Each Sunday, I am going to put to use my Master's in Pastoral Counseling and Divinity to good use and actually open myself up to helping others who just want either one of the things I am good at. Reading Tarot (I'll get to your judgement on this in a second), and Prayer. Now before you get all high and mighty on me. Yes, I have my roots planted firmly in my Lutheran upbringing as the parables and storyline I connect with most as a human in my faith. However to say I'm 100% Lutheran is inaccurate. In every way, I am truly more Unitarian Universalist and that knowledge came from my years of learning in a Catholic-Founded graduate school known as LaSalle University.
In my first class towards my master's degree, I remember stepping outside and calling my mother on break. "Mom, I'm not okay and I don't like this."
What's wrong?
"Well they want you to actually really think about your faith in this class, like break it down and understand what's at the root of the beliefs and then rebuild your faith based on these questions and these 'atheistic' moments. I'm happy knowing what I know and believing what I believe. I don't want to do this."
But, that's learning.
Damned it. She was right. That first class of "Religion, Psychology and Culture" really made me critically look at my faith and take what most theologians call "the atheistic leap" where you transition from a child in your faith to an adult. It's taking the risk of really dissecting your beliefs and understanding the roots of all major faiths. Then truly understanding what parts of belief systems align more with your spirit and your heart, soul and mind. It's an examination of what you really believe and when you rebuild your faith brick by brick, it's built upon more solid footing and often can flex when confronted by new knowledge to understand more and more about the world and the spirituality that surrounds us. After much griping and complaining and gnashing of teeth I gave in.
Truth is...at our core. All paths that focus us on opening ourselves to be more aware and more mindful in our journey lead to truth. Simple as that. How you book end or whatever tools you use to deepen that understanding of awareness and basic fundamental roots of truth are divine. They are ways in which we can focus our understanding and lead us towards deeper understanding. Tarot as I use it, is merely a tool that though me hopefully helps others focus on their own inner truth which is where the divine lives. So I read to help keep people more awake so that hopefully what I feel and confer from these tools can hopefully help them to move forward.
So if you would like either/or/both on a Sunday I invite you to sign up.
In peace, love and hope forever...
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