Deck Elements: Cosmic Eyes

As noted in the companion book, the Cosmic Eye is one of three primary design elements of this deck. Nudity and Technology are the other two. According to the author, the Cosmic Eyes represent our highest capacity for awareness - "the point where we collapse time and space and become the eyes of the universe. This is a time when vast wisdom sees through us. The first thing these eyes see are the organic machines of our bodies - the birthplace of awareness."

Take your deck and separate out all of the cards that contain Cosmic Eyes. Then separate those into Major and Minor Arcana.

1. How many Majors had at least one Cosmic Eye? How many Minors? Which ones were they?

2. In looking at the cards you pulled, do you see any patterns? Any special observations?

3. Based on the authors description of the use of the Cosmic Eyes, are there any cards you found where you feel the Cosmic Eyes did not make sense? Why not? Were there any where the Cosmic Eye made perfect sense to you?

4. What does the Cosmic Eye mean to you?

5. Are there any cards that did not have a Cosmic Eye(s) where you felt it should have been present? Why?

To me, the cosmic eye represents the universal knowledge within all of us, the knowledge that everyone can access. It is using your higher self to access the univrsal message.

Jewel: Thanks for starting this thread. I plan on doing this excersize in full and posting my observations in full when I get a chance but for now...

4. When reading the cards from the Cosmic Tribe I use the eyes as a point of reference, for example, The Hanged Man has eyes on each of his hands. For me, this reinforces the idea that often a sacrifice is made or needed to look at the world through a new perspective.

Cosmic Eye Exercise:

(1) I see 12 Majors with at least 1 Cosmic Eye. 1-Magician, 4-Emperor, 5-Hierophant, 6-Lovers, 7-Chariot, 9-Hermit, 11-Strength, 12-Hanged Man, 15-Devil, 16-Tower, 20-Emergence, 21-Universe.

I see 14 (1/4 of) Minors with at least 1 Cosmic Eye: Wands - Ace, 6, Queen; Cups - Ace, 6, 7; Swords - Ace, 6, 7, Princess; Disks: Ace, 2, Prince, Knight.

(2) In looking at patterns, is that exactly ¼ of the minors had Cosmic Eyes, and that the breakdown by suit is pretty evenly distributed with Wands (intuition) and Cups (emotion) having 3 each, and Swords (thought/mind) and Disks (material/sensation) having 4. In addition, each of the 4 Aces has a Cosmic Eye. This could symbolize that our greatest awareness can be when we embark on or start something.

In looking at the Majors, and dividing them into three rows of 7 with the Fool above, I noted that:
- 5 are in the 1st row or conscious (outer concerns of life in society)
- 3 are in the 2nd row or subconscious (inward search)
- 4 are in the 3rd row or superconscious (spiritual awareness development) - 2 at the beginning (Devil & Tower) and two at the end (Emergence & Universe)

(3) I am still not sure why the Devil card had a Cosmic Eye - perhaps it is that we become aware of our own weaknesses when tempted and deciding what to choose. I really don't understand this at this point. The Lovers and Universe were the most clear to me.

(4) I felt that both the Priestess and Empress would have had the Cosmic Eye. In the pictures they are both in that moment where time and space collapse and wisdom sees through them. Them not having the Cosmic Eye is as confusing to me as the Devil and Tower having them.

(5) To me, the Cosmic Eye is both inner and outer awareness … like being tuned in.

Jewel's post is almost definitive (which is good, cos I was struggling here!) but I just wanted to add a couple of points:-

1. I would add 14 Art to the Majors (the eyes on the cauldron) and 10 the Wheel (I regard the whole wheel as an eye - although I haven't checked the book for this). In fact, I think of the mandalas as the Eye too so I feel as though it's in most cards.

2. Well done, Jewel - I'm hopeless at patterns!

3. I think the Devil has the Cosmic Eye because in these circumstances it is the Cosmos that is testing us and I think the Eye is on some cards as the key - to show when you need to be able to use it at that point.

4. Going back to what I said at 1, for me the Priestess is actually standing in an Eye (as if you're looking sideways on so you can see the semicircular disc), so she is part of it. I'd be happy with the daisy the Empress is sitting in being an Eye too.

5. For me, the Cosmic Eye is the ability to see the "oneness" or "wholeness" of everything without being drawn into it.

5.

4.

LouiQ said:

1. I would add 14 Art to the Majors (the eyes on the cauldron) and 10 the Wheel.

3. I think the Devil has the Cosmic Eye because in these circumstances it is the Cosmos that is testing us.

4. for me the Priestess is actually standing in an Eye. I'd be happy with the daisy the Empress is sitting in being an Eye too.

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LouiQ thanks for responding! I had totally missed the Art card!!!!, and you are right, the wheel could be perceived that way. I knew we would all start finding little subtelties in the cards!.

I like your rationalle for the Devil. I will have to ponder that some more and see if that answers my question completly.

I looked at the Priestess, and turned her every which or way, but I could not see what you saw ... it is so interesting how we all perceive things in a different manner. I also love your idea about the Empress card and the middle of the daisy being an Eye.

Great job LouiQ!

You have done a really great job Jewel! I agree with what you have said and I like the way you found the pattern in the Majors.

I also noticed the cosmic eyes on the backs of the cards. There is one for each of the elements and a large one in the centre. The eye in the centre is also Earth and instead of white it is the black universe. The eyelids seem to be part of a tree. This image makes me think of the world we recognise today being combined with the idea of The World Tree. The gold frames of the elements lead to the centre of the eye, showing that they are cobined and come from a single source. A hand also comes from the centre, showing the 'grasp' we have of each of the elements.

On each of the Cosmic Eyes in this deck I like to think about what each of the eyes, particularly the iris, is actally made of. They are different colours and have quite different patterns in them, usually really reflecting the elements and colours in the rest of the cards.

Jewel said:

I looked at the Priestess, and turned her every which or way, but I could not see what you saw ... it is so interesting how we all perceive things in a different manner. I also love your idea about the Empress card and the middle of the daisy being an Eye.

Great job LouiQ!

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Thanks for the kind words, Jewel - much appreciated!

Thought I'd have another go at what I'm trying to say about the HP and see if it makes any more sense, as I've obviously not made myself clear.

I'd suggest putting the card on its side so the HP's head is, say, to the right. Have you ever stood at rightangles to someone and noticed that you can see right through the surface of their eye? It's a bit "fancier" in the card, but to me the "source" at the bottom is like the white of the eye and the crescent moon she stands on resembles the pupil, while the force field around it is like the clear protective layer (don't know the technical term).

Does that make sense?

yep makes sense ... but I still didn't see it *LOL*. Like I said, what is really cool is how we all perceive things in a different manner. Like with the Empress card, you went a level deeper in finding the "eye" correspondence when a clear eye (as in like the other cards) was not present because you felt there should be one. In short ... you explored the cards, and at least had me go back to study two cards once more ... exactly what we are trying to achieve. Thanks and please keep contributing!

It is really neat to have people to study this deck with, sorry I have not had as much time to study lately! Although the time has not been there the enthusiasm is!