I.
The Fool
Without the
notion of Zero, our system of mathematics becomes meaningless. Similarly, the
Fool is an essential part of the Tarot because he is the spark that sets
everything else into motion, the divine breath that gives life and inspires the
first step towards fulfillment and completion. Though the first step down a
long path may often seem small in comparison to the journey, that first step is
vital because without it there would be no journey at all! The Fool is the
cause behind all effects, the power behind all manifestations and the seeds of
the end sown in every beginning.
The Fool is
unmoulded potential, pure and innocent, neither positive nor negative yet
containing the possibility of both. He is the unconditioned soul about to come
into manifestation for the first time to start learning the lessons of the
world. Though everyone calls him a Fool, he does not pay them any attention,
and he simply goes on his way. Certainly what they say can be justified, since
his ignorance of the world can lead him to do things that more experienced
people would never imagine. But in these things he can find knowledge and
enlightenment. He does not care what others think or say about him, because he
knows that what he is doing is right for him.
His approach
to life is a strange, unconventional one, because he does what is comfortable
to him. This is a viewpoint not often supported in our modern world, in which
"do as I say" is the commandment most followed. To those who have
lived their life under this philosophy, the approach of the Fool may be
extravagant, shocking, even frightening. But this approach is all that the Fool
knows, and because the only approval he requires is his own, he will continue
to live this way, despite what all others think of him. He has total faith in
himself. Perhaps he is not such a fool after all.
The Fool
does not hide himself from the light, because he is the light - the wonderful
light that shines out of every child before they see the world and are forced
to build so many walls and barriers to protect themselves. The innocence of a
child, sadly, is something rarely found outside of children, even though a lot
of people could use it these days. With this innocence comes perfect trust,
fearlessness in others, and total self-reliance. It allows you to see the world
with new eyes and learn new things every day of your life. Think of how much
better the world would be if everybody acted this way! It's a shame that only
children, and the Fool, see this light.
The Fool
almost always stands for new beginnings, new experiences and new choices; the
first steps along a new path and the first words written onto a blank page.
Like the Aces of the Minor Arcana, such beginnings are like the Fool himself -
neither positive nor negative, but with the potential to turn into either,
depending on the choices you make and the path you follow. But this must not be
your concern, because when a journey begins no one can know (or should know)
what will happen on the way to the destination. Never let another person
control your life. Live in the present and trust in your own abilities - this
is the way of the Fool.
Such
journeys always imply a degree of risk, and hence the Fool is pictured walking
toward the edge of a high cliff. With any new experience there is always the
risk of failure and the certainty of change; it is the degree of change, and
how that change will appear, that are undeterminable. But the Fool has no
qualms about taking chances, so why should you? It is through the first steps
that we learn how to walk, and it is through changes that we learn how to live
our lives in harmony and peace. So jump head first into the abyss of the
unknown, and know that even if you eventually fall to the ground, for a while
you will soar.
II.
The Magician
The Magician's
number is One, the number of creation and individuality; his power is
transformation through the use of his will. In his manipulation of the basic
elements into all the substances and materials of life, he shows us that from a
foundation of the mundane can emerge all that is to come. He can take the
Nothing from which the Fool emerged and shape it into Something, making one out
of zero. Clearly this is power of a divine sort, and it is true that the
Magician is a conduit for a higher power, which commands all of the material
world. Since all that we can see in the physical world is the conduit himself,
the acts he performs often seem like magic.
The Magician
may seem like a strange title for someone who holds real power, because the
word "magician" tends to conjure up pictures of illusionists and
escape artists, whose power involves sleight of hand and misdirection. The
Magician, however, is similar to the stage illusionist in many ways. He is
confident in his skills and his ability to produce the effects that he wants.
His real power comes from sources outside of him, and he is powerless without
these sources, just as an illusionist depends on people "behind the
scenes". Both magician and Magician, however, are as important to their
powers are the powers are to them. Without a conduit, power itself is impotent
and useless.
With his
powers the Magician holds influence over all - theory and practice, logic and
emotion, thought and action. Almost every modern depiction of the Magician
includes one or more symbols of infinity to denote his limitless power; the
snake eating its tail and the lemniscate (horizontal figure-eight) being chief
among these. This limitless power comes from sources outside his body yet under
his control. And as long as the Magician remembers that this power is his to
command, even if he loses all of his worldly power and skill he can never truly
be called powerless. For his Will is a power that, while it can be subdued, it
can never be destroyed.
Another
nearly universal association with the Magician is the red-and-white color
scheme. This theme recurs throughout the Tarot and it is very symbolic that it
starts with this card and not the Fool. For while the Fool was the potential
for positive and negative, the Magician is the union of positive and negative.
He creates and he preserves; he destroys and he redeems. His true power is that
he not only knows what he must do, but he knows how he must do it, and why he
must do it. Then he does it. The Magician reminds us that a wish alone will
change nothing, but a decision can change everything. A desire to create is
nothing without an ability to create, and vice-versa.
When the
Magician appears he shows that you are ready to become a conduit for power,
like he is. The forces of creation and destruction have always been at your
command but now you have the wisdom and confidence needed to use them
constructively. Now is the time to act, if you know what is it you want to
accomplish and why. Since the powers of transformation are at your command,
change your desires into objectives, your thoughts into actions, your goals
into achievements. If you have recently met with failure, now you can change
that failure into success as easily as the Magician changes fire into water.
The only limits you have are those you impose on yourself.
The outward
manifestations of such power are as numerous as they are varied, but the most
common outer effect of the Magician's influence is unswaying and total
confidence. The realization that the world is under your control is what
inspires this kind of confidence, and with good reason. So go out into the
world, set your mind to whatever goal you are interested in, and then just
stand back and watch as everything falls into place under your command.
Ultimately, the message of the Magician is a simple one despite his limitless
and infinitely complex power. Your life is under your control. Your life is
what you
want it to be. Your life is what you make it.
III.
The High Priestess
The High
Priestess is arguably the most difficult of the Major Arcana to qualify with
words alone, because so much of her power and ability is veiled in mystery that
it is difficult for anyone to fathom it all. Every card in the Tarot speaks
differently to everyone, but the Priestess seems to bear the widest range of
interpretations, because she speaks directly to the Inner Voice, the
unconscious mind. She is the manifestation of the unconscious and the effects
of the mysterious in our everyday world. Trying to see how such mysteries work
often defeats their purpose, and with this in mind, the High Priestess will be
explained in as much detail as possible.
She is,
above all else, the base of potential that is the source of the power wielded
by the Magician. She is the unlimited potential that allows him to transform
and create whatever his Will desires. Understanding this type of balance, as
found between potential and creation, masculine and feminine, is the key to
unlocking some of the mysteries of the High Priestess. We see the clear
progression of the theme of balance; instead of integrating opposites, the
Priestess keeps them separate and keeps them in balance nonetheles. She herself
is the scales; this symbolism is found in many Tarot decks. Without this
balance there can be no power.
The second
symbolic motif found in almost all instances of the High Preistess are symbols
of the unconscious mind. On the Rider-Waite version this motif is especially
prominent, but most decks feature at least some lunar imagery that in turn has
ties to the unconscious. Most decks that have the "twin pillars"
symbology also depict a veil strung between those pillars; the High Priestess
stands between us and that veil as a moderator. Behind the veil lies the powers
of the unconscious, which we cannot start to understand but which, through her,
we can learn to control. She is the gateway to realms that we may never fully
comprehend or master.
While it
would be impossible for anyone to learn all of her mysteries and secrets, the
High Priestess remains as a guide to those of us willing to venture deep within
our minds to discover the true powers hidden deep inside each of us. This is
the same power as that depicted on the Magician, but the scope of the
Priestess' power is far different. While the Magician focuses his powers
outward, to achieve a meaningful effect on the world, the High Priestess shows
us that we can also use these powers on an inner level, to enrich and transform
ourselves. Such transformations are certainly not as dramatic as the
Magician's, but they are almost always more powerful.
The High
Priestess represents the mysteries of the unconscious and the Inner Voice, and
her appearance is often a sign that your own intuition is trying to send you a
message. The unconscious often speaks to us in symbols, so be alert around you
for anything that seems out of the ordinary. This said, if you have an
important decision to make when the Priestess appears, this is often a sign
that the answers will be revealed to you, if you are patient and open to the
whispers from within. You simply have to wait and be receptive to inner
messages. Her lesson is that everything you need to know already exists within
you.
The theme of
dualism in the High Preistess cannot be avoided either. She is often a sign of
the Shadow, the negative portion of your personality that no one sees, and that
you yourself could be unaware of. (In this sense, the term 'negative' does not
refer to evil, just the opposite polarity from the positive and expressive part
of your personality.) If you accept the Shadow within you, its powers will be
open to you if you wish to use them. In most people the Shadow side is the more
passive of the two, and the Priestess can therefore advocate a need for
passivity in a situation. It is not always necessary to act; sometimes goals
can be realized through inaction.
IV.
The Empress
The Empress
represents a departure from the dualistic philosophy of the first three Major
Arcana, as well as from the strongly spiritual teachings of those three cards.
Rather than simple dichotomies of positive and negative, the Tarot now starts
dealing with the unfication of spirit, mind and body. The Empress is the latter
leg of this triad, representing the physical body and the material world. From
her comes all the pleasure of the senses and the abundance of life in all its
forms. She is also the mother archetype, and through her we get a first glimpse
of the power of love in the Tarot.
The world of
the Empress is an ideal and perfectly beautiful place, totally natural,
untouched by artificial colors, lights or sounds. This is a place of bounty and
fertility, a living representation of the process of creation and birth that
the Empress herself symbolizes. She doesn't just live in this place, she is
this place, just as much as the Priestess is the balance that keeps apart
positive and negative. The Empress is no less beautiful than the flowers that
throw their scent across her fields, no less fertile than the soil that lies
underneath her throne. If anything represents the idea of Mother Earth in the
Tarot, then it is the Empress.
Her primary
power, like the two Arcana before her, is the power of creation. But her
creation is not based on creating the world she wishes to live in, or the
person she wants to be, because she has that world and is that person. She
creates life in all its myriad forms. The Empress is the archetype of the
mother, the ultimate creator and giver of life; thus her associations can be
extended beyond creativity into fertility, pregnancy and the daunting task of
motherhood, which she always faces with a smile and a happy heart. She takes
pleasure in all things, particularly her own creations - and everything in
nature is her own creation.
Tying into
the theme of motherhood is the notion of unconditional love, which the Empress
also represents. She makes no demands, sets no conditions, just loves
everything equally and with all the power she can. From this, it can be said,
derives her only real weakness, and it is something that all mothers deal with
at some point. She is often over-protective of her creations, and wishes no
harm to come to them at all. That would disrupt the eternal bliss and happiness
of her realm. But as it is, the realm of the Empress is both the picture of
beauty and of stagnation. So while the Empress' love can make you feel as
secure as if we are in your mother's arms, it can also turn into a prison if
experienced for too long.
When the
Empress appears in your life, you should make special effort to open up to her
perfect and unconditional love. In that way you can become more like her:
gentle and affectionate, gracious and elegant. Such qualities are often
neglected, but they are also useful in a world of harshness and apathy. So
instead of plodding through life, take some time to celebrate it! The Empress
can often herald the conception or the birth of a child, and in that
circumstance there is even greater reason to celebrate. Inspire others to do
the same; the Empress is a leader, and the power she holds over other people is
firm, but loving. Know this and lead as she would.
Know also
that the perfectly abundant world of the Empress is always free for you to
enjoy. Even if you know that you have to go back to the "real world"
eventually, a vacation from the hectic and artificial life that most people
live these days will certainly be welcome. Spend some time outdoors, in the
fresh air, enjoying every aspect of creation. And then, when you go back to
where you were, the Empress' creative power and beauty will remain to inspire
you and give you power. Strengthen your innate connection with the Earth's
creativity and you will, by association, strengthen your own creative power.
Cultivate your creativity and plants the seeds of a bountiful harvest.
V.
The Emperor
The second
leg of the Body-Mind-Spirit triad is the Emperor, representing the power of the
mind to shape the world. Such action does not take place at the command of the
will, but through the command of the spoken or written word. The Emperor is the
representation - and the ruler - of the structured and regulated world. This is
an ideal world like the Empress', though one that is not always as beautiful or
lavish. But just because it is more harsh does not mean it is any less
necessary to enlightenment; on the contrary, it is completely necessary to
balance Mind and Body, male and female.
The Emperor
is the opposite of the Empress in many ways. She is the Mother, he is the
archetypal Father, wise in the ways of the world and knowledgeable of how to
live as part of a structure along with everyone else. The Emperor does have a
strong and powerful heart, as every father should, but he shows this side of
himself through the imposition of strict guidelines and rules, as most fathers
do. If anything he is even more protective than the Empress, because he has
created order from chaos and wishes nothing to disturb that order. Underneath
his royal robes hides the suit of armor which he proudly wears when defending
those under his protection.
The Emperor
teaches us many things, the first of which being that every rule has an
application and a reason for being. If we can understand this, then his world
may not seem so restrictive after all. In fact, all restriction is ultimately
for your own good, because without the law and order that this card so
powerfully symbolizes, the world would fall into anarchy. Government and law
both draw their power from him, but unlike the governmental figures that we
hear so much about in modern times, the Emperor cannot be corrupted by power.
He rules like King Arthur, who brought together the warring powers of England
and knit them into the greatest empire the world has ever known.
He is truly
the master of his realm, and he rules with a firm hand, but a just one. He will
listen to the counsel of others, though the final decision is always his. War
is one of his many tools and he will not hesitate to use violence to protect
those he cares about. The privileged few who are subject to his protection
always repay him with the loyalty and respect he deserves. But the Emperor's
power does not only extend to the controlling of nations. He is also the
father, the male role model who offers advice, sets direction and brings
security. He takes what he has learned, and passes it on to the next
generation, so someday they can be as wise and powerful as he is.
Any of the
Major Arcana can represent people, but the Emperor is the kind of energy that
often manifests in the form of a person. Obviously all kinds of leaders and
fathers will harbor some of his influence, but he can also show someone who
acts like a father by setting tone and imposing structure. He is a regulating
force and thus associated with the government, bureaucracy and the legal
system; his appearance often indicates an encouter with one or more of these
systems. The Emperor can also personify the assumption of power and control, by
you or someone close to you. If you are the one in power, take care that you
always use it wisely.
Above all
else, the Emperor shows the benefits of structure and logic ruling over the
emotions and lesser desires. Often, domination of the mind over the heart is
not wanted, but in some cases is it necessary and even welcomed. When hard
choices must be made it's important to maintain your concentration and focus,
and this is something the energy of the Emperor allows you to do. When he shows
a part of you, let that part of you manifest and take control. Enjoy the
assertiveness and confidence it brings. Forge ahead and do what you know is
best. If you can master yourself then you should have little problem mastering
the world and all the things in it.
VI.
The Hierophant
Spirit is
the final leg of the triad that has been previously seen in the Empress and
Emperor; the archetype of the spiritual world is the Hierophant. This is the
card of beliefs, both religious and otherwise, though it does tend to focus on
the religious and spiritual aspects because the Hierophant himself is often
depicted as a holy man. Indeed, in some decks this card is known as the Pope or
High Priest. But in actuality, a Hierophant is a person who holds 'forbidden'
or 'secret' knowledge. While this could easily apply to the clergy, it has far
greater scope than this. In a way it could be said that (with apologies to
Crowley) every man and every woman is a Hierophant.
The
Hierophant can even stand for groups of more than one person, and in the
majority of cases he is better represented by an institution than by a single
person. This is because his is the power of the group and the society, who
change the world to fit their beliefs. The same theme of control and change
that first appeared with the Magician continues here in its fifth iteration;
now there is still a well-defined leader, but the people do not follow him
because they are ordered to. They follow because they are part of the group.
The main philosophies of the Hierophant are that there's no "I" in
"team", and that the good of the many outweighs the good of the one.
Such a
philosophy may seem unnecessarily restrictive but, as the Emperor has taught
us, restriction leads to order. The Hierophant is charged with the maintenance
and propagation of tradition and conventional beliefs, and anyone who goes
against these beliefs is shunned. Balance and conformity are the goals of the
Hierophant, and neither positive nor negative is emphasized - only tradition
matters. In extreme cases, this can indeed have very negative effects (as
Galileo found out) but in most cases having some tradition to follow is
beneficial. The traditions and ceremonies of the church, which are particularly
strong in this card, are a prime example of this.
On a more
personal level, the Hierophant is also a teacher or a mentor. One major role of
a spiritual leader is to initiate others into the community and teach them the
ways of the group. Obviously one who holds the secrets and is entrusted with
the traditions of the group is a prime candidate to teach them to others, and
the Hierophant plays this role well. Though his approach to teaching is one
that centers on conformity and shuns individual expression for the moment, this
can be helpful. Only once the student has mastered the ways of the group can he
or she properly decide whether to remain or leave.
When the
Hierophant appears it will often be in the form of a teacher or a mentor, who
instructs you in the ways of his particular belief in the hopes that you will
join him. Such teachers do not have to be of a spiritual or mystical
background; an employer training a new employee in the operation of a business
is as much a Hierophant as any religious teacher. If your current situation
seems to require more experience then you can call upon, be open to the
presence of a teacher or mentor in your life. But do not make the grave mistake
of openly seeking such a teacher - as the old proverb says, when the student is
ready, the teacher will appear.
The
Hierophant can also represent group activities and beliefs, and in either case,
support of the establishment and respect for the rules are emphasized. So if
you are planning something revolutionary, the repeated appearance of the
Hierophant is a good sign to forget such action and go with the flow for the
time being. The traditional way of doing things must work most of the time, or
else it wouldn't have been around long enough to become tradition! However,
when an idea is proven wrong it is certainly time for a change. The true
Hierophant is one who has a deep respect for his beliefs, but who will not
blindly follow them to his own ruin.
VII. The Lovers
The Lovers card is not just about love and sexuality; it has several
meanings which are all related to the duality expressed in the image of the
card. The image of the two lovers holding hands or intertwined is a powerful
symbol for the harmonious union of two beings, but it also stands for the
necessity of proper choice, and some interesting concepts about the
relationship of our conscious minds to whatever power brings these lovers
together. It should be apparent that, in our culture which has so many words
and definitions for the simple emotion of love, the image of love as expressed
in the Tarot can have so many meanings.The Lovers is predominantly a card of the emotions, and it often portrays love that is divinely blessed, either by Cupid, an angel, or by God Himself. This seems to imply that nothing but good can come of this union, though with such a dualistic card there is always the potential for a sad conclusion, despite the best of beginnings. After all, love is like a flame because it can ignite the blaze of passion, but also because it can consume and destroy if used carelessly. Love is a wonderful thing, but profane or unrequited love has the power to tear families and lives apart. The Lovers has within it the potential for such love and we must always be cautious of it.
Air is the element which rules the Lovers, and we should therefore expect the majority of its meanings to be associated with the spirit and the mind. The notion of choice between positive and negative is first depicted on this card with the old symbology of a man deciding between two lovers. Such a moral crossroads is often shown by the Lovers card, which now tells us to consider all consequences before acting. The situation could be as simple as a fork in the road with two paths to choose between, or a much more complicated decision by which all of our strongest beliefs and ideals will be tested. In times of such difficult choice we clearly need high guidance.
The final meaning of the Lovers is perhaps best illustrated by the image of the card in the Rider-Waite deck, and some of its variants. This image shows the man looking at the woman, who in turn looks at the divine figure above them both. The man cannot see the angel, and he must trust the woman to see it for him. Likewise, the conscious mind (the man) cannot directly access Higher Powers (the angel), whatever you believe those are. The unconscious (the woman) must be the bridge between the physical and spiritual planes. This symbology also shows the true power of love; as discussed on the Ten of Cups, through love we can get a glimpse of Heaven.
Often, the Lovers will refer to a relationship when it appears in a reading, and when it does, that relationship will be a perfect expression of the love between two people. This will almost always be a sexual relationship, though not necessarily. You must always keep in mind, though, the potential for conflict despite happy beginnings. Love is a flame that must not be left unattended; it must be fueled and allowed to burn for as long and as brightly as possible. If not a physical pairing of man and woman, the Lovers can also show the integration of two conflicting parts of yourself, the masculine and the feminine. Through the combination, greater wisdom is revealed.
Finally, this card carries the meaning of choice, usually on the moral or ethical plane. The most familiar instance of such a choice, sadly, is the choice between your spouse and someone else with whom you have fallen in love. Alternatively, it could be between two possible partners, both of whom you love, but only one of whom would be best for you. Look inside, and turn to your unconscious for inspiration. Through it you can access the wisdom needed to make this choice properly, and for the good of all involved. Trust the counsel of your Inner Voice, and once you have made your decision, do not rescind it no matter how much opposition you face.
VIII. The Chariot
It is somewhat of a mystery why the Chariot, clearly a card of force and of
control, should be of the Water element. But its attribution to Cancer is
indeed valid because this card deals heavily with the emotions. Specifically,
the Chariot is a card of emotional control; the power of the mind to shape the
desires of the heart and direct them to meaningful expression. This is not the
emotional control of the Emperor, who totally supresses all of his emotions in
favor of logic and reason. The man driving the Chariot knows that his emotions
are not to be swept under the rug, but trained and used to his greater good.The triumph over both positive and negative emotions is often shown by two horses or sphinxes of different colors pulling the Chariot. Though on their own they would run wild and untamed, going in whichever direction they chose to go, here they move only forward. So they still have some power, but this power has now been directed and focused by the man holding the reins. The chariot cannot move without horses to pull it, just as we cannot function without our emotions to drive us. But without the control of the chariot, the horses would run free, just as our emotions can run wild when unchecked and uncontrolled. Balance is needed.
The Chariot embodies the type of discipline that is necessary to gain control over the emotions, and this is why a military symbol has been chosen for this card. The purpose of the harsh conditions of the military is to develop the will and the ability needed to control emotions and put them to productive use on the battlefield. Only through the mastery of yourself can you ever hope to achieve mastery over others and your environment. The wisdom and the glory gained through conquering one's enemies is nothing compared to the self-esteem you build through defeating your fear. Inner enemies are often tougher to defeat than outer ones, and thus teach you much more.
Through the application of emotional force we can learn to achieve our goals and desires much more quickly. For someone like the man on the Chariot, who is in total control of his will and his emotions, almost anything is within his grasp. In the Thoth deck, written across the canopy of the Chariot is the word Abracadabra, which may seem foolish at first glance. What is the stage magician's catchphrase doing here - is there magic involved? No, there is no magic. Abracadabra comes from Hebrew, and it translates roughly to "What I have said will be done" or "As it is said, so it shall be." Nothing embodies the spirit of the Chariot more than this word.
The appearance of the Chariot often shows a need to take control of your emotions and, instead of wasting energy grieving or complaining, use that energy to take action and to make changes in the world. Fear will cripple you unless, like the Chariot demands, you can acknowledge it and face it. Then you can use your fear constructively, for your own purposes. But this type of control is not limited to the negative emotions. In relationships the Chariot often shows how idle infatuation can be transformed into passion and confidence. Through controlling your emotions, the Chariot says, you will eventually learn to control yourself.
And once you have reached that stage, anything is possible! Once you have transcended your fears you start transcending your restrictions until nothing can hold you back from the success you deserve. The Chariot's appearance is often the herald of victory through discipline and confidence, a moment where all opposition lies defeated. Great success and achievements will come to you if you master your passions and believe in the power of your will. Do not let anything distract or sway you from your goals, and proceed with the straight flight of an arrow. Nothing is beyond your ability if you believe in your own power. Abracadabra!
IX. Strength
The title of this card is often misleading because most people tend to think
of strength as a property of the physical body. But this is not a card of brute
force, because none of the Major Arcana apply directly to the physical body.
These are cards of ideas, feeling and beliefs; trying to make a Major Arcanum
depicting someone strong of body would be a pointless exercise. But strength is
not always measured in terms of how much you can lift or how fast you can run.
True Strength is fortitude of character, and the ability to not only control
the emotions, but to rise above them, and triumph over all out lower impulses
and desires.This card continues the lesson of the Chariot, showing that once we have learned to control emotion, we must rise above it. Many people attribute the notions of forgiveness, compassion and nurturing to this card, but this is clearly not what is shown by Strength. This is a Fire card, and therefore detrimental to all the emotions. The only qualities that abound in Strength are courage and patience. Neither of these are really emotions, but ways of acting and doing that are not tempered by feeling. Courage is the antithesis of fear; patience, the control of worldly desires. There is no emotion here, just determination and action.
The symbology of the lion is common to Strength, and aptly so. The lion is the "beast within", the raging inner desire inside every one of us that must be controlled or it will be set free to manifest in the world. The image of the woman opening the mouth of the lion shows both courage and patience; she must not fear the lion, and she must wait for it to tire before she can exert her own will upon it. This is not an image of compassion in any sense of the word; how can forcing a creature to obey your will be seen as compassionate? Forgiveness and nurturing are likewise not to be seen anywhere in this image. There is just the purity of the maiden and the power of her inner beast that she is attempting to control.
She needs patience to defeat the lion because her power is not brute physical force, as mentioned. The force she has is very little, but it can be applied infinitely, and she will continue to apply light but constant pressure until the lion submits to her superior will. It does show a certain determination, and the conviction that even small results will have effects if kept up long enough, just as a constant dripping hollows a stone. So Strength is not a card of compassion and love, but a card of quiet yet unstoppable power. Such power radiates from the soul, and for a consciousness aware of this power, there can be no resistance, and no defeat.
The qualities of Strength are already in you, waiting to appear once you have mastered all your base emotions and when you are ready to move on to the spiritual tasks that lie ahead. Its main lesson is that emotions must be transcended if spiritual wisdom and intuition are to be awakened. Whispers from the intuition are often drowned out by the constant roar of emotion and preoccupation and fear. Only once you have eliminated these can the silence you need be created. So conquer your fears, control your impulses, and never lose patience with yourself or what you are doing. Eventually you will see the wisdom of letting go of your lower self.
This is not a card of love over hatred, as most would see it. This is simply mind over matter, superior will over inferior desires. No matter how strong the beast within you seems, you have the power to control it and make it submit to your will. This cannot be done with physical force or with undue haste; it is a slow and difficult process. When Strength is around, however, you can be assured that you have enough endurance to see this task through to its eventual end. If you are pushing too hard, Strength shows the need to withdraw for the moment, and be patient. Enlightenment will come only when the time is right; it cannot be rushed.
X. The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is a type of energy that stands beyond the realm of our
understanding and control. Certainly you can experience its effects in life,
like you feel the pull of gravity on your body. But just as you can see the
apple falling but not the gravity pulling on it, so too are the works of Fate
and Destiny invisible to us. Only their results can be seen, and even then,
only when Destny itself decrees that the time is right for its effects to be
manifested. Unlike the majority of the Major Arcana, the Wheel of Fortune
hovers in the clouds, showing that you can try to reach it, but that you can
never fully understand it.The wheel is an apt symbol for the forces of Destiny and Fate because it shows how everything is connected in a cycle; some might call it the circle of life. Everything happens in cycles; we rise and fall just as a spot on the perimeter of a wheel travels from the highest point, through all the possible points on the wheel, and then back to the apex. However changes will affect you depends on where you are on the wheel. If you are at the top then any change could throw you off, but if you are the bottom then a change could start you back up to the top. And for one person to rise another must fall - everyone is connected.
Destiny seems to strike without warning, but often its effects can be seen coming if you know where and how to look for them. This is the principle of the Tarot and divinatory systems in general; to see things coming before they happen so you can prepare. Obviously if you see a wheel with the Sphinx on the top, Typhon the snake on the left, and Hermanubis on the lower right, and you know which way the wheel is turning, you can tell where each of the three figures is going - and you can also tell where they've been. Through careful extrapolation the effects of Destiny become less mysterious, and someday everyone may grasp this idea.
This cyclical structure of Fate is perhaps the only way to really understand how Fate manifests. The conclusion of a situation is found in its beginning, just as the number 10 of the Wheel of Fortune reduces to 1 by the addition of its digits. When you can realize that each beginning leads to an ending, and that each ending is both the results of one beginning and the freshly planted seed of another, then you will have grasped the essential notion of the Wheel of Fortune. And once that notion is grasped, the universe opens up to you, because you are ready to learn all its wisdom. The first hurdle has been passed and greater lessons lie ahead.
The appearance of the Wheel of Fortune shows that change is not only likely to happen, it is certain to happen, and soon. The nature of that change and the effects it has really depend on how much you understand the concepts of Fate, and whether or not you can prepare for it. Generally the change shown in the Wheel of Fortune is a dramatic change from the established order. So if you have been scraping along for a while, expect big changes in your favor within a few days. But if you've been feeling on top of the world for a long time, batten down the hatches and keep an eye out for storms - one is bound to hit you sooner or later.
No matter which way the Wheel of Fortune throws you, it's impossible to try and change it, so you might as well try to live with it. If a crisis seems inevitable, recall that in every crisis lies opportunity. When you've been swept in new direction, know that every path leads somewhere, even if you don't know where it is. When times are bad, or when times are good, always keep in mind that they won't last forever. Such events are just out of your control, and if you can accept that then the ride gets a lot easier. If you struggle against the Wheel it will crush you. So roll along with it!
XI. Justice
Since the Major Arcana do not apply directly to physical life, it must
follow that Justice does not apply to the laws made by mankind. True, sometimes
the laws of mankind mimic the laws that Justice does enforce, and in those rare
cases Justice can indeed refer to them. But Justice typically refers to the
immutable laws of the Universe, the invisible principles that keep everything
flowing forward smoothly through infinite causal chains. These are laws that
cannot be violated; only enforced. And the sword of Justice, double-edged as
always, is ready to mete out punishment for those who have wronged, and to
reward those who have done good deeds.The two most important laws governed by Justice are really two sides of the same coin. First comes the law of cause and effect, stating that all events are connected and each present state is the result of all past states. This is a such strange idea to get your mind around because sometimes seemlingly meaningless actions will have great ramifications. Justice shows that every action you do will eventually have an effect, someday, and you really have no idea of knowing what that event is until it happens. Often the figure on the Justice card is pictured sitting in front of a curtain; this curtain hides the machinations of the universe that bring about these final results.
From the law of cause and order develops the law of Karma, showing that all your actions will return to you eventually. They will be modified slightly, and they are often strengthened over time, but the lesson is still the same. As you sow, so shall you reap. This is really a simple elaboration of the law of cause and effect. Under this new law, not only will everything you do have an effect, everything you do will have an effect on you. This is where it becomes critical to be mindful of your actions, because everything you take will come back to you eventually. Before Justice, you have to answer for all your actions, right and wrong. Life, if nothing else, is fair.
Indeed, Justice teaches the fairest yet cruelest lesson of all because, like in the suit of Swords, her blade has a double edge. You do not get what you expect, or even what you want - you get what you deserve. If you deserve good things then they are awarded, without ceremony or congratulation. If you deserve punishment then it is given with neither compassion nor mockery. You simply get back what you have made for yourself. And since you cannot change your actions once they have been made, if you want good things to happen you must be constantly making choices that will lead to those good things. You can be a saint or a demon - it is your choice.
When Justice appears, it should be taken as a stern reminder that the deeds of the past form the foundation for the events of the present and the future. If, in the past, you did something that you have been feeling guilty about, now may be the day when you have to answer for your deeds. If you did a deed you felt was worthy of reward, perhaps that reward will arrive. Especially when the Justice card is around, mind your actions and make sure you don't do anything you might regret later. Justice often appears to warn you that she will meet you again soon if you stay on your current path. Whether this is good or not remains yours to decide.
Despite the fact that it rarely represents the decisions of judges, this card can sometimes personify the attitude of a good judge. You may wish to take on this attitude to solve a problem in your life. The archetypal judge shown by Justice is not the blind courtroom statuette, but a figurehead of fairness and authority. Be right and reasonable in all your judgements - never take sides, never show mercy but never show excessive severity either. And before you judge others you must be prepared to judge yourself, and ensure that you are not guilty of the same errors as they. Righting any wrongs in your past must be done before you can attempt to right wrongs in your present.
XII. The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man is the only Tarot card visibly based on a mythological
figure. He is Odin, the Norse god who hung from the World Tree for nine days to
earn the knowledge of the Runes. Of all the cultures who embody the search for
knowledge in their myths, only Odin carries out his quest without moving, at
least in the physical sense. The true quest is seeking within, not without.
This may be confusing at first, but only because the Hanged Man is the card of
the paradox. The Hanged Man's mysteries are some of the oddest yet most
enlightening the Tarot has to offer, and they cannot be learned by searching
for lessons in the physical world - you must turn within.Even the appearance of the card is paradoxical. Simple in design, it is one of the more complex Arcana. The lessons it offers are easy to understand but hard to accept when they apply to you. The most obvious answer to a problem may be the simplest, but it is rarely the best. To admit that you are afraid will give you the strength to conquer your fear. When you relinquish your desire for control, everything begins to work as it should. In a world in which you must run as fast as you can to stay where you are, the Hanged Man tells you to stop struggling - and you can move forward. Tell this to others and it seems obvious; try to do it yourself and it will become impossible.
Why is this? Telling others that they have to hang from a tree is simple, but no one wants to hang himself. The Hanged Man, however, has hung himself, and see how much wisdom he has found! Despite his obviously uncomfortable position, he is often pictured as smiling, and with a golden halo around his head to show divine inspiration and power. He is totally vulnerable to the world, and in his vulnerability he has found strength. The sacrifice he has made is his own freedom and power in the physical world; in exchange, he is granted real freedom and power on the spiritual plane. He gives up his old ways of looking at things and is blessed with new eyes.
Not all sacrifices have to be like this, of course. Each moment of your life you make sacrifices. By choosing to eat with a friend rather than eating alone, you sacrifice your solitude. Choosing to play a sport professionally means that you cannot play another as frequently. Choosing one job means that you have to sacrifice any desires for another job, at least for the time being. The only thing in common between all sacrifices is that you give up something you have in exchange for something you want, of equal value. The sacrifice is meaningless unless there is balance and purpose behind it. To give without intent is worse than giving too much or too little.
As the card of the paradox, the Hanged Man also urges you to look at things in a new and different way. If your mind is yelling at you to do something, then doing nothing could be the best thing to do. If something is important to you emotionally but it no longer serves a purpose, you might want to think about letting go of it. And don't try to force anything to happen while the Hanged Man is about. By trying to force changes, you ensure that they never happen. Relax and let things happen instead of trying to interfere. Instead of fighting against the current, let it take you wherever it is flowing.
When the Hanged Man appears, know that greater wisdom and happiness is at hand, but only if you are prepared to sacrifice something for that wisdom. Sometimes it is something physical you must be deprived of, but in most cases it is a perspective or a viewpoint that must be left behind. For example, a fantasy that you can never fulfill, or a crush on someone who's out of your reach. Inevitably, sacrificing something you value will always lead you to something even more valuable. In the wake of an unattainable dream you will find something else within your reach. Forgetting about one love will allow your heart to open to someone else.
XIII. Death
In the Tarot, as in reality, Death is nothing more than a transition to the next level of life. Whether you believe that a soul goes to heaven or back to Earth to be reincarnated, the fact remains that the soul lives on. The candle is extinguished, but only because the day has come. The river shown on many versions of the Death card is a symbol, showing that life will go on, no matter what disastrous things happen. The river water will reach the sea, rise into the clouds, then rain onto the land to flow into the river again. Nothing is destroyed, because nothing can be destroyed - there can be only transformation.
The only real reason the transformation shown by Death is so catastrophic is because it is being held back, fought against by those too afraid to realize that change is beneficial. Every change happens for a reason, and Death is a force like Justice in that it is absolutely fair. It does not discriminate against one group and spare another - everyone is equal in the eyes of Death. So if big changes are happening in your life it is certainly plausible that you are the reason for them. There's no point fighting death, it only makes things worse. Like the Hanged Man, accept that change happens and let it do what it must.
Take a look at the Rider-Waite version of the Death card, and note the bishop on the right side of the image. He is actually welcoming Death, because he knows of the great spiritual transformation it brings. Almost all versions of the Death card show a symbol of resurrection or re-birth. This could be the rising sun, an egg, or a sapling sprouting from the body of a dead man. All these symbols show that to progress in life, our old form must die, just as a snake sheds its old skin to reveal a shiny new one. This is the message of the card: Death must be conquered by the regeneration of the soul, and he who knows this shall live forever.
When the Death card appears, big changes are heading your way. Usually this change refers to something in your lifestyle; an old attitude or perspective is no longer useful and you have to let go of it. While the Hanged Man was a card of voluntary sacrifice, the Death card is a forced sacrifice - but that does not mean that it is not for your own good. Sometimes you cannot see how your attitudes are hurting you, and when that is true, the Death card is your wake-up call. Death is not simply destruction; it is destruction followed by renewal. Even though one door may have closed, another is opening. Will you have the courage to step through?
If so, before you go forward, take a moment to look back. Is there anything that you are carrying with you that is no longer necessary? Let it go now, before you proceed. Are your old attitudes holding you back, or are high expectations constantly disappointing you? Cast them off, or let Death's watery energy wash them away from you. Open yourself and let it strip away all that you no longer need - fear, revenge, intolerance. Flowers cannot bloom if the land is full of weeds which choke the ground, and likewise, your spiritual enlightenment will be held back by doubt and fear. Let them go now or risk having them painfully ripped away when Death inevitably returns.
XIV.Temperance
After the purging experience of Death, it is necessary to rebuild and
improve on that which has been left over. Now that old habits and beliefs are
gone forever, new attitudes must be acquired to fill the gaps and make you
whole again. This process of reconstruction and harmonization is shown by the
card called Temperance. The verb "to temper" means to modify or
strengthen by adding a new component to an existing substance or mixture, and
this broad defintion can be applied to many areas of your life. But all
applications of Temperance share the common theme of moderation and balance,
culminating in the creation of a centered and well-rounded being.In most Tarot decks the red-on-white symbology first shown in the Magician appears on the card in some form. The temperance of desire (red) with purity (white) is one of the most fundamental manifestations of this card, as is the reverse (purity with desire). The angel on the Rider-Waite deck, who wears a white robe and has red wings, is a perfect illustration of this. Purity of heart and mind gives you a solid base to fall back upon, but only through the desire for personal growth can you ever develop. The angel's white robes give him his basic form, but only through the control of his red wings comes his ability to fly.
The act of Temperance can also refer to the coming together of two distinct beings that must function as one. Obviously this refers to relationships, but also to friendships, partnerships, and all kinds of compromises and committees. This can also take place on an internal level, when you confront your deepest desires and your most irrational fears and, instead of getting rid of them, you incorporate them into yourself and grow stronger because of the temperance. If you throw away your Shadow it cannot help you, but by accepting it you bring it under your control. Perfect harmony with oneself is one of the two lessons of this card, and the one often seen in readings.
Temperance also represents an appreciation of moderation through experience of the extremes; to use an analogy, to live through the darkest night and the brightest day to appreciate both the twilight and the dawn. Only through seeing and acknowledging both sides - the positive and the negative - can you integrate both into your personality. Another facet of the Temperance card is that you must not strive to become totally positive, even though that might seem like a good goal. Life seeks balance and if you strive to be a totally positive being you will be fighting the current all the way. Better to embrace moderation and go with the flow.
The two situations in which Temperance will most often appear are in the context of your relationships with others and with yourself. In the former case, a need for balance is often implied. Conflict can only be resolved through compromise and cooperation, and two people who both acknowledge this cannot be in conflict for long, because they always balance things out before they become problematic. Likewise, they enjoy the good times but know that they cannot last forever, and are not disappointed on darker days. If a relationship seems out of balance in any way, Temperance must be taken as a sign to start fixing things before it gets too far out of balance and it is irrevocably destroyed.
Often, though, before you can achieve harmony in your relationships with the people around you, you must make peace with yourself. Inner imbalances can often manifest in the physical world if they are not attended to, whether or not the imbalance is a negative one. Having a lifestyle that is optimistic to the point of believing yourself to be invincible will lead to problems, maybe even more so than a lifestyle of pessimism and paranoia. Balance is best achieved through turning to the Inner Voice for guidance. Temperance is a card of health, and its appearance shows that your inner power is ready to heal you and make you stronger.
XV. The Devil
The Devil is another of the popularly misunderstood cards of the Tarot,
perhaps second only to Death in this category. In our modern world we do not
like to think that there is a seed of negativity in everyone, so we assume that
anything bad that happens must be the work of some outside Devil, who is to be
feared and shunned. But really, people do not do bad things because a force
outside them is controlling their actions. They do bad things because the
negative part of their own personality is expressing itself. To deny this side
of yourself is to give it power over you, and to give it free reign over your
life will eventually destroy you.The symbolic portrayal of the Devil in the Tarot is a clear mockery of two previous Major Arcana, the Lovers and the Hierophant. The former parody is perhaps the more obvious. Where the angel hovers on the Lovers, the Devil stands on his card, cursing the man and woman rather than blessing them. They who were once connected to each other by love are now attached to the Devil by their chains of lust and ignorance. The Devil's hand mimics the gesture of the Hierophant, but perverts it. The true Hierophant offers spiritual wisdom and beckons to us with an open hand. The Devil's gesture hides his true intentions of hurtful wisdom - not really wisdom at all.
It must be stressed again that the Devil is not a force that attacks from without, but a cancer than devours you from within. When the Devil is in power everything turns upside-down; hence, the inverted Pentagram associated with him. When you submit to your inner Devil, you simultaneously submit to every other force in the outside world that would do you harm. You allow others to bind you and control your life. You allow your creative powers to be corrupted and turned against you. But through all of this you are not a victim of anyone but yourself. In fact, in a sense you are not really a victim at all, and certainly not helpless.
The most important lesson the Devil teaches you is that you can free yourself from whatever restrictions are holding you back, at any time you choose to. The chains that bind the figures on the Devil card are loose enough to be thrown off at any time. There is still positive energy within you that you can tap to break free - but only if you can let go of the materialism and that the Devil embodies. In the end, the best way to free yourself of the Devil's bondage is not to submit to it, but to accept it as the shadow that must be cast wherever there is light. Having accepted the shadow, you can look to the light.
When the Devil card appears in a reading it usually shows that you are not in control of your life, sometimes as a result of your own actions, but more often as a byproduct of inaction. This loss of control often leads to loss of hope, and a lack of faith in your own abilities. Sometimes ignorance and materialism are the tools of the Devil, and those traits will be evident if you focus on worldly possessions and power while ignoring the spiritual power you have inside of you. As a result, your creativity and energy can be seriously impaired, and you may not wish to regain control of yourself.
Your own mindset is a critical factor when the Devil card appears. If you think darkness has won, it has. If you are willing to let others exploit and restrain you, then they can and they will. But no one has power over you unless you give it away. If you are willing to release yourself from the chains of ignorance, you can do so, and you can step into the light. Turn all that negative energy into positive energy and see how much you can accomplish when you believe you can. Take a good long look at yourself and try to see what you could not see before. Always remember, that shadow cannot exist without light, and that there is no Devil except the one you create.
XVI.The Tower
Sometimes, when accepted and welcomed, divine wisdom and enlightenment flow
freely like a calm river. The rest of the time, wisdom is blocked until it
rages forth like a tidal wave and crushes anything in its path, including the
recipient of the wisdom. This is the energy of the Tower card, an energy very
similar to Death in that it is both a destructive and a creative force. When a
building is old and decrepit, it must be demolished so that a new structure may
stand in its place. The same is true of the symbolic Tower. When old attitudes
and beliefs are outdated, you will have to let go of them, whether you like it
or not.In most cases, the latter is true - you do not want to give up your ideals, and you cling to them like a child to his preciou security blanket. This attempt at security ensures nothing, really, except a disastrous change that will painfully rip away that which you did not discard of your own volition. But there is a greater purpose at work here. The power of the soul and the mind is far greater than the energy of some physical thing, and it can be taken with you anywhere and always. To extend the security blanket analogy, the blanket must be taken away so the child can find power and security within himself, instead of within some material object.
When you believe material objects are more powerful than spirit and mind, you start building up a Tower of falsehoods on a very unstable foundation. If, by some miracle of engineering, it does not collapse under its own weight, you will eventually push it over yourself. The Tower falls not because Fate says so but because something within can no longer endure the strain it must bear. Sooner or later it will give out. This is a humbling experience because its lesson is that no one is invincible. The problem for most people is that they concentrate on the negatives and ignore the great opportunity that has been given to them.
The fire of the Tower card burns away all that is negative and outdated, but it leaves behind all that is positive, all that is necessary to begin your life again and replace all that was lost. In essence, this is the energy of Death and Temperance combined, because sweeping-away and building-up both happen at about the same time on the Tower. As soon as the tumbling figures on the Rider-Waite card land on the jagged rocks of reality, they are greeted with the influx of wisdom that they need to survive. And with that wisdom in hand, they can take the first step back on the true path to enlightenment: building a mental Tower to Heaven rather than a physical one.
When wisdom must be forced upon you, or when ignorance must be taken away, the Tower will appear to let you prepare yourself. If you choose to let go of what you no longer need, and accept what you do need, things will go much more smoothly and without frustration. If you ignore the warning of the Tower, however, and cling to the status quo, be prpared for a downfall. You have been oversleeping and this is your spiritual wake-up call. When the Tower is in the area, know that anything that seems secure could not really be safe at all. If a change is destined to happen, to not try to fight it, because all change happens because it is needed.
On an inner level, the destruction of Tower is akin to the breaking-down of the fortress called the ego. When you build a wall to hide your secrets or to conceal your true self, you must know that sooner or later the wall will come tumbling down. Fantasies are particularly prone to being shattered by the power of this card; the Tower dissipates them like sunlight burning away fog. Fantasies and daydreams will not help where you are going so it is best to let go of them now. Do not place your faith in illusions of security; the crown on this card must be worn on by a human head, not placed atop a tower of cold stone.
XVII. The Star
In terms of symbolism this card is similar to Temperance; there is a figure by a pool with two cups. But while the contents of the Cups were mixed with each other in Temperance, here they are mixed with the waters of the eternal spirit of the Divine. When you cannot help yourself, the Star tells you to look to the heavens for guidance. Or, more appropriately, look to the spark of divinity that lies within yourself that you could not see or acknowledge before. Each of us has a little piece of the Star deep inside, waiting to cast its light into the world to light the way. This is what Crowley meant when he affirmed that "every man and every woman is a star."
The Star is a card of faith, both in your own power, and in powers greater than your own. When the Tower sweeps away all the negativity in your life, you once again need something to fill the void, and faith is a good place to start. What exactly is faith? It could be said that faith is a conscious belief in an unconscious experience, of which we may not be directly aware, but of which we can still feel the effects. This definition fits both belief in a deity and belief in your own abilities. Having faith in any power will allow that power to manifest in your life. Beleiving that something will happen is as sure a way as any to make it happen.
There is a lot of meditative imagery on almost all renditions of the Star, though the most interesting symbol on the Rider-Waite version of the card is the pool of water at the center of the scene. On some decks the naked woman is standing in the pool, but in the Rider-Waite version she kneels beside it. Notice that her right foot rests on the water but does not break the surface. Once faith is placed in its power, the pool of the subconscious becomes able to support the conscious mind. The miraculous ability to walk on water is symbolically translated here into the ability to trust in another power, whether in the heavens or in yourself. Once that trust is achieved, anything is possible.
There are few cards more positive than the Star, because when it appears in your life it is nothing less than a beacon of hope and inspiration. In times of darkness it shows that there is a way out, and tells you not to worry, for illumination and freedom are at hand. All you need is something in which to place your faith. So trust in yourself, and in whatever powers you believe control the universe, to help you through difficult times. Let the infinite energy of the Star warm you and rejuvenate your soul, to provide the strength and the clarity of purpose you need to continue on your journey.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that the Star is never a card that shows the final solution to any problem. It simply shows the hope and faith to get to wherever you're going; without hope we can accomplish nothing, but hope is only a beginning. Now that you have been inspired, you still have much work to do in order to bring your vision into manifestation. You must combine the solidity of material existence with the waters of your emotions and of your spirit. This is a time when miracles can happen, so kick off your shoes and wade into the pool, confident that the water will support you until you reach the other side.
XVIII. The Moon
It has been said many times that things are not always as they seem, and in
the influence of the Moon this axiom is particularly true. In the moonlight,
things that are benevolent during the day can suddenly seem dangerous and
malicious. The very term "moonlight" is misleading because the Moon
does not emit light of its own, it simply reflects the light of the Sun. Some
people even claim to see the face of a man on the Moon's cratered surface,
though of course such a thing is impossible and only an illusion. A lot of
people who look for that face in the Moon know it could not be there, but they
look nonetheless.This card is one of the few Major Arcana with important animal symbolism, and with no human figures in the majority of cases. The Rider-Waite card shows a wolf and a dog; two members of the same genus, but the first is wild and the second has been domesticated. Both of them are shown howling at the Moon, however, and if a human were present in this scene he would probably be affected somehow too. Regardless of your place in the hierarchy of society or of evolution, you are still susceptible to illusions and deception. The Moon shines the same light down on everyone, though what you see when that light reaches your eyes depends on who you are, not on what you see.
In ancient religions the Moon deity was often a Goddess with ties to female fertility, because there was a visible correlation between the cycle of the Moon and the female menstrual cycle. While this association is still valid, the Moon of the Tarot tends to deal with fertility of imagination rather than fertility of body. The crayfish shown regularly on Moon cards is a sign of the emerging subconscious and its influence over the conscious mind, and for a mind closed to the messages of its subconscious, there can be a lot of illusion and deceptions to face. You can no longer tell what is real and what is just a manifestation of your fears and desires.
The ordeal of the Moon is the last challenge posed by the Major Arcana, in which you must travel in the dark, not knowing for sure if your path is the right one. There is no sunlight to guide you, no distant landmark in the hills to direct your steps, no one to travel alongside. This is a journey that must be made alone, in darkness and without a map or a compass. You must learn to rely on your own inner light to lead you along the true path. Any hesitation, any doubt, and that light will be extinguished forever. But if you believe, your light will shine forever, as brightly as the sun that will inevitably rise once this night has passed.
The Moon's appearance in a reading almost always means that something is not as it appears to be, and that vigilance and perception will be necessary to find that which is hidden before it is too late. In a generally good reading the Moon shows that not all is as wonderful as you would think. You may be idealizing the sitatuion, and ignoring the fact that potential for failure exists among success. A negative reading that includes the Moon often shows that you are letting your imagination run away with you, and that things are not nearly as bad as they seem. In both cases you must open your eyes and see what it really going on.
This card can also show times when you are not sure of your destination, or even of the path you are travelling - but you travel nonetheless. It's quite possible that you have lost your way, and are stumbling around in the dark. If you wait until the sun rises again the path may have changed and the opportunity could have been lost. So what should you do? The Moon is a card of intuition and psychic forces, so let go of your conscious mental blocks and let your intuition guide you. Not only will the way forward be revealed, but in a lot of cases you will lear
XIX. The Sun
The Sun symbolizes many things depending on how you look at it. The ancients
saw the sun as the giver of life and light, and almost every polytheistic faith
has a Sun God. It brings light and clarity after a period of darkness and
confusion, and in this sense the Sun God is often a redeemer as well; a bringer
of peace and good times after ordeals. Finally, the Sun is a symbol of
steadfastness and reliability, for no matter how bleak your situation may seem,
no matter how many problems you have, the Sun will still rise in the morning.
All of these attributions, and more, are reflected in the Tarot card that bears
the same name as our solitary star.The light of the Sun is about halfway between that embodied on the Tower and that shown on the Star. It is not a blinding flash of power but neither is it a subtle glow. It is hot enough to warm but generally not enough to burn. This moderation between extremes is the goal of the spiritual traveler, first shown on Temperance, now entered into full manifestation for us all to see. In this higher state, nothing is beyond your control. In the Rider-Waite deck a powerful symbol illustrates this. The sunfowers in the garden are not turned towards the Sun, as they normally are, but to the child on the horse. He is the one who now holds power over the material world.
The great ordeal of the Moon has passed, and you have emerged into the light, stronger and wiser. War has ended and made way for peace; hatred is replaced by love; fear is overcome by courage. This is truly a time to celebrate! Good triumphing so powerfully over evil is not an everyday occurence in this world, and when it does happen you should be glad that a little more light has entered your life. The rising of the Sun is akin to the completion of the tasks and trials of the night, and the warmth it provides is the reward for not cowering in fear at the darkness, not running away given the chance, and not trying to hide from the wisdom that is rightfully yours.
As a sign of reliability, there is nothing more powerful than the Sun, since no force on Earth (or anywhere else for that matter) can stop the Sun from rising in the morning. In a world of chaos, it is a still point of silence and calm, an assurance that there is some underlying order, some higher power that chooses to bless us and smile upon us each day. Even when clouds fill the sky the Sun is still there, waiting for an opportunity to break through the dark barrier and shine its light for us. Know that in every challenge there is an opportunity, and behind every cloud sits a sun waiting for its chance to be revealed to all.
In a reading the Sun can take on many meanings, though the most predominant one is that of success and completion. It can be a herald of joy, happiness, the birth of a child, a stable family, material prosperity or almost any other end that is positive - but above all it shows completion. One cycle is over and, before the next begins, there is a period of light and relaxation that you can and should properly enjoy. Success comes if you are confident and bold in the use of your creative energy. Glow with the vitality of the Sun whose light is umatched and whose power is absolute.
Such power and clarity are within everyone's grasp, including yours, if you let the light of the Sun illuminate you. If there are areas of darkness lurking inside you, the Sun's rays will expose them so you can integrate them into yourself. Fogs of confusion are burned away with the Sun's fiery sword, and its flames drive away fear and all the terrors of the night. A seemingly hopeless situation will be hopeless no more once the Sun shines down upon the true path, the correct solution. When the Sun appears, let its power amaze and overwhelm you. But do not simply watch - reach up to grasp it, draw its power into yourself. The power of the Sun is true power indeed.
XX. Judgement
Traditionally, Judgement Day is a day of reckoning, where you must answer for your actions and your inactions. The tie to Justice cannot be missed, and in a sense, Judgement is an elaboration on cause and effect, and on the notion of cosmic justice. In the light of Judgement the effects of your actions and inactions do not exact a toll or give a reward on the physical plane, but on the spiritual level. Where you have been determines where you are going, and what you have done plays a role in what you still must do. The cycle can never really end because the spirit never dies, but lies on in an eternal existence that we may never fully comprehend.
As the Judgement Day represents the union of the material and spiritual world into a single unit of manifestation, so too can Judgement show the union or reconciliation of the different parts of yourself. The three human figures found on most versions of the card allude to this. The man represents the renewal of the conscious mind, the woman is the rebirth of the subconscious, and the child is the boy from the Sun, the eternal child in us all. United into one voice, they praise the angel that appears in the sky. After the non-destructive cleansing and restoration of Judgement, matter, mind and spirit are one - now and forever.
The Rider-Waite symbolism is particularly interesting. In the background are the mountains that first appeared on the Fool. The ocean is the termination of the river that flows through the Major Arcana, starting with the Empress. Gabriel's banner is red on white, the same as the Magician's robes. As with everything in life, the beginning is woven irrevocably into the end and the end will eventually lead to a new beginning. At its core, Judgement is not a card of endings, but of beginnings. This journey is over but the next, a journey on a higher plane of existence, is approaching. Judgement is the preparation for that journey; the last stop before eternity.
Judgement's appearance in a reading often signals that a major change is heading your way, but unlike Death and the Tower, the change will not be a destructive one. The change is under your control, and in fact you can even turn your back on it if you wish. In time, however, you will likely regret doing so - this is another lesson of Judgement. Decisions such as the one it offers are necessary to growth and spiritual development, and you cannot run from them forever. The day of reckoning will come someday, and you will have to admit where you have gone wrong in order to receive rewards you deserve.
Judgement is also a card of cleansing, representing a time where your slate is wiped clean and you can start over, with all your debts taken care of and with nothing to worry about. This may seem too good to be true, and for a lot of people it is, because they ruin their new chance with thoughts of the mistakes they made in the past. Judgement teaches that while you must be aware of the past and the lessons you have learned, you must not degrade yourself because of mistakes - mistakes are just part of learning! Put the past behind you and look to the future, ready to begin again. Now is time for a definite step, so don't let the shadows of the past hold you back.
XXI. The World
After every obstacle has been faced and surmounted, after every path has
been travelled and charted, there remains only the last step to the next level
of existence - the World, the final gateway. After the union of the conscious
and unconscious, the mind and the body, in Judgement, all that can remain is
union with the Divine in whatever form it appears to you. This journey is over
and the next is only beginning. The cycle is complete as last, with the
vindication of the traveler and the immortality he has gained through
development of the self. It would seem that the Fool's Journey may not have
been so foolish after all.This card, as befits its nature, has the same basic symbolism in almost all of its myriad version. There are the four cherubs embodying their domains; The bull for matter, the lion for energy, the eagle for time and the man for space. Together they represent the unifed creation and control of all things in the Universe. Another common motif is the dancer in the centre, with her twin wands. The wand is that of the Magician, but it has now multiplied, and the need to ground its magical power has vanished because it has become one with its source of power. Positive and negative can be seen as two parts of the same whole. One is many. Many are one.
The World could be thought of as a time of rest, the time between death and life where the soul awaits reincarnation in the material world and - for the briefest of periods - becomes one with the universe from which it came. All the lessons learned have been put to use. All the tasks accomplished have born fruit and brought prosperity. Every cause has had its effects and all of the diverse threads of effects have been woven into a tapestry of your life as you have lived it. Now is a time to enjoy your wisdom, savour your prosperity and admire the personal artwork you have created, for soon you will start it all over again.
The journey may have stopped for the moment, and it may have transcended the plane on which you started, but the journey of the soul never ends. A new beginning is found in the end, the pieces are in place for a new journey to start, and after that one is completed, another will surely commence. After a glimpse of the Divine you return to manifestation, sure of your convictions and in your ability to someday see the face of God again. The cycle is as endless as the wreath that surrounds the scene, tied together by the ribbons of Divine force, and spiraling around the universe until the end of time.
The World card marks a time in your life in which one cycle is over and the next is just beginning. It represents the final achievement of all your worldly expectations and desires, and the immenent approach of new desires to follow and new goals to puruse. The World itself remains the ultimate goal, because it is an affirmation of life and an arrival at a perfect state of harmony and bliss. This is the confirmation of success and the reward for all your trials and ordeals. With the coming of the World comes assured success and material well-being, as well as emotional fulfillment, and growth in the spiritual sense.
In the material world, this card's energy often manifests as a promotion to a higher position or an initiation to a new level of knowledge that was only dreamed of before. But this time of rejoicing and happiness, this peak of ecstasy, merely gives us a glimpse of the next mountain on the horizon. So once again you must step up ot the cliff and leap off, ready to start a new Fool's journey and find what secrets lie in this new level of existence. The cycle of the Major Arcana begins where it ends and ends where it begins; start and finish are no longer the ends of straight line, but coincident points on the circumference of a circle that encapsulates your life. The present is now. The future is now. Eternity is now.
1 comments:
Invest in Ripple on eToro the World's Leading Social Trading Network...
Join 1,000,000's who have already discovered better strategies for investing in Ripple...
Learn from experienced eToro traders or copy their positions automatically.
Post a Comment