By Gede Parma
The Tarot, by its very nature, permeates the great expanse of both the human psyche and the human experience; both of which influence the other. It is a refined divinatory system which comprises 78 cards; 56 of which make up the minor arcana (the lesser/'mundane' mysteries) and 22 comprise the major arcana (the greater/'esoteric' mysteries). It is the major arcana which will inform the remainder of this article.
Various systems exist which connect and co-relate the 22 cards of the major arcana with specific occult and esoteric traditions. For instance the Qabalistic Tree of Life bears a striking resemblance to the major arcana in both archetypal force and dynamic understanding. This is so, despite the stark difference in relative origin of the two systems, because esoteric tradition aims to connect and commune with the Life-Force most often identified as ‘God’ or the Divine, which unites all things. The Tarot embodies a psychic journey towards spiritual truth and wholeness for the human being and as such can be harnessed as a psychological tool of reflection and insight.
The Fool’s Journey (the unfolding of the major arcana) speaks of the sacred pilgrimage to Self which we all undertake. In order the cards of the major arcana are as follows:
This article will speak of the teaching of each card briefly and draw associations between the esoteric mystery and the human experience (which are in truth one). As this is only part one of the series of articles I will only examine the first seven cards here, the remainder will be covered in parts two and three, and the summation of the series will focus on the ambiguous character of the Fool himself.
1 – The MagicianThe Magician’s teaching concerns mastery over one’s destiny. He has the power to unite the disparate aspects of the cosmos and in alchemical marriage bond them together to inspire divine gnosis. This mystery places the Magician in the heart of all things and thus at the pinnacle of Fate. Our very humanity is daily addressed by the concern of destiny and fate’s toll. However the key to understanding and riding the tides of fate does not sit with subordination to it or suppression by it, for fate is intrinsically connected to our inner yearnings to make manifest the deepest desires of the heart. The force of fate is mirrored by the internal realm, thus the Magician gestures to both heaven and earth and declares, “As above, so below”.
2 – The High Priestess
The teaching of the High Priestess relates to the discovery of and attainment of secrets, generally spiritual in nature. When we are delivered the sacred Book of Truth (which the High Priestess is often depicted as holding) we can clearly see that which is at work in the world and thus in our own personal lives. When we kneel before the High Priestess we kneel before the potential within each of us to interface with the Divine and to truly hear and understand its wisdom. The High Priestess’s advice is to open oneself as a vessel to the Divine and to listen.
3 – The Empress
The Empress is the embodiment of both earthly fertility and the abundance of the soul. She is the Great Mother herself and offers forth the fruits of the Earth to nourish and nurture her many children. When the Empress appears it is because one is about to receive such blessings or focus must be placed on these aspects of life in order to fully appreciate them and thus manifest them. All that we need is provided; we must merely honour the Great Mother and her generosity before we are able to receive the blessings. This is a form of sacred exchange; many forget that to receive one must give back in order to maintain the balance.
4 – The Emperor
If the Empress is the abundance and fertility of the earth and the spirit, then the Emperor is the force that seeks to govern and (dis)empower those who exist within these realms. The Emperor is a volatile force/archetype who has the propensity to transform into a tyrant; he is also a loving father who wishes only the best for his children. The Emperor’s message is that of power which can be harnessed and directed in either benevolence or sheer malevolence if the empowered individual becomes corrupted by ideologies of ‘power-over’. The Emperor needs to come from a place of ‘power-from-within’ if he is to be a just and compassionate leader of his people. One who allows ego and arrogance to rule the mind will divorce the sacred from the world and evoke ‘profanity’ in it. The balance of the Empress is required here.
5 – The Hierophant
The Hierophant is akin to the High Priestess as the Emperor is to the Empress. Whereas the High Priestess governs occult secrets and the ability to open to them, the Hierophant directs the worldly powers that be in order to guide the many to discovering a connection with the Divine. Once again if this power is corrupted it can be wielded disastrously and religion truly becomes ‘opiate to the masses’. If the guidelines of a particular religion or tradition no longer serve one’s evolving consciousness then personal ethics are required to determine the direction of one’s path. The Hierophant stands as a representative of the Divine upon Earth, in that he is a human symbol for the authority of that which is in truth within the heart of all things. His message is that of authority of Self, and this ancient principle implies the authority of the Divine to will, be and express/manifest, as we are all of the Divine.
6 – The Lovers
The Lovers represent the dynamic, complementary forces in Life which seek and yearn for one another. The Lovers embody the dictum of Heart and of feeling. If this card appears in a reading it is often an indicator that an important choice must be made and it must be determined by the feeling of the heart. It is a powerfully dynamic archetype which is often at the root of all human compassion and conflict. However, the balance between heart and mind (as two complementary forces) must be maintained and honoured in order to lead the self to the Self.
7 – The Chariot
“When in life we don’t succeed, try, try again” – this is the driving force behind the momentum of the Chariot. The Chariot unites opposites and Will fuels it. At this point of the journey we are becoming innately aligned with the truth of Self and success becomes the leading principle in walking the path. Suddenly the road is clear and any hindrance disappears as we efficiently and with gusto determine where our paths are leading.
In the next part of this series I will be examining Strength, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune, Justice, the Hanged Man, Death and Temperance.
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