Holy Cards and Humor
This blog is 3 to 5 minutes to read
Jim Curtan was one of the funniest and holy souls on the planet. Jim passed away on April 22, 2021. He was an archetype teacher with the Caroline Myss Sacred Contracts CMED Institute for years. Jim called himself a holy fool with a trickster twist.
Jim taught us to laugh at our ego and our mistakes, and he showed us how humor and humility can heal our soul from the inside out. When he pointed to his mistakes in judging people he was able to turn the tables and “see himself in the assholes he was judging”. This is the way he taught in our archetype consulting/teaching sessions.
The trickster archetype in Jim always shared his life stories to teach us that self-examination, prayer, and even movies were unshakable foundations for life. He taught me about his aunt who was a holy fool like he was. He said aunt was kind, wise, and had tons of holy cards. He said holy cards were reminders to pray because they held symbols and images that spoke the language of hope to the soul. His trickster archetype taught me truth in the messages of the archetypes.
The soul is here for it's own joy! Jim Curtan 
baseball card
Holy Card Blessed Mother of Guadalupe
While some kids collected baseball cards, Jim collected holy cards. He told me he looked for the messages of God in the images of the Saints and prayers on the back. Funny, I do the same thing. Jim’s homework each month for me was to go to the ‘church’ at TCM (Turner Classic Movies) and watch and learn about the archetypes.
A family may look like Camelot on the outside but what is on the inside? George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, was the rescuer and wounded healer archetype according to Jim Curtan.
Jim’s trickster archetype would educate me on the prostitute archetype saying, “Barb, remember, the Prostitute archetype knows the price of everything….and knows what is priceless, choose wisely.” Thank you, Jim. Your words are in my heart and their effects are the bone marrow of my life. I am a better person because of my friend Jim Curtan.
Archetypes help us see the light and shadow meanings in life.
Lastly, I had the honor of creating Jim Curtan’s personal essential oil blend for his personal needs at a turning point in his life. In vegetable carrier oil, I used German Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) from Hungary. Those who use this oil are generally very strongly emotional people and have the depth and ability to draw out the best in others. They are usually down-to-earth and up-front people and are always good to have around when there is an emotional crisis or during a grieving event.
Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia) from Spain. Its personality profile is one where happiness follows the person everywhere. This essence has been described as a hippy personality, a likable fringe person who questions social values.
Cajeput (Melaleuca cajuputi) from Indonesia. It has been noted to help increase circulation and blood flow to tissues as well as assisting with chronic pain. The Australian aborigines have been using this oil for treatments of aches and pains for centuries. It has been specifically used by people with sports injuries. Its energetics are stimulating in nature and a soothing tonic to the nervous system.
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) from Sri Lanka. This oil has been cultivated from the same area for over 2,000 years. It is from the dried crushed almost ripe fruit on the pepper vine. The personality profile of this oil is one associated with a person who tends to take serious responsibility for everyone in their family circle. The subtle effects of this oil help to ‘get a move on when life feels stuck.
Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis) from Italy. The balancing properties include topical use in joint soreness, detoxification, and to aid circulation. The ancient Greeks used to combat epidemics with the juniper berry oil. The Tibetans and Native Americans used juniper for ceremonial purposes. The personality profile of Juniper Berry is described as having profound spiritual ease; no concern for human authority, preferring to be directed by their intuition beliefs. They are not afraid to enjoy themselves or appear childish because of the joy they take in new experiences and knowledge.
Applying essential oil blends to soothe the mind and heart in our lives can help us relax. Jim said, “If this archetypal work is going to elevate you; you can’t let it be too heavy!”
May we all take in what we learn from our teachers of wisdom. May we apply it to our daily lives and see the holy humor in the human drama of life always responding… Yes, to God”s Grace.
“In the human drama of life don’t be afraid of people thinking you are crazy. Teach from your scars not your wounds” Jim Curtan
References:
Battaglia, Salvatore, (2018). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, 3rd edition. Brisbane, Australia: Black Pepper Creative Publishing: Banyo, QLD.
Holmes, Peter, (2019). Aromatic; A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics: Volume 2: Applications and Profiles; Philadelphia & London; Singing Dragon Publishing.
Myss, Caroline, (2003). Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential. New York, NY; Harmony Books Publishing.
Moore, Robert, (2004). King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine. HarperCollins.
Jim Curtan’s website: https://jimcurtan.com/
Thanks to Unsplash and the artists for their pictures.