After yesterday’s post, I am moved to introduce you to someone rather important to me. Before doing so, here are the last few words of the closing quote … the words that prompt me in this moment:
… This draught of God’s most deep wisdom makes the soul forget the things of this world, and consider all its previous knowledge, and the knowledge of the whole world besides, as pure ignorance in comparison … (emphasis added)
For some these may seem extremely bold words. Indeed, they may be received as utter foolishness … ignorant in their own right. Perception is such an interesting fellow, don’t you think? How can you spout such rubbish? Dare you suggest without a wink and a nod there exists a God that fashioned this madness we wallow about in? It is merely the high-reaching dreams of fools and their fellows that would entertain the notion … or you. My willingness to contest a notion as such is ample, but well aware it would tread on ground guarded and not welcoming to fools such as myself. And indeed I embrace the notion of being a fool. For it is good company I would keep … and find strength in.
In essence we are all fools.
From 1st Corinthians 1:25: For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
So it seems we each have a choice … and no one can make it for us. Outside ourselves exist only reflections of Truth. They may be helpful to some degree but the only definitive proof exists within an individual. To all of us bound by glittering trinkets, the freedom of the heights will remain elusive, but will continue to seek its expression through us. To the right you will see the ultimate Fool. He is Aleph, the Fool of the Tarot. Take a moment to consider what he exemplifies to you. How does he seem to earn such a name? Following is an excerpt from Paul Foster Case’s meditation on Aleph found in The Book of Tokens (9-10):
Apart from me there is neither wisdom, nor knowledge, nor understanding. Into every state of knowledge do I enter,
into false knowledge as well as into true, So that I am not less the ignorance of the deluded Than the wisdom of the sage. For what though callest ignorance and folly is my pure knowing, Imperfectly expressed through an uncompleted image of my divine perfection. Woe unto them Who condemn these my works unfinished! Behold, they who presume to judge are themselves incomplete. Through many a fiery trial of sorrow Must they pass, Ere the clear beauty of my wisdom May shine from out their hearts, Like unto a light Burning in a lamp of alabaster.
Foolishness! And I am but one of its many, worthy students. Grant that I may be perfect in my foolishness.
