EXERCISE #12: Magician--long
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:48:59 +0200
From: Moonchild
To: Comparative Tarot http://comparativetarot.com
"Being My Own Magician" Spread by Valerie Sim-Behi based on the work of Angeles Arrien.
> For this spread you will use two decks, but we will not be using the comparative method. Choose your favorite deck
for meditation and choose a favorite reading deck. If they absolutely "must be" one and the same, I hope you have two
copies <g>... or better yet: jump out there and try something new ;-)The decks I've chosen are the Arthurian Tarot (Mathews) and the Thoth. I hope those Thoth cards fit on my desk!
Seven of them vertically are a bit tall, but I need Crowley's voice right now.> Part A - Using your favorite deck for meditation, lay out the cards named for each position as detailed below.
> Part B - As you move to each successive step of this part, first contemplate each card from the meditation deck and
what they mean before proceeding to draw the cards from your reading deck which will be placed over the first cards to
form the meanings for this reading.> Magician spread
>
> 11
> 7 8 6 9 10
> 1
> 2
> 3
> 4
> 5
> Opening Meditation:
> 1) [Magician] What is my inner Magician telling me about transforming the difficult communication that I am experiencing lately with [blank], and how might I begin to creatively manifest a new and better beginning?
Fill in the blank: the Spielgruppe.
A. Merlin looks like a very reasonable guy. He sees, knows, and can do more than others, but he is still sympathetic to human plights.
B. Princess of Wands--This card shows me that I need to be more enthusiastic and forceful. Don't give up just
because nobody else seems to care! Where is my Fire?> Using the Magician's Tools
> 2) [Ace of Swords] Clarity of mind: How can I best express myself through clear thinking?
A. The Sword Hallow hovers amidst a flow of hot air.
B. Nine of Wands, subtitled Strength--This card has some similarities to the Sword Hallow, both having dominant
shafts and background movement through air. While the Sword Hallow has vapor trails moving upwards through the air,
the Nine of Wands has eight of its arrows moving downwards. Of course, the predominant arrow, the ninth, also points
downwards. But its moon tip is reversed from the others (i.e. horns out/down), and it is topped with a blazing sun.
Now, is it just me, or do these exercise questions always seem a bit convoluted? Is it even possible to express oneself
through thinking? Or does one express one's clear thinking? My problem (they tell me) is that I think *too much,* and
therefore, none of it is clear. So, first of all, I have to have faith that I am capable of clear thinking, at least as much as the
next (eight) person(s). The Wand in the Princess card is also sun-topped. So I have to *take* it or *be* it--to be strong,
stand up, step out, stand out and declare my thoughts. Oh, wow, and now here's that fear of public speaking thing
showing up again, like it did with the Balinese dancers (3W?). Look how that Wand stands before all the others. Also,
there's that other symbol of mine, the Saggittarian arrow, the messenger--also linked to the Princess. So, to "express
myself through clear thinking," I have to first recognize that I am thinking clearly, in order to gain the confidence, to have
the strength, to express what I'm thinking. Right?> 3) [Ace of Cups] Clarity of heart: How can I work within my emotional nature to communicate my feelings clearly?
A. The Grail Hallow hovers above a fern-brimmed brook.
B. Prince of Cups--Crowley refers to him as secretive and untrusted, his calm appearance masking intense passion.
This seems much more related to the problem than the solution. I would much rather have a secret than a confrontation.
And when my steam rises, I cap it. I find it nearly impossible to say mean or rude things to people. The madder I get, the
quieter I get. If all I have are negative thoughts in my head, I don't manifest them by speaking. My mamma taught me
that. Usually, it's a good thing, but sometimes I miss ideal opportunities to speak, and sometimes, I feel very weak and
stupid. If my emotional nature is to clam up, how can I communicate? The Prince of Cups sits in his clam shell, and uses
his steam for wings, as he glides over the water, merely casting a shadow on its rain-dappled surface. Steam can also
drive locomotives, but they don't have nearly the grace of a bird.> 4) [Ace of Wands] Clarity of vision: How can I work within my own spiritual nature to communicate my personal truth?
A. The Spear Hallow sits or hovers slantwise amidst rising flames.
B. Knight of Disks--One voice in my head keeps vetoing everything the other voice comes up with for this card.
Perhaps it indicates waiting until the anger dissapates, for the serenity in which a better seed can emerge and grow.> 5) [Ace of Disks] Clarity of action: How can I align my inner and outer communication to insure that there is no double meaning in the communication that ensues?
A. The Stone Hallow is a black and white chessboard on the floor of an underground passageway. The center
square is green.
B. The Universe--My first thought is "involve more people." Inward things are difficult to express outwardly in other
than one's native tongue. Certainly there must be others in the Universe who share my concerns and are willing and able
to work with me. I feel like Moses looking for an Aaron! Anyway, I need to bring the whole chessboard out of the tunnel
and into the Universe.> Overcoming obstacles to my communication and creativity
> 6) [The Wheel of Fortune] Realizing that life is a cyclic learning process, how can I proactively use my communication and creativity to move my life in a more positive direction?
A. The Round Table hovers above Stonehenge, under the Grail, all reflected in the eye of a bird.
B. Knight of Cups--Dang! All these Court cards! The way I read this question is: How can I face and resolve this
situation, so I don't have to have it recur. Crowley calls the Knight of Cups passive, unenduring and sensitive.
"Swiftness and violence ill suit a characer naturally placid." Doesn't sound very proactive to me. In fact, I can only
imagine the Knight of Cups as active when he's in love, insane, or writing poetry.> Challenges
> 7) [10 of Swords] How do I obstruct my own progress by an irrational fear of ruin or failure?
Now here's a straightforward question!
A. Sword Ten features a castle made of reeds on a lake platform reached by a stone bridge.
B. Three of Wands--stage fright! "Virtue" does not like to call attention to itself. = P> 8) [10 of Wands] In what way do I allow myself to feel oppressed or overwhelmed?
A. Spear Ten is a flat round hilltop fortress.
B. Queen of Wands--Well, well, well. Certainly not living up to it, am I? I need to be fired up, not burnt out. Part of
the "oppression" is moving from the Princess of Wands to the Queen of Wands in my life(style). Honestly, being a
mother in a foreign land is a bit overwhelming. I could handle the culture and language differences better if I wasn't so far
from my people, and could handle the distance from my people better if it weren't for the culture and language
differences. And motherhood is such an active profession! One thing that strikes me from the book: "If ill-dignified ...
quick to take offense without good cause." This is something I wonder about, and the reason I prefer to take time to
consider before reacting.> Resources
> 9) [10 of Disks] How can I enhance my communication skills by using my healing gifts or the many assets I possess?
A. Stone Ten is a small hospitable stone castle on a snow-covered hill. Two magpies approach carrying a chessboard.
B. Aeon reversed--Certainly the only reversed card in the deck. Unlike other Trump XXs, with their trumpet-blowing
angels, this figure has its finger to its lips. Reversed, it signifies the gift of speech: the simplest and most obvious thing I
could use to enhance my communication skills. I recently reread _Gulliver's Travels_, and this reminds me of the beliefs
of the horses regarding the gift of speech. And we humans are blessed with it, if not with our mouths, than with our
fingers! (Hey, now *there's* an idea!)> 10) [10 of Cups] How can I trust in what my heart says is correct for this situation?
A. Grail Ten shows the Grail aside a shoreline path leading to a lighted stone tower. Behind the tower is a cave.
B. Two of Cups, subtitled "Love"--I need only ask, "Do I act through and with love? Do I speak with kindness,
in empathy and unity? Do my concerns extend beyond my own self-interest, to protect and serve others?" But the question
that will motivate me is: "Do I love the other children and parents in my community?"> By expressing the power of the Magician, by using his tools, and by understanding and working with the cycles of the Wheel of Fortune, we are able to achieve our full vitality as personified by the Sun.
> Closing Meditation
> 11) [The Sun] What will be one immediate positive outcome of my improved communication skills?
A. The Sun features a handsome and naked young blond boy on a white horse. He carries a spear and rides down
a path along a river, with the sun behind him.
B. Prince of Swords reversed--I was wrong about there only being one reversed card in this deck. Hmm, don't know
how I can see this as a postive outcome.One Love All Love,
Moonchild
This page is excerpted from my original contributions to the Comparative Tarot discussion group.
Graphics created and generously shared by Full Moon Graphics.
http://www.moonchild.ch/Tarot/personal/exercise/EX01a.html
