Symbolic Living » art

Aida Opera Film

Symbolic Living — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:13:29 +0000

Sophia Loren stars in Aida (1953), an opera. The Egyptian set design, performances and costumes are a treat to see. Enjoy.

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Why Beauty Matters. The Philosophy and Pursuit of Beauty.

Symbolic Living — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:45:06 +0000

Why Beauty Matters by Philosopher and Writer, Roger Scruton.

This is a documentary you absolutely will not want to miss.

Beauty has been central to our civilization for over 2000 years. From it’s beginnings in ancient Greece, philosophy has reflected upon the place of beauty in art, poetry, music, architecture and everday life. Philosophers have argued that through the pursuit of beauty we shape the world as a home, we also come to understand our own nature as spiritual beings. But our world has turned it’s back on beauty and because of that we find ourselves surrounded by ugliness and alienation.

I want to persuade you that beauty matters, that it is not just a subjective thing, but a universal need of human beings. If we ignore this need we find ourselves in a spiritual desert. I want to show you the path out of that desert. It is a path that leads to home.

The great artists of the past were aware that life was full of chaos and suffering but they had a remedy for this, and the name of that remedy was beauty. The beautiful work of art brings consolation in sorrow, and affirmation in joy. It shows human life to be worthwhile… ~ Roger Scruton

Plato wrote that Beauty is a sign of another, and higher, order.

By the eye of the mind, you will be able to nourish true virtue and become the friend of God ~ Plato

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Full Moon in Taurus November 10, 2011 Astrology Forecast

Symbolic Living — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:33:52 +0000

It’s officially a Full Moon in Taurus on November 10, 2011 at 3:16 pm EST.

The Moon is shining bright in the sky as ever. You may have also noticed another bright light in the sky near the moon; that’s Jupiter.

Jupiter has been in Taurus for many moons, bringing with it a growing appreciation and understanding of the natural world and what we associate with it, materialism.

We also see Jupiter in Taurus can point to the abundance or excess we see in terms of money. It is no secret that too much in the hands of the rulers can create an imbalance. We see that Pluto in Capricorn, also and earth sign, indicates a broader, deeper need for transformation in this area of our lives. The convoluted, and encompassing complexities of financial world affairs is only one part of the picture.

There’s also a more personalized gift Jupiter in Taurus bestows upon us to enjoy the season and with the Full Moon emphasizing our attention here, we can relate to the natural cycles around us more deeply.

This Full Moon indicates a time to enjoy the world around you here and now, and to bring attention to your senses. How do you feel in your physical body and environment? Pay attention to the sights, scents, temperatures and sounds.

In these days of November, we often see them as grey and dull, but there’s actually still a lot of color and life all around us. If you can get out to the park to lie in the leaves and have the warm sun on your skin, breathing in the fresh air, you’ll get reacquainted in no time.

The weather is still quite nice in many area’s. Some tree’s still have orange, red and gold leaves. Raking the leaves is a great way to connect to the earth. Pick a few of your favorite leaves to bring the earth element inside. If you don’t have a sacred space, a small table with a few leaves is a good start to reconnect to that sacredness in nature. You may also like adding a few of your favorite stones to symbolize the earth and feeling more grounded.

Burn natural incense to add to the experience. Juniper is a good choice corresponding to Jupiter.

Some plants associated with Jupiter are anise, almond, clove, cypress, dandelion, fig, flax, hyssop, juniper, maple, mullein, nutmeg, oak, olive, poplar, sarsaparilla, vervain. For Taurus you may enjoy apple, cardamom, lilac, magnolia, oakmoss, patchouli, rose thyme, vanilla, and violet.

Taurus rules the throat, so a good practice to feel more in touch with your body and soul is to sing the most beautiful songs in the shower, loudly, boldly. Songs of love and adoration of life will be moving.

Drinking warm, fragrant herbal tea’s under the moonlight, staring into the heavens will bring you to a renewed awareness of your place in the world. You won’t regret giving yourself that extra, deserved time to observe and be present. Tea will also soothe the throat. It’s best to be preventative now in terms of health.

This is a good time to pay attention to your bank balance. Set up an easy plan to stay organized with your income and expenses. Spending on necessities will make you feel better than spending frivolously. Do allow yourself some room for enjoyment. Perhaps a piece of art, home decor or a new outfit will do you well, but only if it’s functional and will stand the test of time.

With Jupiter on your side, think positively about your finances and ways you can grow your security.Give what you can to charity, or to help those you love. Find meaning in the uses of your money rather than burning it senselessly.

If you have a hunch on a business idea, trust it. Brainstorm on it, write down related ideas, and see where it takes you. Use expansive thinking to your advantage, and keep track of the details before you forget them.

Have open-minded philosophical discussions with your partner. Opening up, getting to know each other better will be warming. Enjoy laughter together. Get outside, explore new ideas and spaces.

Mars is inching away from Leo and will enter Virgo late in the evening. It will be bittersweet for Mars to leave fiery Leo to enter new territory. It is a great time to tie up loose ends. Ensure you are organized and ready for the work ahead.

If you have an artistic streak, or have been pondering trying your hand at something new, this would be the ideal time to finalize your decisions and prepare to start working on the details.

If you’ve fallen off the health wagon, this is a great time to renew your interest. Buy a bench to exercise at home, start a routine of running every day in your neighborhood even if only for a few minutes to start. Your heart health and your posture has been important. Now it’s time to get ready to take your routines more seriously with your heightened awareness and appreciation of your physical self.

Jupiter is the equivalent to the god Zeus in the Greek pantheon.

It’s really important to pay attention to where you hold tension in your body and how you expel nervous tension. Make a schedule . Use online tools or an agenda to pencil in time for balancing work and relaxation. Getting regular massages and stretching will be important in the coming weeks. Get in tune with your body more holistically.

If in the coming weeks you notice your intimate life isn’t as interesting or active as you’d like it to be, find ways to improve your self esteem. It would also be useful to find grounding your energy through eating healthy food and running. Lower body exercises from cycling to lunges will help you feel connected to the material world.

We should all be paying more attention to the rhythms of nature, the seasons and our bodies more now. Preparing for the winter ahead by feeling well and on top of things in advance will alleviate a lot of worry. Procrastinating will get worse if you don’t put your best foot forward right away. Have extra food stuffs put away for the harsher days. Get the wood ready for your furnace.

Many of us will feel more reserved and in our own bubble, taking things a bit slower. More sleeping, reading, lounging, listening to music, will all be good for you, along with good, wholesome, nourishing food. Walks, watering the house plants, sitting outside taking in the scenery will do you just fine. Honing in on your skills of observation will be rewarding. Find time to toil and time to chill without going extreme in either direction, for best results.

Interested in traveling? Plan for your future getaway by collecting brochures and doing your research. The most beautiful places will be appealing, as well as those that are stimulating to your intellect. Appreciation of historical design to modern architecture will be tantalizing factors to consider.

For those who unfortunately have a hot temper, be cautious. The Full Moon has been known to raise a bit of lunacy and personal reactions can vary. The Taurus energy can be relentless for those with a tendency to see red so be careful you choose words that won’t have Zeus throw down his thunderbolt in retaliation.

Over the next couple of weeks, getting yourself in a predictable, steady routine will keep you sane, centered and grounded. Incorporate as much earthy activities as possible. Mars, Jupiter and Pluto will be in good company with each other enjoying the earth signs and will help you transform your life into a more concrete, stable lifestyle.

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This forecast has been written by Symbolic Living. © 2011. All rights reserved.
This article is not to be copied or republished without express written permission.
Stay tuned for our regular installments of New Moon and Full Moon Forecasts by Symbolic Living.

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New Moon in Libra September 27, 2011 Astrology Forecast

Symbolic Living — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:28:59 +0000

It’s officially a New Moon in Libra on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 7:08 am EST.

The energy has shifted a lot since the Full Moon a couple of weeks ago. That’s life, always in motion. The Sun, moon and Mercury along with Venus and Saturn are all in Libra now.

Can you feel the transition beginning? Astrologically speaking we are moving into the deeper subconscious cycle of life in the northern hemisphere. We move through the mythic symbolism of our life between light and dark, our external and internal worlds. The feminine moon, now accompanied by neighboring planets in Libra, emphasizes the focus of the suns journey through the zodiac. The equinox on the 23rd marked the beginning of our descent into the underworld, symbolically speaking.

Autumn brings magic back to our lives. With all our extroversion and lazy, fun enjoyment basking in the sunny weather energy all summer, we’re now moving into a period that gives us back a crisp renewal. Summer could be said to be as superficial (bright, sunny, seen), and Autumn begins the seasonal change towards depth of our world (mysterious, internal, hidden). Considerations of our deeper motivations start to surface with reflection and with spontaneity.

Transition always leads to a kind of struggle as a new phase merges with what is ending. A new moon signifies this for us. The ending becomes the new beginning. With that there is potential to renew ourselves in a different way, a more internal approach to living our lives.

Some don’t want to let go of all that leisurely enjoyment of the summer. Getting back to the nitty gritty work can feel heavy. Saturn will emphasize the weight of our lives in all of us as we try to seek balance.

Our karma becomes a focal point in many areas of our life. Now we get pushed to ask more out of ourselves. What’s working? What isn’t? Where do I go from here? What can I do to make things better?

Taking the responsible route may feel burdensome when we ponder the effort required, but you can make it fun. You can make it about what you really want to do to make the most of your efforts, and make them meaningful. Instead of living your life from the viewpoint of what you have to do just to get by, you can bring more meaningfulness to everything you do, even the most mundane tasks.

Raking the leaves, as just one autumn themed example. What a burden right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. It can be turned into an event that lifts your spirits, and shifts you into a spiritually connected mode. The act of tidying your space, the fresh scent of the leaves, playing with the kids and pets in the yard, having a warm cup of coffee, seeing the birds migrate high in the sky make the moment majestic. Looking above at the magnificence of those gorgeous tree’s colorful leaves dancing and shaking all around you makes the task become a meaningful experience.

This is how you can tip the scales, to your benefit and find the balance. Libra signifies integrating our internal and external world. Where else can you shift the approach in your life to make your experiences become more magical? Harvesting the final herbs and vegetables from your garden, bringing in the flowers you want to keep, placing bowls of red leaves on your table for added color and a festive spirit; the possibilities are endless to create a more sacred bond to the changing times. It may sound a bit too “Martha Stewart”, but looking deeper, the littlest things can create profound moments of self-realization.

Your emotions may also move towards a more compassionate response to others. People deserve and need love. Those who act out, are doing so because they are feeling pain. If you return aggressive behavior, whether direct or passive aggressive, you keep the ball rolling.

Becoming more in tune with your real intentions is a gift the Moon bestows, as we reach deeper into understanding our subconscious motivations. This is great for people who have passive aggressive tendencies to take a moment to reflect on how to move away from instigating underlying problems by reacting more kindly.

A New Moon will also grant you more intuition to make things start off on better footing. Helping others feel more balanced, isn’t always easy, but by putting in the effort in a kind and compassionate way, you can turn the experience around a few degrees to make your life, and the life of others, a little bit better.

Uranus continues retrograde motion in Aries. A slow mover, but now opposing the Moon and her nearby allies, there’s potentially a challenge staring across the room. You can give a fighting glare and complain, or smile and a bow, it’s up to you. For many a friendly nod will come naturally, for others it’s not so simple to muster a genuine acceptance. This could be a person, a situation or event that feels uncomfortable merely because it’s a surprise out of left field that shakes you. How are you going to deal with it, is more important than what it is. Remember, how you deal with situations is up to you, and makes all the difference.

Understandably though, many don’t like unpredictable change that pulls them out of their comfort zone. A lot of us like things to run as smoothly as possible and aren’t crazy about challenges that are quick to change our flow. To ease any tension and to feel more grounded and more aware of what the next step you can take is, you should listen to your intuition before acting. Sit with it. Often you can create a space of time around situations to make it a bit easier to handle.

Uranus may bring a bit of aggressive dynamism our way opposing Mercury. A snicker from across the room is possible. Not everyone plays fair even if you wish they would. Luckily, Mercury also enjoys the fresh air of Libra and will motivate us to quietly step away for a moment, instead of reacting without thinking. Enjoying a moment of stillness in the sweet autumn air will make a world of difference to your thinking process. Talk yourself into taking a more balanced point of view before approaching a subject.

Many will have a cloud of indecision lingering over their head. In all your decisions, consider what is right for all involved, including yourself, to create a lighter atmosphere for everyone.

You can never control what other people will say or think about you. Ultimately, what others say reveals more about themselves, and their own personal worldview and feelings, than it does about anybody else. Getting wrapped up in others’ emotions isn’t worthwhile; it’s draining. Take what works, and leave the rest behind.

Just think of how tabloids talk about famous people. If they let each false perception of them control their ego’s they’d lose themselves in despair. You know the truth of who you are. What others say is about them.

Don’t let other’s views get to you. It’s not worth it. Just focus on what you’re doing and what you’re passionate about.

This also goes for any tasks that suddenly come up. Allow yourself the space to think before taking action. If you go into action and reaction mode too quickly you may feel scatter brained. Let Libra infuse your thinking processes with balance. Think about ways to bring out the best in others as well as yourself.

Running, hiking, even zip-lining would be excellent ways to burn off tension and give you a sense of personal freedom. Discovering new areas will lighten your mood. The New Moon is great to start a new activity, outside of school or work. Keep a journal for a couple of weeks of what you’re doing different and how it makes you feel more alive.

Romance will flow best by bridging spontaneity with the comfort of beautiful surroundings rich in character. Shyness can place a blanket over many, but maintaining focus on your surroundings and activities rather than self-conscious observation will ease your mind’s self-judgmental habits.

If you try to buy love, forget it. Your affection will be seen as so much more valuable. Don’t do anything that makes you so excited that you lose your ability to make wise decisions.

If you’re in the breaking up phase, getting over someone you recently separated with, or are indecisive about your love life in general, consider journaling what you need to make yourself feel more emotionally balanced and secure. If you feel inhibited, just be easy on yourself with the judgmental attitude. Good things come in good time. This may be the right period for you to identify more acutely what you are really looking for in love and why. If you’re mostly motivated by what you want to receive instead of give, you’ll only create distance between you and love.

For those in a relationship, think of ways to give more to your partner. Any gesture of kindness will be appreciated and bonding. Your time is highly likely the one thing that would be most appreciated now. Spend quality time together. Do some self reflection on what you identify as “quality time” but also consider what your partners definition of it is as well.

Wasting money won’t make sense now. Saturn needs you to be more attentive to the karma you’re creating. Debt is karma that grows in numbers. Using your credit card frivolously hopefully won’t be a habit, as the weight of responsibility to pay it back should be considered foremost before you swipe or insert your chip.

We all feel like we have the drive to succeed, but doubts linger about how much we can grow. Mars is in a tough position to Jupiter now. Attention to details, and hard work will get you through this period. Go towards your passions full force. The time for them to grow will come. Now is the time to give your all, and up your efforts. What helps you create a more lively, abundant life comes through doing what you love. Even though you may think your skills aren’t up to par, do what you can. Skills grow through spending time.

It’s a good time to start a new exercise routine. Stretch and push yourself in new ways to symbolize your willingness to create a more fulfilling life. Getting into the groove of exercise doesn’t happen overnight, but soon enough you’ll notice each push you make gets you further and makes you stronger. It gets easier with time. Let this be an example for whatever you feel enthusiastic to put effort into.

If you’re an artist, or an aspiring artist, don’t let the doubts of the quality of your work get in your way. Try putting your emotions into your work instead of your brain for a while. Create without thinking or analyzing. Create purely by the movement and the action involved. Find discipline in the active force you put out, instead of the planning.

Know that what you focus on eventually grows. So start something that makes you feel like you’re moving towards more balance in what you really want. The more time and effort you dedicate, the better. Consider how it will give yourself and those around you the freedom you deserve. Look at anything spontaneous that comes up as a jolt towards you getting on track with more focus. Whatever comes your way, use it to improve the overall picture you’re developing for your life. Be open to what is new, and you’ll find the balance that works for you.

You’re life is changing, and the colors of autumn reflect the beauty within all of us. Enjoy the meaningful changes.

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Full Moon in Pisces September 12, 2011 Astrology Forecast

Symbolic Living — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:04:25 +0000

It’s officially a Full Moon in Pisces on Monday, September 12, 2011 at 5:26am EST.

This Full Moon is particularly beautiful shining down on us in the heavens. If you haven’t had a chance to sit and stare at the moon, you’re missing a moment to remember. With contemplation on the finer details of life, the light of this moon will shine deep into your soul. The water element is emphasized greatly with this Full Moon in Pisces.

The emotional depth of each of us is heightened. Situations draw us in to a sphere of awareness of how we feel about ourselves and others. Life feels more poetic, meaningful, and colored by a spiritual purpose. If you let yourself be drawn into the magic of this moment, you’ll be changed.

Life always changes, just like the emotions. One minute you could feel like you’re drawn into the pits of despair, not knowing where to turn or what to do. In the next you could feel like a million dollars and ready to move forward with excitement of the possibilities.

Like the tides, our feelings move in and out, always rising and falling.

Creativity will be heightened, and should be embellished. Writing, drawing, painting, listening to music, whatever draws you to feel and express your emotions will be good for you.

Songs can move you to tears. Wallowing for long in melancholy will not do you well though. It is always temporary unless you choose to stay there. Feeling pain and sorrow is a part of life. We all feel it from time to time, but we always move past it because that’s what it’s there for. It shows us parts of ourselves that are far from superficial.

When everything is peachy keen in life, our inner world can be glossed over, forgotten, and the superficial becomes more prevalent. We barely scratch the surface of who we are when living on the surface. It’s when pain comes into the picture that the spectrum of our feelings widens and we get in touch with ourselves more. Tears reveal when we’ve swam deep in our internal oceans. We don’t know what’s deep down in the waters until we get there.

It doesn’t mean this full moon will bring us sadness, and if it does, it can be temporary, but what a new world of self-awareness that’s opened up because of it. Sail the sea’s of your emotions knowing they are an important part of life’s path. The heightened sense of self can unite us with ourselves and with others more deeply. Understanding yourself with more compassion, will lead to a more giving, loving kindness.

Taking a bath in warm waters will be purifying to the body, mind and soul. Add your favorite essential oils and botanicals to enhance the experience and feel more in tune to the magic of the elements. It’s also useful to make this a ritual during the seasonal change into Autumn to fortify your immune system and help ward off colds and flu’s. Natural herbal tea’s added to your daily routine is also recommended.

It’s a great time to have interactions with family that matter now. Any activities around the house done together for mutual benefit will be appreciated and recognized. Helping take care of responsibilities from cleaning, to paying bills, to getting things organized will create a bond by being on the right track together.

The tough conversation on what needs to be done will go over well now if that extra care and attention to others’ feelings is considered. Going for a hike together, riding bikes, taking the dog to the park together and any activities that get you moving and shifting your physical energy will be great for relationships.

If finances are a problem now, it’s best to get on top of them. The bills from the past will continue to add up, so avoiding them will make the pile rise. Assess what you can you do to bring more in to balance your wants and needs with the others in your circle of inter-dependency. Money matters can be a touchy, emotional subject for many. Bring your compassionate side to the table. Understanding each others feelings is important to making mutually beneficial decisions.

Helping yourself and others will transform your well being. Helping the elderly, especially with health concerns will be good for the soul. If you smoke, taking the extra care to not affect others with second hand smoke will be noticed and appreciated. Taking care of your body with small steps to show you care will make a world of difference.

Drinking and drug use may be emphasized now in those with such tendencies, and will likely lead to unpredictable behavior in an attempt to mask internal emotional vulnerabilities.

NASA sent twin space probes up on Saturday, September 10, to explore and map the interior of the moon called the GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory).

Respectfulness in relationships is important now. Working together on a healthy diet, making dinner, exercising, doing yoga, all these types of activities done together will get the conversation going in a positive direction. A makeover, or simply cutting your hair or wearing something that shows off your best features can instigate and renew appreciation of you in your partner. For those who are single, joining group activities that are both creative and healthy for the body and mind will be perfect avenues to meet someone with a great personality.

Venus will be moving into Libra on the 14th of September. Love and romance will feel right at home. Enjoy feeling a little more luxurious and worthy in the second half of September.

Now is also a good time to recreate in art what you feel in your heart, bringing forth something divinely inspired without judgment.

Jupiter was the ancient ruler of Pisces, now Neptune carries the currents of it’s waters. This Full Moon in Pisces brings forth the significance of ancient inner wisdom into our modern lives.

It’s important now to consider how your philosophical and religious points of view unite and divide you in yourself and with others. There are new possibilities growing within your world view. What seemed true and believable before, is changing. With so much information on the internet, it’s hard to know what to believe. Trusting what feels right makes all the difference.

The spiritual truth doesn’t come from what is forced on you or what you’re conditioned to believe due to pressure of family, friends and societies judgments.

The truth is available to us all within our hearts. We can know what is true by what feels right. If there is conflict, can it really be true? The sun shines in our sky every day, that is a universal truth that can not be denied. That’s what truth means. It’s undeniable, universal and natural.

Nature shows us an undeniable truth. The natural world is here and now, present, and real. Whether it was created in an instant, or grew from the processes of a Big Bang, is up for debate, but what is true is that you’re experiencing the life force in this world right now in this moment. The laws of time and space in nature are all around us, set in place molding our reality.

Many look to the walls of organized religions for answers told to them by others in what to think and believe, but there is a way of reaching out spiritually more directly, without the possible interference by the minds of man. The natural world in it’s purity, itself is a sacred, living sanctuary available to you at any moment. It is fashioned by forces of Divine wonder, we can touch and feel right before our eyes. All it’s laws do not have to be told to us or enforced upon us with varying ideologies or opinions. The laws of nature are simply present in the design laid out at our feet and in the heavens above us. The beauty of the laws of nature are present, we live it, feel it, and experience it directly.

What is right and wrong is debatable in religion and politics, and always will be, but in your heart there is a truth that does not need to be told or enforced, it is felt. When we are tuned into the natural world, and to the spiritual heart available to all of us within, we are naturally guided towards thoughts and actions of love, compassion, and understanding that creates harmony for ourselves and for others.

It is when the ego gets in the way that conflict arises. The ego is the great divider. The heart unites. The truth is not owned or reserved for one group over another, that’s only the ego talking.

When you look up at this Pisces Full Moon, see the truth of it’s wonder in it’s presence and how magnificently Divine this moment really is. Let yourself be moved by your emotions. It’s an important time to feel the meaning of your life more deeply and let the light shine and reflect from your heart.

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Three of Swords Tarot Minor Arcana

Symbolic Living — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:40:17 +0000

Welcome back to Tarot Notes by Symbolic Living.

We are pleased to rekindle your relationship with the symbolism of the Tarot each week. This week we’re continuing to share the three’s with the Three of Swords.

You may wish to review the Ace of Swords and the Two of Swords before proceeding.

Three of Swords

Astrological Association: Saturn in Libra

What is your initial reaction when viewing this card?

The rain clouds here draw up images of air and water, the mind and emotions respectively. Although this card is interpreted as distress, and it does look like this upon initial viewing there’s also a lot of opportunity here.

The swords are generally viewed as a more negative suit. That’s because swords relate to the mind, and the mind, as we all well know can be quite troublesome for many. A lot of what we think and believe with our minds is attached to a lot of conditioned ideas. The mind afflicted can lead one down a spiral of despair. It doesn’t have to be that way though. With our minds we have the power to choose how we think and react to situations.

What does the heart represent to you? How is the mind and the heart connected? How are your thoughts and beliefs connected?

We can think with our mind, or with our heart. As this card indicates the mind can pierce our emotional selves.

Circumstances in our life from marital problems, to loneliness, mourning, among many others, can lead to a gloomy outlook when our mind becomes entrenched in despairing thoughts. However once we go there, and do the work, the clouds clear and we are stronger than ever. Our brave hearts overcome the circumstance and we rise to the challenge if we pull out the daggers from our heart and let the light shine in our thoughts. The silver lining becomes visible once again.

In Zen and meditation clouds are used as a metaphor to describe the the way our minds work. Our thoughts come and go, arise and disappear, and are constantly moving, changing and affecting us. Stilling the mind is an important part of meditation to go beyond the illusions our minds can impose on our perception of reality.

Notice which way the clouds are moving. They are not stagnant, there is movement here and change is inevitable. It will not rain forever.

The rain is a symbol of fertility and life as well, we have the opportunity to bring new awareness into our lives that allow us to grow. Rain is as much necessary for growth as is the shining sun.

The clouds and rain can also represent a time needing cleansing.

The sacred heart also refers to our spiritual selves. How does your mind conflict with your spiritual center?

Questions for Personal Consideration:

Have you had a loss in life that required courage and strength?
Have you grown and matured immensely due to a struggle in life?
Do you worry, or are afraid of competition?
Have you been in a conflict where words dug deep into your heart? Have you done this to another?
Does your mind conflict with your heart?
Where in life do you have work to do, where an obstacle has been encountered and needs to be overcome?

We hope you enjoy learning about Tarot at Symbolic Living with an easy to understand approach for beginners. We also hope you can find personal relations to the card symbolism and think about the imagery in new and expansive ways.

Some weeks we may talk about the cards, history and more. As we go along things will change and develop, we’ll keep it interesting for you.

You are also welcome to join the Symbolic Living Forum for further discussion in the Tarot section where each card can be discussed with members.

Stay tuned for our regular installments of Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

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Three of Cups Tarot Minor Arcana

Symbolic Living — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:52:21 +0000

Welcome back to Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

We are pleased to rekindle your relationship with the symbolism of the Tarot each week. This week we’re continuing to share the three’s with the Three of Cups.

You may wish to review the Ace of Cups and the Two of Cups before proceeding.

Three of Cups

Astrological Association: Mercury in Cancer

This card signifies an overflowing of emotion (cups). Although the card does not show spilling of the cups as one would suspect in overflowing, there is a firm foundation that holds these cups.

The will yellow, the security and foundation is dominant (red) white surrounds both. The woman in red has her hand on the white, signifying receiving what is pure. the right hand liften to the yellow shows the power of security driven by the will, she in yellow reciproates with the right hand lifting her cup. The woman in white lifts her cup with her left hand, signifying she is receiving the good that comes from security and will. The woman in red has yellow shoes further signifying the close connection of security and will through action. They all appear to be dancing.

The cups create a triangle, a unity. Cups symbolizing emotion, overflow with joy.

In some decks rain is present. Rain is a sign of abundance, fertility, life force granted to the dry earth. Consider in times of drought how ecstatic people are when the rains finally arrive. This signifies gratitude for what is.

Here we see friendship, camaraderie, a shared purpose in an abundant garden. It could be prosperity, but also shows us the rewards and riches felt within, and may not be dependent on externals.

Alchemical colors - white (purification), red (refinement), yellow/gold (perfection).

This card may denote a celebration but also shows us the presence of a healing atmosphere, enjoyed sharing, positive communications.

As mentioned in the security, foundation and will brought together. The common effort and purpose brought together.

Happiness shared is never wasted.

Cheers.

Some personal considerations:

What kinds of vegetables or fruit can you make out in the image? What do they symbolize to you personally? What memories of times in your life that felt abundant.

What do you have to be grateful for?
Who in your life do you enjoy and celebrate with?
Do you have a relationship that allows your views to be communicated?
Do you have a grip on your emotions?
Do you have a positive attitude that gives you a celebratory feeling within?

We hope you enjoy learning about Tarot at Symbolic Living with an easy to understand approach for beginners. We also hope you can find personal relations to the card symbolism and think about the imagery in new and expansive ways.

Some weeks we may talk about the cards, history and more. As we go along things will change and develop, we’ll keep it interesting for you.

You are also welcome to join the Symbolic Living Forum for further discussion in the Tarot section where each card can be discussed with members.

Stay tuned for our regular installments of Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

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Three of Wands Tarot Minor Arcana

Symbolic Living — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:56:16 +0000

Welcome back to Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

We are pleased to rekindle your relationship with the symbolism of the Tarot each week. This week we’re beginning the three’s with the Three of Wands.

You may wish to review the Ace of Wands and the Two of Wands before proceeding.

Three of Wands

Exploration of the Art: Does this man look familiar to the man in the Two of Wands? Could he be the same man or a close family member.

One thing you’ll notice about this card is the color yellow is very prominent. Even the water is yellow. That is a strong sun!

The willpower, determination and ambition in this card is strongly signified by the yellow color dominance. Also dominating is the red cloak and red shoes. He’s got his feet very firmly planted on the ground.

Two staffs are secure in the ground, and he holds the third with his right (active) hand. Notice the leaves on the first two staffs, each growth is grouped with three leaves. Notice the top of the 3rd staff he is holding, it has an extra leaf growing, a fourth. What do you suppose this signifies?

Note the difference between his upper left side and upper right side of his body. How are the posture, and placement of clothes significant. His left hand is hidden, his right arm juts out with a blue shirt. Blue represents communication. Also notice the checkered black and yellow section of his cloak. Read more about the checkerboard here.

See how it moves from the large piece of yellow covering his left (receptive) hidden side. What is he willing, wishing to receive? His receptive side appears stable, while his right (active) side willingly decides what to do. His right hand does not hold the staff too firmly or too loosely, the grip appears comfortable, confident and present.

He also has a band circling his head, bringing our attention to the mind. What’s on his mind? We can not see any expression on his face. Would you guess he is confident from the other clues you see in the image?

In the gold water we see boats. Perhaps they are leaving for a voyage, or returning. There are three wands, and three ships. Is there equal return matching the effort given? Why would the water be yellow (golden) instead of blue?

Like the Two of Wands, we see the man has a high vantage point, looking down and observe a large area. Does this represent higher consciousness, knowing, status?

Anything else you notice or catches your eye?

Astrological Association: Sun in Aries

What does the Sun represent to you, and Aries? Expression, confidence, achievement, willpower, beginnings… what else?

This card is showing us the man who is doing well. This is someone who is following an inner inspiration, an urge to do well and is in a place where he can watch the actions of his decisions. He is following a purpose that has a fire burning within him of energy and desire to accomplish.

He is active, yet stable. He has positive energy, ideas, and enthusiasm. He had confidence that is broad reaching. His plans set in motion, able to think ahead and reap rewards.

He is a coordinator, or part of a larger vision, and takes his part.

Here we see trust in using energy wisely, to encompass a large capacity without wasting anything. Goals are achievable when effort and will are directed.

Questions for Self Reflection:

Are you a visionary?
Do you have long term goals you trust you can achieve?
Are you ambitious?
Where in your life did you work hard and then enjoyed the results?
What do you see in your future – out there?
What do you want for your life?
Are you willing to do the work and make the decisions necessary to see a return?
Do you do your work with integrity and honesty, deserving the positive rewards?
Looking back at the Ace of Wands and the Two of Wands, how does this card relate?
What accomplishments can you observe and be proud of?
Do you have ideas that are productive and reap rewards?

We hope you enjoy learning about Tarot at Symbolic Living with an easy to understand approach for beginners. We also hope you can find personal relations to the card symbolism and think about the imagery in new and expansive ways.

Some weeks we may talk about the cards, history and more. As we go along things will change and develop, we’ll keep it interesting for you.

You are also welcome to join the Symbolic Living Forum for further discussion in the Tarot section where each card can be discussed with members.

Stay tuned for our regular installments of Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

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Two of Pentacles Tarot Minor Arcana

Symbolic Living — Tue, 24 May 2011 22:10:51 +0000

Welcome back to Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

We are pleased to rekindle your relationship with the symbolism of the Tarot each week. This week we’re continuing to focus on the Two’s, with the next card, the Two of Pentacles.

If you’re new, you may want to check out the Ace of Pentacles and the Two’s for more background before continuing below.

Remember to view each card as a piece of art with reflection on the content.

What did the artist intend? What message did they wish to convey? What does each part symbolize when looking deeper to the connections?

As we explore the cards we encourage you to really look at the cards and meditate on the possibilities for the symbolism presented. We hope beginners joining us can get started seeing some of the things you may have overlooked.

Two of Pentacles

Astrological Association: Jupiter in Capricorn

In this card we see a young male in a scene of movement. He has two pentacles (disks) one in each hand. His right hand (active) above his left hand below (receptive).

He wears predominantly a reddish-orange outfit. Green, Blue and Yellow are the other main colors. What do these colors represent to you?

Notice how he too appears as on stage like other cards, with the background being a theatrical backdrop. The floor line at his feet. Differing from the other two’s, he has a foot raised so both feet are not below the line.

There is a lot of movement here. He appears juggling the disks, following the symbolic lemniscate (spiritual infinity) symbol.

Upon first glance, what do you suspect the message of this card is saying?

Remember pentacles are a symbol for earth, materialism, money. Visit Ace of Pentacles for more on the earth element details.

The sea behind him is rolling with waves. If you review the other two’s, (wands, cups, swords) you’ll notice the backgrounds are all depicting scenery with similar rolling hills, rocks, or mountains. In each card the right hand is significant, as is the right side of the background scenery active and ascending. Also note how all four cards contain bodies of water, with the cups card naturally containing water within the cup.

Here the water is fierce. The ships (commerce, trade, transport) are on the high sea’s, and it’s not smooth sailing.

Looking at his movement, is his left hand closer to us? The ship seen below his left hand appears larger than the ship below his right hand, is it closer or is it a larger ship? What significance might that have related to his body position?

Both his hands are upturned, indicating he is willing to accept or receive. His receptive left foot is also lifted, further showing willingness to receive and act upon what comes to him.

The colors dominating are reddish-orange with green, symbolizing earth, the root chakra, commerce, stability, security and creative impulse. He’s connected to the earth, yet not afraid to lift himself off for a moment to see another point of view.

This card shows the need for balance, the willingness and ability to take an objective point of view when there are many things we must take charge of.

How is he handling his emotions among the turbulence?

Is he stressed by having more than one thing to deal with?

As he moves, is he dancing playfully, or is he rigidly lifting his leg to counter balance the movement of the scene? Which would work better for him overall?

He may very well be balancing many unpredictable matters of the material world such as health, money, career, etc., and it’s clearly important how it connects with the spiritual side of life.

He appears to be finding a rhythm and getting in sync with what he’s confronted with. He has the yin-yang balancing act, where the center point that isn’t rigid, but willing to compromise, act and bring harmony into the equation. Does he turn challenges into joyous purpose?

He finds his objectivity through his natural impulse to move in what appears a carefree, yet still careful, attitude.

Remember to note use of color. Yellow disks match yellow on the larger ship. He may have finances on his mind, among possibly many other material world considerations.

What other symbolism of exchange represent here? Business relationships, delegating tasks to others, transforming idea’s into concrete action. What do you think? Consider all types of exchanges from energy, communications, finances, etc.

When possible, enjoy the challenges for how they make your life move with purpose.

Also note the tall hat? Does this card bring forth any indications of the life force, spiritual/material union as a phallic symbol? What about the orange-reddish clothes as well as on the ships sails? What does that indicate to you?

Recall the previous cards in the two’s (wands, cups, swords). Remember the cards show people, which indicates the importance of relationships and so much of what we experience in life happens through connections to others.

How are the messages of the four cards related?

Questions for personal reflection:

On a global scale, what external influences have been happening in the world recently, that show emotional turbulence regarding the material/spiritual world?
What about on a more personal level?
How do you handle your emotions and choose to react to any turbulence around you?
Do you get caught in it, and nearly drown, or do you ride the current?
What is your attitude towards the concerns of your life?
Do you remain optimistic that you are able to handle what’s on your plate?
What parts of your everyday life need more balance with your spiritual self?
Where do you feel you need to be more responsible?
Are you carefree or careless in your choices? Which ones?
When you’ve got a big idea, with variables to consider, what choice will you make?
In challenging situations do you choose to react in a way that is best for your well being?

We hope you enjoy learning about Tarot at Symbolic Living with an easy to understand approach for beginners. We also hope you can find personal relations to the card symbolism and think about the imagery in new and expansive ways.

Some weeks we may talk about the cards, history and more. As we go along things will change and develop, we’ll keep it interesting for you.

You are also welcome to join the Symbolic Living Forum for further discussion in the Tarot section where each card can be discussed with members.

Stay tuned for our regular installments of Tarot Notes at Symbolic Living.

Please Click the Like and Tweet Buttons below to share with your online friends and followers.

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The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick

Symbolic Living — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:21:48 +0000

The Tree of Life by legendary director Terrence Malick, starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain won the top prize, best film, Palme D’or at the Cannes Film Festival which opens May 27, 2011 in the U.S.

Pitt plays a very strict father in a Texan household during the 1950′s. His wife is played by Jessica Chastain.

Although it is receiving mixed reviews, including audience boo’s and applause at the premiere, the subject matter of the film will likely be of interest to an audience interested in philosophy and spirituality as it delves into explorations of the birth of the cosmos, the world, time, infinity and our place within it. Symbolism in images of the beauty of the universe, from micro to macro, naturally reminds the viewer of our surreal wonders beyond our everyday concerns.

Taking an in the moment approach, Malick encouraged initial script promptings to develop into unscripted freedom allowing the actors to explore improvisation in context. Unrepeatable, special, true moments naturally emerged and were treasured in the film making. Scenes transformed spontaneously during filming providing fresh perspectives to make the final cut.

Brad Pitt is the face of this movie, as Terrence Mallick’s shyness does not lend him to be interested in promotion. His avoidance of interviews has long given him a mysterious persona. Instead of creating hype for the film, Malick prefers the work to speak for itself.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Other notable films by Terrence Malick

The New World
The Thin Red Line
Days of Heaven
Badlands