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Tarot: Gigi Miner's Ethyrial Tarot
When Darkness Comes
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by Gigi Miner |
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Many of us have been there. Whether we acknowledge those ventures or not, they come and go from us at varying times in our lives. Some of us do everything possible to suppress any recollection of them. Others embrace it as if it were a prodigal child. Each person has his or her own way of dealing with this visitor of the soul. Ultimately, these moments can change our lives as no other.
Our card for this month is the Tower. We see a lighthouse, accosted by giant waves and fire-inducing lightening. The card seems engulfed in the darkness. So, too, are our souls in these deep and dreadful moments.
Ethyrial Tarot Copyright © 2005 Gigi Miner
Used with Permission
With the Tower, I am not talking about the blues or those times when we seem dissatisfied with our lives. The Tower comes when something is being torn asunder. The waves of emotion, as the waves of the ocean in our card, bear down on us with such force that we feel we may break at any moment. Our heart seems to swell within our breast. Our lungs heave with each inhalation as if we are starving for oxygen. Our very being writhes in agony, finding no escape from the pain. These are the Tower moments. Many people who read the cards unconsciously cringe to see the Tower join a reading. The Tower tells us to tear down that which is built or the Universe will come along and do it for you. I, for one, am not at all comfortable with being told what to do, not even by a higher power. I do not like fate taking the reins and twisting my life into shapes I cannot recognize. It is difficult to help people find that they have a choice, when those choices seem ripped from their grasp. Yet, even when darkness falls upon our souls, there is something good to be gained.
I will not attempt to convince anyone that these moments are anything but agonizing. Only one who has experienced such a moment can fully understand the power it wields. There are times when the person in its midst would rather die then live through that pain a moment longer. Still, millions of human beings move forward past the Tower to new days. In my Tarot Consulting, I have the privilege of helping many lost and frightened souls. Some come with the everyday concerns of health, happiness, and money. Others come in crisis, looking for an answer, any answer that might ease the ripping at their hearts.
Let us look at our card once again. Much of the card’s details are indiscernible. During these dark times, we cannot see things clearly. Our view is clouded by the pain and panic. The waves nearly engulf the Tower. Water often is equated with emotions. In this case, the emotions can be like massive waves crashing down upon us. Just as we think it is about to wane, another builds momentum and finds its mark again. We are barely able to gasp a breath before the next washes over us. The lightening strikes. One of the most frightening things about lightening is its unpredictability. The old adage, that lightening never strikes twice in the same place has been proven wrong. The fact remains that while amidst the storm, you cannot be sure where it will strike or when. You only know that you have to sit and wait and hope that it will be merciful. The fire that burns atop the lighthouse should be doused by the waves, but it burns still; sparked on by the lightening. Fire is one of those symbols that triggers many different reactions from people. To some, fire is warm and friendly. To others, it is a monster that feeds upon our homes and family. The fire will be something unique to each person.
Since we have a lighthouse as our Tower, there are even more implications involved. A lighthouse, traditionally, was a beacon set to warn ships from a rocky shore. It served to save lives and help others. Many who may be reading this are the lighthouses of their circles. You may be the one that others come to for help and advice. You are the one who warns them of a rocky shore should they not heed the light. The Tower is difficult enough for any individual, but for the lighthouse, it is often even more devastating. When the one who serves as an example or as a guidepost is stricken, not only are they ravaged, but those that turn to them are hit hard as well. If the pillar of strength and wisdom in your life is brought to their knees, what hope is there for anyone?
Any spiritual leader who thinks that they are beyond the Tower is merely setting a timer for themselves. These moments do not play favorites. Nor does the fact that such individuals, who are supposed to understand the machinations of the Universe, are even more floored because they are supposed to be more in tune. The wisest I have known were well aware that the Tower could come to them, if for no other reason then they are sitting out in the open, drawing that lightening to themselves by offering comfort to others. That lighthouse makes an easy target sitting out on a point with nothing else around it but the sea. This is the time that the lighthouse finds out who truly stands with them.
When you are a leader or teacher amongst your people, often you are idealized. Remember the saying, “the bigger they are the harder they fall”? It is human nature to place those healers upon a pedestal. When someone offers you such kindness and such guidance, you cannot help but feel something for them. Yet, by placing them on such a high level, you also curse them to fall from that great height. Ultimately, we are all on a journey. We are all seekers; even those that help to point the way for others. With great power comes great responsibility. It is a tenuous road that such people must walk. The drive to help people can overwhelm at times. The call to place a light in that window can be an obsession. All of this makes one a target.
Tower moments can act as a purifying fire. When gold is melted, the impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off the molten metal. It is the only way to make the gold better. Sometimes even the most spiritual amongst us needs this cleansing experience. Yet, even when the light-bringer is careful not to lose themselves in the haughtiness that can threaten this kind of life, just being willing to stand up for someone else leaves them vulnerable. Consider, if you will, a scene from old. Perhaps even from a movie we have seen long ago. A person is being hurt, beaten, and otherwise abused. The crowd is joining in to make the life of this person miserable beyond description. Enter the hero. A knight or a renegade, this person runs into the midst of the assault and stands with the person being beaten down. What happens next? You guessed it, they become the target. Anyone who is willing to help others is setting themselves up to be a target of negative energies.
While we often take for granted those that shed light in our lives, one of the best things that we might do is offer them support and positive energy to help them continue their quests. These spiritual warriors will seldom turn to others and ask them for help. It is contrary to their nature. They are, after all, the one doing the helping. Perhaps there is someone in your life to whom you turn in times of crisis. If they are to continue to be able to help you as well as others, they need your prayers, light, and well wishes.
I do remind you, however, that to send out any kind of energy to someone without their express permission is violating their space and person. Always make sure that the recipient is acceptable to your sending energies. Respect the individual and their right to accept or reject any such offerings. If, however, they are willing to accept your gift, then remember them well and often. Without such energy to buoy them up, they too can have many such dark moments. When they do, they may not be able to reach out to the hurting souls who need them. If you are one of the light-bringers, make sure that those who support you are offering sincere help with no ulterior motives. The energy that you take in is the energy that you give out. Be discerning.
The counselor is not without his or her own needs to be counseled. Remember though that these people do not quickly turn to another for help. In their journey to guide and assist others, they take on many burdens that are not their own. The emotions and chaotic energies of the desperate souls take their toll. It is imperative that the guide spend time alone in order to sort out what is theirs and what is a result of their work. The lighthouse stands alone in a dark sea. It sheds light so that others may survive a rocky trap. When the lighthouse is struck down, the whole of life around it is affected. Yet, this is how the lighthouse is tested to be true and strong. The years that it spends on that point against the waves and the churning ocean are a testament to its fortitude.
For the lighthouses out there, be kind to yourself. Take care of yourself and remember that there are forces out there that not only can, but will tear your life to the ground. Your work makes you vulnerable on many fronts. It is only by tending to your own soul first that you may continue to stand to help others.
For those that count on those lighthouses to help them on their journey, remember that you are not the only soul that seeks them out. Remember that sometimes the most loving of them will turn you away to do your own work, so that you can stand on your own without their help. The ultimate goal of any spiritual guide is to teach those that seek their help how to stand without it.
When your life is hit by the Tower card remember that after the storm comes a beautiful calm and lessons that cannot be learned via any other method. When the Tower comes, great things are on the horizon.
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Gigi Miner,
Tarot Consultant,
Author & Teacher
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Gigi Miner is a minister, ordained by the Universal Life Church, and has a Doctorate of Motivation from the same.
“One of the greatest benefits of Tarot is being able to take control of your life rather then be a victim of it,” is the motto of this professional Tarot consultant, author, and teacher, from upstate New York.
Moonlighting as an adult education instructor, Gigi brings that experience into her Tarot and writing work, helping clients and readers to find their own inner wisdom. Gigi has taught classes on tarot in regular and e-formats.
Believing that "laughter is the best medicine,” there is often a lighter tone to her teachings. When conducting an adult-education class, one of the main questions she asks is, "Are you having fun?” If the answer is "yes" then she knows that her students are learning more then if she were teaching in a more traditional mode.
Gigi has written articles for various newsletters, including Tarot Celebrations, World Tarot Network, and Gateway to Tarot. She has released a book entitled, “Light-of-Day Tarot & Dream Work,” which is available at www.lulu.com/ladyfogg.
Her Novel, “Card Shark” is now available at all online bookstores or by visiting:
www.lulu.com/ladyfogg.
Her next release, "The Fallen" is due out later this year."
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Contact Info:
www.geocities.com/
ladyfogg
Email : gigiminer@gmail.com
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