FOUR PILLARS SOCIETY TAROT: STRENGTH (SOOTHING THE BEAST WITHIN)

Notes on Strength

(Soothing the Beast Within)

 

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Notes:
 
Many, if not all of us have a pit of snakes somewhere in our psyche Buried within our recesses is a snakepit of passion and desire. It does no good to suppress it because one way or another the crazy will come out. If we don’t exhibit it ourselves, we will draw others into our lives who will exhibit and act it out for us or find ourselves in moments of unreality where we do or say things that we would typically never say or do. 
This passionate, insane part of ourselves is a necessary part of our makeup, Indeed it is the generative force of life itself and life will out. It is also the whisper of the shadowed self that we must one day learn to incorporate and utilize in healthy ways.
 
 
About the Archetype:
 
What does it mean to master the inner self? Does it mean that we clamp down on our every wayward thought, habit, and desire? I have met many people like that and they tend to resemble time bombs or pressure valves that will one day lead to a disastrous explosion. We cannot find that kind of inner control by repression. For one thing, it becomes way too easy to lose sight of that which we are suppressing in the first place and to realize what it is our will and/or desire to do
 
True Strength comes from the shadow work of examining our feelings and hunger in a loving and compassionate way. It means finding places and situations where we may do this safely. By giving reign to these passions, we learn to name them and work with them and use them. Our wants, desires, and wounds that need to be healed are seldom the problem. It is the way we treat them that tends to make them into uncontrollable demons that terrify us. It takes strength and courage to face our demons and find that they may become our greatest allies.
 
In his Thoth deck, Aleister Crowley calls this card Lust. Many people are afraid of the strengths of their lusts. They want or need things that they feel they have to keep secret and lose sight of why and how they lust. The satisfaction of our desires can lead to an ecstatic union with our inner selves if we allow them to. There are always ways to do this that do not involve harming others or ourselves. In this way, we come to wisdom and greater self-confidence and mastery than any we have known before.
 
 
Astrological Correspondent:
 
Leo(♌︎)-The Leo energy has an immense self of itself and its power. It is as enthusiastic and courageous as its symbol the Lion. It is ruled by the sun and takes its pride of place in leadership and holds it through its sense of dignity and honor. The Leo energy is great for friendship but needs to know it has control. It likes to have the spotlight and can be very dramatic. Leo has an immense capacity for enjoyment of life in all of its forms but wants to both make it fun for everyone and wants everyone to know that it comes from its largesse. Leo is amazing at group dynamics especially when it is at the head of the pack. Leo has an innovative energy and dislikes few things as much as routine.
 
 
In a Reading:
 
When the Strength card turns up in a reading, it may indicate that it is at a time when we feel that the querent has things under control. Things that have been stressful have been mastered and the querent has confidence in their ability to deal with anything that may come up. The card may also indicate that there have been inner struggles that have been resolved not through brute force or repression but with compassion towards themselves and others. Perhaps the querent is undergoing some form of inner test where they are attempting to master either addiction or some perceived weakness. The Strength card could be leading them towards the hunger that the weakness is feeding and show that they have it within themselves to satiate the hunger without the addictive behaviour. This leads to true mastery of the situation rather than repression. If this is a present struggle then the querent can be assured that this mastery will come in time and that they will find the inner strength they need. The Strength card can also indicate that the querent needs to present a stronger more self-assured face to the world.
 
Inversed or badly aspected, the Strength card may show that the querent feels weak and that they can no longer continue the struggle. They may feel like they are the victims of their inner demons and lack confidence. It may indicate addictive behaviour that has been triggered in some way or it may represent a long-term struggle. The Strength card reversed may indicate that they are in a relationship that is destructive and where the passion is out of control in a negative sense. The querent may need to be reminded of struggles they have overcome in the past and mastered and need to be more compassionate towards themselves.
 
Fate’s Whisper:
Where there is light an equal shadow must exist. This edict was made after an event called the first grief. What caused this event was the loss of an existential anchor for the Spider of Fate. This cast a great shadow over half of that existence till the Tiger of Chance quelled it through extensive measures.
 
We all face our inner demons at some point. The Tiger of Chance taught that, not only forgiving but making peace with this shadow grants one even greater strength. It isn’t always easy but that is the point, if one does not know the struggle they will never know the value of the strength they have. So when those hard times come,  embrace it as you would a wave, let it overcome you. This is because like any tide it cant last forever and will eventually recede and take the part you no longer need with it.
 
 

Four Pillars Society Tarot: The Chariot (Energy’s Will)

Notes on The Chariot (Energy’s Will)

 

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Notes on the Card:
 
Over an empty arena, a skeletal figure drives a chariot pulled by two dragons facing different ways. Now, one may wonder what connection this has with the Chariot’s usual meaning of outer control of the circumstances of one’s life. This can be explained quite simply. Full control of one’s life is a momentary illusion that is often shattered in the next moment.
 
Don’t get me wrong. We become more and more adept at handling the various areas of our day-to-day existence. It’s just that existence is ever-changing and what we actually develop are the skills to adapt to the changes that come our way and the ability to function within the shifting chaos. Those who cannot learn to adapt may easily fall prey to psychological disorders while those who are the most adaptable and able to seize the reins of change will lead happier and more successful lives.
 
About the Archetype:
 
When we are ready to leave home and make our own way in the world we feel triumphant. We have made it through the trials of adolescence and feel unstoppable. In the best cases, we are armoured in the love and support of our family (or family of choice) and community and feel more than up to any challenges that life may throw us on a material level. This is an example of the Chariot force in action. The Chariot represents that feeling of taking charge in life through the use of will. The Driver does not need reigns to direct the two horses pulling his chariot. Even tho they may be drawn in two different directions, he controls his movement forward through the use of his will. He has confidence that he will succeed in his endeavours and that the world is his to make of it what he will. The victories that he has gained in developing this control give him the knowledge that he can conquer anything in his path.
 
The Chariot also represents the vehicle in which we move. This could be considered on many levels whether it be our bodies, our cars, or our spirit. Our vehicles serve as both protection and propulsion. They are how we move through the world and how we handle them can be a symbol for how we handle the externals in our life. We may be pulled in different directions as we experience the seeming contradictions of life (shown by the two horses facing different directions) but it is our will that directs our vehicle the way we wish it to go.
 
 
Astrological Correspondence:
 
Cancer(♋︎)-The Cancer energy feels safest in its home environment. It is a nurturing and emotional energy tho prone to moodiness. Cancer’s planetary ruler is the Moon and its moods can be almost tidal in their nature. Cancer has a great drive to see things through but can withdraw into its own shell much like its symbol the crab. Also like the crab, Cancer can make a home for itself anywhere it goes without having to rely on others. It also has the ability to project that feeling of home to those around them to make a loving caring space for them. At its best (i.e. when it is feeling most secure) there is little that Cancer cannot accomplish.
 
In a reading:
 
When the Chariot turns up in a reading it often indicates success in the matter at hand. A victory has been one and the querent has control of the situation. In matters of dispute, it does not necessarily mean that all sides have reached a full agreement as much as they have due to the querent’s efforts agreed to work together towards a common goal. Since so much of the victory depends on the querent’s own confidence and personality, he must continue to remain focused on the situation until it has reached its conclusion. The card may also refer to a current struggle for control that the querent finds themselves in. It may be one where there is a pull in several different directions and it is up to the querent to determine which solution is optimal and to sell it using their own confidence and personality. The Chariot may also refer to a need for the querent to reign in or learn to use their natural aggressiveness to better effect. It may also indicate an upcoming journey.
 
 
Reversed or Badly Aspected, the Chariot can often mean that a situation has gotten out of the querent’s control. It may feel like they are being pulled by several different opposing forces and they cannot get it together to decide which way they want to go. It may be that their natural charisma and force of personality is not working for them the way it has in the past and they need to learn a new way of pulling things together. It can often be a time where discipline and focus are being called for. The reversed chariot can also mean that the querent has to let go of the need to be in control of every situation. It may be a time when they have to learn to let go and let someone else make the decisions for a while.
 
Fate’s Whisper:
 
Two dragons pull a chariot encouraged only by death urges. In dragonic practice, death becomes a tool to transform and become better.
 
It was only after the second existence the force of death was created. It was born from a singular word that nearly drove the dragons to extinction. The Word of Power Death started the process of life and death. In many ways, you could say this became the ultimate control mechanism, as before this the dragons had nothing to fear so nothing held value.
 
Without a potential risk, nothing truly has value. Seeing the aspect as strong as dragons driving death forward to bring change in their wake. Wild by nature but wise enough to use this absolute force to grow even further. So what will you do as death chases you? Evolve or Rot?

Four Pillars Society Tarot: The Lovers (Angelic Folly)

Notes on The Lovers (Angelic Folly)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Notes:
 
Yang and Yin, Positive Space and Negative Space. The traits we exhibit and the Traits that we keep hidden within. What is the key to achieving the full manifestation of our potential? Can we indeed confront that shadowy being that is our compliment, our other self, the player on the other side?
 
Some of the oldest versions of this card show a man torn between two women. An older woman, representing the mother and the bubble of existence many of us find ourselves in our early years where we become formed and defined and a younger woman representing that attractive being who represents everything outside of the world we have known.  It has been theorized that the end goal of the rest of the Fool’s Journey is a reconciliation of these two opposites, introduced here.
 
As decks have evolved and changed, the cards are likely now to show some kind of union of these two opposites under the watchful gaze of an angel. The Rider-Waite-Smith deck shows Adam and Eve in the garden under the watchful eyes of the angel. Why not? Many of us who have married have found out that we have not begun to meet the stranger whom we have chosen until after the ceremony.
At any rate, growth continues and is accelerated through relationships particularly if they are healthy ones with both parties developing and evolving.  Thus in the picture, I show a wedding of a kind, with both participants only partially formed and the angel presiding it a bit more literal in shape. This is the key to the alchemical joining and only through time will both evolve.
–GAR
 
About the Archetype:
 
As children, we are governed mainly by those around us whether it be our parents or the society in which we are raised. These are represented in the tarot by The Empress, The Emperor, and the Hierophant. These influences act on us and give us a particular lens on the world. They tell us what is expected of us and almost everything we do is either in concordance or rebellion with these influences. Then one day we meet each other. We feel an intense attraction towards them. It may be either a sexual attraction towards someone of the opposite (or same) sex or just an intense interest. They were raised under a different lens than us with different influences. They are built differently and have different expectations of life. That can make everything we have believed up to this point come into question. Do we continue to endorse the viewpoints of our family and the society that raised us or do we embrace these new points of view? How can we continue to live in the manner that we are used to when we know that there is another, maybe a better way? We start to see the flaws in our parents’ outlooks and methods and challenge those whose authority we have never challenged before. We have come to a point where we recognize the need to make our own choices. Ultimately this may mean leaving home and going out to the other. It may mean finding a way to encompass both.
 
This time of choice is represented by The Lovers card. In older versions of the tarot, the card showed a young man choosing between an older darker-haired woman and a fair-haired younger woman. This represented the choice between his family and his lover. In Waite’s deck, as well as the picture here, this card was shown to represent a mature man and woman standing together (suggesting Eden). Aleister Crowley’s Thoth deck depicts an alchemical wedding which is also at its simplest, a joining together with the other.
 
Astrological Correspondence:
 
Astrological Attribution – Gemini (♊︎) – The Gemini influence is that of intellect and analysis. It loves to take things apart and discover what makes them work. Part of this is distinguishing one thing from another and Gemini is a very analytical sign. Gemini’s symbol is the twins and it can easily see both sides of a question and can vacillate between the two sides. Gemini’s Mercurial nature is shown by how quickly it moves from one subject to another, ever probing and learning more before it moves on to another. This may make it appear superficial tho with time Gemini’s understanding deepens. Gemini is quick to act and quick to react but no reaction no matter how infuriating is ever the last one.
 
In a Reading:
 
When the Lovers card shows up in a reading it can definitely indicate a strong romance that is either ongoing or on the horizon. This relationship goes well beyond the physical and can mean the type of lessons in understanding and harmonizing with one another that only such a relationship can give. It can also indicate a time of choice between two paths that are both compelling. This may be due to the prospect of such a relationship and can often mean choosing between the life that the querent is living now and a path totally new to them. The Lovers can indicate how important and essential your current relationship is to your life. The Lovers card may also represent any major choice that involves several layers of the querent’s life. Upright this often means they can choose confidently knowing that their decision will be the correct one. The card may indicate that the question is one of trust in one’s partner.
 
 
Reversed or badly aspected, the Lovers can mean that the querent is doubting the choices that they have made or is being tempted to make a choice that will ultimately prove challenging if not damaging. It may mean disharmony and temptations to split up. This may be due to trust issues. It may mean that a partnership is splitting up because the people involved have lost sight of the things that have brought them together in the first place. In a position in the reading indicating the past, the Lovers may refer to bitterness over past relationships that are hurting the querent now.
 
Fate’s Whisper:
The first thing one can see is a key. Is this one of the keys to the greater future or is it to an inevitable demise. Above it is easy to see the eyes of angels shrouded by lighting.
 
Loyal the the Dragon of Reality, their pride is only matched by their need to guard what they define as order. Originally they served the dragons used to carry out important messages, they served dragons till they would vanish from existence. With nothing to suppress them their ego became an insurmountable wall of virtue and pride. Thus becoming a true representation of choice.
 
Growing up we all hold that same key but we are suppressed by those above us, whether they mean to or not. Only when we stand for ourselves is when can use that key to form that future. So how will you use your key? Will you stay suppressed or will you let your colors out for all to see.

FOUR PILLARS TAROT: THE HIEROPHANT (WISDOM PASSED)

Notes on The Hierophant (Wisdom Passed)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Note:
 
The Hierophant, in many tarot decks and for many tarot readers gets a bad rap. As the Empress can often represent the mother or the maternal and the Emperor represents the father, the Hierophant represents our teachers, the ones who lead us into knowledge. This knowledge may be secular or spiritual, but in theory, the knowledge we will need to undergo initiation and advancement into adulthood and the society in which one finds oneself.
 
It is essential to learn the rules of any system that we get involved in, if only so that later we can understand the ways around the rules, as we stretch the boundaries of our ignorance further. This is true whether it be the hierarchical laws of our society or work environment or more esoteric rules of spiritual development in whatever path that we choose or that chooses us.  The keys that the older spider is handing out to his younger acolytes are the keys of knowledge and wisdom. After all, you really can’t teach anyone anything. All you can do is hand them the keys and hope that they learn as they go, if not from you, then from each initiation that life brings them. No matter how painful it may be.
 
About the Archetype:
 
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 method of direct contact with a 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 usually are shown crossing somewhere on the card. 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 Correspondent:
 
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.
 
In a Reading:
 
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 the 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 or badly aspected, 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.
 
Fate’s Whisper:
 
Reality was formed and life was given, but what brought purpose? The fabric meticulously woven to connect all being would be used to comprise the Web of Fate. The Spider of Fate made the original essence of language and magick alike, Not many had the chance to witness this subtle process. Silently it would be stitched in the fabric of every being. So they could connect and initiate what the Spider of Fate would call his tapestry Fate’s Tapestry is an ever-changing body of energy that can pinpoint where he was needed to keep energy growing and break stagnation.
 
As you can see the Spider of Fate hands the keys to the future so that they can grow and make their own tapestry. What these keys are depends on what part you play. Are you an artist or an engineer? Do you make dreams or make their blueprints so that they can be passed to the next generation? So many questions can be asked as these young spiders ask their seniors about the future that is in their hands. We all hold different keys to the future. What will your key open? –

Four Pillars Tarot: The Emperor (Absolute Threshold)

Notes on The Emperor (Absolute Threshold)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

 

Artist’s Notes:
The Empress is full-unbridled creativity and chaos. How do you rein that in so that it may reach its highest level of potential? You need the order and structure that comes from the Emperor. His is the authority that sets paths and decides where things will go and how they will be allocated. He sits on the plane of Endless Potential and rules which of those will happen at any particular time. He knows that the only way to remain stable is to avoid stasis and change with the changes. 
 
He acts when it is necessary to act and has acquired this wisdom at great cost. Aries is the astrological ruler of this card and the Aries energy always seeks new areas of conquest. This Emperor has learned that the most important battle is that of the self.
 
 
About the Archetype:
 
Where the Empress represents the creative principle in full flower, the Emperor represents order both mundane and divine. He is the paternal force seeking to keep things under tight reign during the time he is there. He seeks to instill both rules and the need for some kind of order in our lives so that we can live in the world. He also represents the laws that bind the universe as a whole. Where the Empress tells us to go wild and express ourselves fully, the Emperor tells us we need to color inside the lines, that they are there for a reason. The Emperor teaches us the obligation of service to others.
 
At its best, the Emperor’s force gives us a set of guidelines in which we can feel secure to live as we will. At its worst, it can lead to repression and a big brother type of society where we are over-protected for ‘our own good.’ While ideally, he represents the order in the service of virtue, he can become the tyrant who insists that only he knows what is right for all.
 
The Emperor is an expansive force that wants to bring more and more under his protective influence. He is a swift fiery force that knows that one day his power will pass on to another. In ancient days the legend is that the king would rule for one year and be consigned to the flames for the next king to take his place. His is the morning and the setup of the day.
 
 
Astrological Correspondent:
 
Aries (♈︎) – Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and tends to lead the pack with its headstrong nature. It is forceful and fiery and willing to fight for what it believes. The Aries force is a strong starter but not particularly good at seeing things through to their completion for just as people are catching up, Aries is on to something else for there are always new worlds to conquer. Aries has a fiery nature and is never afraid of competition but can burn themselves out if not adequately fuelled. It sees leadership as its natural place and can be somewhat domineering in keeping it. It has concern for others tho the concern can waver if challenged. It is honest and forthright energy.
 
 
In a Reading:
 
When the Emperor turns up in a reading it may indicate that it is time to move forward aggressively and take advantage of (or make) new opportunities. It is a time of power and potency. It may also indicate issues with the querent’s father or other paternal figures in their life. Someone who gives good advice based on their own life experiences. The Emperor may also refer to someone in authority in the social order who has influence or control over the querent’s life such as an employer or government figure. It would do the querent well in the situation to put forth the appearance of playing by that person’s rules. It may also be a time to bring order and organization into one’s life, clearing away all the chaos. It is time to make a plan and stick to it with confidence that it will work.
 
 
 
The reversed Emperor may indicate that the querent has grown too rigid and inflexible in their thinking and/or their lives. It may also mean that they are blocking themselves off from that vital, creative, take-charge feeling and are too concerned about upsetting their well-ordered lives to take advantage of opportunities in their path. Getting the reversed card may also indicate that there are difficulties with the querent’s paternal influences. Perhaps it is a case of their father being too dominant a figure in their lives. It may also indicate that they are becoming more sensitive to the feelings and concerns of other people in their lives
 
 
 
Fate’s Whisper:
The first thing one will notice about this card is not the colour scheme but the raw energy it emits. It is solid like the reality the four pillars created. The absolute force that ensures no boundary is crossed as if it knows all the wrong that you are about to do.
 
One of the gifts the Dragon of Reality has is called the Eyes of Truth. Regardless of what was used nothing was hidden from them. This ability would later be passed to the other pillars and eventually be used to grant the djinn their sight as a gift for protecting the knowledge of origin.
 
This is worth noting as in order to carry out their duties to preserve the energetic balance, the four pillars need to ensure that they were impervious to tricker Just as the card, it is obvious that whoever this figure is nothing can escape his ever-judging gaze. There is no room for compromise or negotiations. He does however respect the boundary of those around him while watching to ensure the same respect is returned. Sitting silent and waiting until it is his time to protect what he values.

Four Pillars Tarot: The Empress (Unwieldly)

Notes on The Empress (Unwieldly)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Notes:
 
In front of a symbol that is both ankh and the glyph for Venus at the same time, a feminine shape dances. So fast does she dance and so strong her gyrations that one cannot be sure whether she is one being or several. From her, living energy spills forth that is awesomely creative and awesomely destructive at the same time. Not that one of these things could ever exist without the other. She is nature in all of her fullness. She is nature, both beautiful and terrible at once, both a beautiful Lilly in a quiet field on a sunny day and the wild force of a hurricane, tornado or erupting volcano
 
When talking about the tarot, particularly the Major Arcana, it is essential to see them and know them fully (grock them in fullness as Robert Heinlein might have said) as both individual cards, forces and meditation devices but also how they link to the cards before and after them in sequence. This sequence may be as the Fool’s Journey through the Major Arcana or it could be the order in which it shows up in a reading for no matter the order, every card in a reading may shine a light on that which comes before it and that which comes after and such is the power of the archetypal narrative.
 
The Empress comes after the High Priestess. The Priestess holds her secrets and keeps everything well contained until it is time for the knowledge to be awakened. The Empress holds no secrets. Everything is expressed and let out and there is nothing held back. Indeed no boundary can withstand the full force of her creative effort. She is the all-mother ever-birthing creation. She is as excessive as the Priestess is contained
 
About the Archetype:
 
If the High Priestess represents the ideal feminine untouchable and chaste then the Empress represents the feminine aspect in full flower. She is a full-blown creative force and her intelligence is that of creativity, not reason. She is sensuous and maternal and emotional. She inspires with a glance and ignites the senses. She frustrates and delights. She combines the active force of the Magician with the passivity of the High Priestess and gives birth to wonder. In every moment she expresses yet at any moment she will express herself differently. She is ever-changing. She is the spirituality of the High Priestess made manifest by the will of the Magician. She is the Earth mother; Venus and Aphrodite, Freya and Isis Unveiled in all her glory. She is the calm river and the raging storm. She is creative will made manifest.
 
 
Astrological Correspondent:
 
Venus-Astrologically Venus represents what and who we love and what brings us pleasure. Venus represents what attracts us and what is attracted to us. It can also indicate where our emotional (and physical) addictions may lie. We are most in harmony when Venus is well-aspected and when it is badly aspected our lives may seem cacophonous. Venus shows what we most appreciate in a romantic and sensuous (if not sexual) way.
 
 
In a Reading:
 
When the Empress shows up in a reading, it may indicate that this is not a time of calm reflection but a time to go with the emotion. Enjoy this period of pleasure and creativity and manifest in joy. The card may also indicate that it is time to get outside and enjoy nature. For a city dweller, this may mean seeking it out. The Empress may also refer to a pregnancy or birth. When the Empress turns up it can also mean that it is time to express the nurturing side of the querent’s own personality but it also means that if the querent is being harassed by people that they can let the ‘diva’ side of their personality out and show others the full force of who they are. It is a time for the full manifestation of energy and good things are coming.
 
 
 
Reversed or badly aspected, the Empress can indicate that there are blocks to creativity and the expression of one’s self. The querent’s imagination may be running away with fancies that they are confusing with true intuitive imagination. The reversed card may indicate fear of ‘letting one’s self go’ because they cannot handle the onslaught of their own emotional nature. It may also indicate a time of emotional imbalance and disharmony. Where the right side up the card indicates plenty, when reversed it may mean it is a time of scarcity where one has to make do with what one has. This is usually a temporary situation as The Empress is a card of change. The Empress reversed can also be indicative of hormonal imbalances such as those felt at the onset of menopause.
 
Fates Whisper:
Unbeknownst to the residents of reality, there are two types of energy, Biased and Unbiased. Energy without a unique personality, aka Unbiased, was deemed safe and handed to reality for their safety and growth. While on the other end the Biased energies razed each out till four prominent egos quelled the rest. Those four biased energies were the Four Pillars.
 
When we come into our power a new bias forms around us. This bias forms the energy around us to reflect the aspect of reality that we hold within. . In the Empress card, energy flows unhindered from her being. The act of being ourselves strengthens this bias we hold. The energy is free and ever-flowing,  as is her outlook on life. Both sides of her are in perfect harmony despite all the chaos she emits. Feeling her power course through her invigorates her to bring that change just by existing. Just as she does, follow your heart regardless of how crazy it might be.  You might just bring the change you need.

FOUR PILLARS TAROT – THE High Priestess (Silent Divinity)

 

Notes on The High Priestess

(Silent Divinity)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

 

 

Artist’s Note :
 
A woman, dressed in white is reading from a stone that has Egyptian Hieroglyphs on its outer face. She has one hand to her mouth beckoning silence. On her right side a phoenix is dissolving into flame and on her left is an egg. In the sky, the moon is oddly showing all of its phases at once.
 
The Magus’s movement of energy is quite showy noticeably is loud. He speaks the reality he wishes to see into existence The High Priestess, on the other hand, is silent and represents an apprehension that is internal rather than external. Not only is she silent but with her fingers to her lips, she beckons our quietude as well.
 
In many decks, the High Priestess is surrounded by the two pillars Boaz and Joachim. The two pillars of Masonic tradition represent a boundary between that which is known and the unknown. In Greek mythos, these are called the Pillars of Hercules and the philosopher Plato suggested that Atlantis existed somewhere beyond. In this card, the two pillars are represented by the Phoenix in flames and the egg which symbolize respectively the undying and the never-born. Each of them in its own way is a boundary that separates the known from the unknown.
The Priestess reads from her stone that on the outward face has Hieroglyphs. What language she sees and reads from her side is yet another mystery that she contains. The stone emits a multi-coloured mist that obscures the scene for what she reads falls into the realm of that which can not be named by words but felt as internal knowledge, more lunar than mercurial in nature. For reality to exist it must be spoken. Comprehension is more likely to come with silence.
 
About the Archetype:
 
The High Priestess is feminine to the Magician’s masculine. Where the Magician represents Active Will, the Priestess represents 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 the words she says, we often believe the answers come from our own minds.
 
 
Astrological Correspondence:
 
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.
 
 
In a Reading:
 
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.
 
 
Fate’s Whisper:
 
In the Legends passed down by the dragons they mentored, the Four Pillars were the first manifestations of Energy’s Will. Their undying nature and pure embodiment of balance meant they were meant to be a subtle part of their creation. In the High Priestess, it can be seen that the phoenix, a force that represents immortality, and an egg, which represents birth, act as the pillars around the high priestess.
This image shows the true nature of energy itself. Despite not being “born”, energy is very much alive even when it remains in potential
It is from this well of potential that the pillars were able to create the gods and dragons that were to flow from them.
This subtlety of existence is what is embodied on this card. The idea is that we, as people, hold this aspect within each of us, regardless of what the “norm of society” becomes with the changing times. Each and every person holds this subtle “infinity” in the very fibre of our being. This goes beyond the power or anything external to us. Instead, it manifests as each of our own “silent divinities” that minor difference we make using it is what makes it so unique for each of us.

Four Pillars Tarot The Magician (Energy Working)

Notes on TheMagician (Energy Working)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Notes  :
 
In the oldest tarot decks such as the Tarot de Marseille, the Magus (or Magician) was called the juggler and our magus does with energy what an old-fashioned juggler does with balls, knives, cards or anything else he might be driven to use. He throws the items around, ever seeking new challenges and new patterns in which to arrange them. He ever seeks to add more and a larger variety of items to the mix until he reaches whatever he perceives  as his limits. After all, aren’t all limits self-perceived and self-created? He is the embodiment of willed kinetic energy. Energy taken from one’s potential store and used for purpose?
 
You may ask, what this has to do with magic or mages? Science tells us that nothing is truly solid and that all matter is composed of energy. The magician, like our juggler, seeks to make active-willed changes to his environment, challenging himself to use ever more of that which is in all but endless supply. True that, for the most part, the energies the Magus uses exist in more rarified and virtual form, yet that only makes the show and the working that much more powerful. 
 
It should be noted that the Magus’s working is not merely metaphysical The props that were the raison d’etre of the Juggler’s trade now become the elemental symbols by which the Magus can alter both his external and internal reality.
 
About the Archetype:
 
The Fool falls and lands. Where before the Fool was whole with the potential to become everything, now polarization has happened. The Magician is male to the Priestess’ female and active to the Priestess’ passivity. One way of looking at the Major Arcana is the quest to reunify these two into a realized World / Universe at the end.
The Magician utilizes his will and channels spiritual energy into accomplishment. He uses all four elemental tools (The Wand, The Chalice, The Sword and The Disk) to aid in this.
 
Another way of saying this is that through his will uses the power of his spirit (wand, fire, spirit) his emotions (cup) and intellect and knowledge (Sword, remember that the Magician’s astrological attribute is Mercury which is connected to the mind) and his sexuality (pentacle) to effect changes in his environment.
 
Regarding the last, given that we manifest in the physical it could be said that the Magician’s most powerful tool is his staff (between his legs). This is also true of the Priestess also but until the Magician opens the way with his staff, it remains secret, then she becomes the Empress as her Nature becomes manifest.
 
For those who may be inclined to take the above statement too literally, remember that we each contain all the archetypes within us. This means that we all have our own Magician, Priestess and Empress and all the others as well.
 
The Magician also represents the trickster archetype and teaches usually by tricking the student into learning what he or she needs to know. (Consider Merlin, Carlos Castaneda’s Don Juan or Socrates in the Peaceful Warrior Books by Dan Millman.) In tricking others, tho it is quite possible that he will surprise himself with a lesson or two as well. One of his lessons is learning to discern whether his results are objective and tangible as opposed to subjective. Another is to use his powers in a way that is true to his authentic self as opposed to wasting his energies on a whim.
 
 
Astrological Correspondent:
 
Mercury’s energy is all about fast transmission and communication. It also relates to intellect and logic. In Greek mythology, Mercury was the messenger of the gods, always in motion. Thus those who have a strong Mercury are likely to move swiftly from thing to thing to thing, going in, doing what they can and then moving on to the next thing. Mercury also is related to sensory impressions and the moment-to-moment intake of information.
 
In a Reading:
 
When the Magician turns up in a reading it can mean that a time of great creativity and communication is at hand. We feel energized and can accomplish anything and the things and people we need to help us will show up. Indeed quite often they will be caught up in our enthusiasm and be swept along. It is a time of inspiration and manifestation where we are able to impose our will on the world around us. The Magician tends to utilize and channel all in this process so when the reading refers to a relationship, it may be one where manipulation is present. A question that may come up when the Magician shows up in a reading is, “Who’s agenda is being followed? Who does the Magician represent in this situation?”
The Magician can also refer to a situation where we need greater focus and concentration.
 
When the Magician comes out reversed or badly aspected in a reading, it often means that we are blocked in some way. It is possible that we either don’t believe in what we are doing or that we don’t feel like we deserve the outcome that we are trying to manifest. The other cards in the reading may give an idea of what is blocking us. It may mean that we are repressing something that we need to take into account. This blockage may come from external sources as well. It may also mean that we are misusing our energies and imposing our will on others irrespective of what they may wish.
 
 
Fate’s Whisper:
 
The Magus usually depicts a magician at work. However, it is easily overlooked that the greatest form of the Magus is the energy he works with. The primordial forces we all use in our manifestations empower us to achieve great heights. Like the forces of yin and yang, energy intermingles with little to no resistance. Thus giving birth to the first dragonic tenet.
 
Become one with the true nature of energy’s will by embodying the path of least resistance.
 
Mastery of this tenet leads one to the pinnacle of what it means to be the Magus in all forms. Just like energy working, we should demonstrate this mastery of balancing the forces around us so we can live on the path of least res