All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.  

FOUR OF PENTACLES

Meet the Lord of Earthly Power.

Decan: Sun in 21 - 30 degrees of CapricornTree of Life Association: Jupiter in Chesed (Fourth Emanation)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Earthly Power

Open music in a new window.

   As you and Mr. Mellifluous stroll down a city street, you encounter a King sitting on what appears to be a stage. He balances a golden pentacle on his crown and grasps another golden pentacle near his heart. A golden pentacle rests under each foot.
   At first the King appears a bit miserly, but then you remember the significance of the pentacle: It represents the harmony of the life-force in its various forms. You also recall the pattern of the Tree of Life: The pentacle above the crown represents Kether, the Source of all creation. The pentacle in the heart center represents Tiphareth, or Beauty, which is associated with the Sun and the Christ-force. The two pentacles under foot suggest that the King is grounding the harmony of the life-force within the busy sphere of the kingdom.

The Devil: Capricorn

   As you ponder the life-force, suddenly you find yourself in a cave with Mr. Mellifluous. A torch lights the bodies of a man and a woman chained to a block. Perched on the block, a fearsome creature holds up his right hand in blessing, like the Hierophant. The creature is a sphinx, which has both human and animal parts, and it holds up all four fingers in a V shape, suggesting that all is known and blessed--unlike the Hierophant, who curls two finger down to suggest that mysteries remain within the spiritual dimension.
   The creature speaks: “You call me the Devil, but the Egyptians called me Min, the God of the life-force manifesting in the world. I hold so much power over some people in the physical world that they remain in the dark and never know the magnificence of the spirit, yet they can free themselves from these chains whenever they want.

The Sun: Path 30

   “No doubt, you are intimidated by my appearance. I am merely a sphinx. You must see me with the inner eye to understand that I am the life-force of the Sun manifested in the countless forms of creation. There is nothing evil about me, but the possibility exists that you might become unbalanced by going to extremes and harm yourself or others. That is your choice.”

The Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter

   Suddenly you see a Sphinx, like the devil but in a slightly different form, on top of a massive wheel that contains the alchemical symbols of transformation. The wheel of fortune is surrounded by golden, incorruptible symbols of the four elements. The wheel keeps turning in the never-ending process of life, death, and regeneration.
   Suddenly you and Mr. Mellifluous are back with the awesome King, who seems to tower above the community even as he rests in magnificent stability on his throne. 

  "Uh, oh, we better get a move on," exclaims Mr. Mellifluous. "Here come the Breakers into Pieces, the brutes that manifest the unbalanced energies of Jupiter. They want to pound everything to dust. They live to dismantle and dissolve, disrupt and disperse. They roar with laughter as they rip apart your most creative ideas and strongest ideals. Take care that you don't end up like them. You might imagine yourself as a magnificent king who manifests upbuilding energies of abundance and harmony in your kingdom and soon discover that you can't control these archetypal energies of Jupiter. You might instead manifest Jupiter's unbalanced energies and turn into a tyrant, a glutton, a hypocrite, a bigot. There is a crying need in the world for leaders to reveal the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of the human spirit and the other ideal energies of the Tree of Life. Instead so many leaders love power for its own sake and turn into brutes, instead of being true leaders who show reverence for the community of all life on this planet."

The King of Pentacles

with Claire (above)

   Meanwhile, Claire was flying over a magnificent city full of abundance and harmony and saw the King in the distance in a lovely garden.

   She wanted to be like the King in his glorious kingdom, so she flew down to the ground and closed her eyes. She imagined for a long time that she was a queen, so intensely that when she opened her eyes, she was sitting on a throne with a sword in her right hand.

   Claire realized that great sacrifice was involved in maintaining harmony and creating abundance for herself and others. She felt very proud of herself, but she realized that maybe she wasn't old enough quite yet. She didn't know yet what she would need to sacrifice or release or how to manifest the energies that create abundance. She did not know if she could control powerful unbalanced energies and channel them in beneficial ways. She knew that she would need to develop many abilities, but mainly the ability to focus.

The Queen of Swords

   She lifted up her left hand, as though in blessing or acceptance, and decided that she should develop her abilities and experience more of the world before she became queen. So she stood up and calmly waved, suddenly filled with confidence and magnificence, then flew away.

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

 All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.  

FIVE OF PENTACLES

Meet the Lord of Material Trouble.

Decan: Mercury in 1 - 10 degrees of TaurusTree of Life Association: Mars in Geburah (Fifth Emanation)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Material Trouble

Open music in a new window.

   It starts to snow heavily on a city street where a homeless couple, both without shoes, plod past a church. The man, a cripple, might glance at the stained-glass window that resembles the upper half of the Tree of Life. The woman is too lost in misery to notice.

The Tower: Mars

   You wonder how they ended up on the street, and suddenly you have a vision of a tower hit by lightning. A man and a woman, who appear important and well-to-do, fall out of the tower to the ground below. The woman, falling head-first, wears a crown.
   You blink your eyes and shake your head. Is it possible that this homeless couple fell from a great height and are now experiencing the horrors of poverty?

The Hierophant: Taurus

   You do not wish to dwell on misfortune, so you stare at the stained-glass window. Suddenly you are standing before The Hierophant, who continues to hold up his hand in blessing, inside the church. You can hear him even though he doesn't seem to be speaking.
   “Refrain from judgment, for at any moment you too might fall ill or become crippled or experience some kind of misfortune. Wands can quickly transform into crutches. My blessing is for all, for at times each of us experiences great challenges.
   “Lightning from Heaven can strike without warning and shake up the worldly personality completely. Then, because of misery, the spirit can become even more difficult to see.

The Magician: Mercury

   “But even in the worst circumstances, the magic of self-transformation can occur. Like the great magician who helped resurrect Osiris, the higher self within us can help us rise from the ashes.
   “The fire of Mars that burns us to a clinker can also give us the courage and strength to deal with adversity until that moment when we become aware of our inner energies of transformation.”
   Suddenly you are back outside in the storm. The homeless couple seem beyond help, which makes you feel even more hopeless and vulnerable. For a moment you feel great sympathy for them, and you say a prayer for their well-being as they become lost in the crowd.

The Queen of Cups

and Claire

   On her journey, Claire had recently experienced poverty and despair, which made her very sad, so she flew to the seashore, where she found a Queen staring at a shiny golden cup--so lost in a revery that she didn't seem to notice Claire. "How do you do? My name is Claire. That is a very beautiful cup that you're holding!"

   "It is indeed," the Queen murmurs.

   "It seems almost magical," Claire responds.

   "Yes, my child." The Queen turned to Claire for a moment. "Imagine for a moment that you are holding a golden cup that contains a force of some kind, an energy that can help you or harm you, depending on how you use it."

   Claire closed her eyes and appeared deep in thought.

   "Good, my child. Now think of the cup as a form that is holding a force. Without the form, the force would not be contained. Now imagine the cup turning into a playful kitten that is frolicking, full of joy, all around you."

   Claire smiled as she imagined the playful kitten.

   "I see that the form has become real for you in your imagination. Very good!"

   "Thank you, your majesty!" Claire exclaimed.

   "Now, imagine that you are the playful kitten. Feel its joy as you frolic." 

   Claire giggled.

   "Why, you are quite good at using your imagination, my child! You are a natural."

   "Thank you, your majesty!"

   "Using your imagination, you have filled yourself with a powerful force, and that energy radiates from you and affects anyone who is near you."

   "Nice," Claire chortled. 

   "You must remember, my child, that you can also suddenly imagine yourself as a lion and hurt someone around you as you are playing. You can focus the energy for good or use it to harm others. You must learn to control the energy of the imagination, just as would any other energy."

   Claire responded seriously, "Yes, your majesty."

   "Now, imagine yourself as a magnificent Queen who creates order and harmony and abundance in her sphere of influence because she believes in herself and her spiritual abilities. She reveals the harmony, abundance, and magnificence of the human spirit to everyone in her kingdom."

   Claire closes her eyes again and smiles.

   "Good, my child, you are a magician in your own right, but remember that you are also capable of creating disorder and damaging everything and everyone around you--by allowing the Breakers into Pieces to control you.

      

The Breakers into Pieces:

Unbalanced Forces of Jupiter

   "The goal of these brutes is to pound everything to dust. They love to damage and dismantle, disrupt and disperse. They live to tear down the most magnificent cathedrals and destroy the greatest works of art. They roar with laughter as they rip apart your most creative ideas and strongest ideals. If you let them, they will stomp on your most cherished beliefs and trample your spirit and ruin what you love. They are the opposite of the Queen you created in your imagination. They are what can manifest if you use the energy that you invoked in an unbalanced way. As a magician, you must always be careful when you work with the archetypal forces represented by the Tree of Life...."

   "Yes, my Queen, I will follow your sage advice. Thank you. I have learned so very much." Claire bowed, then flew so high she could almost touch the stars.

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

 All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.  

SIX OF PENTACLES

Meet the Lord of Material Success.

Decan: Moon in 11 - 20 degrees of TaurusTree of Life Association: Sun in Tiphareth (Sixth Emanation)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Material Success

Open music in a new window.

   You find yourself with Mr. Mellifluous on a city street. A wealthy man holds golden scales in his left hand and awards gold with his right hand to a man on his knees while another beggar on his knees in a tattered robe also holds out his hands, waiting hopefully.
   The scene appears to be more than just a man giving a handout to some beggars. It seems almost allegorical. You get a sense as you watch that it is important to learn how to both give and receive.

High Priestess: The Moon

   As though reading your mind, Mr. Mellifluous sighs, “The fortunes of humanity, like the phases of the moon, continually change, so it is important to learn both how to give and receive. Notice the scales of justice, however. What you are seeing here recalls the Parable of the Talents, which describes a master, who, before leaving his home, entrusts his property to his servants. The servants are each given talents according to their abilities. Upon return, the master asks his servants for an accounting. The first two servants explain that they have each doubled the value of the property, so they are each rewarded. The third servant, however, has merely hidden his talent in a hole in the ground, believing that he will be rewarded for simply guarding the talent, and is punished for being slothful. The master states, 'For everyone that has, more shall be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.'”

The Hierophant: Taurus

   “So this has some sort of spiritual significance,” you say. Suddenly you think of The Hierophant, and you are back in the church, standing in front of the priest, who is once again blessing you.
   Again, you hear The Hierophant even though he does not appear to be speaking. “Gold, because it is incorruptible, is a symbol of spirit. Gold is also a symbol of The Sun, the source of all energy on the material plane. Gold, as money, is also a type of energy that has great influence in the world. Those who use the life-force wisely and productively continually attract more of the energy of the life-force in its various forms to themselves. In its own way, spirit gauges how you use this great energy in your own sphere of influence. If you use it well, you will often find that you are provided with different types of energy from unexpected sources to accomplish your goals. More figuratively, if you use your 'talents,' you will often find that those energies become stronger and your work becomes more and more effective. That's one reason to follow your bliss. If you don't use your talents, you will lose them or find that it becomes extremely difficult to recover them.

The Sun, Path 30

   “The gold of the spirit lies deep in the soul, on an inner plane associated with the Sun. The plane of the Moon, associated with the Holy Ghost--the Emanation on the Tree of Life below the Sun-- manifests the formless energies of the higher planes as symbols, forms of spiritual principle, so that the conscious mind can more easily understand the significance of the higher energies. In other words, deep in the soul, the Moon provides a bridge to the pure energies of the Sun through spiritual symbols. The soul, like the Moon, has different phases. Sometimes we can access spiritual energies, sometimes not, but if we never experience the energies of the Moon deep in the soul, we are unlikely to experience the abundance of life symbolized by the Sun.

   "Another path, associated with the Moon and the High Priestess, exists above the Emanation of the Sun and leads to the Crown of all Creation. If you desire union with the Source, in other words, you need to go deep into the soul. This higher moon path is associated with the Hebrew letter 'gimel,' which means 'camel.' The higher--or deeper--energies are like the powerful will of the camel that is traveling across a vast desert; in a similar way the spiritual will is the powerful inner force that leads to the attainment of the Great Work."

The Queen of Pentacles

with Claire and Mr. Mellifluous

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Vocals by Krysten Ortiz

      Suddenly, you are back in the forest, where you and Mr. Mellifluous discover Claire with the Queen of Pentacles, both of whom are staring silently at a golden pentacle.  

     After awhile, the Queen speaks, "Sometimes people don't listen, my child, because they are busy or afraid or worried about their problems. Most people feel separate from others and the rest of the world and never realize that there is an underlying unity to all consciousness. This pentacle symbolizes on one level the elemental unity of the subtle energies of the world, and it also reveals the incorruptible gold of the spirit that permeates all of nature and humanity.

   "People in troubled times often feel alone and isolated and worried about the future. Human consciousness feels fragmented and disconnected from the world, but that is all part of your evolution, my child. Each of your kind is evolving a distinct, separate consciousness, but you can also feel the underlying unity of all consciousness if you open your mind and heart and soul to the Source of all Creation. You can touch this pentacle and feel connection with all life. Go ahead, my child."

   We watch as Claire gently touches the pentacle. Claire smiles, "I am feeling now that the sun is creating a symphony of life on this planet, just as there is one Source for all the harmony in the cosmos. Thank you so much, my Queen." Claire curtsies, and the Queen nods, smiling as she turns back to the pentacle.

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

 All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.  

SEVEN OF PENTACLES

Meet the Lord of Success Unfulfilled.

Decan: Saturn in 21 - 30 degrees of TaurusTree of Life Association: Venus in Netzach (Seventh Emanation)
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Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Success Unfulfilled

   Suddenly you find yourself with Mr. Mellifluous in the countryside, where a young farmer is resting, leaning on a hoe.
   Mr. Mellifluous turns to you and asks, “Though the farmer might appear to be only a simple man, he is experiencing the influence of powerful subtle forces. He is obviously a hard worker, so why do you think he is pausing? Is he only resting?”
   You look at the farmer carefully and open your heart and mind to the subtle forces around you. As you tune yourself to your surroundings, you decide that there might be several reasons why the farmer is pausing. His work is done, and he is simply waiting for his hard work to come to fruition. “Perhaps he is tuning his mind to the subtle forces that are influencing him,” you respond.
   “Yes, and what might they be?” asks Mr. Mellifluous.

The World:Saturn

   “Well, he has had to plan and work hard and wait for the fruits of his labor to mature. That takes time and a great sense of discipline. To do that also requires sacrifice.” You pause. “You know I'm also feeling the life-force within nature again, almost as if Venus is influencing him as well.” You take another moment to reflect, “But he also seems to be listening, as if he is waiting for a voice from some higher realm.”

The Hierophant:Taurus

   At that moment, you can't help but imagine a church, and suddenly you find yourself standing before a priest. He is holding up one hand in blessing, and with the other he holds a golden wand. Fabric descends from his golden crown, almost like the ears of an animal.
   Mr. Mellifluous whispers, “This is The Hierophant, who listens for the voice of the spirit.”
   Suddenly you hear The Hierophant, although he does not appear to be speaking, “The Christ-force does not just manifest in one man only. It is a force of harmony within humanity and within the natural world. Without the sun, there would be only darkness and chaos. The light and heat of the sun exist in the roots and cells of living things: The harmony and order established by the sun exist throughout the world.

The Empress:Venus

   “Within this order, there are great limitations. Saturn, the taskmaster of the zodiac, does not make life easy. In order to succeed under his rule, we must demonstrate the discipline and responsibility that it takes to get to work and to work hard, and we must deal with restrictions and limitations before we can succeed. Saturn works slowly to allow things to mature, which often requires a great deal of time and a great deal of patience.
   “Over long periods of time, Saturn brings the lessons of karma, for what the farmer sows he reaps. Ideally the farmer gains sustenance for himself and the community, which maintains harmony, continuity and stability.”

The Hinderers

   Suddenly you have a strange vision of a boy riding a dragon. He seems to be having fun, but then he seems to want to keep you from proceeding and to scare you away.

   "You are seeing the hinderers, the unbalanced energies of Saturn," states Mr. Mellifluous. "These fiends sometimes seem like friends, but all they do is hamper, delay, and frustrate. They love to obstruct, interfere, and thwart. They live to inhibit and fetter and stymie, and they will block and burden and cripple you so that you can no longer continue on your path."
   As you turn and walk away, you suddenly realize that the farmer is another person like the magician, creating harmony in his own sphere of influence. And the farmer, like The Hierophant, appears to be listening, as he pauses to feel the rhythms and vibrations of nature.

The Page of Cups

with Claire

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Vocals by Krysten Ortiz

   Meanwhile, Claire was flying near the beach and suddenly spiraled down to a colorful person below her.

   "How do you do, I am Claire. What is your name?"

   "I am the Princess of the Waters and the Lotus, or the Lotus of the Palace of the Floods, but you can just call me Lotus."

   "Nice to meet you. What are you doing?"

   "I am staring into the eyes of a creature that knows the deepest, darkest depths."

   "Oh," Claire responded.

   "I am trying to make a profound connection with powerful subtle forces, and I am learning how to use my imagination to embody those forces."

   "That sounds kind of fun but maybe a little difficult. I am sending you the music of my heart. Maybe that will help. Can you hear it?

   "I can a little bit, but I am very busy. I'm sorry I can't concentrate on that right now."

   "That's okay. Maybe you can teach me some day. Good luck!" she exclaimed as she turned and flew away. 

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

All Tarot Cards by Pamela Coleman Smith (accessed through links) in the Public Domain.

 All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins. 

EIGHT OF PENTACLES

Meet the Lord of Prudence.

Decan: Sun in 1 - 10 degrees of VirgoTree of Life Association: Mercury in Hod (Eighth Sphere)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Prudence

Open music in a new window.

   Suddenly you find yourself with Mr. Mellifluous next to an artisan who is crafting golden coins, each with its own five-pointed star.

   Since his creations seem so simple yet so unusual, you wander closer to the craftsman and feel the urge to touch a pentacle. As you reach for it, you think of the street magician again and find yourself high on a mountain top with the hermit.
   Mr. Mellifluous reassures you, “Dont' worry. You won't always fly around so much.”

The Hermit:
Virgo

   Since you find yourself with the wise hermit once again, you decide that you might as well ask, “Why is the craftsman making golden pentacles? Are they some sort of currency in this magic realm?”
   The hermit turns to you with a look of amusement. “They have been known as coins since money is an important form of energy in the physical realm, but they are also known to bring harmony into the world.”
   “How is that possible?” you inquire.

Mr. Mellifluous

   “Think about the five-pointed star for a moment,” the hermit responds. “The pentagram is a five-pointed star with several significant meanings. First of all, the pentagram can be drawn in one continuous motion, suggesting its unity of form, but unlike the circle, which has no beginning or end, one can begin drawing the pentagram at any of its five points, each of which contains its own symbolic associations. On one level, the pentagram reveals the unity of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, and the fifth invisible element, Aether, which reveals the esoteric doctrine that four visible states have their root in a fifth, invisible state.
   “Like the circle, the pentagram establishes boundaries. In order to invoke any spiritual energy, a boundary must be established for the appropriate energy to manifest in a concentrated form. The pentagram is also used to banish unwanted energies so that desired energies can then be invoked in a pure state. As a five-pointed figure, the pentagram stems from the Sephira, or state of being, represented as the fifth sphere on the Tree of Life known as Geburah (meaning “power” or “severity”). Geburah restricts and controls energy on all levels of being like the combustion engine contains and controls force so that the engine will run and the vehicle will operate. In other words, the severity of Geburah restricts force in a harmonious and productive manner.
   “So it is appropriate that the pentagram is a figure representing the most harmonious force in the cosmos, the Christ-force. The elements and the letters of a familiar name of God, also known as the Tetragrammaton, are positioned on the points of the star to reflect this symbolic meaning. The Tetragrammaton contains the Hebrew letters Yod Heh Vau Heh, which spells Yahweh, or Jehovah. Reflecting how manifestation occurs down through the planes of force and form, Yod represents the element of Fire, Heh represents Water, Vau Air, and final Heh Earth, Fire and Air being active planes of force, Water and Earth being passive planes of form. Each of these elements is associated with a suit in the Tarot, Fire with Wands, Water with Cups, Air with Swords, and Earth with Pentacles. When Shin is positioned in the center of the God name Yahweh at the top of the star, a new word is created: Yeheshuah. This is a name of the Christ--down through the years it has been translated in English into the name Jesus. Shin is positioned at the top of the pentagram to show how the other four elements manifest harmoniously from the root energy. One can draw a star that moves from the most active energies of manifestation to the most passive in one continuous motion, beginning with Aether at the top, moving to the lower right point (Fire), then to the upper left point (Air), then over to the upper right point (Water), then to the lower left point (Earth), then back to the top.

The Magician:
Mercury

   “The artisan creating the pentacles is manifesting the subtle powers of The Sun and Mercury. The Sun is the source of all life, bringing order and harmony to chaos. The Magician, who manifests the energies of Mercury, uses the creative energy of the Source to create harmony and beauty within his or her own sphere of influence.

The Sun

   “You are already familiar with the negative extreme of mercurial energy. The highest ideal of Mercury is truth; the vice, or negative extreme, is falsehood, deceit. 

Disputer

The adversaries of The Sun are the Disputers, who exalt the self above all of creation. The unbalanced energy of The Sun is pride. These quarrelsome savages love to squabble and wrangle, bicker and brawl. They thrive on discord and misunderstanding. Conflict is their daily bread. They live for feuds and dissensions, commotions and altercations. They will not stop until they have caused strife in all the tranquil places of the Earth.

  "Those who feel the energies of The Sun strive to bring light and harmony into the world, but you may have noticed that many religions with similar aims end up fighting each other in long, horrific wars because the unbalanced energies, not the ideal energies, of this state of being are influencing them. 

   "Notice that a path leads from the artisan's workshop to the community. To stay at the positive end of the pole, it helps to understand the underlying unity of all consciousness and to feel the holiness of all energy, and it helps to keep the community as a whole in mind as much as possible, as our artisan does.”

The Queen of Wands

Open music in a new window.

Vocals by Krysten Ortiz

   Meanwhile, Claire was flying here and there, searching for someone who might hear the music in her heart. Eventually she encountered a queen who held a wand in one hand and a sunflower in another.  The queen sat on a golden throne and seemed to emanate golden light and love and joy. 

   "Hello, your majesty, my name is Claire. You are so magnificent and so full of light that I am hoping that you might be able to hear the music in my heart. So far I have been unable to find anyone in this realm who can hear it, except for a gnome named Mr. Mellifluous."

   "So, Mr. Mellifluous has sent you! I am so happy to meet you! Yes, indeed, I can hear the music in your heart, my child, because I know a little secret that not everybody here knows. I attract light and love and joy because I manifest light and love and joy from the Source, and I let others feel my light and joy, so it comes back to me from them. I hear the music in your heart because I feel the music in my heart, which I send out into my realm, and wonderful music returns to me from the hearts of other people. Since I hear the music in your heart, I am letting you manifest my light and joy."

   "Oh, thank you, your majesty!" Claire exclaimed.

   "You are welcome, my child. Remember to practice manifesting the positive, harmonious energies in the world. So many in this realm manifest unbalanced energies, and they insist that you manifest them too because they value power and exalt themselves above everyone else instead of opening themselves to the harmonious energies of love and light and joy from the Source of all Creation."

   "Yes, thank you, your majesty, I will try," Claire replied.

Claire and Her Friends

   Claire flew off with her fairy friends, and she tried to emanate light and joy and love, but she wasn't sure that she was doing it right....

 All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins. 

NINE OF PENTACLES

Decan:  Venus in 11 - 20 degrees of Virgo

Tree of Life Association:  The Moon in Yesod (Ninth Emanation)

Open music in a new window.

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Material Gain

        You wander out into the countryside with Mr. Mellifluous, where soon you meet a woman with a hooded falcon perched on her hand. Her other hand gently caresses a golden pentacle, which seems to have grown like fruit from the vines. Purple grapes also weigh heavily on the vines behind her, and you feel a sense of the magnificence, harmony and abundance of her realm. You also feel the influence of powerful subtle forces, invisible presences that you cannot identify.

          As you touch one of the pentacles, you remember the street magician. Suddenly you are back on the mountain top with the old hermit.

          “How, how is this possible?” you stutter.

          Mr. Mellifluous whispers, “This is a magical realm, where space and time are very different from what you know. Here we imagine ourselves with different people or in different places, and we are there.”

The Hermit:

Virgo

          Suddenly, the Hermit speaks, “You must learn an important lesson before you proceed. The woman you have just met manifests the ideal aspects of two powerful subtle forces, both Goddesses, the first known as Venus, the second as Luna, the Moon. Each Goddess contains an energy from a sphere, known as a Sephira, or Emanation, on the Tree of Life. Each type of energy contains a spectrum with opposite extremes. You have experienced many different types of opposites, such as hot and cold, dark and light, love and hate, truth and falsity, good and bad.

          "The thing to remember is that an encounter with a God or Goddess stimulates their particular type of energy within you. As above, so below. When you contact a God, you can manifest the most balanced, ideal aspect of its energy or the opposite, the most destructive aspect of its energy, or something in between. In other words, if you wish to experience the magic of self-transformation, it is always possible that you might manifest the least desirable extreme of a type of energy, which could manifest disastrously in your life. The Gods are extremely powerful, and you must learn to move by degrees toward their most harmonious ideal, or you might end up doing great harm to yourself and others.”

The Empress:

Venus

          Afraid, but filled with great curiosity about the woman with the hooded falcon, you wish to meet the Goddesses who influence her. Suddenly you find yourself in front of a beautiful Goddess in a field of wheat near a forest. She wears a crown with twelve stars and holds a scepter in one hand. You recognize the symbol of Venus, an equal-armed cross with a circle above it, on one of her pillows. In her presence, you sense the divinity of each living creature. Every molecule in the living tapestry of Earth thrills with her energy.

          As if reading your mind, she states, “Each creature in this realm is a manifestation of one of the angelic hosts of the Earth. In order to know the angels, you must open your heart and feel what it is like to be one with them. Feel what it is like to be an angel manifested as a plant or insect or animal. Once you get to know the angels of the Earth, you can take on their power. Once you get to know the angels of Earth, it is much easier to know the angels of Heaven. All are manifestations of the sun and the Sun behind the sun.”

Raven of Dispersion

         Suddenly you feel a sense of unity and love for all things under the golden sun. Just then, however, a monster appears. You sense that it wants to bring chaos, to tear apart the brilliant tapestry of the Earth, in all of its beauty and harmony, and disperse it on the wind. Suddenly you feel a strange desire to tear everything apart.

          Mr. Mellifluous groans, “These ravens, who do not always look like birds, excel at scattering, damaging, decreasing, depleting, desolating. They love destruction and decay, misuse and wastefulness. They want to disperse and devastate and dissipate until you lose absolutely everything. Their greatest pleasure is to leave you in ruins. You need to come with me now.”

The High Priestess:

The Moon

          You find yourself face to face with another Goddess, who wears a crown that resembles the phases of the moon. Her subtle power is distinctly different from the power of Venus. You feel as if you are sinking into a timeless realm filled with moonlight. Instead of the splendor of the physical world, you encounter magnificent symbols, such as a six-pointed star, an equal-armed cross, a horizontal figure-eight, a golden cup and plate on a brilliant white tablecloth. “These symbols are from a higher realm than you normally experience. They are manifestations of profound spiritual principle. Deep within the timeless waters of your mind you will find this realm of archetypes. The symbols are powerful bridges to your invisible spiritual nature. But be careful, for the moon is also linked to physical desire and stimulates your animal nature.”

The Obscene One

          Suddenly a strange creature appears, and a powerful urge rises in your body until you can think of nothing else.

         “Oh, my,” grunts Mr. Mellifluous as he whisks you away. "These hideous freaks are nasty and gross, disgusting and lewd, salacious and crude. They love to shock the mind with their lascivious filth and foul the soul with their sickening smut. They live to soil the purest love and blacken the highest ideals. Their goal is to make you lower than the beasts."

Sphinx

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Vocals by Krysten Ortiz

     Meanwhile, Claire didn't feel like being a tiger fairy anymore. She felt happy and wanted to fly high into the sky. Suddenly she noticed a man, all by himself, sitting on the ground. He had the hind legs of a lion, the tail of a bull and the wings of a bird. He was sitting with his eyes closed.          “Can you hear my music?” Claire inquired.

     “No,” he replied, “but I suddenly feel like I can fly!”

      He leaped into the air and flew high and then higher. Claire could hardly keep up with him. Finally he hovered near a star and reached for it, unable to touch it. Claire watched for a moment, then became dizzy. She sailed back toward earth.

     “Goodbye!” she shouted.

     Claire came upon a crowd milling around. For a moment, they formed the notes of a musical composition and moved as if they were dancing to the music of her heart. Then suddenly they formed an S shape and moved like a snake. Then the harmony fell apart, and the people in the crowd seemed to move randomly, as if no one heard any music at all. Claire flew off to another part of the city.