Cult of Tarot Forum

I kind of hesitated to post this because the internet is so filled with this topic. But I want to acknowledge all the people who come here who are struggling with the current world situation.

This is a very difficult time we are all living through together right now.

The virus targets our health, the physically vulnerable most. And there are huge numbers of people, the financially vulnerable, are hurting right now too because of lost wages and uncertainty.

Every cancellation, every closing that you hear about, represents a chain-reaction of people’s livelihoods being lost.
It’s a chain reaction from top to bottom and in every direction. And it’s happening everywhere in the world right now.

We’ve never had such positive proof of the interconnectedness of all life.

At this time I want to ask everyone to do what you can to look out for each other. Help where you can in whatever way you are able.

Check in on each other. Not only about health, but everything else.

Also, support the people who care about others, who are doing the work to organise the services, who are working to make the needed changes to protect us all from every aspect of this, for now and in the future.

And most of all, please take care of yourselves. And when this is over, maybe we can make a better world where our go-to solutions are truth, intelligence, and compassion.



The Cult of Tarot March newsletter can be seen here.

Thanks for this reminder Joan Marie.

The Federal Council in Switzerland will be announcing new measures today. But it seems likely that they will be closing all public schools. Which would mean I'll be looking after my granddaughter all day. I'm going to offer also to look after any school friends for the parents who don't have a solution.

I'm a bit fed up with the hysteria though. I was thinking last night that soon they'll probably build a statue to the coronavirus and make blood sacrifices to it. Since they've given it a fancy name that reminds us of the sun, people are more scared of it. When it was just covid something, it was more anonymous. I prefer to call it Covid-something.

If I have to look after kids, I won't have much time to write my book. But life will get back to normal one day. They can't keep us locked up for eternity just because of a flu-like virus. It's not Ebola for heaven's sake. Nor the plague.

This too shall pass. Hang in there everybody. Hopefully, within a few month's time, things will begin to get back to normal.

Just received the confirmation. All schools will be closed till end April. So I'll be very busy with my granddaughter the next few weeks. The tarot will have to take a backseat as well as everything else. Will have to find ways to make all this jolly in spite of all the tight restrictions. I plan to do so.

What an unusual turn of events all this. Who would have thought a while back that we'd be here...

One positive thing about this whole business, and I think it's really really positive, as that the pollution levels have gone down so much. No more airplanes, less cars, no more stupid cruise liners, industries shut down, etc. etc. There was a picture from the NASA some time back showing the comparison of two satellite photos taken over China a few weeks apart. The air was crystal clear in the later one, horribly sad the first.

Also it's nice that people aren't on shopping frenzies anymore buying stuff they don't need. Like their 20th pair of shoes. Made in China.

So the air is getting a little breather. If only we would learn from this...

I wish all of you will stay safe and not go broke.

When I saw a big news bulletin about it, I got a vision of a pine tree that grew on a mountainside with no soil. It just reminded me that life is strong.

I have no good gut feeling about this though.

CO

It's a Tower time and let's hope many people will recover completely and become immune. Let's hope the scientists, administrators and politicians are as efficient and admirable as doctors and nurses and educators. Let's hope the world will recognize that the under-estimated professions of care and healing deserve all the respect and much more money than they get. Let's hope we learn what connects us, how we are all similar in our concerns and loves and solidarity, let's hope on some spiritual level humanity grows while going through a global crisis together.

Tarot is about "positive energies" and recognizing others and ourselves in our humanity and ability to feel empathy and see the light. Light outside, light inside. Shadows are there anyway but let's hope homo sapiens learns on a deeper level to see the light within ourselves and others.

I will go now and make a little altar for Eleos, the Greek goddess of mercy - Clementia, Guanyin, in her many guises.

Nemia wrote: ↑16 Mar 2020, 08:00 It's a Tower time and let's hope many people will recover completely and become immune. Let's hope the scientists, administrators and politicians are as efficient and admirable as doctors and nurses and educators. Let's hope the world will recognize that the under-estimated professions of care and healing deserve all the respect and much more money than they get. Let's hope we learn what connects us, how we are all similar in our concerns and loves and solidarity, let's hope on some spiritual level humanity grows while going through a global crisis together.

Welcome back, although I knew you were never really away.

This could also be a rising Star (Hope) on the horizon? Maybe, who knows.

For my part, I'll continue to post silly pictures of my plant projects in the thread: Brightening Up The Day/Evening With Plants under Misc. Topics & Discussion. Plants are very hopeful and it's always very gratifying to watch them grow and thrive.....besides, I can think of that thread as a virtual "plant corner" of the CoT Forum LOL.

Papageno wrote: ↑16 Mar 2020, 19:01 For my part, I'll continue to post silly pictures of my plant projects in the thread: Brightening Up The Day/Evening With Plants under Misc. Topics & Discussion. Plants are very hopeful and it's always very gratifying to watch them grow and thrive.....besides, I can think of that thread as a virtual "plant corner" of the CoT Forum LOL.

I'm down for that. I spent the last 2 days getting my tomato plants started, and getting all my pots ready for sunflowers. Plants seems like a good activity right now.

Your African violets are beautiful. I haven't seen those for years. They were really popular in the 70s I think. Maybe it was the 80s.

Our company closed with staff on reduced hours/pay for the foreseeable future. I'm grateful that for now my livelihood isn't entirely lost. That may change eventually. I do understand why we had to close, though. I think it was the right call.

All the best to everyone. May you be well.

Thank you so much, Joan Marie. I think we do need to share with each other here, especially since so many of us who live alone are really isolated from other people. This is giving me time to turn to Tarot and Oracle study, but everyone is understandably worried. I lost my husband to cancer 20 weeks ago, so this is adding to an already difficult time for me. However, it is much worse for those who are affected and for their loved ones.

What can I do, here, to help everyone else?

Raven wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 18:22 What can I do, here, to help everyone else?

I'm just so glad you are here.

I'm so sorry for your loss Raven, it must be difficult to get used to living alone. It seems quiet here today, but I think perhaps people are making adjustments for the way things will be for the next few months (at least, they say here in the UK). The schools closed today for an indefinite period - massive changes everywhere.

Joan Marie wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 18:28

Raven wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 18:22 What can I do, here, to help everyone else?

I'm just so glad you are here.

Thank you, that is very kind of you.

Pen wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 19:41 I'm so sorry for your loss Raven, it must be difficult to get used to living alone. It seems quiet here today, but I think perhaps people are making adjustments for the way things will be for the next few months (at least, they say here in the UK). The schools closed today for an indefinite period - massive changes everywhere.

Thank you, Pen. It is a very different life. I know how everyone feels being isolated at home.

Here in Canada, in the province I live in, all the schools have been closed, too. The world is a very different place indeed. I hope that what will come of this is renewed fellowship and greater kindness. I'm calling it the World War of our generation, since we were spared both WWI and WWII.

I have on the one hand existential fears (laid off, as freelancer, I have no support right now and live on the money my husband earns which is not enough), fears for my family who live far away, and I also feel the atmosphere of nearly apocalyptical fears. Can you imagine that just a year ago, everybody was busy thinking and discussing about the Night King and the fate of Westeros? It seems today like another life.

All we humans living today are the descendants of generations of survivors - epidemics like these have left their traces in our genetics, and that's why we seek others (although we know rationally it's dangerous) and seek stuff to eat, full bags of flour to ward off hard times. We fear isolation, hunger and dangers from unseen enemies. Knowing that puts things into perspective, irrational behaviour is to be expected.

I'm glad we have this place here on the net, imprinted with kindness and positivity, where we can re-fill our batteries. That's better than hoarding toilet paper or even than eating sweets

Raven wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 20:02 I'm calling it the World War of our generation, since we were spared both WWI and WWII.

I was just thinking of this funnily enough outside when I was having a cigarette.

It's a Third World War no doubt. But there's a huge difference between this one and the other two. Because in this one, everyone has a common enemy.

It's one of the few times this has happened. The first maybe? In living memory anyway, I would think it is the first. Unless we consider the great flood but that's going back a bit far I would think.

And it's good that the world for once realises that we are all equal. For this enemy is no respecter of nations nor politicians. No borders, no nations. I've been shouting that at political demos for years. This virus seems to agree with me. How odd how extremes can meet sometimes...

So although Covid-19 is no friend of ours, there are always two sides to a coin. Two sides to a Tarot card. Two sides to a virus.

But we will vanquish it and we will survive. I'm convinced it will be contained. I don't understand the prophets of doom. It's okay. it's not going to be Mad Max. But I do understand that some people are panicking, because some people suffer from anxiety and my heart goes out to them.

P.S. Glad to have you here as well. Thanks for joining. I'm very sorry for your loss.

Nemia wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 20:20
All we humans living today are the descendants of generations of survivors - epidemics like these have left their traces in our genetics, and that's why we seek others (although we know rationally it's dangerous) and seek stuff to eat, full bags of flour to ward off hard times. We fear isolation, hunger and dangers from unseen enemies. Knowing that puts things into perspective, irrational behaviour is to be expected.

Perhaps then it's not so irrational, but traditional.

Thanks for this message!
It is true it is very sad and scary right now. We are so used to being in control of Nature, at least to an extent, that it's a huge thing for society to come to terms with.
I'm glad the world is working together, for the most part, to try to beat the virus. It makes me think how amazing the world could be, if everyone realised their essential things are in common, not separate. Just imagine if we could all work in tandem to solve things internationally. There has always been so much war that at least having a common enemy is better, in some ways, than another world war. It's also a small bright point to see the beautiful clear waters in Venice. How fast we could help the earth, if we all really tried...and there was less incessant commercialism.

I hope witnessing all this suffering will make the world a kinder place...

I am off work as our museums are closed and am in the vulnerable group (asthma) classed by the UK govt as being vulnerable. The current plan is that we all have to limit social contact for 12 weeks- to the extent that we should not have friends round and should only go out if we can keep 2 metres from everyone else. Luckily I'm talking to friends and family online and have a flatmate to share worries with!

Diana wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 20:30

Raven wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 20:02 I'm calling it the World War of our generation, since we were spared both WWI and WWII.

I was just thinking of this funnily enough outside when I was having a cigarette.

It's a Third World War no doubt. But there's a huge difference between this one and the other two. Because in this one, everyone has a common enemy.

It's one of the few times this has happened. The first maybe? In living memory anyway, I would think it is the first. Unless we consider the great flood but that's going back a bit far I would think.

And it's good that the world for once realises that we are all equal. For this enemy is no respecter of nations nor politicians. No borders, no nations. I've been shouting that at political demos for years. This virus seems to agree with me. How odd how extremes can meet sometimes...

So although Covid-19 is no friend of ours, there are always two sides to a coin. Two sides to a Tarot card. Two sides to a virus.

But we will vanquish it and we will survive. I'm convinced it will be contained. I don't understand the prophets of doom. It's okay. it's not going to be Mad Max. But I do understand that some people are panicking, because some people suffer from anxiety and my heart goes out to them.

P.S. Glad to have you here as well. Thanks for joining. I'm very sorry for your loss.

Very kind of you, Diana. Thank you. I am very happy to be in this wonderful oasis. You are right. It kills, like in the war, but is a common enemy. That's a very interesting observation and will, in my humble opinion, make a significant difference.

If I may share a little something. My mother was born in 1918. Her mother was pregnant with her and went into labour whilst she was literally dying from Spanish Influenza, the greatest pandemic the world had apparently ever experienced. My grandmother survived until she was 98 and my mother is on her way to 102.

So, it is very dreadful and I feel for all who are suffering in one way or another (I believe that's all of us), but I also believe that we will see this through. We must believe because of the power of thought and of the collective unconscious.

Nemia wrote: ↑20 Mar 2020, 20:20 I have on the one hand existential fears (laid off, as freelancer, I have no support right now and live on the money my husband earns which is not enough), fears for my family who live far away, and I also feel the atmosphere of nearly apocalyptical fears.

...

All we humans living today are the descendants of generations of survivors - epidemics like these have left their traces in our genetics, and that's why we seek others (although we know rationally it's dangerous) and seek stuff to eat, full bags of flour to ward off hard times. We fear isolation, hunger and dangers from unseen enemies. Knowing that puts things into perspective, irrational behaviour is to be expected.

I'm glad we have this place here on the net, imprinted with kindness and positivity, where we can re-fill our batteries. That's better than hoarding toilet paper or even than eating sweets

I'm so very sorry, Nemia. I wish there was something I could do to help.

I have witnessed that less stellar side of humanity at the grocery store. Luckily for us, there are more good souls than selfish ones. This community is living proof of kindness, decency and goodness. I'd like to thank Rose Lalonde for having told me about it and you all for making me feel so welcome.

Rose Lalonde wrote: ↑16 Mar 2020, 20:04 Our company closed with staff on reduced hours/pay for the foreseeable future. I'm grateful that for now my livelihood isn't entirely lost. That may change eventually. I do understand why we had to close, though. I think it was the right call.

All the best to everyone. May you be well.

Dearest Rose Lalonde, I hope that you will have enough. I'm sorry to hear that you are on reduced hours/pay. Hopefully, something will be found to stop this virus. Apparently in the US, there are volunteers who have submitted themselves to an injection of some kind. Not sure whether it's a vaccine or a treatment. This took place at the beginning of this week.

I hope to see you here soon, my dear.

This is a Vedic astrological message for everyone.

I've been watching some very interesting videos by what seem to be very fine and knowledgeable Vedic astrologers. Most of them are from India. It wasn't easy to find good ones, because most are in Hindi. And there are a lot which I skipped as they didn't seem very serious.

There's a lot of interesting talk about collective karma and what collective karma is, but the message that was encouraging as regards the confinement and lockdowns and length this will take, is that it would seem that mid-May there will be the first signs of the clouds breaking. And also some said that the next week or ten days will be the toughest.

I thought I'd share this as, because I know nothing about astrology, I thought it would be interesting also to ponder the planetary influences on this situation.

i have been thinking a lot about what is being written here, and i want to express that, contrary to some of the comments, i don’t see the virus as an enemy, or THE enemy, nor do i think it needs to be or can ever be beaten. covid-19 just is. it has become a reality in most of our lives and what we need to figure out is how to live with it, or around it. which i think is in no way a simple task. but i find it hard to think of covid-19 in war-like terms, it somehow makes it more unreal, like an alien invasion, or something out of a movie. and it makes me feel powerless, instead of prepared and willing to face what’s coming my/our way.
a lot of what’s happening is reminding me of what the gay community went through in the eighties, with hiv and aids, there are lots of similarities (as well as major differences). we have never beaten hiv, but we got to know everything there is to know about it and learned how to survive it and live with it. i think with covid-19 we need to do the same. actually, that is exactly what we are trying to do right now. here in the netherlands, and all around the world, our top virologists are trying to ‘catalogue’ the virus and find out how it works, so they can find ways to neutralize it. i really hope they succeed soon!

stronglove wrote: ↑01 Apr 2020, 20:10 i don’t see the virus as an enemy, or THE enemy,
a lot of what’s happening is reminding me of what the gay community went through in the eighties, with hiv and aids, there are lots of similarities (as well as major differences). we have never beaten hiv, but we got to know everything there is to know about it and learned how to survive it and live with it.

As someone who is immunocompromised because of HIV, I despise all pathogens....pathogens are THE enemy.

I was heartbroken by a picture in the NY Times of a young man, age 24, standing on the balcony of his 4th floor Brooklyn apt. gazing out on the street. He is immunocompromized because he takes immune-suppressing medications due to his crippling arthritis.....but at least he is alive.

I remember as I'm sure you do as well, people at age 24 who were ravaged by HIV 35+ years ago......some poisoned to death by being administered AZT every 4 hours 24/7 because doctors were desperate and didn't know any better back then.

Respectfully, No, scientists have NOT discovered everything there is to know about HIV, otherwise, we would have moved beyond PREP and advanced to an actual cure.
Virology and it's many related fields of medical research, is an extremely complex realm of science, and unfortunately, progress is slow, as with most things in life.

However, with that being said, I do agree with the overall sentiments of your post, in that we (hopefully) learn to adapt, each in our own way.
Nobody ever said life was easy, Lord only knows, and we all have burdens to shoulder.........very RWS 10/wands sort of thing.

Please don't take anything I've posted here as an attack, that is absolutely NOT the intent.

Viruses have a nasty habit of evolving and mutating, BUT the Human Spirit also evolves.....the Human Spirit is STRONG.
If this were not so, Humanity would have floundered into extinction a very long time ago. We survive (thank you Gloria Gaynor) in spite of ourselves and natural calamities.

I highly recommend the 1997 movie: Gattaca, with Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law.
It's about the triumph of a so-called lower echelon citizen over a genetically enhanced counterpart.....the triumph of Human Spirit over designer DNA.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/

https://www.amazon.com/Gattaca-Ethan-Ha ... 217&sr=8-1

PEACE TO EVERYBODY