Posts Tagged ‘Divination’

As a Third Degree Dedicant and Second Degree Initiated Priestess of the Sacred Mists Coven, I have spent many years studying, writing about, and thinking about the polar opposites that are Goddess and God, and of the manifestations of energy patterns in my world that correspond with the purest and highest of energies that are the Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine. I see these patterns everywhere in the workings of man and of Nature, sometimes a combination of the Two, and other times a preference for One or the Other. No matter how polarized these energies may manifest in an individual situation, when I look at the overall picture I always see the dynamic balance that can happen when “different” is combined with “equal.”

A state of balance (or the lack thereof) has been a periodically intense part of my evolution and growth; when I have it, life itself seems effortless, and when I don’t have it, I seem to be surrounded by a brick wall stretching upward into the clouds, with footings deep in the earth below me. Why is it so easy for us to sense when we have balance, and why is it so difficult to attain if we don’t have it? My typical “language” for answering tough questions is the Tarot, and since this is a tough question, I pulled out several of my decks; here is what my cards told me about the concept of balance.

Both The Hanging Man and the Temperance card of the Major Arcana came to mind almost immediately; after all, the word “balance” is found in my keyword for each of these cards. But although both cards are a symbol or manifestation of balance, The Hanging Man is not Temperance; each card has a different feel to it. Could there be two versions of balance?

First, The Hanging Man. Besides balance, The Hanging Man is about voluntary and involuntary surrender; it is the archetype of sacrifice and initiation. The Hanging Man also corresponds to the element of Water, the planet Neptune, and the Hebrew letter Mem (which corresponds to Water, and stability and balance). It represents the Path between Hod (analysis, science and teaching) and Geburah (challenges, sacrifice and destruction, all of which release energy back into the system) on the Tree of Life.

The crossed legs of The Hanging Man represent the Cross of Hermes and this pose shows up on another Major Arcana card, The Emperor. This commonality reminds us that The Hanging Man, who has learned that surrender and sacrifice are the best tools, is in many ways the polar opposite of The Emperor. The Hanging Man also corresponds with The Fool, who seems to be surrendering to both the sun in the sky and the cliff beneath his feet as he commences his journey. The Hanging Man is also linked to the Death card, which is seen to be the next step after the voluntary surrender that brings his change of perspective, and The Moon card and illusion, another change of perspective.

The Hanging Man certainly values polar opposites, however it does not ask me to do anything with opposing forces but rather, to allow them to wash over me with the understanding that both comfort and discomfort have important places in my life. Many spiritual traditions teach us how to act, how to use intentions as a catalyst, and how to use our Will to manifest our goals; that is one side of the coin. A more difficult lesson to learn is that which shows us that those instances we most feel we want to control are the instances where we will be better served by surrendering. The cool thing about The Hanging Man is that he is not really hanging, he is balanced. By surrendering, he is in “suspension,” a state that can only be achieved by balancing opposing forces.

The Legacy of the Divine Hanging Man contains a symbol that illustrates this concept: an hourglass balanced on its side (the balance could not happen unless the hourglass was suspended with equal amounts of sand on each side). This is the kind of balance taught to us by our efforts to grow and evolve, for in order to practice our Craft well, we need to balance our focus between the inner world and the outer world, between receiving knowledge and sharing knowledge, between actively experiencing life and receiving glimpses of the workings of the Machinery of the Universe.

The Pearls of Wisdom Hanging Man represents cheerful sacrifice and surrender to the inevitable. It also refers to the deep emotional content buried in the subconscious mind that is made available to the conscious mind by the shock of altering perceptions. We are being told that despite feeling bound and restricted (or maybe because of those binds that restrict us), we are able to surrender to the entire event. We are emancipated from restrictions by surrendering to them, and we are freed from the fear of loss because we cannot act to prevent loss!

The Thoth Hanging Man seems to tell of waiting for something to happen, perhaps with a sense of fatalism arising from within (rather than from without, as portrayed by The Wheel of Fortune). It tells of the descent of Spirit into matter.

The Llewellyn Welsh Hanging Man tells of being detached and isolated, and reminds us that the silence of constraint brings deeper self-knowledge.

Out of the entire Tarot deck, The Hanging Man is the one card that represents true paradox. Think about it . . . who surrenders in order to win a battle? The Hanging Man does, and very effectively!

Next, the Temperance card. Temperance represents synergy, which is also a form of balance; it is the archetype of the union of opposites. Temperance corresponds with Fire, the mutable Fire sign of Sagittarius, and the Hebrew letter Samekh (the tent post or support). On the Tree of Life, Temperance is the Path between Yesod (the home of the self and the life force; the bridge between the physical and the non-physical) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process, where energies harmonize and focus in order to illuminate and clarify). Unlike The Hanging Man, which is not about accomplishments, the Temperance card teaches us to cope with many different projects at the same time; the energies of this card offer a sort of freedom from stress, rather than from ties that bind.

Temperance has a connection to The Tower, which is also a card of extremes, however the energies of The Tower are a direct result of an imbalance rather than the balance to be found in Temperance. The World/Universe is about the unity and synergy that can result from the balance of opposites that Temperance brings us, and The Sun is about the personal vitality, enlightenment and confidence that can be achieved through a disciplined application of that balance.

The cool thing about Temperance is that it promotes both balance and equilibrium, but it also tells us that in order to attain and understand balance, we need to experience and understand extremes. We need to not only learn about the insight, illumination and expansion of The Sun, but we must also contrive to experience these extremes in our own lives. Likewise, the sudden upheaval, chaos, humility and blow to the ego of The Tower must be both understood and personally experienced in order to receive the insights offered by its devastation. Most importantly, we need to learn by trial and error, or by experiencing both failure and success, for it is only through knowing and understanding both that we are able to refine our perceptions of our world, and reconcile and unite extremes together in order to form balance.

The Legacy of the Divine Temperance card tells us that balance is fond by making continual adjustments and by getting the mixture right. It also reminds us that our hardships make us stronger and more refined.

The Pearls of Wisdom Temperance card reminds us that the process of tempering is connected to alchemic processes, of science combining with mysticism, of the irreconcilable being reconciled, in order to offer a vision of a future transformation. The image on this version of Temperance is partially blurred, reminding us that the union of opposites presented by Temperance is a temporary state.

The Thoth Temperance card, named “Art” by Aleister Crowley, tells us to “transmute all wholly into the Image of thy Will, bringing each to its true token of Perfection.” Crowley sees this card as representing the arts of magick and alchemy, and actions that are based on accurate calculations.

The Llewellyn Welsh Temperance card tells of both moderation and adaptation, and grace under pressure; and it tells of being a survivor. Now, that is interesting.

Temperance is indeed quite different from The Hanging Man, even though they both profess to manifest balance. It appears that I have found my two sides of balance, an outer and active version, and an inner and receptive version.

You can experience the two sides to balance, too. Try balancing on one foot; you will experience the kind of balance to be found in the Temperance card. This is active balance, and it can only be achieved by the imposition of equal yet opposite forces (gravity, and the efforts of your muscles to counteract that gravity). Then remember the last time you put on a life vest and floated in the deep end of a pool or lake, allowing the breeze and the currents to gently carry you here and there. In surrendering to the effects of the elements, you just may have experienced a moment of serene balance that never would have come to you if you tried to actively paddle to your own intended destination.

Perhaps by understanding the two sides of balance, we will be better able to manifest balance within our lives. What kind of balance are you looking for today?

Sources:
Sacred Mists Degree Training
Sacred Mists Tarot Class
The LWB’s that come with the Gateway to the Divine Tarot, the Llewellyn Welsh Tarot, the Pearls of Wisdom Tarot, and the Thoth Tarot.

Lets take a look at today’s card-The World:

We see a woman who is surrounded by a wreath made of Laurel which is a symbol of protection, peace and purification. Her legs are crossed which represents overcoming obstacles (the crossroads). The figures in the four corners of The World card represent the four fixed signs of the zodiac, Leo, Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius. This is symbolic of all the stars coming into alignment for me. Today, my focus should be on world issues or world events, encounters, and gatherings; travel, change, or physical concerns; organizations, risks, and new opportunities; but also any restrictions, walls, or blocks that I may have.
Eventually I’ll surmount any limitations or obstacles that I may have and come out on top. It’s time to realize what my goals really are and to start to count my blessings.  My obsession (or preoccupation) with the past is hindering my ability to see what is really going on, but no matter how bound you’re feeling now, you can still break free. Things can change for me. Lessons of the past should help me- NOT hinder me, if I have learned my lesson well!

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I pulled out my advice card for the day, and what I pulled out, was The Two of Pentacles.  Looks like I need to get things in order today!  If you look at the illustration, it looks like a young man juggling two pentacles or discs.  Notice that he is standing one one foot and that there is water behind him.  The water is very wavy and there are two boats, one small and one large,  trying to maneuver those big waves.  There is a  need to find a balance between two main things in my life.  Work and family is what stands out to me.  Is one aspect of my life, being sacrificed for the other?  Am I juggling too many things in my life right now?

Take a look at the things in your life.  Are you being pulled apart right now?  Pay attention to your stress levels now.  You may need to pull back right now.  Now would be a great time to take some time off and regroup so you can start fresh!  Weed out what you don’t need right now and pay attention to just the important things for now.  How have things been going in your love life?  Have you been paying attention to your loved one?  Sometimes we get so caught up in doing soo many mundane things that our love life, or spiritual lives suffer.  How have your finances been?  What comes comes to my mind, when I look at this card, is what I call “BINGE” spending.  Keep from spending too much right now.  Be conservative with your money.  Keep from overdoing or overextending yourself.

I would love to hear from you!  If you have any questions or would like to see me address anything in regards to the tarot, post it here.

Today’s tarot card is the 2 of swords. Look at the imagery of this card. In this particular deck (The Sacred Circle), we see that there are two swords. One facing up and one facing down. There are sacred images in the background (a stone monolith) and green fields all around.
What might this mean to you? I am looking at this card and I get a “gut” feeling. What or who is opposing me? Are there conflicting thoughts? Am I having an internal conflict or having a hard time making a decision?
The whole “feeling” of this card is actually quite serene looking. In order to make the correct decisions, I need to be calm and serene. The number two is also a call for balance in one’s life. Have you achieved that? Do you need to find some balance in order to make the important decisions that you need to make. Remember-when you are emotional, it is hard to make an informed decision. It’s easy to let our emotions get away from us and slip up.  This may be a time of indecision, trouble may be ahead, in need of finding direction in your life.

This card is also a minor arcana card.  The Minor Arcana  indicates; that this is an issue that can be handled fairly easily!  Take a look around you.  Is this something that really doesn’t matter much to you?  Stay in control of your feelings and center yourself.

Please post any questions that you may have!  What is your take on this and how would this apply to you!

Today I pulled the ten of swords card. The imagery is quite graphic. We see a man, face down, with swords stabbing him in his back. There is water in the background and the sky is pitch black.

I looked at this card to see what advice I can gleen from it. What has been going on in my life that really needs work on. Am I really seeing the whole picture or am I just focusing on my own issues.

The Ten of Swords is telling me to be aware of what is going on around me. Presently, I am dealing with some emotional issues that I need to work through. Is this card telling me that someone will hurt me, or am I just “playing the victim” role. Always remember-there are always to sides to every card of the tarot. I must admit, that this card really hit home to me today. It may be a lesson in ego for me.

Really look at this card. How come there are so many swords stabbing this person? Does it really take soo many swords to the damage, or can just one sword do the deed. The point here may be what I call “overkill”. Is your ego getting the best of you? Is it time to let things go? If this has to do with a person in your life-did someone hurt you? Be careful not to delve into that “Victim” role. Do you feel that someone, or that certain people may be “stabbing you in the back”?  What would this mean to you?

Remember-the Ten of Swords is a “Minor” Arcana card. This means that this is something that is most likely related to everyday situations. If the issue is about a person-do you see this person around you everyday? The presence of this card may signify the need to settle this. Where you hurt by someone? Was it taken a bit too far?

Keep your eyes open. Don’t over do anything or become paranoid. Make sure to keep a level head and not let your ego control you. Things will get better if you handle yourself with dignity and grace. There lessons to be learned from this card AND situation.

What is your take on the Ten of Swords! What would be your take on this card if you pulled this for yourself?

10 of swords-Rider-waite