Dragons and People

("My dragon" by Maryann Sterling)

From “Dragons!”: “Dragons and People” by Virginia Carper

People and dragons have a long history together. The world over, people have told of friendly dragons bringing rain or ancient ones creating the cosmos. Until recently, people believed that they could actually go out and see the dragons. When the scientists started measuring Nature’s secrets, the dragons disappeared. However, they simply chose to remain out of sight. Today the dragons choose to reveal themselves to those who seek them with an open heart.

History

· Mythology: At first, people personified demonic and divine forces. To the ancient peoples, dragons were the forces of nature in all her aspects.

· Hearsay Animals: Then, travelers from faraway places told about the exotic creatures they saw to their neighbors. For example, Romans reported on the dragons living in Joppa in the Middle East.

· Medieval Dragons: During the Middle Ages, various bestiaries listed dragons, detailing their habits. In addition, many noble people had them on their family crests.

· From Actual to Mythical: In the 1700s, scientists started collecting natural histories. Then, dragons seemingly disappeared. Afterwards, modern people sought rational explanations for every phenomenon.

· Return of Mythical Beasts: However, dragons never really went away. The mythic imaginations of modern people led scholars to collect tales of dragons. Today, we discover dragons in movies and find them in books.

Today

Where can the dragons be found today? How do we begin the search? How do we deepen relations with the dragons, we meet? What can the dragon stories, from around the world, tell us? What is the true dragon treasure that we search for? Only each of us can answer those questions in our own way.

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Purchase "Dragons" from Lulu.com: "Dragons!" by Virginia Carper. E-book: $US 5.19, hardback: $US 12.00

What is a mythic animal?

What is a mythic animal? A product of people’s imaginations? Traditionally, they are animals that do not exist. As combinations of several real animals, many mythical animals have the characteristics of these animals. For example, griffins are half-lion and half-eagle. Lions and eagles both represent royalty. Moreover, the eagle is the Ruler of the Skies and the lion, Ruler of the Land. Griffins govern both realms.

Mythic animals live at the edges of our minds. Moreover, they live in our world, in places where everything is a little wild and primitive. Furthermore, we may encounter them, when we least expect it. For example, on a foggy day or a moonlit night, you may glimpse one.

The edges of cultivated areas and wild areas are the best places to encounter mythic animals. Since they are “between places”, these border areas have great power and mystery. At marshes and beaches, encounters with water beasties often occur. Also, you can come upon mythic animals in the deserts or deep in the forests, where things are lonely and wild.

Purchase from Animal Teachers: http://www.lulu.com/content/632373
Mythic Animals! $US 12 hard back, $US 5.59 e-book.
Or it's companion: "Dragons"

The Great Round of Life

Ancient peoples perceived the world as the Great Round. Observing the cycles of the sun and moon, they viewed time as a circle. In fact the ancient Greeks called the changing stars of the sky: "The Circle of Animals", commonly known today as the Zodiac.

In the Great Round, there is the coming of Heroes and the aging of Kings. Cyclical time is endless, offering a moral dimension that linear time lacks. People repeat the cycle at different points and experience the same things from different perspectives.

An outward manifestation of the reverence for circles is sacred places in nature. Circles of stones dot the European and North American landscape. Another manifestation is stories of beings traveling in and out of connecting worlds. Myths of dragons and fairies are actually stories of interactions between various circles of existence.

Circles of Animals

Many cultures saw the passing of time in terms of animals. The Greeks saw animals in the stars. The animal signs of the Zodiac are Ares the Ram and Taurus the Bull of spring, Cancer the Crab and Leo the Lion of the summer, Scorpio the Scorpion of the fall, and Capricorn the Goat and Pisces the Fish of the winter. (These animals feature prominently in Greek and later Roman mythology.)

Native American Medicine Wheel

In the western areas of North America are large stone wheels, formed in prehistory. Called "medicine wheels", they reflect the Native Americans reverence for the Four Directions. Although many Indian Nations have different interpretations of the Medicine Wheels, they do agree that the Four Directions are governed by various animals.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008. Contact animalteachers @ gmail.com

Other Worldly Beings: Star Trek: The Next Generation (2)

("Picard and Q" courtesy of StarTrek.com)

As an Old Soul, Picard goes toe-to-toe with Q to defend humanity. Deeply committed to humanity‘s evolution, Picard fights Q’s machinations. He challenges Q, “If we are going to be damned, let us be damned for what we really are.”

With his knowledge of the law, Picard becomes “Perry Mason” (the fictional lawyer) to thwart Q. Frustrated with Picard, Q becomes more arbitrary in his actions. Then in a “Perry Mason moment”, Picard thunders at him, “It is **your** conduct that is uncivilized!” Because, he knows that humanity has progressed, Picard sees through Q’s baiting. Finally using his authority, Picard, the Old Soul, orders the omnipotent Q off *his ship*.

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(Mason and his secretary, Della Street)
Perry Mason: From stories written by Erle Stanley Gardner, "Perry Mason" the TV series (1957 - 1966) set the tone for other lawyer/mystery series. Mason, a defense attorney, solved cases through logic and close observation.




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Other Worldly Beings: Star Trek: Next Generation (1)

(Deanna Troi and William Riker, courtesy of StarTrek.com)


When I watched the first episode of “STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION” (1987-1994, Roddenberry): “Encounter at Far Point” (101, 102), I thought that several of the characters were “other-worldly beings”. Captain Jean-Luc Picard was an Old Soul. Commander William Riker was an Incarnated Star Person, and Counselor Deanna Troi, an Incarnated Angel.

As an Incarnated Angel, Troi uses her special abilities to heal. With her luminous looks, she conveys an aura of healing and serenity. Being an empath, she struggles to shield herself from the painful emotions of others. Because she is an Incarnated Angel, Troi seeks to quiet people’s roiling emotions. In encountering the two nebulous space aliens, Troi puts herself at risk to aid them. Although, their pain and anger overwhelms her, she continues to help them.

Unlike Troi who is a Betazoid, Riker is an Incarnated Star Person in a human body. In fact, he has a prior relationship with her. Because of their deep relationship, Troi and Riker greet the other telepathically as “Imazi”. Besides being comfortable with non-humans, Riker treats Data, the android, as a person and not a curiosity.

When Picard orders him to join the Enterprise’s two halves manually, Riker does so with great aplomb. While the rest of the crew is nervous, he is relaxed. Moreover, Riker reassures the crew that everything will be fine. As an Incarnated Star Person, he is used to meeting these challenges, and merges the two parts of the spaceship with ease.

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008, animalteachers @ gmail.com
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Meditation (3)

In midmorning, I did this meditation after I fixed a pot of tea. I find that drinking tea relaxes me. Taking tea encourages me to go into a trance. Sitting at the kitchen table, I did the meditation.

The cool light of the moon filled up the sky. Big, round, and softly glowing, the moon sent out a shaft of light. Wrapping me around itself, the shaft became me. Together, we slid down the Tree of Life.

At the base of the Tree, I grew roots. As the roots reached deep into the earth, I felt heat traveling up my legs. Then, the earth leapt up and embraced me. As the boiling magma surrounded me, I became very warm.

The cool light of the moon mixed with the hot magma to make steam. A fairy mist surrounded and transported me, outside of time and space. I found myself at the Nexus of Life.

Then I anchored at the Axis of the Tree. The fairy mist crystallized as silver dew drops on the tree branches. Like glittering diamonds, the drops became stars. The white-yellow moon reappeared. The red earth was below smiling at me.

I felt that I was a part of the Axis of the World. I was the Tree, the meeting place of the Two Powers – the Earth and Sky. At that moment, I realized that what I do matters. It had impact in ways I would never know. As the intermediary between Earth and Sky, I felt the need to be a moral being.

The moon put out a silver beam for me to travel back home. The earth embraced the beam with a red lava burst. Entwined, they dissolved into the Tree guiding me home. The smell of my tea woke me out of the dream. I drank my tea and felt refreshed.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
animalteachers @ gmail.com

Saging or Smudging

(Sage by Maryann Sterling)

The smudging ceremony is a sacred ritual for Native Americans and for other peoples. It is a ritual of cleaning and purification. Indian People burn tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweetgrass in offerings to the Four Directions. The Journey of Life begins in the East and ends in the North. By offering to the Four Directions, the person opens themselves to guidance and wisdom from the Spirit.

“Smudging” which is the burning of sacred plants is a time honored method for healing. People bath themselves in the smoke of the burning herbs. Sage, one of the sacred plants, drives out the negative energy. Sweetgrass helps brings in the positive energy. Smudging helps to restore the person to spiritual health.

Often, people will burn tobacco or sweetgrass as offerings to the various spirits – plant, stone, animal, and earth. The smoke purifies people, their homes, and sacred things. Smudging is a method of inviting the spirit to come and be with you.

I smudge often my home to make an offering, and to purify the room. I keep the sage in a medicine pouch. When I am ready to burn it, I place the sage in an abalone shell. After getting the fire going, I fan the embers with a feather to spread the smoke. I leave a window cracked open to allow the spirits to leave. I sage the room, starting in the East, moving South, West, North, and East again.

Smudging can be done by anyone. All you need a fireproof bowl and sage. Light the sage and fan the smoking embers. Let the smoke drift over you and feel yourself opening up to the Spirit.

Please do not gather the sage, sweetgrass, tobacco, or cedar yourself. These plants are regulated under various laws, and can be only harvested by selected groups such as Native Americans.

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Resource: “Sacred Sage, How It Heals” by Wendy Whiteman. (Purchase from Amazon.com, along with sage supplies.)

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008

Asking Tarot Questions

In crafting a Tarot question, I agree with Joan Bunning (“Learning the Tarot”). In three of her key points, she stresses to (1) accept responsibility, (2) keep your options open, and (3) be positive. For me, by remembering these particular “rules“, I receive the guidance of the Tarot more effectively.

A story of my family illustrates what happens when you are sloppy in creating your question. As a young man, my grandfather had to decide whether to return to Nova Scotia (Canada) or move to British Columbia. At the time, he was living in Manitoba. He asked the trains: “Should I go west or east?” When he arrived at the station, the west-bound train had just pulled out. The east-bound train was due shortly, so he took it. Years afterwards, he blamed the trains for his resulting bad luck and misery.

My grandfather did not accept responsibility for his situation. By asking a yes or no question, he ceded his authority to the trains. In my grandfather’s case, he did not wish to make the decision. Instead, he preferred to blame the trains. In accepting responsibility, you decide on your terms what to decide from the many choices that the Tarot presents.

In keeping your options open, you allow for multiple possibilities in solving your problem. In his question, my grandfather already knew the answer. He merely wanted the train to confirm it. If he had asked “why” instead of “should“, he would have had an array of choices. By limiting your options, you will receive an answer that is wrong for you.

Phrase your question in a confident manner, and you will set up a positive framework for your choices. Asking a negative question sets you up for failure. By being positive, you will have an attractive array of choices. Remember that the Tarot is a tool, that offers you its wisdom.

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
Contact me for readings: animalteachers @ gmail.com

Tribes of Mythic Animals (1)

THE TRIBES OF THE FIRE: Immortal Guardians of Truth and Beauty

The Tribes of Fire are usually birds who are bound by fire. To be immortal like the Phoenix, Many will immolate Themselves. Because of their beauty and glorious song, the Tribes of Fire live in lonely isolated places. Alone, They spend their days honoring the Sun.

Friendly towards people, the Tribes of Fire will heal those who seek them with a loving heart. If you are kind, They may give you one of their feathers of flame. Use it when confronted by evil.




THE TRIBES OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH: Measurers of Greatness

As a rule, the Tribes of the Heavens and Earth do not associate with people, and do not care what anyone thinks. When They choose to, a Member may aid a person in their task. However these Tribes remind always humans what the limits are. Facing a Member of the Tribes of the Heavens and Earth tests the depths of a person’s character. Some folks do not survive the meeting.

When we work with mythic animals, we widen our realm of possibilities and develop a new sense of worth. Our friendship with them will nurture our hopes and dreams, as well as, give us a greater reverence for all life. When we embrace their energy, we become conscious of the mystical in our lives. Finally, we align ourselves with the mythical world. We bring magick back into our lives.

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Purchase my book "Mythic Animals!" from lulu.com for $12.00 hardcover.

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, 2008 Animal Teachers

Working with the Tarot: Major Arcana and the Court Cards

(XII. Hanged Woman: Spider Woman)

For a month, I drew two cards each day from the “Animal Divine” Tarot deck. The cards I chose were from the Major Arcana and the Court Cards. I added the Court Cards to become better acquainted with them.

The King of Wands (Gama Sennin, Japanese) appeared at least four times a week. When I thought about this card, I focused on the toad sitting on His shoulder. Although the author said that the animal was a frog, I saw a toad, which is a predictor of future financial gains. My late father-in-law, an accountant, was known as “The Toad”. I see the King of Wands as him speaking to me about my finances.

For me, it was difficult to read traditional meanings for each card in this deck. Before I could understand the author’s meanings, I had to study each card. To read this Tarot deck, a grounding mythology is needed.

For example, The Tower (XVI) has Thunderbirds flying about. No tower was crashing. However, in mythology, Thunderbirds bring fierce winds and storms, tearing things apart. The Thunderbirds represented destruction.

The Chariot (VII) has Freya, the Norse Goddess, riding a boar. Again, this seems to be a departure from the traditional Chariot card. As a Goddess of passion and fertility, She moves people forward.


Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008. Contact me at animalteachers @ gmail.com
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Moby Dick: Whale Avenger

"Moby Dick p510 illustration" by A. Burnham Shute - Moby-Dick edition - C. H. Simonds Co. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moby_Dick_p510_illustration.jpg#/media/File:Moby_Dick_p510_illustration.jpg

I was watching the movie "Moby Dick" starring Gregory Peck the other day. I was rooting for the whale. I kept thinking, "This whale is mad as Hell, and he's not taking it anymore. Enough with the whale killing. This White Whale is the Whale Avenger for all the murdered whales."

One of the most famous of Whales is Moby Dick of Herman Melville’s novel, “Moby Dick”. Besides being white, Moby Dick has a wrinkled forehead, large hump on his back, and a curved jaw with crooked teeth. This giant white Sperm Whale took revenge on the whalers, who hunted him.

Harpoons did not seem to hurt him. One of Moby Dick’s favorite tricks was to swim away as if he was fleeing, then suddenly turn on the whalers, and smash their boats. Moby Dick was based on an actual white Sperm Whale who lived near the island of Mocha off of Chile. Mocha Dick, the White Whale of the Pacific, had become known in the 1800s for his violent attacks on whaling ships. When He was finally killed in the 1850s, sixty year old Mocha Dick was toothless, blind, and had eighteen harpoons sticking out of his body.

Moby Dick’s Teachings Also Include: “Nor was it his unwonted magnitude, nor his remarkable hue, nor yet his deformed lower jaw, that so much invested the whale with natural terror, as that unexampled, intelligent malignity which, according to specific accounts, he had over and over again evinced in his assaults. More than all, his treacherous retreats struck more of dismay than perhaps aught else. ” – Copyright: “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville  

Moby Dick’s Wisdom Includes:
 Lessons of Aggression and Obsession
Taking the Initiative
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For the teachings of Sperm Whales: Sperm Whale (opens in new window)

Wisdom of the Toothed Whales (Dolphins too!): Stable Relationships

TOOTHED WHALE FAMILY
Stable Relationships


One of the two groups of living Whales is Toothed Whales (Odontoceti). (The other group is Baleen Whales (Mysticeti).) Toothed Whales can be found in diverse environments ranging from deep oceans to muddy tropical rivers. This highly sophisticated group of Mammals includes Sperm Whales, Ocean Dolphins, and Porpoises. Beluga and Narwhal, the White Whales of the North, are also Odontoceti. The least known of Toothed Whales, Beaked Whales live in the deep oceans, where few people see Them. River Dolphins, another lesser-known Group, have colonized major river systems of Asia and South America.

Although most Toothed Whales have good vision, They all rely on echolocation (sending out sound signals and interpreting the echoes.) In their foreheads, Toothed Whales possess an organ called a melon, which acts as a sonar lens to focus sound. For example, Boto (Amazon River Dolphin) uses echolocation to find prey and to navigate in the murky Amazon River.

Unlike Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales live in stable social groups. They cooperate in hunts and help the sick Members of their Pod. Most live in matrilineal Pods, ruled by an old Matriarch. When They are grown, Male Toothed Whales will leave their Nursery Pod and join a different Pod. (However, Sperm Whale Bachelors travel in their own all-male Pod.) In their Pods, Toothed Whales learn hunting and language from their Mothers. Each Orca (Killer Whale) Pod has their own dialect that Orca Mothers teach their Calves. Meanwhile, Dolphin Mothers teach their Calves how to hunt with Sponges.

Using their click languages, Toothed Whales coordinate group activities, and plan hunts. A Pod of Bottlenose Dolphins will encircle a School of Fish, and herd Them to the shore. Sperm Whales will protect an injured Companion by gathering around Them in a flower formation known as “Marguerite”. An Orca at Marineland taught his pool Mates how to hunt Sea Gulls that fly in the area.

Because Toothed Whales live in stable families, They will support a sick Friend or defend a threatened Companion. Mothers pass their pod’s culture on to their Calves. Traveling and foraging, Toothed Whales form close bonds to hunt and play with. We can learn much about building and maintaining stable relationships from Toothed Whales.


Toothed Whale Family’s Wisdom Also Includes:
Helping Those in Need
Home Schooling
Mother-Child Love
Navigating in the Dark



Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
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Whale Family: Nexus of Heaven and Earth

WHALE
Nexus of Heaven and Earth

For thousands of years, Whales have captured people’s imagination. People have regarded Whales to be gods, guardians, sea monsters, sources of food, and living islands. From classical Greek mythology to modern day movies, the Family of Whales (Cetaceans) has played a major part in many stories. According to Christians, God sent a Whale to swallow Jonah. Narwhal and his long tusk became the basis of Unicorn legends of the Middle Ages. In the Amazon River basin, people speak of River Dolphins disguising Themselves as men to woo the local girls. Meanwhile, Herman Melville’s novel, “Moby Dick” describes Sperm Whale as the Lord of Demons and Chaos. In the modern era, people see Whales as friends like Flipper (a Bottlenose Dolphin) of movie and TV fame. And, other people regard Cetaceans as mystical representatives from earth’s ancient days or from distant star systems.

Alien yet familiar Animals, Whales are Mammals who have totally adapted to the ocean, which is a hostile environment to air breathers. Scientists believe that the ancestor for Whales was a fish-eating land Mammal, related to modern hoofed Mammals. Further DNA tests show that Whales are actually related to Cows and Camels.

Although people regard Whales as one generic creature, They are divided into two groups, that are not closely related to each other – Baleen (Mysticeti) and Toothed (Odontoceti). To grasp the difference between the two Groups of Living Whales, think of how closely Cows are related to Camels. Baleen Whales, the largest animals on earth, filter food through their baleen. Famous for their singing, Baleen Whales’ songs have been popular as music recordings. More social than Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales live in larger groups called Pods. Unlike Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales use echolocation to find their prey.

Individual Whale Species differ greatly from each other as well. Among Baleen Whales, Right Whales resemble big boats, while Fin Whales are shaped like cruisers. With their square heads, Sperm Whales (who are Toothed Whales) look like submarines. Baleen Whales have two blowholes, while Toothed Whales only have one. Right Whales produce a distinctive V Shape blow, and Sperm Whales’ blows slant forward and to the left.

Living in the ocean, which is both fatal and vital to people, Whales have become intermediaries between people and other worlds. With their forceful leaps to the sky and dives to the ocean’s depths, Whales become the nexus between heaven and earth. If you want to go between worlds, let Whales be your guide.

Whales’ Teachings Also Include:

"Oh, the rare old Whale, mid storm and gale
In his ocean home will be
A giant in might, where might is right,
And King of the boundless sea." --WHALE SONG.

“With a frigate's anchors for my bridle-bitts and fasces of harpoons for spurs, would I could mount that whale and leap the topmost skies, to see whether the fabled heavens with all their countless tents really lie encamped beyond my mortal sight!” – Copyright: “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville

Whales’ Wisdom Includes:
Holding a Vastness of Knowing, Feeling, and Remembering
Realizing the Magnificence in All Things
Nomads of the Sea
Being at Home in Hostile Environments
Dreaming Large
Rulers of the Boundless Seas
Providing Wonder in an Ordinary World
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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008

Other Worldly Beings: Old Souls

When I watched “SMOKE SIGNALS” (1998, Eyre), I perceived the two main characters, Victor Joseph and Thomas Brings-the-Fire, to be a split soul. Rarely apart, they guide each other towards wholeness. Victor brings Thomas into the present, while Thomas teaches Victor the way of the Worlds.

Wearing a suit and his hair in braids, Thomas resembles a medicine man from the last century. Known in the Coeur d’Alene Nation as an eccentric storyteller, Thomas lives his life by his own compass. He fears neither lies nor the truth. Weaving the past, present, and future in his stories, Thomas offers wisdom to those around him. As an old soul, Thomas delivers his pearls of wisdom with good humor. “Sometimes it is a good day to die. Sometimes it is a good day to have breakfast.”

Thomas, for his part, regards Victor’s father, Arnold, to be his teacher, he tells about going on a vision quest and encountering Arnold instead. In Thomas’s stories, Arnold emerges as a Shaman working magic and illusions. He hides in plain sight, and practices disappearing. Through Suzy Song, Arnold’s neighbor in Phoenix, Victor discovers that his father was an old soul who made a tragic mistake. Because his pain was so great, Arnold slowly let go of all his connections to this world. However, after his death, he returns to his son in a vision.

Medicine Wheels (1)

I have found Medicine Wheels to be a name totally associated with Native Americans. I wish there was a different name to call these circles of the univese.

Medicine Wheels are places to pray, meditate, contemplate and become one with the universe. They become our sacred place, helping us to strengthen our connection to the universe. They help us bridge the gap between the spirit world and the physical world, bringing harmony to both through us. The general Medicine Wheel has 36 (thirty six) stones. Each stone is a “tool” to help us understand ourselves in relation to the universe. They teach us to respect ourselves and our relation to other life forms, Mother Earth, and the universe.

Creating a Medicine Wheel should be done as a part of a sacred ceremony to show your respect. Ceremony is a way of giving back some of the energy, that we are constantly taking in from the universe. Through Ceremony we can give back through singing, praying, dancing, drumming, chanting . Follow your intuition and your heart to give back in the way resonates with you. Ceremony and the use of the Medicine Wheel is an individual journey. There is no one size fits all spirituality. We each have our own way, and all of our ways work together to make up the whole.

There are many ways to make a Medicine Wheel. They can be made with 12-36 (twelve to thirty six) stones depending on how elaborate you wish to make it as well as how much space you have to work with. The only important thing is that your Medicine Wheel takes the shape of a circle. It is your sacred space so it should be comfortable for you. It holds your vision, whatever that may be.


From “Ma’Heo’o Reiki: A Program of Spiritual Healing, Growth & Development” by Sheryl “Rain” Carter.

Tarot Constellations (2)

6. The Constellation of the Lovers:

The Principle of Relatedness and Choice.
The Lovers, the Devil (15), and all Sixes.

7. The Constellation of the Chariot:

The Principle of Mastery through Change.
The Chariot, the Tower (16), and all Sevens.

8. The Constellation of Strength:

The Principle of Courage and Self-Esteem.
Strength, the Star (17), and all Eights.

9. The Constellation of the Hermit:

The Principle of Introspection and Personal Integrity.
The Hermit, the Moon (18), and all Nines.

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The Tenth Constellation (by Carper)

The Fool stands by Himself as 0 or 22, while the Court cards are 0. They meld with the Fool, as the World (21) is the bridge between them.

10. The Constellation of the Court:

The Principle of Innocence through Maturity.
The Fool, all Pages, all Knights, all Queens, and all Kings.

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Tarot Constellations (1)

(Copyright: Tarot of the Animal Lords)

Tarot constellations are the cards that have the same prime number (one through nine). For the number four, the Tarot constellation is the Four card from each of the suits, the Emperor (the number four), and Death (the number thirteen, which reduces to the number four (1+3=4)).

From: “Tarot Constellations”, by Mary K. Greer.

The nine Tarot constellations, according to Greer, are:

1. The Constellation of the Magician:
The Principle of Will and Focused Consciousness
The Magician, Wheel of Fortune (10 1+0=1), the Sun (19 1+9=10 1+0=1), all Aces and all Tens.

2. The Constellation of the High Priestess:
The Principle of Balanced Judgment through Intuitive Awareness
The High Priestess, Justice (11), Judgment (20), and all Twos.

3. The Constellation of the Empress:
The Principle of Love and Creative Imagination.
The Empress, the Hanged Man (12), the World (21), and all Threes.

4. The Constellation of the Emperor:
The Principle of Life Force and the Realization of Power.
The Emperor, Death (13), and all Fours.

5. The Constellation of the Hierophant:
The Principle of Teaching and Learning.
The Hierophant, Temperance (14), and all Fives.


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A Very Brief History of the Tarot

In Northern Italy during the early Renaissance, the Tarot developed as a card game, much like today’s Bridge. It later became a gambling card game. In Europe, people still see the Tarot as a card game. The Tarot’s use for divination did not occur until the 1800s in England.

Meanwhile, playing cards came to Europe from Moslem Spain. They consisted of the four suits with a court of a king and two males. The Tarot deck of today is the merger of the Tarot’s Major Arcana, the Fool, the Queens, and playing cards. (The Joker originated in the United States in the 1850s for use in Poker and Euchre games.)

The Tarot deck familiar to people in the United States is the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) one. Named for the company that published the deck and its creators, RWS was created in the early 1900s. Arthur Edwards Waite wrote an overview of the traditions, history, and commentary for each Tarot card. In addition, he changed some of the Major Arcana from the traditional Marseilles deck. Meanwhile, his illustrator, Pamela Coleman-Smith revolutionized the Minor Arcana with her pictures. (Before that, the Minor Arcana were done in geometric patterns.)

In the 1940s, Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris developed the Thoth Deck to update the RWS deck. Crowley infused the Thoth Deck with symbolism of the occult. Therefore, many people today often find this brightly colored deck more difficult to read.

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Many Tarot decks have animals in them, and the animals add to the meanings of each card. For example, the lion and crab are in several cards. Lion represents strength, while the crab represents the moon and water.

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Tarot card from "Australian Animal Tarot" by Ann Williams-Fitzgerald

Suffering and the Human Condition: Ending the Suffering

For me, suffering occurs when people are alienated from their selves and everything around them. Suffering people have inside of them, an empty hole that aches with pain. People react to this pain in different ways. Some people fall into such despair, that they kill themselves to end the pain. Others are perpetually busy darting about, in hopes of being distracted from the pain. Still others do things to smother the pain, such as taking excess drugs.

The loss of hope lives at the root of human pain. I had my season in hell where I reached that place of no hope. In fact, I just wanted to lie down and die. To me, the world was bleak and gray. After seeking professional help, I was diagnosed with acute depression. The doctors told me that my brain was not producing the right chemicals. Now, I take medications to help my brain. What I had experienced was the secret strength of depression.

From my experiences of reaching out and receiving help, I know that the world can be kind and loving. In my opinion, people asking for help need to be sustained with hope and love. For me, when I was the most vulnerable, I experienced the Spirit (Divine), which came to me. Now, I carry that small spark inside me, never wanting to extinguish it.

To have a good day, there are three things I do daily. First, I get out of bed. I demonstrate to myself that there is something to get up for. I just don’t what it is yet. Second, I make my bed, which tells me that I can make order out of chaos. Third, I make myself a cup of tea. This shows that I care enough about myself to feed myself. If I do nothing else, I will have demonstrated to myself that I am worthy of love and that I am loved.

For me, the solution to suffering is in the struggle for wholeness. Conflict is an inevitable part of life, since it shows people what is worth fighting for. In avoiding conflict, a person may sacrifice their integrity. Resolution, the end of conflict, is a joining together. In order to be complete, the person needs to resolve their conflicts. The disunion of conflict and the unity of the resolution break the self apart, and then reforms it into a healthy whole.

To understand this further, consider the predator/prey dynamic of animals. When you ponder the animals’ interactions, you realize that they are more than the sum of their parts. For example, Elephant Seal and Great White Shark move from a position of strength. They use their strength and intelligence in different ways. Great White Shark is an apex predator of the oceans, while Elephant Seal rules his icy territory with an iron flipper. The shark preys on the seal, who escapes death by moving onto the land. The two animals dance in a synergy to form a new wholeness. The shark is yin to the seal’s yang.

The predator/prey relationship represents the primal forces of procreation and death, which is filled with a dynamic tension. From the struggle of opposing forces, a new life emerges. The new life is whole and in balance.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
To learn how animals can help you, email me animalteachers @ gmail.com

Otherworldly Beings: Defending Against "Soul Killers"

There is a book written in the 1970s. that sums up soul killers, “When I Say No, I Feel Guilty” by Manuel Smith. Add to that the informaiton that can be gleaned from watching TV Judge Shows (Judge Judy, etc). If nothing seems to make sense, then you are in the presence of a soul killer. Being with one destroys your commonsense and sanity. When things always seem the opposite than they should be, then you are enmeshed with the soul killer.

To deter soul killers, you can use several methods. What I suggest for people to do before they enter into an agreement with another person, is to get it in writing. Whether it is a family loan or a cell phone, getting it in writing is your best defense. If the other person refuses, then you do not loan them money or give them a cell phone. In short, if you feel guilty for saying “no”, then you are dealing with a user or a emotional abuser.

Walk away, if you can. Use the broken record if you cannot. Repeat over and over, “I need you to sign this” or “No, I do not want to loan you money”. Eventually, the soul killer will become frustrated and give up.

Another series of books called the “Gentle Art of Verbal Self Defense” goes one step further. They deal with abusive people and abusive relationships. If someone is repeatedly discounting you, your self-esteem drops. These books offer gentle suggestions on removing and defending yourself from abusive people.

Watch a TV Judge Show to learn how people lie, manipulate, and generally deceive themselves and others. The judge, as an impartial person, cuts through the talk to the essence of the situation. The judge generally offers suggestions such as “if someone threatens to kill you, call the police” or “if someone hurts you, do not go back to them”. Watching the show may speak to you or spark something inside you. Sometimes hearing a judge speak to a user, helps you to sort out what is going on in your life. Remember if you are in an upside-down universe, then you are with a soul killer.

Purchase the book at Amazon.com:
When I Say No, I Feel Guilty

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
For readings and empowerments, contact me at animalteachers @ gmail.com