Duality in the majors

[akiva]

16 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

If there is a potential problem, it's the Emperor. Or at least the negative qualities of the Emperor that tend towards defensiveness and aggression. This can seen in the way individuals habitually wall themselves off from life behind their egos and self identity. The forces of continual change, symbolised by the Wheel, are perceived as a threat that transforms life into conflict and turmoil.

Kind of like a change or be changed situation. You can either roll with it, or resist it. You can't escape the wheel! One path is much easier than the other. 

 

16 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

But as the Emperor learns to wear the Crown of his own innate divinity, he becomes more secure on the throne and learns to embrace Change. This gradually softens his defensive siege mentality and transforms life into an open and expansive dance with the source of all being - The Empress - in which one is eternally being born from moment to moment. Eternally Becoming.

So at this point solidity has become plasticity. While not liquid, it's still malleable and not as resistant to change.

 

16 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

Or at least that's what I get from this particular 3 card meditation. 😄  

I like it, it's helped me view these 3 cards in a different light. 😁

 

[Aeon418]

5 hours ago, akiva said:

Kind of like a change or be changed situation. You can either roll with it, or resist it. You can't escape the wheel! One path is much easier than the other. 

 

You can't escape the Wheel. But you can wear the Crown of the Emperor and realise yourself at the very centre of the Wheel. Then the 3 principles of change that continually revolve around the Wheel are seen as manifestations of the eternal and unchanging 3 of the Empress.

[Aeon418]

Moving on ....

 

The Star - Adjustment (Justice) - The Moon.

 

1. The Star as a potency suggests to me the revelation or naked disclosure of the inherent Stellar nature of mankind. Taking a cue from the Thoth Tarot we see the Star Goddess, Nuit, pouring the contents of a cup upon her own head. She is self-anointed. In Hebrew "anointed" is Messiah. While in Greek "anointed" is Christ. As a potency the Star is emblematic of Christ or Cosmic Consciousness that informs every Life. Every man and every woman is a star.

 

2. Adjustment or Justice as an agency immediately suggests Karma as the law of cause and effect. In a universe where everything is connected to everything else, every action has be compensated for. But the pivot for the scales is always Truth. It is through balanced action (True Will) that Cosmic Consciousness is manifested. This suggests the ancient Egyptian concept of Maat.

 

3. The Moon as an outcome suggests the (seemingly) meandering path each of us treads through life. (The sign of Pisces rules the feet that Walk the Path.) Each of us walks a path that alternates between light and shadow. Groping our way through a world of twilight in which we seek guidance that manifests primarily as intuitions, feelings, and a wordless sense of inner knowing, that urges us to keep going, don't stop, keep searching. The promise of a Golden Dawn is always just over the horizon, in which the Sun of Soul will illumine the Way, the Truth, and the Life.       

[akiva]

4 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

1. The Star as a potency suggests to me the revelation or naked disclosure of the inherent Stellar nature of mankind. Taking a cue from the Thoth Tarot we see the Star Goddess, Nuit, pouring the contents of a cup upon her own head. She is self-anointed. In Hebrew "anointed" is Messiah. While in Greek "anointed" is Christ. As a potency the Star is emblematic of Christ or Cosmic Consciousness that informs every Life. Every man and every woman is a star.

I like this idea about The Star.

When I meditate on this card as a potency this idea of the realisation that we are an interconnected consciousness appears. Like being able to see the many stars in the night sky. 

 

Justice as an agency I see as the knowledge of how our actions effect the world around us, keeping them in balance with one another. The ultimate truth that what we do matters.

 

These two act upon The Moon (if I use the meanings I usually use) as blurring the lines of the duality. What was once a set "these things are different/seperate" becomes less certain. Black and white becomes grey.

Possibly also the subconscious (the collective conscious), or an awareness of it. I get this feeling of depth from this card. Where as The Star feels more 'surface'. Not necessarily shallow/meaningless, but more at the forefront? It's hard to describe! 😅

[Aeon418]

The Hierophant - The Hanged Man - The Sun.

 

1. I feel I need to preface my thoughts on the Hierophant because of the distorting and widespread influence that A. E. Waite has had on this card. Waite taught that the Hierophant was external, exoteric religion and traditional teaching. But this misses the mark. The Hierophant is the Pontifex, the bridge builder between the inner and outer worlds. The Hierophant is the outer symbol and facilitator for the true Inner Teacher and Guide. It is this inner guide and instructor that gives voice to the Speech in the Silence and is thus the real "potency" of this triad of cards.

 

2. The Hanged Man corresponds to the element of Water, which is the symbol of consciousness. The waters of consciousness can be anything from a calm and placid lake, to a turbulent and choppy sea. To the extent that we are able to relax and smooth out inner turmoil, our consciousness becomes the perfect "agency" within which the Inner Teacher can be reflected. We receive this influence in direct proportion to our ability to surrender and let go.

 

3. The Sun is the final outcome of this process. To the extent that Inner Teaching is reflected in the personal consciousness, without distortion, it pours outwards into the world as a source of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty. Inner illumination translates into outer illumination as one is transformed into a centre of light. A literal Sun that sheds its warmth and radiance freely on anyone who wishes to receive it in freedom and joy.      

 

 

[akiva]

4 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

1. I feel I need to preface my thoughts on the Hierophant because of the distorting and widespread influence that A. E. Waite has had on this card. Waite taught that the Hierophant was external, exoteric religion and traditional teaching. But this misses the mark. The Hierophant is the Pontifex, the bridge builder between the inner and outer worlds. The Hierophant is the outer symbol and facilitator for the true Inner Teacher and Guide. It is this inner guide and instructor that gives voice to the Speech in the Silence and is thus the real "potency" of this triad of cards.

So, kind of like the bridge between the internal soul/higher self and the external world? 

 

4 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

2. The Hanged Man corresponds to the element of Water, which is the symbol of consciousness. The waters of consciousness can be anything from a calm and placid lake, to a turbulent and choppy sea. To the extent that we are able to relax and smooth out inner turmoil, our consciousness becomes the perfect "agency" within which the Inner Teacher can be reflected. We receive this influence in direct proportion to our ability to surrender and let go.

In LiberTau a couple of keywords stand out, surrender and renunciation... it really fits with how you see it. Like that connection with our inner Teacher can't happen without first letting go of preconceptions

 

4 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

3. The Sun is the final outcome of this process. To the extent that Inner Teaching is reflected in the personal consciousness, without distortion, it pours outwards into the world as a source of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty. Inner illumination translates into outer illumination as one is transformed into a centre of light. A literal Sun that sheds its warmth and radiance freely on anyone who wishes to receive it in freedom and joy.      

Raggydoll used the term "brilliance" for the rune Sól earlier, which fits quite well with this card. It's like the result is this illuminated clarity. In the deck I use, two twins (Romulus and Remus) embrace and it gives this sensation of the inner and outer worlds touching, and the light eminating as a result 😁

[Aeon418]

4 hours ago, akiva said:

So, kind of like the bridge between the internal soul/higher self and the external world? 

 

Yes and no. Previously in this thread we've touched on the idea of there being no separation between the "Source," the Godhead, the Divine, etc., and the individual human being. But our experience of duality is rooted in a sense of separateness. And this sense of separateness extends to the "Source" which is experienced as a "Divine Otherness" that some traditions call the Holy Guardian Angel. From the perspective of the Source of All Being there is no distinction between the Angel and the individual human being. But from our dualistic perspective the Holy Guardian Angel is our unique bridge with the Source. This is the Hierophant in its deepest and most profound sense. All other spiritual teachers and gurus in the physical world are merely stand-ins and facilitators that can help us connect with this inner Guru.

 

4 hours ago, akiva said:

In LiberTau a couple of keywords stand out, surrender and renunciation... it really fits with how you see it. Like that connection with our inner Teacher can't happen without first letting go of preconceptions

 

For the sake of clarity, Liber Tau is only the arrangement of Tarot cards and Hebrew letters that you posted earlier in this thread. You appear to be conflating it with James Eshelman's, Liber Theta, which I posted a link to earlier. Liber Theta features Liber Tau on page 11. But the rest of the book is a wide variety of Tarot and Qabalistic material. 

 

Back on topic. The Hanged Man card represents the initial stage of trying to gain awareness of the Holy Guardian Angel. On the surface, and from the perspective of the conventional world, people who engage in spiritual practices seem a little odd. Surely the main preoccupation in the life of a sane individual is making money and chasing sex. (Although there is nothing inherently wrong with either.) Spirituality seems to be sort of out of sync. Maybe even upside down compared to the rest of the world. But the initial attempt to establish a connection with the Inner Teacher is exactly that.

 

Further on in this process the Hanged Man shows the ongoing work of conforming oneself to the Angel. The seemingly awkward posture of the Hanged Man points to this and the need to surrender and stop struggling against the Divine. This in turn dissolves the boundaries between the Angel and the Individual. So much so that some traditions conceptualise this as the ever deepening intimacy of a romantic relationship (see Atu VI - The Lovers.) in which two dissolve into one.    

 

4 hours ago, akiva said:

Raggydoll used the term "brilliance" for the rune Sól earlier, which fits quite well with this card. It's like the result is this illuminated clarity. In the deck I use, two twins (Romulus and Remus) embrace and it gives this sensation of the inner and outer worlds touching, and the light eminating as a result 😁

 

Two seemingly separate things expressing themselves in unity sounds highly consistent with everything else we've been discussing. Also the Sun is a symbol of the union of masculine and feminine. It indicates a balanced state of union, which points back to the Adjustment /  Justice cards position in the previous column and it's relationship to the Moon. Individuals who are channelling the "illuminated clarity" as you call it, are those who manifest balanced actions in the twilight world of the Moon card. They illumine the twilight with their actions and brighten the path for others trying to find their way through the darkness and uncertainty.  

Edited October 9, 2023 by Aeon418
Typo

[akiva]

8 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

And this sense of separateness extends to the "Source" which is experienced as a "Divine Otherness" that some traditions call the Holy Guardian Angel.

Using the term HGA makes sense now 😊 as that's what I'm familiar with.

 

8 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

For the sake of clarity, Liber Tau is only the arrangement of Tarot cards and Hebrew letters that you posted earlier in this thread. You appear to be conflating it with James Eshelman's, Liber Theta, which I posted a link to earlier. Liber Theta features Liber Tau on page 11. But the rest of the book is a wide variety of Tarot and Qabalistic material. 

The pdf I downloaded only has the title liberT so I confused the two.

 

8 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

Further on in this process the Hanged Man shows the ongoing work of conforming oneself to the Angel.

The idea of surrendering and not struggling against the divine, and then eventually dissolving the boundaries seems like it could fit the concept of the Abrahamic/Islamic the "great work" that people do to achieve conversation with the HGA

[Aeon418]

4 hours ago, akiva said:

The idea of surrendering and not struggling against the divine, and then eventually dissolving the boundaries seems like it could fit the concept of the Abrahamic/Islamic the "great work" that people do to achieve conversation with the HGA

 

It could, but only the more sophisticated mystical traditions within those religions. The outer, exoteric doctrines quite clearly revolve around a monotheistic creator deity that is forever separate from his creation. The closest the exoteric devotee can hope to achieve is admission to some sort of "heaven" where personalities survive after death in the presence of the creator deity. But the final step of complete union is missing. In fact union would be seen as heresy within the exoteric view.

 

Also the term "HGA" is used to indicate that each person experiences the Divine in a completely unique way. This differs from exoteric religion with its one-size-fits-all view of deity. Just like each one of us exists in the same objective universe, each of us has a subjective view on that universe that is totally unique. No one but you can view the world through your eyes and live your life. This same merger of objectivity and subjectivity within the sphere of spirituality has the potential to sweep away all religious differences and sectarian squabbles in the blink of an eye. This is the liberating ideal and the universal freedom promised by the Sun card.   

Edited October 9, 2023 by Aeon418
Typo

[akiva]

3 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

It could, but only the more sophisticated mystical traditions within those religions.

Yes, I was referencing the likes of Abramelin (Abrahamic) and shams al ma'arif (Islamic), which apparently contains a similar working to the great work found in the latter.

 

Intrestingly the title 'shams al ma'arif is translated as 'The sun of knowledge' which seems fitting with The Sun card as the result.

[Aeon418]

8 hours ago, akiva said:

Yes, I was referencing the likes of Abramelin (Abrahamic) and shams al ma'arif (Islamic), which apparently contains a similar working to the great work found in the latter.

 

I have some superficial knowledge of the "Shams," but I know the book of Abramelin well. Although, in some quarters, there's currently a kind of silly superstitious reverence for the exact form the Abramelin working takes. Almost as if it represents the "one true way." 🙄 But the distilled essence of Abramelin is to pick a particular spiritual practice. Any practice. Stick to it faithfully. And over a set period of time ramp up the intensity and duration of the practice to such an extent that it produces a "crisis" in consciousness that precipitates a transcendence of the rational mind. Obviously this kind of "hot house" method runs the same risk of anything that is forced. As a result some people prefer a slow and steady approach. But the danger there is that nothing will ever happen without the element of ever increasing intensity of practice.

 

In the context of the three cards we're discussing here it is the Hanged Man that is most relevant. But the other two cards feature aspects that point to a dissolution of individual boundaries that facilitates the union of Self and Other that is the hallmark of nearly all spiritual practice.    

Edited October 10, 2023 by Aeon418

[akiva]

9 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

I have some superficial knowledge of the "Shams," but I know the book of Abramelin well. Although, in some quarters, there's currently a kind of silly superstitious reverence for the exact form the Abramelin working takes. Almost as if it represents the "one true way." 🙄

I've seen this touted as well. What a lot of people don't realise is, if working from Mather's edition, is he actually altered the length of time for the great work. Apparently it was originally 18 months, he reduced it to 6 IIRC. I've read of people having success in as little as 3 weeks, take from that what you will! 😂

 

9 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

But the distilled essence of Abramelin is to pick a particular spiritual practice. Any practice. Stick to it faithfully. And over a set period of time ramp up the intensity and duration of the practice to such an extent that it produces a "crisis" in consciousness that precipitates a transcendence of the rational mind.

Like a really intense and long gnosis on a single idea or goal. Have you done the great work? Or some variant of it?

 

9 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

In the context of the three cards we're discussing here it is the Hanged Man that is most relevant. But the other two cards feature aspects that point to a dissolution of individual boundaries that facilitates the union of Self and Other that is the hallmark of nearly all spiritual practice. 

When contemplating The Hangedman in context to this, the ideas of sacrifice and renunciation as an agency seem so clear. It really fits what the aim is behind that work (and others like it). 

And as you said, to people with different wants in life (money and sex) it seems so strange and alien to see someone who doesn't want similar things. 

[Aeon418]

3 hours ago, akiva said:

 I've read of people having success in as little as 3 weeks, take from that what you will! 😂

 

In Liber VIII, Aleister Crowley condensed the essence of the Abramelin working into a mere 91 days. But this practice is ideally suited for people who have reached a state of inner "ripeness" through prolonged practice beforehand. It's kind of like the final "big push" that will provide the stimulus to get someone over the line.

 

But the specific form the working can take is open to interpretation. After all, Crowley himself performed much of the traditional Abramelin in his imagination daily while riding a pony along the northern borders of China. Admittedly he was already a very experienced practitioner of yoga meditation at that point and had formidable powers of mental concentration.

    

3 hours ago, akiva said:

Have you done the great work? Or some variant of it?

 

There is no point where you are done with the Great Work. It never ends. But if you are asking me about the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian as a specific "threshold attainment," then I will say no. Although I've done plenty of stuff and experienced numerous "peak experiences" that have changed my outlook on life. However such isolated experiences require continual work to integrate them into the fabric of everyday life. Otherwise there's always the risk that those experiences just become a memory of something weird that happened outside the context of life. But the K&C of the HGA represents a "baseline shift" in consciousness where a rubicon has been passed that makes it impossible to retrogress.

 

3 hours ago, akiva said:

When contemplating The Hangedman in context to this, the ideas of sacrifice and renunciation as an agency seem so clear. It really fits what the aim is behind that work (and others like it). 

And as you said, to people with different wants in life (money and sex) it seems so strange and alien to see someone who doesn't want similar things. 

 

There is a hidden subtlety in the Hanged Man that is frequently missed. One of the traditional meanings of the card is suffering. But to a large degree this suffering is self inflicted. To the extent that we try to hold on to our old and limited sense of "ego self" it seems that we are required to make a great act of renunciation and a sacrifice. But this is because our view of life is the wrong way around. You're not really losing anything when you transition to a state of expanded awareness. It just seems that way from the perspective of ego. But if we could surrender and let go, then comes the realization that there was never anything to renounce and the sacrifice we thought we were making was actually an illusion and not what it seemed to be.    

Edited October 10, 2023 by Aeon418

[Aeon418]

Another way to look at the Hanged Man and Liber Tau in general is through the interpretive filter suggested by Crowley where he divides the tableau into 3 rows of 7 cards. The top row corresponds to Masters who have transcended duality and the individual self. The middle row relates to Adepts who have attained the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. While the bottom row is Neophytes or anyone seeking spiritual awakening.

 

The Hanged Man is in the middle or Adept row. Starting at the far right:

 

1. VII - The Chariot shows the Adept and his/her task of pouring their individual self into the Grail of the Great Work, which will ultimately be offered up in selfless service to the Universe.

 

2. XI - Lust (Strength) is the illusion of Force that the Adept must transcend by seeing all manifestations of energy as the transformation of One energy. From the most rarefied and refined spiritual energy to the most earthy and sensual sexual energy, all must be harnessed together in harmony and wholeness.

 

3. IX - The Hermit is the Adept's spiritual function, which according to Crowley's notes is Silence and Preservation. In this I see the Adept's work in cultivating the inner light of the HGA (Hermit's lamp) for guidance and wisdom on the Path.

 

4. X - The Wheel corresponds to the Unveiling of Life. Union with the Angel transforms the Adept's relationship to the ever changing Wheel of life. All 3 states of change are opportunities for the Adept to express their union with the Angel. Indifference to circumstances.

 

5. VIII - Adjustment (Justice) is Equilibrium on the Path through harmonious and balanced union with the Will of the Angel.

 

6. XII - The Hanged Man is the initiation of the Adept. The Annihilation of the Self in the Beloved or ever perfect union with the Angel that dissolves the boundaries of the self. Resistance incurs suffering.

 

7. XIII - Death is the Ordeal of Initiation. The Angel is the agent of transformation. The surrender seen in the previous card determines how potentially painful and destructively Scorpionic this transformation needs to be. Don't resist.

 

The other two rows of Master and Neophyte follow this same pattern according to Crowley.       

Edited October 11, 2023 by Aeon418

[akiva]

You're so knowledgeable about this @Aeon418! 😊

 

I'm still meditating on the last three but I'm not entirely sure how to see The Lovers as a potency. It seems like it's the final achievement of integration with the other/transcending duality? Two are married and become one or the resolution of differences?

 

What are your thoughts on The Lovers?

Edited October 11, 2023 by akiva

[Aeon418]

8 hours ago, akiva said:

What are your thoughts on The Lovers?

 

The Lovers represents a contradiction. The couple in the image are opposite but equal to each other. They are Duality. If they were to unite in marriage, as common sense would seem to suggest they are going to do, it would be an expression of the equation: 1 + (-1) = 0. The marriage cancels out the pairs of opposites and returns them back to the pure potential symbolized by The Fool.

 

But we want a positive something to emerge from this marriage of opposites, not a return back to the Void in which nothing can actually happen because it is nothing but pure unrealized potential.

 

The Death card introduces a transformative change of state in which the pairs of opposites form the fundamental basis within which potential and possibility can be manifested and realized. The potency of the Lovers, through the agency of Death, results in a vast material universe that is pregnant with the Seed of Spirit. Matter and Spirit are the Lovers transformed.

 

Traditionally the outcome of this transformation would have been represented by the resurrection motif seen in the Last Judgement card. But there is an undercurrent in this imagery that is a hangover from Judeo-Christianity within which materiality is somehow seen as an "evil" that must be renounced if the Spirit is to be released. But this antagonistic view of duality does not make sense within the context of the process outlined above. Aleister Crowley recognised this and changed the Last Judgement into the Aeon card.

 

Liber LXV, 4:43-44.

Quote

43. Yea, though the flower wave bright in the sunshine, the root is deep in the darkness of earth.

44. Praise to thee, O beautiful dark earth, thou art the mother of a million myriads of myriads of flowers.

 

The Aeon card as an outcome represents a more holistic view of the interplay between Spirit and Matter. Instead of a potential evil and constant source of temptation, the material universe is seen as the perfect Womb within which the Seed of Spirit can germinate and grow into a Child - The Fool made manifest. This view of the natural interplay of complementary opposites bringing forth a realised, positive something out of nothing, is the reason why Crowley saw fit to change the Resurrection into an image of continual Conception, Pregnancy and Birth. A reimagining that restores the rightful place of the Divine Feminine within the ongoing process of the birth of Spirit within Matter.

 

Latent within this process is the possibility of the Path of Return. But this is not a mere reversal of the process or an undoing of creation. Instead it is a transformation in consciousness through the agency of Death - transformation, that leads the individual back to a realization of their True Nature in which the Lovers are united in the perfect marriage of the union of opposites that is The Fool. Within this understanding there is no separation between the Void and material, dualistic Existence. 0 = 2.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Aeon418
Typo

[akiva]

16 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

The Lovers represents a contradiction. The couple in the image are opposite but equal to each other. They are Duality. If they were to unite in marriage, as common sense would seem to suggest they are going to do, it would be an expression of the equation: 1 + (-1) = 0. The marriage cancels out the pairs of opposites and returns them back to the pure potential symbolized by The Fool.

So if I've understood you then The Lovers isn't about merging opposites together it's about the two opposites or the duality operating cohesively together? This card is a real head scratcher for me.

I get Death and Aeon/Judgement. It's understanding The Lovers for some reason it's not coming to me 😨

[Aeon418]

5 hours ago, akiva said:

So if I've understood you then The Lovers isn't about merging opposites together it's about the two opposites or the duality operating cohesively together? 

 

No, it is both of those things happening simultaneously. Confused? Don't worry. You should be confused! The Lovers card represents the transcendence of the reasoning mind. 😵

 

The Lovers is a disconcerting card. Looking at the image of a marriage ceremony our thoughts are naturally directed towards ideas of unity and the union of opposites. But for union of opposites to be real unity it must necessarily include it's exact opposite. If it didn't it would be incomplete and not represent a real unity at all.

 

Marriage implies it's equal and exact opposite - Separation. If this weren't so, nothing could be married together in the first place. But this is instantly spun around when we realise that separation implies an original unity to be separate from. But then this new unity implies a separation once again. And the the mind spins and spins and spins in ever deepening contradiction and confusion. It's like trying to to grapple with a Zen koan.

 

This is the reason why Tarot readers are frequently confused by the Lovers card. The image seems to suggest one single and simple idea. But when you look up  traditional interpretations you see things like: analysis, division, separation, indecision, contradiction, self-contradiction, instability, triviality. These interpretations seem to fly in the face of the actual imagery on the card. But each one of these seemingly contradictory interpretations implies marriage and unity.

 

So while the Lovers does represent a perfect union of all opposites that is so complete that it is timeless, eternal, infinite, unchanging, perfect pure potential, it must necessarily include the ideas of time, finite space, change, growth, imperfection and manifestation. And all of this co-exists simultaneously in a similar sense to the Mahayana Buddhist saying: "Samsara is Nirvana and Nirvana is Samsara."

 

And after all this I won't be surprised if you're still confused, because so am I. 🤪  Only a realised Master can fully understand the implications of the Lovers card. And even then they wouldn't be able to explain this trans-rationality without resorting to contradictions. But this "crazy wisdom" is designed to help the spiritual intuition transcend the pairs of opposites and the reasoning mind in direct experience.

 

Quote

…all the symbols are interchangeable, for each one containeth in itself its own opposite. And this is the great Mystery of the Supernals that are beyond the Abyss. For below the Abyss, contradiction is division; but above the Abyss, contradiction is Unity. And there could be nothing true except by virtue of the contradiction that is contained in itself.  

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by Aeon418
Typo

[akiva]

On 10/12/2023 at 3:00 PM, Aeon418 said:

No, it is both of those things happening simultaneously. Confused? Don't worry. You should be confused! The Lovers card represents the transcendence of the reasoning mind. 😵

This explains the hurdle then! 🤣

 

On 10/12/2023 at 3:00 PM, Aeon418 said:

The Lovers is a disconcerting card. Looking at the image of a marriage ceremony our thoughts are naturally directed towards ideas of unity and the union of opposites. But for union of opposites to be real unity it must necessarily include it's exact opposite. If it didn't it would be incomplete and not represent a real unity at all.

 

Marriage implies it's equal and exact opposite - Separation. If this weren't so, nothing could be married together in the first place. But this is instantly spun around when we realise that separation implies an original unity to be separate from. But then this new unity implies a separation once again. And the the mind spins and spins and spins in ever deepening contradiction and confusion. It's like trying to to grapple with a Zen koan.

Weirdly I get this! I think?

So basically the idea is that for there to be marriage, there needs to be opposition. Without opposition there would be no marrying of opposite parts? But the fact that there are even opposite parts implied an original marriage to begin with? Which has somehow become separate, and thus needs reuniting again. Or we think it does, as they're already united, we just need to learn to see it? Maybe I don't get this 😅 

 

On 10/12/2023 at 3:00 PM, Aeon418 said:

This is the reason why Tarot readers are frequently confused by the Lovers card. The image seems to suggest one single and simple idea. But when you look up  traditional interpretations you see things like: analysis, division, separation, indecision, contradiction, self-contradiction, instability, triviality. These interpretations seem to fly in the face of the actual imagery on the card. But each one of these seemingly contradictory interpretations implies marriage and unity.

I guess it's seeing marriage from two different forms (duality again). One see's it as a marriage already done. The other sees it as a marriage needing to be done. 

 

On 10/12/2023 at 3:00 PM, Aeon418 said:

So while the Lovers does represent a perfect union of all opposites that is so complete that it is timeless, eternal, infinite, unchanging, perfect pure potential, it must necessarily include the ideas of time, finite space, change, growth, imperfection and manifestation. And all of this co-exists simultaneously in a similar sense to the Mahayana Buddhist saying: "Samsara is Nirvana and Nirvana is Samsara."

It's quite possible though that the truth behind the card is exactly as has been described. That wheel like state of opposites needing to be reunited that aren't actually separate to begin with.

 

It's like with Death as an agency, that aspect dies. We learn that they already are married. We just didn't see it. Then boom, we have a living death moment. This idea of separation/difference/opposition dies.

 

The Judgement or Aeon as the result is the awakening, or a change in position associated with the understanding that duality (while present in our 3 dimensions) is only present in our perceptions of space and time. Which is brought about by our ego.

 

One thing this reminds me of is our time perception. We view it as horizontal, past present, future. We view these things as seperate times. But I've learned that this isn't exactly true. Time is vertical, like a pillar. Time is simultaneous. The only true moment that exists is now. The past and future are constructs our ego creates, which become traps. The more we focus on the past or future, the more we are removed from the now. And it's in the now we find our connection to source. But that's a whole other thread! 😅

 

This calls for way more meditation though...

 

On 10/12/2023 at 3:00 PM, Aeon418 said:

And after all this I won't be surprised if you're still confused, because so am I. 🤪  Only a realised Master can fully understand the implications of the Lovers card. And even then they wouldn't be able to explain this trans-rationality without resorting to contradictions. But this "crazy wisdom" is designed to help the spiritual intuition transcend the pairs of opposites and the reasoning mind in direct experience.

While the most confusing it is definitely the most though provoking! 😁

[Aeon418]

8 hours ago, akiva said:

Weirdly I get this! I think?  ......  Maybe I don't get this 😅 

 

No, I think you get it. Or at least you're beginning to understand why you can't 'think' your way through this problem because it's pointing to a direct experience of reality beyond thinking.

 

8 hours ago, akiva said:

It's quite possible though that the truth behind the card is exactly as has been described. That wheel like state of opposites needing to be reunited that aren't actually separate to begin with.

 

Yes, this is the realization of the Master who has had direct experience of non-dualism. But because it is impossible for an embodied individual to remain in that state forever, they must return to the world and duality once again. But their experience means they now see duality in a radically different way. I think this is one reason why Crowley sees this card as the Birth of the Master.

 

8 hours ago, akiva said:

It's like with Death as an agency, that aspect dies. We learn that they already are married. We just didn't see it. Then boom, we have a living death moment. This idea of separation/difference/opposition dies.

 

The Master's realization inevitably transforms the significance of everything that went before. Where previously the Adept experienced a transformative journey into the unknown - and Death is a very appropriate symbol of this dark Unknown - under the guidance of the Holy Guardian Angel, the Master now sees the ultimate identity of the Adept and the Angel. Not two, but one.

  

8 hours ago, akiva said:

The Judgement or Aeon as the result is the awakening, or a change in position associated with the understanding that duality (while present in our 3 dimensions) is only present in our perceptions of space and time. Which is brought about by our ego.

 

Yes. But there is a subtle danger in this line of thinking where everything runs the risk of being reduced to illusion (like in the various forms of Advaita), which seems to undermine the very need for individual existence and awakening in the first place. While the illusion of separation is the agency through which we realize experiences, the experiences themselves are still real because they represent the 'marriage' of illusion in a direct experience. 

 

While the Master may have transcended their own ego, they still need an ego to function in the world. Otherwise they would be like a zombie. But their transformed relationship to ego is such that the fullness and depth of their experience of the marriage of illusion is orders of magnitude greater than that experienced by the Adept and even more compared to the Neophyte. Nevertheless, the awakening experiences of the Master, the Adept, and the Neophyte are all fundamentally identical, except in its depth and fullness, which is conditioned by the degree of identity the individual has with their own ego. 

Edited October 14, 2023 by Aeon418

[akiva]

3 minutes ago, Aeon418 said:

Yes. But there is a subtle danger in this line of thinking where everything runs the risk of being reduced to illusion (like in the various forms of Advaita), which seems to undermine the very need for individual existence and awakening in the first place. While the illusion of separation is the agency through which we realize experiences, the experiences themselves are still real because they represent the 'marriage' of illusion in a direct experience. 

 

While the Master may have transcended their own ego, they still need an ego to function in the world. Otherwise they would be like a zombie. But their transformed relationship to ego is such that the fullness and depth of their experience of the marriage of illusion is orders of magnitude greater than that experienced by the Adept and even more compared to the Neophyte. Nevertheless, the awakening experiences of the Master, the Adept, and the Neophyte are all fundamentally identical, except in its depth and fullness, which is conditioned by the degree of identity the individual has with their own ego. 

I think it depends on how you interpret the word illusion. For some it means it isn't real, a hologram or phantasm. But I don't see it that way. For me it's more like a prism that distorts our perception. No matter how much we awaken, we will always live in a 3D space. Up will be up and down will be down.

It's about being aware of that prism and training yourself to understand how it distorts the world around us. 

 

You're right, we can never be without an ego. It's the key factor as to how we have survived the 3D reality we live in. It's helped us learn what's safe and what isn't for instance. It's a pitfall to believe you can escape your ego. It forms part of the trinity of the mind 😁

 

I'm going to be meditating hard on this trio for a while I can tell! 🤣 Thank you for sharing this journey through the majors with me 😊 it's been fascinating! 

[Aeon418]

58 minutes ago, akiva said:

I'm going to be meditating hard on this trio for a while I can tell! 🤣 Thank you for sharing this journey through the majors with me 😊 it's been fascinating! 

 

Actually I was going to apologise for hijacking your thread. 😳 

 

But I've enjoyed this exploration of Liber Tau, even though I'm pretty sure it was not what you intended when you started this thread. Writing has a way of organising thoughts and ideas in a structured way that frequently reveals connections that were previously unsuspected. I've benefited from this journey too. Thank you.

[akiva]

12 minutes ago, Aeon418 said:

Actually I was going to apologise for hijacking your thread. 😳 

 

But I've enjoyed this exploration of Liber Tau, even though I'm pretty sure it was not what you intended when you started this thread. Writing has a way of organising thoughts and ideas in a structured way that frequently reveals connections that were previously unsuspected. I've benefited from this journey too. Thank you.

Don't apologise, I did ask if any one saw them differently or if they used the 3×7 and you answered 😁 it's been fun looking at the tarot from a more esoteric perspective! I'm definitely going to be revisiting this

[Aeon418]

On 10/14/2023 at 10:01 PM, akiva said:

Don't apologise, I did ask if any one saw them differently or if they used the 3×7 and you answered 😁 it's been fun looking at the tarot from a more esoteric perspective! I'm definitely going to be revisiting this

 

If you want a different perspective on the 3x7 scheme, you might want to take a look at the "Seven steps of Spiritual Unfoldment" that was developed by Paul Foster Case, using his own Tarot tableau that sets the Fool to one side and orders the cards a little differently to Liber Tau. There's probably a lot more information available online, but in brief it goes:

 

1. Bondage: The Magician - Strength - The Devil

 

2. Awakening: The High Priestess - The Hermit - The Tower

 

3. Revelation: The Empress - The Wheel of Fortune - The Star

 

4. Organization: The Emperor - Justice - The Moon

 

5. Regeneration: The Hierophant - The Hanged Man - The Sun

 

6. Realization: The Lovers - Death - Judgement

 

7. Cosmic Consciousness: The Chariot - Temperance - The World 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Aeon418

[akiva]

Thanks, I'll look into that @Aeon418, anything to help me understand the majors in a more esoteric context is great! 😊