Night Teacher

The sight of her captivates me. Her brightness puts me in a state of awe. We know her because of the presence of a greater light who illuminates her from time to time, and more or less. Of course, there is a dark side to the moon. There is a dark side to most of us, too. It can show up when we bully people and use hurtful words to manipulate them. The moon teaches us to be ruthlessly honest about this aspect of ourselves. She reminds us to recognize the distinction in the moment, a most important time to know if you are on the side of light or the side of darkness. It is also imperative to recognize when you can walk the middle way between the two, avoid being conflicted, and move forward in your life.

The moon cannot emit light. Her dynamic ability is to mimic the Sun. She achieves this by way of reflection off her rocky surface. In this sense, "light" acts like a verb or as a symbol for consciousness and awareness. Similarly, we cannot see the back of our heads, our dark spot, without the reflection from mirrors. The people we surround ourselves with can be mirrors too, Metaphorically, they represent our dark and light sides. As we grow within ourselves we may grow out of these folks and like an old shirt or dress, it’s time get new clothes and new friends.

At times the moon seems to slowly disappear, swallowed up by the dark. However, it is only for awhile. The apparent vacillation from there to not there is a teaching too. The moon shows us that darkness is not the absence of light but a thing of its own. Unique to the moon is that she keeps a totally dark side of herself hidden from our view here on planet earth. People cannot physically or psychologically hide in the same way. The darkness in us shows up in our body language and can seep out in different forms, such as the tone of our voice, the cutting words we use, or by malicious acts and bodily harm we do to others.

Many cultures view the moon as feminine and identified her with the non-logical mind. ie luna or moon in latin is related to the English word 'lunatic", a pejorative or slag term for an insane or mentally ill person. In this sense the moon is the antithesis of rational thinking and reasonable behavior, which is often recognized as masculine attributes. At worst, the moon-mind is inclined to delusional thinking. Ie howling at the moon by an unraveled person, or psycho-bitches-from-hell who might have a dark, kinky side some men find attractive. Frankly, I think they give most other women a bad name.

If I just sounded judgmental keep in mind Kabbalist find the feminine side of God responsible for rendering judgements and meting out punishments to those who violate the spiritual laws of the Ten Commandments, plus another 603 of them. Does the notion of delusion attach only to women? The answer is no. I can emphatically state that criminals may logically plot out their crime ahead of time, however, it is always accompanied by the irrational belief they are above the law and will never get caught. This applies to men and women. Particularly delusional are your modern day bank robbers. I’ve handled a number of armed bank robbers on appeal. Their district court record will often show FBI photos of them surrounded by the banks’ moneybags covered in hard to remove colored stains, usually red. These ink packets exploded when the bags were opened, which covered the bank robbers and the money rendering the currency useless. The photos can be direct evidence of a federal crime, and of stupidity running deep amongst thieves.

Let’s look a bit deeper into this notion of the feminine as representative of justice. We see it symbolically in the blind woman holding the scales of justice. They represent mercy in punishment and fairness in the law applied to all of us. A man could have been the standard bearer for these principles, such as the biblical King Solomon who is known for his wisdom. The Statute of Liberty is a woman who represents a beacon of hope against injustice.

I am no psychiatrist. However, I was a federal criminal appeals attorney for almost 14-years and seriously trained in martial arts for almost a decade. From these experiences, I do know something about the art of self-deception. This is when people delude themselves into believing fabricated facts and outcomes wished for but never achieved. One thing in common about a martial artist and criminal appeals is that you cannot lie or fake it when doing either of them. However, in many other aspects of life to lie and deceive yourself and others is standard operating procedure for some folks.

I’m reminded of the tarot card, The Moon. As a tarot reader for many decades, I understand it teaches us to avoid overconfidence on the one side and self-deceptive thinking on the other. Generally, its depicted with two pillars and the moon in the background. Most importantly, we learn to walk the middle way between the two. In a traditional tarot deck numbered 0-21, the Moon is the 18th card in the Suit of Trumps. However, I prefer the cards’ association to the Hebrew alphabet, which goes from 1-22. Interestingly, the 19th letter is Qof and its symbolic meaning is the back of the head!

With all this talk of females, you might be wondering about the “Man in the Moon”. We are suppose to see his face in the night sky. With some degree of certainty, I can say he is just a figment of our collective imagination at play with shadows. Perhaps, it is deliberate delusional thinking or sexual innuendo, as t’were. Whatever the reason, few can escape the tendency to look up and search for him when the moon is in her fullness. I’m guilty of doing it. Are you?

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The Masculinity Card

America is in a lukewarm civil war over freedom rights with respect to abortion and sexual identity. On these two fronts Trump trumped the Democrats when he played the masculinity card to prevail in his presidential bid. A majority of his supporters believe “the gays” infringe on their sense of self and the pro-life tenet of their religious beliefs are violated by abortions. Albeit, their concern about life is mainly for the fetus and not so much for the mother. The Bible does state same sex marriage is an abomination (Leviticus 18:22) but interpretations of the Hebrew verse can vary. In the Republican world view the taboo is explicit and extends to one’s sexual identity dictated at conception when life begins. This ties up to their definitions of “innocence” and “purity” and hence abortion is a crime, or should be, and it is forbidden to change one’s gender after birth. However, in the biblical census system detailed in Numbers a newborn was not included in the count unless it lived for at least a month. There is still no formal requirement to hold a shiva, the Jewish 7-day funeral service, if a baby dies within the first month after birth since it is not considered a loss of life to the community.

In deed, some prohibitions in the Bible are not etched in stone and evolve to meet the times. As t'were, there seems to be a penchant to pick and choose which of God’s rules and laws to observe or forget about. For example: in the Ten Commandments adultery is considered a sin but the religiously inclined GOP voters find it irrelevant enough to make a notorious serial adulterer President; masturbation is no longer taboo and pornography is big business because it helps stimulate “spilling seed”, which was declared unholy (Genesis 38:8-10) and nourishment for the demonic. (The Zohar, Pritzker ed. p. 322, fn.1581); and finally, animal sacrifices are universally outlawed in most civilized countries and replaced with prayer. For a sample of the sacrificial legislation found in Leviticus go to the Side Street page on this website.

Importantly, negative sensibilities about the LGTBQ+ community puts a hyper emphasis on the notion of masculinity. This suits the purposes of religious Dominionists. They are a predominantly American group of Christians who believe man, and precisely the male born gender, are ordained to have dominion over nature. They extend this inherent status to control over society’s morals, the ways of governances, and women's bodies. These endeavors all trickle down to who holds the reins of power and has the economic advantage. It is a version of religious politics from the pulpit, and brute force or prison are promised against perceived enemies.

Trump won favor with the anti-LGBQ+ crowd. He played the masculinity card to focus their sentiments and promoted crude, uninhibited male energy in his presidential campaign. Might is right and the left is weak was the intent of his TV ad which featured prison scenes of male inmates while a voice-over claimed Democrat nominee, VP Harris’ championed their sex change operations paid for by the taxpayer. It ran constantly in the Santa Barbara, California area and Harris never answered it. Why not? She missed the opportunity and failed to recognize many voters were waiting for definitive answers on masculinity and gender identity. Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in US v. Skrmetti, a case challenging Tennessee's ban on transgender affirming care for minors. A New York Times article notes, "Of 28 states where Republicans control the legislature, 24 now restrict doctors from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapies or surgery to transgender minors. Two more states ban only surgeries."

I am no expert but venture to say, the will to dominate and the misogynist overtones about abortion might hide a male insecurity of a physical nature. Along these lines, a recent spam email caught my attention. It stated, “While half of all men over 40 are suffering severe cases of failure to stiffen up in bed…75 year old Tom can stay rock hard as long as he wants. And he has no trouble pleasing his wife night after night (and even in the mornings). But it’s NOT because Tom is taking some dangerous and artificial chemical pill… it’s because this 75 year old drinks a simple, delicious “tonic” every day that destroys the root cause of soft bedroom performances in men -- allowing him to stiffen up on demand. And today, he’s revealing the recipe to this potent “hardwood tonic”. . . .”

The email pegged 40-years as the onset of the decline. In my humble opinion, the anxiety over penis performance probably begins much earlier and is not new to our times. It is no surprise men would be drawn to the high testosterone Trump rallies. Men and women admire the strong-man attitude and his virility demonstrated by his teenage son and his beautiful, soft-porn wife. Plus the scandals around multiple sex-capades and indictments helped his tough, manliness image. Probably, confident people don’t even get the appeal of this 78-year old, and may have voted for him because of the presumed tax cuts. Nevertheless, masculine insecurity and confusion is likely rampant amongst the non-college degree, unemployed white males and perhaps in the marginalized minority communities where Republicans gained support.

I am reminded of the tarot card, The Chariot. In a traditional deck the first impression of the man standing erect in an ancient vehicle of war is the muscular Charlton Heston as Ben Hur steering four galloping horses. However some modern cards depict a well built or even a lithe looking charioteer seated cross-legged in meditation. This more advanced image leads beyond the familiar notions of hard-core masculinity to the card’s deeper symbolism of mental acuity, willpower, focus on desired outcomes, moving forward. Historically the male is associated with the "logical" mind and men drove chariots, which makes this a manly, man card. However, it also teaches not to depend on brute force. The quiet focus of a gentle determined mind, male or female, plus willpower can get you through most adversities. Ultimately, this is the type of person who can lead folks into battle and win the war, metaphorically speaking.

In a traditional deck, which is numbered from 0-21, the Chariot is the 7th or VII card in the Suit of Trumps. However, I prefer the tarot's association to the Hebrew letters, which goes from 1-22. The eighth Hebrew letter is Chet. Her shape resembles an enclosed space. Symbolically, she is the letter of life, or chaim and can also mean private, to separate, to protect, place of protection, to be cut off, grace, favor, a place of refuge, a protected garden, quiet place, to be silent and still in security, a fence, a sanctuary, or an inner room". This Hebrew letter encompasses both the conventional notions of male warrior as protector, as well as the modern sense of The Chariot when solitude can strategically enhance your ability to succeed. It can help bring your ideas into manifestation. Meditation is an epistemological realm, or one of the ways we can gain the knowledge to develop and move our lives forward.

There is a real issue related to masculine identity in our society. It must be addressed. I was born a female, identify as female, and prefer to date males. However, I am perfectly fine with any combination of the above genders or preferences someone chooses for themselves. Nevertheless, as a woman I am looking at the current situation from the outside in, and perhaps even upside down since I would never vote for Trump to lead this country. Nevertheless, based upon my observations machismo is a hot topic in some Christian and GOP circles these days. In a interview with NPR, an evangelical leader, Russel Moore stated multiple pastors raised an alarm when they told him some of their church members were upset while reading from ‘The Sermon on the Mount’. It is where Jesus “espoused the principles of forgiveness and mercy that are central to Christian doctrine”. The congregants thought Jesus was spouting “liberal talking points”, and “that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak”. (NPR, August 4, 2023)

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Trust

The stars can charm and entice us even if we see only one of them. A small dot of brightness in a night sky might take you from the rational to thoughts of romance and the spiritual realm of the heavens. Upwards into blackness, beyond where the birds fly, we send our wishes for a better future. In 2021, the CNN News Source published an article titled, “Why do we wish on a star?”. It quoted Bertram Malle, a professor of psychology at Brown University who said, “Wishing on a star is simulating a desired future. If you then wish for something that you can control, you might strengthen your goal and initiate planning and persistence; if you wish for something you cannot control, you might at least have the momentary glow of an imagined world.”

The effect of a wish is hopefulness can take root. Hope will encourage you to trust in outcomes rather than a Chicken Little” always fearful the sky will fall down. Trust is how the imagined becomes the reality and when optimism grows. Interestingly, the Torah relies on the word trust and not faith to demonstrate an exquisite relationship with the divine. Early on “Abraham put his trust in God. . .". Genesis 15:6. Their connection was ultimately tested by God’s command to bind Issac for sacrifice. Although, he earnestly prepared to proceed, Abraham never used the knife. God had withdrawn his edict. Other than a pious person, most of us must develop a practical association to the divine and to our future.

In this context the concept of faith can be hard to grasp since it involves an intangible deity and a tomorrow which is unknown. We must admit there is an intrinsic “mystery of faith” states The Zohar, a classic Kabbalistic text. However, the notion of trust is familiar in our everyday, work world. Many people trust their dentist, lawyer, spouses, and other family members to provide good advice when asked. These individuals do not necessarily have a spiritual, effervescent component as does an imam, priest, or rabbi. For sure, some folks must earn our trust. We build on relationships to make them even more meaningful and personal.

Contrarily, fear and foreboding can creep into our thoughts and even our bodies without a sense of faith and trust. When one experiences a lack of either the consequences are realized almost immediately. You begin to get anxious. Your skin can feel clammy. Perhaps, you experience a sense of dread and obsess over possible bad endings. I am guilty of it, and know it can debilitate your energy and lower your self-esteem. However, with more faith or trust in positive outcomes, whether divinely inspired or not, you can free yourself from fear, doubt, and worry.

Let’s get back to the symbolism of a star, particularly the one in the night sky. In modern parlance the word can conjure up the image of actors, standout athletes, or fan-favorite musicians. They might be outspoken and opinionated but generally they are harmless people who have a great deal of influence in our culture. Folks look up to them and perhaps they should. However, it is dangerous to even semantically equate the bright stars in the dark heavens to false prophets and demagogues. Their linkage to the spiritual realm can be a form of reverence wrongly placed. Such is the case if you fail to recognize a wannabe dictator who masquerades as a populist president. Which is why it is imperative to trust your ability to discern truth from lies. Most importantly, trust your intuition and then use it. If you’re going to grant someone “star power” don’t be a master of self-deception and then find yourself the victim of a cruel master.

Of course, I am reminded of the tarot card, The Star. It exemplifies the process of rising from the ashes after being tested by the destructive fires of The Tower, the previous card. That was when all known structures and principles were blown-up and completely destroyed. A new way forward was mandated. From out of those blazes, the Star card arose. It represents hope, inspiration, self realization, and trust in renewal. These attributes become the north star, the guiding light to move forward and out of depression and despair. They can motivate the internal engine of the psyche and activate an indomitable spirit which is “impossible to subdue”- New Oxford Dictionary.

In a traditional deck numbered from 0-21, The Star is the XVII or 17th card in the Suit of Trumps. However, I prefer the tarot's association to the Hebrew alphabet which is from 1-22. The Star card alines with the 18th Hebrew letter, Tzaddi. Symbolically, she means a righteous or pious person who faithfully follows God’s commandments, as one might follow a physiotherapy regime to heal a broken leg. Zaddik can be humble and modest, as well as rich and famous. Kabbalists believe there are at least thirty-six of them, “the minimum number of anonymous righteous men {and women} living in the world in every generation. They are privileged to see the Divine Presence, and the world exists on their merit. The origin of this tradition is found in the Babylonian Talmud”. - Jewish Virtual Library.

"Abraham put his trust in God and he was merited for it” is the complete verse in Genesis 15:6. Initially, the prophet had no idea where the Promised Land was when he left the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur to follow God's order. He had no idea how he could engender a great nation since Sarah was barren. In spite of not knowing, Abraham aimed tremendously high. In addition, he literally "walked, the walk"in a state of confidence and optimism towards a future ordained for him and only partially understood by him. In trying times faith, hope, and trust are called for. We wish for a better tomorrow not only for ourselves. However, a wish upon a star is only the beginning of it coming to life. Trust that it will. I know this might be hard to do, since most of us are not like Abraham.

“When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires

Will come to you.

If your heart is in your dream

No request is too extreme

When you wish upon a star

As dreamers do. . . . “

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