Blessing in Disguise
Hares, the inspiration of Mulan, the leader
Someone said that the stories for children consist of the same elements as the stories for adults, but are a little bit more complicated. Real or not, the life of Mulan became a story for children, a parable, an example, a guiding light…
“Male hares like to kick and stomp,
Female hares have eyes misty and glazed.
But if the hares are running side-by-side,
Who can tell which is he or she?”
In Disney’s motion picture “Mulan” her father lets her enjoy the sensations of herself as they are – unfolding a strong chi of a refined warrior. And that day, in which she saw the running rabbits, was the day, when the warrior within has been called out.
Nowadays I am inspired by rabbits as once upon a time Mulan was.
The rabbits, which I am observing and which are affecting my senses, are those from the most twisted hares running side-by-side game. This is the “Lotti Karotti” matrix.
The rules of the game are simple. The goal of the game is, that your hare reaches the carrot in the middle first. In the box there are 4 rabbits in 4 colors, so each player has 4 rabbits and the maximum number of players is 4. There is also a deck of cards. The cards are 4 types – moving one space, moving 2 spaces, moving 3 spaces, spinning the carrot. Each spin opens a gap space and if eventually there was a rabbit on it or the card shows the rabbit to land on this open gap, the rabbit falls and the player loses one rabbit. The gap remains open until another card with carrot is drawn and the carrot is spun again. The rabbit’s superpower is to be cute and gentle. In this game the rabbits do not remove opponents, still fellow rabbits, from their space, but as sweet and nice animals, rabbits hop directly on the next free space.
The game in my eyes is a symbol of the everyday life.
Each day is like the new game of “Lotti Karotti”. We have our rabbits ready to join the hares’ race. Each day, as any day in the past, sets in front of all the challenges of life. We have prepared our bodies, our personal stories, our personalities, our knowledge to join the humans’ race.
The game allows for the idea of changes to be understood and integrated – when the carrot spins, the gap spaces change too. In life the change is the only fixed thing at all. Falling in gaps, behaving ridiculous, is possible any moment. “It is never too late to become a fool” – my mother said many times.
When a player’s rabbit fell in a gap space, an avalanche of negative emotion starts. The realization, that one has to go back and try with another rabbit to fulfil the goal of the game, while still weeping tears of the instant death of dreams, broken success, missed recognition… the bad emotions could even make the player leave the game. When one becomes a fool (Uranus/ Aquarius), an avalanche of negative outcomes, experiences and feelings falls upon one’s self. One could decide to run away from the world in another hurtful way. The bad day brings many dark bad days ahead, followed and sustained by darker visions, fears, losses (Saturn). Mulan was puzzled, because bringing honor to the family was believed to be possible only in one way, meaning the half of her personality – the woman. And in the army – the existence of her personality’s other half – the warrior’s chi within.
The rabbits are aiming at the big carrot on the top of the mountain. The humans are aiming at the big carrot too. In ancient Rome the animals were given compliments by letting them eat a carrot, and if they weren’t good, a stick, called stimulus, has been used for guiding (literally hitting and punishing the animals). To get stimulated in this sense, is to be driven by the force of negative experience – injured and hurt before, to create certain outcomes. To be given to the carrot, means to be given recognition (Capricorn’s 10th house). In astrology the top of the mountain (Capricorn), where all stones (stimuli as studying facts, bad experience, negative outcomes, endless reading, endless exercises, endless exams, rejection, denial, Mulan telling she is a man) become diamonds (carrots as Mulan revealing her full potential of a warrior as a woman, approval, acceptance, positive results, wisdom, temperance), is the place for divine lifestyle and happiness, love and respect for each other equally (Aquarius). Mulan is respected as a high chi gifted warrior and as a woman equally. Which is the description of Sabian Symbol Aries 3o – 4o:
“Duality is central to all existence, so to resonate with this cosmic reality and realize the full potential of our nature, we must examine and embrace the inner polarities of who we are. This is achieved in the interplay within some special one-to-one relationship – which necessarily requires a degree of isolated togetherness.”
After the characters of the players have being tested and turned into shining diamonds, usually the lucky guys win. Among my husband, my son and I, this is usually not me. Even if my son happens to lose a rabbit or 2, in 90% of the cases the victory belongs to him. And we try to encourage celebrating the success of any winner among us. In life it is said that when one loses, one doesn’t know what one is gaining (blessing in disguise); and when one wins, one doesn’t know what one has lost. The loss teaches everyone in the interaction a certain moral. To examine and realize the polarity of winning and losing, one needs some special one-to-one isolated togetherness. And for example, I could share one of my vision of such place - no matter where I live, I maintain and venerate the place as my home.
The next day comes with another game of “Lotti Karotti”. The rabbits are ready to join the big carrot’s chase race. As any day in the past, today's day started as a new day with new challenges. My body, personal story, personality, knowledge are all set up for me to join the humans’ big carrot chase race.
The game allows for the idea of changes to be understood and integrated – when the carrot spins, the gap spaces change too. “It is never too late to become a fool” (Aquarius). Happy Chinese New Year!
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulan_(2020_film), website – about the Disney’s version of the legend of Mulan;
https://tametheboardgame.com/category/published-games/lotti-karotti/#:~:text=The%20Rules%3A&text=Basically%20everyone%20has%20four%20rabbits,you%20then%20perform%20that%20action., website – about the rules of “Lotti Karotti”;
https://www.jamesburgess.com/two-lovers-strolling-through-a-secluded-walk.html, website – about the Sabian Symbols;
https://chinesenewyear.net/, website – about the Chinese new year
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