4 DISKS IN THOTH TAROT, THE KAABA AND THE NUMBER 4.

I came across an image of a 16th century depiction of the Kaaba, the holiest site to muslims. Mecca.

 I was very much struck by the resemblance to the 4 disks in Thoth Tarot.

This in turn made me wonder about the significance of 4. It is worth remembering at this point that the Kaaba is a cube. (4 corners.) We could even perhaps bring in the Emperor here as he sits on his cube or even the hanged man with his legs crossed assuming the shape of the number 4.

In numerology the number 4's character is; stabiliser, faithful friend a capacity for focussed will & self sacrifice also putting ideas into form and firm foundations. Order, system & routine make dreams a reality.

In Islam there are 4 worlds; Nasut......world of mankind, Malakut......Angels, Jabarut......power and Lahut the divine world.

In nature; Warmth, coldness, dryness and humidity. The divine 4; life, knowledge, will and speech.

image of Sumerian Emperor.

We should not forget the 4 phases of the moon,an important factor in Islam and at the age of 4 years,4 months and 4 days one can recite for the first time from the Koran.

The cube reminds us of 'being of the elements & 'being' in the visible, physical and structured world.

It has occurred to me that 4 in Tarot is a place of hiatus. Rendered motionless we are caught between active and non active dynamics. Not quite in limbo but a place of holding that which is prominent in our being. Do we keep those aspects of the 4's in each suit of the minor arcana as our personal structure or do we let them be a transitory stage of building and growth?

Lon Milo Duquette in his book, 'Undersatnding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot describes the 4 disks as Sol in Capricorn. To the ancients, the greatest display of celestial power occurred each year when the sun entered Capricorn. Crowley himself describes this 4 as ' The fortress that is upon the frontier of the abyss'.

Duquette reminds us that this card leaves us with many mysteries unsolved.

The divinatory of this Thoth card is success, rank, dominion and earthly power.

The Kaaba was thought to be at the centre of the world, with the Gate of Heaven directly above it. The Kaaba marked the location where the sacred world intersected with the profane; the embedded Black Stone was a further symbol of this as a meteorite that had fallen from the sky and linked heaven and earth

Man's search for meaning, his desire to understand the chaos he was born into and his destiny to celebrate the Deity is part of the order of his dominion. The images above are a favourable reminder of our spiritual heritage and the quest for order and structure that gives this heritage a greater sense of purpose.

APRIL'S TRANSFORMATIONAL TIMETABLE.

I don't profess to be an Astrologer, I prefer to leave that to friends and colleagues who can adeptly guide us through the ephemeris.
However, I am an Aries and news of the current planetary activity has got me sitting up and paying attention especially to the co-relation between Tarot and Astrology. We are certainly in the midst of interesting times.
Next tuesday the 15th sees the Lunar eclipse, the full moon brings illumination anyway but here we see the sacred marriage of the moon and sun.
April, beginning with this fabulous encounter on the 15th heralds a time of transformation and change.
I believe we should be conscious of our transformational dynamics. Be active in the changes that they bring.
This is not always easy as when we scrutinise transformation it can often initially be cold and brutal, emerging latent fears and other shadow aspects. When we find the courage to embrace transformation and be an active component in our own unique drama our perspective immediately alters, instead of the fear of change, we can embrace change.

I have included a diary of events that will take place in the planet alignments over the next few days. I have included Tarot references to the planets. I suggest that each day you lay down the relevant cards and put sinchronistically select other cards to illuminate the meaning to you. I should start with one card on top of the planet card and slowly add more until you feel that the story has been told. Journal your findings, this may be of interest to you later in the year.

TUESDAY. 15. Sun in Aries. opp moon, full in Libra.
Insights into your relationships, drive and personal identity. Release what must be left to the past. Breakthrough into new beginnings.
JUSTICE and EMPEROR.

Sunday 20. Jupiter in cancer, Uranus in Aries.
How can we balance our need to feel secure with our need to pioneer into the unknown?
CHARIOT, FOOL, EMPEROR.
Also, Jupiter in cancer, opp Pluto in Capricorn.
How is our safety and homelife affected by turmoil in the workplace and in business and corporations in general?
WHEEL OF FORTUNE. CHARIOT, DEVIL, DEATH.

Monday 21. Uranus in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn.
How do we express our individual genius in a soul centred way that benefits all levels of society?
FOOL, DEATH, DEVIL.

Tuesday 22 Mars in Libra. Jupiter in Cancer.
How can we preserve our individual strength in relationships and balance our personal needs with nurturing others wisely.
EMPEROR, JUSTICE, CHARIOT.

Wednesday 23. Mars in Libra. Pluto in Capricorn.
What must change or even end in our relationships and in large institutions so our individual soul destinies can be expressed in the best and most beautiful way?
EMPEROR. JUSTICE. DEATH. DEVIL.

Tuesday 29. Solar Eclipse. Sun and moon occupy Taurus.
Because the Sun will occupy Taurus,  look for new ways to enjoy nature, celebrate physical comfort and abundance, honour the Earth that sustains us so faithfully.
SUN. MOON. HIEROPHANT. WORLD.

Enjoy your journey with the planets and Tarot, be ready to receive the insights offered. Crucial and empowering information awaits you so that you can be aware, mindful and cognitive to your own sacred truths.

Key phrases:-
How are these influences operating in my life?
Am I prepared to ring any necessary changes?
Do I possess any other tools to help me with my transformation?
Am I getting healing/support ?
How does Tarot support me?
Have I got to know a particular card or symbol better as a result of my observances?

astrological information inspired by Anne Nordhaus-Bike.

Nigella Lawson, the fallen woman and the 10 swords....a Scapegoat for a lost empire.

The Pre-Raphaelite society would have loved the recent coverage of the vilification of Nigella Lawson. In fact everything about about the case smacked of retributive Victoriana. Every day we were blasted with Nigella's sad face emblazoned across the usual witch burning tabloids, my head became a tumble of the symbolism of the Pre Raphs, William Holman Hunt's Scapegoat leaped into view, adding clout to my tut-tutting as I passed the newsagents. It crossed my mind that there was something subliminal going on, we women were meant to glimpse (often) that angst ridden face, a stark reminder that we might be a Goddess in the kitchen, but err and the powers that be ( in Nigella's case a husband so rich that it is almost perverted AND who appears to be a Roman Emperor in disguise) and you can forget any success or good that you might have done in the world or for yourself. I feel for her, I really do, she has been made an example of.

The Scape Goat. William Holman Hunt.

This country has a history of patriarchy conditioning its women, scary stuff, especially when you consider that Ghandi said 'You can tell a nation by how it treats its Women and Animals'. It appears that even in the UK, buried deep in the psyche, there is no real difference between the two. Both live out a life of servitude to men. It is not all that long ago that there really was a law that a man could beat his wife with a stick as long as it was no bigger than his thumb.
In Victoria's rule, when the Empire was the jewel in the crown of great Britain, when the Industrial revolution was priming us up for what was to become a globalisation of our skills and assets, women represented the strength and beauty of this fair isle. John Ruskin in his lecture, 'Sesame and Lillies' opined romantically that woman full of grace, even the flowers nod as she walks by. Particularly if you come from the right side of town.

Naughty Nigella, she strayed from the path. She became the fallen woman. In Rosetti's painting of the same name we can see the miserable wretch clinging to the wall, forlorn and wasted. ( In Nigella's case, literally!!)
She is being saved from herself by whom, Saatchi? Victim support? A society that cherishes survivors? In the background we see the Lamb, albeit sacrificial but it strayed from the flock and is now saved never to stray again as it is now netted and suitably restrained.
What Saatchi and the tabloids didn't bank on is actually people are sometimes more lovable when they are at their more wretched and vulnerable. Ok, so everyone's moral compass may not agree with her hijinx(!?) but in this day and age it is rare to find someone who has not flirted with a stimulant of some kind, frankly,the whole world gets off on something!
Let's not forget that Nigella made exceedingly good cakes and put sex appeal back into the kitchen, there is a strange irony that she is iconic of what is historically a woman's domain and one wonders if she is paying for not being ugly and troutish nor barefoot and pregnant and tied to the kitchen sink, Saatchi made sure of that.....it doesn't escape me that he has a foothold in the world of advertising and here we are playing out an archetypal cultural drama where gender specifics are  the cheer leaders. Venus and Mars.
I feel this supposed evil matriarch will come good....in time. One truly hopes that she will bounce back and trounce her oppressors; not to eat cake but their words. She is not a self destructive narcissist but a winner. What we have learnt since the days of Victoria that we can overcome.

Saatchi, it seems wanted some kind of revenge.I have to confess that I have forgotten the whole point of why he took her to court in the first place but he was out to get her with as many swords as possible. For the rest of us it might be worth bearing in mind that there is some fictitious empire, perhaps it is like the spiritual Jerusalem and resides in another realm but what ever it is beware you don't bring shame on the good name of it's patriarchal representatives.

Nigella Lawson would do well to take the lesson form the influence of the 10 Swords. Everything passes, very soon she will be a different person and this whole sorry incident will no longer be of relevance. Yes, she has had sorrow and loss, yes this can shape our thinking. She may have chosen a difficult path for herself but she is promised a new dawn, an awakening of conscience to oneself and the realisation that she has a lot to offer the world and the world has a lot to offer her.

A relationship between Emperor & Hierophant, politics or survival?

As we know there is a progression in Tarot, one card speaks of another, each a segment of a sequence that offers insights into the growth and development of consciousness.

We find pairings, relationships between two cards, a dialogue between two archetypes that create a chemistry, crossing all limitations of time and show us how the historical can be interpreted into the contemporary. Human nature it seems is fundamentally the same in each epoch, the physical, manifest aspect is guided and honed by the spiritual.

The relationship between the Emperor and the Hierophant  is one of these relationships.

Emperor, master of the material world. He is stability and security. When we connect to the Emperor, we easily see his essence. Order, power and domination, the benevolent despot. He is the personnification of force.

When he arrives in a spread, I feel the need for structure and order, focus and discipline, all of which can be bring freedom. As someone who lacked structure for many years and lived as a fatalist, I have come to realise that to manifest anything worthwhile requires a focus and is fed by being disciplined. This is so liberating as the heart felt purpose gains wings to fly.

His are the laws of the universe in action. When we walk in accordance with these laws all is peaceful and harmonious but if we do not listen, if we disobey.....then we unleash the power of the law in order to find it's balance once more.

I sometimes see the Emperor as Ishkendar the great or Ghengis Khan or the rulers of the Arabic tribes, builders of cities, architects of empires; Yet often bloodthirsty and ruthless in attaining their goals. Weakness is not a word associated with the Emperor and with the energy of this card we can sweep away all that no longer serves us.

The Hierophant, the bridge, the ideal, the third party that connects the seeker to the God source. Without the elements of the Hierophant, the Emperor  would not survive in his place of glory.

Our Hierophant is a teacher and guide, he indicates to us the purpose of life. His divine inspiration is there to be communicated to those around him. Ever receptive to the upper realm, he conveys petitions between the realms.

When Hierophant turns up we are reminded of the need to be rooted in our community, to listen to the wise voice and to develop and own our spiritual power. We are encouraged to have faith and to embrace unity.

However, he has to be mindful of not falling into dogmatic thinking, he is better serving the ideal and expanding a vision.

It was vital that the conquerors had their spiritual advisors, without them there is a distinct possibility that the Human race would have often sailed close to extinction. That voice of spiritual reason brought us back from the brink. I think of Pope Gregory and how he told the Emperor stories in order to enlighten him and steer him from destructive chaos. History has many tales to tell of barbary and killing that established dynasties and territories, in many parts of the world this still goes on........

On a recent trip to Rudesheim, I visited the church of Hildegard Von Bingen. She was a remarkable woman who led a remarkable life.

I was fascinated to learn of the relationship between herself and Frederick 1 Barbarossa. (Above). Hearing the story reminded me of the relationship between the Emperor and Hierophant.

Barbarossa was a bloodthirsty ruler, tyrannical and fierce. He was a crusader and campaigned against Rome and her Popes.

However he did not count on the courage of Hildegard. She connected with him in order to maintain a healthy dialogue with him, speaking out in favour of her church. She was direct and often critical of Barbarossa, something that was unheard of. Many who opposed this Emperor were slain. But he listened to her, perhaps in awe of her unwavering strength plus she was very well connected to other powerful people of the day.

He made allowances for her and treated her fairly. He offered her church protection, very unusual for the supporters of the Pope.

I think we can learn something very important here. The physical world, the domain of the ego will remain in a position of limitation and possible self destruction in its pursuit of power and identity, it is vital that we discover that wellspring of spiritual power and intelligence, this will provide the balance that offers life to our endeavours. It will save us from spiritual death and give light and meaning to our purpose.
When we shine our light, we give permission for others to shine their light. We live.

Osiris, Hermit, his Lantern and Death.

Osiris, Hermit, his Lantern and Death.

One of the joys of having a well stocked book shelf is that one does not have to be bored. It is a delicious moment when you dive into a book and the world and all it's trappings melt away. Reading also provides the opportunity for me to indulge in a favourite pastime, free associating. I enjoy making links and references, bouncing one idea off another one, see how they fit. So it was, whiling away one typical rainy day in London, that I had a realisation that Tarot could be offering insights into the progression of Osiris.

Image from Charles V1 Tarot, Orion, Osiris as the Fool.

Imagine a very predatory world. War and wild beasts, humans needed to make some sense of the chaos that they had been born into. Osiris was a great hunter, Orion in Greek mythology and also known to the Nordic people as Herne. We find this hunter in the stars, with his Dog/Lion and his belt.

Isis was the wife of Osiris. There is a wonderful story of how Seth tried to kill Osiris, who was immortal. Seth put him in a chest and floated it down the Nile, to be saved by a Tamarisk tree. Isis, with her magic powers found Osiris, but Seth had other ideas; he hacked Osiris into 14 different pieces and flung them to different corners of the land. Long story short, Isis 're-membered' Osiris, she even gave him a gold penis which issued Horus.

We now see Osiris emerge as a fertility god. The myth of Osiris has many layers, essentially it is a story about consciousness. It engages us with the idea that all things must die, in order to be reborn. In the Book of the Dead he proclaims;'' I shall not decay, I shall not rot, I shall not putrefy, I shall not turn into worms. I shall have my being, I shall live.''

The story of Osiris ties up the idea of how the forces of sex and death wrap together to make human consciousness.

The Death card speaks of this, it is a card of cycles, fertility, rebirth and transition, through death in its myriad forms we are also 're-membered'. Sex is a part of the cycles of life. The ancients knew that when they reflected upon their own will, they were observing something that was there before they were. When they coupled with another human being in sex, many constellations were involved and how they expressed sex to each other would have an effect on the cosmos in the times to come. Will and desire go hand in hand, not always sexual but sacred and spiritual.

There is possibly one more link to Osiris and that is through the Hermit. The name of Osiris is connected to insemiantion, Ourien meaning Semen. The kabbalistic reference for the Hermit is Sperm. In the ancient world sperm was understood to be an expression of the cosmic will, the ordering principle of life. The Prima Materia out of which everything was made was contained in a single drop.
The most significant link, for me, is the lantern. It is the lantern that is central to the theme in the Hermit. In the RWS deck we see in the lamp a 6 pointed star, the chariot to God. The Merkaba.
Osiris' Lantern is referring to the Pineal gland or 3rd eye. This gland was seen as an organ of perception of the higher worlds,a window to the spiritual hierarchies.
All those years ago the 3rd eye was much more active than it is today. Perceptions of the spiritual world were as vivid as the material one. it was through this eye that man had access to the spirit realms. The inner world was also made real by the Pineal gland, which, oddly has a reference to the phallus, which became enclosed in the forehead after men developed the organ. ( Sex and sperm again!!) It is also indicated that the 3rd eye was closed down in order for mankind to have room to think.
' The beginning of death was thought.' Perhaps Hermit is advising that reflection is a better ally than analysis. Contemplation is more conducive to our condition  than neurosis.
Through meditation and looking within we can see the essence of our own soul, wrought from the experience of our cycles.
Look to the realms, see the spirit world that exists within our own. Be aware of your own spirit and light up your path with your own sense of wisdom and wonder.

A FOOL'S ERRAND.

I consider facilitating spiritual development in another to be a privilege. Sharing a journey with someone who is on a path of discovery (which never truly ends) is deeply rewarding and enriching.

I am passionate about Tarot, it has been an integral part of my life for many years now and it never ceases to amaze and delight me. Tarot may be many things but boring it aint!!

I hope to inspire and imbibe participants on my Tarot Studies courses with this same wonder and sense of magic and at the same time develop insights into their own life story. I am also keen to guide others into seeing Tarot from different perspectives so that one gains the overall impression of it's versatility and beauty.

One of the ways to achieve this is to encourage the Tarot neophyte to take part in a project which they then share with their group at the end of the 10 intermediate week course. The idea of this project is to galvanise the students relationship to their cards and to bring out their own unique style and approach to reading Tarot cards and ultimately deepen the awareness of their own life experiences.

So, we take the 22 Major Arcana cards and we weave each card into a theme. In the past we have had rock music and opera, animals, recipes, Shakespeare, yoga postures, politicians and story telling, the variables are enormous!

It always starts out the same, when I announce that the group is expected to do this project there is a lot of face pulling and groaning, lots of excuses as to why it can't be done but with a bit of cajoling it usually reaches completion.

I love that moment when someone shares their efforts with the group; not only does it make for a pleasant evening but I am always so touched by the erstwhile attempts which have resulted in fabulous creativity and thoughtfulness. On many occasions I have been blown away by a project, never more so than by that one who really didn't think that they would be good enough either at their project or as a reader. It is a beautiful moment when that person receives wonderful feedback from the others and their is this wonderful sense of achievement. Fabulous!!

Digging around in my archives I came across a poem that a student did for his project. I remember him as being an unlikely candidate for spiritual pathworking as his life did not appear to be a natural fit for such activity, however I learnt form him that you can NEVER judge a book by a cover. It was wonderful to re-discover his poem and also to remember the life lesson and to that end I share the piece that he wrote.

A FOOL'S ERRAND.  by Alan Mangan.

0. One fateful summer evening'

I attended psychic school

and began an epic journey

in the costume of a Fool.

1 I knew the time was right for me,

'twas not a tough decision

before too long, my innocence gone

I evolved into the Magician.

2. I soon moved on from casting spells,

no demons I invoke,

I stood between two pillars

as the mystic female pope.

3. From there I tempted every man,

 clad in a floral dress

with Cupid's sweet seduction,

child of Venus, the Empress.

4.  The time had come to  move along

and formulate the law,

to govern fearful subjects

as the mighty Emperor.

5. To bridge the gap 'tween God and man

my mantras I did chant

I walked the earth, life death, rebirth

the pious Hierophant.

6. My next engagement flattered me,

I'm back between the covers

with every hero's nightmare

a choice between two Lovers.

7.  To choose one's love and break one's heart

I might be dubbed Iscariot

I'm glad to swap the Lovers

for a victory in my Chariot.

8.  I wouldn't risk contempt of court

and fall foul of the law 

to mess around with Justice

leaves one sorry, sick and sore.

9.  Like every avid Trogledyte

who seeks his scholars permit.

I'll hide away for months on end 

'til I emerge the Hermit.

10. I wish trump X were 3 of cups

with music, wine and dance,

not much to say but come what may

a change of circumstance.

11. The card of strength, depicts a maid

befriend a fearsome Lion,

her courage and self-confidence

a mix of earth and Zion

12.The next transition in my tale

deludes with no disguise

a man suspended upside down

observes with different eyes.

13. The card of Death, to fearful men

shows coffin, crypt and tomb

while those less pessimistic

see a new life in the womb.

14. The card of Temperance teaches us

when excessiveness abounds

in steps our guardian angel

to show us middle ground.

15. When ravaged by the Devil

and in need of angst confession

just face your fears, amid the jeers

cut down on the obsession.

16. When life seems at it's bleakest

and you face your darkest hour

no hope in sight, be brave and fight

to break free from the Tower.

17.  With lightening bolts from trump XV1

when solace seems afar

come bathe in peaceful waters

filled with hope form God's bright star.

18.  With troubles almost over

and joy for everyone,

come feel the warmth and happiness

from rays of golden Sun.

19. The journey's nearly ended

We've come full circle, soon

Illusion and uncertainty

the hall marks of the Moon.

20. If you need to alter Karma,

your priorities re-arrange

the card of Judgement beckons you

to answer calls to change.

21.  I now conclude my sojourn,

I've travelled day and night

to dance above the globe of life,

a crowned hermaphrodite.

......The God's have truly smiled on me,

their banners' all unfurled

I started Fool,broke all the rules

and ended up the World.

C. A Mangan 2010.

The Star, Moroccan design and the 8 pointed star.

THE STAR, MOROCCAN DESIGN AND THE 8 POINTED STAR.

The star card has to be one of the loveliest in the Tarot deck. It holds much promise, dreams fulfilled, a bright future, refinement and beauty.

Imagine my delight and intrigue as I discovered possible links to Morocco, a personal soul place and the 8 pointed star including the teachings of  Ibn Al Arabi with our beautiful Tarot star.

Firstly, if the star is the trump 17 then 1+7=8. On many depictions in the star there is indeed a star with 8 points.

The 8 pointed star is the star of Venus and 8 years is the length of a full cycle of Venus. It is also called the star of Ishtar, a goddess of war, fertility, love and sex who was worshipped in Babylon around 2,000BCE.

We must also include Sumerian Innana, goddess of light, love, life and death.She was linked to the morning and evening star.

Both goddesses were deities of many dualities (we can see traces of this influences in the 2's of the Tarot minor arcana, especially 2 cups.)

The 8 pointed star was upheld as a symbol before the formation of Islam. Images of it were discovered in Ur as an 8 petalled rosette.

Babylonian star cult is the core and archetype of ancient astrology. The Greeks recognised Venus as evening and morning star 1,500 years after the Sumerians.

 Sumer is located where several civilisations converged and the symbol migrated into other cultures. Abraham, the father of monotheistic faiths was in Ur.

Islam inherited pagan symbols as did other religions to accomodate astrology (astrotheology). Astronomy plays an important part in Islam. Stars were seen as part of creation and ancient symbols supported the Islamic view of creation. Planetary aspects determined times and places for prayer.

Muslim scholars poured over Greek learning. Pythagoras played an influential part in all of this.

Islamic art grew from the study of geometry. The idea being to seek to understand creation, not to worship it but to honour the creator.

In Morocco you can still find representations of this geometry in the Khatim and the zillij image of the star.

This image is particularly resplendant in Fes. A Moroccan city that goes back a couple of thousand years and it's long history can still be observed in the Medina. These mosaics were often on fountains and public drinking water taps.

This four fold construct is the design for a more contemporary fountain, again in Fes.

8 is an important number to Sufi mystics who had an appeal in North Africa. One of the most famous being Ibn Al Arabi, a C12 sufi master and cosmologist. He said; '' All phenomena are nothing but manifestations of Being, which is one with God. ''

His diagram is form symbolised by the square. Expansion is symbolised by the square with triangles pointing outwards, contraction is symbolised by square with triangles pointing in. The two star shapes together are the cycle of creation; 'the breath of compassionate', one of the 99 names of God and the highest pronouncable. The diagram is effectively a cosmological model of polarities that manifest form....( those 2's again!!).

Moroccan ornamentation carries these patterns although the flag is now a 5 pointed star, the seal of Solomon, but in mediaeval times it would have had 8 points.

The Khatim, (star mosaics) stand for interconnectedness, faith and ultimate harmony in creation, also the highest virtues in Moroccan culture. Learning, faith, community and love of beauty......it just  about sums up the beautiful qualities of our Tarot trump 17, the Star card.