Tarot Meditation 21: Judgment, Key 20

Angel Gabriel emerges from the clouds of heaven, blowing seven notes from his trumpet, giving humanity the creative Word that connects us to the Divine. Attached to the trumpet is the equal-armed solar cross, reminding us to seek balance in all we do.

In the foreground of the Key is the pool of Cosmic consciousness, where all the streams we've seen in previous keys (beginning with melting snow in The Fool key) flow together to become One. Note the same snowy mountain-tops from The Fool key in the background. This is yet another of Tarot's attempt to help us find connection and balance in our lives.

The man, woman and child rise from coffins of world beliefs floating on the pool. This is the re-awakening of our connection to Nature through Spirit and of our connection of birth through death. The man represents the conscious mind, the women the unconscious, and the child represents our ability to regenerate through many lifetimes.

Numerologically, Key 20 represents our evolution through two complete cycles of 10, being renewed and reborn twice in the cycles of learning who we are physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

The Judgment Key is about the gift of decernment that comes from living successfully through challenges and obstacles in our lives. Here, finally, The Fool has found the secrets of living a full and joyful life through both knowledge and faith. The Fool now stands on the edge of blending with universal thought.

Be blessed,

Deb

Tarot Meditation 20: The Sun, Key 19

Such pleasure there is in the light of the Sun! This key is one of celebration, joy, and accomplishment. The naked child rides the white horse of pure solar energy triumphantly from the walled garden cultivated human consciousness. The four sunflowers face the child, not the Sun behind them, indicating the elements of Fire, Air, Earth and Water are paying attention to the child's actions.

The child represents yet another step in The Fool's journey toward enlightenment. Like The Fool, s/he wears a wreath and a red feather in her/his hair, signifying s/he is gaining spiritual victory over the lower aspects of humanness. The nakedness indicates there is nothing to hide. Controlling the horse only with body movements shows the child has reached a balance between the conscious and unconscious mind. The red banner in the child's hand denotes action and purpose of thought related to the Sun's light (opposite of the reflective, quite light we saw in The Moon). Note the banner is in the child's left hand, an indication that purpose is driven by our unconscious mind.

This Key reminds us that, when we are who we are and are willing to share ourselves in gentleness and kindness, the world can be a joyous place. Speaking our truth quietly puts us in balance with All That Is, and within ourselves. There is joy in the process of coming into the Light.

Be blessed,

Deb

Tarot Meditation 19: The Moon, Key 18

Apologies for delay in blogging - too many plates spinning in my universe this month!

I write this entry on the eve of the Full Moon in Pisces, or the Corn Moon as it is called by pagans. Grandmother Moon shines brightly tomorrow night as we celebrate the transition into the harvest season.

In traditional Tarot, The Moon Key is fraught with wonderful Goddess symbols. The Key depicts Moon in three phases (Maiden, Mother, Crone). The Moon is surrounded by falling Yods (as we saw in The Tower Key), reminding us that the Life-force from above always falls on those who seek guidance.

In the foreground of the Key is the pool of the Cosmic Mind, from which a crayfish (symbolic of the early stages of unconsciousness unfolding) emerges. From the snow-covered mountains in the background, the waters of intellect and reason merge into a stream flowing in the pool.

On one side of the stream stands Wolf, Mother Nature's untamed creation. On the other stands Dog, representing humankind's adaptation to the world around us. Halfway up the stream (path) are the twin towers humans have created to protect themselves from a hostile environment. These are not the same towers of spiritual strength seen in The High Priestess Key.

The Moon Key reminds us that Grandmother Moon watches over our spiritual journey toward enlightenment. Numerologically, Key 18 (1+8=9) is the Key of completion of the second phase of The Fool's journey (the first phase ended with The Hermit - Key 9). The Fool continues along the path, learning, growing, falling back, and learning again.

The Moon is the Key of intuitive ability, of dreams and premonitions. If we would only listen to the lessons of the subconscious, learn to trust our intuition, the path that carries us between the towers and to the mountaintop would not seem so steep.

Be blessed,

Deb

Tarot Meditation 7: The Lovers, Key 6

The man in Key 6, representing conscious thought, gazes at the woman, representing the unconscious mind, while she gazes upward at Archangel Raphael, the angel of air, representing the superconscious. This triangle of connection reminds us that Truth conveyed by the conscious mind cannot be manifested in the superconscious (and believed) unless it has passed first through the subconscious of true, deep knowing.

Behind the woman is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, bearing fruit of the five senses. The serpent climbs the tree. Behind the man is the Tree of Trefoil Flames of the 12 signs of the zodiac. The nakedness of the couple indicate they have nothing to hide from each other, and from the world. In the background is a mountain of reason and thought, and the river of the unconscious flows below it.

This Key is deeply metaphysical in that The Lovers Key calls for constant connection among the subconscious, the conscious and the superconscious minds. However, I propose that the metaphysical meaning is even deeper and older than this.

For thousands of years before the Judeo-Christian concept of good and evil, here represented by the Tree of Knowledge climbed by the snake, the snake was a symbol of the Great Goddess, Mother and Giver of all life. Herein, perhaps, lies a deeper meaning of The Lovers Key. The snake is an ancient symbol of transformation, of shedding that which no longer serves us, and allows us to be connected to Mother Earth, just as the crawling snake is connected to Her.

The Lovers Key, which can be interpreted to represent divine love between two people, also can be interpreted to represent divine love of the parts of ourselves, as well as divine love of The Mother of us all.

Be blessed,

Deb