TAROT INTBRPRETATION

LessonThirty

'fhe 'fableau
for this lessonis:

9 t9 20 6

I4 12 11 t7

10 16 15 13

2I 7 8 18

'fhe
constantsummationis 54. This indicatesl(ey 9, the Hermit, consideredas the operation
of the power symbolizedby Key 4, the Emperor,working throughthe agencyrepresentedin
Tarot by I(ey 5, the Hierophant.

'lhe
Hennit correspondsto the 20th path on the TREE OF LIFE, namedIntelligenceof Will.
THE BOOK OF FORMATION says: "It is so calledbecauseit forms the patternsof all
bodies;and by this intelligence,when it is perceived,the pre-existentWisdom is discovered."

The lettersof the Hebrew noun ?lS'1,rawtsone,"Will," are four, and by their Qabalistic
correspondences they representradiantenergyor fire ("t); air (I); earth (l); and water (f).
Thr.rsthe occult significanceof the word relatesto the idea of a synthesisof the four elements,
which synthesisis none other than the One Reality, the Ancient of Days representedby the
Hermit, and customarilydesignatedby the Divine Name, i'1'1i1r, Jehovah.

In the "Mind of the Father," as TIIE CHALDEAN ORACLES call it, arethe primary patterns
of all things, and eachpatternis a mental embodimentof the intention or pu{pose,or Will, of
the [Jniversal Mind. These archetypalpatternsare maintained throughout a cycle of
manifestation,and thus they are imposed upon all particularcentersof lif'e-expression.

Thesepatternsin the mind of the Fatherare the conditionsof manifestedexistence,the

alchetypalroots of all statesof embodiment. Orderly forrnulationof knowledgeconcerning
theseconditionsis the methodof science,exotericand esoteric.

Exoteric scienceregardstheseconditionsas being given by forcesor powersexternalto man,

who observesand studiesthem. Occult science,on the contrary,declaresthat the Mind of the
Fatheris a real presencein every humanbeing. It holds that when Jesussaid,"I and the

{ls0300
TA ROT ! N'IERPIIETATION. 30

Fatherare One," he was simply declaringhis personalrealizationof a fact which is iust as

truly a fact for thosepersonswho have not yetreahzedit. Thus Occult Sciencedeclaresthat
the power which forms the patternsof all bodiesis a real, integralpart of man'sconstitution.
From this it fbllows that the conditionsround us are not imposedfrom outside,but are
actually expressionsof our innermost,true Will.

Not until the differencebetweenthe functionsof the consciousand subconsciouslevels of

personalmentality have beenunderstoodin somemeasure,may we come to know the Will of
the Father. Confusionas to the natureof thesefunctions,ignoranceof the differences
betweenthe two modesof personalconsciousness, and consequentattemptsto do consciously
what ought to be done subconsciously(or vice versa)are amongthe most potent causesof our
human predicaments.

As soon as we rcahzethat the consciousmind in personalityis only the watcherand initiator

of action,as soon as we act upon the fact that subconsciousness is the body-builderand the
link betweenpersonalityand the UniversalSelf, the confusionbeginsto clear up. All
practicaloccultism is a developmentof the fundamentalfacts and laws illustratedby the sixth
Tarot I(ey. It is on this accountthat the final Key of the major trumps bearsa numberwhich
is the extensionof the number of the Lovers. For 2l is the sum of the numbersfrom 0 to 6,
inclusive. This to a number symbolist,is equivalentto sayingthat what is representedby Key
21 is merelythe unfoldmentof the possibilitiesshownin Key 6.

Our tableauthis week,then, remindsus that to know the Will of the Father,we must have
usedthe law of suggestionto turn the subconsciousmind, like a mirror, so that it reflectsthe
light of superconsciousnessinto the field of personality(Key 6). Consciousimmortality, as
we have shown elsewhere,is the direct consequence of our subconsciouscontactwith the true
Self. For when that contactis established,the body-building functionsof subconsciousness
are modified. The patternsin the Mind of the Fatherarereflectedinto the field of personality,
and tlrereensuesa completereorganizationof the personalvehicle.

'l'his
reorganizationincludesthe awakeningof the functionsof certainbodily centerswhich
enableus to becomeconsciouslyawareof the fact that we are four-dimensionaleternalbeings
(I(ey 20). Such awarenessis the immediateconsequence of a regenerativeprocessjust as
much physical as mental (Key 19). This regenerativeprocessturns us away from the
lirnitations of the senselife and opensto us the glories of the supersensualrealm. In this realm
we establishcontactwith the Intelligenceof Will, and realizeat last our identity with the
Silent Watcher (Key 9).

The truth about the Self unveils itself to us in our hoursof meditation. As it is written in
LIGHT ON TIIE PATII: "Look for the flower to bloom in the silencethat follows the storm:
not till then." Hencein Tarot the Key picturing this experience(I(ey 17) is placed
immediately after the one which showsa violent storm. Only throughright meditationcan

us0300
 TAROT INTERPRETATION: 30

confidencebe developedin the absolutejustice of cosmiclaw. Suchconfidenceis

inclispensable
to him who would establishequilibrium in his own personality(Key 11).

It is becausethe practiceof meditationputs us in touch with the Inner Life that it is so insisted
upon in all manualsof practicaloccultism. Again we quotefrom LIGFI'I ON THE PATH:
"For within you is the light of the world . . . Tluough your own heartcomesthe one light
which can illuminate life and make it clearto your eyes." Thesequotationsare fiom the
portions numberedl2 in the first and secondsectionsof LIGHT ON THE PATH, and they are
in direct correspondence with the HangedMan (Key 12). After the suspensionof personal
action, after the utter resignation of the personallife to the guidanceof Universal Spirit,
comes the Knowledge and Conversationof the Holy Guardian Angel. That Angel effects the
transmutationsof all the baseelementsof the personallife (Key 14).

Ardent desirefor power is requiredof us, but the power we are taughtto desireis not power
over others. It is contactwith the Life-power itself, and this contactis often describedas
"knowledge." But this is not superficialbrain-knowledge.It is not ordinary information. It is
an intimate union, closely approximatingthe archaic significance of the verb "to know" and
directly connectedwith the sublimationof the forcescorrespondingto the zodiacalsign
Soorpio(Key 13). Suchknowledgebrings aboutthe developmentof the inner sensesand
results in comprehensionof the true significance of the various combinations of elemental
fbrces.

To the eye of outer sensation,thesecombinationsseemto be chaoticand their activities seem

to constitutea strongoppositionto our plans and purposes.To the spiritual eye they present
anotheraspect. When that eye is openedthe Adversaryis recognizedas a liiend wearing a
rnaskof terror while He teachesus how to play the gameof life (Key 15).

Tlrroughhis instructionwe learnto conquerthe falsedesiresof the outer senses,and are

enabledto overthrowthe edifice of erroneoussupposition,erectedon the foundationof the
senseof separateness (I(ey 16). Ultimately we discoverthe truth that everythingin the field
of manifestation is relatedto everythingelse. We seeour personalexistenceas part of the
whole cycle of manifestation.We perceivethat the eventsof today are directly connected
with the entire past,andiust as truly joined with the whole future (Key 10).

Following the Path of Return,which leadswithin, we passbeyondthe limits of ordinary

experienceinto that vast Beyond whencecome the reportsof ThoseWho Know, our Elder
Brotherswho have precededus. We are on the samepath as They, for all that They seemso
far beyond us.

Frorn them comesthe message:"The whole natureof man must be usedwisely by the one
who desiresto enterthe way." For occult developmentincludesthe physical or corporeal
natlre, and is not completeuntil the outermostvehicleof Spirit, the physical body, hasbeen
transfbrmedby the renewalof the mind (Key 18).

r-1s0300
TAROT INTERPRETATION 30

In this transformationthe work is almostwholly subconscious.The consciousmind simply

perceivesthe law and formulates the demandor pattern. The actual reorganizationwhich
brings the animal naturecompletelyunder control is effectedat subconsciouslevels (Key 8).
Hencewe are told, "I(ill out the hungerfor growth." The transformationwhich is to be
effectedis not growth, not the addition of somethingwe do not now possess.Ratheris it a
re-arrangementof the vehiclesof consciousnes$-abetterco-ordinationor alisnment of the
instrumentalitiesof Life-expression.

The glorious truth is that the Self already is all that we aspireto be-and infinitely more. Not
attainment, in the ordinary senseof the word, butrcalization of what already is, is the Goal
(I(ey 7). No words can describethat realization. It is consciousidentificationwith Universal
Spirit. Perfectpeace,perfectbliss, perfectknowledge. All this it is, and more than this (Key
2r).
The Administrative Intelligence,which correspondsto the final Tarot Key, really means"the
seruing Intelligence." Cosmic consciousness, or the reahzationof identity with the Universal
Spirit, finds expressionin work for the more completemanifestationof the heavenlyorder
here on earth. He who knows the truth must needslive it. He becomesthencefortha servant
of the ALL. He doesthis, not as a duty hard to carry out, but as a naturalexpressionof his
realizationof his true place in the cosmic order (Key 21). For sucha person,all selfish
preoccupationw'illi personalairnsis au'ronla'Liualiyat an erid (Key i 6). iie iuoks on liis
personalexistenceas being a manifestationof that exquisiteadjustmentwhich maintainsthe
cosmic equilibrium. In his vision, all he doesis naughtbut the manifestationof Karma: and
becausehe has madehimself, as a personality,utterly receptiveto the inllux of the Universal
Will, whateveractionhe engagesin is extraordinarilyeffective(l(ey l1).

On the side of self-consciousness,he actsmerely as a witnessof the universalorder. He

l<nowsthat alert watchfulnessis necessary.He is intent on eachsucceedingphaseof
experience.Most of all, he is intent on clearreceptionfrom the superconsciousWill through
the channelof subconsciousness (Key 6).

J'he consciousmind, by right reasoning,infers the presenceof the Universal Will as the
guiding power at the heart of the personallife. Even thoughthe Silent Watcherbe unseen,
right reasoningshowsthat He is present(Key 9). From this it follows that the only logical
procedureis to submit the whole personallife to that Higher Guidance. By repeated
self-reminder,one comesat last to regardall the operationsof the personallife as having their
real sourcein supersensual and superpersonal planesof the Life-power'soperation(Key 12).

This intellectual correctionofappearancesdoesnot banishthe appearances during our

ordinary statesof waking consciousness.The illusion of separateness continues,but the
delusion which acceptsthis illusion as reality is overcomeby the changein mental attitude.

LISO3OO
 TAROT INTERPRETATION: 3O

Through the ordinaryprocessesof physical elirnination,the old physical vesture,conceivedin

ignorance,ceasesto exist and is replacedby a new body.

'fhis
is a physical body, but so perfectly adjusted,and in cerlainrespectsso different in its
internal structure,that it might be regardedas belongingto a new species. Such are the bodies
of adeptsand Masters-human in form, but truly superhumanin their capacity for utilizing
and transforming rates of vibration which would soon disintegratethe ordinary human vehicle
(Key 18).

MEDITATIONS

FIRST DAY: Keys 6, 20,19,9. Subconsciousness reflectsthe light andwisdom of the

Oversoulinto my field of personalawareness.Thus I receivethe power of etemal lif.ein the
midst of this illusion of temporalexistence.I am beginningto live the life of regeneration.I
know my identity with the Silent Watcher.

SECOND DAY: I(eys 17, 17,12,14. The flower of realizationbloomsin the silenceof
rneditation. I am sureof the absolutejustice of cosmiclaw. The light of the world is within
me. That light transmutes my whole existenceinto its likeness.

THIRD DAY: I(eys 13, 15, 16, i0. Eventhe leastof my activitiesis a transformationof the
One Lil'e-power. i hus I know that whatevermask of terror confrontsme it really veils the
face of the EternalFriend. All semblancesof stressand terror arebut preludesto the dawn of
the Great Peace. This day the Wheel of Life turns forward for my good.

FOURTH DAY: Keys 18, 8,7,2I. I follow the Pathof Return,transformingmy body by the
renewal of my mind. My life today is a stagein my progresstoward the perfect
demonstrationof the Great Secret. My true Self is, evennow, all that I aspireto be. I am all
peace,all bliss, all knowledge.

FIFTH DAY: Keys 21,16,11, 6. Let me be a servantof all. No aim is mine that others
cannot share. I am an instrumentof the Life-power'sperfectability to adjustall things for
good. Let me be intent on clear perceptionof the Great Purpose.

SIXTH DAY: Keys 9, 12,15,18. ThoughI seeHim not, I feel todaythe presenceof the
Silent Watcher. I submit my whole life to His perfectguidance. Thus I recognizeevery
appearanceof separateness and chaosas being merely a veil of illusion, and I am not deluded
by thesesurfaceappearances.Even in my flesh I shall seeGod.
TAROT INTERP RETATION.' 30

In two weeksyou will be receivinga statementof Dedication,with the requestthat you copy
it in your own handwriting and return the written copy to us.

l3y this time you shouldhave realizedever more fully that a true aspirantlives the spiritual
life in the here and now. Obligating oneselfto a formal dedication,intensifiesthe energies,
brings about a more rapid personalitytransmutation.

For the next two weeks,examineyour mind and heart carefully. Ask yourself how well you
have lived the spiritual life towardsyour family, your businessassociates, your friends and
your activities. Try to remain alert and aware, so that you can determinein what manner you
can improve your performance,in order to becomean every more radiantexpressionof love,
compassionand wisdom.

us0300