Mystical Tarot Realms
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The Empress: Venus
Mr. Mellifluous and the Allies of Venus
"Oh, Mr. M, she is so lovely!" Claire exclaims.
"The Empress holds up a golden scepter, for she rules love and all of manifested life. On her head is a crown with twelve stars, which represents the zodiac, and we see seven visible pearls around her neck, suggesting the seven planets of classical astrology. All around her is the glory of nature: the yellow sky represents the element of Air, the stream represents the element of Water, the flourishing grain suggests the abundance associated with the element of Earth, and the bright orange pillow suggests passion and the element of Fire. The Empress rules fertility and life in all its forms, at all levels of the cosmos. She is a great, joyful, loving Goddess."
"She makes me feel happy, Mr. M."
"On this horizontal path known as 'The Empress' we find the first great polarity of transcendent forces on the Tree of Life, and at the heart of that creative polarity is love. Within the fourteenth path are the seeds of manifestation, which flourish in the seventh and tenth Emanations, Victory and the Kingdom. Venus, the astrological association, and YHVH Tzaboath, the God-name for the fourteenth path, can also be found in Victory, the seventh Emanation. In Victory we find the true origin of multiplicity that manifests in the Kingdom, otherwise known as the physical plane, where all of the forces of the Tree of Life ultimately manifest. Beauty, the Emanation of the Sun above Victory, reflects the unity of the Crown of creation. But suddenly in Victory, we find multiplicity, as if a hand has held up a prism in front of the sun to reveal the colors of creation."
"This path connects the heavenly Father with the heavenly Mother, doesn't it, Mr. M?"
"Yes, and more. The Hebrew letter Daleth associated with this path suggests the unity within multiplicity, the One within the Many. Daleth means 'door,' and a door can create both a sense of division and unity. When closed, the door suggests an otherness that exists on the other side, which creates a sense of separateness. When open, the door allows a movement into that otherness into a sense of unity. The path of Daleth connects Wisdom, the Emanation of dynamic, masculine life-force, with Understanding, the Emanation of feminine form, which divides and restricts and limits force. This path contains the first manifestation of gender, which results in the One and the Many manifesting in diverse ways below the Abyss."
"In our world, I think we know diversity pretty well but not the unity so much."
"That's true, but on the spiritual level we find the unity that manifests in multiplicity."
"Isn't the first polarity really between the Crown and Wisdom, though, Mr. M?"
"Good question. But the ancient literature suggests that Wisdom is like a mirror image of the Crown where God first sees Itself. In ancient mystical literature, Wisdom 'equals' the Crown, and the division suggests not polarity and opposition but a Self-awareness. Remember that the intense force in Wisdom emanates the state of being known as Understanding, and that the life-force continues in a lightning flash down the Tree of Life, through all levels of being. The life-force changes vibration, setting up polarities as it flows from the spiritual to the physical, but it remains essentially one thing. Romantic love is one manifestation of the life-force and often provides a sense of unity, but a person can be loving and potent on all levels of being, not just the physical level."
"Is that sense of unity what you mean by 'love?' Because I know some people who don't feel a sense of unity very often."
"Yes, and that is often the case until you have an awareness of the underlying unity of all consciousness. But love is also a kind of power and illumination. Venus, remember, is intimate with Mars; the Martian power and energy flows through Beauty, the sphere of harmony and equilibrium, before it reaches Victory. People often associate the power of the life-force with passion, but the ability to feel the underlying unity of consciousness leads to a profound inner strength and power. Spiritual, mental, and emotional connections and manifestations of the life-force are no less important than the physical aspect of things. The more powerful the vibrations of the life-force on all levels of the self and the more intense the feeling of unity, the greater the sense of love."
"Doesn't Venus also represent beauty, Mr. M?"
"Oh yes, beauty in a special sense. We see the beauty of the blue sky because of all the dust particles in the air, just as we know the beauty of the Source in all of Its manifestations, which implies that without all of the amazing diversity of life on this plane we wouldn't be as aware of the beauty of the Source of all life, and I hate to say it, but humanity has gotten so proficient at destroying the beauty of nature that many people might not even be able to comprehend that idea. That is why it is important to go out into nature as often as possible. Humanity has despoiled nature in many parts of the planet, but the natural beauty that remains can still ravish the soul."
"Does Venus represent the natural world too?"
"Yes, Venus is the terrestrial mother, the celestial mother on a lower arc. All Goddesses are one Goddess, and all Gods are one God, functioning at different levels. Over thousands of years, Western culture has done just about everything it can to destroy the Goddess, which is essentially a blasphemy against the Source of all Creation because the feminine is an essential expression of the Source, and humanity consequently has ended up nearly killing the planet.
Mr. M bows his head. "Notice how the symbol of Venus can encompass the entire Tree of Life. The circle at the top can include the Crown, Wisdom, and Understanding, as well as Mercy, Power, and Beauty, the higher Emanations. The equal-armed cross at the bottom of the symbol can include Victory, Splendor, the Foundation, and the Kingdom. All of life is united in that symbol."
"I love that, Mr. M!"
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Four of Wands: Venus in Aries, Jupiter in Chesed (Mercy)
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"I feel like celebrating, Mr. M!" Claire exclaims.
"Yes, there is much to celebrate. The perfected work of the harvest has brought prosperity, peace, and harmony. Our friends in the distance feel the influence of Venus, who rules attraction, love, and marriage, as well as harmony in relationships. Venus, placed in a Fire sign, often results in dramatic, exciting and fiery expressions of love, but Venus is sometimes an unstable influence. Here and now, though, the Empress and Emperor are experiencing harmonizing love on the spiritual plane. Combined with the expansiveness and abundance of Jupiter, our joyful friends are experiencing spiritual love filled with compassion, the fire of the life-force, and the expanding abundance of the heart. That is the perfected work.
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Two of Cups: Venus in Cancer, Zodiac in Chokmah (Wisdom)
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"Wow, Mr. M, those two really seem to be in love!"
"The magnetism they feel draws them together, and the energy they generate rises above them, represented by the lion's winged head above intertwined serpents. Our friends, in other words, are 'mated' with each other on all dimensions of their being, the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. Our friends are in the second Emanation known as Wisdom, and they reveal the energy of polarity in equilibrium and expansion. The most primal expansion in terms of the Tree of Life was the first cosmic act of creation within manifestation, with the Crown, the Source, emanating Wisdom, the second Emanation, or state of being, establishing equilibrium and then expanding again to give rise to the third Emanation, the state known as Understanding. This process occurs naturally also within the individual at different levels of being. The intertwined serpents suggest the caduceus, the ancient symbol of optimum health that represents the open and balanced channels, both masculine and feminine, of the life-force in the personal energy field known as the aura. The lion shows the fiery expansion of the kundalini, which is the life-force thrilling through every level of the psyche--physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. When you are tuned to another person on these levels, you can experience the life forces much more intensely. But that powerful energy is not pure expansiveness--it is expansion that occurs in its optimal state in balanced equilibrium, as suggested by the intertwined serpents. The powerful energy of the life-force, to be anything more than blinding fireworks, needs to be firmly grounded for love to flourish."
"Wow, their love seems powerful!"
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Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Netzach (Victory)
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"That man seems a little confused, Mr. M."
"Yes, our friend is reaching out a shadowy hand as though about to make an important decision. He is feeling the influences of Venus in Scorpio, so I can understand why he might be feeling a little perplexed. No one wants to choose something that turns out to be merely an illusion. Scorpio is associated with transformation, suggesting the inevitable change that occurs after an important life-choice. The influence of Venus, associated with desire and volatile emotion, is often unstable, except in the spiritual dimension where the influence leads to valor and high spiritual love. Each choice presented to our friend is attractive but also a little off-putting. 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 wreath has a faint skull etched (or reflected) in it. The central cup shows a figure emanating pink light. The top half of the body is completely hidden by a veil, and the figure remains anonymous, seemingly detached from worldly concerns and desires. At first glance, that cup might appear the least attractive of all. Pink, however, symbolizes spiritual love, the highest, most loving energy of the heart. 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. The influence of Venus, except on the highest levels, can attach a person to an illusion. It is impossible to determine which cup our friend will choose, but the highest spiritual love is within his reach."
"I hope he makes the right choice, Mr. M!"
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Five of Swords: Venus in Aquarius, Mars in Geburah (Power)
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"That man with the swords seems pretty proud of himself, Mr. M, but he seems to have made those other two men very unhappy."
"Our friend with the swords appears to have won a victory. Since we are experiencing the influence of Venus here, this conflict might be about love, but since we are also feeling the influence of Aquarius, there might be something else going on. The other two men have turned away in defeat. Two of the swords, too sharp and heavy for the victor to carry, remain on the bloodless ground. A storm has occurred, but the clouds are breaking up, and the water in the background, though still choppy, is growing calmer. If this conflict is only about love, you might imagine yourself as either the victor or the vanquished. You might believe for a moment that you have triumphed but then realize that instead you have lost. You might turn from winner into loser and back again. A fight tends to result in at least one winner and one loser, and the loser often attempts to undermine the winner in a cycle of conflict that continually leads to instability, a characteristic of both Venus and Mars on the lower planes. Even though you are momentarily victorious, you might, in other words, find yourself caught in a vicious cycle. All involved in a cycle of revenge lose because conflict causes fear, disruption, and suffering, but since there is no blood on the ground, our friend with the swords might have simply neutralized the conflict to create harmony, which suggests the deeper wisdom characteristic of Aquarius."
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Nine of Pentacles: Venus in Virgo, Moon in Yesod (The Foundation)
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"She is so pretty and happy. She seems pretty happy, Mr. M."
"Our friend lightly touches a pentacle and gazes lovingly at the hooded falcon, as if she knows the meaning of success, not just in the material realm, but as a person who has created her own stable world full of sweetness and quiet joy. She can allow the falcon, like her mind, to soar, but she realizes that at times it must remain hooded, subject to restrictions and discipline. Like the bushes and vines, her life is productive and harmonious and satisfying, which requires self-awareness, sacrifice, and effort. In addition to the flowers on her dress, which resemble symbols of Venus, Goddess of Love, she has the mark of an evolved person who is aware of what matters and what needs to be done to create and maintain a world of loveliness and abundance."
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All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.
Seven of Pentacles: Saturn in Taurus, Venus in Victory (Netzach)
Lord of Success Unfulfilled
As Nathan was riding through the Tarot Realm, he encountered a young farmer leaning on his hoe, taking a break. The farmer appeared to be day dreaming while waiting for his crop of pentacles to ripen. The farmer was dirty from long hours of working in the earth, but something about this common farmer impressed Nathan a great deal, so Nathan attempted to sense the subtle influences influencing the farmer. Because of the great discipline needed to bring a crop to fruition, Nathan immediately suspected that Saturn was a subtle influence. Since the farmer was raising pentacles, Nathan knew another influence must be associated with an Earth sign, such as Capricorn, Taurus, or Virgo. Since farming requires the strength and perseverance of a bull, Nathan suspected that Taurus was also a subtle influence. And since the farmer was working in the natural world and creating beauty and harmony with his pentacles, he intuited that Venus was also involved. Nathan wanted to be sure that his intuitions were accurate, so went in search of the King or Queen of Pentacles.
King of Pentacles
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Soon, Nathan came upon the King of Pentacles near the castle. Nathan dismounted and bowed before the King. "I serve thee always, great King."
The King responded, "Yes, my devoted knight, what brings you here today?"
Nathan described the farmer. "I sensed powerful forces influencing the farmer, and I was hoping that you would tell me if my intuitions are correct. Back in the realm where I came from, people rarely attempt to sense subtle influences, so in this endeavor I am a little unsure of myself, your Highness, but I hope to master the skill so that I can serve the realm more effectively," Nathan replied.
"An admirable goal, brave knight. What powerful forces did you sense?"
"First, your Highness, I felt the influence of Saturn. Farming requires great discipline, I know, but I was a little unsure that my intuition was correct because the mythological principle associated with Saturn is the 'Descent into the Underworld.' I am not sure how that applies here, your Majesty."
"Let's be clear about the meaning of the mythological principle. What do you think it means?"
"Well, your Majesty, I don't think it means descending deep into the underworld in some cave. My experience has been a kind of descent to the underworld through meditation. In other words, my mind drops into the void as I meditate. The chatter of the monkey mind vanishes. In fact, my personality vanishes and the few thoughts that I have seem random. When my mind is empty, I sometimes envision archetypes representing spiritual principle, such as the infinity symbol, or a golden equal-armed cross, or a golden crown, or a golden cup and chalice on a brilliant white tablecloth. When I descend into the void and my personality disappears, I experience another order of existence, I think, but I don't understand how that applies to the farmer, your Highness."
"Your description of the descent into the underworld is accurate. In this realm, people experience it in meditation all the time. As you drop into the void, you are cleansing your mind. If you don't purify your psyche often, negativity builds up and rears its ugly head. I am aware that in the realm where you came from, negativity often builds up so much that many people project anger and hatred at each other for ridiculous reasons such as their skin color or their sexual orientation or their customs or spiritual values. I know this has led to genocides and horrific wars that have killed millions of people in the realm you came from. In this realm, on the other hand, we know that psychic negativity can end up destroying societies, so here we constantly emphasize the need to meditate and perform a mental purification process of some kind regularly."
"Through the influence of Saturn, then, the farmer purifies his heart and mind regularly so that he can eliminate negativity and create harmony with the pentacles that he grows. Is he a kind of magician?"
"Yes, indeed, even though he is, as you put it, a common farmer, he is a kind of magician who manifests harmony for the highest good of the realm. His pentacles are about to ripen, and he will soon experience success."
"Saturn is the father of the Gods who restricts force in form. Without Saturn, the physical realm would not exist. But is it true that Saturn also provides a way for the mind to release itself from form, your Majesty?"
"Yes. That is true. The God who created the basis for our magnificent physical realm by restricting force in form also wanted us to know the freedom and power of the mind so that we do not feel completely trapped in physicality. Taurus is also associated with Earth, in other words, with form. Let's talk a little about Taurus now, my friend. The mythological principle associated with Taurus is the 'Keeper of Wisdom.' What do you think that means?"
Nathan thought for a moment. "I think over time we build an inner temple where we place all the treasures that we have discovered in the spirit realm, such as the archetypes I described. In that inner temple the light shines upon the archetypes and we understand the wisdom of the spiritual principles associated with them. I believe that as we evolve we are all like The Hierophant to some degree: we are all keepers of wisdom."
"Very good, my friend. Now how do you think Venus is a spiritual influence?"
"Just as the pentacles ripen for the farmer, I think a similar kind of harmony can grow in our lives. Through meditation and regular cleansing of the psyche and spirit visions and knowledge of spiritual principles, we can create a marriage of heaven and earth."
"Very insightful, my friend! The farmer, like the magician, is indeed creating a kind of marriage of heaven and earth."
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The World: Saturn
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"Someday, perhaps, I will be able to manifest positive subtle influences in the realm like the farmer does. Thank you, my King, I serve thee always."
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The Hierophant: Taurus
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Nathan bowed and thanked the King and found a room in the castle where he could perform a ritual. Nathan chose the Seven of Pentacles as his central card, which is also remarkably similar to what he had experienced earlier, a card that represents Saturn in Taurus and Venus in Victory, the seventh Emanation on the Tree of Life.
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Active and Passive Invoking Pentagrams
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Nathan chose The Hierophant, which represents Taurus, as the first modifier.
Then Nathan chose The World as the second modifier because The World, associated with Saturn, represents the "Descent into the Underworld." Then Nathan chose The Empress, which is associated with Venus and the mythological principle of the "Marriage of Heaven and Earth."
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Foundation Cards with the Four of Pentacles
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Since Earth is a passive element, Nathan used the Passive Invoking Pentagram while laying down the foundation cards, the Aces and Judgement, 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 Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the lower left corner to complete the pentagram.
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Modifiers for the Seven of Pentacles: The Hierophant (Taurus), The World (Saturn), and The Empress (Venus)
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Then he placed the Seven of Pentacles in the middle of the pentagram and tapped the card, saying, "The Seven of Pentacles, Saturn in Taurus, Venus in Victory." Then he placed the modifiers on the Ace of Pentacles, first The Hierophant, then The World, then The Empress, in the lower left hand corner of the pentagram, the position that represents the element of Earth.
As he placed The Hierophant on the Ace of Pentacles, he said while tapping the card, "The Hierophant, Taurus, the 'Keeper of Wisdom.'"
As he placed The World on The Hierophant, he said while tapping the card, "The World, Saturn, the 'Descent into the Underworld.'"
As he placed The Empress on The World, he said while tapping the card, "The Empress, Venus, 'The Marriage of Heaven and Earth.'"
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Spirit Pentagram
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Then he drew the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram and the spirit wheel in the air in brilliant white above The Seven of Pentacles on the altar, charging the pentagram and the spirit wheel in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer. After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Earth directly over the Passive Invoking Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of Taurus in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of the bull's head becoming the living image of the farmer in the Seven of Pentacles. Then he imagined gnomes flowing from the Archangel Auriel and filling the living image while at the same time the bright points of the Earth element flowed from his aura and filled the living image as well.
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Pentagram for the Element of Earth
(Click on the Star Above to Review the LBRP and the SIRP.)
Then he said, "Lord of Saturn in Taurus, I ask that you help me develop my inner temple of wisdom so that I can manifest positive subtle influences in myself and in the realm for the highest possible good."
Then he stated, "Perform this task until I have succeeded in mastering this ability, then return to the element of Earth, doing no harm. So mote it be!"
He imagined for a few minutes the living image of the farmer in the Seven of Pentacles helping him as he continued to build his inner temple and manifest greater harmony in his sphere of influence. He, of course, performed the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram before he completed the ritual.
Afterwards, Nathan felt like he was effectively manifesting harmony, for himself and the realm.
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All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.
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The High Priestess: The Moon
Mr. M and the Allies of The Moon
"Look! She's wearing a strange crown, Mr. M."
"Yes, it might seem a bit strange. Her mysterious crown suggests the phases of the moon. Through the receptive feminine side of the psyche, she knows the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. She is a High Priestess who reveals messages from the other side of the Abyss that she communicates to us. She can be a dark Goddess, but she can impart great spiritual knowledge to us from both the higher and lower dimensions. She is comfortable with both unity and diversity and harmonizes all aspects of the psyche under the moon. Knowledge from the divine comes through her.
"The 13th path, known as 'The High Priestess,' is one of the most mysterious paths because in several key ways it belies our sense of logic. The moon and water symbolism of the path alludes to The Foundation, the ninth Emanation just above Malkuth, known as 'the Kingdom' in English. But the 13th path connects Beauty, the Christ center, with the Crown of Creation high on the middle pillar, establishing the most direct route to union with the Source. Instead of sun symbolism, which suggests unity and spiritual awareness, you find moon and water symbolism, which suggests constant flux, the many phases of life, as well as the subconscious mind."
"Mr. M, on the very first path we took, the 32nd path, which connects the Kingdom with the Foundation, we had to descend before we could ascend. Does that have something to do with it?" Claire inquires.
"On the 13th path, we have to go deep into the subconscious mind across the 'desert' that separates the divine core of the self from the conscious mind. The highest that the conscious human mind can go is Mercy, the fourth Emanation on the Tree of Life. That is one reason why the Hebrew letter associated with the 13th path is Gimel, which means 'camel.' In other words, the conscious mind cannot pull us like the moon--some other inner force must carry us. The Source, in the Crown of Creation, remember, contains the greatest unity that the human mind can know; the human mind in The Kingdom is much more used to dealing with polarity and division and the multiplicity of form."
"But all of these paths contain symbols to help us move to higher awareness, don't they?"
"Remember that symbols are still part of the world of form; symbols are forms that represent spiritual principles. But you are right. The other paths across the Abyss contain symbols that help us feel our way through the formless light. They form bridges to higher awareness. The spiritual abstractions above the Abyss are presented by the Holy Ghost as symbols to our subconscious mind; in other words, we create a bridge to the formless spiritual truths with the symbols in the ninth Emanation of The Foundation, which is hinted at in the moon and water symbolism of this path. The first connection with higher consciousness often consists of visions of symbols, such as an infinity symbol or an equal-armed cross. In other words, the higher self projects formless spiritual abstractions into the subconscious mind--which then represents the abstractions as symbols to the conscious mind."
"Didn't you say that higher knowledge is more intuitive, Mr. M?"
"Yes, higher knowledge is formless, without symbols. You just know something is true or about to happen. That is the basis of faith."
"So is that how we cross the Abyss?"
""Yes, but remember: You cannot look upon the face of God and live. In other words, if you experience the absolute unity of the Source, your consciousness will be translated into a completely different state of being. You will not be annihilated--instead, your consciousness will totally transcend the planes of manifestation. You will retain your human experience within the fire of the Source. Numerous lifetimes pass before a soul is ready for such a transcendent experience."
"But the core of the self communicates intuitive knowledge to the soul, right, so we can still know God even while we live as human beings?"
"Yes, as long as we clear a path between the divine core of the self, the enlightened conscious mind, and the lower incarnated personality. That is why it is crucial that you purify yourself regularly. Negative energies can garble and distort the messages."
"So the High Priestess channels those messages to us in pure form."
"Yes. The feminine side of the mind is much more psychic and receptive to spiritual intuition. Notice that the High Priestess sits between two pillars, which means that the High Priestess herself is essentially representing the middle pillar of the Tree of Life. She holds the Torah in her lap, a symbol of spiritual knowledge. Over her heart is a pure-white equal-armed cross, which symbolizes the unity and harmony of all of the elements of the Tree--before the white light is broken up into the many colors of multiplicity. In that sense, she is pure and can sit before the veil of the Abyss communicating the messages of Spirit to us. Her white equal-armed cross is the opposite of the black equal-armed cross associated with The Kingdom, which suggests that a logic exists in the realms of unity which is different from the logic of the realms of multiplicity, yet her feet touch the solid ground. She integrates the opposites of polarity, and the direct link to the Source is through Her."
Nine of Wands: Moon in Sagittarius, Moon in Yesod (The Foundation)
"That guy looks really messed up. He seems a little dizzy."
"Yes, our friend is still standing up straight after suffering a blow to the head. He might be a little dazed, but the other wands standing up straight behind him suggest his great strength. Perhaps he has many allies who can come to his aid, or perhaps the wands signal deep strength on the different dimensions of the psyche represented by the Tree of Life. Our friend remains unwavering under the influence of the Moon in Sagittarius in the Emanation known as Yesod, The Foundation. On the cosmic level, one of the two main characteristics of The Foundation is strength. The other quality, which might seem contradictory at first, is the flux associated with water and the Moon. The strength inherent in the flux of The Foundation can be understood more easily in terms of a body of water like the ocean, with its constantly shifting waves and deep currents. The tides and waves and currents keep changing, but the the ocean remains a vast, powerful force. The Moon, also associated with the depths of the subconscious mind, is a strong influence on our ally on a personal level. His strength stems from a subconscious, spiritual source. The suit of Wands symbolizes the plane of spiritual will, which is sometimes buried deep within the subconscious mind of the individual. The sun shines on the moon, which in terms of the Tree of Life symbolically suggests the Higher Self stimulating the subconscious. Sagittarians are known for having strongly idealistic natures that can suffer many disappointments because of their passion for truth and justice. They tend to fight for causes they believe to be just, and are usually on the side of the underdog. Whether our friend is aware of it or not, these qualities stem from the Higher Self."
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Four of Cups: Moon in Cancer, Jupiter in Chesed (Mercy)
"He looks like he is meditating with his eyes open, Mr. M," Claire whispers.
"Yes, our friend sits at the foot of a tree in a posture of meditation, recalling the Buddha who meditated under a Bodhi tree until he attained enlightenment. Our friend is having a vision: an ethereal hand extending from a cloud offers him a golden cup. His eyes appear to be open, but he is concentrating intensely, perceiving the cups before him with the psychic third eye. As many who meditate know, visions of archetypes and symbols often appear as real as anything in conscious, waking vision. Your ally is experiencing the influence of Cancer, which stimulates psychic powers as well as the powers of sympathetic imagination. The Moon, also associated with psychism and the subconscious mind, is also a powerful influence. Even though your ally may give the impression of being down-to-earth, common, even simple, in this state influenced by the Moon and Cancer, he can experience great insights that reveal the magnificence, harmony and abundance of the spirit (characteristic of Jupiter), even possibly, like the Buddha, inspiring generations with his wisdom."
"He makes me want to meditate, Mr. M!"
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Two of Swords: Moon in Libra, Zodiac in Chokmah (Wisdom)
"Look, she is glowing in the moonlight, Mr. M!"
"Or her soul is glowing. She crosses her arms, grasping a long sword in each hand. Since the swords are so long and heavy, this balancing act obviously requires great strength and concentration. Our friend wears a blindfold, which perhaps is helping her to concentrate. If you think back, you might remember that she is like the figure of Justice, who does not wear a blindfold, which suggest that true justice sees all. So our friend appears to represent something besides the forces of karma and justice. Since she is in the second Emanation known as Wisdom, a state of almost unimaginable energy, she is concentrating on balancing powerful forces, an act of great discipline in such a dynamic sphere, which is a quality of Libra. On the Tree of Life, the second Emanation balances the forces of the Source, establishing equilibrium. Our friend wears a blindfold to suggest that the force of equilibrium is at this stage a blind, primal state 'above' nature, just as Wisdom is a supernal Emanation 'above' manifestation, and she wears white to suggest how all colors together form one unified state 'above' or 'beyond' the diverse forms of creation. The sense of primal unity, willful balance and stability within the dynamic powers and flux of creation, suggested by water and the Moon, is what our friend manifests."
"I see why she is glowing, Mr. M."
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Seven of Swords: Moon in Aquarius, Venus in Netzach (Victory)
"Look, Mr. M, those swords must be hurting his hands!"
"Yes, I'm sure those swords are sharp, but our friend is gleefully stealing them from the enemy's camp. He resembles a jester more than a soldier, and his attitude suggests that he is performing a prank rather than attempting to seriously harm the enemy. He is alone, and his actions have minimal impact on the opposition, yet his prank suggests that humor is potentially a kind of weapon that can force the mind to examine different points of view. He cannot carry all of the swords, which suggests that it would have been wiser to involve others in the scheme--if he were actually attempting to destabilize the enemy. His efforts are unstable (a quality of both the Moon, which constantly changes, and Venus on the lower planes), but there is the suggestion of a deeper principle: conflict, which usually stems from desire or emotion, often causes instability. His prank resembles a jest before a king who unwisely insists on dragging a society into war, into open conflict which stems from unstable emotions and desires and ends up causing even more instability. Your ally is out in the open, committing a theft, which is less evil than killing. He doesn't even seem to mind that he might be seen. 'Look at me,' he seems to be saying. 'My actions are less harmful and crazy than yours!' His awkward theft points to another basic motivation for conflict: stealing property. Our friend reveals a facet of The Fool, a divine madness that forces the people in power and the community to confront their own irrationality and greed."
"He seems like a wise fool, Mr. M. I like him!"
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Six of Pentacles: Moon in Taurus, Sun in Tiphareth (Beauty)
"That man seems super-generous, Mr. M!"
"Yes, he is manifesting the generosity of the life-force. With one hand he is giving money, a form of energy; in the other he holds scales as if to determine whether or not he is creating balance. The master resembles the life-force with its inherent sense of balance, from which abundance is obtained through a desire for development. Each of us receives spiritual impulses, inspirations that we can manifest down through the planes through the use of the imagination, technical knowledge and skill. Those with a strong desire to develop their talents and use their abilities to realize their dreams are supported and rewarded on some level. Those who do not develop their talents lose what they already have through lack of initiative. Individual talents, like muscles, atrophy if they are not used."
"I won't ignore my talents, Mr. M."
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All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.
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Seven of Swords: Moon in Aquarius, Venus in Victory (Netzach)
LORD OF UNSTABLE EFFORT
War was raging at the edges of the Tarot Realm. Nathan headed to the front lines to help drive back the invaders. When he arrived, he immediately rode out with a group of other knights to raid an enemy encampment, but before the attack commenced, Nathan witnessed a man stealing swords from the enemy. The man was not in uniform and appeared more like a prankster or a clown than a soldier. Instead of becoming involved in the conflict, the man, who was smiling, seemed to be making some statement about war and aggression, but Nathan couldn't understand why the man was taking such a risk, for surely he would be executed if he were caught, and stealing a few swords really wouldn't make much difference as far as the war effort was concerned.
After the knights raided the encampment and drove the enemy back, Nathan, exhausted and wounded, decided to find a place to rest. As he was heading toward one of the tents that was still standing, he encountered the King of Swords.
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King of Swords
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Nathan bowed before the King.
"My brave knight, you are wounded. You should find a place to rest."
"Yes, your Highness, but I would like to ask a question first."
"You may ask your question, brave knight."
"Thank you, your Majesty. Before we raided the enemy encampment, I witnessed a man, who was not a soldier, stealing a few swords from the enemy. His act seemed foolish, and he appeared mentally unstable--he was smiling as if he were fulfilling his duty or making a point of some kind. Why do you think a man would take such a risk, your Highness? Is he merely a fool?"
"War is an act of dominance. War often makes the masses feel righteous and strong, but it usually amounts to a few wealthy, powerful people stealing land and resources from others. In war, numerous people, often innocent women and children, are killed or harmed in horrible ways, and war poisons people on both sides of the conflict against each other for many years. I think I have encountered the man of whom you speak. He is very much like a court jester. Stealing a few swords seems foolish but reveals a way of neutralizing conflict. Instead of being a prankster or a fool, the man is experiencing the influences of powerful spiritual forces. The man is part comedian and part priest who reveals spiritual principle in an unusual way by performing absurd acts. He is not afraid to look like a lunatic. Humor, brave knight, if performed effectively, forces people to reexamine their beliefs. His act of stealing is nothing compared to the terrible acts of plunder and murder and mayhem committed by people who want to control others and obtain more land and wealth. If our hearts were truly open and we experienced the divinity of all life, we would find every means possible to neutralize conflict instead of engaging in it, just as the holy man neutralizes dark forces to create balance. In the Tarot Realm, balance is the key. Sometimes as a knight you fight injustice and lawlessness and disorder, but as you act for the highest good of the realm, you also sometimes neutralize conflict to create balance and stability. In other words, you find ways to remove the potential for negativity. Like our friend, you take risks in different situations for the highest good of the realm, and you deserve our thanks."
Nathan bowed. "I serve thee always, your Majesty."
The King responded, "Rest now, valiant knight. We may soon require your skills once again."
After receiving some medical care, Nathan fell asleep in one of the tents, and after a few days of rest, he felt much better. As he was taking a walk in the forest, he remembered what the holy man in the castle had revealed to him. The Fool, the holy man said, reveals a kind of divine madness that can awaken spiritual awareness in other people. Many might dismiss the person as a lunatic, but some might feel their heart open and experience the descent of the divine. They might even for a few moments experience the marriage of heaven and earth. The holy man laid down the Seven of Swords. This card, he said, is associated with The Moon in Aquarius, which in the Tarot is associated with the High Priestess and The Star, as well as with Venus in Victory, the Emanation of the victory of love and harmony, represented by The Empress. When performing a ritual with the Tarot, he said, you can focus on the Tree of Life association, in this case Venus in Victory, and use the other cards, in this case The High Priestess and the Star, as modifiers. Love and the moon can cause lunacy, he said, but on the Tree of Life The Moon is associated with 'The Descent of the Divine,' and the Empress is associated with 'The Marriage of Heaven and Earth.' Combined with The Star, which represents 'The Opening of the Heart,' we experience powerful spiritual energies that can neutralize or reduce conflict or turn a negative situation into a positive one. In the physical realm, neutralizing conflict or dark forces might look like an unstable or even clownish act, but on the spiritual level, it can be a heroic act that can have a powerful impact on the psyche of other people if you are acting from spiritual principles so that people open their heart and know divinity and experience the marriage of heaven and earth."
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The High Priestess: The Moon
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The holy man had shown Nathan how to create a positive living image with The Empress at the center of the pentagram and The Star and the High Priestess as modifiers. The holy man had confided that The Empress is one of the best cards in the deck because it reveals the Marriage of Heaven and Earth. The Empress, he said, is associated with Path Four on the Tree of Life, which connects Wisdom with Understanding, as well as with the Emanation of the Victory of love, which is associated with Venus. So much divine feminine energy, he said, neutralizes the toxic masculinity that so often leads to conflict--and can provide the understanding that domination is a way to rob people in one way or another, of their dignity or their property, for instance, and ends up being extremely negative or simply unnecessary.
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The Empress: Venus
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Nathan found a rock in a secluded part of the forest that he could use as a makeshift altar. First, he performed the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. Then he performed the first eleven steps of the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram. Then he got ready to create a living image of the The Empress, with The Star and The High Priestess as modifiers, in his Tarot Pentagram Spread.
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Active and Passive Invoking Pentagrams
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Since The Empress and the two modifiers are associated with the Seven of Swords, and the suit of Swords is an active element, Nathan used the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram while laying down the foundation cards, starting in the lower right corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper left corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram, making sure to tap the Ace of Wands in the lower right corner to complete the pentagram.
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Foundation Cards with The Empress
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Then Nathan placed The Empress in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Empress, the Marriage of Heaven and Earth," and tapped the card. Then he placed The Star, associated with the zodiac sign Aquarius, then The High Priestess, associated with The Moon, on the Ace of Swords and tapped both. As he placed The Star on the Ace of Swords, he said, "The Star, Aquarius, the opening of the heart." As he placed The High Priestess on The Star, he said, "The High Priestess, The Moon, the descent of the divine."
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Pentagram for Spirit
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Then he drew the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram and the spirit wheel in brilliant white above The Empress 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 the element of Air directly over the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol with the Sign of the Enterer.
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Invoking Pentagram for Air
(Click on the Star Above to Explore "Invertebrate Land.)
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At that point, he imagined the symbol of Aquarius in the middle of the Invoking Pentagram of Earth becoming the living image of The Empress. He imagined the living image moving a few feet east of the altar and coming alive as Venus, a powerful feminine force awakening the experience of the marriage of heaven and earth. Nathan remembered that The High Priestess is deeply connected with all the Paths on the Tree of Life, which helped him feel the marriage of heaven and earth, for he knew that all divine energies exist within his personal consciousness, as well as within the Universal Consciousness. As he visualized the living image of The Empress, he imagined that sylphs, brilliant points of light, flowed from the Archangel Raphael and filled the living image of The Empress while at the same time tiny points of gleaming light emanated from his aura and filled the living image as well.
He said again, "The Empress, the marriage of heaven and earth."
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Modifying Cards for The Empress
(Click on the Star Above to Review the LBRP and the SIRP.)
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Then he said, "Great forces of Venus and Aquarius and The Moon, awaken my heart so that I feel the descent of the divine and experience the marriage of heaven and earth and have the understanding and wisdom and love to serve the realm for the highest possible good."
Then he stated, "Perform this task and then return to the bosom of nature, doing no harm." He ended by exclaiming, "So mote it be!" Then he imagined for a few minutes the living image of The Empress engulfing him in light and awakening his heart and mind to the marriage of the spiritual and the physical, the marriage of heaven and earth.
He unexpectedly felt the light of understanding and wisdom and love often afterwards, and he sensed once again that his higher self was guiding him.
Nathan finished the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
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All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.
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