Reflection for May 30, 2013: At the borders of speech

It is precisely the challenge involved

in using inadequate words

that drives the mind

beyond all words…

At the borders of speech

we open ourselves

to the positive value of silence….

Literary reading,

through its complexity, its music,

its suggestiveness, points to a fuller realm of being.

–Edward k Kaplan (citing Abraham Joshua Heschel)

 

WHen male is Female

Princess?

 

generally tarot decks go

 

KIng  fire

Queen water

Knight air

and here must be your princess earth

 

…

 

You of course raise a valid point.

We see this in kabbalah in the fractal nature of things, worlds within worlds. Or Etz chaim (tree of life) within each emanation.

 

So we see this in tarot, water contains fire air water and earth

and so on.

 

So what do we get?

 

YHVH the tetragrammaton is generally seen as:

 

father mother child consort

 

The Yod and the Vau are male

the two Hehs are female.

 

This of course can lead to us looking to the Gnostic myth of Sophia, there being a heavenly Sophia and a fallen material Sophia (Sophia Ecamoth)

 

But we return to our oringinal conundrum. How can male be female and female be male?

 

Well as we have demonstrated lately, certain people in this group are incapable of seeing polarity and SEX for what it is, a DYNAMIC changing force.

 

So the four elements in the court cards in tarot represent:

The four qworld of Kabbalah

origination

creation

formation

expression

 

or as more standard from WIKI:

 

Atziluth (אֲצִילוּת), or “World of Emanations”; on this level the light of the Ain Sof radiates and is still united with its source.

 

Beri’ah (בְּרִיאָה) or “World of Creation”; on this level is the first concept of creation ex nihilo however without any shape or form. This is also where the Highest Ranking Angels are to be found.

 

Yetzirah (יְצִירָה) or “World of Formation”; on this level the created being assumes shape and form.

 

Asiyah’ (עֲשִׂיָּה) or “World of Actions”; on this level the creation is complete, however it is still on a spiritual level. At a later stage there is the ‘physical Asiyah’ comprising our physical world with all its creatures.

 

 

 

 

from idea to implementation… air leads to fire to water to earth

idea…transformation of idea..emotions and spirit and physicality…

etc.

 

We also see dynamic polarity. Not only do the four elemnets in the court cards represent the four modes, four world, 4 elements, 4 animals (ezekiel) etc. but they also represent polarity.

 

For as you point out, Fire contains water and earth, thus fire is Male but it is also female. How is this possible you cry?

 

It is possible as polairty is DYNAMIC, it changes constantly. One returns to kabbalah, the sefirot, they are not male or female, they are always BOTH at all times. A first mistake of many beginners is to think that Hod mercury is male, Venus Netzach is female etc. This is incorrect…they are both. Polarity IS DYNAMIC. We can see this dynamism in pretty much ALL paths that speak of polarity. The Hindus do not refer to it as a DANCE without reason.

 

So How can Yod and Vau be female and male?

It depends on where you are.

WHich world, which expression you are in.

 

Or ultimatly:

 

We see things as we are

Not as they are

 

–Kahlil Gibran

 

Simple Tarot Meditation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simple divination is but one use of tarot. Tarot is most effectively used to help transform conciousness and to meditate upon. There are 2 types of tarot users, those who rely upon their innate “abilities” (which all people have to a greater or lesser extent) and those that are the same as the 1st group BUT also KNOW and communicate with their deck.

First and foremost as tarot users we should know that Tarot is ALIVE. A simple way to approach any deck is to treat them as: “TAROT ARE LIKE A PERSON, TREAT THEM BADLY AND THEY’LL TREAT YOU BADLY, TREAT THEM WELL AND THEY’LL BE YOUR FRIENDS.”

This simple yet effective exercise should be undertaken for those who are regular meditators, at least this will be most effective for those that meditate often. Part 2 will examine a simple yet effective method to “get to know” your entiure deck.

 court card exercise

1. Remove all the court cards from your deck. Set aside the rest of the deck, you will not be using them.

2. Briefly enter silence and still your mind. Take the cards and shuffle them in this “silent” mode.

3. From this deck choose 1 card, face down. Place the rest of the cards aside.

4. With your chosen card place it in both hands. Caress the card. Briefly enter silence and meditate upon the card, stilling the mind, free yourself allowing the card to “talk to you”.

5. After this brief period turn over the card. Hold the card close to your face and study it. Clear your mind and meditate open eyed on the card. Let the card fill your conciousness. The card may begin to move and become alive, do not resist this, only resist absurdities such as an appearance of mickey mouse. Meditate open eyed holding the card in your conciousness for 5-10 mins.

6. Now you have communicated with the cards. This is a simple exercise that is surprisingly effective. Feel free to write down any exeperiences or things you have learnt.

………………

The Tarot is generally made up of 78 cards.  We have 22 “trump cards” (22 Hebrew letters) 16 Court cards (king, queen, knight and “page”.  Lastly we have remaining 40 numerical cards (4 sets of 10).  We shall explore this more later.

For now let’s move onto a simple but LONG term exercise.

You should get to KNOW your deck intimately.  How does one do this? One meditates.

You should obtain a book to be used as a journal.  Now you have to meditate upon every one of the 78 cards!…yes a daunting task, but there are no quick fixes; a good meal isn’t made up of “fast food.”

Feel free to add to your journal at all times.

 

1. Take a card from your deck.  Now Which card should this be?  That is up to YOU.  There are several methods a0 follow a numerical value system.  Such as start with card #1 of the trump cards…then move on to card #2 etc.  Or you could follow a system based upon how the cards are placed upon the tree of life.  Or simply meditate and pick a card from the deck.  The choice is YOURS. But stick to it!

2.     Now you must meditate upon your chosen card daily.  Do this initially by staring at the card.  Place it close to your eyes.  Allow the image to fill your consciousness.  At this initial stage do not allow anything to move.  You are merely attempting to fix the image in your mind.  SO much so you could close your eyes and see the card.  DO this initial “staring” for around 10 minutes a night, preferably at the same time every night.  Do this for at least a week, perhaps 2 weeks.

• Now you should know the card off by heart and pretty much be able to see the card without even looking at it.  Continue as in stage 2 but allow the card to Move.  You should be able to now meditate closed eyed upon the card.  Do this for several days.

 

1. Gradually carry on as before.  But now you should move your consciousness so you are within the card.  Feel free to interact with any of the beings in the card.

 

• Do this for every card.