Animal Relationships: Symbiosis

My new post is up at Witches and Pagans.

When two animals team up, they may form a beneficial partnership called symbiosis. In symbiosis, the two animals provide something, which the other cannot, for each other. It could be food, protection or eliminating parasites. In many cases, neither can survive without the other. This other animal is in a special relationship with your animal teacher. Therefore that animal is also one of your animal teachers.

Read more at: Animal relationships: symbiosis

Animal Relationships: Partnerships

My latest posting up at Witches and Pagans. Animal Relationships: Partnerships

Another aspect of working with your animal teachers is to study the partnerships that they form. Many animals work with others to achieve their goals. In that case, the relationship with the other animal should also be studied. How they work together can aid in your understanding of how you can partner with others.

Various types of animal relationships have lessons to impart. For example, zebras drink at a water hole with wildebeests and ostriches. While the others see danger, the zebras smell danger. Together, the animals provide safety for each other at the communal water hole. This is an example of a community forming from diverse entities for a short duration. This could be something that festival organizers could benefit learning from.

Teachings of the Phoenix

Copyright: Maryann Sterling

The only one of her kind, Phoenix lives in isolation. Greeting the dawn, She spreads her shimmering wings, and sings beautiful songs in praise of the Sun. When her feathers become drab, Phoenix gathers up herbs, and flies to a wild desert place. There She builds her pyre, and waits for the Sun to ignite it. Once engulfed with flames, Phoenix dies only to be reborn, three days later.

Invocation
“Ancient Phoenix, renewed by fire,
Beloved of the Sun sing sweetly to me.
Grant to me, your gift of a New Beginning.”

To contact the Phoenix, who lives beyond, first ask the Golden Eagle to help you.

Voice of Golden Eagle:
 
“Come with me to the Sun. As we fly higher and higher, feel the fire in your body. Touch the searing flames without harm. Smell the sweet herbs – sandalwood mixed with frankincense. Hear the mystical song without words. Watch the Phoenix greeting the Sun from the tallest tree of the highest mountain in the Land of the Dawn.”

“Dear Phoenix, we are here to accompany you into the Dark Night.”

The Phoenix sings to you.
 
“Come, greet the Dawn with me. Bathe in the Spring of Life. Drink the Dew of Generosity. Eat the Dates of Sweetness. Share this glorious day with me!”

“Come Dusk, I will build my funeral pyre. As the setting sun strikes my tree, the flames will rise up to consume us both. Ashes we will be, dead, waiting to be reborn.”

Comes the Night -- the unending darkness, the infinite blackness, the unrelenting bleakness. Nothingness are we, waiting, waiting. Oh, how we long for Daybreak.”

“Look the Bright Sun comes! Behold the Glorious Light bathing all with its golden hues! Embrace the Light! Let the Cycle of the Cosmos renew itself in you. Become life, death, and rebirth.
“Be reborn! Sing songs of gratitude to the New Dawn! Embrace the Rainbow! Become the Prism of the Universe. ”

“Now reborn, it is time for you to return home. Golden Eagle will take you back to the Spiral Tree. When you are again facing the long, cold night, call upon Golden Eagle. She will bring you back to the Land of the Dawn. Back to me -- back to our cycle of renewal.”

Finding a Significator Card in Tarot

One aspect of the Tarot that a reader needs to be familiar with is numerology. The numbers assigned to the cards of the Minor and Major Arcana are based on occult concepts of numerology. The German poet, Goethe once said, “Numbers do not rule the world, but tell how the world is ruled.” Moreover Pythagorean philosophy claim that “All is Number.” This philosophy sees the universe to be based on “blue prints” which are governed by numbers.

 In the Tarot readings, it is often useful to have a card denoting the questioner (querent). This card is the Significator. One way to find this card is to take the birth date and birth year of the querent, and add up the numbers. The resulting number is the Major Arcana card that represents the querent. The Significator aids greatly in the interpretation of the spread.

For the reader, this method of finding a Significator for themselves is another way to learn more about themselves. People find value in astrology, Myer-Briggs, and other systems that classify humans into discrete groups. Having a Major Arcana card assigned to them helps people to gain insight into their personalities. I do not subscribe to this but that is my personal view.

Using this method, I found my Significator and number which is nine and The Hermit. In general numerology, people who are nines are considered visionaries and sages. In the Pythagorean system, nine is the first square of an odd number, which is known as the Ennead. Since nine is one short of ten, the perfect number, it is considered a failure. However, since only the infinite ten is after nine, the number nine can be considered limitless. Nine then becomes a complex and rich number.

The card that is numbered “Nine” in the Major Arcana is The Hermit. This card is associated with solitude, the search for knowledge and mysticism. The Hermit could be considered the sage. However, The Hermit could also be considered someone who is devoted to only seeking knowledge and not using it. This connotes both failure and limitlessness in one card. Therefore, The Hermit encompasses both the Ennead and traditional numerology.

Does this card tell me anything important? Not really, since it is another arbitrary method of assigning personal characteristics to a person. However, when I do personal readings and this card appears, I need to pay attention to the reading. Also, if I want a more direct reading, I could use this card as a part of the spread.

 Combining the Major Arcana with my birthdate is a useful method to personalize my readings. When reading for others, it can be a stand-in for the querent. Since the Tarot has elements of numerology, I that that this method is one way of tying the two together in a meaningful way.

 Works Used:

Bartlett, Sarah, “The Tarot Bible.” New York: Sterling. 2006.
Drury, Neville, “The Tarot Workbook.” San Diego: Thunder Bay Press. 2004.
Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, “Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard.” Franklin Lakes (NJ): New Page Books. 2004.