XXI-The Universe (♄)
The quest is finished
At this level completion
Journeys never end
I have made it through the quest
and now have reached the end
My journey is now complete.
Friends have helped me through
and I have found my way
Never thought I’d accomplish this feat.
The party has begun
This celebration of me
Accomplished I join the dance
Those last steps seemed so hard
I had almost given up
Glad I decided to take the chance.
Tomorrow I may find
a new quest to begin
a new level of self-discovery
for the circle never closes
the dance never ends
more layers to the eternal mystery
–G A Rosenberg
With the Aeon card, we find our purpose. With the Universe that purpose is realized. We have unified ourselves with our shadow, have discovered our potential and have realized it. Now there is a new and fuller understanding of who we are and our place in the universe. The great journey has ended and there is celebration. The limitations that we have placed on ourselves have been surpassed. We have greater insight into ourselves and the great dance continues.
However the ending is the beginning of something, always. The dance never stops and there are always new goals to reach for and further self-discovery and realization to reach for. The Universe inevitably leads back to the Fool in full circle and the journey forever begins anew for what appears to be a circle is actually a spiral that never ends.
Astrological Correspondence – Saturn (♄) – The Saturnian energy is that of the teacher. It gives us the life lessons we need in whatever sphere of influence it resides at the moment. Saturn shows us our limits and challenges us to face them and move beyond them. Saturn is also the ruler of time which in itself is a self-imposed limitation for most of us. It represents the wisdom of old age and the onset of maturity which can be thought of as the understanding of what it was all for. It governs to some extent personal responsibility and how well we live our ideals and principles and how well we communicate them through our actions.
Astrologically the element of Earth(
)is also connected with The Universe trump. In astrology, the influence of Earth nurtures us and grounds us. It focuses on the practical and attainable while helping us to achieve more. The Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) are all involved with achievements of a practical nature and of our responsibility in the maintenance of it.
Runic Correspondence-Gebo(“Gift”)–
Gebo means gift and ecstasy. It is gift in the idea of exchange of gifts, not in the sense of sacrifice as much as in the idea that by living our purpose and sharing what it is ours to give, we receive from the universal mother. It is a living exchange of beings each living to their highest purpose. Gebo is also a rune of harmony both internal and external. Other runes connected with the Universe trump are Hagalaz and Sowelho.
Path on the Tree of Life – Path 32-Tau-Tau means “signature” and it represents the final stamp on our being of who we are and who we are constantly in the state of becoming. It is the Path between the Sephiorth of Yesod(“Foundation”) and Malkuth (“Kingdom”) and represents the manifestation and materialization of everything that has gone before it. Tau also represents the cross of matter that is the training ground of our spirits. In the Sefer Yetzirah it is known as the Administrative Intelligence. It is also the path that links the physical to the astral plane and so deals with manifestations of archetypes and such matters as lucid dreaming.
When the Universe card turns up in a reading, it is usually an indication that a cycle has reached its successful completion. All the hard work and life lessons that have come are paying off and the querent is finding a sense of closure. It is a good time to celebrate the successes and start preparing for the journeys ahead. It can also indicate a time when the querent is in a good position to realize their place in the world and in the process they have just undergone. The Universe card may also mean that one’s emotions, mind, body and spirit are all working together in a harmonious way. The card basically indicates success in whatever area the reading pertains to. It may, depending on other cards and position indicate that one or two final blocks must be removed before the success can be realized. It can also indicate that a period of travelling the world lies ahead of the querent.
When the Universe is reversed, it may mean that the querent is standing in the way of their own success. Perhaps they are seeing or setting limitations on themselves that get in the way of their completing what they have set out to do. Perhaps they have come to the final steps of their journey and then stopped either because of fear or lack of self-confidence. There are times when a person’s life has become so defined by the journey that they are on that the final steps become all too difficult because it means that they will have to find a new way to define their lives. Reversed the potential shown in the Universe trump is still there it is just blocked in some way. The querent can follow the example of the dancer on the card and just dance their way through pretending that the limitations are not there.
