Life is About Choices, Right?
It’s February and the stores are filled with reds and pinks, hearts, feathers, and things that shimmer and sparkle. All designed to draw you in and remind you to profess your love and devotion to your loved one, in this, the month of love. Also, and because I’m a procrastinator, this post is going up on the eve of Women’s History Month. The card for this month had to be… The Lovers.
The Lovers is a card of choices. This card depicts Adam in the Garden of Eden. On either side of him are Lilith and Eve. I’m not sure how many of you have ever heard of Lilith, but I was in my 40’s before I learned of her. I asked my boss, who knows pretty much everything biblical, and his response was “of course I know who Lilith is.” Well, for those of you who are like me, here’s a quick catch up:
Stories of Lilith have been around since as early as 700 AD. She was Adam’s first wife, but is more commonly known in her demonic form as the “slayer of children,” and may have been history’s first feminist. According to one story (The Alphabet of Ben-Sira), God formed Lilith from the same clay as Adam. Because they were created the same way, and from the same material, she insisted they were equals. When Adam insisted he was superior and she would be only submissive, she left the Garden of Eden. Lilith is now seen as the incarnation of lust, causing men to be led astray, and as a slayer of children.
Back to The Lovers… Adam is shown in the middle of a big choice. On one hand, he has Lilith. Independent thinking, strong willed and rebellious Lilith who you know would’ve given the serpent a run for his money. On the other hand, he has the dutiful, submissive, and faithful Eve who would never question the motives of the serpent. Adam chose Eve. And for this particular story, his choice for the supportive, non-questioning Eve resulted in their fall from grace.
You can see the archangel Raphael above them. He is depicted as being blindfolded, as it is not within his power to cast judgment on the choice to be made. This lack of participation from the higher power represents our free will. Adam’s choice (your choice) is his own (yours) and will decide the path of his (your) spiritual development.
Now, as you might remember, Major Arcana are cards of big energy, and not directly a result of a choice you made today. This choice is the culmination of many smaller choices, not all of them yours, but which lead you on a path directly to this point.
“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” J.K. Rowling
So, my readers, what choices are you faced with? Does the easy “right now” choice call to you? Will this be the best choice in the long run? More often it is the more difficult choice that will bring about better results, particularly on a deeper, more spiritual level.
When you find yourself at this moral crossroads, please consider all consequences before you act. Sometimes the choice is not obvious and requires a lot of reflection and contemplation. Unlike The Fool’s choice, for which there really is no wrong choice, The Lovers is a card where the choice is very much right or wrong. One of the choices will take you down a negative path. I caution you to be honest in your thoughts, closely and clearly examine your motives, and choose wisely.
My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me you’ll never miss a post!
Thank you! Muah!
Lovely to have your support, Helen. <3
Much to say about this as I have known of Lillith since somewhere around puberty, which came late. Yes, I am a scholar of the bible and of the ways it is interpreted, added to for each cultures understanding and it takes more than research to deliver the news from the garden when so much gets lost in the flood. Love your story and your take with the help of Tarot. I get it and you increasingly are understanding characters and write about them well. Lillith certainly could give the serpent a run for his morning star money. Now in an alternative world. Lillith was the snake and enticed Eve and then Adam. Later convinced Cain who was her son to Kill Abel who was Eve’s. And so the title for the one who wanted to kill the children of man. Still at work at the crossroads of Europe on the steppe to youth and Asia. Euthanasia and more for a shape shifter. Lillith is in all our stories, She was Morgana to Merlin when Arthur’s father like Adam was under her clever , beautiful and powerful spell. She was Lucrezia Borgia when her father was the pope and she was the killer of many. A strong willed girl who wanted power more than hope. I have known Lillith for many millennium as do the Faeries and all those who bathe in Sage. Even the Rolling Stones know all her names. Revered to some and exposed to others, her story has always been interesting to me. I loved your story, especially how bold. There’s always more. Just love to watch you think as you grow as an important storyteller.
Had to be there for critique to matter when we take the time. Keep writing on the edge. That a boy I said to the girl. See, words are a bottomless ocean and an endless sky. All we have to do is feel and readers want more why. So grateful to have you in my writing circle. Everything since the beginning is round.
Thanks Mark. As always, I appreciate your thoughts!