The Watcher Listens.

Let's focus on the Watcher of Life. This aspect of ourselves does not look inward, although that is just as important, but rather observes the goings on around us. Most importantly, it involves the ability to listen. The primary prayer in Judaism, the Shema, addresses one’s faith and love of God and begins with the call for the community of Israel to listen to God. “Shema Israel" or "Hear O Israel.” In his article for Jewish Magazine, author Dan Brooks reminds us of this important detail when he states, “Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah, teaches us that not only are we shomrei adamah for tikkun olam, partners in the creation, healing, and transforming of the world, but that we continually re-create the world and can continually receive its wonders, wildness, and wisdom each moment. We can read and study the Written Law (Torah) and the Oral Law (Talmud), but we have to receive and listen to the Silent Law (kabbalah). If we are receptive to it, the Silent Torah teaches that a way of wisdom is listening to ourselves as well as others and that wisdom is a way to peace. The opposite of listening, Rabbi Arthur Waskow teaches, is arrogance.”

An arrogant person is one who is consumed with their self-importance and pompous around people they deem inferior and least likely to listen to. A biblical example of haughtiness provides “a pretext for sinners who think the blessed Holy One does not know their thoughts and fantasies. So their stupidity must be exposed.” - Zohar 1:10a. The divine directive to bring to light the irrational conduct and conceit of others, especially our leaders is mandated for all of us. When you recognize the distinction and understand the consequences, it is imperative to expose those decision-makers whose arrogant ways and bad judgments will harm far too many people. The time is Now.

However, we must right ourselves first. An engaged observer is one who listens and learns. Criticism coming from others is helpful if the emphasis is to constructively correct something that’s amiss and not to put someone down in order to feel good. That is a sickness. Listen and watch. Don’t get gaslighted or continually lied to by other people. Believe what's happening before your very eyes, and what you hear, not what powerful people want you to see and understand. Authoritarians get a foothold into your life and dictate your lifestyle when you do not trust yourself.

Of course, it is necessary to change if you’re “dead in the head” from a distorted point of view. Stubbornness is obviously a barrier to growth, while a sudden paradigmatic shift may begin the initial practice of the Spiritual Initiate, or Wisdom Seekers. There are many different paths ways to sagacity and there is always something new to learn, to read, to study along the way. It never seems to end. You want to be a person of action to get to where you need to go, to be a Somebody, but first you might have to be a Nobody to make sure your bearings are just right. To that end, it is imperative to take a few minutes off in your day-to-day doings and focus on what’s around you. Remember, to listen is a verb.

I am reminded of the tarot card, The Hanged Man, which is not about a crucifixion or a suicide. It is usually depicted by a fully dressed man hung from a tree upside-down by one leg. The other is crossed over it to make the shape of the number 4, which is symbolic for logic and the rational mind. Despite a particularly torturous position, the man appears relaxed. Certainly, he represents a master of self-deception, or, at best a spiritual initiate about to transform. Traditionally numbered 12 in the Suit of Trump, this card explicitly addresses the need to get a new perspective on life by breaking old patterns. Frankly, it demands a deeper, more meaningful way to look at and be in the world. The man’s head is pointed towards the earth, and Hell if you go further down. When this card is pulled in a reading its symbolism suggests a clueless, materialistic person or, at worse, a smart person who obtains things through thievery and fraud. This card demands the individual move away from the superficial, self indulgent or even criminal conduct, and set themselves right-side up. Now called to a higher purpose it is necessary they become more socially and spiritually productive, symbolized by the upright position where the crown of the head is directed towards the sky and heaven, the precise position for homo erectus and those physically capable.

In a traditional deck the Trumps are numbered 0-21, however I prefer the tarot’s association to the Hebrew alphabet that goes from 1-22. The 13th letter is Mem, which symbolizes water and the subconscious mind. The primordial state of Creation was “water intermingled with water”. See Tanhuma, Vayaqhel 6, an ancient midrash or commentary on the Torah. On the second day of creation these waters where separated and a distinction was created between the upper and lower. A distinction can give us perspective but it can also bring about divergences. Due to the potential for harmful conflict, and even evil when differences are taken to the extreme, on this 2nd day of creation the Torah does not say it was good. However, the phrase was stated twice on the third day when the dry land appeared to mediate the potential for dangerous disputes.

As you listen and watch the brilliance and also the stupidity of humanity it’s easy to get personal directions all mixed up. I've been there; situationally upside down, and feeling low, indeed. When one's self confidence is gone, it is hard to think rationally since anxiety is such a distortion-maker. The quest is for new patterns of behavior, and a new paradigm. Each person takes a different road on the journey of self discovery. Some people use affirmation, some get a hobby, some know how to put themselves in the way of luck or make their own, others pray and a few go shopping or change their hair color to hopefully transform their lives. How we see and hear the world translates into how we treat others, ourselves, and the earth. It may be a personal struggle as the road is not always paved and can get bumpy.

As Rudyard Kipling said, “Nothing is ever settled until it is settled right.”

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Renewal

Life changing transformations happen. A long-standing job is terminated. A snap judgment is made to follow an inner calling. Transition can occur side ways due to sudden family problems or a shift in focus when an otherwise minor aspect becomes paramount. To navigate through a maze of changes can be demanding, particularly when a career ends and you need to start over from scratch. It takes a tremendous amount of willpower to not feel overwhelmed and get defeated. I am empathetic to those in this situation. I’ve been there many times and have pushed through. “Street Tarot” is a term I coined that refers to a frame of mind to view the world and glean deeper insights from your experiences. Awareness in the everyday waking state can expand if you take heed of meaningful coincidences, the symbols of our collective unconsciousness, and your individual psyche.

Armed with this inventory of traditional symbolic attributions and personal signs and wonders, you can better assess matters and make plans to shape your unique future. Of course, in times of change you may feel stuck and do not know what the next step is. The human instinct is to resist change. It can feel like free falling, with no solid footing to build upon. Hope may turn to despair which can drive you to adopt unconscious strategies, such as self-sabotage, which lowers your self-esteem and makes change a painful experience. A method to this dilemma is to pay attention to the coincidences, and the unexpected. Street Tarot is a mental tool to sharpen your awareness. Its utility relies on your curiosity, willingness to do research, and to pay attention to your dreams and synchronistic occurrences, or those seemingly improbable but highly meaningful coincidences. Also, contemplate symbols which resonate with you. Do not feel threatened by the non-ordinary instead learn from it. Be willing to look deeper into your affinity to fictional or mythic characters. Notice when you well-up with a positive emotion. Permit these types of phenomenon and sensations to come to the forefront and then act on your insights and intuitions about them.

It is meaning to our lives that we look for and strive to give purpose to the circumstances we find ourselves in from moment to moment. I followed my inner voice of wisdom and symbolic trails to become a hand bookbinder and then mastered six divine directives; one of which was to become a lawyer. I fashioned my career as a federal criminal appeals attorney after Sherlock Holmes. If you do not already know, he is the world's first consulting detective and a fiction. Meanwhile, that legal practice of mine laster almost 14-years. So, whether you’re concerned about the next 5-minutes or have a long term plan, it is paramount to put your new found knowledge into operation. Talk to people and share with them your multi-faceted realms of experience. With details from your archetypical makeup, your dreamscapes, personal heroes, and symbols, you are more able to evaluate and discern the next step to create an authentic career and lifestyle for yourself. To enhance personal growth trust your intuitive powers and be open to receive from unexpected sources. The journey is a slow one, however it can be productive. Most importantly, in your discernments be ruthlessly honest with yourself. More examples of Street Tarot are found in my memoir, My Random Death. A link to the book’s website is on this site’s Home page.

I am reminded of the 20th tarot card in the suit of Trumps traditionally know as Judgment. It is often depicted as a resurrection where an angelic figure blows a horn to awaken the dead. Symbolically this card represents renewal, rebirth, an inner calling, as well as self-doubt, inner critic, or to ignore that special call. The Trumps in a tarot deck are numbered from 0-21, however I prefer their association to the Hebrew alphabet which goes from 1-22. Here, the Judgment card aligns with the 21st letter, Shin. Her symbolic meaning is teeth as in “to have bite” or strength, or lack thereof. A current example of this idiom is obvious in the character of convicted criminal, Donald Trump. Recently we’ve witness his penchant for lawlessness when he defied Supreme Court rulings regarding his illegal deportations. He gambles on the courts having “no teeth” to send the US Marshalls to arrest him and hold him in contempt. In addition, he can absorb monetary fines, as we’ve seen in E. Jean Carroll's New York State defamation cases.

Of relevance to this blog is the notion that teeth also act as a barrier between our inner and outer worlds, Ie. our ethical and moral compasses, and intuitive capacity to guide what you may say and might do. Furthermore, the letter Shin signifies change. In the mundane toothy sense to chew and grind down solid food in the mouth enables the body to convert it into energy for your survival. Similarly, the inner strength to overcome a sudden change can transform your distinct nature and sense of self. Metaphorically, when the death of a career is certain, or the road you travel abruptly comes to a dead end, you’ll need the courage to begin anew. Oh, you can stay in self-pity mode for awhile, but you’re expected to change and move forward, ready to take on the world to achieve your recently discovered ambition. Things may appear daunting and emotionally perilous. Life flows and it can also get brutal. Persevere, stay open, and be observant. Trust your intuition to get you to where you need to go, even if it will happen eventually and is not just around the corner.

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The True Patriot

Although I am an avid weather forecast watcher from my cellphone apps and sky watcher from my home balconies, I do not want to talk about climate change or watch horror movies either. To me they are one and the same. Of course, I sort out my garbage and buy proper products when I can, however the totality of environmental concerns are really scary. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. (Genesis 6:12). This verse explicitly addresses the belief that man’s conduct has consequences for the fruitfulness of the land. He (She) wants people to “obey his rules and observe them carefully” and in return they will be blessed by “produce of the soil” and the divine’s ability to “ward off sickness”. (Deuteronomy 7:12-15) An ancient Kabbalistic text, The Zohar asks, “Why was it corrupt?” Pritzker Edition, Volume 1, at pg 350. The renowned translator of Aramaic into English, Daniel Mott worked on this book and commented in a footnote, “Immorality, especially sexual sin, contaminated the earth. The phrase corrupted their way upon earth is elsewhere interpreted as referring to masturbation (spilling seed on earth or crossbreeding.” (ibid. fn 77).

This defilement of the land was the direct result of human sin, biblically speaking. What occurred at Sodom and Gomorrah contributed to the The Flood and earth's return to a water-world. According to the covenantal relationship with God, people must embody ethical characteristics and a moral compass, along with observing religious sacrifices and ritual offerings. This behavior gets translated into the bountifulness of the land. Therefore, failure to obey the rules and laws, and unholy and immoral acts precisely endangered the earth's health and its “joy”. Today ultra-right wing evangelical and anti-LGBTQ#+ leaders still use this archaic reasoning to blame gay people for the severe weather we experience as climate change. However, in a system of righteousness you cannot pick and choose to condemn some conduct as “bad” while being in denial about other bad acts. Ie The bible's explicit ban on male masturbation or the “spilling of seed upon the land” was possibly fatal if violated but is now abandoned, and these days major polluters of our environment can be exempted and not held accountable for their bad stewardship of the land.

True Patriots are champions and defenders of their country. Their sense of self and the land are one and the same. It is recognized as equivalent in the phrase "dust to dust" (Genesis 3:19). In fact, the early American voting class citizen was required to own land in our nascent constitutional democracy and the provision strictly referred to males. In order to get the commoner, or non-landowner man to fight for independence from the British, the language of national patriotism came into use. Words such as, equality, freedom, and liberty embodied the ideals of a few men eager to define the borders of their new country, which contained millions and millions of uninhabited acres they owned. Some of these men were signatories to the Declaration of Independence, America’s founding document. Today, these patriotic words no longer connect a person to his county, rather they more define his or her political persuasion. Of note, the Constitution’s governing structure makes no reference to political parties.

The one dictionary which carries the weight of authority and cited in legal matters is the Merriam-Webster. It states the word patriot “signifies a person who loves their country and is ready to boldly support and defend it.” The dictionary expounds upon this meaning, “The years leading up to the American Revolutionary War further propagated the notion of patriot as a name for a seditious rebel against the monarchy. American writers of the 18th century, however, heartily embraced the word to define the colonists who took action against British control. As tensions continued to escalate, a new meaning of patriot came to the forefront, referring to a person who advocates or promotes the independence of their land or people from the country of which they are a colony. Benjamin Franklin provides an early record of this use. It should be no Wonder … if among so many Thousand true Patriots as New England contains there should be found even Twelve Judases.— Benjamin Franklin, letter, 7 July 1773”.

The President of Lithuania recently claimed fighting for one's country is not just a duty but an emotion. Here in America, it’s more likely a gun provides a person with their identity and emotional energy. The proof is the prevailing attitude towards the 2nd Amendment and how many Republican legislators hold this constitutional right as supreme, unbridgeable, incapable of reform. Meanwhile, the protections afforded under the 4th Amendment’s right to reasonable searches and seizures have been systematically eroded by numerous exceptions. Property rights are now tied up with gun rights. The rule that a man’s home is his castle which can be defended with deadly force intertwines one's identity with the land in the context of private property but there is no obligation to keep the soil healthy.

I am reminded of the tarot card, The Empress. She represents Mother Earth, creativity, nurture, a caring person. The traditional card depicts a woman surrounded by flowers and plantings. Some people feel a spiritual connection to nature more strongly. Others must plan a trip to the woods to be reminded of the bond. I heed the call to be with her on a daily basis. It empties me of stress. Worries wash off of me. Each walk is a green bath that delights me, as do the house plants in my apartment and on my balconies. We don't have to be in the wilderness to appreciate the landscape. The trees, the flowers, the birds and the bees were derived directly from God. There is not one degree of separation between them and the divine, unlike with Eve who was cloned from Adam’s rib.

A traditional tarot deck is numbered from 0-21 and The Empress is 3 or III in the Suit of Trump. However, I prefer the tarot’s association with the Hebrew alphabet that goes from 1-22. This card aligns with the letter Dalet and she is attributed to Adamah or man of the earth, humankind, and the ground, the "dust to dust", as well as the moist earth. She can also represent a “door” which is a solid structure unlike water. Dalet also means “poor”. Without mankind and our nurturing stewardship, the land can no longer be fruitful for us. Mother Earth cannot take care of us, feed us, and bath us on her own. God intervened in the wilderness at Sinai to feed the Israelites with manna and produced water from rocks. Our mother nature, represented by The Empress card, requires the cooperation of farmers and growers. We are co-creators with God’s feminine aspect. The first instruction in the Bible is to be a true patriot, a responsible steward of the land, otherwise the soil becomes useless. This was demonstrated by the 1930’s dust bowls in America's Great Plains region. They taught us a lesson, or should have, that husbandry for profiteering may have devastating repercussions.

"There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation. There is sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that topples all successes. The fertle Earth, the straight tree rows, the sturdy trunks, and the ripe fruit. And the children dying of (hunger) must die because a profit cannot be taken from an orange. And coroners must fill certificates - died of malnutrition - because the food must rot (if not sold at a profit). . . and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." excerpt from John Steinbeck's classic, The Grapes of Wrath.

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