Each week I pull cards to inspire contemplative practice. In 2011, I started using the Gaian Tarot as a prompt for practice as its minor cards showed such clear images of people engaged in practices that grounded and connected them to earth, to spirit, to the Whole. The method evolved to use the majors as path cards and the people as posture/attitude cards, and for a couple of years I posted weekly on the Gaian Tarot Circle. You are invited to use the cards below to inspire your practice, and, if you like, share your reflections in the comments. You are also free to draw your own cards.
PATH: Use Pile 1 / Majors and Aces to pull a card for the question: What sacred path would best serve the group this week? THE SEEKER invites us to walk this week on pathways of …
- Taking a risk to begin again.
- Imagining that anything is possible.
- Both standing in the present moment and at the same time letting a vision of a desired future emerge.
- Daring to look foolish in the eyes of the world.
PRACTICE: Use Pile 2 / numbered cards for this question: What contemplative practice will best serve us to move along this pathway this week? TEN OF AIR invites us to practices such as …
- Listening to and observing the behavior of birds in the area where you live. What are they teaching you? What does their call awaken in you?
- Do some reflection on and naming of the beliefs that you hold and that guide your life. Are they all still relevant guides? Are there any beliefs that you sense you have moved beyond? Are there any to let go of in a conscious way?
- Do a meditation where you observe your thoughts as if they were migrating geese. Breathe and quiet yourself. Let thoughts emerge and just keep on moving like birds. See if you can arrive at a moment of clear sky. But don’t hurry your inner birds; they have their own pace.
POSTURE: Use Pile 3 / People cards for a question such as: What attitudes and behaviors will be most helpful to me in undertaking this practice? ELDER OF EARTH invites you to follow your path and practices with attitudes of ….
- Gentle strength.
- Ability to envision what will come in the future from actions made in the present moment.
- Ease – and even amusement – with moving with the up and down changes of the turning of the Wheel of Life.
OVERALL MUSINGS: We emerge from the cave we explored last week and are invited to think big and move forward with gentle strength. We can leave what weighed us down in the cave (it will be transformed by the nurturing dark) to travel into infinite possibility of the future that stretches before us.