Of all the decks available at the mystic shop in Southsea a couple of years ago, the Druid Craft deck was the one I resonated (very '60's!) with. It's important to find a Tarot deck that feels 'right' - certainly the Druid Craft deck appeals to the Druid in me - and it's really well illustrated with an excellent book to go with it.
I'm typing this during our three-show-Joseph Saturday at Worthing at the Connaught theatre at the end of the Pier (the shore end) The other night, the "White Horses" battered the beach - very spectacular. I know that all life began in the sea, but I'm much more at home in the heart of Shakespeare's country (Warwickshire)...hopefully I'll get to see Martin's Oak tomorrow (Sun)Interestingly, the past three weeks, have resembled an episode of the Keystone Cops - Nearly choking to death in a Chinese restaurant (my sloppy eating - not the food) One speeding ticket, a bust central heating boiler, cancelled credit and debit cards, a cancelled website hosting arrangement and a bizarre tumble, when I literally walked into a wall. The wall was just above knee-height and the summersault I then performed over it, complete with my computer-bag was as spectacular as it was painful. (at the time of writing, I hadn't had the encounter with the scaffolding pole...that was to come, a couple of hours later!)
5pm Show...
Last Sunday was a bit of a mess as far as my central heating boiler was concerned. In total I was 'let down' by at least half a dozen 'operatives' and the thought of another cold day at home was almost too much to bear. Nevertheless I decided to go to church (at least a prayer for an plumber might produce results.)
I have an affinity with "The Fool" of the Major Arcana. (replace the cliff edge with a wall and his bag with my computer bag and you'll see what i mean. The Fool is "Everyman" (or woman) and is for me, not stupid but naive and with a wise instinct. The fool in Shaksper's plays has much in common with the Tarot fool..... both wise and vulnerable at the same time.When that I was and a little tiny boy With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, A foolish thing was but a toy, For the rain it raineth every day. ...
The Beatles' "Fool on the Hill" has always reminded me of the Tarot Fool (see YouTube vid' on sidebar...)
Yes..the Vernal Equinox had crept up on me by surprise, I guess due to my pre-occupation with the disasters in my life. But I must say, things did feel different on the drive down to Worthing from Coventry last Monday. The whole afternoon lifted me up a long way. The further I drove south, the more I could see the green spirits in the trees and hedgerows. Life throbs and hums and the power is very evident. I'm sure that Dylan Thomas was a secret Druid, even though he was born in the bible-black Welsh valleys (with their ancient celtic ways):
The force that through the Green Fuse...
It's now around 7.40pm and the last show of the day begins at 8pm. Chris Barton our Benjamin (from the TV show of last year..."Any Dream Will Do") had his 21st Birthday on the 21st of this month; one day after the Vernal Equinox. So the youngest sign of the Zodiac meets the begining of new life. (happy birthday Chris)
Card XX of the Major Arcana shows the sun god reborn and the symbol of the hare (which we have now changed to the Easter Bunny).It's a small shift from the Sun God to the Son of God and the Christian Easter celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus, fit well and go along beside the more ancient celebration of the Vernal Equinox...Although the Christian church layered Easter over the original Pagan dates (which are astrologically correct) ... I guess they layered it suitably...as long as the Christian church does not forget and acknowledges the overlay.
Meal Break...between the 5pm and the 8pm shows, Tim our Company Manager arranges a meal to keep us going. This week's treat came in the form of a curry...*burp*
8pm Show...
The curry is weighing heavily as we embark on Act 1. I guess that's why I'm a skinny one (and a lot of dancers) because I really perform better on an empty stomach. The trouble is that most theatricals eat after the evening show, which is not the best habit for good digestion. My diverticulitis diagnosis of the last few weeks is probably the result of a very disorganised food intake over the last forty years. Actually I had my first professional job when I was sixteen....so that means forty-eight years since I started in this strange profession, although I became a college lecturer for seven of them. (It still means 41 years of working and touring in the theatre)When I was in Infant school, we used to have visits to the local school pond to collect frogspawn and I remember lying in my stomach and listening to the gurgles and sounds of life - my favourite insects were the Water Boatmen - I always imagined that they were out, like Ratty and Mole, for a pleasurable jaunt on a fine day. Yes Spring is here, even though storms are around....one of my favourite spring poems by EE Cummings also has a strong, wet and fertile Pagan theme....in Just-spring...
I stopped writing this post, after I was hit between the eyes by a scaffolding pole (I walked into it) There followed a fascinating sequence of events which I have written about in the Almanack http://www.soulmerlin.com/almanack/?p=148
Blogs I Like (1)
Pentad (Tamara) visited the Almanack and left an encouraging comment...two actually because she did the best thing she could have done for my unstable blogging ego...she looked up a back-post and commented on it!
Wow! someone cares about what I write (I'm overdoing it a bit - ham actor) but it really was good to see a comment on a post I did around last July and which has lain buried under all my posts up 'till now.
Sometimes I feel that the blogosphere is full of people, all of them writing to no-one, in order to attract everyone...Tamara(Pentad) is a class act and I'm going to visit her site(s) often...
http://pentads.blogspot.com/ I found this one really interesting
http://www.pentad.no/index.htm Pentad~Simplifying Life and Love
http://www.pentad.no/blog.htm it's about baby alligators and...well, just go and find out.
I'll close this entry with a photo I took this time last year, of my favourite Oak tree. I thought it (the tree -not the photo) deserved to be shown again.
soulMerlin
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4 comments:
Dear, dear, SoulMerlin. How very kind of you! I was stunned to see mention of my site as I came in for this read. Thank you. This was a nice surprise.
I could sit for hours, and dig and read through your posts with all of your thoughts and experiences. I enjoy these visits, so keep on posting!
I was very impressed with your website and blogs and decided to do a feature on them...then I re-visited your site and discovered that you had already done a blog review and had a 'blogs I like' section...It really looked like I was being opportunistic.
So I guess I want to re-assure you that my admiration for your work was as spontaneous as it seems to have been co-incidental. (and I'm really not plugging for a review...I still have a lot to learn and iron out with my site and blogs.)
Your output is impressive and your blogs read so well.
xhenry
Oh no. Of course I did not think it as opportunistic.
I was very touched, and it made my day. Thank you.
After this last month I could really relate to this piece. It did me a lot of good reading it. As always your writing is stellar, and moves me. Am going to go check out your other sites. I hope you are doing MUCH MUCH better than I am today. (laughing) :) Take care my friend, R Always look forward to your next beautiful post. Your writing is exceptional.
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