Osho Zen Tarot Study Group: VII Awareness

[Indigo Rose]

The veil of illusion, or maya, that has been keeping you from perceiving reality as it is, is starting to burn away....not the heated fire of passion, but the cool flame of awareness.Osho Zen Tarot by Osho

This card is one of the most intriguing to me so far. When I first got it in a reading, I immediately connected to it as a major theme in my life right now....seeing beyond the veil.

Peace

 

[squeakmo9]

I love the contrast in that the human is in shadow, and the Spirit is becoming "real". Water imitating flame, a quiet passion, a silent inspiration that put things into perspective.

 

[Judith D]

It looks as if ripping that veil away to find awareness within is painful and hard for the human mind - but the result is clear, calm, childlike and innocent (like the fool?).
The good news is that the awareness we seek is always there within us ready to be found. Our mundane physical lives keep us in murky, smoky, dusty circumstances, but we can escape that if we wish to see our true clarity.
I definitely feel a sense of struggle and pain in looking at the card, although the book describes the gaining of awareness as being without any conscious doing or struggle. Maybe my view is coloured by my perception of my own struggles to get there!

 

[pleroma]

Does anyone else see a kind of ethereal blade behind the veil, fading away into the blue light and buddah-like face? I find this card extremely powerful, the composition seems very subtle but conveys a great deal. For instance, the way the buddah-child appears near the shadow of the human figure behind the veil but not on or through it. And the way they both seem to have been hidden behind the veil, together but unknown to eachother. Perhaps consciousness is the viewer's perspective in this card, and a shadowy sense of self is being replaced by a vivid, real, and almost tangible buddah-consciousness, childlike in its innocence but carrying truth which burns through the veil of maya and illusions. Is the 'blade' refer to a need to stop fighting ones way to enlightment, or thinking oneself into buddah-hood? When one stops forcing it is when the veil begins to burn away and true consciousness shines through? Lots of questions, fascinating card.

-Nick

 

[squeakmo9]

Does anyone else see a kind of ethereal blade behind the veil, fading away into the blue light and buddah-like face? I find this card extremely powerful, the composition seems very subtle but conveys a great deal. For instance, the way the buddah-child appears near the shadow of the human figure behind the veil but not on or through it. And the way they both seem to have been hidden behind the veil, together but unknown to eachother. Perhaps consciousness is the viewer's perspective in this card, and a shadowy sense of self is being replaced by a vivid, real, and almost tangible buddah-consciousness, childlike in its innocence but carrying truth which burns through the veil of maya and illusions. Is the 'blade' refer to a need to stop fighting ones way to enlightment, or thinking oneself into buddah-hood? When one stops forcing it is when the veil begins to burn away and true consciousness shines through? Lots of questions, fascinating card.

-Nick

Very interesting observations Nick. I took another closer look at my card and couldn't see the sword, but the guy does look like he is being eviscerated.
Even though I could not see a blade I do like that take on things, and would understand it. For me, the blade would be a path to Buddha-like consciousness. the blade being disappointment, sadness, confusion, and then fighting to see through it all. Sink or swim. Just my 2p

 

[Master_Margarita]

This is one of the most arresting images in the deck. I think that everyone has spoken most eloquently to this point.

I have two points to make:

(1) I think this is intended as an extension of/precursor to/rejection of the entire suit of Clouds, because of the LWB's heavy emphasis on no-mind.

(2) I am wondering how this card incorporates the idea of the RWS Chariot. Maybe it is representing self-mastery, or mastery over mind?

 

[dayeus]

the card is also a symbol for living suppresed life by concurring to soceity standards....and even homosexuality and "coming out of the closet".