Role of daughter, ways in
which the daughter remains part of the mother
The number 2 suggests duplicity,
deception, untruth, illusion, error, and delusion. This is where the subconcsious
repeats, reflects, and elaborates mistaken results of faulty observations
or conclusions.
Intuitively feminine virginal
guardian of the temple of the mysteries; enigmatic mistress of the night.
First path of contact between the human and divine worlds. The longest
path without a stopping point, the most dangerous.
The virgin Priestess, reserved
for the God, and trained in the highest Magic, meets the Horned One at
Beltane, to conceive a Mystical Child.
This is the myriad Anima forms;
this woman can be a chameleon, a shape-shifter, seductive, supportive,
friendly, beautiful, and charming, or an arbitrary, cruel, deceptive hag.
She is the Hindu Kali, offering boons with one hand and slitting throats
with the other. She wears a necklace of human skulls.
This female can be antagonistic
to the male "agon," or "line of fire." She is menses, the lunar flux of
the female body, the monthly rejection of blood and albumen and preparation
for new fecundity.
KALI - Malignant Anima
The crescent under her foot
is shown here as a moon, but in some cards is depicted as a scythe, connecting
her again to Kali.
She is also the chthonic
realm. Chthonic means "of the earth," or "the bowels of the earth." These
rocks grinding against each other are the horrific bloodshed that nature
also is. Nature is brutal, along with everything else it is. Being
at the top of the food chain allows us to forget that fact.
The High Priestess is the Virgin
Mary, Hera, Diana, or Hecate, who has all of the secret powers of nature
at her command.
The
Empress and the High Priestess are the two halves of the female archetype.
The Empress is pregnant,
actively generating life, while the High Priestess is the consecrated
virgin, the field ready for planting.
The High Priestess is the
Veiled Isis, while the Empress is Isis Unveiled.
The High Priestess is undifferentiated
cosmic subconscious; the Empress is activity in the subconscious
mind, gestating the idea-seed planted by the personal self.
The Empress is Venus, the
warm mother Goddess; the High Priestess is Diana, the cool virgin Moon-Goddess.
This is the Anima, the archetypal
female human, Eve. For a man, The High Priestess is the Women in his life.
All other archetypes can be said to descend from these two. For a woman,
the Magus, Key 1 is the Men in her
life.
This is the true face
of the Anima, unmasked by the Persona, or mask, in the domain of Key
21. It is a general principle in Jungian thought that inner and outer
personalites are complementary: a methodical and scientific Persona usually
suggests an emotional and irrational inner being.
PRAKRITI
The High Priestess is "Prakriti"
- the "universal substance" or "mind-stuff" of existence,
symbolized by her blue robe and the water it turns into.
from Patanjali:
"Prakriti, it has
been said, is the elemental, undifferentiated stuff of mind and matter.
In what relation does it stand to the highly differentiated phenomena
of this apparent universe? In order to answer this question, we must trace
the whole course of a creation from the beginning. We say "a creation"
deliberately -- for Hindu philosphy sees creation and dissolution as an
endlessly repeated process.... Prakriti is said to be composed of three
forces, sattwa, rajas, and tamas, the three Gunas.
The Gunas "permute"
Prakriti as the fractal of creation unfolds. Prakriti is the "protoplasm"
and the Gunas are the "DNA."
Prakriti is the water from
the High Priestess's robes, also representing the unconscious, dream realms,
and flows through Keys 3,
7, 14,
17, and 18, as it wends its
way through creation.
The curtain hanging between
the two pillars symbolizes virginity - and fruitfulness - it depicts palms
(male) and pomegranites (female), and conceals a view of Eden.
The curtain connects pillars
of light and dark, and all other pairs of opposites, symbolizing the associative
powers of the subconscious. She sits on the stone cube that will be created
in Key 4. P. F. Case says the
cube is made of salt, which crystallizes in cubes, and represents the
salty waters of the the ocean/womb/mother.
The pillars are named "Jachin and Boaz,"
[yachin - will establish; boaz - in his strength], also the names of two of Solomon's sons. According to Josephus, in his "Antiquities of the Jews,"
Boaz was on the left as one entered Solomon's temple, by architect Hiram. These bronze pillars
were six feet in diameter and 27 feet tall, and were destroyed by the Chaldeans.
The Hebrew initials of the names are
Yud and Bet, showing the infinite spark (Yud), and its "housing"
(Bet). These "Houses of the Holy" are explored in Key
0.
The pillars, from Solomon's
Temple, also express this division, and choices we confront. These are
also the pillars of Mercy and Severity mapped on the Tree of Life.
Da'at
Da'at is a "conjectured"
sephirah that falls on the path of Gimel. In Hebrew, Da'at is "knowledge,
perception, or learning." It is not really a sephirah; it is a "result"
of it's location on the Tree of Life. It is midway on the longest path,
and central in the upper hexagonal array. Binah and Chochma straddle the
polarity between undefined knowledge and differentiation; Keter and Da'at
straddle the polarity between cosmic consciousness and individual consciousness.
Da'at really is
knowledge in the "Biblical Sense-" it is the focal point of
the mystical union that is prescribed for sanctified couples to perform
on Shabbat night, consummated at the darkest hour.
This joining opens a path for the Shekhina - a Hebrew word for
the immanent aspect of the Creator, seen in Jewish philosophy as the female
aspect of God. The "above" aspect of Shekhina is Binah,
and the "below" aspect is Malchut.
The Shekhina,
crowned as the Shabbes Queen, is welcomed with the reading of the Song
of Songs, Solomon's love poem of yearning for closeness to the Creator
Before Time, Lecha Dodi to welcome the bride, and the aramaic K'Gavna
prayer from the Zohar, read in the Kabbalat Shabbat service, at sunset:
K'Gavna
Just
as the Sephirot unite above in Oneness without evil so Sephera
Malchut unites below in the secret of Oneness so She may join
those above One receiving One. The Holy One, Blessed is He,
the One above, does not sit on His Throne of Glory until She
below, the Shabbes Queen, is made over in the secret of Oneness
like His that they may join in a Oneness of Oneness. Thus have
we set forth the secret of G-D's Oneness: His name is One.
This
is the secret of Shabbes: She (Malchut) is called Shabbes when
One, when She is united up in the secret of One, occurring in
the fullness of Shabbes, for then the Holy Throne of Glory unifies
with the secret of Oneness, and becomes ready for the Holy King
to mount it, when Shabbes arrives, She unifies Herself and divests
Herself of the other side, all harsh judgements are removed
from Her and She unifies with the Holy Light, with Holiness,
and crowns Herself with many crowns in behalf of the Holy King.
All dominions tremble in agitation and bearers of trials flee
from Her together and Her appointment overwhelms, Her dominion
arises, and then, with completion, Her myriad creations rejoice.
Her face glows with Heavenly Light, and She takes those below
who see Her up as Her Crown, and they crown themselves with
Shabbes Souls.
Read in Aramaic, the beautiful
and sacred poetry ritually describes the beginning processes of every
Jewish Sabbath. [This prayer is read in the Sephardic (Spanish) rite,
not Ashkenaz (German)].
It is a meditation
on "ONE" - Echad:
Seeing the universe
in a context of "ONE," all "Harsh Judgments" and "bearers
of trials" flee.
K'Gavna, the Song of Solomon, and the Sanctification of the Moon are all now together in a book
I've made, explained here.
Her crown, the Diadem of Isis,
is a combination of circle and crescents, referring to the moon and its
phases. Crowns appear in Keys 2,
3, 4,
5, 7,
11, 14,
16, Keter,and Malchut.
The periodicity of the moon
suggests rhythm, repetition, and memory - reflected in her scroll of Torah
(Bible, teaching), a product of memory, history, and recorded experience.
from K. D.
Newman:
The Popess veils
herself in mystery. When we hide behind jargon and acquired paraphernalia
and seek to generate mystery through concealment, innuendo, and suggestion
so as to appear "the guardian to the secrets of the sanctuary,"
then we are constellating and identifying with the Popess within ourselves.
This should not be understood to mean that there are not things that need
to be concealed, nor should this view of the Popess be seen as an attack
on concealment per se but on its intent. Key
9, the Hermit, is also a card of concealment, but does not do so to
stage an effect, be it wonder, admiration, allegiance or power."
The Popess represents the essential
division in creation, with her concealing veil, and the spiritual quest
that arises from awareness of that concealment from Eden, and the brushes
with Holiness we are gifted with.
The square cross on her breast
shows a balancing of the two forces, the black and white pillars. It also
hints at her powers of manifestation, and the cross of completion in Malchut.
While the Fool and the Magus
represent only the potential, the will, to create, the High Priestess
has the latent power to manifest. She is the link between the seen and
the unseen.
This path connects Tipharet
and Keter, creating the longest
of the paths. This is the mystical, archetypal Bridge -
spanning the mysteries, balanced between Chesed and Gevurah, Mercy and
Severity. It is manifested by the High Priestess combined with
the power of the bridge builder, the Hierophant,
Key 5.
"All the
world is a narrow bridge - but the point is to be fearless." Hasidic
proverb
This is the same passage manifested
as a door in Key 3. Both are links
to the higher realms; they are a "plexus," a "siddhi," or a "revelation."
Druids believe in an Otherworld,
Avalon, where life is perfect, and united with the Spiritual. The High
Priestess brings down a mist and manifests a passage to Avalon, but this
mystical land cannot be found by ordinary folk. The two realms are interwoven
with one another, with joined destinies, and are called the "Nexus." Saxon,
Viking, Pictish designs depict this interweaving.
The idea is that the worlds
overlap in certain places and times, which are sacred. This seeping through
occurs at the sea shore, where land meets sea, dusk and dawn, where night
meets day, the Equinoxes, where summer meets winter, and other places.
Such a place is called a "Plexus," and is an opportunity to commune with
the otherworld.
"Gimel," the Hebrew letter
for Key 2, means camel. Camels, the "Ships of the Desert," travel in caravans,
lines flanked by hostile desert; they are adapted for long, hard journeys,
appropriate for the longest path.
"The dogs
bark, but the caravan passes - " Arabic proverb
The camel connects distant
places, like the Popess, and her domain of telepathy and subconcious connections
between people.
Gimel is a "Double
Letter," with two sounds, also reflected in the duality of the
black and white pillars.
Key 2 is Maya - the
veil of illusion that conceals the full experience of Brahman
(Keter) from the Jiva, or individual soul
(Tipharet).
Maya is Brahman's power, a
result of Brahman - like the heat from fire. Maya causes us to
see manifold reality, instead of the one Reality. Maya has two aspects:
Avidya Maya leads us further
away from the realization of Brahman into greater worldliness and bondage,
expressing itself as passions and cravings.
Vidya Maya leads us closer
to the realization of Brahman, and expresses itself as spiritual virtues.
Both Avidya and Vidya Maya
are transcended when a being realizes Brahman.
The
Moon
The Moon's placement at birth
sets the character for the person's subjective personality, and instinct.
It is the inner child, the vulnerable parts of our personal experience.
It determines the kind of imagination, dreamscapes, and moods the person
has. The Moon has no light of its own; and like the Moon, the personality
reflects the light of the Sun, the person's true Spirit.
The Moon shows our hidden,
unexpressed, or unexpressable desires, emotions, and esoteric self-image.
The Moon shows our Inner Nature. When you are misunderstood, it is your
Moon nature, expressed imperfectly through the Sun sign, that feels betrayed.
Things you know without thought, instincts, hunches, intuitions, are products
of the Moon. Modes of expression that you feel truly reflect your deepest
self belong to the Moon: art, writing, creative work of any kind; for
fun OR business. The feeling-tones of your deepest emotions are filtered
by the sign your Moon occupies at birth.
CPTSD
Aspects to the moon, Cancer and the Fourth House all show the nature of the pre-seven
year old epoch of life. When there are negative aspects here, it usually shows turmoil in those
early years. Often, because we have very little visual memory from those early years, traumatic experiences
can be very difficult to work with, and can affect the person for years and decades later,
in the form of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
The flashbacks to painful, inchoate infant or toddler states of distress can be triggered by lunar transits, and being lunar, and from the pre-7 memory,
can be extremely confusing and destructive. The relatively new term "Complex PTSD," describes
the differences between the PTSD experienced by battle or accident survivors and
the PTSD that is buried in early childhood memory.
The childhood abuse flashbacks differ in that these emotional flashbacks often have no
visual component, there is toxic shame, there is self-abandonment, there is a vicious inner critic,
and there is social anxiety. When triggered, we fall into the "abandonment melange" and catastrophize,
thought loop, and self-torture. For a deep look at this and deep healing as well, visit
Pete Walker's website.
Most people can map their
moods and day to day cycles by the moon, some more than others. People
with strong Moon influences are changeable, have vitality that waxes and
wanes, are susceptible to external influences, and are comfort loving.
While the Sun indicates ego
and drive, the Moon shows the kind of personality. Sign placement describes
the basic stamp; proximity to compatible planets enhances their
influence.
The "New Moon" is
the same as a "Sun-Moon conjunction." These people are "the same inside
as out" - they can be "easy to read." Sun/Moon types can achieve a great
unity of personality/soul, and be "self-contained." They can also have
a lack of perspective about their own identities - no sense of how they
appear to others.
The "Full Moon" is
a Sun/Moon opposition. When balanced, this gives a person great perspective
and brilliance; it can be schizophrenic if not well aspected by other
features in the chart.
The "Waxing Moon" is
growing fuller; moving from New to Full. The "Waning Moon" is moving
Full to New, that is, getting darker. Waxing moons are full of vitality
and are traditionally good times for starting projects; waning moons are
the opposite.
The "Balsamic Moon"
is the last ten degrees before the moon enters its three day dark period.
These moons provide psychic insight and precognitive powers.
The moon shows the childlike
part of a person. In some it is deeply buried during adulthood, but it
comes out again in old age. Moon/Saturn or Moon/Pluto relationships show
Father/Child issues, and are often difficult. Moon/Venus and Moon/Jupiter
lend charm and artistic/business ability when well aspected; gullibility,
excess, and wastefulness when not.
Moon/Mars difficult aspects
can cause impulsiveness, subconscious sexual problems, being opinionated,
sadistic, arrogant, selfish, stubborn, angry, antagonistic, or misogynistic.
Moon/Mars good aspects allow
the subconscious and conscious will to harmonize, makes one courageous,
energetic, with strong vitality and good recuperative powers. Animal nature
has been harnessed; family protector.
The Moon governs the tides
in the ocean, and the moods of the masses. Mental hospitals and emergency
rooms are usually extra busy during full or angular moons.