Sunday

Yesterday, Sunday, was also amazing! We went back to the Cosmos Cafe, this time with the family, and Guy-Claude was introduced to the infinite-fruit experience, waffle-version.



Then we headed to a special Qu�bec attraction: a sledding experience! We rented a sled, walked it all the way up the hill, and slid back down, possibly reaching 50 miles/hour! It's right next to _the_ Qu�bec monument, the Chateau Frontenac:













These shots were taken during my second slide down:





We also went down the "Funiculaire", a big elevator that takes one from the top of the hill to the bottom, by the river:



Then we took a boat across the river and back (at no cost, since bus-pass holders ride for free!)







Andr� and I walked around outside on the boat, marveling at the view, and at the ice we were breaking to get across:



The effect on the danio was progressively worse:




It was truly a majestic day in Qu�bec!

Saturday

Last Saturday was a fun-filled day! We started off with a Christmas party at the Holland Center, which is a locale where they hold various babies' and children's activities for anglophones. The party opened with a puppet show!


The party was well attended, and I got to visit with various mothers and their babies, whom I have known through taking Leigh to other Holland Center activities.


Leigh and Angus have become close friends over the last year. He' a couple of months older. They know each other through their mothers: Charlotte and Kathleen, who appears on the far left below:


Charlotte hosted a craft for the children. When they take it home, after a couple of days, the snowmen can be peeled from the wax sheet:




This is Maxime, possibly my biggest fan. He followed me around, kept nudging me for attention, staring wide-eyed at me! He took a picture me too!




It was a delightful party!


Then, in the afternoon, Charlotte and I, along with Guy-Claude, Andr� and Leigh, held another Values Workshop at the university, attended by half-a-dozen babies! The guys at the top-right were visiting from the Madagascar club, and might help organize a workshop next session.


Min, in the front, is Chinese, and told us all about Chinese holidays and celebrations (the workshop focused on China). I'll actually be taking a two-hour Chinese lesson with her tomorrow.

Jerome and Démie from the previous post:

Along with the full tarot reading I got:

danio Tarot

My friends Jerome (role-player friend from Martinique) and Démie (his girlfriend, or "blonde", as they say in Quebec) came from Montreal to visit for a couple of days. We had wonderful times together, and Leigh is extremely fond of them both! We met for lunch, they came over to the appartment for dinner, and we went out again for brunch the next day - with hours and hours of chatting and hanging out. (Incidentally, the brunch we had was at "Cosmos", a really chic cafe, where I had an infinite fruit crepe, the closest I've ever come to doubting my long-standing claim that I could never have more fruit than I could eat - the crepe had banana, grape, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberry, blackberry, kiwi, starfruit and maybe more!)

Démie has a unique approach to Tarot reading (at least in my experience): rather than trying to simply answer a personal question or tell all about my life or my future, she invited me to fully participate in the reading by having me choose all the cards myself (though still face-down), arranging the display (though the general set-up is somewhat prefixed), and even interpreting whatever I like (with explanations of the meaning of the cards and suggestions based on her perception).

During the course of the reading, I related some thoughts, then, after meditating upon the final result, I figured out a whole danio-cosmology! Three cards down the middle represent my current situation, then three cards on either side of each card (21 total) represent the past (on the left) and the future (on the right).

I first placed three cards, which I ultimately identified as representing 1) Warning, 2) Connection to the Outer World, and 3) Connection to the Inner World.


The Four of Cups represents a stagnation - the water of life-flow is still, meaning I should be careful of areas in which I may get stuck. Considering I always only look at the perfection in all things, I should be careful that I also only see Truth.


The Moon represents illusion, a fear to be accepted, and the potential of passage through a new transformation. The Outer World is a world of illusions, but it holds Truth. So although I cannot tame or control it, I must welcome it as a part of my reality, so as to move forward in my spiritual journey.


The Four of Wands represents security, stability, home - my home in the world of spirit, in the Inner World of my true self, my soul, my divinity.


The past leading to my warning against stagnancy is filled with swords: the symbol for thoughts, introspection, mental activity. The Four of Swords shows my recent period of calm and repose, during which I consider my life, situation, possibilities. This is followed by the Seven of Swords, or my recent efforts to work out the reality of all things, to delve into the inner significance of the Seven Valleys, to arrange the order of the universe. The Eight of Swords is what leads to the warning: completely surrounded by the world of thoughts (which can sometimes be mistaken for the realm of spirit), one risksblindness, or as Tool puts it "Overthinking, overanalysing separates the body from the mind, withering my intuition, leaving opportunities behind." (This person is a tool)


If well heeded, this warning will assist in the development of great endeavors in various aspects of life (Page of Wands), and in the receipt of wonderful rewards during this earthly life (Page of Pentacles). Purity and effort ensure a rich life, comfortable, although there is always something more to be conquered (Nine of Cups).


My relationship with the Outer World has be characterized by ceaseless work, taking some blows, but moving forward nonetheless (Nine of Wands). I appear as a (The High) Priest, drawing from a Higher Source, to obtain spiritual strength and lead others to the Light. More recently, I have spent time with family (living with my parents, and now with my sister and her family), thereby benefitting from peace and inter-generational connectivity (Ten of Pentacles).


In the near future, I am to accept things as they come, without being able to truly take action or influence the Outer World, although my acquiescence can yield great benefit (The Hanged Man). Thereafter, I will have to rush head first, without understanding what is happening, barely able to apply wisdom The Knight of Swords), as I will be forced to act even when I do not comprehend the dynamics of my new environment in China. Even as things progress, I will still have my hands full, but full of the things (relationships and experiences) that I can trust and work with (Two of Wands).


My Inner World is so infinitely rich and bright! God has always lived inside me, and as I learn to purify my heart, I make it more and more the home of my Lord - or my Lady. My Lady who has always provided comfort and guidance (Queen of Pentacles). All of the resources and strengths that I have required in life have always been supplied in abundance, along with the assurance that I will know how to use my powers (Eight of Wands). Ultimately, the Inner World has ever been the Pure Light of divinity (The Sun).


Soon, this home that is my Inner World will elevate me, instilling increasing splendor and nobility (Nine of Pentacles). Increasingly, I will feel the presence of the Valley of Unity within my very soul, as I enjoy the union of my developing self with its bestowed divinity (The Lovers). This is all to say that my continued journey will lead me to the greatest power over Heaven and Earth (The Magician - the most powerful of all tarot cards!)