Buddha and the Hot Fudge Sundae (or: Living in the Moment)

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 May 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

SongDeva	14 May 2004
Life has a sense of humor. To most of you this is not news. Today when I left work (an HOUR late on a FRIDAY, but I digress), I stopped by Mickey D's and grabbed a crispy chicken value meal and a hot fudge sundae. They forgot the nuts. A lotta stuff to carry really, and so I popped the sundae, standing up, into my big red bag. The humorous twist came when it was determined that apparently the guy at the window didn't put the lid firmly onto the sundae cup. I guess he was a little harried. Aren't we all? I gingerly pulled items from the bag with my heart in my throat (a bit of exaggeration is good for the story), and pulled out my brand new, fudge covered Buddha Tarot companion. So much for that pristine "new" look. My real concern as I searched carefully, was my new Buddha Tarot, nestled in its, I was to discover, fudge and ice cream-riddled black organdy bag. Sh*tty end to a sh*tty week. Well, ok , the week was busy as hell, and wasn't all that sh*tty, except for work, which I loathe. Not as a concept, but as a job. Anyway, I whipped the buddha tarot bag out of the red purse and fairly flew into the bathroom. What happened next took just long enough to let the tablespoon of sundae remaining in the cup melt, and to let the food reach something approaching tepid in August. In other words, slightly more than tepid. At least he remembered the ketchup. Grabbing a fluffy purple face cloth and running back to the bathroom to yank the deck from the organdy bag, I turned it on "HOT", tossed in the bag, and applied the merest suggestion of water to the cloth. I then set about rubbing off the obvious fudge, and checking other cards for hidden offerings. As I mopped and shined, I: 1. Noted the fabulous laminate on these cards. Thank God! 2. Wondered why the hell I am so concerned about the condition of this brand new deck. Granted, I haven't even done a reading with it yet. And it's nice to have new things stay new for a while. Apparently Buddha was ready for the shift to "not quite new" status. But why do I save the boxes to the sets, for example, when I don't want them? It's I suppose for some phantom trade or eBay sale. And what that means is a couple of things: 2. That these decks that I treasure are not really mine. EWWWWWWW! This must be remedied at once! 3. That I'm living in a tarot future, when I may get rid of the deck, or I may be so glad I have it still, and thank God I took such good care of it for 40 years, because you can't get it now, and I still love using it. Sheesh! What baggage. Baggage!! I also realized, not living in the moment, that I spend more time thinking about decks than using them and reading with them and having those experiences that I love. Silly! Now, I don't know if that's literally true, but I don't spend nearly as much time just playing with a deck as would benefit me. And this has actually occurred to me over the past few weeks, and over the past few days when I began playing with my new Fey deck set. I'm so OVER keeping my decks nice for their next owner. At the rate I'm going, they'll be in pristine condition when that happens. No more! Now, if they ever leave my employ, instead of simply getting used up, or burned in a ceremonial bonfire of some sort, while I beat a drum and invoke Gaia in a grass skirt, they will: 1. Look used. 2. Be well used. 3. Maybe have (multiple) hot fudge stains. 4. Be frayed. 5. Smell funny. 6. Be MINE! ALL MINE! To do with as I wish. Which they are right now, although they don't act like it (but they will now by God. Maybe I'll even strip naked, spread them out on my bed, and roll around in them. Or not. Here's a hot fudge tip for your LWB, for the road: Rub the affected bits firmly across the toilet paper roll. It works exceedingly well. *Do make sure to remove the fudge stained paper from the roll.

MeeWah	14 May 2004
SongDeva: Thanks for sharing a welcome note of philosophical levity (in an otherwise rough work week that not yet ended). I am sorry ye had to first experience trauma before arriving at a different place, but love the process! Btw: I am resigned to not being a "good" Tarot deck collector simply because I like to "use" my decks. I enjoy them more when I am doing something with them, even if they only keep me company whilst I am otherwise occupied, such as eating.

Mimers	14 May 2004
My dearest Goddess of Hawaii, I am so glad the fudge spilt all over your Budda Tarot. This surely is a sign! When you do readings with this deck, it will be like the cherry on the sundae! The perfect touch! My friend, I too had a bad week. At work it is our month end close. A horrific time indeed for anyone who works in accounting dept. By eyes are bloodshot and blurry, and tomorrow I will spend yet another Saturday hitting Ctrl F and entering adjustments. Then it will be peaceful until the next quarter. Sigh....To top off my terrible week at work, I came home Wednesday to find that the electrical storm we had blew out my computer. I brought it in to work and let the IT guys have a look, and they said the modem and the Drives are shot. Wont let me go on line, wont read any discs. Being that my computer is already 6 yrs old, I bought a new one today, but have to wait 10 days to get it. John in the It dept will transfer my files to the new computer for me, and give me Microsoft office so I can work from home. Gee, thanks soooo much John for the Microsoft office, I always wanted to work from home. NOT! I told John what to do with the Microsoft Office! Needless to say, I wont be around much until my new Dell arrives. Until we meet again! Mimi

purple_scorp	14 May 2004
SongDeva, I couldn't think of a better initiation food for your deck. Yum...guess you could have licked it off! Mimi, don't be so harsh on the IT dept....remember one click of their fingers and your files could be gone, gone, gone.....forever! Cheers purple_scorp

Imagemaker	14 May 2004
Yay, Songdeva, for finding a sweet-fudge way to new awareness of loose lids, Buddha wisdom for what the decks can mean in your life, and seeing tarot as a tool, not a keepsake. The guy at the shop who left the lid loose was your angel, shifting you to a new level of clarity. Right?

SongDeva	14 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Imagemaker The guy at the shop who left the lid loose was your angel, shifting you to a new level of clarity. Right? Sure, but I"m still gonna kick his a**! LOL

hyatt	14 May 2004
I'm so sorry that happened! Now you forever have a story with that deck. I'm glad you are the kind of person that can take life's situations and learn from them instead of just getting angry.

Tarot Sparrow	15 May 2004
I like this story :D Good lesson there, I need it.

Jewel-ry	15 May 2004
SongDeva, You tell a good story. Its really commendable that you can sound so upbeat about it all. I have lots of very pretty, unused, pristine condition decks and what does that tell you? ... I obviously don't spend enough time with them. However when I do, I get them out, ever so carefully, and when I have finished with them, I put them away, ever so carefully too! I handle them with very clean hands and worry about them all the time. Why? So for today I am going to get a few decks out and leave them lying around to see what occurs :D Who knows I may even look at them. :)

Alissa	15 May 2004
Be Here Now~! Isn't that such a great message when it smacks us upside the head??? SongDeva, your story made me grin. I see a bit of myself in your words, which is the gift of a great writer. Thanks for sharing your musings on hot fudge and Buddha. You know.... Maybe this was Buddha's way of "sweetening up" his readings for you - like the Chinese tradition of eating sweets on New Year, to bring sweet things in the coming year! And Buddha *likes* sweets :D. Maybe Buddha wanted some ice cream before he had to start working for ya, eh? Had to get something in his Buddha belly, make him happy, then he's ready to talk.... :D

SongDeva	15 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Alissa :D. Maybe Buddha wanted some ice cream before he had to start working for ya, eh? Had to get something in his Buddha belly, make him happy, then he's ready to talk.... :D You're probably dead on, Alissa. There was definitely the sense of "stop handling me with kid gloves. Let's go. Now." Great writer? Who knew! Thank you. *blush*

lark	15 May 2004
SongDeva I learned the same lesson when I dumped a whole cup of coffee on my "Fave" Robin Wood deck. And I couldn't kick anyones a**. It was all my fault. I wiped them off layed them out to dry and then I really got to work with them. They still smell a little bit like coffee, but hey, I LOVE my coffee! Even if you never use your Buddha Tarot very much it still taught you a great lesson. And all your other decks will benefit from it without having to go through the "fudge" treatment.

13thFaeChylde	15 May 2004
SongDeva~ This happened to me last Sunday! And chocolate was the culprit in my story as well. I had agreed to help a friend sell her wares at the flea market, and threw my new Tarot of Transformation deck and book in my bag, along with a dark choco bar from Switzerland. We were busy, so I never got to sneak away and play with my new pretties....hadn't even thought of all three of them nestled snug in my bag till my husband wanted to charge my cell phone, and found everything had a chocolate topping! The book took the hardest hit...the cards are still in their box so they're not choco-scented, but will be getting a bag sooner than expected. And no, my bar didn't have nuts either!

SongDeva	19 May 2004
Well, I'm not gonna kick the Mickey D's guy's a**. I mean, fudge happens. And it was obviously for the best. It's TOO funny to see how many of you this has happened to/for. What an enlightening experience! I feel a great purge of boxes coming on. I feel so....so....Umbraen!!!

Alissa	19 May 2004
Alissa muses.... Perhaps a new thread might help folks, to be called "The Care and Proper Feeding of Tarot decks."

lunakasha	19 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by SongDeva Well, I'm not gonna kick the Mickey D's guy's a**. I mean, fudge happens. And it was obviously for the best. It's TOO funny to see how many of you this has happened to/for. What an enlightening experience! I feel a great purge of boxes coming on. I feel so....so....Umbraen!!! LMAO SongDeva!!! :D What a wicked tale you tell....LOVED it!!! Thanks for putting a big :D on my face, and reminding me of something that I try to remember each day: life is too short, appreciate the little moments and don't let them go unnoticed. Very good lesson I think..... <> Hehehe...have ye purged all boxes and LWB's yet???}) :) Luna

Silverlotus	20 May 2004
Isn't it funny how the push one needs usually happens at just the right times, or someone posts about them at the right time. :) SongDeva, you got your push and you provided me with mine. I'm so wrapped up in Tarot shoulds that my decks are pristine and all but unused. I'm not sure what I'm thinking. Probably, like you, I am keeping in mind the next owner. Well, the heck with that. The deck I got the most out of was my first, and it looks like it is falling apart. Thanks for the inspiration. Now I have a craving for fudge!

Dakota	22 May 2004
Great story and so true!!! I have been too afraid of "using" my decks too; geez, for the longest time I only shuffled one deck and made sure all the others were in order before being tucked back in their boxes or bags. Well, I guess I probably WON'T be opening that Tarot Museum anytime soon so I had better USE my decks............ :D

Moongold	22 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lunakasha Hehehe...have ye purged all boxes and LWB's yet???}) No, we don't want the poor decks to have bulimnia. I had a similar experience with salad oil whilst carrrying my cards and lunch to work in a brief case. 6 Wands, 3 Wands, 4 Cups and Strength are now all stained with oil. I was new to Tarot at the time and got quite anxious when the good people here suggested cleansing my deck when I had a difficult reading. This might even have been my first ever personally initiated thread and maybe close to my first post. Here is the relevant post. Thank you for taking me back there! Moongold.

SongDeva	06 Jul 2004
Thanks moonalicious, for posting that link. It was neat to read a post by a younger moongold who was new to tarot. Your posts don't sound newbie-like now. I'm curious as to the outcome of that situation. And did you get a new deck or keep the oily one? Glad to have contributed to taking you back!

Moongold	06 Jul 2004
Hi SD - I love your name by the way, especially the fact that it starts with Song - sounds kind of joyful. In fact I have this picture in my mind of Song Deva as the Fool - full of grace, singing on the journey. Well, I kept the deck and use it still - the most recent time just this morning before coming to work actually. I am attached to it now :). Now I have Tarot bags and carry the decks in a special carry bag whenever I take them with me. It's become a habit now to always have one. I carry the Ancient Egyptian and the Fournier Marseilles with me now However, I was thinking this morning of getting another RWS - perhaps the Radiant or the Universal. I see so much more in the RWS and was thinking just last night about Pamela Colman Smith, the artist when responding to Ferrous' thread about Tarot and women. By the way, I absolutely adore hot fudge sundaes, particularly the chocolate variety and have been known to travel across town to a particular shop just to have one. There is a whole ritual around the eating of a hot fudge sundae ...mmmmm :). They are best savoured so slowly in the street on Sunday, enjoying the sea and the passing parade of people et al. Many blessings ~ Moongold

linabeet	07 Jul 2004
Thanks for the reminder about what tarot is about songdeva. It's the intention! The cards are just a tool, a beautiful cherished tool at that but mainly a tool to be used and loved. In building a house we don't protect the hammer right? It's good to keep your tools in good shape but not keep them locked away from use. Tarot certainly engages us in the muck of life, I don't see why the cards themselves should be kept from it as well! They may even feel left out.

RedMaple	27 Aug 2004
I love the chocolate story! Perhaps the Buddha was emphasizing the fact that asceticism ain't where it's at :) Ah, the Middle Path. I've been enjoying my cards for the past few days. They are definitely one of the decks I've connected with most. Moongold -- Do you have the Morgan Greer? I love that deck - find it one of the best RWS decks - vibrant, deep colors, the people's faces are particularly evocative.

Moongold	27 Aug 2004
Red Maple ~ I'm so glad you bumped up this thread. I remember posting to it but the fact SD's deck was the Buddha Tarot didn't stay with me. THe hot fudge sundae did, so you can see where my obsessions lie, eh? Buddha is going to have quite a job with me. I loved your observation about ascetism. As I was reading through this thread again I remembered that I have also got some coffee on one set of cards that I won't name. The coffee just seeped in the edges of two cards. I had caught it in time to wipe it off the laminate but it just seeped in anyway, :(. Then I thought that's OK. I'm sure the Tarot doesn't mind at all but I usually don't read in the kitchen any more :). There is something about well used cards that appeals, but I guess I wouldn't read in pubkic with them (not that I ever read in public!). Yes, I love the Morgan Greer! It was the first deck I really identified with and chose to learn properly from. Even though I had the Rider Waite it didn't really appeal, Of course it does now and for some months I've been using it again. I love the strory of Pixie Colman Smith, the artist. http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11572&highlight=Pixie+Colman+Smith Moongold

RedMaple	28 Aug 2004
Moongold, Thanks for the Pamela Colman Smith link. I didn't know much about her, but her images have inspired so many decks. The Universal Waite was my second deck (The Aquarian my first - a gift - and I couldn't figure it out, so I got the URWS) and I have a lot of respect for the deck, even though I don't love all the images. It was the basis, a real foundation for understanding the cards. And it's always given me good readings. Most of the decks I have are influenced by or reworkings of her deck. The next deck I want to get is the Marseille, as Place talks a lot about it in the Buddha Tarot. I had the Thoth, which I don't like. I think it is intellectually engaging, seductive, even, and I think that is the trouble. It is full of Crowley's ego, angst, and rage. And given Crowley's life, it doesn't matter how much of an intellectual grasp he had on the secrets, he was unable to implement them in a way that leads where I want to go. It's as if when he encountered Mara (in the Buddha journey) he accepted not only his temptations, but his dominion. Too bad. So I tossed my Thoth out and feel much lighter. And now the Buddha Tarot, which engages intellect, heart, senses, spirit. Much better! Morgan Greer is another fairly new deck for me, and I'm still enraptured with it - always have powerful readings with this deck, and Ilove the sumptuous colors. It is the only deck where the people seem both numinous and real to me. RedMaple

The Buddha and the Hot Fudge Sundae (or: Living in the Moment) thread was originally posted on 14 May 2004 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.