Sunday, July 27, 2014

7/27/14

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

29, Guide: Turtle (West). West is the direction of Water, and thus, of feelings and emotions, relationships of all kinds, cleansing and healing, the wisdom associated with natural endings, and the bubbling up of pure joy.  Water is Turtle’s environment, but not only Water, for like Otter, many Turtles are at home on Earth (and in fact, Turtles lay their eggs on Earth).  Turtle offers us an opportunity to learn about protection; not the kind of protection that shuts out the world but rather, the kind of protection that allows us to dive deep and explore the unknown without fear.  Turtle is also slow and steady, is patient, and endures; Turtle has a long lifespan, and has existed relatively unchanged since ancient times.  Turtle’s shell shows us how to exist in spite of the churning eddies of life, without being affected by them.  After all, she is able to safely travel between the worlds because she is well-protected.

59, Grail Hollows: The Stone (Below). The direction of Below is not easily associated with spirituality, yet it is a powerful symbol representing the opportunity to create a strong foundation, and to connect to the tools and powers of the Underworld.  The Stone represents the deepest and most pure manifestation of the element of Earth, and tells us of traditions that have been around for a long time (some of them relatively unchangeable, and that can be either good or bad).  The understanding of those traditions, and within that process, the determination of their validity for us personally, brings us authority.  This understanding also offers us entry into the understanding of the mysteries that are the foundation of spirituality, and of life and living.

5, Landscape: Mountains (East). East is the direction of the rising sun, and thus of new beginnings and fresh ideas, as well as knowledge, intellectual ideas and thoughts.  Mountains tells us that our goals are in sight, but there will still need to be strength, skill and perseverance before accessing that goal.  Mountains also allow us to rise up above the chaos, confusion and noise of our mundane world in order to experience peace and solitude.  This card tells me that I’ve got a good strong foundation in place, and now it is time to look forward and up.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  This one is just so pretty to look at.  Despite containing one of the cards built around the number 4 (most of the cards show images in multiples of 3), this one has a centered and balanced feel to it, and the curves seem to fit together like puzzle pieces to create a beautiful image.  Repeated, it could grace any fabric.  The images of Turtle and The Stone are surrounded by Mountains, as if they were located in a safe and protected valley.  The Stone seems to be grounding the Turtles, keeping them in the valley being protected by the Mountains.  I am being asked today to dim the outside world a bit so I can better connect with and understand the very basic tenets of my personal spiritual traditions, ethical code, and understanding of Purpose.  Checking in with my foundation (and making sure it is healthy and strong) is a valuable undertaking that must be accomplished regularly.  Today I must prepare for the next step forward and upward by looking back and down.  This perception can be used at any time during the day; like the cloth metaphor I mentioned above, it can be slipped on for a bit, and then folded and placed aside until needed again.

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