rider-waite-smith Archives < Arwen, Professional Joy Seeker

Is There Evil In This World?

Today’s card is not so much a reminder as it is a memorial. In the divination system I know as Tarot, Death doesn’t always mean physical death. Sometimes, though? Sometimes it does.

I just shared a thought on my personal page. I posted an image of Dr. Martin Luther King addressing a large crowd. His arm is outstretched as he waves to the thousands who have gathered to hear him speak. The words on the graphic read,

“When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.”

Death rides a pale horse. In front are a king, a bishop, a mother and a child. None are excluded from Death’s reach. All must go at the call. Whether that call is from Jehovah, Mohammed, Goddess, Great Spirit or whatever/whomever you name that Higher Power (nod to the atheists who don’t), all must answer it.

Yesterday, heinous mother fuckers destroyed lives. One of the lives they destroyed was that of an eight year old boy. Eight. Years. Old. His sister, 6, lost her leg. Their mother underwent surgery for an injury to her brain.

Eight.
Mother fucking
Years.
Old.

There is no reason anyone can give me for an eight year old to lose their life this way. By an act of such cowardly proportions that I wonder how the perpetrators can look at themselves in the mirror without cringing away.

Is there evil in this world?

Yes. Yes there is. It’s in the hearts of men and women who would do this.

And, it’s a seed in the hearts of many who can say with no compunction that someone of another race, creed, religion of love is wrong.

Yeah, I went there. I’m so angry I could spit right now. I’m going to tell you that I think evil is a seed that lives in most of us–me included. It is how we choose to live that waters it and feeds it or forces it to wither and die within us.

It’s a fine line for me between mean humor and hating those not like me.

Harsh words from a professional joy seeker? You betcha. I work hard at being authentic. I can’t tell you to seek joy today when, in my heart, I am so angry that I could feed that seed of evil with hatred.

I won’t though. I won’t allow others’ evil hearts to turn my own. Mother fucking won’t. Do you hear me?

I will continue to be a woman of love.
I will continue to be a human of joy.
I will continue BECAUSE OF THESE MOTHER FUCKERS to be a peaceful, joy seeking being.

I will not let them engage me in their grotesque evil. I will not allow my anger to feed evil. My anger will feed love. It will feed joy. It will destroy hate in the end.

I will win.

I won’t challenge you to do anything today other than love yourself and one another. That’s all. Just love.

Death, Rider Waite Smith Tarot, U.S. Games

Rites, Rights & Duty

Today’s card is a reminder that the power is in your hands. This note is going to have a distinctly American flavor. I want you to vote.

I’m not going to tell you who to vote for or how to vote. Just vote. It’s more than your civic duty to me. It’s a sacred action.

And I’m very very very clear about the fact that if you are registered to vote but don’t, then you don’t have a leg to stand on if things happen that you don’t agree with.

I was a History/Political Science major in college. There’s a lot wrong with our system, but the biggest thing is that so many of us don’t vote.

Here’s a secret. I did not vote in the last election because I failed to register in time. Yeah. Me. I’m on my way out the door as soon as this is posted to cast my vote for my candidate. I hope you will (or already have) join me in this sacred obligation.

It’s more than 9th grade civics. It’s the fate of our country.

Ace of Wands, Rider Waite Smith Commemorative Tarot, USGames, 2011

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

P. to the S. As along as you are in line before the polls close, they HAVE to let you vote. It’s the law.

SPREAD: R.S.V.P. Spread

So, do you have any invitations that you need to investigate? Are you wasting your energy RSVPing for situations that would be better for everyone if you just said no? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I did a web course about professional business writing. There was a series of questions that really leant themselves to a Tarot spread. The questions were simple.

• What is the situation/problem?
• Why is this document needed?
• Who is going to read it?
• What do those readers need to know?
• What action does the writer want the reader to take?

So I translated them into a spread to do when you aren’t sure about becoming involved in a situation. This goes back to my current theme Continue reading “SPREAD: R.S.V.P. Spread”

Wings, Tigers & Bartending

What do wings, tigers and bartending have to do with the Temperance card. Join Arwen as she does a comparative study of this angel of balance using some very different decks including the Gaian, the Mary-El and the Tarot of a Moon Garden.

I have been thinking about doing some articles on comparing cards. This morning, I picked up a deck to draw a card for the first comparison. Using the Cat’s Eye Tarot, I pulled Temperance.

This Temperance shows the balance as Continue reading “Wings, Tigers & Bartending”