Sunday Service 04/10/2022

Awakening With Tarot
​with Ariel Sublett
from Sunday, April 10

Come Worship with the UUs!

The Order of Service for Sunday, April 10, 2022

#UUCLV #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UnitarianUniversalism #UUCLVEvent 
​#SundayService #Community #Zoom #tarot #awakening

Video Details
Community Spotlight: Hilary Howarth 3:38
Sermon: with Ariel 12:12

Links Shared by Ariel

https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/learn-tarot-with-labyrinthos-academy/how-to-calculate-your-tarot-birth-card-plus-short-birth-card-meanings-infographic

https://numinousspiritpress.com/numinoustarot

Service Details

Prelude: Healing Song by KIVA 
Introduction/Zoom Orientation/Welcome with Kem Tetlow, Worship Associate
Ringing the Bell with Leo, Jr. Worship Associate
Welcome with Kem Tetlow, Worship Associate
Opening Words: #389 Gathered Here in the Mystery of this Hour with the FCCB Virtual Choir 

Chalice Lighting Today’s chalice lighting comes to us from Florence Caplow. Please join with me… ​

"We kindle this flame. Honoring the doorways in our souls: The windows through which we gaze at one another. The balconies where we catch glimpses of sky. The thresholds we stand on this morning - wondering, hoping, fearing, and dreaming."

Community Spotlight: Hilary Howarth
Opening Hymn: #1003 Where Do We Come From performed by Rev. Christopher Watkins Lamb 
Offering and Invitations with Kem Tetlow
                   The Offering this month is shared with Foster Kinship (LINK). 
Transitional Hymn: Gratitude Chant by Lila Lily 
Meditative Moment with Nina Kuzniak
Beautiful Chorus - The Waves We Give
​Reading with Nina Kuzniak

The Tower by Stony Mills
I shielded my eyes as I walked through the flames
The smoke choked my throat while the tears stung with pain
Everything surrounding me started collapsing like dominoes
The darkness was brighter than anyone could have ever known
My flesh smoking from the constant burns
Agonizing pain crept though my veins as blood ties exited declaring no return
My skin shed and fell to the ground
As onlookers threw more gasoline on the compound
There were spirits fighting for me with fury and fear loomed
The stresses of defeat cleared and singed rooms
Walls crumbled and tumbled with a crash
All the cronies scattered so fast
When the smoke cleared all that stood there was me
My body was suddenly healed
The Sun shined mercy on me

Slide [Melody’s art]
Sermon with Ariel Sublett

Hi, my name is Ariel Sublett and my toxic trait is convincing my friends to start reading tarot cards. I can't help it! 
 
Tarot is an obsession of mine. The tarot is a deck of playing cards used for divination. The deck is made up of the minor arcana - 56 cards closely resembling a modern deck of playing cards, and 22 major arcana or triumphant cards. The suits in the minor arcana represent the natural elements of fire, water, earth, and air. The major arcana is numbered 1 through 21 with the Fool card being zero. This portion of a tarot deck is known as The Fool’s Journey. It is the path the Fool takes through the great mysteries of life. Each of the cards stands for a stage on that journey - an experience that a person must incorporate to realize their wholeness. Once the Fool reaches The World card at the end of the major arcana, they complete a cycle, but the Fool will never stop growing. Soon they will be ready to begin a new journey that will lead them to ever greater levels of understanding. 
 
The Fool stands for each of us as we begin our journey of life. They are considered a fool because only a simple soul has the innocent faith to undertake such a journey with all its hazards and pain. At the start of their trip, the Fool is a newborn- fresh, open, and spontaneous. 
 
[Slide showing the Fool] The figure on the card has their arms flung wide, and their head held high. They are ready to embrace whatever comes their way, but they are also oblivious to the cliff edge they are about to cross. The Fool is unaware of the hardships they will face as they venture out to learn the lessons of the world. [end slide]
 
The Fool card stands somewhat outside of the major arcana. Zero is an unusual number. It rests in the exact middle of the number system -poised between negative and positive. At birth, The Fool is set in the middle of their own individual universe. They are empty, as is zero, but imbued with a desire to go forth and learn. The Fool’s Journey makes me think of the third and forth principles of Unitarian Universalism: Acceptance of one another and encouragement towards spiritual growth; and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. This journey of lifelong learning is what I most love about my tarot practice and why I get so much joy when I have others to explore it with me. 
 
Wald Amberstone said, "The study of Tarot can be the beginning of self-inquiry. Self inquiry, in time, opens us to our own truth, first the truth of who WE are, then the truth of what EVERYTHING is. When that point is reached, we see our own truth in every force and form. Everything is our teacher; everything is us."
 
Tarot can be used in a variety of ways including storytelling, self reflection, guidance, and predicting the future. Personally, I don't like to use the tarot for predicting the future. While Tarot can show likely outcomes, our free will allows us the potential to change what the cards might predict. I prefer using it as a tool for guidance, clarity and self-reflection.  I find that it's more empowering to ask what steps I can take to reach the outcome I seek or even to determine the outcome I desire rather than obsessing over what is going to happen in the future. In the words of Benebell Wen, "The Tarot helps us look within ourselves to understand our emotions, the reasoning behind our words and conduct, and the source of our conflicts." I am grateful to have this tool to use in my life, especially during trying times. I have turned to Tarot a great deal over the past year and a half while going through a divorce. It brought comfort when I felt scared, stuck and uncertain in this transitional period. In those frustrating times when the cards were not able to show me the path ahead, they would reassure me I was right where I needed to be. Like a friend sitting with me, allowing me the space to feel deeply, and showing me that I am going to be in a much better place when I get to the other side.
 
One of my favorite things is to ask someone who doesn't know the traditional card meanings what they see in a card. It delights me to compare their observations to my understanding of the card. There are no hard and fast rules to the meaning of each card, so every interpretation is what you make of it. When I first began working with tarot, I started a journal to document my thoughts and interpretations. This is a continuous work in progress because there is always more to learn. I had to study tarot for years before I felt comfortable reading the cards without referencing a guidebook. 
 
As I had said before, Tarot can also be used for storytelling. I've used it to help me figure out what I want to say at church meetings. The cards can be helpful for teaching lessons or figuring out how to make a difficult decision, and I have used it to help me understand what I am feeling or what is keeping me stuck. Spoiler alert: it’s usually me. A couple of years ago, my daughter Melody came up with a game we could play with the tarot. She would look at the cards and describe what was happening, and I would have to guess which Tarot card she was holding. That's actually a fun way to practice learning the cards. Melody isn't here today, but she wanted to be a part of this service. She asked me if she could do a Tarot reading for our church, so we made a short video to share with you today. 
 
Keith, could you please play it for us now? [Show video of Melody’s reading]
 
Another way to utilize the Tarot, is to find your birth cards. The birth cards can give you a deeper understanding of yourself, shedding light on your life's purpose and journey. There is a great website to learn how to calculate your numbers to find your birth cards. The link will be provided at the end of the service. One of my birth cards is The Tower. When you look at this card, it seems pretty scary.  
 
[Slide with Tower cards]  The imagery typically shows a tower collapsing as it is being struck by lightning. People are falling to the ground- it can really make you wonder what could possibly be good about this card?  The Tower wants us to know that sometimes the things that we've poured so much of our energy and resources into building and upholding are not sustainable. Change can be scary, and sometimes we stick with something that isn't working simply because it's familiar and we're afraid of the unknown. No matter how difficult it may be to witness the tower crashing down, for me it is a welcome sight if it provides an opportunity to rebuild with a stronger foundation. The Tower card reminds us that we are not starting completely from scratch, rather we are rebuilding from experience. I would take a fresh start over perpetuating inefficiencies or harmful systems any day! 
 
As you can see, there are many varieties of The Tower card. There are countless tarot decks  with unique art styles to choose from. There is a deck for everyone! My personal favorite is the Numinous Tarot by Cedar McCloud.  [Slide with Numinous Tarot image] It is one of the first tarot decks I bought when I was specifically seeking a diverse, unconventional deck to work with. I appreciate that the deck and its guidebook use gender-neutral language. The Numinous Tarot shows the beauty of diversity in the world, from body type, ability, race, to gender identity and expression. These things are not used as symbols in and of themselves; rather, they are there to show the infinite ways that all people can experience magic and mystery, especially those who are often excluded from it. [end slide] There are just as many ways to interpret the cards as there are decks. Hearing and seeing the variety of ways people interpret the cards helps me deepen my understanding of each one. 
 
Even though Tarot can be used for many purposes, and the cards interpreted in different ways, there are still gatekeepers who claim there are steadfast rules, such as you must be gifted your first tarot deck or you can't do readings for yourself. I don't vibe with these people!  I don't trust anybody who thinks they have all the answers. I need to exist in spaces where there is room for uncertainty. Spaces where I have freedom for exploration, for curiosity and questioning. I need to hear different perspectives that challenge me and help me as I continue to shape my own. That's what led me to a Unitarian Universalist church in the first place. 
 
I appreciate that the Tarot gives you answers…most of the time. The cards can be cheeky if you're asking about something you aren't meant to know yet! Unlike prayer,  You actually get feedback -a physical message that you can interpret. It used to creep me out when I first started pulling cards, they ALWAYS seemed so accurate!  I wondered what was guiding me to pick the cards that I was meant to see. Some believe it's your higher self. It could be your ancestors or your spirit guides or all of the above. I'm OK with embracing the mystery.
 
Even after I had been learning and using tarot for years, I felt nervous about doing readings for other people. I belong to many online tarot communities, and I realized that I was shying away from every opportunity to practice reading for others. I felt scared that I might interpret the cards wrong and lead someone astray. Or what if I couldn’t make sense of a reading? What was I supposed to tell them? When I do a reading for myself, it’s easy to understand how the cards apply to my circumstances. On the other hand, when reading for someone else, I can explain what the cards mean and how they relate to each other, but I wouldn’t necessarily know how they apply to that person’s life. 
 
In December of last year, I set a goal of doing tarot readings for 100 different people. It seemed like a daunting number at the time, but I noticed it immediately shifted my response when people would ask for readings. Instead of feeling scared, I was eager to get closer to my goal. Reading for other people is taking me to an even deeper level in my tarot practice. It is helping me define my own boundaries and reading style. It makes me feel more connected to the interdependent web of existence. It fills me with satisfaction and joy to know that I can provide clarity and guidance for other people. All the wonderful things the tarot has helped me with in my own life, I can share with others. It brings me confidence in my abilities when I hear feedback after giving a reading. People will often tell me what’s happening in their lives, leading me to an even deeper understanding of the cards that came up for them. I am often amazed at the things I was able to see without knowing anything about the person’s life. Sometimes a surprising card comes out and I will feel tempted to put it back in the deck and reshuffle. When I can resist this urge, I always find the card came up for a reason unbeknownst to me. The cards do not always make immediate sense when the message is not for me. My tarot practices teaches me to trust my own intuition
 
The nice thing about doing readings for people online is that you can take your time to think about how you want to deliver your message. Reading for people in person seemed much more intimidating to me. I always feel so much pressure and self-doubt when I’m reading for people sitting in front of me. One of my friends hired me to do tarot readings at a party she was hosting. I was nervous but excited for the opportunity to challenge myself in a new way. While I was doing readings at that party, I recognized just how much I had grown in my tarot practice, and I discovered some of the benefits to doing readings in person. I could ask questions to get clarity about what the querent wanted to know, I could feel the energy of the room, and I could pause or shift if there seemed to be any confusion or discomfort. I was extremely grateful for the experience. Even better, it was my first time being paid for my readings, and it must have gone well because she invited me back to do it again this month.
 
Since I have found the tarot and incorporated it into my daily life, I have felt more spiritually connected to myself and to my fellow humans as well as a greater force outside of myself. With this tool, I have been able to strengthen connections around me. If you are interested in exploring more about the tarot, there is a wealth of information available online and in many books and podcasts. Feel free to reach out to me - I'm always looking for more tarot companions on my journey. For those of you here in person, I brought some tarot decks with me in case you want to check them out in the social hall after service. Thank you for hearing my story.

Story For All Ages with Melody 
Closing Song: Stonehenge- Kellianna 
Benediction with Ariel Sublett

The Fool
"The Fool is the experience of the journey. 
The path of in between, a place of abstraction, 
indescribable and inconceivable, a place of unlimited potential. 
He is the journey between decision and the first explosion of movement. He never leaves this abstract realm. 
He never falls or fails, despite the cliff edge opening over a bottomless gulf. 
Wherever the Fool goes, the ground rises to meet him. His steps create the universe. 
 
He is the reminder that life is about the journey, 
about taking the first step, 
not the destination."
 
May we all embrace the energy of The Fool as we travel our individual and intersecting paths through life.

Extinguish the Chalice with Alanna ​

"We release that which was called with love and gratitude, and we extinguish the flame, but not our commitment to being a beacon in the desert. This burns brightly until we gather again."

Postlude: Unknown Blessings performed by thisisLEA 
Announcements with Kem Tetlow
Let’s Talk About It: Choose your own breakout room with Kem Tetlow

Media for Service 04/10/2022
Prelude: Healing Song by KIVA (2:33) (Unknown Lyrics) https://youtu.be/fApmSr_i_OU

Opening Words: #389 Gathered Here in the Mystery of this Hour with the FCCB Virtual Choir (1:40) (See lyrics below) https://youtu.be/qLtxMda7_Ko
"Gathered here in the mystery of the hour. Gathered here in one strong body.
Gathered here in the struggle and the power. Spirit, draw near.”

Opening Hymn: #1003 Where Do We Come From performed by Rev. Christopher Watkins Lamb (1:55) (Lyrics will be on the screen) https://youtu.be/SUdqgSlQuws

Transitional Hymn: Gratitude Chant by Lila Lily (3:18) (See lyrics below)
https://youtu.be/FqziUwBP9cg
"Thank you for the Blessings And guidance ever day Thank you for the wisdom and showing me the way Clarity and vision
I'm always on my path
Thank you for prosperity and a playful inner child Thank you for the laughter and a joyful heart
clarity and vision
I'm always on my path”

Closing Song: Stonehenge- Kellianna (play until 2:19) (See lyrics below)
https://youtu.be/mZNvW6KJhMU
Mother Help me Mother Heal me Please release me
From all things worldly That do not serve me Mother Love me Within these stones
I feel the power
I am reborn
As I break
these chains that bind And now I'm floating light as a feather
As I break
these chains that bind
I'm gonna break
these chains that bind
I'm gonna break
these chains that bind
I'm gonna break
these chains that bind
Yes I will break
these chains that bind
Oh Blessed Mother
you empower me
yes You have shown me
just how to set myself free
And now I'm soaring
up in the clear blue sky
As I break these chains that bind Yes I have broken
these chains that bind
Yes I have broken
these chains that bind
Yes I have broken
these chains that bind
Yes I did break
these chains that bind
​
Postlude: Unknown Blessings performed by thisisLEA (2:01) (Lyrics will be on the screen)
https://youtu.be/2a9Lam0rsnE