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.

Street Tarot

An Invitation to a Bath

Let’s start from the beginning. The Abrahamic religions share the same cosmology that developed into Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Our origin story involves a universe initially comprised of a mixture of waters. On the second day of creation they were separated with the sky above and water or the seas below. (Genesis 1:6) This contrast suggests a sophisticated and possibly dangerous way of thinking, which is the inability to recognize two sides of a coin might be different but it's still a coin, or in this case water. Kabbalist determined the separation created a potential for conflict, strife, and Hell to establish. (The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, Vol. 1 p. 127) Their proof is the divine phrase of approval, “it was good” was omitted on that day but was stated twice on the next. (Genesis 1:10,12) When differences are taken too far it can lead to malicious consequences. To mediate the possibility of opposing forces, and complete the work of the Water or Seas, the land mass called Earth was brought into being on the third day. This third element provided compositional beauty and further conceptual complexity to our cosmological landscape.

Water is essential for life. The belief we end up as dust happens constantly with our sloughed off body parts. The dirt, dead skin cells, and broken hair shafts we wash off would accumulate and over time break down into a small mound of powder. However, we are mostly water and we came from a water-world that began in chaos, darkness, and was a void without form. Drinking water is probably universally recognized as necessary to sustain life. In addition, it is a medium for cleansing, and in many spiritual practices it's used in rituals for spiritual initiations and purifications.

Immersions in water are well documented and mentioned biblically and cross-culturally as part of religious ceremonial practices. Some do not include cleansing the body. It is required prior to a woman entering a Jewish mickvah, which mandates a specifically sized pool to contain the rain water she immerses herself in. Meanwhile, a dip under holy water is sufficient for a baptism. Whether it’s only a dunk or a wash too, being immersed in water is a place were the inside and outside of us are almost identical. This is particularly true when you realize the "self" does not stop at the skin.

The Bible teaches about the importance of water in the creation of the Garden of Eden with its four rivers and the power of water through the story of The Flood. This devastating act was God's way to cleanse the defiled land, wipe out evil doers, and recreate a more spiritual beginning. Eventually the realization came this purging had gone too far, and a divine promise was made to never again destroy life in this way. The rainbow is the mark or symbol of this covenant. Notably, the bow breaks through rain clouds after a storm shower has passed and the sun shines bright once again. 

Let’s revisit the baptismal service, a well-known Christian immersion ritual for sacramental initiation into the faith. My introduction to it was while watching a film-noir movie. Performed in a church setting the priest used a small pool of “holy” water. In the secular societies of North America, my first personal ritual with water was as a child alone in our family bathroom. I imagined the only thing I owned was a towel and some soap. The bath was my private place to contemplate poverty and the horrors of Nazi Germany. I knew about their crimes against humanity at quite a young age. Distinct from those evil doers, the bath was also my sanctuary to dream about elegance.

I am reminded of the tarot card, The Universe or World. It is the last card in the deck and signifies completion of a matter and spiritual wholeness achieved by integrating your inner work with outer joy. It could be a successful ending to a long term endeavor, or finally coming to grips with a bad relationship and ready to move on. This card is often depicted with a naked hermaphrodite, a man/woman dances within a circle formed by a snake, or dances with the snake. It represents renewal, and the cyclical nature of life where the end can imply a beginning. When this card is pulled in a tarot reading, to me the nakedness insinuates a special bath or shower prior to the dance. I suggest my client invite themselves to a luxurious one. If they are so inclined there is a shmorgishborg of aromatherapy extracts, candles, and soaps available to enhance the experience. I encourage them to create a ceremony of there own making; use affirmations, say prayers, what ever. Once out of the tub it's time to dance. This symbolizes a way to recognize one's accomplishment or a transformational decision. There are no rules. Perhaps you're contented with having only a towel, soap, and a bathtub full of water.

Traditionally the tarot card, the Universe or World is numbered 21 or XXI in the Suit of Trumps, which are numbered from 0-21. However, I prefer its alignment with the Hebrew alphabet that goes from 1-22. This card aligns withTav, the final letter and it symbolizes a mark or in biblical times a seal that identifies someone. In modern terms it is also a recognizable label and brand created by a business. Let’s say you just left your mark on finishing a big job assignment, the final step is to cement a recognition of its completion into your soul. Often, I’ve left it up to others to compliment my endeavors and was pleasantly surprised by their response. Often, I am left disappointed. It’s similar to a wall-flower who waits and waits for someone to ask her to dance. Frankly, in the Musk-MAGA defined world empathy is synonymous with failure or weakness, and these folks might not have the emotional bandwidth for words of admiration, of course, unless it concerns Donald J. Trump.

This tarot card and Hebrew letter, Tav teaches us to acknowledge the conclusion of an achievement, or when you made a life-changing decision and ready to move on to newness. Don’t rely on others. Prepare to celebrate by taking a refreshing and ritualized bath or shower. Finally, dance to the tune of your own praises. You’ve done your best, so now it’s time to feel comfortable in your own skin, which is mostly full of water. Don’t worry about being egotistical. Who cares! In this moment relish in the image you are the center of your Universe.

Street Tarot

The Hierophant

I just finished my morning prayers on the front balcony of my apartment when a barely visible speck of dust captures my attention as it floats aimlessly along with the breeze. However, when it flits about in a zigzag trajectory its true nature is revealed. This teeny, tiny flying insect made an impression on me. My previous focus had been on the divine and then to watch the comings and goings of a mundane mini-moth, seemingly oblivious to my presence, solidifies my insignificance. With this humbling thought in mind it’s the perfect time for Torah studies. The Zohar, an ancient Kabbalistic text, and Deuteronomy engross me for about an hour until a strong sense draws me to turn on the news. “White Smoke”. "We Have A Pope." 

A few nights ago, I watched the movie, “Conclave”. It brought me to tears and today is the same. I am not even Catholic, nevertheless, with great anticipation I await the grand reveal. Who is he? 

“Peace be with you all” are the first words Pope Leo XIV said from the papal balcony to the throngs congregating at the Vatican, plus the billions of people who watched the broadcasts from Italy. The whole world needs to hear his words.

I am reminded of the tarot card, The Hierophant, an archaic term for the high priest of the Eleusinian Mysteries in ancient Greece. In some decks this card is known as The Pope and is 5th or V in the suit of Trumps. Generally, the tarot takes a limited view and interprets it as a teacher, keeper of traditions, or the need to consult a priest, rabbi or other religious person. However, The Hierophant represents the reveler of the mysteries, a mortal’s link to the divine, and the great teacher of spiritual tradition, it's rituals and symbolisms. I have a strong connection to this card. For decades it signified my desire to know the divine and mysterious aspects of life. Of course, I make no claim to be a Pope or even a pious person. At best, I am a minor prophet. In biblical times there were thousands of us, and these days there must be millions.

Anyway, I prefer the tarot’s association to the Hebrew alphabet whose numbering is 1-22, although the numerical value of a letter might not coincide with its alphabetical order. In a traditional deck the suit of Trumps go from 0-21. The Hierophant corresponds to the 6th Hebrew letter, Vav. She means a "hook," "nail," or "peg," as in to attach or secure something. Grammatically, Vav usually operates as a conjunction, such as the English word "and”. Symbolically, she represents the connection between heaven and earth, and us to God. 

The Holy See is a sovereign city-state of the Roman Catholic Church, with its capital in Vatican City. The Pope is its premier official and also the spiritual leader to millions of people around the world. Now ordained as a divine being, he is no longer a mere Cardinal. The King or Queen of England is also the ordained spiritual leader of the Church of England and sits on the throne, the center of the global British Commonwealth. Meanwhile, the movers and shakers in the Republican party try to insert Donald Trump into this special class of superior beings. Probably it’s to distract from his criminality and corrupt regime. They are certain his voters have moved past the teachings of Jesus, who they view as weak and too woke. Instead they elected a swindler and a deeply flawed man for President of the United States, who pretends to be a pope and posts photos of himself in pope-ish costumes on his social media platform.

Ah, I find myself once again contemplating the divine to then thoughts of an insect. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking but maybe a do-over, a real life adaptation of Franz Kafka's book, "Metamorphosis" and a name change from Gregor Samsa is in order. This time the pest is Donald Trump. These days, it is imperative to know the distinction between the sacred and a bug, those who are supremely dignified and those who bring shame to our everyday work world.

Street Tarot