A Fool's lesson, on Cliff Jumping

[Alissa]

In New Mexico, we have this recreation called Cliff Jumping, or Cliff Diving. I don't dive, but I have been Cliff Jumping in my wilder youth, up in the Jemez Springs area, in the mountains outside Cuba. It's been ... lordy... maybe 13 years or more since I was at the site, but there is this *one spot* which locals all seem to gravitate towards, where 3 jumps exist.

The baby jump - I remember this being about 20 feet.

The middle jump - about 40 feet.

The high jump - about 75 or more. There are several high jump spots, and at all the high jumps, as you stand at the ledge, you can see, you will need a running start in order to clear the rest of the mountain and shore below you, as the shoreline is further in than the cliff. I knew I wasn't gonna attempt the high jumps. And the ones that were... well, half of them were inebriated and just acting Darwinistic.

Now, what pray tell does this have to do with Tarot?

Yesterday, I had a couple rather clever Tarot images that popped in my head and one of them I just couldn't resist sharing was the image of cliff jumping, and the lesson I learned there... and the Fool's cliff in Tarot.

When I was about 21, I was jumping the middle cliff (yes, the middle) for my first jump ever. I was with my then-boyfriend. We had repelled off mountain tops together, rode his motorcycle, and done other number of wild stuff during our time cohabitating.

When I got to the cliff, I got in the middle jump's line, but I looked at him and said, "Oh my God... I don't know if I can do it." The water was soooo far down.

"You can...."

I took another look over the edge while waiting for the next jumper ("AAAhhhhhh~!!!!") to splash down. From this cliff, there are no trees to clear, only a straight drop down into a very very deep pond. I knew I wasn't gonna impale myself on a tree.

(But what if it's not deep enough? Everyone's surviving ahead of you... you're no bigger than them....)

My turn was next.

Don't think about it... just do it - this I told myself. This message I took away from the memory of that day, and have told myself on other occassions when I am in doubt.

I forcefully took my eyes off the water, the dizzying drop, and ran the 6 feet necessary to take off in mid air, plummeting several long long long seconds before impacting with the cold mountain water. I don't remember if I screamed or laughed or held my breath the whole way down any longer, but I remember paddling to the surface, and breaking through the water laughing.

Let's do it again!!!! Like a kid, I wanted another turn at the ride. I climbed back up the hill for another shot.

Yesterday, for no reason, this memory bumped into the concept of the Fool's Cliff... and I realized that a part of me had already internalized the Fool's message, long before I even knew it.

If you concentrate on the jump, and your fears, it is so easy to not go through with it. To not take the step, to not try.

If you take a leap of faith, with your eyes to the sky in confidence, you may yet surprise yourself with the exhilerating ride that comes next.

Go for it! Seize the day... Carpe Diem!~

[dadsnook2000]

That's what reading tarot is all about. You see, you open mouth, you talk. You have faith, you have the intent to do it, you jump in and it all works out. That's a great story. I guess we all have our moments of hesitation and break through.

One of mine happened at Disney World and Typhoon Lagoon. My grand daughter wanted to go on something called Cow-a-bunga (?). It turned out to be a water slide that went over an edge, straight downward into a tunnel, and then out a chute far below. We got in line. I wasn't too sure about this, I tell you. It got to be my turn. I sat there. A little girl about six said, "Mister, if you ain't going can I go now?" She jumped in front of me, sat down and scooted over the lip. What could I do. I went over the lip with my ankles crossed and arms folded on my chest (you did go straight down through a tunnel). The roar and rush of water was compressed in the tunnel and then you were thrown forward out into the open many feet below.

It was fun. Some people lost parts of their bathing suites which added to all the laughter. So, at that time, that was a little thrill. Now that we have adopted grandchildren I go white water rafting and mountain climbing, so I'm back at the mild-thrill stage again. I guess we all go through periods where we quiet our lives down and then go back to the fun stuff. Dave.

[Alissa]

That's a wonderful water slide story, dadsnook, I love it!!! :D :D

And you're right, it IS reading Tarot too! There is the nagging fear, which can hold you back (what if I blank out? what if I'm wrong?) and then there's the ability to just say...

What
the
...
(heck)

And you go for it.

[earthlady]

I know what you mean. Sometimes in life you are daring and brave and at other times the chances are just too great and you don't have the wherewithall to make the leap.

A friend once mentioned that she had been skydiving for her 31st birthday. It was something she always wanted to try and she had done it and loved it. She wanted to go again. Well, I talked her into taking me along. I broke out in a cold sweat just watching the lawyer disclaimer video. Nevertheless, I took the 5 hour training course, got into the jumpsuit, strapped on the equipment, and waited for my turn. My training course had 12 people in it, 10 men, and two women (including myself). I was in the last group of 4 to go up. In the group directly in front of me, the other woman in the group took her turn. The plane came back, and she was on it. She hadn't been able to jump. Well, there was no going back at that point. I had to stand up for my sex. I got into the plane (only 5 people fit at a time, knees to chest in the tiny space behind the pilot). I was the second one out. You have to hook your line to the plane, then slide yourself out the open door, step on the step, grab hold of the strut under the wing, step off the step into nothingness, slide hand over hand to the end of the wing and then let go at that point. My arms weren't strong enough to hold me for the long trip out to the end of the wing and I slid right off. There was a camera loaded at the end of the wing, so I have a lovely 8x10 of the back of my helmet somewhere at home!

The trip down was the most lovely, peaceful, tranquil experience I've ever had, floating on air, gently drifting down--feeling my heartbeat slow back to normal.

Six months later, my life had changed--I was much more gun shy. I went to a water park with some friends, but couldn't make the jump. I think we do what we can manage at the time.

Being a fool is exhilarating, keeps us young and alive, but can keep us from learning our life lessons and growing. I'm glad I had that experience, but I'm not sure I'd do it again. :)

[noby]

Great post, great insight on tarot and The Fool card - thanks.

I did cliff jumping while in Jamaica with friends. I think the cliff was approximately 40 feet high. And I remember I distinctly thought then, "If I stand and look over the edge and think about it, I'll never do it." So when my turn came, I took a running leap off the cliff before the first instances of doubt could set in. And it was incredible! Though I did have a most MAJOR 180 degree wedgie when I came back up to the surface :joke:

I didn't think about it at the time, but as you point out, the observation I made at the cliff's edge extends to life in general. Thinking too much can prevent us from taking the leaps we need to take to be truly alive. Forethought and caution are vital to survival, but if we become too ruled by them, we become crippled, zombielike, dead while alive.

[Alissa]

Though I did have a most MAJOR 180 degree wedgie when I came back up to the surface :joke:ROFLMAO~! Around here, we call those "atomic wedgies"! Ouchies... but wasn't it fun?? I was grinning from ear to ear just reading it. That's just how I did it too, noby - stop thinking about it, and just do it.

Wonderful story, earthlady! I've never gone sky diving, but I wouldn't be adverse to it. Scared outta my gourd, yes I'm sure. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't do it. Wooooo~!!!!

Do you think there's a secret part of the Fool that's truly an adreneline junkie?

[Alissa]

... I was talking to a friend this morning about the Fool's lesson on bravery in the face of what seems to be foolishness (when measured by our "logical" side of our brains).

And I remembered this thread I started years ago, and so... for you my dear....

Be Brave....

It's one helluva thrill ride after you take the Leap....

[firemaiden]

Wow Alissa, that's a fascinating post. I'm amazed at your courage.

Physical danger is not my cup of tea - we had to jump off the high dive in school to pass the swimming test, and that's only what, 10 feet? I hated hated hated that. But I did it when I had to.

However, doing a really scary audition, where you're adrenalin is pumping and heart is thonking feels psychologically like jumping off a cliff too. To do well in those, I need to create a feeling of certainty within me that it will go well. Perhaps there is a kind of faith, I don't call it faith exactly. I call it "deciding". I decide exactly how I intend it to go, and make it go that way.

Not sure how what I said that relates to the fool, LOL. Okay, I'll shut up now.

[Chronata]

What an awesome post, Alissa!

A message I really needed today! Thanks for bringing this back up!

(by the way...you are a BRAVE brave soul! :D)

[Alissa]

ROTLMAOPP.... ME? Brave? Just a wee bit lacking in common sense, I reckon. :laugh

Oh fire, I *so* know what you mean... auditioning is MUCH scarier than cliff jumping. MUCH! And I forgot to add, I think you're method of dealing with your fear and Visualizing the outcome you most desire is incredibly smart... I'm gonna keep trying to do the exact same...

Chronata... bless your heart, you sweet thing!

[inanna_tarot]

WOW!!

This is so weird (and just so very cool at the same time)
I've inspired a few of my friends with tarot recently, and for our next workshop my friend is leading a sort of Fool meditation followed by absailing!!!!

I'm so excited as we do a sort of mini leap down the cliff face, well, more of a walk than a leap :P

Thank you for sharing that experience luv, I just hope we can all have our 'ah-ha' moments after it :D

Sezo
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