RiverSnake Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) Was studying Tarot recently and found this excerpt from Pamela Eakins Tarot of the Spirit and wanted to share. Enjoy "The Earth itself, like the Wind, is the offspring of the elemental universal forces of Fire and Water. The Earth is seen as the daughter of the elemental forces. The Earth is inert form, female and receptive, providing a body for the forces of intellect, emotion, spirit, will and life-force. Earth is the limitless substance of which all things physical are composed. Earth Indicates all physical form. Physical forms are vessels containing life-force. In other words, Earth is the form in which life, the force, is embodied. Mystics say: force is ensouled in form. To ensoul means to endow with a soul. The soul--while it cannot be discerned materially or physically--thinks, wills, and has spiritual and emotional force. The soul is the vital or essential component of life. The ultimate etymology of the word "soul" is uncertain. However, one of the form of the word is "sol". It is interesting to examine the connections between these two concepts (soul and sol) in that, in Latin, the root indicates Sun, Earth and alone. In many languages, Sun indicates "sound," to emit. Earth means "ear," to "hear," "to receive." Symbolically, the spirit--the Light of the Sun--ensouls itself in Earth (the planet and the body) where it manifests through breath and sound. Another form of sun is son, denoting offspring. (Son also is the root form of "sound.") We, as children of the universe, are the sons and daughters of "Sun" and "Earth". As sons, we emit. As daughters, we receive. The meaning of daughter (Dochter, doch) is receptacle or to receive (Greek). Daughter also means milk (dhugh/Sanskrit). We intertwine and reproduce. We nourish the young. Life-force passes from us into our offspring. We pass the wand from generation to generation. This is akin to passing the spirit or the force. Thus, as the sons and daughters of Sun and Earth, we are force ensouled in form. We are form containing force. We are the vessels for new forms which are, in turn, ensouled by force. And while we are the sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of Earth, and therefore inextricably connected, each one of us ultimately journeys the path through incarnation alone. This is the solitary path of the soul. But, the physical world must be experienced, as we shall see, before the homeward journey is begun. Earth is our gift. We find ourselves honored with the exquisitely sensual experiences of living on the planet. It comes as a gift that we experience Her joys and wonders. It is also a gift to experience Her quaking, Her tossing and turning. The cracks that open in Her surface crack open our psyches. She shakes us into seeing. Such physical breakage can become the greatest pathway to the inner self. On the path through Earth, we learn that it is mostly the structures we, ourselves, erect that fall down and hurt us when Earth quakes. We learn to build our foundation upon the most solid and enduring ground" Tarot of the Spirit by Pamela Eakins 1 of Earth: Form http://usgs.typepad.com/.a/6a013485938a51970c017d3cf44c52970c-popup My 2 cents, Peace Edited February 19, 2013 by OldGreen 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
