EXERCISE CT #5: Connection to the Divine
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 02:03:33 +0100
From: Moonchild
To: Comparative Tarot http://comparativetarot.com
Connection to the Divine
or How do I open myself to benediction?
by MoonchildThis is a spread I created after reading Meditations on the Tarot chapter
or "letter" on the Pope. The cards are laid out star-shaped, top to bottom.
I used the Grimaud TdM that I got from Eden Gray's estate.
This is the first time I've done an actual spread with it.
1. How can I increase faith that the Divine Will is superior to my own?
How can I practice obedience, and bring my will into accord with Divine
Will?Empress--Although this threw me off at first, it has led to a chain of
answers.
Empress as Mother: Naturally, a mother has to sublimate her own
individual will. But more success, and balance, is met rather by an
alignment of wills. (Potty training won't work without it.) Anyway,
it's good practice, learning to live according to another's will.Empress as Nature: The Divine Will stated in Genesis is "be fruitful
and multiply," and the Empress is certainly in accord with that! Also,
Nature shows that Divine Will is superior; otherwise, we'd all be able
to fly. You can't go against Nature.Empress as Three: Ask, seek, knock.
"Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will
find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone
asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it
will be opened. Indeed, who is the [wo]man among you whom his son asks
for bread--he will not hand him a stone, will he? Or, perhaps, he will
ask for a fish--he will not hand him a serpent, will he? Therefore, if
you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give
good things to those asking him?" Matthew 6:7-112. How can I increase hope that the Divine will provide? How can I
practice poverty, satisfied and grateful for blessings from the Divine
rather than pursuing and acquiring my own interests and desires?Pope--prayer and benediction, "vertical respiration"
"Always rejoice in [the] Lord. Once more I will say, Rejoice! Let your
reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near. Do not be
anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made know to God; and the
peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your
mental powers by means of Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-73. How can I increase hope that the Divine will provide? How can I
practice poverty, and be certain in the promise that the Divine will
provide for the future as well as the present?8 Swords--From this card, I do get the same "hemmed in" feeling that I
get from RW. Which in turn made me think of the blindfold, and looking
inward, and "seeking first the kingdom." So I looked it up, and it
seemed a good match:
"Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and
rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Š Stop being
anxious about your souls as to what you will drink, or about your bodies
as to what you will wear. Does not the soul mean more than food and the
body than clothing? Observe intently the birds of heaven, because they
do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses; still your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? Š For your
heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking
first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things
will be added to you." Matthew 6:19, 25, 26, 32-334. How can I increase love and charity without covetousness? How can
I practice chastity, humbly recognizing that all men are created and
therefore equal? What will help me value my spiritual, rather than
societal, achievement?2 Wands--First thing I thought of is that the sun shines and the rain
falls on the good and the bad. Since the TdM has "pips," any of the
even-numbered cards could represent equality. But this card seems to
show me that we think differently (top of the X), we walk differently
(bottom of the X), but we are joined at our core.
Crowley calls this card "Dominion." Spiritually, I can't have dominion
over other people. I can only have dominion over my current self.
The two Wands could also represent the straw and the rafter.
"Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you are
judging, you will be judged; and with the measure that you are measuring
out, they will measure out to you. Why, then do you look at the straw
in your brother's eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye. Š
First extract the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see
clearly how to extract the straw from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-3, 5And this one seems especially suited to the RW 2W:
"For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is
deceiving his own mind. But let each one prove what his own work is,
and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone,
and not in comparison with the other person. For each one will carry
his own load." Galatians 6:3-55. How can I increase love and charity, to overcome indifference? How
can I practice chastity, bringing myself out of my comfort zone to do
acts of love and charity for others more altruistically (i.e. for others
or for the principle rather than for status or admiration).Strength--To me, this card speaks of "taming" the body, and it's
inclination toward comfort and pleasure. Couple of relevant verses:
"I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh: for
even as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and
lawlessness with lawlessness in view, so now present your members as
slaves to righteousness with holiness in view." Romans 6:19
"So, then, brothers, we are under obligation, not to the flesh to live
in accord with the flesh; for if you live in accord with the flesh you
are sure to die; but if you put the practices of the body to death by
the spirit, you will live." Romans 8:12-13I guess I should have expected a spread based on the Pope to turn out so biblical.
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/EX05.html
