Death: Scorpio, Path 24

1pnth

00:00 / 04:24

Mr. Mellifluous and the Allies of Scorpio

"This path is too scary, Mr. M!"
"The 24th path presents challenges for even the most valiant and courageous hero. Since it is called 'Death,' many people assume that the path is only about the death of the physical body. But remember, each path has meanings for all levels of the self, the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels, not just the physical level. The path nevertheless still inspires fear because it suggests radical transformation, and of course many people are afraid of change. But change, of course, is the only certainty in this world. Even more importantly, perhaps, the soul grows through change. On every level, drastic change or death leads to regeneration. Of the people we see on this path who are expiring as death approaches, only one, a small child, appears to be welcoming Death with flowers. It's that attitude that is ideal to cultivate in the face of change on all levels. We must be as little children."
"I'm not sure that I can do that, Mr. M. I'm a child, and I'm scared."
"It becomes harder as one grows older. On previous paths, we have passed within the veil, which might be one reason that this path is so scary. In other words, we have already begun examining what it means to be awake. So often, we just go about the business of living on auto-pilot, half-asleep. Our family and our society condition us to maintain the 'unexamined self,' partially as a survival mechanism. We adopt certain beliefs and get into physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual habits as we learn to play by the rules. In the process, we become passive, allowing others to control and manipulate and even crush our imaginative powers, and it is this very habit of inner passivity that becomes the veil. Even though these habits and beliefs interfere with our ability to live fully and creatively, if nothing challenges our belief systems too much, and life doesn't treat us too badly, then we remain passive and don't question anything. But this tower that we create is sometimes hit by lightning, as we have witnessed in the 27th path, The Tower."
"So should we accept change, Mr. M?"
"On one level, yes. On another, the path suggests that we have no choice. The trick is to embrace change in such a way as to move purposefully from lower to higher consciousness. The astrological sign of Scorpio associated with this path suggests this process. On the lowest level, Scorpio is associated with the scorpion, but Scorpio is also associated with the snake and the eagle. The snake, among other things, is a symbol of rebirth because it sheds its skin. The eagle, as well as being a symbol of Water, symbolizes the higher self; the eagle, as a soaring bird, sees great distances, just as the higher self takes on the perspective of eternity. Scorpio is, of course, a Water sign, and you'll notice that in the background, a river passes by two towers as the sun rises, or sets, in the distance. The towers suggest the side pillars of the Tree of Life, and the sun as a symbol is associated with Tiphareth, or Beauty, the Emanation of the higher self.
"Remember that the highest spiritual experience of Malkuth, the physical plane, is the 'Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel,' the guardian angel being the higher self, and we cannot experience the higher self without the death of the conditioned self."
"That seems so hard, Mr. M!"
"Yes, but at some point, the individual, like the little child, embraces the death of the lower self for the birth of the higher self. In the meantime, apathy and inertia are the great dangers of this path. In the face of constant change, the individual might give up on any potential growth. Change might be inevitable, but it doesn't have to be meaningless or random or merely destructive. We have the power of the will to change in positive, beneficial ways.
"On this path, you see Death on a white horse moving toward a small group of people who are all dying, which is so sad--all dying at one time. That sort of thing can be just too hard to understand. Why would God allow such a thing to happen? But then everything we know will die at some point. Everything we know now will disappear from the earth at some point. Everything is changing, and we want to put up walls around us to keep all the changes away, but Death just keeps coming on his white horse. Where would we be, though, if everything stayed the same? That would be the worst kind of death. The main thing is to keep moving along the path, to keep changing and growing in every way that we can."

Five of Cups, Mars in Scorpio, Mars in Geburah (Power)

"Look, Mr. M, there's that sad man again!" Claire exclaims.
"Yes, we're seeing him again because we are in the realm of Scorpio, which is the realm of radical change and transformation. He is torn because he has to decide how to move on to another stage of his life. He cannot escape this life-changing choice, which means that he might need to leave much behind. It isn't easy to leave behind your attachments. It can break your heart and tear your soul apart. Most of us have to face a choice of this kind at some point, but learning how to deal with it eventually gives us strength to deal with even greater challenges."
"It's still kind of sad, Mr. M."
"Indeed, it is. Sad but true."

Six of Cups, Sun in Scorpio, Sun in Tiphareth (Beauty)

"That girl looks a little like me, Mr. M," Claire proclaims.
"Yes, she does. Our friend is holding a golden cup that contains a white lily. We are not sure if she has given the flower to her friend or if he is about to hand it to her. Her friend seems to be savoring the sweetness of the flower. In this simple act of giving, the girl, accepting and innocent, gazes in wonder at the flower and her friend. The influences of the Sun and Scorpio are present here. The Sun is associated with the sixth Emanation on the Tree of Life, the sphere of the Vision of Harmony and sacrifice. The transformation associated with Scorpio, is, on the surface at least, simple: To enter the kingdom of heaven, you must become as a little child, open to others and love and friendship as well as to giving and receiving. Her friend is older and wears a strange hat, which might inspire fear in the little girl, but she trusts and accepts him. The significance of the act is that, despite appearances, the heart is open. The interchange is a simple act of trust and acceptance as the soldier walks by, which reveals a state of radical innocence that prevails despite all the harshness in the world--this an open reciprocation between the 'self' and everything that is 'other.'"

Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Netzach (Victory)

(Click on a Cup above to go to the Tarot Realms Store Page.)

"Mr. M, it looks like that guy has to make a hard choice too."
"Our friend in shadow faces seven golden cups floating in the clouds. The four cups in the foreground contain emblems of worldly success and power while the three cups in the background, which are less accessible, appear more resonant with spiritual development. Our friend, who is under the influences of Venus and Scorpio, is reaching out a shadowy hand as though about to make an important decision. Scorpio is associated with transformation, suggesting the inevitable change that occurs after such a decision. The influence of Venus, so filled with desire and volatile emotion, is unstable on every plane except the spiritual plane, where the influence leads to valor and high spiritual love. Each choice before our friend is attractive in some way, but there is also something off-putting about each one. The golden snake and the dragon are both a little frightening, the castle seems remote, the blue head floats decapitated above the cup, the jewels on closer inspection resemble colorful bubbles, and the cup with the laurel victory wreath has a faint skull etched or reflected in it. The central cup above the lower four shows a figure emanating pink light, a figure whose arms are outstretched. The top half of the body is completely hidden by a veil, and the figure remains totally anonymous and seemingly detached from worldly concerns and desires. At first glance, that cup might seem the least attractive of all. However, pink is associated with the highest love. The four lower cups suggest the four lower Emanations of the Tree of Life, while the central cup suggests Beauty, the Emanation of spiritual transformation--from the lower personality to the Higher Self--and harmonizing spiritual love. Given the powerful influence of Venus, which, except on the highest levels, attaches a person to the lower planes through desire, it is impossible to determine which cup our friend will choose, but spiritual love is one possibility."

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Netzach (Victory)

2hot

00:00 / 03:45

LORD OF ILLUSIONARY SUCCESS

As Nathan was strolling through the Tarot Realm, he suddenly had a vision of a cloud with seven golden cups. As he peered at the cups, he noticed that they seemed to be offering him a choice. In one golden cup, a dragon, full of fierce strength and power, appeared to be nesting. In another, a golden cup, with a faint skull etched on the side, contained a victory wreath. Next to that, another golden cup, faintly etched with a woman's face, brimmed over with jewels, some of which seemed almost like bubbles. A lonely tower loomed above the fourth cup. On the upper left, a blue head floated dreamily above a golden cup. A golden snake extended from another. In the middle, an anonymous figure shrouded by a bright pink cloth lifted up her arms in supplication or devotion. The figure appeared to be emanating light. Nathan hesitated. He could not choose. All of the cups seemed both appealing and off-putting in some way.

The King of Cups

Later that day, Nathan rode his horse along the beach and eventually found the King of Cups. Nathan dismounted from his horse and bowed. "I serve thee always, your Majesty, but if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a question."
The King responded, "Yes, my friend, what is your query?"
Nathan carefully described the seven cups in his vision. Then he said, "Your Majesty, each golden cup offered something valuable, but I just couldn't choose because it seemed that something negative was associated with each golden cup. Do you have any advice?"
"I can give you advice, my brave knight, but the final choice is yours."
"Yes, I understand, your Highness."
"So you have been having spirit visions again! You are adjusting well to our realm. The Queen has told me a little about your other visions. The thing to remember is that the instincts come into play as you are faced with this choice. Do you want to be as fierce and strong and powerful and wild as a dragon? That might impress people, but you might also scare everyone away. Do you want to face death constantly just to attain the honors associated with victory? Do you want glittery jewels that attract superficial people, baubles that often inspire relationships as transitory as bubbles? Or do you want to be all alone in a high tower above everyone else?
"I'm not sure, your Highness. That is why I hesitated."
"Do you want to be dreamy and detached from the reality? Do you want to be like a golden snake that is reborn when it sheds its skin, a snake associated with the intense forces of the kundalini, forces which can carry you to spiritual realms, but which can leave you unbalanced and ungrounded in this realm?"
"This is a difficult choice, your Highness."
"Yes, it is. I'm not saying each of these choices is bad. We all learn and evolve through experience, but all the choices seem illusionary to some degree. Think for a moment about the anonymous figure shrouded in pink. Why do you think the figure was emanating light?"
"Well, your Highness, because pink represents high spiritual love, I think the figure was representing a spiritual path of some kind, but I was put off a little by the figure's anonynimity."
"That's understandable. What subtle forces did you experience during your vision?"
Nathan pondered for a moment. "Venus in Scorpio, I think, but I don't understand why I experienced them."
"Venus is the Goddess of Love who represents the mythological principle of 'The Marriage of Heaven and Earth.' Were you attracted more with your heart or your instincts to the anonymous figure?"
"With my heart, now that you ask, your Highness. So spiritual love can create a marriage of heaven and earth?"
"Love creates a sense of oneness as well as the understanding that we live in a realm interwoven with divine spiritual and physical energies. Through love, we know that everything is connected and that our personal consciousness is a facet of Universal Consciousness. Sometimes a great transformation must occur before we understand this spiritual truth. Scorpio is a force that brings this profound transformation. Unfortunately many fear this change as much as they fear death. Sometimes we must be as a little child as we experience such a life-changing transformation."
"Thank you for your sage advice, your Majesty. I think I know which choice to make."
"You are very welcome, my friend."
Nathan bowed, "I serve thee always, my King."

The Empress: Venus

Nathan found a Tarot card very similar to what he had witnessed in his vision: the Seven of Cups. The decan association in the card is Venus in Scorpio, and the Tree of Life correspondence is Venus in Victory, the Seventh Emanation on the Tree of Life. So the Goddess of Love truly presides here, Nathan thought. The figure of Death on a pale horse, on the other hand, dominates Scorpio. Nathan noticed then in the Tarot card known as Death that a little child, while experiencing his great transformation, is handing a flower to the horrifying skeletal figure in black armor.

Death: Scorpio

Nathan rode to a secluded part of the forest where he could perform a ritual with the Seven of Cups.

The Passive and Active Invoking Pentagrams

Because Nathan was creating a living image based on the Seven of Cups with the Tarot Pentagram Spread, he placed all the foundation cards down on his makeshift altar with the tops facing west on his altar. Since Water is a passive element, Nathan used the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram while laying down the cards, starting in the lower left corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper right corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the lower left corner to complete the pentagram.

Foundation Cards with the Seven of Cups

Then he placed The Seven of Cups in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Seven of Cups, Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Victory." Then he tapped the card.

Modifiers for the Seven of Cups: Death and The Empress

Next, he placed Death on the Ace of Cups in the upper right hand corner of the pentagram as a modifier. The card representing the zodiac sign goes first, he remembered. As he placed Death on the Ace of Cups, he stated while tapping the card, "Death, Scorpio, the Meeting with the Powers of Death." As he tapped the card, he recognized that the powers of death might include great change and transformation on the spiritual and mental and emotional levels, not just the physical death.
Then he placed The Empress in the upper right hand corner on the other modifier, Death. As he placed The Empress, he stated while tapping the card, "The Empress, Venus, the Marriage of Heaven and Earth." As he tapped the card, he remembered that a true understanding of the Marriage of Heaven and Earth often only occurs after a great inner transformation.

Invoking Pentagram for Spirit

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Then Nathan drew the Spirit Wheel using the Passive Invoking Pentagram in the air in brilliant white above the Seven of Cups on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer.

Invoking Pentagram for the Element of Water

(Click on the Star Above to Visit "Sanity-Land.")

After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Water directly over the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of the eagle, associated with Scorpio, in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of the eagle's head turning into the anonymous figure with the glowing pink shroud. Then he imagined the figure moving a few feet west of his altar and coming alive as a full-length figure. As he visualized the living image, he imagined undines flowing from the Archangel Gabriel and filling the living image while at the same time the bright points of Water flowed from his aura and filled the living image as well.
Then he stated, "I name you Figure of High Spiritual Love, who feels one with the awesome living tapestry of divine spiritual and physical energies."
, Then he said, "Help me to know the oneness of the interwoven, divine spiritual and physical energies within creation. Help me to know that everything is connected and that each personal consciousness is a facet of Universal Consciousness. If a great inner transformation is necessary before I truly understand this spiritual principle, then let it be so! Let me be as a little child as I experience this awesome inner transformation." Then he humbly stated, "Perform this task then return to the divine Emanation of Victory, doing no harm. So mote it be!"
Before he finished the ritual, Nathan imagined for a few minutes the living image of the shrouded figure helping him to become aware of the oneness of Creation, and he felt a great transformation: His personality was completely erased while at the same time he experienced a profound sense of eternity. After awhile, he ended the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
Nathan felt one with creation sometimes even during his great challenges afterwards, and he knew that his new ally was guiding him.

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

The Hanged Man: the Element of Water, Path 23

3egadz

00:00 / 07:23

Mr. M and the Element of Water

"This is another really scary path. Are all of the other paths going to be scary too, Mr. M?" Claire asks.
"No, no, not at all. We are experiencing the scary aspects of passing through the veil to higher consciousness. Our friend reveals one of the most frightening challenges of passing through the veil. This path is now called 'The Hanged Man,' but it was once called 'The Traitor,' referring to the practice of hanging traitors upside-down in public."
"People who choose the spiritual path are traitors, Mr. M?" Claire asks.
"So often mystics and occultists who have passed through the veil are considered traitors in the sense that they repudiate the materialistic values of their society for a greater spiritual awareness, insisting on the values of the higher self instead of the values of the conditioned self. Modern psychology comes close in many respects to understanding the different aspects of self, focusing often on the conditioned self, but fails to provide as comprehensive a map of the macrocosm and the microcosm as the Tree of Life.
"A famous example is Sigmund Freud's model of the psyche. Freud divides the psyche into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id contains the subconscious instincts and basic drives for self-gratification. The ego is the conscious extension of the id which uses the reality principle and common sense to obtain pleasure and avoid pain. The superego, the ethical component of the personality, provides the moral standards by which the ego operates. The superego's criticisms, prohibitions, and inhibitions form a person's conscience, and its positive aspirations represent the idealized self-image, or 'ego ideal.' The superego strives to act in a socially appropriate manner, whereas the id strives for instant self-gratification. The superego controls our sense of right and wrong, and since its demands oppose the id's, the ego often has a hard time reconciling the two."
"So is the superego the higher self, Mr. M?"
"Yes and no. The conscience is very much a part of the higher self. When you touch the sphere of Beauty, or Tiphareth, the sixth Emanation on the Tree of Life, you experience the overwhelming harmony of creation, which cannot be denied simply because of all the terrible choices that people have made throughout history. You experience awe about the infinite vibrations of energy that manifest in so many beautiful ways, the fields upon fields of energy interwoven to create not only our planet but the cosmos, most of which we as humans cannot even perceive with our five senses. You know the intelligence within all of creation that enables the dance of abundance, and you see that destruction is only one half of creation, for without death there would be no new creation, no growth or evolution. When you experience a sense of oneness with creation, you cannot help but feel reverence, which leads to sympathy for all things, and that inspires a thirst for truth and justice because everything is connected."
"So you feel guilty when you hurt something? I know I feel guilty when I accidentally hurt something."
"Yes, and that leads to an understanding of karma. If you intentionally harm something or someone, you are essentially harming yourself because we are all connected, and that will eventually come back on you."
"So does this path lead to the sphere of justice?"
"Yes, in fact, Geburah is the sphere of power on many levels, including the spiritual level. The Gods and Angels of Geburah burn away whatever is not true or just or harmonious. Spiritual principle remains when the transitory burns away, so in a sense, this path is about sacrificing what is not true or just or harmonious in your world. That might include a job, a relationship, a belief system. So much of our society is false or illusory that when you insist on spiritual truth, often the people around you feel betrayed because you literally are challenging the value system that satisfies their ego or that they were conditioned to follow. Freud viewed the superego mainly as a mechanism for obtaining acceptance in society. He suggests that the psyche has spiritual goals but ultimately struggles to conform to social conditioning. The superego in that sense becomes a mechanism for the survival of the conditioned self. The higher self, on the other hand, is compelled to choose spiritual principle, such as truth and justice, over survival, as you can see here on this path.
"But there is something else about this path that I don't want to overlook. The hanged man is suspended by the foot, and the ability to suspend thought cannot be over-rated in spiritual practices. Without the ability to quiet the mind, you cannot see beyond the mundane into the inner planes. The element of Water is associated with this card, and Water is associated with the subconscious depths of the mind. Through the subconscious where the soul resides, you can move into the vast ocean of consciousness, which leads to the super-conscious awareness of oneness and harmony. Learning to suspend the chatter of the 'monkey mind,' the surface mind, is part of the sacrifice of the Path."
"After the individual has built the Tree of Life in his or her aura by travelling all the paths, the fully developed conscious mind of the enlightened individual is the true higher self, encompassing the intellect, the emotions, the imagination, the will, and the memory, all of which need to be developed or mined for personal growth. However, we can get bogged down in the surface mind. So much of civilization is just surface mind. We get busy and have so many details to worry about that sometimes we breath a sigh of relief after taking care of the little things and don't worry about our emotional and mental and spiritual health. Notice the great simplicity of this path. We need to simplify in order to cultivate the ability to shift focus to whatever level we need to work on. That takes great discipline, which is another important aspect of the sphere of Mars.
"Some psychologists have managed to recognize the existence of the soul and the transpersonal aspects at the core of being. It always helps to compare and contrast the findings of experts in all fields. The Tree of Life is comprehensive, and you can use the Tree as a filing cabinet where all knowledge can find a place.
"On this scary path, you see a man hanging upside down with his hands tied behind his back. That is incredibly painful and humiliating, but the man seems at peace. In fact, his head is glowing as if he has attained enlightenment. He has moved beyond the veil of illusion to the reality of the spirit. He appears terribly alone and mistreated, but he recognizes the oneness of all creation. His mind suspended, he is a point of consciousness within the vast ocean of the Cosmic Mind."

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Eight of Cups: Saturn in Pisces, Mercury in Splendor (Hod)

4jup

00:00 / 05:30

LORD OF ABANDONED SUCCESS

Nathan stopped to rest on a beach near eight golden cups. Three of the golden cups were stacked on top of the other five, which left a gap--as if something was missing. Through that gap between the cups, Nathan could see an old friend climbing a steep hill. Nathan shouted and waved, but the ocean drowned out his voice, and his friend didn't turn around--as though determined to leave everything behind. His friend was once a powerful knight who had fought valiantly for the realm. Now, however, his friend, who wasn't wearing his suit of armor, seemed to be abandoning his success and moving on. Nathan was afraid that they might not ever encounter each other again, which saddened him because his friend had taught him a great deal about how to be a knight. The eight golden cups suggested to Nathan that his friend had gained knowledge and strength as a knight on a deep spiritual level, but perhaps his friend felt that something was wrong with his life. Nathan experienced deeper and deeper melancholy as he watched his friend climb higher and higher up the hill.

The King of Cups

At sunrise, Nathan rode his horse along the beach and eventually found the King of Cups. Nathan dismounted from his horse and bowed. "Your Majesty, I have a question."
The King responded, "Yes, my friend, what is your query?"
"Your Majesty, last night I saw a great knight leaving on a journey. He is a friend of mine who taught me many things. I got the sense that he was abandoning his success as a knight because he felt something was missing in his life. Do you know why he was leaving, your Majesty?"
"Yes, my valiant knight, in our realm this is actually a time of joy and celebration, for your friend is following a spiritual path now, which will greatly benefit him and the realm."
"How so? If you don't mind me asking, your Highness."
"If you have a few minutes I will tell you, for you someday might find yourself in a similar situation. Remember the Father of the Gods, our beloved Saturn, who resides in the third Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Understanding. The Emanation of Understanding is the womb of creation above the planes of manifestation, where our beloved Heavenly Mother also resides. During the cosmic act of creation, Saturn knew that he needed to give beings in the planes of manifestation a way to survive in challenging and harsh conditions, so he gave them instincts. Was your friend using a wand as a walking stick, by any chance?"
"Yes, your Highness."
"Think of the wand as representing the range of energies associated with the instincts. At one end of the wand, the instincts can trigger terribly unbalanced behavior, especially if negative emotions are clouding a person's judgement. At the other end, the instincts can be used in a balanced, ideal way for the highest good if a person has a mind free of negativity."
"I am afraid that I don't quite understand, your Highness."
"For instance, think of the fourth Emanation, which is the first state of being to form in the planes of manifestation below the heavenly Emanations. The fourth Emanation is known as 'Mercy' and is associated with Jupiter. The most basic instinct bestowed by Saturn on the beings in the realms of manifestation is the self-preservation instinct. At one end of the spectrum, for example, people can stir the survival instinct and manifest the unbalanced vices of tyranny, bigotry, gluttony, and hypocrisy, all of which are types of selfishness that can end up being quite harmful to the community of all life. The survival instinct, in other words, can be the motivation for self-aggrandizement, for obtaining power and wealth at the expense of others, often through aggression. On the other hand, we can exercise discipline and understanding, both characteristics of Saturn, to manifest the instinctual force in a selfless, virtuous manner through obedience to the Divine Will for the highest possible good of all life, for all beings are divine and everything is connected. In that way, in other words, we are motivated by the self-preservation instinct to protect and preserve the community of life so that we and all other beings can survive in a sustainable, balanced way."
"I think I am beginning to understand, your Highness."
"Let me provide you with other examples. Think of the fifth Emanation known as 'Severity' or 'Power,' which is associated with Mars. To continue the metaphor, at the negative end of the wand in the sphere of Mars is the instinct for combat, which can lead to cruelty and destructiveness. Using the instinct in a positive, ideal way, on the other hand, we can manifest courage, discipline, strength, and the power of righteousness in the pursuit of justice.
"Completing the ethical triangle on the Tree of Life is the sixth Emanation known as 'Beauty.' The vice in the sixth Emanation is pride, another form of selfishness that can lead to tribalism, denial of the truth, as well as conflict with individuals and other groups. Pride exalts the self and some groups above all others. Some religious groups, for example, end up causing great harm to people and the realm as a whole because they are acting out of pride and self-exaltation, and these religious groups will sometimes even support a demagogue who promises to be their protector and savior--even though that person is obviously a criminal and a fraud and a cheat and a liar and a narcissist who acts from the basest of intentions and motivations. If, on the other hand, we use the forces of the instinct in the Emanation of Beauty in a positive manner--without negativity--we can know the meaning of selfless sacrifice and harmonizing love. We can experience the light of Universal Consciousness, for the Son in the Emanation of Beauty shows us the Father.

Mars and Venus in Relation to Each Other on the Tree of Life

"I'll provide just one more example. If you look carefully at the Tree of Life, you'll notice a slanted path descending from the sphere of Mars, which is the fifth Emanation, down to the sphere of Venus, which is the seventh Emanation. This has deep meaning, for in mythology Mars and Venus are lovers, and both manifest the life-force in its most potent state. One might believe that their passion for each other is due to the sexual instinct, but also notice that the slanted path passes through Beauty, the sixth Emanation associated with The Sun, which harmonizes and purifies the basic instinct so that they feel great passion for each other as well as high spiritual love.
"The world right now is in crying need of leaders who choose to act with virtue, not vice--who choose to act in an ideal, balanced manner instead of a negative, unbalanced manner. Any leader who stimulates the negative aspects of the instincts in his followers can cause terrible chaos and divisiveness and end up ruining a society. Each Emanation on the Tree of Life within the planes of manifestation has both a virtue and a vice, and all of the virtues and vices manifest in The Kingdom, the physical realm, so our leaders and their followers need to be aware of whether or not the instincts are affecting them negatively and how they can use the instincts as forces for a higher good.
"The reason that we are celebrating your friend's departure on his spiritual journey is that first he is going to cleanse himself with water, which he will do before he begins his journey. Then he will mentally cleanse all negativity from the energy centers in his psyche so that he is no longer motivated by his instincts to act in a selfish or destructive way. In our realm, we all internalize negativity, and as we grow older, the negativity tends to build up inside of us, but after his purification process, negativity will no longer influence how he acts, instinctively or otherwise. He is going to honor the forces of the Tree of Life through strong dedication and discipline, both of which together lead to harmony and understanding. In that way, using his instincts in an ideal, balanced manner, he can serve the community of all life for the highest possible good."
"Thank you. I understand now, your Majesty. I serve thee always."

The World: Saturn

Nathan found a Tarot card very similar to what he witnessed as he rested by the ocean: the Eight of Cups. The decan association in the card, he remembered, is Saturn in Pisces, and the Tree of Life correspondence is Mercury in Splendor, the Eighth Emanation. Nathan pondered for a moment. Strangely, he thought to himself, the High Priestess is accociated with the astrological symbol of The Moon while the Tarot card entitled The Moon represents Pisces. The holy man in the castle once told Nathan that the ancients purposely created blinds in the Tarot so that the uninitiated would become confused and give up trying to understand the cards and therefore would not be able to use the forces represented by the Tree of Life in an unbalanced way.

The Moon: Pisces

Nathan examined The Moon, the card representing Pisces. A dog and a jackal are howling at the moon, and a large crawdad is emerging from the water, a scene that reveals the primal instincts stimulated by the forces of the moon. Nathan remembered that the mythological principle associated with the card is "The Emergence from Water," which suggests that creatures with their basic instincts are emerging from the primordial waters--or suggests the emergence from water after purification. When Nathan looked closer, he noticed that the moon is in front of the sun. The moon provides a magnetic pull on the earth and except during the "dark of the moon" reflects the light of the sun in different phases. Since humans are part animal, the moon can stimulate the primal instincts within the human psyche, but even within the animal nature of human beings, Nathan realized, there is also a great pull in the soul toward the light of The Sun, the Source of all life on earth and the spiritual symbol of harmonizing love and sacrifice.
Nathan rode to a secluded part of the forest where he could perform a ritual with the Tarot card known as The World, associated with Saturn.
Because Nathan was creating a living image based on the Eight of Cups with the Tarot Pentagram Spread, he placed all the foundation cards down on his makeshift altar with the tops facing west on his altar. Since Water is a passive element, Nathan used the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram while laying down the cards, starting in the lower left corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper right corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the lower left corner to complete the pentagram.

Foundation Cards with The World

Then he placed The World in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The World, Saturn, Journey through the Underworld." Then he tapped the card, realizing that the mythological principle of "Journey through the Underworld" could be referring to the mental purification of the instincts and the dark areas of the mind. The holy man in the castle had mentioned a story of Anubis taking people deep into the underworld to cleanse them of all negativity.

Modifier for The World: The Moon

(Click on the Star Above to Visit Sanity-Land.)

Then he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups in the upper right hand corner of the pentagram as a modifier. As he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups, he stated while tapping the card, "The Moon, Pisces, the Emergence from Water."

Invoking Pentagram for the Element of Water

(Click on the Star Above to Review the LBRP and the SIRP.)

Then Nathan drew the Passive Invoking Pentagram and the spirit wheel in the air in brilliant white above The World on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer. After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Water directly over the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of the eagle, associated with Scorpio, in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of the eagle's head becoming the living image of the main figure in The World. Then he imagined the figure moving a few feet west of his altar and coming alive as a full-length figure. As he visualized the living image of the Tarot card, he imagined undines flowing from the Archangel Gabriel and filling the living image while at the same time the bright points of Water flowed from his aura and filled the living image as well.
Then he stated, "I name you Saturn, Father of the Gods, who has provided all creatures in the world with instincts to enable them survive."
Then he said, "From the holy Emanation of Understanding, help me to purify myself so that I may manifest the ideal aspects of the instincts, the virtues, for the highest possible good of myself and others."
Then he humbly stated, "Perform this task, then return to the divine Emanation of Understanding, doing no harm. So mote it be!"
Before he finished the ritual, Nathan imagined for a few minutes the living image of the figure in The World purifying him with water so that he could manifest the virtues associated with the instincts. Then he ended the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
Nathan began to act with more compassion and understanding during his great challenges afterwards, and he knew that his new ally was guiding him.

Mystical Tarot Realms

Click on BLOG above to go to other pages.

Death: Scorpio, Path 24

Mr. Mellifluous and the Allies of Scorpio

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Netzach (Victory)

LORD OF ILLUSIONARY SUCCESS

The King of Cups

Nathan rode to a secluded part of the forest where he could perform a ritual with the Seven of Cups.

Then he placed The Seven of Cups in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Seven of Cups, Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Victory." Then he tapped the card.

Then Nathan drew the Spirit Wheel using the Passive Invoking Pentagram in the air in brilliant white above the Seven of Cups on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer.

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

The Hanged Man: the Element of Water, Path 23

Mr. M and the Element of Water

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Eight of Cups: Saturn in Pisces, Mercury in Splendor (Hod)

LORD OF ABANDONED SUCCESS

Mars and Venus in Relation to Each Other on the Tree of Life

Modifier for The World: The Moon

(Click on the Star Above to Visit Sanity-Land.)

Then he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups in the upper right hand corner of the pentagram as a modifier. As he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups, he stated while tapping the card, "The Moon, Pisces, the Emergence from Water."

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Death: Scorpio, Path 24

Mr. Mellifluous and the Allies of Scorpio

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All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Netzach (Victory)

LORD OF ILLUSIONARY SUCCESS

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The King of Cups

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