It's in the cards?

"I don't practice Santeria, I ain't got no crystal ball"

Although I appreciate the fine art and entertainment value of astrology, tarot, psychics, runes etc.  I am wary of when friends or myself become too dependent on these tools in making life decisions or deciding the parameters of who we are and what we can be. Above is the Lovers Card from The Collective Tarot, a collaborative art project carried out by 25 artists that I was honored to take a part in (designing above card) and am a big fan of the Tarot Collective, the bottom liners who make sure printing continues of this rad(ical) deck.  I appreciate this deck not only because of the rad folks who put it together but because the reading of the cards is not disempowering, making you believe that there are forces that be that you are controlled by and your life is not in your hands but rather empowering, with the messaging that the life you want can be created by you and the communities you are a part of.  Nervous when I got assigned the task of creating this card thinking I was going to have to depict visual wisdom of choices made in relationships, I was pleasantly surprised in my research of the card's history. Its true nature was not about the heart romantically but about the heart passionately.  The Lovers Card is there to encourage you to make that brave decision to follow your heart or to make a decision to stay on the safe path.  In choosing the safe path your chances of gaining the "fruit" of life is limited if not non existent.  It is about intentionally choosing to live passionately.

Despite any spiritual practice I may take on now or in the future I like to remember my first true religion was punk.  Although born with the attitude, my punk life inspired and inspires me to make brash decisions.  Center yourself and remember to never let anyone or anything define who you are or who you can be, even the dang stars.  Live passionately, defy the stars, it's more fun that way.

Hippie side note:  Honestly what I think is that there is nothing between you (priest nor psychic reading) and connecting to some higher power or energy, we just forget how to.  Just go ahead and reach out and grab that energy your damn self. You can do it, it's right there in front of you!