Is there a fixed path for self development?
Isn't everything connected?
Atoms next to atoms. Yes, everything is connected, but not strictly as we perceive it. We have to realise that we look out into the world with an extremely limited view of reality through the five senses, which gives us a limited range of sensory information. We have to see that everything we get from the senses isn’t a complete picture.
For example if you and a friend are talking and you build a perception of that person. You hear the words, you might see their physical form, but this is the tip of the iceberg of that persons reality to themselves.
This gives us a problem esoterically for learning. Language and reality don’t offer a core truth for us to build upon.
We can see why the ancients resorted to symbols to try and convey a sense of the subtle forces that shape our lives.
Defining progress
The core goal should be to bring the mind to a sense of clarity to see as much truth as possible in a given situation in regards to what the cards present to us. The progress should be viewed as a collected history of understanding for each card, that can be changed at will. This will mark the progress you make, and learning will flourish as you embellish each card with your deeper understanding of the meanings.
As you go through the site, use your personal experience, or get new experiences to understand the cards, and to shape the symbols you see with your understanding of the forces at play. Then do a sanity check, ‘Is this solid?, is your understanding correct?’ – Do what you can to make sure there isn’t self deception lurking.
We are looking at a process of adding to the self, and cutting away unneeded detritus in our thinking. We are not just seekers of knowledge, but custodians of a clear pool of water that must not be polluted.