Early morning reflections, not necessarily well organised
I don't think that identification of the subjective and objective is a shortcoming in anyone, but it can be pathetic in a culture in which a dualistic mindset is predominant. When in Rome it is advisable at least to pay a certain degree of lip service to Roman cultural distinctives. Not to do so may get you thrown to the lions, and a martyr complex is usually pathological. Let's suppose that I am a mystic who identifies above and below, inside and outside, spiritual and material. If I refuse to recognize that this is incompatible with the "rules", then I have not learned how to play the game and might as well expect rejection and failure. It is foolhardy to expect the majority to understand my mindset; and for me to trample on the majority's distinction between internal and external is an offense which is just as objectionable as their refusal to understand my mystical monism. Is it asking too much for a monist to temporarily suspend the blatant expression of their perspective long enough to compose a post to a dualistic forum? I think not. If I can do it, anyone can.
The Monistic Illiminatus and Crackpot
ETA. Based on my acquaintance with the New Age movement, wherein 'spirit guide' was probably popularized, I would hazard the guess that most people who use the term are fairly conventional dualists, certainly capable of distinguishing between what is generally regarded as material and what is spiritual.
It seems to me that people are trying to direct the traffic and that is really hard in a forum like this where participants come from all kinds of social, educational and cultural backgrounds.
The diversity of people's backgrounds is fascinating. Also, many people do not understand the difference between fact and opinion and the more you press the point, the more entrenched positions become. It is
how you make your point that matters but no matter how articulate, educated and kind you are, people may not be persuaded.
Sometimes people enter discussions because they simply want to belong . Or they might have an embryonic interest and don't know quite how to pursue it. They should not be treated with disdain because of that. We are not all good teachers and responding to questions or tentative posts with a lot intellectualism may not be a helpful way to respond. Wisdom is always kinder than that.
Incidentally, I think the notion of "spirit guide" has manifestations in Western urbanised culture that predate the predominantly American new age era. But I guess we would have to put some boundaries around such a discussion were it to occur and it certainly doesn't belong here. And spirit guides don't usually make pronouncements on historical matters, at least in my experience, which admittedly is pretty undeveloped in this area.
.
However, to my bemusement, my own teacher said last week that once one of her own guides had predicted the beginning of the breakdown of the Catholic Church as it has been for centuries would begin in her lifetime. The exposure of failures in the institutional Church in many western societies in recent times makes me wonder whether the guide was right. Sometimes there are signs in other social, political and economic institutions which make one wonder about their ultimate survival. That is speculation or prediction perhaps and we all do that
.
I think it is permissible to speculate about history as well. The history and anthropology of Australia was written by white Caucasians and has been factually challenged, as it should be, because many issues were blatantly ignored or misinterpreted due to cultural bias and lack of real engagement with aboriginal culture. The original historians and anthropologists did not have the tools or the knowledge to engage with such a different metaphysical culture.
I am not all that interested in much of the detail about tarot history which is discussed here but I might be at some future stage. I read Mary Greer and Robert M. Place with interest. but at the moment a broad brush view is enough for me. I don't believe that tarot cards originated in Egypt but I believe that tarot is symbolic language and that was certainly a part of Egyptian history and mythology.
Sometimes people argue at cross purposes because they don't take the time to understand what the other person might be saying or where they are coming from. Sometimes reaching mutual ground is really hard and we just have to let go but we may have sown a seed which will make sense to someone later on.
I am not sure whether this is meta discussion but if it is, moderators please feel all right to remove it.
.