A week with the Tulku Oracle

[Rachelcat]

A tulku is a reincarnated Tibetan Buddhist lama (teacher). They are usually identified as children and educated accordingly. There aren’t any tulkus identified in the deck. The creator (artist and author), Karla Refoxo, has a line of amulets that seem very nice (a large card showing the amulets and a coupon came with the deck), and it looks like she’s used mostly the same items for cards for the deck. I think I like the cards better than the amulets, but that’s just me.

The deck has a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Native American items, along with some other animals and goddesses, and is divided into 3 sections: Symbols, Totems (animals), and Archetypes (gods and goddesses). There are 53 cards. The book is substantial, providing for each card: keywords (“rooted am I”), [Chinese] Element, Symbolism, Oracle, Reversed, and Teaching. Looks like I need to brush up on my Chinese five elements! And I probably won’t be using reversals for this first use of the deck. I know my limitations.

On to the interview!

Most important characteristic: Sacred Heart
This is not the sacred heart of Jesus! It looks like two snakes are twined into a heart to show a union of opposites. I’m thinking kundalini, two energies come together to energize. The book says the same, union of opposites and kundalini. So the important thing about this deck is it’s a merging or joining of ideas into one thing. As you know, I was so worried about the “mishmash” of symbols, but it’s telling me they all come together, and I and the deck can come together as well.

Strength: Medicine Buddha
The strength of the deck is that it’s healing. It takes ideas from different cultures and brings them together to heal.

Weakness: Ganesh
It’s focus is on healing, not intellectual understanding.

What can the deck teach me? Abundance
Well, learning about abundance would be nice! But what do I need to know about it? I guess that I already have it, so much more than other people. And how to use it.

How can I learn it? Bear Eagle Goddess
This is an ancient Siberian fertility goddess. The way I can learn about abundance is by sharing it. She is spreading seeds from her bear cave in the earth and the eagle’s sky, too.

Outcome of our work together: Inner Marriage
I think that many of the cards in this deck are similar. This one is obviously similar to the first card, two snakes joined symbolize union. This is more specifically kundalini and the joining of sun and moon, masculine and feminine. It is appropriate that the cards in these two positions are similar, but how are they different? I guess this one is more “inner.” Sacred Heart is about relationships and this one is about the union of masculine and feminine within. So the outcome will be that I will be able to combine concepts to gain more understanding.

Wow, the deck and I seem to have lots to say! And it’s deep. But I guess that’s expected for a more “spiritual” deck. I can’t wait to keep working with it! Have a very happy Sunday!

[Joan Marie]

I've been admiring this deck from afar for a long time.

The colours are so intensely evocative.

[Rachelcat]

Yes, it totally tempted me even though I was being all high and mighty about the mixed symbolism! But after today's reading, I might be the wrong audience because I didn't even see what was right in front of my face! I hope I'll get more in tune with it soon.

[Rachelcat]

Just another manic Monday for me! So I think one card is in order! I’ll do better tomorrow.

Kwan Yin
She is the bodhisattva of compassion. She’s telling me to not get hard and judgmental. Keep my compassion warm and soft. I don’t quite know what we’re looking at here. At first I thought it was a spider? Then I see a bony hand and a face. Let’s look at the book to figure it out. OH, all is well, it’s an elk’s antlers. The elk’s head is at the bottom. Kwan Yin appears as a vision in the antlters. According to the book, the elk represents the masculine serving and protecting the feminine. And the vision of Kwan Yin just goes to show that she shows up when least expected. And there’s another Kwan Yin in the background, in her position of royal ease, perhaps holding the world in her lap.

I hate to be pedantic but I’m going to be, I guess. (Just ignore me if you know this already.) Kwan Yin is an east Asian female translation/version of Avalokiteshvara, the male bodhisattva of compassion. It makes sense that people would see him/her as a protective, motherly figure. But in Buddhist philosophy, compassion is seen as the masculine side, and wisdom as the feminine side. That’s because the masculine is active, using skillful means to help people, while feminine is passive, just knowing or being the truth. But that also makes her (Wisdom) the mother of the Buddhas. There are a few cards in this deck that illustrate the symbolism of this masculine-feminine scheme. But it just came out of me today!

Have a lovely evening. I’ll try to be earlier tomorrow.

[Rachelcat]

Tuesday
Opportunity, Challenge, Resolution

Opportunity: Vesica Piscis
This is the last card of the deck, and the book has no reversed meaning, so I think it’s supposed to be a culmination or very auspicious card. Wikipedia says the edges of the circles should touch the center of the other circle, so this is a little off geometrically. The book mentions the cover of the Chalice Well, and that the beach and ocean are in the background, so a very watery card, but points out that the circles are intersected by a masculine sword. I have an opportunity to go beyond masculine and feminine, and even the joining of them, into something more universal, more pan-human. And I feel like I’m getting there. The focus of new age symbolism on masculine and feminine, even though properly valuing the feminine is just starting to seem too restrictive of my mind. But obviously it’s on my mind. See yesterday’s post!

Challenge: Lilith
And the challenge is also not to buy into the virgin-whore, dark goddess-bright goddess dichotomy either. Again, we celebrate the light and the dark, but there’s something beyond that. Like the night sky is dark, but what makes it the sky are the pinpoints of the stars. Lilith is obviously a gendered spirit. Her meaning is that she’s a non-submissive woman. And that’s it. Even though that is now valued by some, it’s still limiting.

Resolution: Vajrayogini
Perfect resolution! Vajrayogini is a goddess that joins all these things together! She’s a fierce spirit, complete with drinking blood from skulls, but she’s also a liberator. Yes, she’s female, but she certainly doesn’t have either dark or light goddess symbolism. Hers is above and beyond feminine. She’s an unstoppable force! The two water goddesses have been joined and transformed into a fire goddess. Her message is power!

(I didn’t look in the book for the Lilith or Vajrayogini.)

Wow! I knew there was something special about this deck! I got something that I never got will all the goddess decks that I have. That these 3 goddesses come together in one reading is powerful and inspiring.

Thanks for playing along! Have a beautiful Tuesday!

[Rachelcat]

Wednesday
Ok, today’s the day I’m going to try the Chinese five elements spread. Googling shows different positions for the elements (but the same order). I’m pick the arrangement with Wood at the top to start with spring. And go around in clockwise order for the “cycle of generating.” Note that I don’t know much about what I’m talking about, so bear with me!

Wood: Kali Yantra
I’m thinking this is kind of a Tower card. Kali is a destructive goddess of power and lightning, but her destruction can be for good when she’s destroying habits or worn out ego structures. In the wood position, it means destruction of old ideas is what’s growing in my life right now.

Fire: Artemis
She is the goddess of the hunt, that is wilderness, animals, and swift action. My energy is culminating in a closer connection with nature and my acting in it.

Earth: Durga
She is a warrior goddess, a fierce protector, even of the gods, and sometimes rides a tiger. Here she is shown with her 3 eyes, the moon, the sun, and the flame, and her sword. My earth harvest will be fierceness. And again transcending gender roles. A female goddess can be a protective warrior, and so can I.

Metal: Visuddha Chakra
This is the throat chakra. Here are the masculine and feminine as sacred again. I will be able to communicate (eventually!) my emerging understanding of transcending the dichotomy.

Water: Owl
Wisdom has an emotional component. You can argue til you’re blue in the face, but if you can’t reach your audience’s heart, they won’t remember or care about your arguments. This is kind of an odd owl, with a human body, so I guess a shamanic owl. The book says the flower shown at the heart is the first to bloom in spring, so appropriate for this wintery position. Winter always holds the promise of spring.

This might seem like a lot of vague waffling, but I feel like I’m learning even though I’m not expressing it very well, throat chakra or not! At least we’re getting a chance to look at the cards!

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Thursday
Tutoring question again, now that I know more about it.

What if I do it? Flame
Warmth, light, joy. Active. If I do it, I will be helping people, not just by tutoring but by showing I care. And I’ll be helping myself by doing something new and being active.

What if I don’t? Mirror
Purity, quiet, reflection, divination. If I don’t I’ll have more time for myself and self-reflection. I’m thinking things could get too quiet.

Well, these are pretty obviously opposites, but not really one more desirable than the other, just very different. I guess I’ll have to think about what it is I really want.

Have a great evening!

[Rachelcat]

Friday
Stoplight spread

Don’t do this: Sahasrara Chakra
Crown chakra. I shouldn’t be focusing on religion or spirituality now. (I should continue with my skepticism project, at least for now.)

Be cautious with this: Visuddha Chakra
Throat chakra. But I need to be careful how I communicate that. No need to offend or confuse people who aren’t in the same place spiritually I am. Yab-yum means combine truth (wisdom) and tact and care (skillful means) in all communications.

Do this! Sankalpa
Resolution, determination, intention. This is one I didn’t know at all. Evidently, it’s a one-word Sanskrit mantra. It makes sense that this word, resolution, intention, would be a mantra. Once you know what you want, you need motivation to go for it, in spirituality as in anything else. Maybe this is the answer to yesterday’s question. Action rather than reflection is what’s right for me now. Oh, and it’s interesting that these three are all near the beginning of the deck. And that this card emphasizes the third eye chakra, the one between the other two cards. It focuses things in very specifically! Know and do.

Ok this time the reading is making plenty of sense!

Have a great Friday, everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Saturday
Last day for Tulku Oracle
What can I do to help reduce all the political polarization?

Now: Vesica Piscis
Well, the first two cards are about joining, so that’s good. But now I have to translate them into actions! Vesica Piscis is saying start where I am, with the more feminine characteristics and abilities that I have, caring and teaching. With the sword of justice insisting that knowledge is power. And justice. And telling me not to be afraid to do what I really want to do.

In the next year or so: Yab-Yum
The next step is joining the masculine and feminine. Create something real. And commit emotionally to the cause. Give of myself.

Farther in the future: Owl
Wisdom is necessary for any improvement project. You have to understand the problem in order to fix it. I should focus on the understanding step in the future, and maybe let others take the direct action needed.

Hmm, all very interesting. I'll have to think about this one. Have a great weekend all!