top of page

Moon Goddess

24suit

00:00 / 03:45

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
THE VICE OF THE FOUNDATION (THE MOON)

Nine of Swords: Gemini

As I was dreaming one night, I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and encountered the Moon Goddess.
The Goddess spoke, "The ideal energy associated with the ninth Emanation of the Tree of Life is independence, which includes the ability to experience the world in creative and sympathetic ways. The unbalanced energy, or vice, of the ninth Emanation manifests as idleness. Many people misinterpret the meaning of 'idleness.' Some believe that meditating or performing rituals or creating art are forms of idleness, which could not be farther from the truth. Idleness instead is a kind of laziness of the mind in which a person neglects to examine issues or beliefs or to experience reality from different perspectives. A person with an idle mind who denies or refuses to see the diversity of reality will often soak up negativity and lash out at unfamiliar ideas or at others who seem different."

Hear no Evil, See no Evil

The Goddess continued, "One form of idleness results in a denial of reality. This can occur when a person goes on social media or watches TV all day and develops a divisive belief system that blocks their ability to see that everything is connected.

Busy Bodies

"Another form of idleness is gossip. Some busy bodies spread false rumors in an effort to cause unnecessary drama or smear another person or even ruin another person's relationships or career. "

Hateful Politicians

The Goddess continued, "A politician can spread hateful lies about individuals or groups of people that can infect a whole political party and even lead to authoritarian rule in what was once a democratic realm."

Black Heart

The Goddess continued, "Idleness can lead to a person soaking up negative feelings, ideas, and beliefs. Eventually that negativity can turn a person's heart into a black cavern.

Projecting a Storm of Negativity

"Unfortunately, people who have a black heart can then project their negativity out at others. Many people don't understand that one person can affect another the way the moon affects the earth. One person with an idle mind who has soaked up negativity can cause great harm to other people."

Native American Caught in a Storm

The Goddess continued, "This negativity can kill millions of people. One group of people can negate other groups and cultures through genocide."

African American Woman Caught in a Storm

"This negativity can lead to the subjugation by one group of another group through bigotry and racism. An idle mind cannot understand or refuses to believe that skin color and eye color and hair color are all based on DNA--not on character."

Gay Man Caught in a Storm

The Goddess continued, "This negativity can lead to the discrimination against a group of people because they are different in some way. One dominant group might attack a non-normative group of people who consider themselves gay or non-binary.

Transgender Person Caught in a Storm

"This negativity can result in horrible attacks on transgender people or other vulnerable groups that are not harming anyone else.

Woman Caught in a Storm

"This negativity can even result in the subjugation and exploitation of half of the population. Men with idle minds, for instance, just cannot seem to understand that women embody the divine feminine," the Goddess stated. "Men with lazy minds perpetuate a patriarchal system of male dominance to maintain their own power."

Old Person Caught in a Storm

"This negativity within idle minds can result in the belief that some people are expendable. Old people, despite their experience and wisdom, are often no longer considered productive or necessary members of society."

Starvation

"This negativity can result in the belief that some people deserve to starve, a belief that is often rooted in racism or prejudice of some kind. Millions of people die every year from causes associated with hunger. Only a person who cannot feel sympathy or think clearly could possibly believe that a man, woman, or child deserves to die in such a horrific way."

Death during a Pandemic

"Idleness can result in a laziness of mind or a denial of reality that results in the death of millions of people during a pandemic--even though the disease can be contained."

The Planet Burning

"A denial of reality can lead to powerful corporations threatening the entire planet. Corporations can perpetuate a corrupt political and economic system for their own profit so that they can continue to pollute the planet and cause catastrophic climate disruption," the Goddess stated.

Armageddon

"The negativity can accumulate to the point where some societies create weapons of mass destruction that can destroy the planet many times over. Some people with idle minds have even developed the negative belief that a higher power has pre-ordained the annihilation of humanity and the entire planet--and they wait with great anticipation for Armageddon."

Purification of Mind and Body

"During meditation, which some consider idleness, a person can purify the mind and heart and soul on a regular basis and eliminate negative energy that can lead to false beliefs or cause physical or emotional or mental illness."

Guardian Angel

"If people regularly perform a purification process during meditation or ritual, they can connect with spiritual realms and experience the dimensions of Universal Consciousness," the Moon Goddess concluded.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

King of Pentacles

5stran

00:00 / 04:04

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
THE VICES OF THE KINGDOM

Inertia

I was feeling overwhelmed by my financial circumstances but I eventually fell asleep and stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality. Suddenly I remembered these words spoken by the King of Pentacles in the Tarot Realm: "Greed and inertia are the vices of the Kingdom, the tenth Emanation of the Tree of Life. In some realms, such as the one from which you originate, many people just give up because of the terrible conditions of their society. Some take drugs or drink alcohol or gaze all day at their devices because a few rich people, modern-day kings and queens, control most of the wealth, and these elite capitalists refuse to pay their workers enough to live on, so the workers sink deeper and deeper into debt and begin to feel like their struggles to survive are meaningless exercises in futility. Their inertia results from debilitating depression and frustration."

Medusa

The King of Pentacles continued, "But their inertia also often stems from fear, the overwhelming fear that poverty or illness or homelessness will destroy their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Fear paralyses them. Sometimes it's almost as if they have gazed upon the face of the Medusa."

Statues

The King elaborated, "An economic system, especially one where only a few people control everything, can turn people to stone."

Golden Throne

The King continued, "Some people accumulate so much wealth that they sit upon golden thrones while others starve."

Strolling through a Burning Forest

The King continued, "Some rich people are so greedy that they don't care that they are causing the world to burn around them. Their greed compels them to horde more and more wealth.

Forest Turned to Dirt and Ash

"Even if the world is becoming so hot that high temperatures kill ecosystems and turn whole forests into dirt and ash, the greedy keep striving only to accumulate more wealth," the King stated.

Dying River

The King continued, "Even if all the rivers and wetlands and all the creatures in the ecosystems are dying off, they want only more wealth.

Full Canal

"They buy off the politicians so that all the water goes to their farms. Their canals remain full as the rivers and wetlands dry up," the King stated.

Almond Orchard

The King continued, "They irrigate their lovely almond orchards with the water diverted from the rivers and wetlands even though it takes more than a gallon of water to produce one little almond.

Lying Politician

"Some politicians continually lie without presenting any evidence, and as they lie they manufacture a state of confusion. The oligarchs and kleptocrats support these liars because many people become so confused that they enter a state of inertia. The detachment of the masses from reality makes it easier for the greedy and the corrupt to remain in power.

Corporate Lobbyist

"The wealthy hire lobbyists to buy off the politicians. In your realm, the wealthy also buy off members of the Supreme Court so that the justices will rule that money is speech and corporations are people--even though corporations have no conscience," the King stated.

Melting Ice

The King continued, "All the while temperatures increase and sea levels keep rising due to the melting ice.

River on Fire

"The wealthy have sometimes polluted the environment so much that rivers have caught on fire.

Shacks around a Mansion

"Greed has always existed in this world, but now the wealthy don't even try to hide it. They promote their belief that greed is good. In some communities in your realm, the rich show off their wealth by living in mansions surrounded by run-down shacks.

Pollution

"The wealthy don't care if pollution gets worse and worse. They want to implement authoritarian plans and create a fascist police state so that they can eliminate regulations and make even more money at the expense of everyone else," the King stated.

Polluted Ocean

"It doesn't matter to the wealthy that their products are polluting the air and water. They think that they should have the right to pollute ecosystems and completely exhaust resources for their own benefit.

Polluted Earth

"The capitalists don't care if they work people to death. The wealthy in your realm exhaust people and the environment because they must keep making a profit--even though they are already obscenely rich while everyone else remains poor.

A King Surrounded by Skeletons

"People in your realm are dying everywhere due to inadequate health care and hunger and overdoses and despair. In the face of this exploitation and disparity of wealth, widespread inertia prevails--but inertia in this perilous time, my friend, is not an option."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

The Hermit: Virgo

divjad

00:00 / 04:00

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
SPIRIT GUIDES, ALLIES, AND ANCESTORS

Nature Walk

One night as I was lying in bed, I felt a little lonely. I closed my eyes, and soon I was dreaming that I was climbing a mountain. I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and encountered the Hermit--whose path was lit by a six-pointed star.
The Hermit spoke, "As you hike on this trail, open your heart to the spiritual dimension of nature. On this path, nature spirits are everywhere."

Nature Spirit

The Hermit continued, "If you open your heart to nature spirits, you might find that one or two of them return home with you and help things in your life to grow.

Ancestors: Farm Family

"If you open your heart to nature spirits, you can then open your heart to your ancestors. Some of your ancestors have been extremely strong people who have grown wise through hard times."

House Faery

The Hermit continued, "You might even discover that a faery resides with you, a faery who inspires you and helps you find items that you have lost. You might even suddenly find something that you had lost right in plain sight on your living room floor."

Spirit Guide: Artist

The Hermit continued, "You might encounter spirit guides--some of whom might be aspects of your self from different incarnations. For instance, you might be inspired and motivated by the spirit of an artist who had worked in solitude for years to master his craft."

Spirit Guide: Composer

"You might be inspired by the indomitable spirit of a composer who, despite adverse physical conditions, composed great works of music."

Spirit Guide: Writer

The Hermit continued, "You might be inspired by the spirit of a writer who continued to explore experiences and ideas even into old age."

Spirit Guide: Pioneer

"You might be inspired by an adventurous spirit, a pioneer who helps you become a spiritual pioneer in different areas of your life."

Spirit Guide: Templar Knight

The Hermit continued, "You might be inspired by the spirit of a great knight who fought for the glory of God and in the process touched the dimensions of Universal Consciousness."

Spirit Guide: Civil War Soldier

"You might also have been a courageous soldier during a terrible war and now continue in this life to be a fierce spiritual warrior."

Ancestors: Native American Family

"You might have once been part of a loving family so that now you know how to love children and other members of your family--selflessly and with reverence and humor," the Hermit stated.

Shaman

"You might have once been a healer so that you know how to heal yourself and others on a spiritual and mental and emotional and physical level.

Priest

"You might have once been a priest so that now you have great compassion for the suffering of others.

Guardian Angel

"If you keep your heart open, you might experience the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, which is the highest spiritual experience associated with this realm. The Holy Guardian Angel will help you connect with the dimensions of Universal Consciousness.

Archangel Raphael

"You might even experience awesome cosmic powers of harmony, such as our beloved Archangels," the Hermit stated.

Isis

"You might experience great Gods and Goddesses who enable you to experience the awesome paths of the Tree of Life as well as the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of this realm."

Gaia

"You might even establish a connection with Gaia, the magnificent spirit of the Earth."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Rooted in Front of the TV

2milky

00:00 / 08:36

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ROOTS

As I was falling asleep, I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality. Then I remembered that when I was a kid, my parents liked to joke that I was always rooted in front of the television.

Attached to Money

Because of what I watched on television, I started to believe that I would be rooted in a pile of money when I became an adult.

Rooted next to the Kitchen Table

Then I often found myself stuffing food in my face as I remained rooted next to the kitchen table.

Attached to Music

After awhile, I found myself very attached to music, and I spent a lot of my money over the years buying records and musical equipment.

Attached to a Sport

I also found myself attached to a sport, and even though I felt rooted to the court, strangely I could still move around faster than most.

Attached to a Cat

As I grew older, I also became quite attached to my pet.

Attached to a Car

Once I got my driver's license, I spent most of my time attached to my car.

Attached to Another Person

After I participated in a few drag races, I forgot about the car and became attached to a young

woman.

Attached to a House

We got married and eventually bought a house. We became rooted to our house and our land.

Attached to a City

We also began to feel rooted to the city where we lived.

Attached to a Job

I had so many bills to pay that I had to remain rooted in my office.

Attached to Literature

During my free time, I began to read more and more, and I became rooted to the work of many authors.

Attached to Art

As I read more and more, I became fascinated by the arts, and I began frequenting art museums as often as I could.

Attached to History

As I read more books, I also became interested in history. I began to feel like we all have deep roots in the history of the human race.

Attached to Politics

Because of my knowledge of history, I became rooted in local politics. I discovered, however, that politics can be a very bad business.

Fond of Beer

Perhaps because of my disillusionment with politics, I soon became very fond of beer.

Fond of the River

As I grew more and more disillusioned with politics, I became more and more fond of the river and often felt rooted like a tree near the flowing water.

Liberation by the River

After thirty years of marriage, I became terribly ill, and my wife left me. Eventually I felt well again, and when I swayed next to the river, I felt like I was part of the water flowing toward the sea. I could almost feel part of the water cycle, the water evaporating and coming back as rain or snow and flowing down the mountains to merge again with the river. I realized that I could love the river and people and things, but I could also let go of them. I could just go with the flow. I really didn't need many material things, and I could let other people live their own lives freely and do what they wanted as long as they didn't harm me or anyone else.

Liberated in the City

As I wandered down the city streets, I enjoyed watching people freely walking by on their own journeys. As the crowd meandered by, I realized that I could love the diversity of the world without becoming rooted at all--unless I really wanted to.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

bottom of page