Temperance and the Tower
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pmMore tarot cards.
Temperance — I see two children on a seesaw in a playground. To make a seesaw work takes cooperation and give and take. This seems a pretty straightforward interpretation of the card in regard to personal relations — a caution against putting others down, trying to hog the limelight, or letting/making someone else do all the work. None of which I think I habitually do, but they are things I worry about, and I certainly feel bad if I catch myself doing any of them, so perhaps it’s just my subconscious bringing up familiar concerns. It might also be about balancing the different parts of the personality — the part that wants to achieve things and the part that wants to bludge, say — and getting them to work/play nicely together.
The Tower — well, this was strange. I’m inside the tower, which is half ruined, though the stair is still climbable. This relates to something I’m writing at the moment, so perhaps it just overwrote the imagery. At the top, there’s nowhere else to go; unless you jump. Jumping results in flying. I think this is my optimism talking. However, perhaps it makes some sort of sense. The tower is non-functional; it didn’t last, it didn’t reach heaven, it might have been struck by lightning like the tower in the usual tarot picture. It might represent a way of doing things that doesn’t work anymore, or never worked in the first place. Standing on that failure, you try something else — maybe something quite radical. Einstein said the definition of [edit] insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I think this imagery suggests trying something different, even if it’s scary, uncomfortable or oddball. At worst, you’ll make different mistakes and accumulate some new data (like what the ground feels like at terminal velocity, heh.)
August 20th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I believe that was the definition of “insanity,” not “stupidity.” Really like your interpretation of The Tower. Feeling rather insane/stupid lately.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
You’re right. That’s what I get for trusting the internet for quotes. Post duly edited.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Incidentally, I chose two kids over a game of tug of war for the Temperance card. I guess yours make more sense! Is it bad that my interpretation of The Tower involved the World Trade Centres?
August 21st, 2008 at 3:20 am
I lack duality. so Temperance image doesn’t quite work for me.
As for that tower deal, just remeber some times you need to jump to see if you fly.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:49 am
Crube - I dunno, these are only my personal images at this point in time, interpreted in a way that makes sense to me. If you see a tug of war, maybe that says something relevant to you.
Of course the WTC image isn’t bad. It seems like a classic real world reflection of the Tower.
Colin - you do seem unusually undualistic.
And yes.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Yeah, but I didn’t want it to come off as either offensive or over done. Well, not so much with the offensive part considering people actually jumped out of the towers at the time. Something.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:37 pm
There’s no such thing as thought crime! Yes, it was a tragedy, but obviously tragedy happens all around the world, all the time. It was an unusual disaster, that’s all. You shouldn’t feel that it’s somehow in bad taste to think of it or mention it.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:16 am
But, I live in America! You have no idea what they do to “Non American Americans”!
August 24th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Does it involve burning crosses? I understand moronic nationalism. Most countries seem to have it as a chronic condition to some extent.
Anyway, not much point having freedom of speech enshrined in your constitution if you can’t use it. Might as well keep that freedom at home in a drawer, to paraphrase Han Solo in some book.