đź”—

cargo.site
November 28 ’23





The first thing noticed, was a row of tight and even scalloping. Focusing in, the succession of half circles, were shown to be the overhanging edge of a roof — like roof tiles. Because this specificity, this initial anchor was established, we were then allowed to take in the larger context; we say “allowed” as throughout the proceeding, allowing and showing were overwhelming sensations — something was trying earnestly to demonstrate. 

***


The larger landscape was a density of architectures; low buildings somehow without horizon or sky. Though the projecting angles and planes felt intense and infinite, there was a rationality and soberness, to it all — the vigorously clean shards of painters like Edward Wadsworth and Charles Sheeler come to mind. It is important to say, that none of it felt like metaphor, this world seemed an actuality, though an actuality we were too infantile to understand. 

* * *


Our attention was guided back to the scalloping, with an encouragement to dip the angle of our view — to look lower. The move activated a shift or a parallax perspective, altogether upending our previous understanding of the scene. As it turned out, the scalloping was not roofing tile at all — but imbricated brims of a row of fedoras — maybe eight or twelve. Upon lowering our head further, we were able to see a kind of phalanx of very short men in purple zoot suits. They had pointed purple shoes and their skin, in kind, was the same middling purple. 

Their countenance was arresting and called for immediate deference. Their expressionless faces were simultaneously stoic and puckish. Without question, these were the guides, overseers and fabricators of this dimension — or whatever such an area could be called. Also of note, it was “clear” that they were communicating with us, mind-to-mind, that is, without speaking.

Our preoccupation with taking in all of their weird and commanding attributes had distracted us; the setting had completely changed. Peering beyond the pointed purple tips of their toes (which were floating or dangling somehow, looking similar to those sharp triangle shapes sometimes seen adorning the undersides of Victorian eaves) a new landscape was pulsing away. 

* * *


Now, instead of the miles of low, human-scaled buildings there were unfathomable distances of a kind of cosmic machinery. Gigantic rotating cogs disappeared into darkness. Immense lengths of impossibly sized chains extended out of sight, thundering on massive winches. Colossal stone buttresses and archways shifted and groaned like something out of Castle Gormenghast or Piranesi’s dungeons. The feeling here, was distinctly new — whereas the previous setting felt like we were being given a view of the underpinnings and girding of earth’s reality — here the point seemed to be a display of the purple men’s monumental prowess and skill. That is, on a whim, they could recast any universe or any familiarity with the simple power of their superior/immeasurable vocabulary. But astronomic ostentation was not really what they were trying to relay — the significance here, seemingly, was to teach us a crucial lesson about Versions (writ large).

* * *


There was a tapping on our mind; a tacit prompt — an allowance to ask a question. Without thinking we bumbled: “Yes, but what if it all were totally different?” Right at the moment we finished the query, the whole landscape collapsed from three dimensions into two, in a very specific way… (Please understand the following is rather hard to describe.) From the farthest visible reach to the closest object, the world had become completely constructed of what we can only describe as a very specific white flame decal. Totally bizarre — a panorama rendered entirely by infinite, identical, corny, white, tribal-ish, flame decals… Yes, exactly like you’re thinking, the standard understandable dimensionality of an already mystifying terrain, was wildly converted to a hard-to-conceive-of 2D situation made of the most banal and trivial consumerist stickers.

We were utterly stupefied by the situation. 

This was the last lesson of the purple men — the interplay of triviality and immensity.  

* * *


When the challenge to our basic empiricism had reached its zenith, a last change was visited.

Without warning, or a reasonable sense of transition, we were peering in on a thoroughly different scene. Any sense of the presence of the purple men (and the vastness they had conjured) had completely dissipated. Now, all was warm and transcendentally intimate. We were peering in on a domestic realm, having a kind of omniscient view of the layout of the previous home of a friend. Within the low, warmly lit private scene, there was a tall, thin, humanoid creature calmly walking from room to room. From head to toe it was entirely covered in long, clean, snow-white-white fur. It would not be wrong to describe it as a Yeti or an albino Chewbacca except that its comportment was so softly chic, so refined, and so utterly sophisticated, that those references seem an insult to such a poetic creature. 

For an indeterminate amount of time we watched its muscularly spotless frame glide and gently pad about — until of course the vision yielded and all went away… And we were simply back in the room.





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Oracle


Each week we consult both the Tarot and the I Ching.
To submit your own question,
send an email to oracle@cargo.site


The High Priestess
16. Enthusiasm
23. Splitting Apart

These first few lines are the general aphoristic returns for the week. They are raw and uninterpreted; there to use how you’d like. (The specific readings follow.)

  • Try to become a person who sees that every aspect of the world is mystical. 
  • Listen for the effect of the hidden cause.
  • Enthusiasm is the basis for all “natural” laws.
  • It is best when confidence is the natural result of sincerity.
  • “A sober awakening from false enthusiasm is quite possible and very favorable.”
  • In overwhelmingly dark times it is not cowardice to wait for a more favorable situation to act.

* * *

From “M.S.”: Topicality has obviously transcended; to us, it is the worst of parasites. It seems to be thoroughly sucking all the dignity from humanity. Any advice for those (daily) trying to stave off this supreme, ever-intensifying, and poisonous leech?
* * *

Something is moving through; it is dark, and its momentum is legion — something like an inversion of Superstudio’s superstructure. What is its cause? What are its rules? After those have been attempted, perhaps you can see where it’s headed? 

Is it really an isolated phenomenon? As a rule, if a past era had multitudes of aphorisms, texts and recommendations for right behavior (as ALL cultures have) one can be sure that these eras were full of the reverse, that is bad behavior. Shitty behavior is just part of human life. 

The question is what do you have enthusiasm for? What is your path of least resistance? You may be less separate from what you perceive as undignified than you think.

Study the various interpretations of the High Priestess card, whilst simultaneously trying to get to know the bent of your intuition. You will see that what is happening is happening. The yin and the yang are interdependent.


* * *

Complete Reading

This week we pulled The High Priestess. Here, traditionally speaking, we have the mystery of intuition — that is, intuition in fullest possible aspect — so much so that most term it divination. However, personally speaking, we think of the “divination” of the High Priestess card, less in mystical terms, as we sincerely think of everything as mystical (from Slurpees to sloths, from hieroglyphics to hair ties). The entirety of the world is a swirl of cause, effect, mutation, persistence, friction, compounding, resisting and yielding of matter and forces. For us, the card is an intimation to become a person who can listen to the effect of the hidden cause. What is the origin of intuition? What is it aimed at?

Our first hexagram this week is #16, Enthusiasm. “The inviolability of natural laws rests on this principle of movement along the line of least resistance.” We find it highly interesting/fun to think of the laws of physics as being laws of enthusiasm. In human terms a quote from Austin Osman Spare: “There is more truth in our erotic zones, than in the whole of religions and mathematics.” 

There were two changes this week, of which the specific notes are: it is uncommon but best when confidence is the natural result of sincerity and “A sober awakening from false enthusiasm is quite possible and very favorable.”

Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #23, Splitting Apart. There are times/situations where nothing can be done to stop inferior (selfish) people from rising to positions of influence and power. In such times people of worth will just have to sit and wait for more favorable conditions: “This suggests that one should submit to the bad time and remain quiet... it is impossible to counteract these conditions of the time. Hence it is not cowardice but wisdom to submit and avoid action.”Â