A Dynamic Relationship

A simple seeker was meditating on the mystery of Tarot.

“How did you manage to move your focus from The Hermit, as a solitary seeker of enlightenment, to comparing Aces?”

“The Major Arcana, which includes The Hermit, relates to general personality characteristics, while …”

“Did I ask..?”

“The Aces introduce each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana, and offer a sacred gift – a promise, almost.”

“How could a gift or promise be sacred, and still be no more than an almost?”

“It’s not a freebee.”

“Then what does it cost?”

“It’s not for sale, at least it can’t be purchased.”

“Then how does one receive a gift that isn’t free, and yet can’t be purchased?”

“It’s a promise of reward, if effort is made to follow one’s dream or path, and is meant to inspire self-confidence.”

“How does Tarot differ from I Ching?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Yes.”

“From my limited understanding?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. They have little or nothing in common.”

“How so?”

“I Ching explains and supports social stability, within a system of generally accepted rules of order.”

“And Tarot?”

“Tarot explains inner dimensions of personal experiences; feelings, desires, needs, and interests, and helps us to make sense of them, and to learn to blend them together, and more. It encourages us to believe in our individual values, and inspires us to reach for success and happiness.”

“And I Ching does not?”

“Personal satisfaction and happiness don’t seem to be high priorities, from an I Ching perspective.”

“Then why study both?”

“We seem to need both individual and collective general rules of order, but we also need personal, emotional satisfaction.”

“Where does awareness fit into this two-sided view of the ideal society?”

“I didn’t call it ideal.”

“No. I did.”

“Then I’ll let you explain where and how awareness fits into the picture.”

“Awareness is understanding the reality that the individual and collective are as two parts of an infinite oneness, within which they share a dynamic relationship to each other.”

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A Simple Seeker’s Note to Herself re A Dynamic Relationship

Spirit seemed to be helping me to understand that though I live my individual life, I also live as a contributing member of a community.

“Yes, and this is necessarily so, even within our individual families and neighbourhoods.”

“We can’t escape being personally responsibile, both for ourselves and others?”

“Why would you want to escape from responsibility?”

“It can get too much, when everyone seems to want from me something that I can’t give, without giving less to myself.”

“Perhaps the secret is to develop a sense of balance between caring for self and caring for others.”

“That sounds easy enough, but how to live it in the real world of everyday interactions with others?”

“If you study both I Ching and Tarot, with intent to learn, you will discover how to balance your personal needs and desires with your responsibilities and/or duties to your family, your loved ones, and to the many levels of society that you necessarily are a part of. And then, having done what you can, release yourself from any further responsibility.”

“Does it really work?”

“Yes. It really works, if you work at it. Of course, you don’t really need to study I Ching, Tarot, or any other formal or less than formal system. You could simply learn to trust yourself to do right in any given situation.”

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