DREAM HAIKU ABOUT TAROT CARDS (I)

[This post is another of several that have appeared on my dreams and poetry blog that I've come to think should also appear here. All Tarot cards in this post are from the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck.]


It's always seemed odd to me that I don't dream more directly about The Tarot, given how much I relate to it in my waking life. I say "directly" because many of my dream situations do echo the Tarot, it's just that I rarely recall an actual image from it. However, I have had some clear Tarot images in dreams and below are the few haiku I've written based on them.

Gordian knot
version after version
of the Ace of Swords

* * * *

the Tarot layout
is strong both up and down
how to decide

* * * *

Empress or Papess
the Tarot card woman
won't be pinned down

["Papess" is another name for The High Priestess; there's a legend that there was once a female pope, Pope Joan/John.]


* * * *

overwhelmed by
the Seven of Pentacles
her own creation

* * * *

the Three of Cups
pops from the new deck
reframe your thinking

* * * *

the woman floats:
a fire Tarot card
with so much water!

[In most decks, a card can be considered either fire/wands, water/cups, air/swords, or earth/pentacles]

* * * *

makeover magic
which of the three Tarot cards
will she be?

[for an exploration of this last dream with the actual cards, see post in this blog called "Dream of Three Tarot Cards."]

* * * *

Resource: The Isn'ts of Haiku; a good antidote to all the misinformation about haiku out there. And, yes, I commit some of the isn'ts listed. I'd like to believe, in the name of experimentation and stretching the limits of the form. :-D

‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S DREAM & POETRY REALM.

DREAM OF THREE TAROT CARDS

The below dream exploration was originally posted to my dreams and poetry blog, but I have recently realized it should also be posted here. I offer it as an illustration of how the Tarot can help us understand our dreams -- in this case from within a dream. [The three Tarot cards below are from the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck.]


On May 15, 2006 I had a dream in which I was to "morph" into either the Three of Pentacles, the Five of Swords, or the Nine of Pentacles.

The Three of Pentacles:



is one of my "family" of Tarot cards based on my birth date. So it can be seen to represent the givens of who I am. I.e., a craftsperson (writer, Tarologist, dreamworker) attempting to heed and communicate the inspiration she receives.

The main figure on the Five of Swords:



has always looked fearful to me. He clings to all his stuff, afraid and unwilling to share it, maybe due to past rejections, misunderstandings, disinterest, and so on.

The Nine of Pentacles:



is the card I chose many years ago to be the logo for a series of open poetry readings I originated, organized and ran. I called the series "Kestrel," after the bird on the Lady's gloved hand. This Lady was how I aspired to be at the time: confident and centered. With the reading series, I was hoping to offer a creative space where my fellow poets could share with each other and within which I could showcase poets whose work I especially admired.

So this dream, at least in part (most dreams work on many levels), was emphasizing an on-going choice I wrestle with. Given who I am -- the Three of Pentacles -- I can either cling to my work and ideas, nursing past hurts and fears and refuse to release them into the world -- the Five of Swords; or I can nurture them until they are ready and then help them take flight as is their nature to do -- the Nine of Pentacles.

I think this dream was precipitated by the recent launching of my Tarot blog.* I also have a niggling intuition that the dream may be preparing me for negative feedback on some recent effort of mine,** by showing me very clearly the choice I always have in front of me. I can close down out of hurt and fear, or I can concentrate on creating and sharing out of my life's three passions: dreams, poetry and Tarot.

* * * *

* I.e., in May 2006, which is when this article was originally posted.
** This intuition proved to be accurate. I received rejections from two different online publishers of some of my poetry within days of the dream. And I've had to deal with the upset of seeing almost all of my poems published after this dream, appear with errors in them. All of which has challenged my never very strong resolve to continue to put my work out there. Though I hasten to add I have have not given up. :-)

Resource: Museo dei Tarocchi, this may take a while to load but it's well worth it; it's an automatic horizontal scroll through of modern Tarot images, a very dream-like experience.

‘til next time, keep dreaming, and enjoying the Tarot.

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S DREAM & POETRY REALM.

ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE FOOL CARD (Poem)

[The Fool in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck]

I wrote the below little poem many years ago when I was still going to poetry readings. One rainy Saturday afternoon, it was my delight to hear an intriguing man, new to the poetry scene, read his powerful poetry.

ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE FOOL CARD

She had forgotten how it felt
to be drawn so to a man.

To stand breathless
at the edge of a cliff,
awed by the unexpected view,
with a voice whispering
in the back of her mind:

Jump!

* * * *

By the way, I did not "jump." Not doing anything may have been even more of a "Foolish" risk than jumping, as I never did get to know that poet.

P.S. I'll address The Fool card in my usual fashion in a future post.

Resource: Are You Too Negative? Positive Thinking With Tarot Cards, a good article by Angela Booth, with suggestions that can be adapted for other focuses than negativity.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep taking (sensible :-D) risks, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****