Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness Index to Blogs

 Tarot Notes: Index and preview of my essays on Blogger

 

Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, Barbara Bruch

     Why are so many interested in Tarot? Where did we get the concept of a Fool? Who was the High Priestess and when? What about The Hermit, The Empress and The Emperor—who were they and where were they? What about somebody falling from The Tower and dealing with The Devil (evil) or going round and round on the “ups and downs” of The Wheel of Fortune? What is so captivating about Tarot cards? My goal in these notes is to provide a quick summary of my articles, blogs and discussions of the historical background and inferences of Tarot decks, both now and from the past. 

 

Introduction:

     It seems we are here in this earthly form to learn, and a lot of what happens in our society is built on the accumulation of knowledge from past civilizations and lifecycle lessons gathered over the centuries. Archetypes based on what has been learned and taught pertaining to a person’s development seem to be incapsulated in the art of certain Tarot decks, most likely inspired by art and literature from the past. It all begins with The Fool.

    But beware, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction”(Proverbs 1:7).  

 

That ancient biblical statement tells us that fools and folly have been around for a long time.  What we learn from working with Tarot cards provides an incentive to discover who we are, where we belong and where we are going. Contemporary opinion assumes Tarot cards represent a symbolic synthesis in pictorial form of some important models of behavior and show us prototypes for learning experiences in daily living and interactions. Someone once asked me what my inspiration was for making a Tarot deck (aka: Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness). “How did you arrive at these particular designs and configurations”? The impetus of beginning to research Tarot was to discover how and why older Tarot decks were illustrated with specific early European figures in art and forms in the Major Arcana such as The Tower, The Devil, Strength and Justice, Chariot, and so on. Of course, this investigation resulted in reading about and examining the art and symbols of a lot of previous decks especially in relation to Renaissance art. Great literature and art from a distant past seem to have influenced most early forms of Tarot. This, in turn, has informed my own Tarot art.

  

B.O.T.A.

 Through a period of osmosis and inspiration, I began making sketches based on this study in order to understand the connection of Tarot to Renaissance Art, Astrology, Qabalah, Sacred Geometry and Neo-Platonic thought; as have several other researchers pondered on the subject of Tarot. We know some Renaissance artists were inspired by ancient Greek and Roman mythology – for example, Sandro Botticelli’s painting “Birth of Venus” (1486) in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The Grecian Goddess of Love floats ashore on a half shell after being born of sea foam as told in the stories of the ancient Greek pantheon of gods. Around the same time, Biblical stories were illustrated in frescos on the walls of European Cathedrals by great artists such Giotto (1305) who painted the acts of Jesus, as in “The Marriage at Cana,”in the Arena Chapel of Padua, which illustrated Jesus’ miracle of turning the water into wine. On the bottom level of the Chapel, Giotto also painted the Seven Virtues and Seven Vices - decrees of behavior promoted by the Church, some of which have obviously inspired the art in the Tarot Major Arcana. These were Folly (Fool), Fortitude (Strength), Temperance and Justice, and so on.  Whether biblical stories represent the “Voice of God” or not, many biblical narratives have been applied to Tarot. And it is fairly obvious that early Tarot decks reflected certain styles of Renaissance art based on 14^th, 15^thand 16^thcentury paintings and sculptures. Most Minor Arcana Tarot figures in early decks are Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, and Lords based on the monarchy and aristocracy, which prevailed in Europe for many centuries. Craftsmen and peasants of Medieval times are sometimes included in the Minor Arcana, especially in the “Waite” deck. Today, in America’s democratic society, we don’t fully understand the overwhelming domination and control of a lot of the world by the European ruling class of monarchies since the time of Roman Emperors. Kings (sometimes Queens) and Dukes controlled nearly everything and everyone for many centuries, although any remaining monarchies left standing after WWI and WWII have minimal powers and some have been abolished altogether (aka: Russian Empire, Tsar of Russia). Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness has removed the human figures and illustrates only the signs and symbols affiliated with the meaning of each card. Kings and Queens still have a similar connotation, but now, they mainly refer to reaching the height of ones’ own personal powers. There are no familiar faces. The Emperor and Empress in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness are beyond ordinary interpretation and are more in keeping with the cosmic primordial action of the Feminine Principle and Masculine Principle involved with the creation of the Universe.Most designers of early Tarot decks used a complex combination of symbols, geometric

T.O.C.C. King of Cups

configurations and human figures woven together for the purpose of providing a sequential path to living a better life, so to speak. Numbers, letters, and specific words take Tarot back in time when these “tools” of human expression were considered sacred. Most of it had to deal with the celebration of nature – seasonal crops, planting and harvest when people expressed gratitude and appreciation for nature’s abundance and their survivability. Early cultures showed respect for a creator or a life force and giver of life larger than themselves such as God or an Earth Mother Goddess. In the “Celtic Wisdom Tarot” by Caitlin Matthews (Destiny Books,1999), her modern-day cards have retrieved and portrayed some of the ancient beliefs and ways of early life in the British Isles. She brings back a reverence for nature; something we have lost sight of as we bop along not noticing living nature, oblivious to bird song; while ear bobs blare music in our ears. That’s why Tarot is important to some people who are now trying to get in touch with nature and the sacred again while they discover more about themselves. My goal has been to investigate and pursue a sacred cosmic path to wisdom beginning with The Fool who can be both the first card and the last card. The cards in between represent sequential stations of experience on the journey of life we are on - where we meet the challenges of daily life and conquer our fears in knowing ourselves better.

Celtic Tarot

For some Tarot readers and practitioners, there is an element of seeing one’s future, but today, it is used more as a tool of self-discovery. Yet, some like to consult the Tarot as an “oracle”—a way to discern knowledge of future events —Fortune Telling— akin to the “Oracle of Delphi” in the ancient Grecian past. Certain Tarot researchers and readers have concluded that these 78 pictorial cards provide an incentive for those seeking more information about themselves and living this life, as my teacher, Gail Fairfield discusses in her book, “Choice Centered Tarot” (Samuel Weiser, 1997). 

She says:“Thus, the Tarot presents itself to us as a kind of phenomenon, an unexplained message in the form of images of obscure origin, that somehow have the power to challenge and stimulate our deepest intuitions, awakening echoes in long-buried strata of the psyche.”

Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness

            In “Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness,” achieving cosmic consciousness implies that we recognize our connection to the Cosmos—The Universe card. We are on our own unique path to our Higher Selves and spiritual cosmic consciousness. This is not only about our connection to the earth but concerns methods of raising our consciousness to an awareness of all facets of the living energy source of everything. It seems that when we acknowledge our eternal place and oneness with the Universe, we find “Nirvana.” I would like to think that we are meant to be here on earth to work on our human frailties while raising our consciousness to the “Cosmic Plane.” The human monkey mind is impermanent, so say the Buddhists. Yet, the Cosmic Mind must be as eternal as the Universe. On that level, Mind’s Self-expression or Self-manifestation of an omnipotent creative Principle provides the original model or prototype for all life. I am fascinated by Nature’s aliveness and complex organization of organic structures and the generative processes of egg, sperm, seed, cells, and exponential growth of living beings, plants and animals. What prompts intricate cellular growth, multiplication and expansion of roots, tree, limbs, leaves, and fruit over and over again? What is Life? These questions I explore in my art and Tarot cards. Achieving cosmic consciousness means that we are recognizing our connection to the Cosmos (The Universe card) and the oneness of all living things.

The Universe T.O.C.C.

 

Major Arcana

     The following is a brief synopsis of each card in regard to my research into ancient history, Biblical references, great literature; in Renaissance Art, artists Giotto, Bosch, and Bruegel as they are written about in a time line according to the index of subjects and dates in the blog. Things to be considered can be found on these dates:

 

0.    The Fool 0: Who is the ass-man hidden in the New Testament Apocrypha in “The Gospel of the Birth of Mary”? We see him portrayed over and over as The Fool.

10/17/2009 The Fool and Nothing

1/10/2010 The Fool and Giotto’s Folly

2/15/2015 Celebrating The Fool

5/25/2020 The Fool Again -Good, Bad and Dangerous

 

1.    The Magician I: We see magicians being outsmarted by Moses in Genesis. Biblical Soothsayers and magicians, secret societies.

3/    3/13/2010 Magician as Shaman

4//   4/4/2010 Magician and Moses

10   10/9/2016 Magic and Magician in Tarot

 

2.    High Priestess II: Attending the Egyptian Goddess Isis; Pythia in Grecian Oracles

5/24/2010 The High Priestess Back in Time

12/10/2016 Revisiting The high Priestess

 

3.    The Empress III: In England’s past, a great megalithic figure concealed on the landscape

6/13/2010 Going Back Even Farther in Time

1/21/2017 Another Look

 

4.     The Emperor IV: We have heard plenty about Roman and later European Emperors and Empires, Hapsburg empire, Napoleon Empire

7/19/2010 The Emperor and Numeral 4

2/16/2017 Emperors Good, Bad and Scary

 

5.    The Hierophant V: Ancient Eleusinian priest conducting rituals honoring Ceres, agricultural goddess.

8/16/2010 Golden Rectangle, Nature’s Mysteries

6/1/2017 Interpretation Today

10/26/2020 The Hierophant Now, Natures Processes

 

6.    The Lovers VI: In literature, who hasn’t heard of Anthony and Cleopatra, Solomon and Sheba; Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare

9/12/2010 Merging or Separating

6/18/2017 Choices We Make, Tarot Garden in Italy

 

7.    The Chariot VII: Early form of the Jeep pulled by horses in Egyptian, ancient Middle east wars, Roman wars.

10/10/2010 Chariots of Fire, UFO’s, Merkabah

7/27/2017 The Chariot, Wars, Heroes

 

8.    Strength VIII: Strong men such as Grecian Hercules and Biblical Sampson

11/15/2010 The Chakras

9/17/2017 More on strength, Gender Issues 

 

9.    The Hermit IX: Monastic orders, Buddha, Zen practitioners, Hindu mystics

11/17/2011 Path to Enlightenment

1/14/2018 The Hermit versus Monsters

 

10.  The Wheel of Fortune X: The ups and downs and cycles of living, gambling game

2/27/2011 Destiny and Fate

1/14/2018 Your destiny

 

11.  The Hanged Man XI: This is what happened to Medieval thieves and con artists

5/15/2011 Time Out

 

12.  Justice XII: Injustice resolved in Early Egyptian and Roman laws, courts today

3/27/2011 Truth vs Lies

2/10/2018 Justice/Injustice

 

13.  Death XIII: Plagues, disease, death and destruction in world wars, atomic bomb

6/62011 The End … or is it?

6/7/2018 More Perspectives

 

14.  Temperance XIV: Alchemy, beginning of chemistry in Europe, moderation in everything

7/17/2011 Alchemy of Mixing, Blending

7/28/2018 Then and Now

5/28/2021 Moderation vs Extremes

 

15.  The Devil XV: Christian belief in evil supernatural being

10/24/2011 Good vs Evil

10/26/2018 Halloween Watch 

 

16.  The Tower XVI: Fall from grace, Tower of Babel, ancient Nimrod

12/15/2011 Wake Up!

1/12/2018 Path to Heaven or Destruction

 

17.   The Star XVII: Cosmic energy flowing from the Universe, the Force, God, divine Mind

1/29/2012 Look to the Stars

7/20/2019 The Source

 

18.  Moon XVIII: Feminine mysteries, emotional waxing and waning 

3/26/2012 Tides of Change

7/20/2019 Another View, Chaco Canyon, Stonehenge

 

19.  Sun IX: Life Force, enlightenment, Egyptian Sun-God

4/23/12 Light, Hope, New Day

12/14/2019 Light in Art, Age of Enlightenment

 

20.  Judgement XX: Morality, reality check, passing Heavenly gates

5/19/2012 Remembering A Life

2/13/2020 Judgement Day, Truth and Lies

 

21.  The Universe/World XXI: Attaining Cosmic Consciousness

9/23/2012 Paradise and Utopia

4/19/2020 Universe in Tarot, The Outer, the Inner

 

Minor Arcana

40 Numbered Cards and 16 Court Cards

Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, Barbara Bruch, BlogSpot articles on Minor Arcana

     Can we think of the Tarot Minor Arcana cards as corresponding to ordinary playing cards? Yes and no. In place of the four suits of numbered playing cards — clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades, Tarot consists of four suits of wands, swords, cups and coins (pentacles). Viewed through the lens of numerology, there is an ancient sacred meaning behind each numbered card. Some older Tarot decks such as the Waite deck, have specific pictures of people in action signifying the meaning behind the number. The original intent of the numbers in Tarot goes beyond the ability to just calculate mathematically. In ancient times, numbers were considered sacred symbols of the sequential processes of the laws of creation. Through sacred geometry, nature’s processes of growth and maturity could be revealed while one is contemplating and drawing geometric forms.

 

1.    Tarot Minor Arcana 1/26/2013 Bean Sprout, Numbers and Minor Arcana

 

2.    One 4/20/2013 One Only

 

3.    Two 6/2/2013 The Other

 

4.    Three 6/16/2014 Three Little Pigs

 

5.    Four 8/27/2014 Mysteries and Sense of Order

 

6.    Five 11/16/2014 Challenges of Life

 

7.    Six Yet to be done?

 

8.    Seven 6/13/2015 Seven Virtues and Seven Vices

 

9.    Eight 9/6/2015 Magician and the Lemniscate

 

10.  Nine 10/18/2015 On the Nines

 

11.  Ten 10/26/2015 Moving On

 

 

Tarot Court Cards

1.    The Minor Arcana and Court Cards 4/20/13

 

2.    Kings/Queens 12/3/2015

 

3.    Knights/ Princesses 1/27/2016 Knights and War

 

4.    Sacred Geometry 3/17/2016 What is Meant by Sacred Geometry

 

5.    Sacred Geometry 4/25/2016 Part II Will to Power

 

6.    Fortune Telling 5/29/2016 And something More

 

7.    Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness Cards 8/20/2016 How it Was Created

 

References:

A Pictorial History of Western Art

Erwin O. Christensen, Mentor Books, 1964

Apocryphal New Testament

Ludgate Hill, 1820

Complete Guide to the Uffizi

Bonechi, 1989

Greek Mythology

Paul Hamlyn, Drury House, 1963

Minchiate Tarot

Brian Williams, Llewellyn, 2002

Secrets of the Tarot

Barbara Walker, HarperCollins, 1984

World of Giotto

Time-Life Books, 1967

2,000 Years of Christian Art

Eric Newton/ William Neil, HarperCollins, 1966

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Temperance: Moderation vs Extremes

Temperance Today

 Long ago, Plutarch (46-120 CE) said, “Moderation is best, and to avoid all extremes” (Camillus)

   

     Regarding the allegory of the Temperance Tarot card, two words to consider right away are moderation and extremes. We can approach the meaning of Temperance from the point of view of moderate intentions

on the one hand, and opposing extreme situations on the other. Throughout history, prudent moderation has been expressed through right discipline of thought and action. Yet, in certain situations, sometimes moderate achievements have been trampled upon by excessive extremes of all kinds. Today, we see these extremes especially in the political machinations and ideologies of the far-right or far-left, which have led to conflict and even war around the world. 

     The figure in the Waite deck Tarot card of Temperance is portrayed as an angel who is pouring liquid from one vase into another vase. In the Tarot world, it is usually interpreted as the mixing and blending of human interactions and the “tempering” of oneself. When discussions are conducted in the spirit of moderation and, combined with cooperation, negotiation and mutual compromise, a group can arrive at a consensus which will carry them forward. An agreement can be achieved through calm conversation and common-sense dialogue. 

 “Temperance appears often in the art of Europe, usually with attributes familiar from the Tarot.” 

                                            Brian Williams, The Minchiate Tarot (Destiny Books, 1999) 

     Over the centuries, Temperance, when portrayed figuratively in literature and art, has always been included in the list of Virtues. Many philosophical and religious practices advocated following the guidelines of the Virtues even before early Greco-Roman times. Positive models of conduct known as the Seven Virtues were instituted in Europe and perhaps elsewhere. For example, Scipio Africanus, a Roman General, (d.183 BCE) was depicted in Renaissance paintings and literature as a role-model for fairness and was usually shown seated next to the deity of Temperance. He represented self-restraint, as in the defeat of Hannibal, by putting the good of the Republic ahead of plunder and profit. The Seven Virtues were positive prototypes for the qualities of Prudence, Strength, Temperance, Justice, Faith, Hope and Charity (Love) which were also espoused by the Church. The purpose and intent of Temperance was to point society in the direction of self-control and right action based upon a principled model of moderate moral conduct. 

     Contrary to the Seven Virtues, were the Seven Vices. These malicious counterparts represented wrongdoing, usually expressed in sundry degenerate and corrupt behaviors. Such misconduct was to be wary of and avoided, and were often trailed by the damages of injustice and excesses of violent and extreme exploits. These negative and destructive characteristics were described as Anger, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy, and Gluttony. 

(See my blog article on the Virtues and Vices and Influence on Tarot, June 13, 2015, and 

Temperance Then and Now July 28, 2018)

Tempering oneself in Moderation: Mystical Alchemy and the alchemical marriage 

     In Medieval Times, the concept of tempering and blending of human interaction was sometimes applied to Mystical Alchemy. Temperance, when understood in an alchemical sense, which, besides trying to make pure gold from combining various metals in a retort, implied the purification and tempering of the person through the crucible of trial and error. In a spiritual sense, this meant purging one’s five senses and actions of excessive and extreme behaviors. Today, and every day, we are being “cooked” and “tempered” in the “pot” of life-experiences. Metaphysically, we are learning to balance opposites, which involves undergoing a “tempering and distilling” process and, for some, it is “a trial by fire;” for others, it is a “bed of roses.” In modern-day psychological terms, we would think of Temperance (moderation) as improving ourselves through certain current counseling programs, such as psychoanalysis; marriage counseling, or behavior modification and ridding ourselves of self-destructive habits; and joining something like the

Twelve Step Program, where people are empowered in overcoming addiction. To Medieval Mystics, the esoteric symbol of the alchemical marriage in the Athanor or globe of the retort, emphasized the importance of blending love and compassion through the purification of one’s character. Temperance was an allegorical theme representing a harmonious balance between the male principle and the female principle. It inferred an initiation through the blended harmony of opposites and moving to a higher spiritual understanding. In their spiritual transmutation to a higher dimension, supposedly, the two became one in spirit and achieved a state of oneness with the creator, a union with the divine.

 “Compatible ‘temperament’ in marriage was to be developed by tempering 

 one’s behavior with courtesy and kindness.” 

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

 

Temperance TOCC

 Extremes today: 

     Extreme behaviors happening now look like something we might see on the Science Fiction TV show “The X-Files,” except that these events have actually been occurring in real-life. Today, the TV news and social media have made political propaganda a mainstay at dinner time, showing us the extremes on both the far-right and far-left. We see “conspiracy theorists” promoting lies and false narratives. Nazi-style cults, violent protests, and anti-government subcultures with what appears to be KKK roots, get prime news time and even some of their proponents have achieved elected office. The worst bizarre fantasy concocted is a delusional conjecture that reptilian aliens have taken over some of our representatives and that certain politicians are practicing satanic rituals. Give me a break! This made-up set of lies is a form of some weird things you might see on the X-Files TV show, conjured up from completely irrational and “snake oil” beliefs. We have seen the results of lies and extremist ideology in the violent insurrectionist style attack on the US Capitol building in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, as the final votes were being counted for the Presidency of the United States of America. 

 In James Lowell’s essay, “Abraham Lincoln, 1864-1865,” he states that: “The different sometimes conflicting interests and social systems of the several states made existence as a Union and coalescence into a nation conditional on a constant practice of moderation and compromise.” (Essay on Democracy)

     Yes, we know our American Democracy and the Constitution was based upon Democratic Government and were supposed to be formed as a “Perfect Union” in 1787. But obviously, we are still working on achieving that goal. When the constitution was written with the declaration that “all men are created equal” [And what happened to women?] unfortunately, the “Founding Fathers” were overlooking something going on in their backyards and farms: slaves at work. African human beings were being bought and sold in the slave trade market like cattle through to the 1800’s. No, we were not a “Perfect Union” then, but still, Democracy was underway. And, we know what immense work has gone on in America since the signing of the Constitution of those working to improve the “Perfect Union.” Unfortunately, the struggle has not always been fair or just. First, was the gruesome American Civil War between the North and the South in the 1860’s in the brutal effort to keep the states remaining “united.” Then Reconstruction and Segregation and “Jim Crow” followed in the South, up to the 1960’s. Work still goes on to establish equality and respect for the downtrodden as seen in protests and freedom marches. 

 “The civil rights movement was more than a struggle over legal rights, it was a spiritual movement led by ministers who wanted to confront the erroneous belief that some of us are more valuable or more important than others, and demonstrate the truth of human equality.” 

John Lewis, Across That Bridge (Hachette Books, 2017) 

     Beyond that, we must not forget war time American involvement in WWI in 1918; WWII in the 1940’s; the Korean War in the 1950’s; and Viet Nam War in 1970’s; not to mention the Cold War and Cuban Crisis, and so on. Even now, congress is still continuing to work on improving our Democracy while inexplicably being involved in ongoing wars. And of course, the people continue to protest against discrimination, prejudice and inequities. Courageous people are still at work to correct the many injustices that are still prevalent. 

 Moderation: What should ‘moderation’ look like today? 

    What does this mean for a Tarot reading? What does it mean for your life? When you get the Temperance card in a reading, this is a sign to keep your feet firmly on the ground. Contemplate the importance of maintaining a calm, moderate outlook on every day matters, and avoid being caught up in the sensational distractions of all the negative reporting that goes on in the news and social media. Ask yourself these questions: What are your ethical values? What kind of moral conduct enhances your life and how does it affect others in your environment? How are you rooting out any extreme concepts and behavior? How are you managing your feelings about business and family issues? How can you bring kindness, patience and graciousness to interactions and discussions with others? 

 “We recently completed card XIV of the Tarot, which is temperance, something the modern world has lost sight of.” Niki Saint Phalle, “House of Cards” (Architectural Digest, September 1987) 

Protecting Angel, Niki's Temperance in Zurich

 
     Buddhists work on the Eightfold Path, which consists of the right view, the right resolve, the right speech and conduct, the right livelihood, the right effort, right mindfulness and right union that leads to enlightenment. This means to avoid being be driven by fear of the unknown or fear of the future. Think about what the old saying of “everything in moderation” means to you and how it influences your life. When confronted with fanatical talk and behavior, don’t take the bait, and don’t accept extreme views and fabricated lies about - “life, the universe and everything.” Keep your focus on the facts of truth-finding through critical thinking. This implies being kind and respectful to your neighbors and helpful to those in need, and especially, to take a lot of the chaos and disorder that appears to be going on with a “grain of salt.” Now is the time to practice non-violence, modesty and humility, more than ever. 

 “Temperance is your self-regulating mechanism, your innate ability to heal yourself by correcting imbalances and to reconcile difficulties in the environment through compassion.”

 “What am I doing with all the knowledge I have distilled from my experiences.” 

Tarot Mirrors, Mary Greer (Newcastle Publishing Co. 1988) 

Wheel of Samsara

 References: 

Astrology, Magic and Alchemy in Art by Matilda Battistini (Getty Publications, 2007) 

Signs and Symbols in Christian Art by George Ferguson (Galaxy Books, 1966)

The Hierophant Now

 The Hierophant: Who he really is

Part I

In early Tarot decks, such as the Waite deck, we see The Hierophant as a Pope figure — a spiritual leader of a religion, but the meaning of a real hierophant has roots in ancient Greece, and that is what will be referred to here. In the Eleusinian Mysteries, and the cult of Eleusis, the hierophant was a High Priest who presided over the enactment of certain rituals and magical incantations in celebration of the Earth Mother, Demeter/Ceres, goddess of agriculture, and her daughter, Persephone (Homeric Hymn to Demeter, 7^th Century BCE). 

“She made the fields once richer with abundant fruit and the whole world bright with flowers and green leaves.” 

 Edith Hamilton, Mythology (Little, Brown & Company 1942, 1969)

 

    The emphasis then, was on the seasons and the ever-changing processes of Nature. Hierophants officiated in public festivals, games and parades, bringing together the populace, while emphasizing the sacredness and reverence for Nature’s seasonal fluctuations. These early agrarian communities celebrated the “wealth of grain which the earth gives year after year.” On another level, a hierophant administered multi-layered arcane practices of the Eleusinian cult, some of which were secret and hidden, and available only to the initiate as they celebrated the “eternity of life which flows from generation to generation.” They honored the continuing rebirth of plants - occurring over and over every spring.

“…the main element is the hidden concealed content of the divine 

‘numinous’ event designated as mysterion.” - “The initiate become ‘epopt’ with secret vision carried through ritual action and words.”

Paul Schmitt, The Mysteries (Ed. by Joseph Campbell, Princeton University Press 1978)

 In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, The Hierophant card (with new expanded meaning) motivates us to become aware of the underlying forces and hidden processes of nature; from the development of a single cell to the majestic presence of living entities of flora and fauna: tree, cone, seed; chicken, egg; monkey, baby. In this context, the essence of The Hierophant is now interpreted as an instructor, a wise teacher, the guardian of Nature, one who teaches respect for the sense of aliveness and sacredness in all living things.

The Hierophant

     In an artistic revision of ancient Eleusinian practices, the painting of The Hierophant card in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness consists of geometrical diagrams that represent nature’s creative processes. When we closely examine a slice of the shell of a Chambered Nautilus (an endangered species) we see it as an approximation of the Golden Mean Ratio (Phi1.618034). Each section is about 1:1.618 times larger than the previous one and swirls in a logarithmic spiral; a shape formed by many mollusks as they expand and grow (refer to my previous Hierophant blog, August 2010). It is interesting to see that hundreds of geometrical and mathematical aspects are manifest in the growth of most self-organizing, self-replicating marine organisms. For instance, it’s amazing to observe that most mollusk’s methods of self-structured development are repeated in the twisting, rotating motion of shell-making again and again. Some sea creatures expand their living space exponentially (see article in Scientific American, “How Seashells Take Shape,” April 2018). For comparison, in geometry, when an arc is drawn through a set of Whirling Squares, the Golden Mean Ratio appears visually as a logarithmic spiral.That spiral is similar to the swirling shell of the Nautilus.The point is, when we look at nature’s processes with a new eye and appreciation, we open a window on the remarkable organizational and structural patterns of growth. Complex biological activity is going on right under our feet. 

     Zoologist/artist, Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) spent countless hours peering through his microscope, drawing and painting intricate structures of miniature marine life. His marvelous tiny forms of foraminifera, plankton and mixotrophs, were published for the world to see in 1904. His huge book of intricate drawings, Art Forms in Nature, became a popular textbook for oceanographers and inspired

Art Forms in Nature 

many artists of that time. Due to his work, many artists, designers, craftsmen and architects were inspired to incorporate natural patterns from Nature in their work. The artists of the Art Nouveau movement (1880-1910) were heavily influenced by Haeckel’s elegant art forms, including Tiffany, Antoni Gaudi and the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in England, William Morris.

“Haeckel teaches us to look at life forms as elements of an organic crystallography [which] demonstrates the magic of organic symmetries”

Olaf Breidbach, commentary, in Art Forms in Nature by Ernst Haeckel (recently republished by Prestel Verlag 2004)

Antoni Gaudi apartment

     Looking beyond the onset of the “Industrial Revolution” and mechanistic thought, today, some of us have lost the feeling of the sacredness and appreciation of Nature. We have lost sight of the grandeur of Earth’s creatures, lands, forests and rivers. From a developer’s perspective, a stately redwood tree is no longer a majestic living entity or an integral part of a Biocenosis community in the forest. It is now a commodity worth $100 a board foot. When great forests are chopped down forever, it is due to the lack of respect and knowledge of the complex biological interdependence and morphogenesis of whole land habitats and soil processes, which includes all the creatures dwelling therein.

     Loren Eisley (1907-1977) advocated for a less frenzied era where one “… had time to observe, to speculate and to dream.” [A seed]: “…the seed, unlike the developing spore, is already a fully equipped embryo plant packed in a little enclosed box stuffed full of nutritious food. The well-fed, carefully cherished little embryo raised their heads everywhere.” Loren Eisley, The Immense Journey (Time, Inc. 1962)

     The present administration of the US government advocates “the deconstruction of the administrative state” which includes undermining numerous policies of land and monument preservation (Bear Ears in Utah - reduced 85%). They are deregulating certain environmental laws and government agencies. They have lost sight of the reason for the various congressional acts, rules and laws that previous administrations have set up to protect threatened lands, water, and forests, including the preservation of endangered species. These acts and laws were not only established as protection from plunderers of the earth for gold and silver and oil, they were meant to restrain those in the grip of “the love of money.” Pristine areas of land and wildlife habitat were set aside for posterity. What is most lacking now is that sense of the sacredness of earth, which was once exemplified in public celebrations of Nature’s processes conducted by the hierophant eons ago. 

“Consciousness is an integral part of nature. But we fail to understand this. We have stolen the soul from nature, or so we believe, because you can’t really take away the spirit in nature.

”Susan Griffin, “Curves Along the Road,” Reweaving the World (Ed. by Irene Diamond and Gloria Orenstein) 

Part II

Environmental conservation

 After many years of exploitation of resources, are there any plans for how the public can reclaim the land and all its inhabitants? Responsibility for a sustainable future is up to us. In the big picture, through wise stewardship of endangered areas, including protection of declining forests and animal habitats, we can set a new course. We can’t continue with this willful, ruthless destruction of the Garden of Eden, so to speak, in order to feed the “internal combustion engine.” Immense amounts of oil and gas are being sucked out of the body of the earth by oil and gas corporations - hungry for profit - to feed the “motor.” Change can’t come fast enough for the development of new kinds of motor inventions and clean energy sources. This is the key to the survivability of life on earth. 

     We need answers to the current dilemma and there are solutions the general public can take part in. By joining the action for change with others of like mind and becoming informed, we can plan together to bring about new solutions. It is the general public who must act en masse now to prevent further catastrophic events. We can solve the wholesale destruction of the earth by changing the way we think about the earth and its processes. Since this is now the information age, summaries of various scientific studies and solutions can be found in publicly available magazines and websites (see National Geographic, Earth Day 50^thAnniversary Special Issue, April 2020). Many helpful, forward-looking activist groups can be found on the web. “Climate Change” has become a catch-all term about extreme weather events we are now experiencing worldwide. We all need to recognize that we are in the midst of an earth warming crisis of apocalyptic proportions. The scientific evidence is there and has been measured: warmer air is accelerating a meltdown of glaciers everywhere; causing more hurricanes; floods in some areas; extreme drought in others, and extensive wildfires.

“It is this imaginative capacity, the ability to envision a world radically different 

from the present that has largely been missing since the cry of NO began echoing 

around the world in 2008.”

Naomi Klein, No is Not Enough (Haymarket Books, Random House, Canada 2017)

Arctic Meltdown

1.     Why are we seeing the Arctic sea ice vanishing? Atmospheric scientists tell us the melting of the Arctic Tundra and disappearance of sea ice is caused by higher carbon dioxide levels, measured now at 400 parts per million. This warming of the earth is caused mostly by burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses (see National Geographic,“The Arctic is Heating Up,” September 2019).  Arctic permafrost used to be frozen all year round, but now, it is thawing out and releasing methane gas, which further adds to the problem. Melting sea ice is exposing the surrounding land and opening up the Arctic Ocean, setting the stage for exploitation of the Arctic by both USA and Russia seeking minerals and oil (see Scientific American, “Sea Change,” August 2009). 

There is some hope for change by the recent attempts to capture CO2. In Iceland, “Climeworks,” a Swiss company, may have found a unique solution for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. “Injection Wells” have been installed at the Hellisheioi geothermal power plant where carbon dioxide is pulled from the air and sent, along with brine, deep into the bedrock where it bonds with basalt and becomes a solid mineral (see Scientific American, “The Last Resort,” January 2019). This is becoming a model for a worthwhile investment in our future.

Acidic Oceans

2.    Why are the coral reefs disappearing? The South Pacific Ocean is becoming acidic and some threatened areas, such as the Australian Barrier Reef, is suffering from an overload of CO2, which has caused the disappearance of many miles of coral reefs of the Coral Sea. Scientists say 67% of the world’s coral reefs are being decimated by oceanic heat waves. “About a third of the carbon dioxide released by the burning of fossil fuels currently ends up in the ocean. Absorbed CO2  forms carbonic acid in seawater”(see Scientific American, “The Dangers of Ocean Acidification,” March 2006). This makes it harder for marine animals to build shells from calcium carbonate, and the decline in PH threatens corals, upsetting the whole marine food chain.  On another scary note, in the 1950’s, the earth was inundated by radioactive particles spread by atmospheric nuclear bomb tests in the Marshall Islands; all because of what we have done in the name of WAR. And to make matters worse, currently, radioactive water is leaking into the Pacific Ocean from the disabled Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan where they are now considering dumping huge amounts of stored radioactive water into the ocean from the cooling plants (see Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November 11, 2019; and article by Jane Braxton Little, (“Fukushima Residents Return Despite Radiation,” (doseofviral.com). The nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, Ukraine, still remains the worst nuclear power disaster in history (with radioactive decay of Strontium-90 and Cesium-137 about 30 years; plutonium-239, 24,000 years).

 Contemporary artist, Ann T. Rosenthal and her late partner, Stephen Moore, traveled the world awhile back, documenting all the connected sites where nuclear bombs and testing have occurred, including visiting Hiroshima and Nagasaki where atomic bombs were dropped in WWII. Their pilgrimage reflects our troubled times and provides food for thought about the possible ultimate destruction of earth (see their installation, “Infinity City Redux”).  

Drought  

3.    The disappearing snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains above the “breadbasket valley” of California has brought on drought conditions for several years, leading to very dry terrain susceptible to wildfires (see National Geographic, “When the Snows Fall,” October 2014). And we watched parts of California burn up this past summer, while certain areas of Southern Africa are suffering the same fate. There, extreme heat and fire are causing barren cropland and creating drastic food shortages. From studying ancient tree rings, scientists can track temperature changes from more than 1000 years in the past. The current rise in temperature has been steadily increasing off the charts since 1900. In an opposite context, recently, there has been record flooding from unprecedented rainfall and more frequent hurricanes in US Southern states. With Nature raging out of control, it’s imperative we find solutions to counteract these destructive forces. 

Clean Water

4.    The Clean Water Act of 1972 (Federal Water Pollution Act) has been rewritten several times. At first, the purpose was to stop sewage from being dumped in the waterways, and therefore, many municipal sewage plants were constructed in large cities around the US. Then further restrictions were added to protect our rivers, which banned chemical dumping by industry, including lead and mercury. Consider the recent ongoing problem of lead in the water supply of Flint, Michigan. The current administration’s policy of deregulation is lessening the laws that are protecting our waterways. So, how can we be assured that we will always have access to clean drinking water?  One of the most polluted places in America is “cancer alley,” where 85 miles of polluted Mississippi River is lined with 150 petrochemical plants between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. This is a major problem of epic proportions, which is ongoing and not only affecting the river and the land, but also poisoning the people living in that area (businessinsider.com).

     In southwestern Kansas farmland, satellite images show hundreds of round green circles of cropland. Each circle has a well at the center, which is pumping groundwater through sprinklers onto the fields. Because of this, underground streams flowing to rivers have dropped 50%. Vast amounts of groundwater depletion is also occurring in California’s valleys and Arizona’s deserts using these same methods of irrigation. Pesticides, nitrates, phosphates, and nitrogen fertilizers, are also draining from the farmed fields into waterways and lakes, polluting the waters. Because of this, some farmers are experimenting and finding new ways to grow without fertilizers, relying instead on microorganisms and bacteria (see Discover Magazine,“The Fix is In,” November 2019). 

     There are several groups of concerned citizens working on water conservation seeking resolution of the problem of pollution in rivers, streams and lakes, especially those rivers flowing through cities: Artist Betsy Damon, founder of Keepers of the Waters, has been designing waterparks in several cities around the world that help clean the water. Her groups are committed to expanding clean water projects and promoting conservation education that involve community members, scientists, activists, including children The goal is to restore and improve water sources around the world. In Chengdu China, with Chinese partners, Betsy designed the award winning “Living Water Garden,” in 1998. This has become a model for change of urban infrastructure in water distribution and usage. It demonstrates a sustainable system for wetlands that treat polluted water and ways to aid in cleaning up rivers. 

    In dealing with the problems of flood control in cities, Landscape Architect, Yu Kongjian and his firm, “Turenscape,” has started a movement for managing water in several cities called “Sponge Cities.” His motive for change is based on “peasant wisdom” where rivers are widened, and water filtration systems are created with permeable sidewalks, rain catchers, and cisterns. Native plants at river edges replace cement bulkheads and dams. These works also include reclamation of derelict industrial sites. He is working on a master plan for all of China (see Scientific American, “Sponge Cities,” December 2018).  

Land Grab and Endangered Species

5.    Destruction of critical habitat is devastating wildlife populations in many states and the Endangered Species Act has purposely been weakened by the present administration. The act is in danger of being dismantled altogether. Disappearance of wetlands and estuaries has been occurring for many years with the encroachment of industry and overdevelopment in land use. Wildlife and habitats are threatened more than ever. More than 2,350 endangered species of animals, birds, plants and reptiles have been listed under the act (see Discover Magazine, “A Million Species In Danger,” January/February 2020). President Richard Nixon signed the original “Endangered Species Act” in 1973. This included identifying and protecting critical habitat use of wetlands, salt water marsh ecosystems, and preventing pollution of waterways. The ramifications of the act have now become a political football in disputes over rights to protect wildlife habitat versus attempts to develop public lands and drill for gas and oil. The Greater Sage Grouse is at the center of controversy in Wyoming over the attempt to lease public land for development of oil and gas fields and planned wind farms. The Jonah Field in Wyoming, which was once the habitat for the grouse is now gone. The previous administration under Obama arranged a compromise agreement designed to protect sage grouse, but now it is being undermined by the present administration in favor of oil and gas drilling and mining (see National Geographic, “Saving the Sage Grouse,” November 2019). In Washington State, the fate of the Pygmy Rabbit and Oregon Spotted Frog hang in the balance due to the overall destruction of their habitat in an area stretching from Washington and Oregon to Montana. Habitat destruction, pesticides, and all-consuming wildfires, have taken a toll on wildlife and many other threatened species in these areas (see National Geographic, “Countdown to Extinction” January 2009). The Keystone XL Pipeline was recently stopped by the Sierra Club and indigenous people by invoking the Endangered Species Act (Sierra Club Magazine, “Pipelines On Pause,” July/August 2020). Several Native American tribes, including the Rosebud Sioux, Lakota and Fort Benning Community, have filed lawsuits against the remaining segments of the pipeline. 

     Olas and Margaret Murie, would be appalled to see their work to help establish the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge violated illegally by companies drilling for oil as designated by the present administration.    

  

“Although Nature needs thousands or millions of years to create a species, man needs only a few years to destroy one."

           Victor Scheffer, Spires of Form: Glimpses of Evolution (University of Washington Press 1983) 

The Hierophant and Nature

When you receive The Hierophant card in a reading, it’s a signal to begin seeing Nature and your natural surroundings in a new way. Ask yourself: What is happening with plants, trees, animals and birds in your vicinity? What are you doing to improve their lot in life? Yet, it is not a time to ruminate and despair over what has gone wrong. Now is the time to take constructive action to mitigate the effects of this dystopia mankind has been creating on the earth. Instead, look to the future with a sense of the sacredness of the earth and go forward doing what you can do to facilitate change.

Here are some active organizations

Audubon Society

Climate-Action 350

Defenders of Wildlife

Friends of the Earth

Greenpeace

Jane Goodall Institute

Keepers of the Waters

Leap Manifesto Canada

Nature Conservancy

National Geographic Society

Natural Resources Defense Council

National Wildlife Federation

Wilderness Society

References: 

    Art Forms in Nature,Ernst Haeckel (1904, recently republished by Prestel Verlag 2004)

The Future of the Endangered Species Act,Charles Mann & Mark Plummer (Knopf 1995)

No is Not Enough, Naomi Klein (Haymarket Books 2017)

Gaia,James Lovelock (Oxford University Press 1979)

Grandmothers of the Light, Paula Gunn Allen(Beacon Press 1991)

The Rebirth of Nature,Rupert Sheldrake (Park Street Press 1994)

Reweaving the World, Irene Diamond & Gloria Orenstein (Sierra Club Books 1990)

A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold (Oxford university Press 1966)

Two In the Far North, Margaret Murie (Knopf, 1963)