, is 'the fool'....the image traditionally shows a man, with a bundle over his shoulders, wandering without a care towards the edge of a cliff...he has the air of the innocent about him, and possesses perhaps a foolishness that throws caution to the wind...rightly or wrongly he is about to step over that edge and tumble into who knows what or where...this card signifies new beginnings, new directions and the initial step into life's unknown space
acting the fool...being empty of all presumption...reminds me of a tale of a zen master filling a students cup of tea even though it overflowed onto the table and down to the floor...despite the students cry the teacher continued...until he stopped and explained that often we are like the full cup, full of our knowing, our knowledge, our beliefs, so much so, that nothing new, no fresh insight or wisdom can be taken in...a wise man knows everything and is full of himself, a fool knows nothing and is an eternal student of life in each moment
now im not suggesting advocating all responsibility (see yesterdays post)...i believe that we can walk through life lightly and delight in the newness of each moment, of see life through the eyes of the child...yet as an adult we need to hold our awareness too, of ourself and each other...moving blindly as a fool demotes responsibility and is instead a naive view to take...yet foolishness is a refreshing trait and leaves room for the mystery and magic of life to come and rest on our palm, flutter its hologragh wings and feed our soul :-)
letting ourselves love again even though our hearts have bled and torn over past love lost; allowing hope to bubble up to the surface and risk gulping the fresh air even though it has been destroyed before; following the callings of a wild and untamed heart when all around you hushes you in the grim faced fear that pervades most of our society; trusting and having faith in a life that may have let you down, hurt you or left you in the ashes of disappointment
how is it to live like the fool? what does that look like to you? to drop the jaded mask and smile and kiss your wounds...and to continue to hop skip dance and walk in the direction you see the light shine from xx
foolishness is being who you are, with all ya traits and foibles and flaws, with all the ways you get it wrong and fall over the cobbled roads; of calling to the winds and the seas and to a 'god' that has no name or form in the middle of the night; of riding your stuffed rainbow coloured unicorn even though you are no longer small in height; of talking to strangers and giving a smile; of eating the biggest piece of cake just because; of beleiving in and trusting the truth of your own heart no matter how goddamn crazy its song seems to be...sing it loud, shake that rattle (or ya hips/ booty/ head), make up your own steps, and never ever stop and say 'ah! im wise now, i think ill stop all this foolish behaviour'
neigh to that my friends (unicorn agrees with a snort ;-) )
have a grand and foolish saturday evening xxx
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