Day 1: Unicorns and More

I couldn't capture the morning light (I will be doing that one later) so today I went for a walk down town during my lunch hour in search of a Unicorn. I found it. (As all innocent young maidens do, you know!) I walked up past the Fox Theatre and looked down at all the stars on the pavement. I saw one that begged to be taken a picture of.

There in a star, just like a perfect sign, the name "August." I feel inspired. 

On the Corner of First and Monroe there is a little place called The Gilded Unicorn that I've been wanting to eat at for some time. It's where the old Catacombs Pub used to be and from what the Inlander says, this place is really worth visiting. Though honestly, any place with Unicorn in the title is worth visiting. 

This is painted on the wall brick side of the Montvale building facing Monroe.

They painted over the Catacombs Pub sign. I sort of miss the creepiness of the other sign

but it was a bit confusing with the old sign pointing merrily at the new pub.

Look at all that lovely construction reflected in the front window. 

As I walked back toward work, I thought about how crummy it's been downtown with all the construction and yet it, too, is a blessing in disguise. People are having to go slower, have to watch more, and having to walk more too! Several of the main bus stops are closed. I thought this sign was particularly fun: 

Most of the time they post actual closings and reroutes on these boards
at the stops, but not so here. Here, you best "get walking!"

Last of the pictures: I have worked in the Spokesman-Review and Chronicle Building for almost a year now and I've reveled in the Gothic architecture and old mystery of the place. But today, for the first time, I noticed little faces as I entered the Chronicle Building, Sprague-side. There are four of these little gremlin-like things framing the large double doors that are already framed with strained glass depicting the early scribes and editors of the writing craft. I love discovering new things amidst places of familiarity. 

Size: approximately softball. Creep factor/silliness: surpassing adequate.
Favorite pastime: flossing and sniffing fear.

That concludes the August Break part of the blog post for today. I doubt they will always be this detailed. Know that I'll probably settle for title-pic-caption for many of these August Break posts. Today's pictures were taken with my crappy little Blackberry. I shall use the Nikon in the future and get some pictures that truly are worth a thousand words and then I won't have to write as much. Isn't that how it works? Anyway, onward to the Tarot/Divination card draw!

Today I drew from my Angelarium deck. This isn't technically an oracle or tarot deck. It's a game but it's based so accurately on angel and tree of life mythology and energy that it is one of my favorite places to look for messages and connect to the divine.

At their very center lies an empty place. The space where there is no Tree of Life. Its existence is only visible in the shadow left behind all other things. Da'at does not exist.

Da'at
-The Emptiness-

 

Da'at is the blessed container. Da'at is relief and flexible. The grateful bearer of Burdens.

"Ein Soph fills the world with so much Light, it opens the eyes of Creation and widens the mouth of Existence. The many faces of Da'at turn and turn in that Light , catching the overflow within the Crown of the Mind. Da'at holds the Sephirot as some words might carry many meanings.”  

My interpretation: I've drawn Da'at many times and oftentimes for me it means to "be nothing" for a little while. Nothingness and emptiness are not bad things. They are necessary. Shadow is created when something nullifies the light. It is an emptiness of light. And yet it only exists because of the light. This has many interpretations but today I see in it the call to meditation and possibility. Slow down and feel the emptiness of absences, feel the warm of presences, and open yourself up to acknowledge these things. Close your eyes and listen to the white noise of life until it becomes nothing but a latent heartbeat. Clear your mind, isn't that how it goes at the start of every meditation? Clear your mind. Focus only on your breath. You can't see the air that composes your breath. It is nothingness and yet it is everything. Focus on the breath that you can't see. Feel it. Use it. And be Da'at. It's good to stop being silly humans once in a while and remember that we are all part of something much bigger. We are a million breaths with some skin thrown on top and the possibilities are endless.