Chiriku
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There has been a lot of discussion in tarotist circles over the past few years regarding the increasing popularity of "positive" angel-themed oracles and affirmational decks. Many fear a dilution of tarot's ability to "tell it like it is" and snap us out of problematic mindsets, and as a cynical realist myself, I can't say I disagree with this concern.
But many people will continue to instinctively turn to tarot for comfort in times of need. Do I do this? No, it is not my instinct to seek comfort from the cards; the more stressed or disturbed I am, the more I am too busy doing damage control to go through the detached thought exercise that is my normal approach to tarot.
I believe there's room for a happy medium, something between "100% non-threatening, safe and gentle tarot for comfort" and a flat rejection of all potential sources of solace.
What better to demonstrate this than a piece of positive-thinking philosophy written by someone who was exposed to many horrors of the Middle Ages?
Julian of Norwich (who lived in England in the 1300s) is one of the most famous mystics in Western Christianity. Her book Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love is not only notable because it's believed to be the first book published in the English language by a woman; it is a compilation of her mystical encounters with the person and love of Christ over many years prior.
She is known to the general public largely for having penned one of the most famous lines in 2,000 years of Christian theological writing (which was further popularized in a poem by TS Eliot):
This was not Julian's own sentiment; she attributed it to God, with whom she had a conversation in which she asked:
His response was:
Julian called His response "comforting" and suggested that, with these words, "God wishes us to be enclosed in rest and peace.”
It is too much for me, a cynic, to believe that 'all shall be well,' much less that all manner of things shall be well.
But isn't it worthwhile to imagine for a while that it could be true?
A spread for comfort follows-- religious belief not necessary.
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************************* 3 *****************************
1- All Shall Be Well--what is something I should know, that will give me comfort right now?
2- And All Manner of Thing Shall Be Well--what will be set to right in my tumultuous world?
3- A Wish for Rest and Peace--what will "enclose me in rest and peace" in future trying times?
.
There has been a lot of discussion in tarotist circles over the past few years regarding the increasing popularity of "positive" angel-themed oracles and affirmational decks. Many fear a dilution of tarot's ability to "tell it like it is" and snap us out of problematic mindsets, and as a cynical realist myself, I can't say I disagree with this concern.
But many people will continue to instinctively turn to tarot for comfort in times of need. Do I do this? No, it is not my instinct to seek comfort from the cards; the more stressed or disturbed I am, the more I am too busy doing damage control to go through the detached thought exercise that is my normal approach to tarot.
I believe there's room for a happy medium, something between "100% non-threatening, safe and gentle tarot for comfort" and a flat rejection of all potential sources of solace.
What better to demonstrate this than a piece of positive-thinking philosophy written by someone who was exposed to many horrors of the Middle Ages?
Julian of Norwich (who lived in England in the 1300s) is one of the most famous mystics in Western Christianity. Her book Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love is not only notable because it's believed to be the first book published in the English language by a woman; it is a compilation of her mystical encounters with the person and love of Christ over many years prior.
She is known to the general public largely for having penned one of the most famous lines in 2,000 years of Christian theological writing (which was further popularized in a poem by TS Eliot):
All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
This was not Julian's own sentiment; she attributed it to God, with whom she had a conversation in which she asked:
Dame Julian of Norwich said:"Ah, good Lord, how could all things be well, because of the great harm which has come through sin to your creatures?”
His response was:
G-d said:It is true that sin is the cause of all this pain. But I make all things well, and I can make all things well, and I shall make all things well, and I will make all things well; and you will see for yourself that every kind of thing will be well.
Julian called His response "comforting" and suggested that, with these words, "God wishes us to be enclosed in rest and peace.”
It is too much for me, a cynic, to believe that 'all shall be well,' much less that all manner of things shall be well.
But isn't it worthwhile to imagine for a while that it could be true?
A spread for comfort follows-- religious belief not necessary.
All Shall Be Well: a spread for Comfort
******************1 *****************2 ************************
************************* 3 *****************************
1- All Shall Be Well--what is something I should know, that will give me comfort right now?
2- And All Manner of Thing Shall Be Well--what will be set to right in my tumultuous world?
3- A Wish for Rest and Peace--what will "enclose me in rest and peace" in future trying times?
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