The Sage and Fool are the archetypes this week, along with their powers of Understanding and Joy or Zeal. I feel the Sage/Understanding energy when I’m teaching sometimes, or when I’m in my grandma-mode imparting wisdom to my grandchildren. I feel it when I am trying to understand another or explaining something about myself so I can be understood. The Sage is the conveyer of Truth.
I feel the Fool/Joy (Zeal) energy when I am celebrating the culmination of a journey or a project, feeling joyful and whole and full of zeal and enthusiasm. The Fool can be the Trickster, and sometimes I feel awestruck when I see how we are tricked into our good.
I can think of an example of this with a former chaplain in a past ministry of mine. She showed up at the chaplain training and placed something on the altar. I had told everyone to bring something that was special to them for the altar. When it was her turn to share, she told us about her little statue of Kokopelli, a Native American symbol of the Trickster. He is a hump-backed flute player who also represents art, music, storytelling, and fertility. It had been a gift and had always meant a lot to her.
Later, in our session, she explained that she thought she was showing up for a class that was informational about becoming a chaplain; she did not know that it was the actual training for chaplaincy. I laughed and told her that “Kokopelli had tricked her into becoming a chaplain in spite of herself.” She continued to resist periodically over the next four years of serving in that role, and yet, she had the most beautiful, amazing ability to pray with people. Everyone loved her, but because of her challenged self-esteem, she had to be tricked into stepping out into new growth for herself and others.
This is often true for many of us in various ways. Sometimes when we feel overcome with joy and zeal, we can look back and see the surprising, tricky ways that Spirit brought us to this particular moment. Through these two archetypal powers we cultivate an understanding heart and a spirit of joy and enthusiasm.
Love & blessings,
Kathy