Lesson of The Broom and Other Thoughts

And really for anyone else as well!   Jessica Macbeth, creator of the Fairy Oracle, posted this and I was thinking about how my husband (Raymond, see below) and I discuss the issue of "the lesson of the broom", (though we are not wiccan, witches or of that ilk, which is another blog I will repost here later after this one, that is posted on www.croosroadstarotconsulting.com--see the next posting will follow this one!)

Raymond, the "other half" of crossroads tarot consulting

Raymond and I have discussed for the last oh, over 20 years, about this issue:  "the lesson of the broom".  If I were to add anything to the above, and I will subtext what I think needs to be addenda to this list (addenda is plural according to the 'boss' here...) would be 14.  Use that broom with abandon.

Here is my thinking about this list:

1. Knowing one's self is crucial.  Knowing that "you" are part of something greater than the body you inhabit, that the greatest being resides in your being You, not something lesser.  That the best teacher should point out that You are part of the same great mystery as nature, as the breath you breathe and beyond your ego.

2.Know your craft.  To me, this is know what you are doing! Be a master at your craft.
 If you are involved in using tarot cards, for crying out loud, know them! Study all you can to understand both meaning for you, as well as meaning of historical symbolism aspects as well as current day understanding of symbols.  If you are a psychic, you must have a teacher that will hon you in your skills and abilities, mentor you on the ethical standards of practice, and if not, find someone who will!  Learn all you can about what you do and read!  If you are a counselor/or advisor to other's, learn your trade.  Take courses you need to attend to be the best counselor/advisor you can to others.  Learn ethics and stick with them. If you are a writer, read other people's writing!  Learn about good writing from good writers.  Take time to study what makes good writers capable of making sentences enticing, and learn what a synopsis is versus a bio study. If you are an herbalist, learn not only the herbs taught in class, but find out about historical uses, herbs no longer taught by Nicholas Culpepper, Jethro Kloss, and other ancestors in your field.  Find out "why" some herbs are no longer recommended and make up your mind for yourself if the concept is valid.  Learn other aspect uses of herbs: aromatherapy, uses in spells,  why they would be used for various purposes, will help you learn aspects of past uses as well as current myths about herbs that can be both beneficial and harmful to the development of medicine of misunderstanding herbal uses.

3. Learn and Grow.  Get curious about life.  Learn about things!  Don't just accept what other's say about them, find out if it is true and educate yourself and others...This leads to:

 3A.  Teach what you learn. (my add)

4.  Apply Knowledge with Wisdom.  Knowledge only becomes knowledge (as in usable information) if we apply it to practical aspects in our brain, which calls on us to think, which becomes wisdom.  Once applied in our lives (daily), can become true knowledge we live by (see lesson of the broom #14.)

5.  Achieve Balance.  I think this is hardest in this list to actually achieve.  Once balance is found in life, usually one side or the other becomes less balanced by the glance of noticing balance!  Once we think we have balance, usually by the ego's idea of balance becomes less balance (Joseph Campbell's "What a Good Boy and I"  speech), we topple out of balance.  Just try to see that work, play, eating, relaxation, spirituality, computer time, friends, and family are given as much of an equal play as you can.

6.  Keep Words in Good Order.  Like a true Dyslexic, I can't keep anything in any order, but I think they are referring to keep your talk clean, keep gossip at bay, and for heaven's sake (my add):

6a.  Talk to others as you would like other's to talk to you.
6b.  Talk about others as you would like other's to talk about you.
6c.  If you know not what you are talking about, don't boast about what you don't know.
6d.  If you blog about others, someone has pissed you off, for heaven's sake, blog with diplomacy.
6e.  Take 5 minutes to read what you have written, rewrite if too bitter, too nasty or too Pollyannaish.

7.  Keep Thoughts in Good Order.  Again, like a true Dyslexic, my thoughts don't order in any fashion, other than how they pop up, but if what you mean is keep clean thoughts, well for heaven's sake, we all are human. To control the mind is like slapping the ocean.  If you keep your words (what you speak) clean, usually thoughts that are negative in nature will begin to subside on their own, based on lack of use!

8. Celebrate Life.  Every day is a chance to find happiness. Every day (even if you deal with chronic illness and pain)  is a day to find union with our spirit, and as such celebrate with absolute abandon.  At the same time, realize that any celebration requires certain rules:

8a.  If you drink, and you drink to feel numb, less, or 'better', you might want to check yourself about this.
8b. Harm NONE.  This means any celebration should not be at the expense of others regardless of how the other person is used (in thought, word or deed, do not take advantage of anyone).

9. Attune Yourself With Nature.  Regardless if you are Wicca, witch, pagan, Buddhist, Hindu, christian, Jew or otherwise, nature is the wheel of life.  Nature goes on. Trees grow with the seasons and so do our bodies.  Honor mother nature.

9a.  Plant a tree, bush or shrub in honor of those you've loved or love.
9b. Don't take from nature without giving in return:  (this includes gardens, etc)  give.
9c. Don't Pollute.  This includes your body, your friends, and obviously the earth. Use trash cans, and recycle.

10. Breathe, Eat Correctly.  If we are part of a greater whole of something more astounding than ourselves (this person, in this life) and holy, well for heaven's sake take care of the vessel.

10a.  Eat what is correct for YOU.  Don't allow other's to tell you what is more 'spiritually' correct in your eating.  Some bodies were never intended to be vegetarians: literally their nervous system falls apart. Some bodies were never intended to be meat eaters and literally get sick when they eat anything but plant protein. Other's can take or leave any diet and that's fine.  This does not mean feed your body anything you fancy, that's going to make you sick.  And you all know what that's about, right?   Captain Crutch is not a food group.

10b. If you have asthma, no one needs to tell you what breathing correctly includes;  slowing down.

11.  Exercise the Body.  Well, this one also has an exception to it:

11a.  If exercising the body makes you ill, don't hurt yourself doing it.

12.  Meditate.  Meditation does take up volumes of books.  Meditation basic meaning refers to 'reflection'. Take time in your busy day, night and so forth to listen, reflect.  Find nature, find a good book, find a good candle that you can look at to focus your mind. And take time out to stop being "you" ego, and focus on the greater force, the You, you really are.

13. Honor The Goddess and the God.  Remember where you come from.  If you follow Jesus, this would be the time to do that, if you follow Buddha, this would again be the place for surrendering to your Guru.

14.  Lesson of the Broom.  Keep your house reasonable, your hygiene reasonable, realize that while you do the dishes you are celebrating life.   That while you are cleaning the kitty litter, you are cleaning the temple of your God, while you are cleaning your toilet, you are keeping your life, your mind and your body (all temples) clean for goodness to come in and goodness into your life.

Here are the 10 Commandments According to the Native Thought:

And Now

The Universality of the Golden Rule in the World Religions

Christianity	All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.        Matthew 7:1
Confucianism	Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.        Analects 12:2
Buddhism	Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.        Udana-Varga 5,1
Hinduism	This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.        Mahabharata 5,1517
Islam	No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.        Sunnah
Judaism	What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.        Talmud, Shabbat 3id
Taoism	Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.       Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien
Zoroastrianism	That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself.        Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

Adapted from "The Christopher Newsletter"



It is interesting how many faiths, how many indigenous cultures know to, help others as you would help yourself, believe in the basic tenants of loving the land and treating it well, and do good unto yourself as well.