Amoroso's Sacred Days of the Autumnal Equinox 2019

[Amoroso]

As they say - better late than never. Been under the weather for the past few days but I'm better now, so Imma do some catching up in time for the final Sacred Day.

Regarding the Osho Zen, this is only the second reading that I'm gonna be using it so my interpretations might seem traditional at first. However, while it does follow the basic outline of the RWS school, it really is a system all its own. I respect this so I will strive to use the deck in the spirit that it's supposed to be used, including the application of the cards' intended meanings.

With all that said, let's get it on!

[Amoroso]

Deck: Osho Zen

Day 1 18.9. Ludi magni games - Roman games in honour of the god Jupiter, celebrated with circus performances. This card reflects the spirit of celebration in your life, and how you can bring more joy and playfulness to yourself and others.

I understand why the Queen of Clouds - Morality popped up in this position, tho it seems incongruous at first. This probably means that if I am to fully enjoy myself, I must first finish the things that need to be taken care of so that I don't have those little niggling worries at the back of my head as I celebrate. Business before pleasure, pain before gain and all that.

[Amoroso]

Day 2 19.9. Day of Our Lady of La Salette - an apparition of the Christian Mother of God/Holy Virgin. She brings message of hope to humanity. Where is your personal source of hope and spirituality?

The Knight of Rainbows - Slowing Down card suggests that in times when I feel overwhelmed, I just have to stand back, survey the situation objectively, gather facts, weigh options, and then execute. There's always a solution to every problem - at the very least there are ways to exploit my current situation to my advantage. Patience is a virtue - I mustn't lose hope or give up.

Alternatively, the card also says that I should take some time off each day to delve into my spiritual pursuits. Nothing fancy - just a few moments out of an otherwise hectic day to relax and center myself by meditating, reading cards/books, etc.

[Amoroso]

Day 3 20.9. Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the Sea - This card asks you to address your fears and shadows before the winter comes, like the Inuit did in their Sedna festival.

The Queen of Water - Receptivity card implies that I should not shrink away from novel means of facing my fears. I should also be more open to suggestions from people who may be more knowledgeable than me, although of course I don't have to throw my critical faculties out of the window.

This card is also interesting since in my deck interview of the Osho Zen, upon asking its impression of me it popped out the Knight of Fire - Intensity card to symbolize me. That was Fire of Fire and today's card is Water of Water. This may mean that I mustn't be afraid of exploring and even expressing the aspects of my nature which seem alien to me, like my feminine side for example.

Three court cards for the first three days. Interesting. Maybe this means that other people are going to figure significantly for my journey me this autumn?

[Amoroso]

Day 4 21.9. Eleusinia - an ancient Greek holiday, commemorating Demeter and Persephone. She has to leave the world of of growth and abundance and descend to the realm of death. This card reflects grief, sadness and the traces of tears in your life. Acknowledge and honour them.

3 of Water - Celebration seems like another counterintuitive card, but it actually ties in pretty neatly with the Morality card I drew on the first Sacred Day. Blindly following pleasure, indulgence, and convenience has caused me grief and profound dissatisfaction in my life. Time to turn the lights out on this party and begin being serious for real.

[Amoroso]

Day 5 22.9. Meditrinalia - an ancient Greek holiday honoring the goddess of healing. Think about your healing process and how you can continue it. Where do you draw strength from? How can you heal and nurture yourself in the future? Pamper yourself today and close these twelve days of introspection with healing thoughts.

The 3 of Rainbows - Guidance card says that while I may like to fancy myself as independent and self-sufficient, I have to acknowledge that I get part of my strength from the guidance given by my family, mentors, friends, and even by my guides from the beyond. The wisdom they impart and their implicit support help me recover from setbacks and give me the courage and inspiration to keep on truckin.

[Amoroso]

Day 6 23.9. Autumn Solstice - Libra - Mabon - the day of perfect equilibrium. A day for two cards. What is growing in your life, what is decreasing? This two-card reading reflects the balance of your energies and, if there is imbalance, what you need to address.

The perfect keyword for this twosome is Detachment. With 5 of Rainbows - The Outsider on the rise and Page of Clouds - Mind waning, I guess I'm doing good in my quest for the ideal. Again it seems incongruous, but the Osho Zen actually paints The Outsider as a positive and The Mind as somewhat of a negative, with many criticisms of the deck arising from the latter view.

In any case, these cards indicate that I'm well on my path to achieving distance from unproductive emotions, and am learning to discern the essence of things - free from the clutter of subjectivity and anxiety. I now get a feel for what's important, for the bare minimum needed to achieve my goals, and to disregard minutiae that only serve to confuse things. These work at both the macro and the micro level, from the grand to the mundane.

This is very important, as this fall I'm initiating a project that would have a significant import and impact on my life. I must always remember the three keys: to always keep going, keep my wits about me, and keep my eyes on the prize. With what's at stake, I feel deeply blessed through these gifts from the Autumnal Equinox.

[Amoroso]

Day 7 24.9. Brazil holiday of Maiso, mother goddess - what is the role of your mother in your life, how do you mother yourself/father yourself? Reflect on the maternal/paternal archetypes within yourself, and how you can make them work for you, not against you.

This is not about my mom. It's been half a decade. Guess it's finally time to let go.

[Amoroso]

Day 8 25.9. Greek holiday Pyanopsia - Thanksgiving for the fruits of the sun. Wind white or purple wool around a laurel or olive branch, and hang or arrange fruit around it. These don't have to be actual fruit - you can write on a paper things that you are grateful for. What is the fruit of your past action, ripening now?

The Page of Rainbows - Adventure card gave me the lulz. It says that with the languid, lazy, and sleepy pace of my life right now, I'm bound to embark on an adventure real soon. This ties in beautifully with what I mentioned on the sacred day of the Autumnal Equinox, about a grand project I'll be beginning this season. I just hope that it all turns out well.

[Amoroso]

Some notes:

Just eight days in and I already have five court cards. Must take stock of the people around me and see how they'd figure in my plans.

Also - no majors as of yet. I guess I have to put the time in and focus on the mundane and the practical first before even contemplating how it all fits in the grander scheme of things.

[Amoroso]

Day 9 26.9. Holiday of Neptune - This is a card about anger and anger management. Contemplate about how you deal with negative feelings. Is there a way to tranform negative energies into positive ones, making your anger pull your carriage and drive you on?

I know that I occasionally may have some anger issues, but I feel that the 5 of Clouds - Comparison card answers the internal kind, rather than one that's directed against other people. Maybe it's time to face the fact that the main reason that I'm angry with myself is because I know that I haven't lived up to my full potential, because compared to my peers I still have so much more that I need to achieve.

I must stop measuring myself against others because we live different lives and therefore go by different standards. And who knows? This may also be a case of the grass being greener on the other side. I should remember to count my blessings and advantages and simply be thankful for them.

[Amoroso]

Day 10 27.9. Vendémiaire - month of the grape harvest in the French revolutionary calendar month. Raise your glass to your big and small achievements in the last year, either with wine or grape juice, and enjoy your success.

The Lovers card says that there's no better way to celebrate the successes and blessings of the past year than with my loved ones, with the people that I'm closest to. I'm not much into alcohol but a hamburger party sounds like a neat idea.

Also: finally! Just happy that I drew my first major for this reading, and an auspicious one at that.

[Amoroso]

Day 11 28.9. Maha Navami - a Hindu holiday celebrating goddess Durga's victory over a demon. Part of the celebrations is chanting. Reflect on a victory you want to win over the next three months, and devise a chant for it. Write it down where you can see it and envision the joy you will feel when you reach this goal.

Wow. I don't think I'd dare aim to be The Master in a mere three months. But who knows, right?

Alternatively, this card might be saying that I should really spend some time studying the lessons that the deck imparts and quit being a dilletante. It's all so fascinating tho so I shan't say no.

[Diana]

Wow. I don't think I'd dare aim to be The Master in a mere three months. But who knows, right?

Alternatively, this card might be saying that I should really spend some time studying the lessons that the deck imparts and quit being a dilletante. It's all so fascinating tho so I shan't say no.

If you choose the alternative version, I wouldn't mind studying it alongside with you here on CoT. I've always had a lot of affection for Osho and his teachings. So if you start up some threads, I'm all ears and fingers.

If you choose the first option, well then good luck ! Or they may be a third option... maybe you'll meet your master.

Then again, you didn't make up a chant. Maybe one needs the chant for the magic to happen !!

[Amoroso]

Thanks for the offer, Marigold. I think I'll study it on my lonesome tho. I don't know the slightest bit about Osho, Zen, or Buddhism, so I might not have much knowledge to impart in a shared study except those that I gleaned in the deck's companion books. Some of my ideas might run counter to what those schools teach and raise a purist's hair on end lol.

I'll have to think of an appropriate chant then. I think Auṃ maṇi padme hūṃ is already taken so I'll have to be a bit more creative.

[Diana]

Thanks for the offer, Marigold. I think I'll study it on my lonesome tho. I don't know the slightest bit about Osho, Zen, or Buddhism, so I might not have much knowledge to impart in a shared study except those that I gleaned in the deck's companion books. Some of my ideas might run counter to what those schools teach and raise a purist's hair on end lol.

I'll have to think of an appropriate chant then. I think Auṃ maṇi padme hūṃ is already taken so I'll have to be a bit more creative.

I wouldn't have the time actually, so thanks for not taking up my offer ! I've read only a couple of books of Osho a long time ago, and watched some old video cassettes that an Indian greengrocer in my neighbourhood used to rent out (so video cassettes means a long time ago). I certainly wouldn't consider him a guru, but he says some really interesting things and has a tremendous sense of humour too. He gives a very unique perspective which I think can enrich anyone's experience wherever one comes from or is going.

But he really lost his plot at some point though. I true guru doesn't lose the plot that way.

[Amoroso]

What happened was just plain sad, and I've read about some of the unsavory stuff that happened. I've treated this deck on its own merit tho. Some readers take out The Master card, but I chose to keep it as a general representation of one who's gained wisdom and reached enlightenment, and not necessarily as any specific person.

A friend also has some Osho books which she recommended to me a few yeaes back, which was strange because she's strictly Catholic. Your post makes me think that maybe it's time to take her up on her offer.

[Amoroso]

Day 12 29.9. Rosh Hashana - beginning of the Jewish New Year. It's a Jewish custom to send greetings and good wishes to people in your life. Use this day to focus on the people who are important to you, what you can do to strengthen your ties to them, and contact at least one person you have neglected lately.

This is the perfect card to end these Sacred Days. Ace of Fire - The Source reminds me of how much my family is the fount of my inspiration. When I get exhausted or demoralized, I just visit or at least talk to them and I feel re-energized. It's not all roses tho, but while disagreements might pop up now and again, we always find a way to mend things. Family is the home that one can always return to.

[Amoroso]

Compositional Analysis

Arcana:

Majors: 2 (expected: 3.78)
Courts: 5 (expected: 2.63)
Minors: 6 (expected: 6.57)

The number of majors that I drew for this spread are less than expected, while that for the minors are just right. There are a lot of courts tho, with almost twice the number that should've been drawn for a spread of this size. This means that for this season, my focus should be on family and friends while paying attention to the people that I interact with. It'd probably be a smooth-sailing autumn spent accomplishing routine goals and just getting the job done.


Elements:

Fire: 1 (7.69%)
Water: 4 (30.77%)
Air: 3 (23.08%)
Earth: 4 (30.77%)
?: 1 (7.69%)

While there's a near-parity in the number of Water, Air, and Earth cards, there's a telling dearth in Fire. This bolsters my earlier analysis that this would probably be a quiet and peaceful season spent on fulfilling practical concerns, improving my relationships with the important people in my life, and on the planning and execution of my current projects instead of exploring potential pursuits and initiating new ventures. The selection of the lone unidentified card suggests that I should engage in its general gist, which in this case means putting in more time for my spiritual undertakings.