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Yoga Thoughts
Posted on April 27, 2015
“Asanas (postures) are done by the body but are not totally for the body.
Asanas are part of yoga and yoga is primarily for the consciousness.
Yoga is for the mind.
It should be done by the body for the mind.”
(Prashant Iyengar)
Weekly Card The Queen of Swords is Not Amused
Posted on April 23, 2015
Robert Wang’s Golden Dawn Tarot
EeeYIKES!
Who is this chick and how do we stay as far away from her as possible??!
Actually, we’ve met her before. Our last visit was much less severe than this image, from The Golden Dawn Tarot.
Look back at that visit for a moment (don’t worry, the link will open in a new tab/window).
So what the hell happened between then and now? How did we get from “brilliant mind” to “off with his head” and full body armour?
Here we’re dealing with the bias and symbolism that are elements as we move from deck to deck. Remember that each card has energy that runs on a spectrum from weak (and unbalanced) through balanced to over-used (and unbalanced). Some artists view the strong point of a particular card more toward one end of the spectrum than the centre.
Remember that the Queen is emotional, even though she’s Queen of Swords, dealing with the mind and rationality. So one end of the spectrum (actually two spectra working together) is going to be highly emotional with limited rationality. You can probably relate to times when you’d like to have taken someone’s head off.
At another unbalanced point, there’s severely limited ability to connect with others along with cold rationality. We’ve got lots of examples of the total lack of compassion with a logic that says, “we need to kill you to – fill in agenda here –“. Many of them fit into the headings of Crime or War.
Since we know this deck is based on the symbolism of the Golden Dawn, we can come up with another explanation if we do a little research. Here’s where study of the history and traditions of Tarot can be very useful. In this case, that severed head symbolizes our own egos (in the arrogant, ignorant, negative sense). The Queen of Swords uses her clear mind to cut through self-deception, “killing” the delusions that cloud our perception.
So which one is the “right” interpretation? All of them can be true in various circumstances. On a single card draw, I suggest going with your gut response to the image on the card. In a multiple card spread, note the influences of the other cards. Is the “Swordness” strengthened or weakened by the cards around the Queen of Swords? How about the emotionality and connectedness of the Queen (read her energy as Cups or water)?
At face value this week . . .
Watch your temper!
Yoga Thoughts
Posted on April 21, 2015
“Do not look at others’ bodies with envy or with superiority.
All people are born with different constitutions.
Never compare with others.
Each one’s capacities are a function of his or her internal strength.
Know your capacities and continually improve upon them.”
― B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom
Weekly Card 3 of Cups
Posted on April 16, 2015
What a beautiful card for a spring day (at least, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere – those of you in the South can lift a cup to spring days yet to come)!
3 of Cups is a social, cheerful card saying, Celebrate! And find your best friends to celebrate with you.
You’ll remember, from Tarot . . . It’s Easier Than You Think, that 3s are expression and expansion, and Cups are emotions, relationships and creativity.
So how can you express your emotions? How can you expand your relationships? Your creativity?
Looking to the Crystal Tarot image, we’ve got the three Cups (or Chalices) enclosing an egg, symbol of fertility and creativity. This one is many layered and includes a design that makes me think of the beautiful pysanky from the Ukrainian Easter tradition. Floating above the stable triangle is the fluttering butterfly of transformation. We’ve no shortage of blooming flowers here, with lots of heart-based green and turquoise from the higher heart – that place where expression comes from the heart.
Rider Waite Smith Tarot
For Tarot 2: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore, let’s introduce 3 of Cups experiences to a couple of Court Cards. Start with the Knight of Cups. We’ve got the airy Knight stirring up the watery Cups in a situation of the same element. Remember, he keeps moving. As long as things are expansive, is he likely to stay? When we look at the stability of the 3, how is he likely to react? What happens when we’ve got too much water and it’s all being stirred up?
Bring the practical Page of Pentacles in. How do earth and water get along? Pretty neutral, aren’t they? But how long is this Page likely to stick around if the party just keeps going, particularly if it’s celebration for celebration’s sake? The Page may not have much impact on the situation, but the situation may not have much impact on the Page either.
If you were a Court Card, who would you be? And which Courts might best represent some of your friends? Now, which ones do you want to invite to the party?
Are you running out of patience and ready to be out creating and socializing? Have at it!
Celebrate!
You can sign up for Tarot 2: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore with the Berkeley County Adult Ed Program. The fun happens Friday, 1st May, from 6 to 8pm.
Yoga Thoughts
Posted on April 13, 2015
“The asana is an enquiry: ”Who am I?”
Throwing out the parts until only the Self is left,
the final pose is “I am.””
BKS Iyengar
Look at last Monday’s post to see how Mr. Iyengar has whittled away the non-Self.
As a teacher, I’m privileged to watch students deepen their sense of Self regularly. You’re welcome to do the same in any of my classes (listed over there on the right).