FOUR PILLARS SOCIETY TAROT: TEMPERANCE (II)

Notes on Temperance

(Spurred to Evolve)

Artist’s Notes on the Card:

We may strive for balance and may even attain it, yet as soon as it is attained, the balance shifts. Our path of growth and ascension tends never to be straightforward as much as a constant cycle of transmutation. We transmute our innocence into the experience as we transmute our never-ending potential into realization, with each cycle and movement growing further. We are each our own catalyst and our own kiln in which the clay of our being becomes something new.

At the same time though, we need to continue having the intent to grow and to balance both our natures and that of our environment for if we don’t, the whole thing may either come crashing down or we may become delusional (another word for unbalanced) and believe we have already reached the pinnacle of a mountain that has no end.

About the Archetype:

In the trump the Lovers, we become aware that there is an existence outside of our own and sensibilities very different from ours. It is this difference that makes us start to question our lives. With Temperance, we learn to synthesize these differences and consciously incorporate them into our own being. Temperance or Art is the card of Balancing Transformation. It is connected by many with the art of Alchemy. When many people think of Alchemy, they think of the Philosopher’s stone which results in the ability to change lead into gold. The Alchemist’s true goal was to change the lead of coarse matter into the gold of spiritual awareness. This was done by blending and combining the contrasting elements within one’s being. Combining in other words who we are with who we are not, our shadow selves to become something greater. The tiger in the card stands in contrast and admixture to the water that surrounds it By being aware of who we are and who we are not, we can consciously acquire new talents and abilities, blend the two and become something greater, the being who we wish to be. Just as the alchemist followed very specific methods with very specific ingredients, this transformation does not happen in a wild and uncontrolled form but through self-examination and meditation and quite usually through ritual (even the ones we create for ourselves).

Astrological Correspondent:

Sagittarius (♐︎)-The Sagittarius energy is an exploratory one that hungers for the freedom to search out the truth. It is an enthusiastic fiery energy and one that shifts in viewpoint and location to further its understanding. Its symbol is the hunting centaur (denoted by the centaur’s arrow). The centaur is part man and part horse and partakes of the nature of man and beast and masters the blending of them both. Sagittarius’ ruling planet is Jupiter and has an optimistic and expansive aura. It is an energy that takes risks in its desire to do more, know more, and understand more and it becomes what it needs to in order to achieve this end. The Sagittarius influence is one that focuses on self-truth, personal integrity, and self-perfection. Sagittarius brings back what its arrows aim for.

In a reading:

When Temperance turns up in a reading, it can indicate that one’s life has reached a state of balance. The querent may be at a stage where they allot enough time to do the things they want to do and the things they have to do. They work when they need to and have enough time for family and leisure. It may mean tho that it is time for them to examine their lives and figure out how to bring this state of balance about in a conscious way. Temperance may also show in a spiritual sense that the querent is undergoing a transformative experience and that they have made it through the trials and are integrating it with their conscious awareness. The card may be cautioning the querent against going to extremes and learning when to assert themselves in a conscious manner. A keynote for the card is taking responsibility for one’s life in a conscientious way. In a situation where the querent feels torn between two different paths, it suggests finding a synthesis of the two

Temperance reversed or badly aspected, refers to the imbalance in the querent’s life. It could mean that they are going to extremes, first acting in one way and then acting wildly the opposite in order to try to balance the two. This may be because they lack any long-term plan or purpose for their lives and they need to take conscious responsibility for it. It may refer to passive-aggressive behaviour on the querent’s part. The reversed Temperance may also refer to someone being so cautious and afraid of their own actions that they hesitate too much refusing to act at all. The card reversed may also refer to someone who is unable to integrate recent changes in awareness into their lives possibly out of fear of how others will react.

Fate’s Whisper:

“The Seed of Infinity lies in the hearts of those beneath us.”

These were the words of one of the oldest dragons as he watched reality grow. Once one has begun their journey to ascend it can be easy to forget where every being starts. Regardless of if you are a God, Daemon, Djinn, Dragon, or any other species, we all begin knowing nothing. Despite this, we all are all given our own unique seed that is our responsibility to foster. If you feed it poor energy and are always malnourished it will only know that. This isn’t absolute, however. Once we get sick of being on the bottom that seed can give birth to great strength. Like Shani is pushing you, you begin to overcome that which once oppressed you. At this point, you are left with one question. What will you nourish your seed with next?

FOUR PILLARS SOCIETY TAROT: TEMPERANCE (I)

Notes on Temperance

(Dragonic Alchemy)

Artist’s Notes :

So much of Fool’s Journey deals with the relationship between our expressed and suppressed selves. The more we can utilize the parts of ourselves that we have kept only in potential, the closer we can come to self-actualization. This, in many ways, is the essence of what is known as Shadow Work. So many people fear the parts of themselves they keep hidden. It is rather like those ancient maps that displayed the lands that had been explored and then in the parts still unknown and yet to be sailed, the words “Here there be Dragons”

Many of us like to stay in our shallows, the areas of ourselves that we know best. That is the area in which we are comfortable. Yet very little growth happens in the comfort zone and if we stay within it too long, it becomes a swamp. Early on, (as far back as the Lovers card) we became aware of the Other, which exists both externally and internally. The external, of course, are those others with whom we relate, even though many of them are in one aspect or another, quite alien to us. Even more surprising was that there was something within us that could relate to those differences. When that happens, one of three things may occur. We can automatically see the difference as something to be feared or revolted by and we fight it and so our shadow grows. We can embrace the differences wholeheartedly and so either deny or lose our original qualities; this way also leads to our shadow self growing stronger. The third way, however, looks at the difference with critical eyes, see the value in it as well as the value in the current self and learns to forge a new self that is the best of two worlds, fully embracing the value of each. This alchemical practice directly ties in with the idea of the Temperance card.

About the Archetype:

In the Lovers, we become aware that there is an existence outside of our own and sensibilities very different from ours. It is this difference that makes us start to question our lives. With Temperance, we learn to synthesize these differences and consciously incorporate them into our own being. Temperance or Art is the card of Balancing Transformation. It is connected by many with the art of Alchemy. When many people think of Alchemy, they think of the Philosopher’s stone which results in the ability to change lead into gold. The Alchemist’s true goal was to change the lead of coarse matter into the gold of spiritual awareness. This was done by blending and combining the contrasting elements within one’s being. Combining in other words who we are with who we are not, our shadow selves to become something greater. The tiger in the card stands in contrast and admixture to the water that surrounds it By being aware of who we are and who we are not, we can consciously acquire new talents and abilities, blend the two and become something greater, the being who we wish to be. Just as the alchemist followed very specific methods with very specific ingredients, this transformation does not happen in a wild and uncontrolled form but through self-examination and meditation and quite usually through ritual (even the ones we create for ourselves).

Astrological Correspondent:

In a reading:

Fate’s Whisper:

When looking at inner Kundalini workings, it eventually becomes apparent that our ascension is linked to our shadow work. The balancing of our impact is based on our actions and how we cope with said impact emotionally. Just as these two sides hold importance they each have their own unique pull we need to stay vigilant of. All of this is topped off by the fabled Flower of Nirvana to finalize all our transformations so that we may begin anew as who we are now.

FOUR PILLARS SOCIETY TAROT: Death

Notes on Death

(The Innocence of Death)

Artist’s Note on Death:

Death to me is a child eager for life. It wants to understand both the gift it gives and the gift it takes.

To others, it is a skeletal figure upon a white horse.

All will view Death differently, whether as a Threat or as a blessing or perhaps as just one more challenge to surpass and by doing so to grow

With each person, a key is involved

How easily the key will move all depends on how open each person is to change,

Death, The Persona of Transformation is everchanging. Yet it is also one of the rare beings who can be said to be constant

About the Archetype:

In the Rider-Waite tarot deck, Death is shown riding a white horse. In its wake are the destroyed remains of a king and in its path is a praying clergyman, a young maiden with her body supplicating itself to the rider while her head is averted, and a young child offering death a flower. All of these are indicative of the various ways and stages in which we react to major life-altering changes. The king, by power and position, thinks he can command Death to stop only to get trampled. The Priest believes that prayer can avert the need to change and he is next to get trampled. The maiden offers herself to Death but only half-heartedly. She won’t survive so well either. It is the child who accepts whatever comes with an open heart that will survive.

Death is the transformation to a new stage through the purification of the old. We all go through these transformations. Our jobs become obsolete. Our relationships end. Our viewpoints and our lifestyles evolve as we grow. We have spiritual experiences that transform us. We fall in love. How we accept these changes goes a long way towards determining how far we can grow as people and as spiritual beings we are. The more we resist change, the harder the changes tend to be when they come, and the more we stagnate. It is only by being open to the flow of these changes that we can be open to the flow of life and spirit itself.

Astrological Correspondent:

Scorpio (♏︎)-The Scorpio energy is one of intensity. It is passionate and lustful and yearns for knowledge. It is a secretive force and has a strong attraction towards the transformative. As such it has an attraction towards the mystical and may be drawn towards the mysteries of sex and death especially. While the scorpion with its regenerative powers and sting is well known as a Scorpio symbol, the snake and the eagle also are used to represent this energy. The snake represents both the sexual energy and the knowledge of life and death and the eagle which represents the spiritual life beyond transitory form. Scorpio is known for both its ability to see things through and its ability to see through things, penetrating them to their core.

In a Reading:

When Death turns up in a reading, it usually indicates a major transformative change in the querent’s life or circumstances. Usually, one that demarcates a new chapter in their lives. These changes may include a peak experience, a divorce or break-up, the death of a loved one, or even a near-death experience itself. What is important is how the querent deals with the experience. Do they fight to kick and scream to hold onto life as they have known it or do they accept the changes and move on? Usually, when the Death card shows up it is a change that the querent cannot alter so coming to terms with it is necessary. The card can also indicate a fear of dying on the part of the querent. Carlos Castaneda’s teacher Don Juan, among many others has suggested that we keep in mind that we all will die someday and use our Death as an advisor and indeed it is just one more stage. Seldom tho does the card refer to the querent’s own Death tho it can often refer to the ending of a stage of their life. It can refer to a need for the querent to release the life they have lived to now in order to embrace the life they have.

Death reversed or badly aspected can often show a dramatic resistance to change. The querent may have grown complacent and lazy in their life holding back on living fully in order to stay safe and comfortable. It may also represent the querent refusing to acknowledge changes that have already happened and move on. It is almost as if they are haunting their past rather than living their present. It thus indicates the necessity for change. The reversed Death card can also represent a feeling of loss and grief. In this instance again it is mourning for the way things were.

–GR

Fate’s Whisper:

Life and Death have always been dance partners who were inseparable. The aspect of life was usually depicted by a feminine figure while the aspect of death was usually represented by an asexual or masculine figure. Just like a dance, there is an equal push and pull as it persists. The idea of reincarnation was birthed from this philosophy. While it is argued what happens after death not a lot of physical proof exists to back a solid claim.

While it is obvious we will all die eventually it is overlooked that we have an enormous amount of micro deaths while we live our lives. Every change for better, or worse, requires we lose something so we can make room for it. This means every change we undergo is the death of part of our being or ego. This card shows that a part of our life is coming to an end. So this begs a question. How are you changing for better or worse?

— NF

Four Pillars Society Tarot: Wheel of Fortune

Notes on The Wheel of Fortune

(Wheels Within Wheels)

Artist’s Notes on the Card:

To exist in space and time is to be caught up in cycles. There is the cycle of the seasons that is a reflection of the zodiacal cycles. There are the cycles of Morning, Noon and Night and cycles of the Moon. Each of these cycles comes with high points and low points and where we are in our own personal cycle can often feel like it is a random chance. Yet, if we can follow the signs and keep our wits and our humour about us, we can more easily navigate through the hard times and even enjoy their lessons. We can also deal with the easier times without expecting them to last or allowing them to make us soft for that is also a challenge. The more we can keep our inner selves in balance, the less we become slaves to circumstance.

For ultimately we embody the cycles as much as we are prey to them. This is as true in the greater game of life as it is in the games of chance that we play. Ultimately we make and generate our own luck as long as we realize that no matter how high a peak we reach, the nadir is just as low.

About the Archetype:

There are many cliches about the cyclic nature of life. How season follows season and how what goes around comes around. One day we are on top of the world with a great job and relationship and the next this has all disappeared. These expressions like all cliches have a good deal of truth to them. Action follows consequence (and sometimes vice versa). Shiva continues his dance and the cycles continue. This is the lesson of Fortune’s Wheel.

Life is always in motion. Everywhere we look things move in a cyclic way. Whether it be our own biorhythmic cycles, seasonal changes, political changes (the rise and fall of countries and kingdoms) nothing stops. We need to accept that our lives work in a similarly cyclic way and try to gain perspective from outside the wheels that we find ourselves on. Otherwise too often it may feel like we are hamsters forever on the wheel subject to blind instinct and blind fate.

It is difficult at times to perceive our own responsibility in the constant spinning. It is our hands that often keep the wheel in motion and our actions or lack thereof may determine the consequences.

Astrological Correspondent:

Astrological Correspondence-Jupiter (♃)– Jupiter guides our fortune and the areas in which we can be the most successful. Its energies point to the areas of interest that make our hearts sing. Jupiter’s location in our charts can be a strong indicator of where we wish to expand and our interests of exploration and study.

Jupiter encourages us to think deeply about our lives and to see where our strengths are. It helps us to determine our personal philosophy and spirituality. Jupiter is the force that encourages us to question deeply and to search for answers. It is an optimistic force that encourages our growth, expansion, and sense of adventure and play. Jupiter encourages us to experiment with ways of expanding our consciousness either chemically or with techniques such as yoga, tantra, or other forms of ritual. At its worst Jupiter can lead us to over-indulgence. It is at times associated with weight gain.

In a Reading:

When the Wheel of Fortune occurs in a reading, it normally means that things are cycling around for the querent and that their circumstances are changing. Perhaps they have found themselves busy with little time for fun and now their schedule is opening up. Perhaps a relationship or a job is ending. How do they accept the changes that life brings them? This idea of acceptance is a major lesson of this card. For people who like to feel in control, the Wheel can be a bit uncomfortable as it means that the changes are unlikely to come from anything that they are doing but rather from forces outside of their control. Yet it is when the querent can roll with whatever has come around for them and they can keep their equilibrium no matter what happens that they can find themselves the happiest. Most often tho when this card is upright, it means that the changes are beneficial ones. Even when they do not seem so based on other cards in the reading or position, patience is always advised for the wheel never stops spinning.

Inversed or badly aspected, the Wheel can mean that the querent is struggling against the changes in their life. There seems to be a run of bad luck that can be due to either past choices that the bill is coming due for or outside interference. Either way, it is best to accept the change in circumstances and deal with how things are rather than try to recreate the past. This does not mean ignoring the examination of the sources of the change as much as it does dealing with the present. Reversed the Wheel can also mean that the querent needs to take responsibility for their lives as opposed to letting circumstances happen as they will. This can mean an examination of how the querent may be causing their own fortune or misfortune and seeing how any action may have far-reaching implications.

Fate’s Whisper:

Every civilization and race or being is given the same cycle to redeem itself. When it is in the paradise phase, a time when prosperity is at its peak for everyone, the Dragon of Reality will send an emissary to gently warn of the danger ahead if a troublesome action keeps occurring. The Descent Phase, a time when the rift between beings isn’t as obvious but is more apparent in comparison to the previous phase, is when the Fish of Time sends prophets to instil fear so the event can be possibly be prevented words alone won’t solve anything. The Usurper Phase, a time when emotions are present about the rift between beings is noticeable but not at a problematic peak, is when the Tiger of Chance will awaken the insecurities of those who are struggling to bring a change for the better due to their circumstances. The Judgement Phase, a time when change is needed no matter the cost due to extreme stagnation being present, is when the Spider of Fate indiscriminately starts purging all living beings using anything and everything till the needed change happens.

Regardless of how big or small, we are all given a personal cycle. Some need harder measures to break out of these cycles while others learn quicker. Identifying what you cycle is key to your growth. After all the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When change is needed this card can show you are working in the same cycle you have been running in. While this is neither good nor bad stagnation will eventually bring about problems regardless of how sweet the circumstances are. Change and grow into your personal “Infinity” there you will find the greatest source of fulfilment.

Expanding Our Symbols in a Rebellious Way

“The occult, as both a collection of practices and beliefs as well as overarching symbolic language, has long provided artists and composers with a grammar for realising a means of pushing up against the mainstream, of creating music and art that is not bound by convention. Just as occult practices provided people a more direct and immediate way to engage with the divine, it made sense that avant-garde and experimental artists would feel a kinship and an inspiration in occult ideas and symbols. Satie and Ravel were Rosicrucians, Mucha was a theosophist, Pierre Schaeffer was follower of Gurdjieff, and William Butler Yeats was a member of the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn. The list goes one. As rock musicians experimented with sound and performance, turning towards alternative spiritual practices and images made perfect sense. It was not enough to be socially and politically rebellious. A spiritual rebellion was needed for a foundation. The occult imagination is one that is heterodox, sometimes heretical. What better way to feel as if your art is charged with a deeper spiritual meaning than to attach it to a spiritual identity that itself has often been about rebellion?”

— Peter Bebergal

If we wish to see and understand what lies beyond the everyday, we need to expand our symbolic repertoire. Symbols are the language of our deeper consciousness and the more we expand our language base, the deeper our knowledge becomes. Expansion may be something as simple as learning a new language. The letters and words we use our symbols so by making the shift to a new language we shift and expand how we talk and think. Another powerful source of symbolic language is in the stories we tell and the types of beings that reoccur in them. Learning the mythology of another culture and how it relates to our own expands our way of expressing ourselves even more. Occult means nothing more or less than hidden. When we bring hidden things into the open we expand. This is true whether we are talking on the level of our unconscious shadow selves or the material we culturally refer to as occult. Operating on these deeper levels is a rebellion since everything in our day to day culture including the religions most of us were raise in tells us that this is taboo. Of course the last thing any authority wants is to have its foundations questioned. That can lead to the horrific practice of thinking for ourselves.
Blessings, G

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Goat Stare by G A Rosenberg

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153644322433475&set=a.166065038474.145936.632298474&type=1Propelling Spirit by G A Rosenberg