The High Priestess - Veiled Isis
In #Egyptian Tarot, The High Priestess is called Veiled #Isis. With the appearance of Veiled Isis, we have suddenly departed from the whole or the One as symbolized by The Magus and come face to face with the Other. In this second Major Arcana, our relationship with duality and the Law of Polarity begins. The standing position of The Magus represents the masculine/positive energy whereas the seated position of Veiled Isis represents the opposite feminine/receptive energy. Like The Magus, Veiled Isis symbolizes a unique combination of logic, reason, and psychic/intuitive qualities. She is ruled by Virgo in the Egyptian deck, and her key words are Science, Analysis, and Labor. This image comes from the Brotherhood of Light deck.
She sits between the pillars of the Mystery School. The pillar on her right would be colored red or white to symbolize the spiritual nature of mankind. The pillar on her left, would be colored black to symbolize the physical or earth-bound nature of mankind. On her lap there is an occult book that is partially covered and she is veiled, or virgin. This image clearly depicts something that is unknown, mysterious, unrealized, hidden, or something that can be known, realized, or found by utilizing both physical and psychic senses. The psychic senses that are equivalent to our physical senses are: Touch = #Psychometry; Taste = Sensing #Ethereal Energies; Smell = Sensing #Spiritual Aromas; Sight = #Clairvoyance; Hearing = #Clairaudience; #Intuition =#Inspiration; and #Thought Transference (a common sense to the ancients) = #Spirit Communion.
Where The #Magus is likely to communicate his intentions because "saying and doing" actually develops the will, Veiled Isis suggests that we keep our convictions to ourselves so as not to be influenced by the contradictions or misgivings of others. This is how some have interpreted the meaning of the phrase from the Sermon on the Mount, "Do not cast pearls before swine."
Veiled Isis is the archetypal Virgin Mother as symbolized by the moon atop her head and her veil. Throughout history, God's messengers or Sons of Gods were recognized and defined by virgin births. By such virgin births, they were known as #Avatars. Jesus Christ, of course, first comes to mind, but stories of virgin births also surround #Chrishna the Savior, #Buddha, #Horus, #Ra, #Zoroaster, and #Plato, to name only a few. Three more familiar names that were said to be virgin-born are #Pythagorus, #Quetzalcoatl of ancient Mexico, and our own #Luke Skywalker. Harkening back to #The Magus, the concept of Divinity lies in a common belief among the mystics that the power of thought or the power of a mental or audible word is capable of impregnating matter and causing life. Veiled Isis, as a symbol of virgin mother and receptivity to thought simultaneously and equally symbolizes the existence of that higher power and the occult principals that work mysteriously within and without earthly Nature.
Veiled Isis is ruled by Virgo, as shown in the upper right-hand corner of the card. Virgo is, in turn, ruled by Mercury and she bears this symbol upon her breast. Virgo rules the navel and the digestive or assimilative functions of the bowels. Key words for this card in a reading are: Science, analysis, labor, secret, mystery, occult, hidden, receptive, passive, quiet, using physical and psychic senses to discern the truth, half-truths, hidden principals of divine energy.
The admonition associated with this card is:
"Remember then, son of earth, that the mind is enlightened in seeking God with the eyes of the will. God has said, 'Let there be Light,' and light inundated space. Man should say, 'Let truth show itself and good come to me.' And if man possesses a healthy will, he will see the truth shine, and guided by it will attain all to which he aspires. If Veiled Isis should appear in the prophetic signs of thy horoscope, strike resolutely at the door of the future and it will open to you; but study for a long time the door you should enter. Turn your face toward the sun of justice, and the knowledge of the true will be given you. Keep silent in regard to your intentions, so as not to be influenced by the contradictions of men." (The Sacred Tarot, by C.C. Zain http://www.light.org/our-founder.cfm).
To purchase Sacred Tarot by C.C. Zain, a Brotherhood of Light Tarot deck, or any of the 21 volumes of the Brotherhood of Light Lessons, visit www.light.org.
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Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Magus - Egyptian Tarot
THE MAGUS – EGYPTIAN TAROT
In Egyptian Tarot, The Magician is called The Magus. He represents the first step in magic, in other words, the manifestation of what we want to create in our lives. He symbolizes the secret in the book, The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, and as such is one of the most powerful cards in the Egyptian deck. This image comes from the Brotherhood of Light deck.
The word magus is derived from an ancient Caldean word meaning of the mind. Other words with the same root are magic, imagination, and magi. Within this context, the Biblical story of the magi reminds us that the three wise men following a star, were astrologer-priests who were also magicians having learned their craft in eastern mystery schools.
The number of this arcane is One, representing the beginning, the first step, or the foundation. Also, the number One symbolizes wholeness, unification, or the archetypal man made in the image of the creator. The tail-biting snake symbol seen about his waist symbolizes primordial wholeness. This symbol and the lemniscate, or symbol of infinity, are often seen on this card in other decks. The Magus is a conduit to what was in the beginning, what is now, and what will be. The Old Testament opens with, “In the beginning there was the Word.” The Word is a loose translation of the original Greek, Logos, a complex word meaning reason, order, ratio, discourse, and first cause. In Gnosticism, the Logos was a Revealer of Wisdom and Knowledge, often depicted as Hermes Trismegistus. In the Egyptian tradition, the tarot is considered part of Corpus Hermiticum, which is based upon the teaching of Hermes Trismegistus, a Greek-Egyptian who is often equated with the Egyptian god, Thoth. The first archetypal man, created in the image of the creator can, like the creator, create or manifest; and the first cause of the act of creation is THOUGHT.
The author Gregg Braden teaches us in his book, The Divine Matrix, that today the science of quantum physics proves what occultists have known since antiquity. The universe appears to be made from a substance that is Consciousness and, as conscious beings, we have the power to manipulate that substance by merely focusing our attention upon it. If we want to manifest wealth, health, love, a new business or anything else in our lives, the first step is to FOCUS OUR ATTENTION UPON IT. Rhonda Byrne in The Secret says, “You are like a human transmission tower, transmitting a frequency with your thoughts. If you want to change anything in your life, change the frequency by changing your thoughts.” The Magus stands with his right hand pointing toward the heavens, his scepter open to send and receive messages from the inner plane much like a transmission tower. His left hand is pointing toward earth in the act of manifesting his aspiration and power and dominating all acts of life by the Spirit. This stance represents the first law of Hermetic occultism, “As Above, So Below,” referencing not only our ability to affect change in our lives but also referencing Astrology, the mother of occultism, and that which Tarot is a reflection.
The altar that The Magus stands before represents a bridge between the spiritual and physical worlds. Upon the altar there is a cup, representing the element of water, a sword, representing the element of earth, and a coin, representing the element of air. (The Egyptian tradition of tarot assigns the element of earth to the sword rather than to the coins. His scepter represents the element of fire, the element representing authority, enthusiasm and inspiration. Pictured on his altar is an Ibis, a bird native to Egypt. The Ibis has two sets of eyelids. The inner set of eyelids opaquely veils the eyes of the bird allowing him to see while he sleeps. Like the Ibis, The Magus gains insight from his dreams, day or night, and remains constantly vigilant in his pursuit of messages and clues from the inner plane that appear to him in his daily life. A message may come from a billboard, the appearance of a special animal, a song, or a snippet of conversation in person or in the media. The bird may also represent a gray heron or a phoenix, representing regeneration, rebirth, or beginnings.
The Magus is ruled by Mercury, as noted in the upper right-hand corner of the card. Mercury represents the intellectual urges of the soul and rules the tongue, brain, nervous system, writing, talking, and traveling. Key words for Mercury are Perception or Thought. Key words for The Magus are: Will, Mental and Manual Dexterity, Beginning, Rebirth, Unity, First Cause, Creativity, Reason, Focus, Communication, Short Journeys, Presence of Mind, a Plan, Attention.
The admonition, or lesson, associated with this image is:
Remember, then, son of earth, that man should, like God, act without ceasing. To will nothing and do nothing is more fatal than to will and do ill. If the Magus should appear in the prophetic signs of thy horoscope, it announces that a firm will and faith in yourself, guided by reason and a love of justice will conduct you to the end that you wish to attain and will preserve you from the perils of the way. (The Sacred Tarot, C.C. Zain)
In Egyptian Tarot, The Magician is called The Magus. He represents the first step in magic, in other words, the manifestation of what we want to create in our lives. He symbolizes the secret in the book, The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, and as such is one of the most powerful cards in the Egyptian deck. This image comes from the Brotherhood of Light deck.
The word magus is derived from an ancient Caldean word meaning of the mind. Other words with the same root are magic, imagination, and magi. Within this context, the Biblical story of the magi reminds us that the three wise men following a star, were astrologer-priests who were also magicians having learned their craft in eastern mystery schools.
The number of this arcane is One, representing the beginning, the first step, or the foundation. Also, the number One symbolizes wholeness, unification, or the archetypal man made in the image of the creator. The tail-biting snake symbol seen about his waist symbolizes primordial wholeness. This symbol and the lemniscate, or symbol of infinity, are often seen on this card in other decks. The Magus is a conduit to what was in the beginning, what is now, and what will be. The Old Testament opens with, “In the beginning there was the Word.” The Word is a loose translation of the original Greek, Logos, a complex word meaning reason, order, ratio, discourse, and first cause. In Gnosticism, the Logos was a Revealer of Wisdom and Knowledge, often depicted as Hermes Trismegistus. In the Egyptian tradition, the tarot is considered part of Corpus Hermiticum, which is based upon the teaching of Hermes Trismegistus, a Greek-Egyptian who is often equated with the Egyptian god, Thoth. The first archetypal man, created in the image of the creator can, like the creator, create or manifest; and the first cause of the act of creation is THOUGHT.
The author Gregg Braden teaches us in his book, The Divine Matrix, that today the science of quantum physics proves what occultists have known since antiquity. The universe appears to be made from a substance that is Consciousness and, as conscious beings, we have the power to manipulate that substance by merely focusing our attention upon it. If we want to manifest wealth, health, love, a new business or anything else in our lives, the first step is to FOCUS OUR ATTENTION UPON IT. Rhonda Byrne in The Secret says, “You are like a human transmission tower, transmitting a frequency with your thoughts. If you want to change anything in your life, change the frequency by changing your thoughts.” The Magus stands with his right hand pointing toward the heavens, his scepter open to send and receive messages from the inner plane much like a transmission tower. His left hand is pointing toward earth in the act of manifesting his aspiration and power and dominating all acts of life by the Spirit. This stance represents the first law of Hermetic occultism, “As Above, So Below,” referencing not only our ability to affect change in our lives but also referencing Astrology, the mother of occultism, and that which Tarot is a reflection.
The altar that The Magus stands before represents a bridge between the spiritual and physical worlds. Upon the altar there is a cup, representing the element of water, a sword, representing the element of earth, and a coin, representing the element of air. (The Egyptian tradition of tarot assigns the element of earth to the sword rather than to the coins. His scepter represents the element of fire, the element representing authority, enthusiasm and inspiration. Pictured on his altar is an Ibis, a bird native to Egypt. The Ibis has two sets of eyelids. The inner set of eyelids opaquely veils the eyes of the bird allowing him to see while he sleeps. Like the Ibis, The Magus gains insight from his dreams, day or night, and remains constantly vigilant in his pursuit of messages and clues from the inner plane that appear to him in his daily life. A message may come from a billboard, the appearance of a special animal, a song, or a snippet of conversation in person or in the media. The bird may also represent a gray heron or a phoenix, representing regeneration, rebirth, or beginnings.
The Magus is ruled by Mercury, as noted in the upper right-hand corner of the card. Mercury represents the intellectual urges of the soul and rules the tongue, brain, nervous system, writing, talking, and traveling. Key words for Mercury are Perception or Thought. Key words for The Magus are: Will, Mental and Manual Dexterity, Beginning, Rebirth, Unity, First Cause, Creativity, Reason, Focus, Communication, Short Journeys, Presence of Mind, a Plan, Attention.
The admonition, or lesson, associated with this image is:
Remember, then, son of earth, that man should, like God, act without ceasing. To will nothing and do nothing is more fatal than to will and do ill. If the Magus should appear in the prophetic signs of thy horoscope, it announces that a firm will and faith in yourself, guided by reason and a love of justice will conduct you to the end that you wish to attain and will preserve you from the perils of the way. (The Sacred Tarot, C.C. Zain)
For books and classes about the Brotherhood of Light Tarot deck and how astrology, alchemy, Tarot and Kabbalah are integrated, browse to www.light.org.
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