Essence. Art by Jackson Nathan, from the Etherea Illumination Deck.
#62: ESSENCE Sign: Cancer Gift: Knowingness Shadow: Intellect
Gift: Knowingness Awakening within the great expanse that is the gift requires remembering your truest essence. In this space, you recognize that all schools of thought - all disciplines and fields - are valiant human attempts to make sense of our universe and its phenomena, and yet they also fall short of fully encapsulating what it means to exist. This seed of knowledge presents a new opportunity for you to question the way we've understood our world, and this begins by poking holes in your own subjective viewpoint. You rediscover an intelligence, beyond the mind, that pulses through every facet of your being, every cell and every pore. You find yourself within the fabric of the cosmos and reconnect with an intrinsic knowingness that has always resided within you.
Shadow: Intellect This shadow centers on the mind and your intellectual powers in particular. Within the dominant worldview, mental abilities equate to superiority; we administer tests and give awards, rank students based on scores, and judge based on resumes and schooling. The pinnacle of excellence is to be labeled 'smart.' And yet, relying solely on this trait, this minute aspect of who you are, confines you. Within this box, you are limited to the man-made constructions of the physical sphere - all of its “facts," science, books, and theories. Of course, all of these tools serve a useful purpose in understanding our world, but if we discard our hearts and relinquish our intuition for the sake of glorifying “fact” and the current consensus about what holds value, we forfeit our chance for lasting transcendence. When we hold on so tightly to a single attribute, we deny the divine spectrum of who we truly are.
Themes: intelligence + transcendence + values