78DW: Chapter 3 -- The Opening Trumps

Now we start getting down to business! We start, as RP does, with the first three Majors, The Fool, Magician, and High Priestess. What follows is my poor summary of RP's chapter.

FOOL
"Imagine yourself entering a strange landscape," is how RP enters the Fool's world. He holds a white rose to symbolize both passion (rose) and purity (white). The bag he carries behind him holds his experiences (thrown over his shoulder with hardly a care). I never thought of the stick he carries the bag on as a wand, like RP suggests, but I like that idea! QUESTION: What does your deck's fool carry with him, and how does he carry it? What is the landscape like that he is entering?

In readings he represents beginnings, courage, and optimism; reversed: a failure to follow your instincts or recklessness. QUESTION: What meaning do you think fits your Fool best?

MAGICIAN
I like how RP points out the evolution of the next two cards. The Magician began as a Juggler, and has evolved into more of a Wizard. In either case, he signifies the beginnings of consciousness, action, and creation. One hand reaches up to heaven, the other to earth, signifying that he is a channel for the spirit, like a shaman. QUESTION: How does your deck's Magician signify his connection between spirit and earth? Is he more of a juggler or a wizard?

In readings he indicates an awareness of power in your life, and willpower. Reversed he can mean abuse of power or undirected energy leading to mental disquiet. QUESTION: Same as the Fool: what meaning fits your Magician best?

HIGH PRIESTESS
I love the history RP uncovers here, too, about the Visconti Papess, and the name change made by Court de Gebelin to the "High Priestess." This lady represents the dark side of feminity: passivity and focus on the unconscious. In fact, the unconscious is what lies beyond the black and white pillars behind the Priestess. On her lap is a book labeled "Tora." QUESTION: How does your High Priestess card show her connection to the unconscious?

Her divinatory meanings focus on a sense of mystery in life, and secret knowledge. Reversed, she means passivity at the wrong time or someone afraid to open up to other people. QUESTION: What meaning fits your High Priestess?

So, tell us all about your deck's first three Majors...

Peace,

Melvis

Templar Tarot

From the Templar Tarot

The Fool (the Pilgrim)
http://home.hccnet.nl/k.van.rijn/images/TemplarTarot/Fool.jpg

I like what Elisabeth Haich said about the Fool: "she describes the Fool as what the outside world sees when it looks upon someone who is truly enlightened. The last card, the World, presents the same enlightened person, but viewed from inside, that is, by himself".
Referring to the thread about chapter 1 of 78DW, I already mentioned that the persons in the Fool and the World in this deck were the same to me, this comment by E.Haich gives it an extra dimension, as it is so obvious in this deck.
Indeed anter a strange landscape here, a world completely in ruins and chaos; a dead broken tree and a wall that came down. The sky is still orange with dark clouds from the disaster the environment shows. There is The Fool, looking like an overdressed fool in this situation, just coming from a party and stepping into this world of wreckage.
In this deck the Fool has no companion and is the only person in the card.
The white rose in the Waite/Smith deck is here probably the idiot sort of halo-hat the Fool is wearing, now I finally know what this hat is.
This Fools bag is a tiny green purse tied around the waist, with some blue and red jewelry on it, and a circular form that looks like a wheel (of fortune?).
In the right hand the Fool holds a green stick, one side of it has an arrow pointing down, the other side has a ball on it. A green wand made for being directed, and indeed the Fool is holding it casually (LWB says it symbolizes the soul).
The meaning of this Fool can be best described by: I don't care what you all think, I do what I do and I will see where that gets me.

the Magician (the Troubadour)
http://home.hccnet.nl/k.van.rijn/images/TemplarTarot/Magician.jpg

This Magician is a conjurer.
And she is one inspired magician, she dancing as in trance, maybe this is the "descent of the spirit" RP speaks about. She has 8 arms, two hands form the Om mudra (The thumb is the gateway to Divine Will and the index finger is the Ego, showing "I am one with the Universe"). One hand holds a feather, maybe from the wings that lie on the floor, these might be her own wings discarded from. One hand holds a lotus-flower for spirituality. One hand holds a skull with a crown floating above it, still don't know what that stands for.
All the energy she is generating is being released and directed at the people surrounding her, and they all react differently to that.
The meaning of this Magician can be best described by: being inspired with power/will/spirit.

the High Priestess (Mary Magdalene)
http://home.hccnet.nl/k.van.rijn/images/TemplarTarot/High_Priestess.jpg

If Mary Magdalene is the same person as the Virgin Mary (I assume she is, correct me if I am wrong), this card really connects to the dark, mysterious and hidden of the virgin side of her, as described by RP.
The unconsious and hidden truth is shown by the blue/green water, this surrounds her as like she is in it at the bottom of the ocean.
There are no pillars for duality and opposites in this card, these principles can be found in the Yin/Yang she wears on her dress.
The Tora roll is also not present, I think the skull she holds in her lap represents more or less the same. For me this skull stands for earthly wisdom in a psychic way, and as it is a skull it has to do with death/rebirth as well.
The meaning of this High Priestess can be best described by: hidden knowledge coming to consious level.

Eagerly waiting for your opinions on the cards Jewel !!!

Kaz

Templar Tarot

Kaz (26 Feb, 2002 21:00):
Eagerly waiting for your opinions on the cards Jewel !!!

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Sorry I was behind on my "homework" and only posted my piece for Chapter 2 ... Let me do this exercise with my deck and then I will go back to Chapter 2 and then back here with what I get from the Templar. Sorry I am taking so long Kaz but I promise I will respond as soon as I can.

Love & Light,

DECK: Cosmic Tribe (CT)

THE FOOL: the CT Fool is very different from the RW Fool in many ways yet he is also similar in others. The CT Fool is much freer and he embodies, to quote Ms. Pollock, "... the animal self of man, all in harmony with the spirit who acts from instinct." This was the description she gave for the RW dog, yet it fits the CT Fool who even has butterfly wings.

The CT Fool carries nothing but his open heart and his innocense as represented by the wings on his back, his open arms and smile. He carries nothing over his shoulder or in his hands.

The landscape in this card is beautiful. There is a huge blue sky with a combination of regular white fluffy clouds and above him a cloud mandala shapped like a flower which has a beam that comes to the Fools crown chakra. The Fool has just leapt off a rock towards the water, the dog following. The dog is assisted by a butterfly so he can fly, the fool has his own large white and black butterfly wings. He glides above the water towards an alligator whose mouth is wide open and there is a hand coming out of it holding a beautiful large pink flower. There is another butterfly in the air which the Fool appears to be following with joy. The card is a very happy, uplifting card. The Fool is entering a beautiful world full of adventure (the leap), beauty (the sky and calm water), danger (alligator), and joy (his expression and the butterflies.)

The CT Fool embodies the child within with all his dreams, feelings of invincibility, wonder and adventure. As Ms. Pollock states, he is in perfect harmony with all, and acts from instinct. He is a free spirit. In a reading I would say this card is representative of a great adventure and a new beggining. It is a good time to follow one's instincts.

THE MAGICIAN: Unlike the RW Magician, the CT Magician is VERY active, and very busy. He is also very happy.

He signifies his connection between spirit and earth by manifesting earth life forms (sun flower-sun, mushroom-earth, butterfly-air, and fish-water). These life forms are also representative of the elements. The wand is present and remains in the center of the card by the Magician's will. He shows his spirit side through the wings at his heels, by being suspended in the cosmos, and by the cosmic eyes that accompany each of his manifestations.

He is clearly both a jugglar and a wizzard.

The CT Magician is creative energy and awareness of our ability to manifest our desires and fears. Our own inner magic. Strength of will. In a reading I would say it is time to use our creative energy to be active towards the manifestation of something we have been wanting or desiring.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS: the CT HP does not resemble the RW HP at all. The only commonality I find between the 2 cards is the crescent moon at her feet, yet she stands on the whole moon (the crescent being the only part that is lit up).

She shows her connection to the unconscious by being on the astral plane and standing on the portal between the astral and earth planes. She is the guardian of the vortex. She also has a beam of white light coming down from a purple (spiritual) mandala to her crown chakra.

The CT HP is all spirit. She is focused, grounded and a spiritual receptor. She also embodies a spiritual sensuality and aura of mystery. In a reading I would view this card as needing to get in tune with one's inner self and spiritual side. A need to listen to our unconscious and subconscious. A time to withdraw and focus on the self. A time to get to know what is personally and emotionally important.

Kaz I will get to the Templar as soon as I can. I have not forgotten

Kaz my take on the Templar

Kaz we can spring-board our discussion now ... oh and Mary Magdalene is not the Virgin Mary ... Mary Magdalene was a prostitute before she was blessed by Jesus and became one of his followers.

The Fool carries a wand like arrow and instead of carrying it over his shoulder he holds it out and faces the opposite direction. He carries a little pouch tied to his belt, but I do not get the sense I do when looking at the RW Fool (the sense of carrying his experience or knowledge). The landscape in this card is very interesting. It looks barren and destroyed … makes me think of what the terrain of the Tower would probably look like after it explodes. It definitely reminds me of ruins and a fire having passed through. The flames actually look to be behind the wall with only few patches of blue sky showing. The more I look at the card the more convinced I am that the orange in the background is not the sky but a wall of flames. This definitely a terrain that shows potential dangers and the Fool is walking through it barefoot. To me this Fool is an adventurer and he is curious, observant and a bit cautious. Perhaps an explorer of sorts. I would say that it could mean that it is a time to explore things we have feared to explore before, but we must go in with our eyes open and listen to our inner voice and be cautious.

The Magician in this deck signifies her connection between spirit in earth through her dance and her halo. Her halo is the spirit connection and her dance and juggling act is on the earth plane. The snake is also an animal of the Goddess, her being able to step on it and not get bitten might also be a representation of her connection with the divine. There are also a couple of angels amongst the crowd. The expression on her face is very serene as if in a trance. This Magician is VERY different from the RW Magician as discussed by Kaz and myself in the diamond pattern description of this deck. This Magician is a juggler. The meaning of the Magician in this deck to me is about the balance of spirit and life itself. It is a call to project what you have inside.

The HP of this deck shows her connection to the unconscious through the watery background, her closed eyes as if looking within, and the skull in her lap. She is not one of my most favorite renditions of this card, but she is very introspective. I find her more introspective than spiritual. The meaning of this card to me is to look within and truly get to know yourself and listen to your subconscious.

Re: Kaz my take on the Templar

Jewel said:

Kaz we can spring-board our discussion now ... oh and Mary Magdalene is not the Virgin Mary ... Mary Magdalene was a prostitute before she was blessed by Jesus and became one of his followers.

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thanks for pointing that out. lol @ meself here...

i like your take on the fool, i didnt notice she is barefooted, good point there. we have different takes on the card and reading both explanations they are just as valid.

magician as balance, yes, looking again at the card i can see what you mean. adding this with my original thoughts.

high priestess, i agree with you here, my thoughts were about the same.

kaz

Re: Re: Kaz my take on the Templar

Kaz said:

i like your take on the fool, i didnt notice she is barefooted, good point there. we have different takes on the card and reading both explanations they are just as valid.

magician as balance, yes, looking again at the card i can see what you mean. adding this with my original thoughts.

high priestess, i agree with you here, my thoughts were about the same.

kaz

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I like the blending of our two perspectives for these 3 cards as well.

If you think about the Fool I think that putting your interpretation and mine together gives a great picture. Yes, the world would percieve an enlightened person like that as you described, and at the same time that person would be "walking barefoot" and being on "an adventure" since they would be walking out of the norms of what ever it is that is traditionally not accepted or is new.

Again the same with the magician, it is through her projection of what is within into the outside world that she can manifest your interpretation. As for the HP I just really do not have anything much to say about her in this deck *LOL*.

Working together on this is really adding some nice depth to this deck for me Kaz. Thanks.

a new take on mary magdalen

when you have the time try reading "the moon under her feet" by clysta kinstler. it's the story of 'yeshua' told from the perspective of the magdalen (high priestess) mari, of the temple of isis-asherah. she was the hp of the temple, and therefore engaged in sacred sex... the sacred marriage or heiros gamos - which the patriarchy viewed as prostitution.

it's an interesting viewpoint if one is willing to entertain the idea that the bible is perhaps not the only way to interpret the events of the life of the Nazarene, and those around him.