dog bite * fool child
Bitten at the ankle by a street dog while on pilgrimage/leave of absence in Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh) India, I can’t get away from the thought, and however threadbare and/or bromidic, that my sacrificial (and Sagittarius) friend/fool in question, Chadventure, took one for the team.
Such painful medicine (he did get a tetanus shot, and is awaiting a round of rabies shots as well).
Chadmiration in Rishikesh
wild boar @water's edge in Vrindavan UP India
Ironically enough he refers to himself as an avid dog lover, and was just before lauding his host city for their wild animals and how they are given free roam around town, and wherein ‘tis illegal to not be a vegetarian. He didn’t see it coming, as the (medicine) dog was actually in pursuit of another dog in front of him, of which he (coincidentally) happened to be “in the way.”
As “innocent” bystander he was now in receipt of an ill begotten invitation to look inward.
With the (faithful) Fool card in Tarot, the image of the dog nipping at our pilgrim’s heels, can be symbolic of a moment of indecision. The dog can warn of danger or goad us into jumping unto the unknown, and with the breaking of the skin and subsequent drawing of blood, a symbolic tearing away of the ego, and to leap or crawl back. In some decks the dog is portrayed as the trickster/coyote, or even as wolf, which for some conveys an unwilling (dog) leap of submission to authority, and/or to obey the master (or wolf). In some circles, injury to the ankle could be symbolic of the fear of moving forward in life, and of being frightened or deeply terrified.
With the Moon card in Tarot, we find both the dog and the wolf on opposite sides of the river. The dog bays in fear of going beyond the borders of convention, and whereas the wolf howls at the moon in unthinking revolt (‘tis not revolution, ‘tis revelation). Perhaps caught up in our intuitive intellect (sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment, as cleverness is mere opinion, and as bewilderment brings intuitive knowledge), there is caution against neglecting our visceral and kinesthetic sense (our univisceral truths), and to rather find/muster the courage to take the proverbial plunge between worlds, and to get wet, as if to take the long way and without going for a swim (in the river), is to face the wolf or dog. The dog is obedient and the wolf of the wild woods is wild, instinctive and primordial. Our lesson is to find balance between the two.
The devotion of the dog pays tribute to the collective family, our tribe and culture, and whereas the wolf (heart) denies most all authority, and chooses instead to follow an intuitive wisdom and the moral integrity of divinity. With dog as our familiar, some of us choose to leave the familiar for the unfamiliar, and to retreat into our inner realms (look inward), disengaged from the wild and unchecked emos of the untamed wolf, and without the unquestioning nor habitual thoughts of our dog(ma) logic. As the fool we meditate and upon entering upon our watery, deeper inner realms, we come upon at one ment, and real eyes the beauty and beast as but one in the same.
With warm heart and wild at heart, you are heartwalker. Intuit your way. Be into it.
Fool child * zero * Voyager Tarot by James Wanless * Way of the Great Oracle
Even if a windbag and perhaps full of hot air, chances are still good that we feel betrayed or sense a betrayal of sorts. Dog is god (spelled) backwards and we were/are certain we are but “his” loyal companion. An injury due to foolishness, lack of balance and/or our overextending ourselves, is in overt and most obvious opposition to our certainty that we were little short of dreamland, full of intuitive inspiration and fast upon our most ingenious of innovation.
