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buddha
December 2008 
SWEPT AWAY BY PASSION
Miriam
Journeying through the Major Arcana of the Lover's Path Tarot
TEMPTATION (trad. XV The Devil)
Paolo and Francesca were swept away by passion in 13th century Italy and their love story lives on thanks to Dante. Francesca was bound to Paolo's less attractive brother, Giovanni, in a marriage of convenience. She fell in love with Paolo and he with her and they found their way into each other's arms when Giovanni went away to war.
When Giovanni came back from war unanounced one day, he found the two lovers together and immediately killed both of them, thus condemning them to be bound together forever in the second circle of hell where the poet Dante finds them. Dante is moved to tears by the tenderness these lovers show each other as they are forever propelled forward by the strong winds of hell, never allowed to rest.
The forces that seem beyond our control are the very ones that can lead to spiritual awakening. If we are lucky, we won't get killed straight away like these unfortunate lovers, but we'll get a few chances to experience what it feels like to be swept away by waves of passion, lust, greed, hatred... "If we're lucky?," I hear you asking. "What's so lucky about spinning out of control?"
Well... this is what it's like to live in a human body, and that's the reason we brave souls chose to incarnate on this planet: to grow, to learn to overcome... even to embrace the Opponent. Or as Buddha put it, "invite Mara to tea."
It's only when we live in denial, refusing to look at what is actually going on and what it does to our energies, that we get swept away. This is reactive pattern living. We are here to learn to become proactive, to not act immediately on every whim and impulse, but to be still and check with our inner voice before we take the next step.
That said, there's another kind of passion - a gentle. steadily burning flame of spiritual passion which inspires us by helping us recognise that which brings us true joy in life. This flame increases in our hearts when we place ourselves in a state of flow and engage in creative pursuits and service to the Source.
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I've always felt it rather horrid that Dante found the tragic Paolo and Francesca in any circle of his hell at all. Perhaps his tears were not only for the lovers, but for his own love of Beatrice from afar. I keep a small print of Feuebach's painting of the lovers by my desk. I don't know why really, something about the quiet companionship of reading Poetry together, perhaps.
I should agree very much that it is within that immeasurable stillness we hear the the deepest voice and so direct our course in a wise direction. And yes, stop, wait, listen. Good Owl-speak as well~:)
Interesting thoughts you have here. I enjoyed reading very much.
Blessings~
And I always felt it was tragic that Dante believed in hell at all… Thank God/dess that very few people hold that belief today.
Thanks for your feedback, Nahnni - much appreciated.
Blessings*