The Tarot: A Hidden Book of Magickal Wisdom

The Emperor (Trump IV ) from the Thoth deck

Recently, I decided I would start studying the Tarot seriously. I had a deck since I was 16, but I never really took the time to really *study* it...like card by card...and I was heavily dependent on the Little-White-Book that came with the deck. I read some earlier posts in this blog with regard to Tarot, and it's true, every, little DETAIL on the card is important: from the colours of clothing, to symbols, to the positioning of the characters in the scene, the Tarot is a Deep Well of Knowledge. It looks like a simple tool...a deck of cards, one may wonder of what spiritual use is it? How can it guide you to make better choices in your life, and help you develop spiritually, emotionally, etc.? However, I have seen that the Tarot is a very powerful tool, one that shouldn't be taken lightly. It's a hidden book in my opinion...of course this is my opinion, and there are no facts concerning exactly WHERE/WHY/HOW/etc. the Tarot originated...there are many theories, and all of them may have some truth in them. All I can say for sure is that wherever Tarot originated from, or who created it, and whteher or not it was a actually a simple deck of playing cards that became a spiritual tool or vice-versa, the Tarot is a repository for the Wisdom of the Ages. It is a spiritual tool and should be respected as such...the symbols and images on them are sacred. I have realized that in studying the 78 cards of the Tarot, it leads you into other fields of the Occult arts: Astrology, Numerology, Symbology, the Kabbala as well as other fields of study such as Mythology, Psychology, etc. The deeper you go the more you realize you have to learn...you can spend your life studying the Tarot.

I have also heard of people using them in Magick spells, to predict outcomes for spells and how it'll affect you, for timing etc. I find this to be particularly interesting as I have never considered how Tarot cards can be used in spells. But the images on the cards are very powerful and they contain very deep occult symbology...you could meditate on them for hours and come away with so many spiritual riches. Some decks are more redolent in spiritual imagery than others...the Thoth deck which was done under the direction of Aleister Crowley is a fine example. Also, each card has it's own "energy"...Aces for example are pregnant with the qualities of their elemental suits....and that's another amazing thing. The Magician in the Major Arcana can probably be considered the role model for those that practise magick everywhere: he stands for a willful, confident, strong person who bends the forces of nature to his will: he makes it happen...Air, Earth, Fire, Water all conspire to materialize his goals. The Suits of the Minor Arcana all bear the imagery of 4 predominantly used Magickal tools: Swords/ Daggers/ Athames, Pentacles, Wands/ Staffs, Chalices.


Anyway...I just thought I would make this post here because I think this is a great topic to discuss and I hope it will stimulate some discussion around here, becuz it's been way too quiet as of late. What are your thoughts, opinions, views and experiences?For those of you who have already started studying the Tarot in depth, how are you progressing, and what are some of your insights?

Healing With Earth, Air, Fire, and Water-- Part 1

Just as the elements fire, earth, air, and water are the building blocks of life, to an astrologer they provide the foundations and vital indicators for the health and well-being of an individual. Each of us has a dominant element in our makeup. When we identify it we've got an excellent tool for improving our health. How do you identify your dominant element? Start with your Sun sign for an indication of your essential vitality. The fire signs, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, are the most radiant and vital of the signs. Next are the air signs, Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. The water signs, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, are more dense. They are a much more difficult medium through which to manifest, and take longer to charge up again. Earth signs, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn, are the most dense, giving tenacity rather than vitality. Fire signs are conductors. They like to spread their energy around. Air signs are curious and ready to relate. Water is more self-protective and indirect. Earth is cautious and conservative. Water is accented in childhood, while fire is strongest in adolescence. The air element increases with age, and earth strengthens with maturity.

The Fire Constitution
(Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) Fire rules the function of internal combustion, or digestion, in the body. Fire is needed to burn up and absorb foods cleanly and efficiently. Fire is purifying; it is necessary for removing toxins, viruses, bacteria, and fungus from the system. Fire signs have the ability to burn off viruses and fight diseases more aggressively than any of the other signs. The extremely high temperatures and sudden acute inflammations that are natural for a fire sign can be terrifying without the knowledge that this is quite the norm for them. The fire element is strongest from puberty to middle age, in the summer, and daily at noon. Fire has good recuperative abilities from ailments that are extreme and short-lived. Fire sign people tend to ignore warning signals from their bodies. If injured, they will attempt to stay mobile, seeing no reason to stop to recuperate.

The Earth Constitution
(Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) The earth element rules the skeletal and eliminatory systems.. The earth element is essential to growth, reproduction, and repair of tissue. Like water, the earth element is vital and active in childhood, becoming more dense with age. Earth signs know how to conserve themselves, and have a natural instinct as to which foods are right or wrong for them. Earth is more accomplished at building up than breaking down, hence there is a tendency toward weight problems, tumor growth, and glandular disorders (especially involving the thyroid). Overeating and a diet of heavy foods create excess earth, which is aggravated by sedentary habits and lack of exercise. The earth signs have strong sense impressions and thrive on contact with the earth. Theirs is a strength of endurance and persistence. They are more resistant than fire or air to transient colds and flu, but find it harder to throw off bugs once they have taken hold.

The Air Constitution
(Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) Air rules the nervous and circulatory systems, and the function of movement, i.e., peristalsis, urination, and breathing. Air people are easily stimulated, with quick and extremely sensitive minds that are easily stressed. The air constitution tends to catch and throw off health problems quickly, but can suffer from lingering aftereffects because of impatience and inconsistency, and unwillingness to slow down or remain focused long enough to recover fully. They tend to have a low threshold for pain. The air element is accentuated between 2:00 and 6:00 a.m., by dry or windy weather, excess sunlight, x-rays, computer and TV radiation, loud sounds, and by shock and fear. The air element strengthens with age, which works to your advantage if you are naturally low in air.

The Water Constitution
(Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) The water element rules the reproductive and lymphatic systems, and all the liquids of the body. Water lubricates and cools the body. Water signs are exceptionally sensitive to their environment, particularly to fungi, bacteria, and viruses. They are sturdier than they look because of their accentuated ability to flush toxins from the system. Their body type tends to be well rounded and full, with good skin. The water element is strongest during childhood. Health issues for water signs generally have a strong emotional component, though it is not necessarily their own emotions they are responding to. They easily pick up negativity from others. They tend to brood on their health and imagine problems to be greater than they are. Frequently there is a periodicity to their health problems, which they can use to their advantage if they learn to anticipate these periods of lowered vitality. They respond well to a practitioner who is sympathetic, cheerful, and optimistic, and willing to spend time with them to ferret out underlying emotional issues.

Types of Constitutions Division of human constitutions into different classifications has been around for thousands of years. In the fifth century BCE Hippocrates developed four basic types, which he correlated from the elements of astrology. There's the phlegmatic or earthy constitution, valued for its unemotional calm, and the cheerful optimism of the sanguine, or air constitution. The melancholic, or water constitution, has its emotional sensitivity, and the choleric, or fire sign type, has a hot temper. This methodology was developed and widely used by physicians into the nineteenth century. There is currently a revival of interest in constitutional types by many practitioners in the mainstream and alternative health fields. Conventional medicine has ignored the unique makeup of each individual when recommending treatment, and yet we all know we respond differently to illnesses, stresses, and even to medications. By identifying the constitution of individuals we can have an idea of the progression of their illness and choose the best form of treatment for them. The information gained is focused on what sort of patient has the disease rather than what sort of disease the patient has.

Moon in Gemini

So in preparation for a ritual on the 12th December to tap into those really strong magnetic energies, I did some research into the alignment of the stars.

The moon will be in Gemini on that night........this is a good time for energies of self-expression. Its also a time when we have strongest urges for change. Themes of the ritual are creativity for artists and writers (Manifestation and Ian....hint hint) It is also a good time to focus on a new beginning.

Then there is the added value of the Venus/Jupiter pull.....Venus is good for spiritual love, yes, but it is also a key force in smoothening out, polishing out, refining, putting the finishing touches on something...... the icing on the cake, or the polishing of the jem so to speak.

Jupiter's forces speak of success, prosperity, attainment of goals..etc

So jumble all these themes together and we get the absolutley most perfect date for a ritual designed to turn over my life.....create a new beginning, and ask for success in my creative outpourings (that they would sell faster.....LOL) and that I would be able to earn an income from my creativity.

By the way Kore.... I don't use the athame and all the paraphanalia they ask for......

Anything in my ritual must be hand-made by moi.......if I don't have it I work without it. I have bowls and incense and candles......but they were bought because I loved them, not specifically for the ritual. That way I am sure that everything speaks to my spirit.....and not to the dollar bill.

Oh...and I am looking for a text on Astrology...not the "MTV" format I see in the bookstores, but one that treats it as a serious subject....anyone has one?

Now I have to seek out the herbs woman downtown...need to arm myself with some Bay leaf........

Blessed Be All......... MONETCHILD / CELTIC CRYSTAL

Strong Magickal Energies.

The December Full Moon on the 12th this year, is one of the most magickal moons in the next 1.5 years.

This year, there is the added energy of the Sun, and Venus and Jupiter to cause what is called a Promixal High Tide.

The gravitational pull of all these planets combined will create one of the highest high tides in a while.

What does this mean for Wicca?

Well, the magnetic energies built up at this full moon will be perfect to tap into for ritual and Magick.

How about a simple spell working during the full moon for this new cycle to come. There is change coming, and whatever change there is, its always for the evolution of mankind. Nothing need be feared.

In addition, I would like to point out that there are several online Witch School that require payment for lessons. While some of these are not that bad, (Witchschool for one has very good information about the Correlian Tradition and Faery Wicca), several of them are repeating the same information for Beginners. I recently tried one, whose only benefit to me is the amount of downloadable ebooks on the site.

You can get information from this book, which is all you need for Wicca 101 stage.

Best Book to order: Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft

I have a pdf file if anyone want it it can be emailed to them.

Book Available at RIK in Westmall : Isaac Bonewits Wicca.

In addition, I have taken a peek at a few BOS online. While there is information that can be gleaned from these books please remember that not everything written is truth in your reality.

Be discriminating in what you read because not all BOS come from those of pure intent. Be especially carefull of those with enforcing tones. And too, watch for those who condemn or transfer negativity to any other religion or church. Let us not make the same mistakes that others have in the past.

Blessed Be.........

GREAT STARS

Look to the skies people. Its a once in a lifetime event. Venus and Jupiter only three degrees apart.
For Librans and Taureans, thereis the potential for increases in Love and Luck.......

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27958792/?GT1=43001