Know the self to be sitting in the chariot, the body to be the chariot, the intellect the charioteer, and the mind the reins.
~Veda Upanishads
Spirit is the journey, body is the busI am the driver from dust to dust…
~Juluka (Johnny Clegg & Savuka)
Years ago, when I lived on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, in Puget Sound near Seattle Washington, I met a dear friend who shifted my consciousness and engaged me onto my first step in my own adult, conscious, spiritual journey. On his journey from Florida to Orcas Island this man had taken mushrooms, everyday for the three weeks that it took him to get there, and needless to say he was a man on a completely different frame of existence. He was walking in two worlds and he opened the world of spirit to me in a profound way. The day I told him I was leaving the island was the day he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend/enter into conscious romantic spiritual relationship. And I was relieved because I had known he liked me and I also knew that he was way way way ahead of me and I was not there yet with him, no matter how much I wanted to be.
And yet, this relationship was a profound catalyst in a forward movement in my life. He not only turned me on to the Moody Blues and Gary Zukav’s Seat of the Soul, but he also introduced me to Juluka/Johnny Clegg and Savuka, specifically the song “Spirit is the Journey”, referenced and linked in the quote at the beginning of this month's article. A song that has followed me through my life and resonates with this month’s card, The Chariot.
The Chariot is all about change and movement. The Charioteer on this card is wearing the sign of Cancer on his shirt, he is an integrated man, one who is in actively in touch with his emotions and uses them to navigate with the help of the Galactic Butterfly, the literal, mythical and metaphorical heart of the galaxy. He steers his chariot with what is referred to as the Hunab Ku, the center of universal consciousness, where all of existence is present at the point where the past meets the future and the universe has its beginning and end, spiraling both in and out. The two bulls, representatives of the sign of Taurus, one black and one white are the active collaboration of shadow and light, and through this integration we bring tangible results into the world.
I have always had the ability to attach my demons to my chariot. And they have been forced to make themselves useful.
~Ingmar Bergman
Last October I experienced an impetus into a powerful move forward when my hip froze, which was a Tower moment. My spirit, through my body, let me know that I had a move to make, that it was NECESSARY to move forward, that sitting in my “stuff” and expecting life to simply propel me forward with put my active participation, was not an option. And how I transformed that experience, the decision I made to consciously come back into conscious co-creation, and surrendered trust, with a benevolent universe, has propelled me forward into an opportunity for even more profound Forward Movement. In fact, it set me up, in my current life situation, and made the space for something I had not expected. In fact I had let go of expectations and simply began showing up and following where and when spirit told me to go.
The first time I saw this particular card from this deck, I was told it represented the man who would come into my life when I was moving forward with my life in its appropriate trajectory (when I was firmly on my path, what I came here to this planet to do), and together, along with the relationship, we would help move each other forward. I find it fascinating that I am remembering my friend from Orcas Island, who I was not romantically ready for, because I have just recently re-encountered a man, a friend actually, who I am ready for and and who is also moving forward with me in a whole new way. As I consciously surrendered and allowed life and spirit to show me the way, where and when to move forward, this man re-appeared, in a new capacity, and we appear to be moving together for the time being.
~Van Morrison
When the Chariot makes its way into your reading, it offers the perspective that something is moving forward in a powerful way, in a physical and grounded and earthly way. And it's important to recognize that the forces of movement are internal AND external, when it's time to move forward, all of creation supports us in that movement. The Chariot lets us know that that moment, that movement, is here.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
~Goethe
~Gavin DeGraw
How are you moving forward on your journey? Come on by and we’ll take a look at what the cards have to say. Friday, May 27 marks my first day as a “Regular Reader” on the fourth Friday of each month for Paradise Found. If you can’t make it that day, come by the next day on Saturday the 28 when I’ll be back to back for a second day in May.
And lastly, please join me in singing Prince home. Bless the journey of this amazing human being, artist, musician and forward thinker as he crosses over on his way to become one of our ancestors, lighting the way from the other side.
