Today’s
card is the Ten of Rainbows – We are the world, from the Osho Zen Tarot. This card immediately reminded me of the Women’s March and all the other occasions where we stood or will
stand together for what is right and
just. It is such an empowering card. No matter what color we are, we are all in this together ….
And that’s
when it dawned on me. Even while looking at this beautiful circle of colorful rainbow
people, I was excluding everyone who didn’t agree with my political or my spiritual convictions or with whatever I feel is important for my world, my country, my
house and my body. Yes while watching this card, I was still thinking in terms of
I, me, we, us, ours and they, them or theirs.
These days,
it is easy to feel connected to like minded people but what about the other part
of humanity. Is our heart big enough to let them in too? We don’t have to agree
with them to be able to acknowledge they are just as human as we are. What does
it take to include every living soul in our heart? What does it take to hold on to our viewpoints and opinions, without
feeling superior over those who think differently?
As of yet I
don’t have the answer but I am very grateful for the awareness of this issue caused
by my card of the day.
It is so much easier to see our differences and to separate ourselves than to remember our connection. Had this quote in my inbox this morning:
ReplyDeleteTo me the really defining question of our humanity and of our civil society right now is not can we agree. That’s kind of idealistic, and it’s not helping us. It’s more about how can we live together while we disagree about these things that are so personal. This requires much more of us spiritually and practically than the illusion that we’ll force agreement.
—Krista Tippett
Thank you for this beautiful quote Bev. It is also a perfect example of synchronicity.
DeleteI love your take and interpretation of this card today. Your words and the card speak to so many issues.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carolyn. It is indeed about something we all have to deal with lately
DeleteGood manners indicate we don't do religion or politics when socializing. Social media permits us to shout our opinions and if 'they' don't listen, shout louder. It is a funny old world.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest manners are irrelevant when human rights are on the line. I, personally, would like to know the political views of those I socialize with. However, I do not mean to imply that all cordiality should go out the window.
DeleteIs suppose this is because with social media you keep a certain amount of anonymity
DeleteI had a similar feeling myself this morning. I posted something on my Facebook and called out "those of you who voted for trump" (not the entire subject of the post haha) but then I went back later to edit the post to "those of us," because, yes, we are all in this together.
ReplyDeleteI think, however, those of us who have certain political views, already view us as an "us," and thus the basis of our views. Those on the other side, have a hard time seeing beyond themselves and what they perceive will benefit us. No, we don't have to agree, but the disagreement is what is keeping us separate, in a way. And the disagreement stems from not viewing humanity as a collective.
Does this correlate to the ten of pentacles? If so, I drew this card on election night and it reminded me of the message you share here. Thank you!
It is very hard to view humanity as a collective when we find ourselves on opposite sides of eachother. I feel we have to find some middle ground to communicate again. Not now, not yet but maybe soon....?
DeleteGood discussion <3 There is no doubt that this is challenging. Remember that oldish movie Powder? Powder (a young guy with psychic abilities) is so distraught by a hunter's callous disregard for wildlife that he hold the hunter's hand to a dying deer, transmitting the animal's suffering viscerally into the hunter. The hunter was moved to the core and fundamentally changed his perspective and behavior. Some people want to understand, want to ask questions, want to learn. Some aren't. I often wonder how many people would open their minds and hearts and alter their judgments if they truly were able to experience another's struggle- to empathize with it. Just thinking "aloud".....
Delete*Some don't
DeleteI think for me personally the most challenging aspect is not to consider my truth as THE Truth, because I still think my way is the best way
DeleteYeah, and I think there is a lot of value in that. Believing that our way is the only way has the potential to lead us toward hypocrisy. I know that Alaina's challenges (and I struggle with this too) relate to very concrete issues like the Muslim ban, for instance, or marriage rights for all. In some cases like these, I have strong beliefs about what is right, and I don't believe that people who want to strike down equal marriage, or that want to uphold a ban on Muslim refugees and immigrants, are right. That doesn't mean that I can't work to understand their point of view, or what motivates their decisions. It also doesn't mean that I will accept that their reasoning is valid. I don't believe that abortion is "good" but I also don't believe in taking the right to choose away from women. Still, there are many people who believe that it's a sin, that defending it as a part of women's health rights is the work of the devil (I actually read that in a blog post recently), and that in any form, it is absolutely wrong and should be unequivocally illegal. That is a truth that a large group of citizens share. It's not mine. And when personal truths (especially when influenced heavily by religion) impact the laws that apply to an entire nation, it becomes shady territory. So at some point we just have to decide to act on our own principles, and do what we feel is right (that's what I posted about the other day).
DeleteI agree, we can’t change our feeling about what is fundamentally right but neither can they. If you are raised in such a religion, you really believe some of what we know to be right is fundamentally wrong and discussion is not possible between us and them. So we still have long way to go to be able to accept each other’s point a view. By the way I think religion and politics never match :)
DeleteThey really don't! The US is supposed to have a separation of church and state, but you can see a lot of areas where the two start to bleed into each other.
DeleteI've become so much more aware of the us/them mentality in my own being and beyond. My draw from the Dark Goddess Tarot yesterday and today could so easily be read to serve either 'side'. It's much more complicated to move from a place of neither.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading "Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change" by Pema Chödrön and she teaches how to see beyond opinions and habitual thought patterns and how to relax in what is right in front of us and how to see the innate goodness in all things
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