First up: I took an online quiz, Which Tarot Card are you? It said, "You are the Fool card. The Fool fearlessly begins the journey into the unknown. To do this, he does not regard the world he knows as firm and fixed. He has a seemingly reckless disregard for obstacles. In the Ryder-Waite deck, he is seen stepping off a cliff with his gaze on the sky, and a rainbow is there to catch him. In order to explore and expand, one must disregard convention and conformity. Those in the throes of convention look at the unconventional, non-conformist personality and think What a fool. They lack the point of view to understand The Fool's actions. But The Fool has roots in tradition as one who is closest to the spirit world. In many tribal cultures, those born with strange and unusual character traits were held in awe. Shamans were people who could see visions and go on journeys that we now label hallucinations and schizophrenia. Those with physical differences had experience and knowledge that the average person could not understand. The Fool is God. The number of the card is zero, which when drawn is a perfect circle. This circle represents both emptiness and infinity. The Fool is not shackled by mountains and valleys or by his physical body. He does not accept the appearance of cliff and air as being distinct or real."
Now really...was there any other choice for me to be? ;-P
Hmmm...it was thundering when I came downstairs to do this entry. Where did the storm go?
I decided to wear my septagram again. I took it off after I came back from a Serpent Stone gathering back in March. I took it off because I didn't know what I believed anymore and truly felt as if my faith was gone. I know now it wasn't truly gone, I simply forgot where and what it was.
It's mine and it's here all the time. It never really went anywhere - it's just been under the transformative influence of Butterfly.
So what does the septagram represent for me? I like the Elven (otherkin) definition of the points, with modifications.
First of all, there is the center. There are a lot of ideas about what the center is: I believe it is the Lakota who say the teachings spiral outward from the center to each succeeding generation. Some tribes also say there is a sacred mountain at the center of the world but that mountain also exists within you, therefore making you the center of the world. Many pagan traditions teach that to be able to adequately do magick, one must be centered within themselves. Still other traditions teach a little spark of the divine is located at the center of a person's soul. Therefore, it makes sense the first point of the septagram to be:
- "The Connection" - the uppermost point is to remind that everything is indeed connected. Take away just one element and the whole intricate web of life collapses.
- The Sun: I see the sun as being a masculine influence, balancing the Moon's femininity. It also is part of the intricate web holding life on this planet in balance - without the Sun's heat and light, life would not exist. The Sun, as is true with all stars, is actually a huge furnace. This brings in the aspects of Fire. (the color red, passion, sensuality, direct action, aggressiveness, etc.)
- The Wild Places (woods, glades, fields, etc.): Of course, this brings in the aspects of Earth (the color tones of browns and/or blacks, grounding, stability, fertility, etc.) These are another part of the balance making life possible. Without trees, there would not be enough oxygen. Without the plants, there would be no food or medicines. Some traditions see the earth as being the body of the Mother or the Goddess. Plus, whenever I think of my childhood, I usually see myself in the woods behind my house. It's where I feel the most at home.
- The Living Waters (lakes, creeks, rivers, etc.): water aspects (the color blue and sometimes green, emotions, healing, sacredness, purification, passiveness, etc.) Without water, everything would be dry, brittle husks. It helps regulate (both environmental and bodily) temperatures and eliminate toxins from the body. Some traditions see water as being the blood of the Mother or the Goddess. Also: when I was a kid, if I wasn't in the woods I was in the creek.
- Magick: however you want to see this - prayer, psi abilities, The Force, energy work, soul work, etc. - it's the inexhaustable energy that is all around and in us.
- The Winds: Aspects of air (the color of "clear," sometimes yellow) mental faculities, communication, learning, psychic abilities, etc.) All living things need air to live. Air is also a prime transport for communication, hence the old saying about radio and TV signals "flying through the air." Besides, if it wasn't for the winds, how would we fly kites?
- The Moon: The feminine balance to the Sun's masculinity. The Moon has a direct influence of the planet's tides, as well as human ones. There are some who believe the Moon is a filter for the Sun's energy, since the light we see from it is actually reflected sunlight. The Moon is also symbolic of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. It is also symbolic of the four faces of the goddess: maiden, mother, crone and the one who exists between the death of the crone and the birth of the maiden.
Yeah, that about sums it up. Good god, that took forever to write!
Page and graphics Copyright 2004 D. Firewolf
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