The Hermit Now

 The Hermit: In the NOW and what is

 

Someone told this joke recently: “A man goes to his Guru and asks: ‘What is the meaning of life’? The Guru answers and says, ‘I don’t know, the internet is down.’” One of the definitions for The Hermit card in Tarot is about a person who meditates on “the meaning of life.” Usually, we think of a hermit as a person who withdraws from busy societal activities, family goings on, etc. (and the internet).We envision an isolated person who sits in meditation or contemplation somewhere in a cave seeking enlightenment. In modern Tarot interpretation, such as Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, to receive The Hermit card in a reading is to consider what it means to be an illumined person on the path to self-knowledge; one who seeks liberation from any mental charades and travesties of one’s internal “monkey mind” whirling around in their head. It means taking time-out from the usual hubbub of daily routines in order to rejuvenate oneself and to ponder the deeper meaningof life—the what is.

Upon return, one is refreshed with new inspiration and wisdom to share with others. 

 

“As an emblem of personal development rather than a guide, The Hermit symbolizes the idea that only by withdrawing from the outer world, can we awaken the inner self.”

Rachel Pollack, 78 Degrees of Wisdom(Aquarian Press 1980)

Meditation:

The ideal condition for understanding oneself is found in experiencing the transformation achieved through meditation and mindfulness. By aligning oneself in oneness with the Universe, we find a much bigger, grand, cosmic concept of life beyond “little ole me.” The aim of meditative practices in Buddhism and other similar traditions, is liberation from the limited confines and acquired attitudes of the Ego-self. By concentrating on silencing the endless jittery, chattering of ones’ internal thought processes, we can break away by meditating in a tranquil state of stillness and calmness. The intention of meditating is to understand and conquer the demanding impulses of desire: “—I want—I need—I wish for, gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!” (And give it to me right now!) In the best sense, everyone needs an occasional meditative retreat as a respit from worldly goings on. When you find the right place for meditation, begin to work on overcoming any anger and fear: such as fear of responsibility, fear of failure, fear of people, or anger and fear of just living one’s daily life. This is your opportunity to get in touch with the reality of every moment—to live in the NOW. So, what are you doing right now?

 

“Thinking is at the base of everything. It is important for us to put an eye of awareness into each of our thoughts…If we create true harmony within ourselves, we will know how to deal with family, friends, and associates.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, For a Future to Be Possible (Parallax Press, 1993)

 

 Liberation from mental intrusions comes when you are in a state of timeless contemplation and
the “monkey mind” is no longer babbling away—freeing one’s effort to overcome distorted thinking, desires and greed. Then, “much ado about nothing” is gone. By counting the breaths in meditation, a Yogi or Swami renounces the daily churning of events and seeks liberation from the unreal world of Samsara and illusions. The Buddha lived in hidden seclusion in a forest for years where he dealt with the deeper causes of suffering. In Buddhist teachings, everything in the life of the self is temporary, impermanent. “Here today and gone tomorrow,” so to speak. In Christian meditative practice, we hear stories of the struggles of Saint Anthony (251-356) who meditated in a cave in the desert. Here, he dealt with outlandish temptations from devious monsters spinning in his mind and, later, he wrote about his liberating experiences in a book: The Sayings of the Fathers. 

Hermit by Hieronymus Bosch

(See my previous blogs on The Hermit: The Path to Enlightenment (11/17/2011 and The Hermit and Monsters (01/04/2018)

 

Mindfulness:

When you are sitting quietly in contemplation, ask yourself: “What are the only things I am experiencing”? You are breathing, and you never stop breathing (unless you have departed from this existence). Your heart is beating. Your mind is probably filled with inconsequential thoughts, and you can hear sounds in the background. That is the reality of your meditative focus. Nothing else. As you count the breaths, focus on gratitude for the blessings of the gifts of Life and become aware of all the day-to-day processes we take for granted. To arrive at a peaceful state of mind, you need to be in touch with the reality of the present moment through the logic of practicing mindfulness. Ask yourself: “What is happening right now”? This process consists of calming the busy, noisy, inner mind in silence. Rehearsing old memories of the past that no longer exist is not the present reality. Drumming up fears for the future and imagining circumstances that might “would a/could a” happen is not the present reality. Your only reality is to be mindful of what is happening now and just live in the constantly changing NOW moment—which is.

 

“What is important is to keep our mind high in the world of true understanding and, in returning to the world of daily experience, to seek therein the truth of beauty.”

“This basic form of meditation is concerned with trying to see what is.”

“In fact, it is the very essence of meditation”

“Blue sky consciousness”

Chogyam Trungpa, Meditation in Action (Shambala, 1969)

 

Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness:

Triple Spiral 

            The painting of The Hermit card in the Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness deck, was inspired by research and views of ancient megalithic sites such as the interiors of the New Grange Tomb in Ireland and the Gavrinis Passage Tomb in Brittany. Inside, the inner walls are lined with great stones which are covered with swirling, spiral carvings. From the ancient past to today, on the Solstice, December 21^st, the midwinter sunrise shines into the tombs and illuminates the spiral designs on the walls. Spring is on its way! The timing and placement of the tombs and spiral carvings seem to show early people’s awareness of celestial phenomena. Mother Earth’s natural forces are bringing new light—and those people may have recognized the seasonal indications that life is cyclical and celebrated the promise of renewal of each new year. 

  

The Hermit TOCC

In the profound book, Meditations on the Tarot, (Penguin Putman, 1993) the “Anonymous Author,” says about The Hermit: 

“…he has the faculty of separating himself from the collective moods, prejudices, and desires of race, nation, class and family—the faculty of reducing to silence the capacity of collectivismvociferating around him…He traverses the way of peace between opinions, beliefs and experiences.”

 

   What about the Hermit card In a Reading?

            When you receive this card in a reading, ask yourself how you are dealing with the “monsters” of our modern age: hackers of our computers, spyware, conspiracy theories filled with lies, hoaxes, untruths and false beliefs; extremist war-mongering men who desire power and dictatorship; the perpetual continuing wars. And yes, the threat of nuclear war is still ongoing. What about a government trying to control people’s privacy by taking away their autonomy? 

The Hermit card signals that it is time for reflective thought. Stop “doom scrolling” and having your thoughts and passions twisted every which way by the “daily horror”(aka: the Daily News). How can finding stillness of mind help your attitude toward life and these daily experiences?When you receive The Hermit card in a reading, it indicates that it is time to put aside your daily routines and activities and retreat in meditation to rest and rejuvenate.  

 

Ask yourself:

What is most important for you in this life”? 

What really matters”?  

What is your concept of finding meaning in this life?  

What are your intentions? 

Are you taking time out often to clear your mind of trivial pursuits and useless information?

Are you tired of feeling “brainwashed” by incessant political propaganda?

What are situations that need to be resolved? 

How can finding stillness of mind help your attitude toward life and daily experiences?

Are you affirming gratitude for your gifts of life and every day blessings?

Are you working to overcome anxiety or sorrow and painful memories as you gain insight into your true spiritual selfhood? 

How are you doing at expressing mindfulness, generosity and responsible behavior? 

How are your actions affecting everyone else?  

            

 

References:

For a Future to be Possible, Thich Nhat Hanh (Parallax, 1993)

Zen and Reality, Robert Powell (Viking Press, 1975)

Meditation, Sri Swami Satchidananda (Integral Yoga publications, 1975)

Meditation In Action, Chogyam Trungpa (Shambala, 1969)

Knights: War/Peace

Knight of Swords: More War—or Peace on Earth 

     Samson, the Israelite, went to Gaza and tore down the temple and buildings and killed a lot of people including himself—all aimed at retaliation against Delilah, the Philistine woman who betrayed him. Sound familiar in light of what is happening today? Only, this is a biblical story about Israeli/Palestinian strife in Gaza over 2,000-years-ago. (Judges 13–16 ). Today’s conflict is nothing new. It obviously began long ago. 

    Some of you may look at the title of this essay and think, “Peace on earth? Forget it! War has continued non-stop somewhere on earth for centuries, it’s the human condition. There is no Utopia.” (See “Taming Humanities Urge for War” (Scientific American May 2009) 

    As we know, splinters of war still continue today in several places on earth: Ukraine/Russia; Israel/Palestine; Sudan; Yemen; Syria; Somalia … and so on. We’ve been hearing/seeing the TV reports of atrocities every night for months now, going on years. The latest mind-numbing causalities are happening in Israel and Gaza beginning with the Hamas terrorist invasion of Israel and the murder of 1,500 civilians at a concert. At the same time, they killed people on Israeli's farms and kibbutz’s and captured 250 hostages. This kind of terrorism has resulted in retaliation from Israel, which is now blasting and bombing Gaza every day into gruesome bloody piles of rubble, including killing Palestinian civilians, women and children. Could we say that this is just a continuation of over 4,000 years of miserable conflict in the Middle East? Is this something new? Where is this supposed to lead? What will be the outcome? Peace?

 

     Is this what “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” really means? According to the Harper’s Bible Dictionary, this statement originally meant the judicial policy of Israelite’s justice system where the sentencing and punishment fits the crime which was determined by a judge (Mosaic Law, Exodus 21:23–25). But today, this concept infers that enemies and their armies can descend into disastrous acts of revenge and angry violence at will. With US money, guns, bombs, tanks and war equipment, the US has helped Israel retaliate and, so far, they have killed more than 20,000 Palestinian civilians, including innocent women and their children. Yes, the distrust and hate from both sides has led to a catastrophic inferno of war. Why do war-mongering men of the world continue on a path of total destruction of countries, land, property, and people, all the while manifesting the signpost of kill, kill, kill? Peace, Peace! Will there be peace in the end? It isn’t a matter of who’s right and who’s wrong, it’s all about the hate and murder of those you perceive to be your enemies. 

     “We should be dismantling the war machine and rolling back the conditions that led to it. True feminism which is interested in guiding the world toward health in a way that benefits women and their children, would make this a priority."  Caitlin Johnstone, Australian Independent Journalist 

                                 

Knight of Swords
TOCC

   Knight of Swords
   I’ve chosen the Knight of Swords for the discussion because most Tarot decks include  four Knights who are the remains of a bye gone era of royal rulers—Kings and Queens of many old Kingdoms around the world, some of whom ended their reign in WWI and WWII. In earlier Tarot decks, Knights still represent soldiers and warriors skilled in the military conduct of war. These were Medieval Knights on horseback who brandished swords and weapons used for maiming and killing. Many kings’ armies engaged in wounding and killing people in an effort to put down European peasant rebellions in the 15th to 16th centuries. Military knights also participated in the conquest of other countries and plundering of their cities, such as the knights of the Crusades. 

  (See my blog: The Chariot: Wars and Heroes, July 7, 2017) 

 The Knight of Swords in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness has a more symbolic esoteric meaning. In the painting, a well-aimed sword swoops down over a tessellated dark and light background. The Knight is not there. Instead, this Knight card symbolizes the action of conquering the duality of opposites where the skill of the Knight is embedded in a sense of determining truth from lies; dealing with the positive vs the negative; good vs evil; love vs hate, and so on. The double-edged sword is symbolic of focusing and cutting through hostilities and duality, exposing falsehoods and misinformation in order to reveal the truth.  

    “Polarized thinking encourages our sense of separation and deflects our vision from the world’s —and our own —inherent unity.” (Michael Schneider, Beginners Guide to Constructing the Universe, Harper Perenial 1995 ) 

Hope for Peace on Earth 

    How are we to find peace in all this man-made chaos? Some may think the hope for peace is just a utopian fantasy that never comes and never will. In the last century, many world leaders, both political and religious, advocated for non-violent means to solve the disasters of endless wars. Gandhi led the non-violent movement in India that eventually freed them from the British Overlords. His example and steadfastness has provided strength for the efforts of others to stop the violence. Here’s some of what he said: 

 “There is no half-way between truth and non-violence on the one hand and untruth and violence on the other. We may never be strong enough in thought, word and deed. But we must keep non-violence as our goal and make steady progress towards it.” Gandhi on Non-violence, Ed. Thomas Merton (New Directions Publishing, 1965) 

  Ask yourself these questions when you get the Knight of Swords in a reading: 

1. How have I dealt with animosity from others? 

 2. Am I expressing my true inner strength in dealing with, or preventing evil violent conflict in my home,         at work, in my country? 

 3. How can I work to liberate both the oppressor and the oppressed? 

4. Am I able to forgive those who show remorse and ask forgiveness for wrongful hurts? 

5. Am I expressing kindness and compassion for those suffering from the burden of evil-doers that cause chaos in their lives? What is the best way to help? 

6. Am I finding and working with others who are training and providing guidance for others on the same path of ending violent conflict. 

 7. Do I have a plan to share that will end war once and for all and establish peace on earth?

Two of Cups: Two-ness/Mirror

 Two of Cups: Two-ness, duality and the Loving Cup

 

Cup:a vessel for containing something. In Tarot, Cups usually signify emotions, especially Love.

 

The Two of Cups card in Tarot – Two-ness

In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, in the Two of Cups card, we see an upright cup and below that, an upside-down cup, which appears to be a reflection or mirror of the upper cup. In this card, we are introduced to two ways of viewing and understanding TWO-NESS. Earlier, in the Ace of Cups, we became aware of One-ness. Now, when we get this Two of Cups in a reading it symbolizes states of reality and/or unreality. This implies there is one real cup, but the second upside-down Cup is only a reflection of the top cup. When this card is reversed, we are confronted with how we are dealing with dualism and things that are in opposition to oneness: truth/lies, good/bad, light/dark, peace/war, friend/foe, and so on. What is being shown here can be compared to seeing the Moon reflected on a lake. The Moon is the only real object and the other Moon is a mirrored reflection seen on the water of a lake. We know there is only one Moon; the image in the water is only it’s reflection and, we know that it is not real. The message here is to not be fooled when some people interpret our life experiences from a dualistic point of view of equivalence. Since the mirrored cup is false and represents an opposition to the one cup, it is false view because it isn’t reality, just as you know the image of yourself in the mirror is not the real you. That is the truth of the observation. 

2 of Cups

In my previous blog about “TWO-NESS” (June 2, 2013), the essay is mostly about dealing with polarities and dualism where: *“… we are confronted daily by an array of colossal forms of opposition. The most obvious and immediate concerns are seen in the futuristic optimism of a desire for peace but opposed by the never-ending condition of violence and war.” 

 “When looking at the mirror world, it seems obvious that millions of people have given themselves over to fantasy, to make-believe, to play-acting” “The point is that on either side of the reflective glass, we are not having disagreements and different interpretations of reality—we are having disagreements about who is in reality and who is a simulation.” 

Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023)

 

In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, we see the Two of Cups depicts a man and a woman holding large cups in front of one another in a loving and friendly manner. This is what we see in most Tarot decks. The whole suit of Cups in a reading is usually interpreted in emotional, psychological or mental symbols.

Over time, there have been many different references and interpretations of the meaning of Cups in the Tarot Minor Arcana. As we contemplate these possibilities, we see a person’s lot In life, or fate, can be described through the symbol of a cup in many ways: Love (Loving cup); Victory (Trophy cup); Friendship (Party toasting cup); Ritual Liturgical cup (Eucharist, Passover); Abundance (Overflowing cup); Rescue (Cup of salvation); Calculation of the future (Cup of divination) and Anger (Cup of wrath). 

*To pursue this further see my blogs of Jan. 26, 2013 and April 20, 2013.

Originally, the suit of Cups in Tarot probably had a biblical basis: The Harpers Bible Dictionary says this about a cup:

“…everything that exists is a world of limited good; everything that exists is perceived to exist in limited amounts…”  “In this perspective all persons can be said to have their ‘cup’ i.e., the limited amount of whatever God has to offer."

In the biblical story of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Joseph’s cup was used for divination in foreseeing the future (Gen.44:5).Other cups mentioned were filled with blessings, or salvation (Psalms 23, 116:13) such as Jesus’ “bitter cup” at his Crucifixion (Matt. 26:42). Then there was Jesus’ cup at The Last Supper (John 13) and the legendary Medieval story of the search for The Holy Grail in adventures with King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. (See At the Table of the Grail, Ed. John Matthews, Routledge, Kegan & Paul, 1984)

 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these types of cups in relation to their deeper meaning for your life. What are some of the questions that come up for you if you get the 2 of Cups in a reading? Which cup aligns with your inquiry and does it provide any answers?

 

Love and the Loving Cup

We see the loving cup presented as a pledge of fidelity to one another in many marriage ceremonies, wedding celebrations, and so on. 

How are you sharing your life with a loved one in honesty and truth? Are you still sharing the loving cup and feeling good about your relationship? Do you give yourself a reality check every now and then? How do you express your love?

 

Friendship Cup

In old Germanic Hall celebration stories, a cup of friendship is passed around as an evocation of “the good life”, goodness and light, as in Beowulf’s “win of wunderfatum” after he subdues the monster Grendel and the forces of evil. 

What friendship groups are you part of? How do you celebrate friendship with family and friends? Are you having positive relationships with others? How do family celebrations affect you? How are you dealing with so-called “monsters” in your life? 

 

Trophy Cup

This is a cup for celebrating and acknowledging a winner, such as the “America’s cup,” the oldest International sporting trophy in yacht racing, or the “Stanley Cup” in Hockey. 

What are your good intentions and expectations? What are the achievements, victories, and successes in your life that you are proud of?  Are you taking risks and overcoming the seemingly impossible? How are you achieving your goals? What have you overcome and “won”? 

 

Liturgical cup

A Eucharist cup of wine is used in Christian Communion commemorating the blood of Christ, which was shed for the salvation from one’s sins (a symbolic cup from The Last Supper and/or Crucifixion) There is also the Four cups of Passover of the Hebrew Seder (Celebration of the Liberation of Israelites from slavery in Egypt) 

What is your spiritual path? How do you practice your beliefs? What are your religious beliefs if any and how do you carry out the observances and rituals associated with your religious practice? How do you use the Cup as a sacred object?

 

Cup of abundance

Harvest festivals, fairs, Carnivals, Thanksgiving celebrations 

Are you expressing gratitude for the abundance in your life, no matter how small? Are you sharing your richness and joy with others in giving and receiving?

 

Cup of Salvation

Salvation Army, Red Cross, Social Workers, Missionary social work, helping others

Are you expressing kindness and compassion for the trials and tribulations of others?  Are you emphasizing the will to live and focusing on the creative life force in self-help and helping care for others? How are you helping those in need?

 

Cup of divination

The oracle of Tarot calculations for the future

Are you looking toward a beneficial future? Are you accepting change as part of the experiences of the future? How are you dealing with unforeseen events in your life?

 

What if the two of Cups is reversed? 

“It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing” Shakespeare, Macbeth

 

Cup of Wrath

Someone or something is being blamed and/or punished with spiteful contradictions. What about the wrath of people expressing vengeful anger, rage and fury and even instigating horrific events that leave you emotionally drained? 

Are you being threatened by someone or something? Are you in a love/hate relationship? Is someone making up lies and unfounded conspiracy theories in a fantasy world that intimidates you? How are you combatting forces which seem beyond your control? What can you do to stay calm and rise above stressful situations?

 

 

Justice Today

 Justice for All:  Weighed in the balances

Justice TOCC
            What does the Tarot card Justice mean for you?Are you looking for some kind of Justice in your life?  Pictorially, the woman illustrated in the card represents the Roman goddess, Justitia, and she is holding up a balance beam with two pans with which to weigh things. We see this in the Biblical story of Belshazzar’s fabulous feast where a floating hand appeared at the party and wrote on the wall the words – “mene mene tekel uparsin,” which the Hebrew Prophet Daniel interpreted as being - “weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Dan. 5:27). Belshazzar’s Father Nebuchadnezzar died that night. 

Justice TOCC

So morally, are we weighed down with injustice, or uplifted by pursuing justice in our everyday lives? What about the statement “…with liberty and justice for all”? Schoolchildren have been reciting this in The Pledge of Allegiance in salute to the USA flag since 1892. (June 14^th is Flag Day.) Where do we look in the US Constitution for a follow up on these words? The Bill of Rights? No, they are not in the Constitution, but are hinted at in the 14^th Amendment, which is about Civil Rights. It was established on July 9, 1868 right after the Civil War in which the Confederacy, and its illegal president, was ended. It states that no person shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion - or give aid and comfort to the enemy. A very great injustice to people of color was being overcome. 

Flag Day! Right now, there is a lot of tumult going on in politics over several prominent flags and who can or cannot fly them. In the January 6, 2021 “insurrection” at the US Capitol building, a participant strode through the rotunda carrying a Confederate Battle Flag. And now, there has been a lot of commotion over the LGBTQIA rainbow flag and further discrimination against Gay people. Recently, we have seen on TV so-called Nazi flag bearers displaying the Nazi Swastika Flag in front of Disneyland in Florida. What kind of craziness is this? This is America where our Grandfathers fought in WWII to put an end to the Nazi Regime while spending millions of dollars in the “war effort.” And for what? For this?  - Illiterate young men who drag out a hateful and deadly flag in front of children? Meanwhile, what about the disparaging situation for women?

            Women’s Suffrage: How can we fix an unjust system? How can we end racial injustice and overcome extremist ideology from hate groups which are poisoning our country? Ask yourself where you stand on all this? There is a need for Justice on several counts. Since the repeal of “Roe vs Wade,” a lot of American women, especially disadvantaged women and women of color, have lost the right to medical care for their pregnancies and may even be prosecuted while their doctors go to prison for abortions. What? The 19^th Amendment states that women’s rights shall not be denied on account of sex. The right for women to vote was established on August 18, 1920. That was the beginning of Justice for women.  Injustice now prevails in several states where a gross misunderstanding has led to trampling on women’s right to determine what goes on in their own bodies. Why are politicians making it so the government can decide for them? This includes decisions made in certain state governments which incite threats to mothers, doctors, midwives. This even brings in “bounty hunters” and criminal lawsuits for people helping women to have a so-called “illegal” abortion. Is this the right thing to do? No, Why? This is injustice pure and simple. 

            Now, gerrymandering and voter suppression has begun in some states that are trying to restrict the voting rights in areas where people of color live. A reminder: Some states in the South during the Jim Crow Era did not allow women of color to vote until 1965 with the enactment of the Voting Rights Act in congress. A continuation of this oppression is still going on with restrictions on voting rights and voter ID required, and so on. 

            Truth vs lies: We need to think about what the truth really is. And what is a lie, lying? The Dictionary says, “A lie is a deliberate falsehood.” This can include excuses, denials, claims of a hoax, cover-ups and distractions. When and how can Justice prevail over this behavior? How can we rectify the social inequities of the disadvantaged? Achieving Justice involves repentance, redemption or punishment in order to have vindication or deliverance.

What can you do in resolving injustice as a whole in the nation? What about your own need for justice in your daily life? What are the injustices you see happening? What can you do? Start by first  weighing the facts and evidence and giving thoughtful and careful deliberation to what is going on in order to come to a beneficial and just decision. Examine your past behavior and reflect upon what you need to do in the future to bring about change.

 

“What is happening to you comes from situations and decisions made in the past.”

“The card signifies absolute honesty”

Rachael Pollack, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom (Aquarian Press, 1980)

 

 

 

Truth

 TAROT:“It’s in the cards,” Finding Truth

 

The Fool (0), The Empress (3), Justice (11) and The Universe (21) cards: 

These four noteworthy cards, which are included in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, bring up questions about truthfulness relevant to what’s going on around the world at the present time. This Tarot quest is not just about uncovering and pointing out serious problems; it’s about finding possible solutions and discerning the truth of the state of affairs in difficult situations.

  

(1. Seeking the truth: — When we search for truth, we expose the lies and misinformation of liars and pranksters, and all the thoughtless absurdities exemplified by The Fool card. 

 

(2. Uncovering the truth of the Earth: — The Empress card inspires us to explore the truth about life on Earth and cultivate an understanding of Nature and its abundance. Daily, as “Earth Riders” and “Stewards of the Earth,” we experience the fecundity of flora and fauna all around us and now realize the importance of protecting the environment and conservation of all species. With this card, we aspire to understand the truth of the Feminine Principle in regard to reproduction, cell-division, growth, and complexity of life processes. The Empress card helps reveal much deeper information about our relationship to the Earth and Nature’s ever-changing cycles. 

 

(3. Telling the truth: — Knowing the truth about what is true or false, helps expose the injustice we see every day in the proliferation of lies, abuses, prejudices, malfeasance and hidden corruption. Truth defeats criminal activity and the Justice card helps us uncover wrong doing and unlawful crime in our own lives. By hearing and telling the truth, law-breaking and lawlessness can be eradicated. Malicious behavior can be corrected through penalties, reformation and rectification processes, not just in courtrooms of law and order, but also in our homes and workplaces.

 

(4. Practicing the truth: — Through our spiritual practices, we can experience the freedom and joy illustrated by the dancing figure in The Universe card. With spiritual preparation and right action, we can experience freedom and joy and dance in Cosmic Awareness. As we advance on our spiritual path, we are finding our rightful place in the Cosmos and fulfilling the promise of happiness and joy.

 

The Fool card: The Fool card awakens unknown possibilities for spiritual discovery.

Where is the best place to begin working with Tarot? It is with The Fool. You might ask “Why”? In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, we begin by considering that The Fool card is illustrated as zero — representing nothing — no-thing. In the Rider-Waite deck, a young person is foolishly about to walk over a precipice. At first, The Fool card represents a prelude filled with expectations before “something” happens. Imagine yourself as an artist or writer staring at a blank piece of paper or canvas and contemplating what to put on it. In life, we all start with nothing – zero – nada – zilch. From a physical perspective, we come into this world with nothing but a little ready-made living body and a consciousness. The Fool card, found at the beginning of the Tarot Major Arcana, is usually interpreted as the jumping off place into an unknown. Most of all, it can indicate starting on a path of self-mastery during your life journey. By studying and working with Tarot, we are exploring the path to wisdom. Be aware, but never fear that we might make silly fools of ourselves along the way. Avoid any red-flags of pretentious behavior. Contemplating this card requires a lot of self-examination as you move forward on the path to Cosmic Consciousness.

The Fool card painting in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, depicts an oval which is symbolic of no-thing. To the Tarot enthusiast, it implies anticipation of good things to come. In the best sense, it represents the positive, hopeful aspects of achieving Cosmic Consciousness — a wish for spiritual fulfillment. Shimmering silvery clouds swirl in the center of The Fool card symbolic of unknown possibilities. Rainbow colors radiate outward around the edges. When viewed from the highest perspective, the 22 Major Arcana cards in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness refer to a metaphysical system epitomizing the fool’s steps on a path toward spiritual ideals. In consulting the Tarot, we are yearning for “Oneness” with the spiritual Universe. As we discern the meaning of Tarot images, we have begun the search for the origins of Cosmic Selfhood. When carefully studied, these Tarot paintings are models that can trigger memories that help you discover and retrieve information about your path in life. Study these four cards as they are important guides for you on your spiritual journey. My teacher, Gail Fairfield, refers to using Tarot cards as “mnemonic devices” in her book, Choice Centered Tarot (Weiser, 1997).Of this she says:

 

Fool TOCC

“The key to the Tarot is the symbols on the cards. They are the triggers            

and catalysts for our insights into ourselves and our lives.”

 

When we get The Fool card in a reading, what will we learn? Fools and their outlandish behavior have been teasing us for centuries. Foolish behavior and foolish people were written about in the literature of early civilizations (such as Homer’s, Odyssey). Biblical fools are mentioned throughout the Old and New Testament at least as far back as 6^th century B.C. (see Prov.18:6–7). It’s no different today, foolish stunts and actions continue and there are still a few people who make fools of themselves. We see them often, especially on the daily TV “news.” And we laugh at the comedy programs nightly on TV. Although some people may remain in a foolish, naive state for the rest of their lives, others grow in wisdom garnered from life’s laughable or reckless “lessons learned.” Lucky for us, those people usually relinquish their past foolish behavior and move on to better things.

 

“He dares to be a fool and that is the first step in the direction of wisdom.” 

James Gibbons Huneker

 

Some play at being a fool, the joker, the trickster, the mock-king, mock-president or priest, which, inadvertently, helps us examine our own actions and come to grips with our own occasional irresponsible behavior. Questions always come up about the kind of lives we lead, and one always has to deal with the question of “Who am I?” “Where am I going”? “What am I doing to get there”? In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, these concerns are about seeking one’s spiritual selfhood and experiencing the “I AM” of the Cosmic Universe. As most of us are always engaged in the work of improving ourselves, this implies a transcendence of Ego. Finding one’s Cosmic Higher Self involves silencing the “monkey-mind.” On the path to discovery of one’s true spiritual Selfhood, ask yourself, “What is the Ego-Self in contrast to the Cosmic Self ”? As we consult the Tarot, these cards become “doors” to a better understanding of ourselves. As we improve, it is possible to move forward in finding a peaceful “Oneness” with all things. In the 21st card, The Universe, or World card, we dance in the promise of bliss for the future.

(See my post about The Fool in the The Good, Bad and Dangerous 5/25/2020 at https://tarotofcosmicconsciousness.blogspot.com.)

 

“The way to that goal, the steps and music of the dance, lies in the living images of the Major Arcana”

Rachel Pollack, Seventy-eight Degrees of Wisdom (Aquarian Press, Ltd., 1984)

 

The Empress card: This card symbolizes the formative Cosmic Mother Principle of creation and

 prompts us to ask, “What is the truth about Nature and life on Earth”? What is the “Life-force” that animates living beings? How do we answer that? For the religious — “God did it!” For the more mechanical minded, it happened in a muddy, primordial, soup-like puddle. The famous “Rider-Waite” Tarot deck, depictsThe Empress card as a woman surrounded by water, plant life, and a wheat field. Her attributes are abundance and fertility, love, and the processes of birthing and nurturing. Religious implications of Waite card are shown in her crown of twelve stars (refer to Rev. 12:1). In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, The Empress card represents Mother Nature’s complex organizational abilities and requires our admiration of Mother Earth. On December 28, 1968, Apollo Astronaut, William Anders, took the first pictures of the whole body of Earth from the Moon. It looks like a giant blue marble covered with swirling white clouds and solid land masses, and somewhere, you are there — a “space traveler” among millions.

The Empress TOCC

Through scientific research, we know that the earth is populated with billions of self-organizing, self-replicating, self-perpetuating living organisms. Yes, we know a lot about DNA and cell-division, but what about “aliveness”? What kind of Life-Force impels those cells to self-actuate, to grow, develop and reproduce themselves? What is the Life-Force in living beings?  “Prana” or “Chi”— represent invisible inner forces, which are offered as explanations for “aliveness” in Eastern thought. We are aware of most every living thing on Earth today, from micro-cellular creatures, to multitudes of flora and fauna, which includes apes and mankind. When we contemplate The Empress card, questions come up about the origin of life. What is the truth behind how we came into being? Ask yourself: “How do I view my own aliveness”? Every gardener knows that when you plant seeds in the ground, little green plants emerge as carrots or peas, beans, kale, and so on. Their living forms emerge and are on their way to fruition and creation of seed-packets that, yet again, yield more cycles of future life forms. For life to begin, tiny cells must arrange themselves by mingling together according to a specific plan or so-called “blueprint” in order to transform into a complete Being. By merging and combining —Voilà! — there is a dog or cat, or cow, and the cow is always a cow, not a horse or a chicken, and so on. Why is that? 

(See my post The Empress, Another View, October 1, 2021 https://tarotofcosmicconsciousness.blogspot.com.)

 

The first thing to consider about The Empress card is gratitude — being grateful for your aliveness and the sense of aliveness in all other beings, from the tiniest amoeba to the grandest elephant. Express your gratitude and love for Earth’s abundance. Ask yourself, “Do I understand the total awesomeness of the creative process? Am I in tune with the Great Creatrix of the Universe?” How am I nurturing, caring for and providing sustenance for others in my life? What am I doing to maintain the environment and protect endangered species and public lands? 

In political terms, as “Stewards of the Earth,” do I support the “Endangered Species Act” and all that entails? What about a women’s freedom to be in control of what goes on in her own body during reproductive processes? After the repeal of the “Roe Versus Wade Act,” who is trying to control what women do in privacy and why? These are some of the questions brought up as you contemplate The Empress card. Democracy needs your answers and activism.

 

Justice card: Justice will be done.

In order to bring about justice for wrongdoing, we must first acknowledge what defines “injustice.” What does this mean? What are the inequities? What are the criminal acts? What questions do you need to ask to rectify lawless and immoral situations and find justice? Who is being wronged, mistreated, lied about or misrepresented and why? 

(See my blog posts 2/10/2018, and November 2022, The Fool and Misinformation.)

  

Justice TOCC

In the biblical story “The Judgement of Solomon,” two women were fighting over a baby, each claiming it was her baby. They went before King Solomon for a solution. His ruling was to divide it in two by giving one half to one woman and the other half to the other. The first woman was sorrowful as this would kill the baby, so she said to give it to the other woman. The other woman said to cut it in two. Solomon gave it to the first woman saying she was its real mother (I Kings 3:16–28). That’s how absurd it can get in our search for truth. This confabulation echo’s our contemporary times like what we saw in the storming of the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021. For several hours, excess violence and threats of death obstructed the final process of electing a President. Since everyone watched the attacks and violence on TV, it doesn’t make sense for certain news reporters and legislators to say they were “just tourists.” Say what …?  Who is fooling who?  The truth has been revealed about what actually occurred that day and criminal penalties have been enforced for about 1,000 extreme right obstructionists. 

The symbol of Justice is a woman who holds scales to weigh the good versus evil aspects of human behavior. Finding justice implies weighing the evidence in the balances and seeing the difference between truth and lies. In the past, the list of injustices in the establishment of Democracy in the USA was very long. In the struggle to determine what was right and what was wrong, justice was served with the Civil War. But there is still some bad news. Today, there is still ongoing discrimination and abuse of civil rights, although with some improvement. The “air” is still filled with concocted conspiracy theories and maligning falsehoods. In some states, there is voter intimidation and misinformation, persecution and attacks on LGBTQ people, and even bounty hunters for women and doctors over abortion rights. And, we have seen countless cases of disrespect for persons of color. Attacks upon others based on white supremacy ideology and Nazism are occurring in an open disregard for law. The worst part is the gunning down of people in offices, parks, parties and parades, including children and teachers in schools. This form of murder has been carried out by crazed individuals using military style rifles. Wake up people! What is going on here? What happened to “Liberty and Justice for All” and “Love thy neighbor”? What are the steps we need to take to stop this crazy senselessness?

  

The Universe (The World) card: Liberation

In the Rider-Waite deck, a woman dances in joy within a large oval. In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, the woman is now a swirling prismatic figure. In the painting, the dancer is shown transformed into a radiant spiritual being. She embodies freedom and liberation, which symbolizes the outcome of the adventure into unknown inner space and Cosmic Awareness. The Universe or World card signifies the possibility of freedom and liberation from an Ego-centered selfhood. The colorful figure represents merging into Oneness with the Cosmic Universe where one is free from mental anxiety and fears. She is swirling in the joyousness of a new higher reality and expresses freedom, self-determination and Love.

What should we do when we receive this card in a reading? At night, we see millions of stars “out there” and wonder if there are other planets like ours. Are some of those planets covered with water and life forms like our beautiful Earth? Are you wondering if we are alone in the Universe? Yes, what if we are truly alone and this planet is unique? The first thought is to be grateful for our sense of “aliveness,” and our living presence here on Earth. This is the time to express immense gratitude for our lives and for all other living beings. With this card, it is a time to ponder and meditate on “the meaning of life.” Do you love yourself, your family, friends and neighbors? Do you love your enemies? Do you love and care for the Earth?

 

“I find under the boughs of love and hate, in all foolish things that live a day, 

The Universe TOCC

Eternal Beauty wandering on her way.”

WB Yeats,“To the Rose upon the Rood of Time”

 

As we face the reality of living on earth in dangerous times, we can’t be frozen in great fear about an atomic war, which would be the ultimate destruction of Earth. We must have hope and continue to work together toward a peaceful settlement of conflicts. And even though it seems this is the scary time frame we are living in today; we can find solutions in our committed sensible stewardship of the Earth. Its “riders” who are dedicated to truth are needed now more than ever. 

 

Jane Goodall,in her book with Marc Berkoff, The Ten Trusts (HarperSanFrancisco, 2002) she takes up the issue of destruction of the planet, where she says:

 

“We have destroyed and polluted so much of Planet Earth in sixty plus years since I was a small child. So many plant and animal species have gone forever. It is so desperately important that the children of today learn to be better stewards than we have been.”

 

Look for answers to these pertinent questions.

1.    How do I approach my life experiences? How do I deal with relationships with others who are on the same path and those who aren’t?

2.    Are there some people in my life I think are fools? How am I dealing with them?

3.    Whom do I trust? Whom do I doubt? Whom do I fear? 

4.    What is my truth? Am I telling lies? What am I lying about? Am I just a fool?

5.    What is distracting me from reaching my goal? Am I just being selfish?

6.    Am I happy in my daily living? What makes me joyful or sad?

7.    How do I deal with disappointment and frustrations?

8.    Am I working with those who demonstrate good stewardship of earth’s resources?

9.    Am I helping to protect the environment?

10.  Am I telling the truth? Do I express love and forgiveness?

 

 

For further exploration of what you can do with Tarot cards see my see blog posts:

https://tarotofcosmicconsciousness.blogspot.com

 

THE FOOL AND MISINFORMATION

                                        Fools+ Misinformation, Lies and Conspiracy Theories

 

“Saturnalia,” an ancient Roman celebration of Saturn began on December 17 and lasted through December 23^rd. A “Lord of Misrule” [The Fool] presided over a feast of silly fools honoring the ancient god, Saturn, patron of the crops. In a gleeful carnival atmosphere, it was celebrated with robust partying complete with a loosening of all moral restrictions. The “mock king” oversaw unlimited feasting, dancing, gambling and masquerade parades. People spoke freely in story-telling, stating lies, giving gag gifts, spreading misinformation and ridicule. Like a fantasy circus, this dystopia was all carried out with no social norms. It was a few days of an elaborate evasion of reality. Eventually, some of the activities of “Saturnalia” were transferred to the Old Europe celebration of the “Twelfth Night,” the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas from December 25 to January 6^th. Over the centuries, a bean was baked into a cake and whoever found the bean would be king (Lord of Misrule) for the night. * In Tarot, The Fool card can represent a character who plays tricks, talks in riddles, creates chaos and invents paradoxes in order to subvert ridged systems. In a different context, The Fool can be the prequel to the beginning of an adventure on the Tarot path to enlightenment as he travels through the other 21 Tarot cards—Tarot symbols of certain arenas of life’s experiences. But here we are concerned with the silly crazy-making trickster—an unpredictable clown generating chaos and confusion.

 

“Foolery sir, does walk about the orb like the sun. It shines everywhere.”

Shakespeare (The Twelfth Night)

 

“As pagan mysteries found refuge in carnival clownishness, so the fool was preserved by his know-nothing character, like that of pagan heroes before their enlightenment.”

Barbara G. Walker, The Secrets of the Tarot, (HarperCollins, 1984)

 

 How does this relate to us In our time today? It seems the USA has been in a similar Saturnalia-like state of political disorder since the election of the 45^th President in 2016. We have witnessed the spreading of contemptuous lies and unbelievable conspiracy theories via social media and fake and obtrusive websites non-stop. We have been constantly bombarded daily with made up stories concocted by divisive groups in a reckless subversion of any sort of order and promoted by TV news and social media sites.

On January 6, 2021, the cumulative effect of election lies resulted in a state of stochastic violence carried out by rioters in a violent attack on the US Capitol building. Screaming people overloaded with conspiracy theories were breaking in while shouting about a so-called “stolen election.” Ultimately, the “Pied Piper” led brain-washed “lemmings” over the cliff of reality concerning the voter’s legitimate election, into a state of divisive unreality by trying to stop the certification of the election for the President of the United States. The sadistic protesters were also threatening to kill those who were overseeing the count of the electoral college results. Fomented by lies and fear, everyone there just stepped into a quagmire of mindless mob rule and insurrection. The unmitigated violence sent congressional members into hiding. On TV, viewers witnessed plainclothes men and Capitol Police standing behind blocked doors with their guns drawn. Then a rioter was shot and killed. Police officers were mangled and beat up. Later, one died. It’s a wonder more rioters weren’t shot. 

Confronting misinformation:

“We must confront the truth with candor, resolve and determination.”

(Bennie Thompson said this as he opened the Jan 6th Hearingsabout the attack on the capitol.) 

 

Naomi Klein in her book, The Shock Doctrine, The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, (Knopf Canada, 2007) was mainly talking about an economic dystopia, but some of the concepts iterated can be applied to what we see going on in a USA "political dystopia." She says of this that it: “Centers on the exploitation of national crises (disasters or upheavals) to establish controversial and questionable policies while citizens are too distracted (emotionally and physically) to engage and develop an adequate response and resist effectively.”[Wikipedia review of The ShockDoctrine] The time is now to deal with lies and not be held in bondage by the “Shock Doctrine.” As someone said on Twitter: “Speech is free but lies you have to pay for.”

 

Rather than meeting friends and family members when they post conspiracy theories on Facebook, start a conversation about the serious damage that rumors and falsehoods are doing to our lives…”Clare Wood, (Scientific American,November 2020) “How to get through this Election.” [Most of the November 2020 Scientific American deals with confronting misinformation, including vaccine mistrust.]

 

On another note: “The Southern Poverty Law Center has exposed 838 active hate groups in the United States.” See (www.splcenter.org/hatemap). These groups have been racially motivated in feeding lies and false information while training and poisoning the minds of young people who don’t know or understand the history of previous wars fought by their grandfathers, particularly in bringing down the fascism of Nazi Germany in WWII.

 

Concerning the Internet:

“Now the field is open to any ideological tactics including impersonating individual politicians, create mass fake accounts and coordinating harassment of journalists through the use of streaming platforms, chat rooms and message boards, bots’, trolls and fake accounts.” Joan Donovan “Truth Activism” (Scientific American, Nov. 2020, "How to get Through this Election”)

 

The Fool in a Tarot reading:

How can you relate a Tarot reading to all this “noise”? In the context of the fool as a trickster, and you have receivedThe Fool card, it’s time to consider how someone or something is trying to “fool” you. Ask yourself why someone else is trying to tell you what to believe? What is their source of information. Who said what to whom and why? How are you being impacted by rumors, conspiracy theories and outright falsehoods? 

Now is not the time for false hopes. For instance, are you being intimidated to vote a certain way? Turn off the TV. Work on solving doubts in your own mind. Research the facts. Who is telling lies? Why? Who is telling the truth? Network and discuss how to deal with forces that are up to no good with your friends and relatives. Don’t be “fooled.”

 

*Edna Barth, Holly, Reindeer and Colored Lights (Clarion Books, 1971).