FireRaven
Here's my take on our first cards. I hope it isn't too "out there." I tried to weave the symbology of the cards into brief descriptions with spending "forever" on the divinitory meanings themselves to prevent boredom. I do like the Soul-Wisdom questions, though, and have answered them for myself in the post. Now it's YOUR turn!
If you don't like something, let me know...or change it when you choose to take up a card for study. Also, would someone mind being our Archivist so that we can build up a body of study for other newcomers who decide to join us as at a later date? Thanks for your help.
-FireRaven / Karen...or just "K"
June 27, 2005
Wisdom Card: 0 -- The Soul;
Ogham/Tree Wisdom -- Birch (Beith / "B") and Yew (Iohol / "I")
Story Card -- Augury of Art;
Wisdom Card 0...The Soul
In studying this card, the story picture speaks to me about our beginnings and everlasting quests for spiritual development and evolution. I see this in both the sleeping "Walker Between Worlds" as he lies in a state of trusting, blissful rest, while allowing his SoulSelf (my term for the Divine Spirit in all of us that always moves towards "Home" in service to others) to travel through the Gateway to the Otherworld.
The theme of "Beginnings" and the "Cycle of Spiritual Growth" are shown in the use of the Celtic Ogham Trees associated with this card. The Birch is the first to put out leaves in the spring, symbolizing new growth after lean winters whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. The Yew is one of the longest living trees in the world...a witness to the growth and evolution of all of the planet, not just an individual.
The Soul-Wisdom associated with this card is interesting to me, because I never connected how "attending to matters of the Soul" could look like "whacked out foolishness" to other people. It was something I was just driven to focus on, by both temperment, and life experiences to date. Yet, in a world that often places spending over substance, noise over solitude, and fundamentalism over lived religious and/or spiritual experiences, I can see how making time for the needs of the SoulSelf can put you at odds with the rest of the Waking World.
So...what is calling you to seek, acknowledge, empower, and manifest your deepest wisdom?
For me, it's integrating the reality of a sometimes "broken," always changing body as I life with the ups and downs of Multiple Sclerosis. I need to learn how to work with my limits while actively keeping up my studies in the Avalon Mystery School as I look to formal initiation as a Druid several years into the future as the Gods and my Mentors deem me worthy of the tasks ahead.
I'm also learning that my inner landscape is so much larger than my physical self that most everyone sees, and that gives me great hope and courage when things get tough on the physical plane.
Story Card...Augury of Art...Beltane/Summer Season on the Celtic Wheel
The suit of Art corresponds to the suit of Cups in traditional RWS decks. It marks the Summer season of Beltane on the Celtic Wheel of the Year, and is associated with the city of Muirias, the guardian Semias, and the symbol of the Cauldron.
We generally know that Cups are associated with emotions, relationships, the subconscious, dreams and astral worlds. They can also symbolize the psychic and intuitive arts, fantasy, illusion, grace, serenity, and fertility. They tend to be pleasure-seeking, and sociable, and have a strong aesthetic sense about them. Feelings and responses, the interdependence of relationships, personal loves, dreams, and fantasies can all be explored here.
In the CW Deck, Auguries represent the Aces...the seed of the suit that will eventually blossom throughout the journey of the suit itself. The Cauldron, the symbol of the suit, was the brought from the Celtic Otherworld by the Goddess Dana/Danu and represents the primal beginnings and initiations that move us out onto our Path.
This card represents the nourishment of the Cauldron...a never-ending wellspring of watery depths where no one is left wanting. Abundance, Immortality, and Inspiration are all given freely to those who seek them.
The Soul-Wisdom of this card is about growth the way abundance and growth are given freely to us...in the story depicted here, the Poet Semias, The Chanting One, sings these things into our lives as She sings over the Cauldron.
How are you being called to receive and grow? How are you responding -- with fear, excitement, caution, etc.?
I'm personally starting to grow into my own power as a whole, holy, and powerful woman of depth interiorly, which I know will eventually manifest exteriorly. I feel both excited and scared, self-conscious, yet deeply at peace as I reconcile my physical challenges with my astral freedoms and abundance. This hasn't been an easy balance for me to strike, and I keep at it daily in a never ending quest to bring the world of Spirit down to the grounded, lived experience of Earth instead of always "living in my head," and forgetting about the embodiment of Wisdom that is so necessary and precious if I'm to give back to the people around me in thanks for the opportunities I've been given.
If you don't like something, let me know...or change it when you choose to take up a card for study. Also, would someone mind being our Archivist so that we can build up a body of study for other newcomers who decide to join us as at a later date? Thanks for your help.
-FireRaven / Karen...or just "K"
June 27, 2005
Wisdom Card: 0 -- The Soul;
Ogham/Tree Wisdom -- Birch (Beith / "B") and Yew (Iohol / "I")
Story Card -- Augury of Art;
Wisdom Card 0...The Soul
In studying this card, the story picture speaks to me about our beginnings and everlasting quests for spiritual development and evolution. I see this in both the sleeping "Walker Between Worlds" as he lies in a state of trusting, blissful rest, while allowing his SoulSelf (my term for the Divine Spirit in all of us that always moves towards "Home" in service to others) to travel through the Gateway to the Otherworld.
The theme of "Beginnings" and the "Cycle of Spiritual Growth" are shown in the use of the Celtic Ogham Trees associated with this card. The Birch is the first to put out leaves in the spring, symbolizing new growth after lean winters whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. The Yew is one of the longest living trees in the world...a witness to the growth and evolution of all of the planet, not just an individual.
The Soul-Wisdom associated with this card is interesting to me, because I never connected how "attending to matters of the Soul" could look like "whacked out foolishness" to other people. It was something I was just driven to focus on, by both temperment, and life experiences to date. Yet, in a world that often places spending over substance, noise over solitude, and fundamentalism over lived religious and/or spiritual experiences, I can see how making time for the needs of the SoulSelf can put you at odds with the rest of the Waking World.
So...what is calling you to seek, acknowledge, empower, and manifest your deepest wisdom?
For me, it's integrating the reality of a sometimes "broken," always changing body as I life with the ups and downs of Multiple Sclerosis. I need to learn how to work with my limits while actively keeping up my studies in the Avalon Mystery School as I look to formal initiation as a Druid several years into the future as the Gods and my Mentors deem me worthy of the tasks ahead.
I'm also learning that my inner landscape is so much larger than my physical self that most everyone sees, and that gives me great hope and courage when things get tough on the physical plane.
Story Card...Augury of Art...Beltane/Summer Season on the Celtic Wheel
The suit of Art corresponds to the suit of Cups in traditional RWS decks. It marks the Summer season of Beltane on the Celtic Wheel of the Year, and is associated with the city of Muirias, the guardian Semias, and the symbol of the Cauldron.
We generally know that Cups are associated with emotions, relationships, the subconscious, dreams and astral worlds. They can also symbolize the psychic and intuitive arts, fantasy, illusion, grace, serenity, and fertility. They tend to be pleasure-seeking, and sociable, and have a strong aesthetic sense about them. Feelings and responses, the interdependence of relationships, personal loves, dreams, and fantasies can all be explored here.
In the CW Deck, Auguries represent the Aces...the seed of the suit that will eventually blossom throughout the journey of the suit itself. The Cauldron, the symbol of the suit, was the brought from the Celtic Otherworld by the Goddess Dana/Danu and represents the primal beginnings and initiations that move us out onto our Path.
This card represents the nourishment of the Cauldron...a never-ending wellspring of watery depths where no one is left wanting. Abundance, Immortality, and Inspiration are all given freely to those who seek them.
The Soul-Wisdom of this card is about growth the way abundance and growth are given freely to us...in the story depicted here, the Poet Semias, The Chanting One, sings these things into our lives as She sings over the Cauldron.
How are you being called to receive and grow? How are you responding -- with fear, excitement, caution, etc.?
I'm personally starting to grow into my own power as a whole, holy, and powerful woman of depth interiorly, which I know will eventually manifest exteriorly. I feel both excited and scared, self-conscious, yet deeply at peace as I reconcile my physical challenges with my astral freedoms and abundance. This hasn't been an easy balance for me to strike, and I keep at it daily in a never ending quest to bring the world of Spirit down to the grounded, lived experience of Earth instead of always "living in my head," and forgetting about the embodiment of Wisdom that is so necessary and precious if I'm to give back to the people around me in thanks for the opportunities I've been given.