Månedsarkiv: december 2022

What can you do to become a better person?
– At the beginning of a new year

As we approach the new year, many of us are probably thinking about what the new year will bring. Maybe we are excited about whether 2023 will be a good or bad year. But no matter what the new year brings, there are always things we can do to make our own lives better. Many people choose to use New Year’s resolutions to change something in their lives that they feel they are doing too much or too little of. It could be eating healthier, exercising more, paying more attention to the family, or stopping drinking too much. These New Year’s resolutions are often about finding harmony in one’s own life.

But what about finding harmony in relation to our surroundings? In a time when war and conflict have shown their grim face in Europe’s backyard, one might ask oneself: what can one do to become a better person? We will ask the cards that question.

The answer is quite simple: you should look at the people you don’t like (5 of hearts). Ask yourself the question, why don’t I like them. We are all the sum of our experiences and the 4 of diamonds thus indicate the world as we each see and perceive it. But other people have different life values (6 of diamonds), have a different outlook on life due to different experiences than us. They may also have a different skin colour, sexuality, religion etc., but we must be able to accommodate people who are different from ourselves (the card value increases from 4 to 6). If we don’t do it, it can end in conflict and discord (2 of spades). So, the essence is quite simple: we should look at our intolerance.

The Danish author Martinus (1890-1981) wrote over 10,000 pages. His main work is Livets Bog (The Book of Life) and the spiritual laws of development are described in his eternal world picture.
As an answer to a question about tolerance, he wrote the following in the magazine Kosmos from 1933. The answer might be an inspiration for what one can do to become a better person and come into harmony with one´s surroundings:

“Discard the concept of “enemies” from your consciousness. – Never retort against anger, slander or other forms of unpleasantness directed against you. – Never say anything evil about anyone or anything. – Be absolutely truthful and honest in all situations of life. – Be absolutely uninfluenced by flattery, praise and criticism. – Never take part in killing, wounding or mutilating. – Never let your thoughts deviate from being concerned with how you can best serve your fellow beings. In so doing you will be practising the very highest form of yoga or the most perfect training of that part of your development which is within the scope of your will…”
(The quote translated by Mary McGovern, 1989)

Happy New Year!

Cards: Jean Picart le Doux, Thomas De La Rue, London 1956

Hvad kan man gøre for at blive et bedre menneske?
– Ved indgangen til et nyt år

Når vi nærmer os det nye år, er der sikkert mange af os, der tænker over, hvad det nye år mon bringer. Måske er vi spændte på, om 2023 vil være et godt eller dårligt år. Men uanset hvad det nye år bringer, så er der altid ting, vi kan gøre for at gøre vores eget liv bedre. Mange mennesker vælger at bruge nytårsforsætterne til at ændre på noget i deres liv, de føler de gør for meget eller for lidt af. Det kan være at spise sundere, dyrke mere motion, give familien mere opmærksomhed eller holde op med at drikke for meget. Disse nytårsforsætter handler ofte om at finde en form for harmoni i sit eget liv.

Men hvad med at finde harmoni i forhold til vores omgivelser? I en tid, hvor krig og ufred har vist sit grumme ansigt i Europas baghave, kan man måske spørge sig selv: hvad kan man gøre for at blive et bedre menneske? Og det spørgsmål vil vi stille kortene.

Hvad kan man gøre for at blive et bedre menneske?

Svaret er ganske enkelt: man bør kigge på de mennesker man ikke kan lide eller ikke bryder sig om (hjerter 5). Stille sig selv spørgsmålet, hvorfor kan jeg ikke lide dem. Vi er alle summen af vores erfaringer og ruder 4 indikerer således verden som vi hver især ser og opfatter den. Men andre mennesker har andre værdier (ruder 6), har et andet livssyn grundet andre erfaringer end os. De kan desuden have en anden hudfarve, seksualitet, religion etc., men vi skal kunne rumme mennesker, som er anderledes end os selv (kortværdien stiger fra 4-5-6). Hvis ikke vi gør det, kan det ende i konflikt og splid (spar 2). Så essensen er ganske enkelt: vi bør kigge på vores intolerance.

Den danske forfatter Martinus (1890-1981) skrev over 10.000 sider. Hans hovedværk er Livets Bog og i hans verdensbillede beskrives de åndelige udviklingslove. Som et svar på et spørgsmål om tolerance skrev han følgende i magasinet Kosmos fra 1933. Svaret kan måske være til inspiration til, hvad man kan gøre for at blive et bedre menneske og komme i harmoni med omgivelserne:

”Udslet begrebet ”fjender” af din bevidsthed. – Tag aldrig til genmæle overfor vrede, bagtalelse eller andre former for ubehag, der er rettet imod dig. – Sig aldrig selv noget ondt om nogen eller noget. – Vær absolut sand eller ærlig i alle livets forhold. – Vær absolut upåvirkelig af smiger, ros eller dadel. – Vær aldrig med til at dræbe, såre eller lemlæste. – Lad aldrig din tanke afvige fra at beskæftige sig med, på hvilken måde du absolut bedst kan tjene dine medvæsener, da udfører du den allerhøjeste form for yoga eller den fuldkomneste træning af den del af udviklingen, der er stillet indenfor din viljes rækkevidde…”

Godt nytår!

Viste kort: Jean Picart le Doux, Thomas De La Rue, London 1956

The message of Christmas

Christmas is the “festival of hearts” they say, and according to the Christmas card spread, it is quite true. Here is an abundance of hearts. The two sets of cards each tell the same story in their own way.

Warmth of heart, forgiveness, and love are the biggest message of Christmas (the queen of hearts) and in an earlier time you would have added “mercy”. The forces of Christmas have access to our hearts (4 of hearts) and make us look deeply into ourselves and our inner life values (4 of diamonds). If we follow the message of Christmas, we will have peace in our minds (4 of clubs) and peace in our hearts. With three fours we can add peace on earth!

The message of Christmas

The bottom row of Lenormand cards sums up quite nicely what the cards will tell us about the message of Christmas: be like the sun and shine on everything and everyone and let the sun take root in your heart! Then the last card will echo the old Danish Christmas carol: ” Hjerte, løft din glædes vinger (Heart, lift the wings of your joy)”.

Cards: Hermès, Paris 1948. Blue Bird Lenormand. (c) U.S Games Systems, Inc.