Dream’s Spirit

 

“We might say that the dream transforms the dreamer; that it possesses the ability to ‘initiate’, to bestow new meaning, to motivate new beginnings (Latin: initium – beginning), to permit our entrance (literally ‘en-trance’; Latin: inire init – to go in) to new orders of relation between ourselves and the ‘other’.”
— Andrew D. Chumbley

 

Dreams echo in the waking breath
and then ebb away
to distant shore’s calling
their transformations
internal and eternal
felt but unexpressed
in the morning light
except in subtle hints.
Once more I play the fool
in daily routines
as I pretend to a normalcy
beyond my reach.
yet in the evening
I create the flow
and the images arrive
through mouse and screen
and my own inner reveries
The tide has returned
and the dreaming begins again.
— G A Rosenberg

 

Blessings, G

 

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EcstasyEcstasy by G A Rosenberg

 

Ethereal BeatleEthereal Beatle by G A Rosenberg

 

Tarot Post – The Hierophant

 

V-The Hierophant (Taurus ♉︎)

 

The Hierophant The Hierophant by G A Rosenberg

 

Initiation
Undergoing ritual
brings changes within

 

Blindfolded to my past and surroundings
I stand ready
I have prepared for this
Gestures and unknown languages
sung in the right way
Guidance from teachers
It all seemed empty
but now…it feels real
He stands before me
in full regalia
Others are with him chanting
and I must play my part
My knees trembling I move forward
Surrounded by faces I can’t see
They watch as I perform the steps
It is done. The ritual complete.
I feel exhausted and proud
yet oddly unchanged
“That will come later.”they say.
— G A Rosenberg

 

In Ancient Greece, the Hierophant presided over the Eleusinian Mysteries, the rites that initiated one into the cult of Demeter. In the Tarot he represents that ritualistic initiation into the outer order of both religion and society. This can typically be seen today in ceremonies such as First Communions, Bar Mitzvahs or graduation ceremonies. Less typically but perhaps more powerfully it can be found in the initiation ceremonies of groups such as the Masons, Golden Dawn, O.T.O. In any of these initiations, there must first come a time of training and education into the spiritual tradition that one is seeking to enter. The Hierophant can also be seen as the religious leader of the community. Where the Emperor rules the temporal concern of his subjects, the Priest or Pope is the spiritual leader. He (traditionally) can be seen as the conduit of a higher level of vibration that can be attained. In more recent times many have seen less of a need to have an outer intermediary and many have chosen either methods of direct contact with spiritual source or making contact with an internal ‘guru’. Whether external or internal, the Hierophant is a connector of our outer selves with our higher spiritual nature. This is represented by the silver and gold keys which cross. The initiations themselves help break us out of the lives we have lived up to this point and open us up to a deeper experience. Many times this is not felt when the initiation takes place but afterwards as that higher vibration makes itself known in our lives.

 

Astrological Attribution – Taurus(♉︎) – The Taurus influence is one of enjoyment of that attained. The bull will plod along workmanlike in pursuit of his goals but afterwards will revel in the food and comfort that comes as a reward. The energy is a stubborn fixed one that can easily become dogmatic. Taurus is a sign of harmony (its planetary ruler Venus) and this extends to all areas be it romance, spirit or environment. It is eminently practical and will follow all the steps necessary to get them to their goal.

 

Runic Attribution – Raidho (“Wheel”) raidhoRaidho means journey, wheel or wagon and can often represent one’s spiritual journey forward. There is an evolutionary energy to this rune with elements both of freeing oneself and self-mastery implicit. It also relates to the idea of bringing the inner self and outer world together as it represents harmonizing one’s own rhythms with those of the world. It represents a strong pulling forward of oneself.

 

Path on the Tree of Life – Path 16-Vau – The meaning of Vau is nail. It is a Nail’s function to join or connect two things. Path 16 connects Chokmah (‘wisdom’ or the supernal father) with Chesed (‘grace or mercy’ or the father manifested). The Path is known as that of ‘Eternal Intelligence’ and has an electric nature. It serves thus as a nail linking together internal enlightenment with external experience. There is a masculine electric energy in this link as the power of Chokmah above the abyss is grounded in Chesed below it.

 

When the Hierophant shows up in a reading it may be time to ask what authority the querent is accepting rather than their own inner guidance. Are they looking to a spiritual leader for answers and are they questioning those answers they receive? It may also indicate that they are following a traditional path in their lives rather than trying to think outside the box. This is not necessarily a negative thing because there is much wisdom to be found there as long as one does not become dogmatic, accepting without question someone else’s interpretation of truth. There are many times when it is necessary to challenge the status quo and this is probably not one of them. The Hierophant coming up may also mean that there is someone in the querent’s environment who is very fixed on how things have always been done and is intolerant of finding new ways to do it. The card may also show that some form of traditional transition is coming up such as a graduation, promotion or wedding. The Hierophant may also represent a teacher or course of study that the querent is following.

 

The Hierophant reversed may mean that it is becoming increasingly difficult and restrictive to stay within the confines of accepted society. Perhaps there are too many rules either in the career, project or course of study that the querent is following. It may also represent someone who is abusing their position of authority to tyrannize the people who are following it into doing things their way. The reversed Hierophant may also mean that the querent takes an unorthodox approach to life and finds it difficult to follow a more conventional way. Depending on the other cards in the reading it may behoove them to at least learn their stuff before taking it in new directions.

 

Tarot Post – The High Priestess

 

II – The High Priestess (Moon ☾)

 

High PriestessThe High Priestess by G A Rosenberg

 

Holding her secrets
All that anyone may seek
she carries within.

 

She holds mysterious beauty
Standing silent
bathed in moonlight
I long to know
what lies beneath her veil.
I have lost my way
and need to continue
tho I know not where
I have so many questions
she takes them all
without reply
Will she ever speak?
Are answers to be found
in her book
and will she share them
with this bedraggled fool?
Yet we remain
and she remains
untouched and untouching
contained and content
Without her I cannot go on
yet within, within I find my way
across the void desert.
— G A Rosenberg

 

The High Priestess is feminine to the Magician’s masculine. Where the Magician is active will, she is passive intuition. The Magician gives forth and the High Priestess takes in. She represents the lunar current which ties into the subconscious. When our mind is silent and still any and all answers can arise from us from the abyss which links us to the all.We may not be able to consciously carry the answers back yet the knowledge remains.
Tho the High Priestess represents the feminine, the card also represents the balance between all dualities. After all, everything is contained within the temple of the subconscious. She is at the entrance to the temple between the two pillars, the dark and the light (each which like the yin-yang sign contains a bit of its counterpart). From the interplay of duality almost anything can come forth. She is a figure of devotion, receptive to all. The number 2 (represented by the pillars among other things can be seen as symbolic of the vagina. In silence she accepts all and in silence she answers. Because we can’t hear them spoken, we often believe these answers to come from our own minds.

 

Astrological Attribution – The Moon (☾) – The astrological moon relates to the unconscious and the messages that come from there. It casts no light of its own but reflects whatever light strikes it (and in turn reflects that light onto whatever it touches). The Moon lights our dark night and shows us what we need to protect ourselves. It goes through cycles of casting greater and lesser amounts of light and influences tides (both in the water and our bodies which are mostly water) and emotions. It is the part of us that knows on a deep intuitive level whether or not we can communicate our knowledge.

 

Runic Attribution – Pertho PerthoThe appearance of this card suggests a dice cup (notice the receptive feminine appearance of it) and represents both psychic information, intuition and secrets. The goddess attribution is Freya (the all-mother). As a talisman, it heals mental dis-ease and disquiet among other ailments.It is both a revealer and concealer of secrets. It also represents initiation.
Other Runes connected with the High Priestess are Uruz and Orthilla.

 

Path on the tree of life: Path 13-Gimel: Gimel means Camel and just as a camel conveys one across the desert, Path 13 is the first path that crosses the abyss linking the spheres of Kether and Tiphareth on the center pillar of the tree. It has been called the Path of highest initiation and is the gate between the soul and the spirit. If Tiphareth is the light of the soul then it can be said that Gimel unites that light with the darkness of all-being. It is also referred to as “the unity directing consciousness”

 

When the High Priestess turns up in a reading it indicates that this is a time to be silent and tune into our own unconscious and listen to what it is trying to tell us. It tells us to pay attention to dreams and other symbols that may be appearing to us. This may be a time of incredible spiritual growth happening beneath the surface, not yet ready to manifest in the physical. Changes are coming if we but open ourselves to them. In a reading, it may also represent the need for us to turn to our feminine side and the understanding that that gives us. We may have grown inattentive to the Goddess force that lies within all of us (men included). The card may also represent a romance that we may wish for but will not manifest in a sexual way at least. At its most essential tho, the card means to be open to whatever intuitive messages are coming through in whatever area is being asked about.

 

When the High Priestess is reversed or badly aspected it can mean that we have not been listening to the guidance we have been given and are suffering because of it. It may mean that we are blocking our subconscious and need to find ways to open ourselves up to it. It is a good time to meditate and clear and try to reestablish connections with our inner self. It may be that while the querent is usually well tuned to their inner nature, events of late have felt too rushed or too chaotic and so they have been blocking that voice. Nothing is ever so busy that a time out to reflect and meditate is not a good idea.

 

Quote of the Day – November 10 2011

Beyond a certain point, the whole universe becomes a continuous process of initiation.
–Robert Anton Wilson

I’ve bee contemplating arrogance the last few days, my own as well as that of others. We feel ourselves subjected to intolerance and yet we limit the points of views that we can hear never mind accept as valid. We claim to be without fear which to me sounds a whole lot like being without the colour cyan or the note fa (arbitrary picks on my part, I make no correlation between fear and cyan nor fear and fa) Not that I believe that we should ever let fear rule us, but see it as a teacher, one with particularly harsh lessons at times. By understanding our fear, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and our universe. I said all this to someone and immediately came to a realization. For years I have bragged about how I never feel boredom. What arrogance, Sure when i get impatient or have to do something I might not feel like doing, I feel time go to a crawl and things can become tedious. Yes, that sounds like boredom to me also. Oh it seldom lasts long and in the universe inside my mind I can go exploring or revisiting points of interest and then once again I fly free. But saying I NEVER experience boredom? That word never and its brother always share a particular cognitive dissonance in my head. They seem so absolute. More on that another time. Namaste
— G A Rosenberg

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Colour Play on Crumpled Paper by G A Rosenberg