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

Strength: Path 19

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ALLIES OF LEO

   "Mr. M, is that woman petting a lion?" Claire inquires.
   “This path, known as ‘Strength,’ reveals a profound simplicity, the kind that might take a lifetime to understand. The woman has apparently tamed the lion with her gentleness. The strength suggested by the title of the path is not physical strength but the spiritual strength of the higher self. 

   "On the Tree of Life, the 19th path is a horizontal path connecting spheres that are essentially opposite. Mercy, or Chesed, the sphere of Jupiter, represents creative, up building, organizing forces and is associated with love, mercy, harmony, magnificence, and abundance. Geburah, the sphere of Mars, associated with severity, power, and justice,  represents destructive, restricting, disciplining forces; in other words, Mars destroys lies and injustice and tyranny to create or reestablish balance and harmony. On this path of Leo where we find ourselves now, we experience the primary creative and destructive forces, the path balancing the spectacular up-building energies of Chesed with the perfect discipline of Geburah, their harmony reflected in the Emanation of Beauty, or Tiphareth, below them on the Tree of Life.”

   “The lion is really dangerous, isn't it, Mr. M? Are the energies of those spheres dangerous too?”
   “Extremely dangerous if not handled properly. The three horizontal paths on the Tree of Life connect Emanations that are essentially opposite in nature. Understanding the law of polarity is the key to understanding how to handle the forces--the key, really, to survival and spiritual development. If you look around, you can find examples of polarity everywhere. Obvious examples are hot and cold, love and hate, spiritual and physical. In fact, you can find examples of polarity on all levels of being, and you can always move from one pole to the other by degree. For instance, you can move by degree from hot to cold or from hate to love, or vice versa. The universe is not caught in an eternal conflict between good and evil, God and the Devil. One pole is not absolutely evil and the other absolutely good. The spiritual is not better than the physical, just like cold water is not better than hot water. They are simply two poles of one thing.”
   “Aren't some states better than others, Mr. M?”
   “Essentially, the ability to polarize from one state to another to establish harmony reveals to a great extent the degree to which a person has evolved. Remember that everything is relative in context. Hot water is better than cold in some contexts. Severity is better than mercy in some contexts. Knowing what is needed and having the ability to polarize to the necessary state is the true strength. As a traveler on this path, your primary goal is to know how to polarize from one state to another, from the physical plane to the spiritual plane, for instance, or vice versa, depending on the circumstances. If you develop the discipline, you should ideally be able to move by degrees emotionally, mentally, or spiritually to attain the highest good in each situation, maintaining balance the way a person on a bicycle maintains balance. And, like riding a bicycle, once you learn how to do it, you never forget. Notice, though, the hill of attainment in the background behind the woman. Attaining that level of experience and knowledge is no easier than climbing a mountain. Just ask our friend the Hermit.”
   “Is the woman in control of the lion?”
   "Relatively speaking, the feminine, associated with love, gentleness, nurturing, and beauty, and the masculine, associated with will, courage, energy, and aggressiveness, are here combined in harmony. The infinity symbol floating above the head of the woman suggests a recognition of the infinitude within, revealing a spiritual knowledge that enables her to tame the masculine lion.
   “But the control of energy also hints at another basic Hermetic law: The energy of the universe is essentially mental energy. With this knowledge, you can learn to deal with different energy levels. I’m sure you’ve seen a bright, cheerful person waltz into a room, making everyone feel happy, just as, conversely, you’ve probably encountered someone who can make everyone in a room feel glum. Living in your higher self, you are more aware of these fluctuations of subtle energy, which makes it easier to protect yourself and to help others who are seeking assistance. But do not, I repeat, do not ever forget another basic law: the law of karma. The energy you send out will come back to you, sooner or later. The vast majority of people send out mental energy unconsciously, unaware of the consequences, but the higher self is aware at all times--or at least most of the time.   

   “This woman is able to tame a lion because she is aware of spiritual laws and energies. The lion suggests not only great physical strength and power but also relates to the element of Fire, which corresponds to both the Emanation of Severity and the astrological sign of Leo. Since we all have masculine and feminine characteristics and contain the qualities of Severity and Mercy, we can use the law of polarity to balance these energies in order to live more harmoniously. If we are not aware of the subtle energies around us and inside of us, too much severity could lead to cruelty and too much mercy could allow terrible evil to run roughshod over us. The higher self uses spiritual laws to harmonize all energies in context for the highest possible good.”

   “We have purified ourselves mentally on previous paths in order to polarize from the negative to the positive more easily, but remember that you often encounter negativity in the world, so I strongly recommend that we continue the practice of mentally purifying the self. In this day and age, even a master needs to cleanse his mind regularly."

Five of Wands: Saturn in Leo,

Mars in Geburah (Severity)

   "Look, Mr. M, those boys are still fighting! Can you believe it?" Claire exclaims.

   "Boys are always fighting or competing over one thing or another, I'm afraid."

   "Why are we seeing them again?"

   "We are on the path of Leo now, but the boys are also influenced by Saturn. Remember that the Fire element can often cause impulsive or strong, vigorous behavior, and both Mars and Leo are fiery influences.  Like the king of beasts, the lion, the Leo type is the most dominant and strong-willed of all of our friends in the zodiac.  The Fire of spiritual will and the influence of Leo can lead to mere tussles for dominance, but the influence of Saturn helps them to gain the discipline required in battle, which is perhaps the most rigorous discipline of all.  On the physical plane, competition occurs in many arenas, and physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual strength and discipline are great virtues that must be acquired through experience.  Our friends are experiencing the serious play of those who must learn discipline and develop strength on the level of spiritual will.  Once that discipline is mastered, it can be applied to all levels of being."

   "Oh, I thought they were just being silly boys."

Six of Wands: Jupiter in Leo,

Sun in Tiphareth (Beauty)

   "Mr. M, we just saw him!"

   "No worries. In the process of education, you often encounter the same information more than once so that you are more likely to remember it. This, I think, should be especially true for something as complex as the Tree of Life. We encountered our friend recently because he is also associated with the path of Jupiter, which, you remember, we recently traveled. Here we are on the path of Leo. You might also remember that in grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, the Leo type is like a lion or a monarch, in attitude at least. Leo types are often self-confident, strong-willed, and independent. Together with the expansiveness and abundance of spirit characteristic of Jupiter, the qualities of Leo are beneficial in the process known as the "Great Work"--the transformation from the "lower" or "conditioned" personality to the Higher Self. As I mentioned earlier, this great work of transformation can result in a victory for both the individual and the community, for when one person wins through to the knowledge of the harmony and light and love of the Higher Self, then others in the community, because of our basic connection at the spiritual level, also find it easier to win through to higher awareness."

   "Oh, yes, now I remember why I liked him so much, Mr. M!"

Seven of Wands: Mars in Leo,

Venus in Netzach (Victory)

   "Look, our friend is still fighting for a higher cause, Mr. M!"

   "Yes, he is, and at great personal risk. He might seem at first to be foolishly taking on a much greater force in an act of valor doomed to failure, but the key to his valor lies in understanding the influences of Mars in Leo. Mars linked with the Fire sign Leo suggests that our friend has a courageous, indomitable spirit. Moreover, the power associated with Mars in the sphere of Venus reveals the power of the life-force linked to the strength and potency of the individual. The influence of Venus on the lower planes might lead to instability, but the association of Mars with Venus on the spiritual plane leads to a power sublimated into great courage and strength. Combined with the fiery courage of Leo, the influence of Venus and Mars on the spiritual plane might, against all odds, very well result in victory for a higher cause."

Go on a different adventure with Mr. M.

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

The Hermit: The 20th Path

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   ALLIES OF VIRGO

   "Who is that old man, Mr. M? I can't see his face clearly."

   “You are seeing a man who has climbed to a great height, who has overcome monumental difficulties. He is not showing off, however; in fact, he is wearing a gray robe with a hood that makes him anonymous, an ‘every man.’ His walking stick is a wand, which symbolizes the element of fire and the power of spiritual will. He is old, not much to look at perhaps, but he carries a lamp that holds the cosmic powers of the elements and the planets and the zodiac, and with his will, he harmonizes and manifests those energies through the higher self. His spiritual achievements have led to isolation, but he still leads the way on the path from Beauty to Mercy, helping others to evolve, because we are all connected in our evolution. You see the higher self leading the way, following spiritual principle, and refusing to turn back no matter how hard or how dark the way becomes.”

   "Is he a like some kind of hero, but nobody knows it, Mr. M?" Claire asks.

   "Yes, very much so," Mr. M replies.

   "Why is a star the light in his lantern?"

   “He is leading the way with a lantern containing a six-pointed star, or hexagram, which is also known as the Star of David. Most people don't realize that the star balances the archetypal energies of the Tree of Life. For instance, the upward-pointing triangle represents masculine energy, and the downward pointing triangle represents feminine energy, the active and passive energies of creation interlocked in balance. The two interlocked triangles also represent the four basic elements, Air, Fire, Water and Earth, in balance. 

   "The Star of David is actually an ancient symbol suggesting balance of the elements, but you can also fix the signs of the planets at the points of the star, with Saturn at the top and the Moon at the bottom, to echo the position of the planets on the Tree of Life. Descending from Saturn, which is associated with Binah, the Great Celestial Mother, we see Jupiter, associated with Mercy, then Mars, associated with Severity, then Venus, associated with Victory, then Mercury, associated with Splendor, then the Moon, associated with The Foundation. In the symbolic arrangement of the seven planets in classical astrology, the Sun is positioned in the center of the star. Lastly, the star also represents the twelve zodiac signs, one sign at each inward and outward point."

   "Oh, I think I get it, Mr. M. The star represents the main energies of creation. Is that right?" Claire asks.

   “Exactly. Also, don't forget that an astrological sign or elemental symbol, a Hebrew letter, and a God-name, among other things, are associated with each path that we travel. Together, all the symbols combine to reveal the forces of the path.
   “First, on this path the astrological sign is Virgo, an Earth sign associated with the planet Mercury. Virgos are exacting, methodical, and have a love for precision, balance and justice. In Greek mythology Astraea was the virgin-goddess of justice. During the Golden Age she lived among us but was driven away by the lawlessness of humanity. Zeus placed her among the stars as the constellation Virgo. The emphasis on justice here suggests a heightened awareness of spiritual principle.
   “Virgo is associated with the maiden, the virgin. The association of virginity with an old hermit might seem a little odd. Virginity, of course, suggests innocence, the ability to gaze with fresh eyes upon the world, but it also suggests the immaculate conception of the Christ by the Virgin Mother. The immaculate conception associated with this path, however, leads to the birth of the higher self. Remember that the Christ is a force, not a man. Each person can manifest that force of regeneration, sacrifice, harmony and love in his or her personal life. In manifesting the Christ-force, a person is ‘twice-born,’ reborn with the innocence of the eternal child, no matter how old a person might be.”
   “The hand holding the lantern actually echoes the shape of the Hebrew letter Yod, which means ‘fist.' The letter Yod is the first in the God-name Yahweh, or Jehovah, the Yod Heh Vav Heh of the Tetragrammaton, and the letter is associated with the element of fire, the spark from which manifestation springs. The ‘fist’ encloses the hidden divine spark as though around a seed about to be planted. 

   "The fist can also demonstrate power. Fire, of course, is associated with the power of spiritual will. Notice that the hand of the hermit in the shape of a Yod is holding a lantern where the Star of David shines, and you can see the energies of manifestation as we know it reflected in this symbol. In other words, the higher self through the power of will harmoniously manifests these energies and becomes a light for the world.
   “Each path contains complex symbolism, and at this point I am choosing to focus primarily on the symbolism relating to the higher self. The God-name is Adonai, or ADNI, the God-name for the Kingdom, Malkuth, which is essentially the physical plane that we know and love. This is especially appropriate since both Virgo and Adonai correspond to the element of earth. Aleph, the letter A in Hebrew, means ‘ox,’ and suggests, besides great strength, the incredible potency of the life-force. Daleth, the letter D in Hebrew, means ‘door,’ and suggests the doorway into form through which the life-force enters. Nun, the letter N in Hebrew, means ‘fish,’ and suggests death, a cold form without breath hidden beneath the waters. The letter Nun is associated with Scorpio, with radical change and transformation, and is therefore associated with the path known as ‘Death,’ which we have already encountered. Yod, the letter I in Hebrew, as I mentioned, suggests the spark or seed of new beginnings held within the hand. In other words contained within the God-name ADNI is the process of birth, life, death, and rebirth. So you can see how the symbolism works together: The higher self harmonizes the energies of manifestation within the great cycles of life, death, and rebirth.”

   "You are so smart, Mr. M, but this is so complicated. But I think I like that old man, Mr. M. He looks a little like my grandfather."

Eight of Pentacles: The Sun in Virgo

  "I've met this man before. He creates magical golden pentacles. I touched one once and felt the energies of the cosmos!" Claire exclaims.

  "Yes, our friend is a magical artisan. His attitude reveals the dignity and worth of labor, the honor that comes with being a workman, and the significance attached to a life of service for the good of others. In addition to his knowledge of the basic archetypal energies, which he imbues in his creations, he also has a deep knowledge of the value of prudence, which  suggests foresight and knowledge of the self and the world. As he carves the five-pointed star with his mallet and chisel under the influence of the Sun in Virgo, he reveals a single-pointed focus. His work suggests the sacrifice and discipline necessary to create and maintain harmony, for each pentacle symbolically represents the unity of the subtle elements of Air, Fire, Aether, Water and Earth. Besides representing the harmony and unity of the elements, each pentacle here also literally represents the Christ-force: the Hebrew letters Yod, Heh, Shin, Vav, Heh are associated with the five points of the Star and together spell Yeheshuah, one translation of which is "Jesus." So, each pentacle, made of incorruptible gold, can on a symbolic level represent any work of harmonizing love and sacrifice. A road in the distance extends from the town to the space where our friend labors. He knows that any work of harmony and balance, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, needs to remain connected to the community to be meaningful."

   "I love his work, Mr. M!"

   "Me too!"

Nine of Pentacles: Venus in Virgo

   "Why does that bird have a hood over its head?" Claire asks.

   "Our friend gazes lovingly at a hooded falcon, as if she knows the meaning of success, not just in the material realm, but as a person who has created her own stable realm full of sweetness and quiet joy. She can allow the falcon, like her mind, to soar, but she realizes that at times it must remain hooded, subject to restrictions and discipline. Like the bushes and vines, her life is productive and beautiful, which requires self-awareness, sacrifice, and effort. In addition to the flowers on her dress, which resemble symbols of Venus, she has the mark of an evolved person who is aware of what matters and what needs to be done to create and maintain a world of loveliness and abundance."

Ten of Pentacles: Mercury in Virgo

   "That old man petting the dog looks like a magician for some reason, Mr. M," Claire states.

   "Oddly, no one near the old man seems to notice him or the golden coins floating above the street, arranged like the Emanations of the Tree of Life. Only dogs seem attracted to him. Perhaps the old guy is only a street performer, full of cheap tricks. Nevertheless, he has an air of magic about him. We don't know if he created an illusion or if the Tree of Life has always been there. Are we only now seeing it because like him we are paying attention to the ordinary world? Perhaps we have become for a moment like the magician, experiencing the magical energies that manifest in such an orderly fashion that almost everyone takes them for granted. The street is strange and miraculous and full of abundance and potential, yet no one else seems to notice, but in the presence of the Tree of Life, you and I sense the powerful archetypal forces in the every day world. We don’t know if the old man or the Tree of Life has given us this second sight, but as we pass, we should nod at our friend, knowing that our gratitude is understood."

   "I will, Mr. M!"

Go on a different adventure with Mr. M.

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

The Wheel of Fortune: the 21st Path

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ALLIES OF JUPITER

   "Mr. M, why are all those things floating in the sky. It looks kind of weird!" Claire exclaims.

   “On this path, you see a wheel revolving around and around and feel the innumerable changes of the world and the soul. The life-force pours down through the planes, manifesting in uncountable forms, from angels to bacteria, and our experiences help us to expand and grow more knowledgeable until we feel the harmony and perfection of the wheel itself. We are like the golden snake of regeneration on the way down the wheel. We are like Anubis, moving from the subconscious to super-consciousness. We are like the sphinx at the top of the wheel, containing all of the elements within us. The higher self knows harmony and balance on all levels, the pure, incorruptible gold of spiritual principle.”

   “The wheel of fortune, popularized in the middle ages, is the main symbol here. In a common version of the image, a king sits at the top and the destitute are at the bottom, but of course the wheel keeps turning, so the symbol suggests inevitable changes of fortune, the vicissitudes of life. You can be a king one moment and a beggar the next, and the wheel just keeps on turning. In esoteric terms, the wheel is suggesting something deeper: each soul throughout its evolution has an abundance of experiences, some good, some bad, and slowly develops until achieving the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, who is really the 'daemon,' or higher self. The symbols on the Wheel evoke the alchemical process of dissolution and regeneration. The symbols of the snake, the God Anubis, and the sphinx also suggest the process of death and rebirth. The snake is associated with the God Set, who murdered Osiris; Anubis is the God of the Dead who helps souls transition to another dimension; and the Sphinx is associated with Horus, the symbol of the higher self manifested on the material plane, a God conceived by Isis after Osiris was resurrected. Associated also with Jupiter, The Wheel of Fortune, the Sphinx, and the golden symbols of the four elements reveal integration of the psyche, the spiritual harmony, abundance, and magnificence of the higher self.

   “‘The Wheel of Fortune’ as a path connects the sphere of Venus with the sphere of Jupiter. This connecting path is also associated with Jupiter on the pillar of Mercy, the column on the Tree of Life representing force--and this path is all about the dance of the life-force within creation and within you. Jupiter, as you recall, is the great benefic in astrology, and symbolizes the up-building, creative power of the Source. Life issues forth in abundance and thrills through all of creation in forms too numerous to measure, but remember that the life-force flows through every level of your being as well, from your divine core to your bones, or, in other words, from the highest spiritual vibration to the densest physical matter. At each corner, we see again the symbols of the elements, which are essentially symbols not of the elements that science currently recognizes, but of the states of manifestation, the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical levels. The Emanation of Mercy, or Chesed, emanates from Binah, or Understanding, just as Jupiter was born of Saturn, and it might prove beneficial to compare ‘The World,’ the 32nd path associated with Saturn, with ‘The Wheel of Fortune,’ associated with Jupiter.
   “The most obvious similarity is that each path contains the same elemental symbols, but in ‘The Wheel of Fortune,’ each elemental figure is golden and each one is reading a book. Gold is associated with spirit because it is incorruptible, so this path is revealing the beginnings of concrete manifestation. Above, the spheres are primarily archetypal or abstract, at least to our way of thinking. As far as the books are concerned, everything that happens on every level exists in what might be called ‘The Book of Life,’ the mind of God, sometimes called the Akashic Records.
   “Another similarity is that the dancing woman in ‘The World’ is inside of a round figure, an oval. An oval is an elongated circle, essentially one line that goes around forever. The circle in ‘The Wheel of Fortune,’ though, symbolizes transformation, the innumerable transformations within eternity.

   “There is always the sense, as we move up the Tree, of evolution, of improving until the realization of the Great Work. But there is also a very deep lesson about attachment and desire here. There is nothing wrong with desire because it is an essential aspect of the life-force, but remember that the wheel keeps revolving. You keep realizing one goal and moving on to another, but if you become too attached to any particular result or outcome, you might end up disappointed. In a sense, lusting for a particular result is the worst thing you can do. It is a secret of magic that you should create a thought-form of what you desire, fill it with emotion, and release it into the universe--and then forget about it. If you lust for a result, you will inevitably focus on the lack of what you have, instead of the fulfillment of your desire. If you focus always on the lack of peace in the world, you will never have peace; you will always experience the lack of peace. Because the universe is always saying ‘yes,’ if you focus all day on what you don’t have, on whatever it is you’re lacking, the universe will just continue to give you the lack of what you want, not what you want. 
   “At the center of the wheel is a symbol of the spirit containing alchemical symbols of transformation. In magic, whatever you desire is ideally based in spiritual principle and manifests down the planes as action or form of some kind in the physical world. At some point, the higher self becomes completely detached from the outcome of desire, becoming an open channel that allows the forces of the Source to manifest for the highest good. More and more, the self becomes refined, until the higher self desires the gold of spiritual principle, instead of the forms of illusion. The higher self simply becomes a co-creator with the Source, knowing that spirit will manifest in magnificent and stunning and befitting ways. Human consciousness, unfortunately, can distort and pervert creation in countless and sometimes even horrific ways. It is then the goal of the co-creator with the Source to neutralize evil and negativity and establish harmony.”

Two of Pentacles: Jupiter in Capricorn

   "Look, Mr. M! There's the juggler again!" Claire exclaims.

   "Yes, he is very entertaining, isn't he? But remember that the golden pentacles contain the energies of the basic elements and the zodiac and their ruling planets. He is juggling those energies within a green ribbon in the shape of an infinity symbol. As he juggles, he is balancing those energies in the eternal dance of being. He responds with skill and resilience, an eternal child, to the rhythms and vicissitudes of life, balancing powerful life forces as they manifest in all of their diversity."

   "Wow, he's good. I wonder if he'll teach me how to juggle?"

   "You never know. He just might!" Mr. M chuckles.

Eight of Swords: Jupiter in Gemini

   "Mr. M, did that poor woman do something wrong?" Claire asks.

  "She seems to be in a terrible predicament. Her bonds, however, are so loose that they seem about to fall off, and the swords, though long and sharp, do not actually imprison her. Behind her looms a castle on a cliff, but no one is guarding her. It appears that she could easily escape bondage. The castle in the distance suggests some authority that demands obedience, keeping people down by conditioning them to believe in their own powerlessness and limitations."

   "Is somebody punishing her, Mr. M?"

   "The eighth Emanation on the Tree of Life is associated with Mercury, a God who “shortens force” through thought. Thought-forms can establish splendor, but they can also create “mind-forged manacles” that bind us in unproductive and limiting--even self-destructive--behavior. 

   "However, the influences of Jupiter and Gemini can be felt here as well. Jupiter is the God of expansive, orderly, upbuilding force, and Gemini is a zodiac sign that symbolizes the dual nature of the mortal and immortal within us. The vast sea suggests the potential for expansiveness through contact with cosmic forces. 

   "The restrictions of the intellect in the material realm can blind a person to the creative expansiveness of the spirit, but for our friend, the bonds are loosening and the blindfold might be about to fall off. Whatever authority put her in that position is off in the distance on a cliff. The forces of Jupiter might eventually liberate her so that, aware of the infinitude and magnificence and harmony within, she frees herself and lives an abundant spiritual life."

Four of Swords: Jupiter in Libra

 

   "Look, Mr. M. That man is still resting. He isn't dead, is he?" Claire whispers.

    "Remember that we are seeing him again because he is an ally of Jupiter. He is, of course, also an ally of Libra. He is in a deep meditative state even though three swords are pointing straight down at him. The state of stillness suggests death, but the stained glass window suggests the vividness of his visions. This is a state of deep mental clarity associated with Jupiter and the fourth Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Mercy, a state that enables you to shape the future, clarify the past, envision symbols and internalize spiritual principle. This state is a rest from the usual strife of the conscious mind--it is in reality the lucid awareness of the higher self, a state of knowing linked to the level of spirit transcending the normal, limited awareness of the five senses. He has stilled his conscious mind to comprehend the magnificent patterns of creation and to establish balance in his own sphere of influence."

   "Oh, good. I'm glad he's not dead, Mr. M."

Nine of Cups: Jupiter in Pisces

   "This guy seems happy with himself, Mr. M."

   "A table laden with golden cups forms a semicircle around him. To some, the smile on our friend's face and the abundance of golden cups might suggest happiness achieved through materialism and hedonism. Our friend is feeling the influences of the Moon and Jupiter in Pisces. Our friend is not surrounded by a banquet or emblems of wealth and power but by cups that, like the grail, represent spirit manifesting in matter. Our friend’s brand of hedonism, in other words, leads to joyful spiritual inebriation in the material realm. Our friend realizes that the physical senses are not evil but can be channels for spiritual enlightenment. The physical senses and the subtle senses can both be affected at the same time, the way a piece of music can ravish the ear and at the same time have a profound effect on the emotions to the point of awakening spiritual awareness. Jupiter represents expansive, orderly development, which, when associated with Pisces and the Moon, suggests the expansion of awareness through exploration of the subconscious and the imagination to achieve a higher state of spiritual understanding. In other words, the influence of Pisces and the Moon suggests that material happiness is not just linked to possessions but to an opening of the subtle senses that leads to an expansion of consciousness that occurs through the exploration of the senses, the emotions, the intellect, and the imagination together. Your ally is very much like a ritual magician who uses the imagination and engages the senses with incense and music and color and dance to concentrate the emotions and the intellect on the spiritual force of Jupiter in order to experience inner qualities such as magnificence and harmony, with the aim of living a more abundant life."

   "I'm glad he's happy, Mr. M."

Six of Wands: Jupiter in Leo

   "Has that man on the white horse won something?" Claire asks.

   "Our friend has won a great battle. His wand and his head are both adorned with victory wreaths. In his moment of glory, our friend is feeling the influences of The Sun and Jupiter in Leo. In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, the Leo type is a monarch, in attitude at least. Leo types are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong-willed, positive, independent, and self-confident. These qualities are beneficial in many arenas, of course, but in terms of the Tree of Life, our friend is experiencing the spiritual will in the sixth Emanation known as Beauty. Together with the expansiveness and abundance characteristic of Jupiter, the qualities of Leo are beneficial on the spiritual level in the process known as the Great Work--the transformation from the "lower" or "conditioned" personality to the Higher Self. The unsung inner work of regeneration is often more difficult than any external battle could ever be, but the transformation often results in a victory for both the individual and the community, for when one person wins through to the knowledge of the harmony and light and love of the Higher Self, then others in the community, because of our basic connection at the spiritual level, find it easier to win through to higher awareness."

   "Why, that is a beautiful victory, Mr. M."

Go on a different adventure with Mr. M.

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

Justice: The 22nd Path

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ALLIES OF LIBRA

   "Who is that, Mr. M?" Claire asks.

   “Justice. Our friend is able to see everything. She is not a blind-folded figure of justice. In her right hand, she holds a sword, straight up and down, a symbol of the element of Air, for Libra is an Air sign. The sword on one level symbolizes the mind’s ability to discriminate and find the truth and make appropriate choices. She holds a scale in her left hand to suggest the ability of the mind to weigh and balance and create harmony. Libra is the astrological sign of balance; this path balances the other Major Arcana paths on the Tree of Life.
   "On another level, she personifies the soul, which sees clearly both with the physical eyes and the inner eye. The square in the middle of the crown symbolizes the third eye, the eye of inner vision. On her stable throne, she balances the pillars of the Tree of Life. On the personal level, she eliminates the unwanted negative energies and harmonizes all the energies of the self. On that level, she represents the will of the Higher Self.
   “The 22nd path is daunting: you must face the discordant elements in yourself as you move from the Emanation known as Beauty to the one known as Severity. Our Queen presides over this path known as ‘Justice,’ and it refers in part to the kind of justice that you inflict on yourself, but it also suggests your ability to create balance and harmony on all levels of your being. Remember that Beauty is the center of equilibrium where you experience the Vision of Harmony and the Mysteries of Sacrifice. As you move toward Severity, you experience what is out of balance in your own nature. This path is exactly at the midway point of the journey up the Tree, and you have to establish harmony within yourself before you proceed to Severity because the sphere of Mars is the sphere of power, which can easily turn to cruelty or destructiveness if your nature is unbalanced.
   “The path might also be called ‘karma’ because you must determine which energies in yourself are attracting unwanted energies into your world. As I mentioned before, whenever you touch a higher sphere, you open up a spectrum of energy containing a virtue and a vice. When you enter Beauty, for instance, you experience a sense of oneness with the Source, which leads to devotion to the Great Work, culminating in union with God. The opposite is pride, a kind of selfishness, and that energy also rears its ugly head. Perhaps you know, as I do, devoted religious people who can tell you everything that is wrong with other religions and other sects and make you afraid that you will go to hell if you even think about joining them. That is a kind of pride that throughout history has led to great cruelty and destructiveness.
   “The vices, or unbalanced energies within you, attract the same problems over and over into your life because you keep sending out thought-forms filled with those negative vibrations that keep drawing the same energy to you, resulting in a kind of cosmic justice that you inflict on yourself. You are faced with situation after situation, in this life and others, until you eliminate the negative thought-forms and establish harmony in yourself.”
   “That's a hard way to learn!”
   “The hardest, but perhaps the most effective. The great challenge of the path is using discrimination, represented by the sword of the figure of Justice, to determine what tendencies you must harmonize in yourself. Then you use the sword of your mind to eliminate the negative energies and harmonize the vibrations within yourself, which of course requires the kind of discipline associated with Mars.”
   “Seriously, Mr M, that sounds too hard for me!”
   “In many ways, this is one of the greatest challenges of the Tree because you learn not only to balance the energies within yourself but also to use them for the highest good.  An important Egyptian Goddess is Ma'at. As you might recall, Ma'at is the Goddess who, in the Hall of Judgment, weighs the heart against a feather. If your heart is as light as a feather, then your soul may go to Osiris. She is the Goddess of order, of balance, of harmony, of truth and justice within the cosmos and the self. The Goddess Ma'at is much like our friend now before us."

The Two of Swords:

Moon in Libra

   "Is this a friend of the Queen, Mr. M? But she's holding two swords and is blindfolded."

   "Our friend crosses her arms, grasping a long sword in each hand. Since the swords are so long, this balancing act obviously requires great strength and concentration. She wears a blindfold, which perhaps is helping her to concentrate. So our friend appears to represent something besides the force of karma. Since she is in the second Emanation known as Chokmah, or Wisdom, a state of almost unimaginable power and energy, she is concentrating on balancing forces (a quality of Libra)--an act of great discipline. On the Tree of Life, the second Emanation balances the great force of the Source, establishing equilibrium. Your ally wears a blindfold to suggest that the force of equilibrium is at this stage a blind, primal state “outside” of nature, just as Wisdom is a supernal Emanation "above" manifestation, and she wears white to suggest how all colors together form one unified state “above” or “beyond" the diverse forms of creation, representing the underlying unity of consciousness. The diverse forms exist on “lower” planes of manifestation, hence another reason for the blindfold. The primal unity, balance, and stability within the dynamic powers and flux of creation, suggested by water and the Moon, is what our friend represents, both on the personal level and the Universal level.

The Three of Swords:

Saturn in Libra

   "This is terrible, Mr. M. How can this be connected with the Queen?"

   "This, I know, reminds us all of the suffering that we experience in the world. Three swords have pierced a heart, two crossing each other and one straight down through the middle. Strangely, no blood flows from the heart; only rain falls from the clouds. The storm is not raging; the rain gently falls and continues the cycle of life within the physical realm. The Threes correspond to the third Emanation on the Tree of Life, known as Binah, meaning "Understanding." Binah is the celestial Mother of creation (the second Emanation, Wisdom, being the celestial Father). Binah is the female principle still “above” manifestation, but from her womb, all of creation issues forth on the lower planes. The third sphere restricts (a quality of Saturn) free-flowing force. From the perspective of spirit, the limiting boundaries of form create a kind of imprisonment. The third sphere also ushers in death because everything that is created on the physical plane is eventually destroyed (hence Saturn’s association with the grim reaper). From this knowledge comes the Vision of Sorrow. Suffering is inevitable: destruction follows creation. But regeneration follows death in an endless cycle. The symbol is simple and balanced (a quality of Libra), like the cycle of birth, death, and regeneration itself. The cosmos would remain static without this cycle, and the soul would not experience the contrasts that enable it to know true joy and understand the meaning of harmony and beauty as well as suffering. The suit of Swords represents the element of Air, the plane of the conscious mind, which is aware of change and loss, an awareness that leads to sorrow. But though suffering may be painful and debilitating, from the changes--and the recognition of our own mortality--we slowly learn to accept and establish balance and harmony within ourselves.

The Four of Swords:

Jupiter in Libra

   "Is that man sleeping on a coffin, Mr. M?"

   "Let's just say that our friend is resting upon a slab of stone with his head on a pillow and his hands arranged in prayer. He is in a deep meditative state even though three swords point straight down at him. Despite any conflict that he has experienced in his conscious, waking life, he is able to still his mind in meditation. The state of stillness suggests death, but the stained glass window suggests the vividness--and perhaps the sacredness--of his visions. This is a state of deep mental clarity associated with the fourth Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Mercy, or Chesed, a state that enables you to shape the future, clarify the past, envision symbols and internalize spiritual principle. But it is a state different from the normal flow of consciousness, which contains transient and often conflicting thoughts and desires. This state is a rest from the usual strife of the conscious mind--it is the lucid meta-conscious awareness of the higher self, a state of knowing linked to the level of spirit transcending the normal, limited awareness of the five senses. Our friend is quiet, revealing that magnificent patterns, associated with Jupiter, and balance, associated with Libra, often first manifest deep in stillness.

Go on different journey with Mr. M.

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

The Hanged Man

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The Element of Water

   "I've met this person before. This is another scary path. Are all of the other paths going to be scary too, Mr. M?" Claire asks.

   "No, no, not at all. We are experiencing the scary aspects of passing through the veil to higher consciousness. Our friend reveals one of the most frightening challenges of passing through the veil. This path is now called ‘The Hanged Man,’ but it was once called ‘The Traitor,’ referring to the practice of hanging traitors upside-down in public.”
   “People who choose the spiritual path are traitors, Mr. M?” Claire asks.
   “So often mystics and occultists who have passed through the veil are considered traitors in the sense that they repudiate the materialistic values of their society for a greater spiritual awareness, insisting on the values of the Higher Self instead of the values of the conditioned self. Modern psychology comes close in many respects to understanding the different aspects of self, focusing often on the conditioned self, but fails to provide as comprehensive a map of the macrocosm and the microcosm as the Tree of Life. 

   "A famous example is Sigmund Freud’s model of the psyche. Freud divides the psyche into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id contains the subconscious instincts and basic drives for self-gratification. The ego is the conscious extension of the id which uses the reality principle and common sense to obtain pleasure and avoid pain. The superego, the ethical component of the personality, provides the moral standards by which the ego operates. The superego’s criticisms, prohibitions, and inhibitions form a person’s conscience, and its positive aspirations represent the idealized self-image, or 'ego ideal.' The superego strives to act in a socially appropriate manner, whereas the id strives for instant self-gratification. The superego controls our sense of right and wrong, and since its demands oppose the id’s, the ego often has a hard time reconciling the two.”
   “So is the superego the higher self, Mr. M?”
   “Yes and no. The conscience is very much a part of the higher self. When you touch the sphere of Beauty, or Tiphareth, you experience the overwhelming harmony of creation, which cannot be denied simply because of all the terrible choices that people have made throughout history. You experience awe about the infinite vibrations of energy that manifest in so many magnificent ways, the fields upon fields of energy interwoven to create not only our planet but the cosmos, most of which we as humans cannot even perceive with our five senses. You know the intelligence within all of creation that enables the beautiful dance of abundance, and you see that destruction is only one half of creation, for without death there would be no new creation, no growth or evolution. When you experience a sense of oneness with creation, you cannot help but feel reverence, which leads to sympathy for all things, and that inspires a thirst for truth and justice because everything is connected.”
   “So you feel guilty when you hurt something? I know I feel guilty when I accidentally hurt something.”
   “Yes, and that leads to an understanding of karma. If you intentionally harm something or someone, you are essentially harming yourself because we are all connected, and that will eventually come back on you.”
   “So does this path lead to the sphere of justice?”
   “Yes, in fact, Geburah, or Severity, is the sphere of power on many levels, including the spiritual level. The Gods and Angels of Geburah burn away whatever is not true or just or harmonious. Spiritual principle remains when the transitory burns away, so in a sense, this path is about sacrificing what is not true or just or harmonious in your world. That might include a job, a relationship, a belief system. So much of our society is false or illusory that when you insist on spiritual truth, often the people around you feel betrayed because you literally are challenging the value system that satisfies their ego or that they were conditioned to follow. Freud viewed the superego mainly as a mechanism for obtaining acceptance in society. He suggests that the psyche has spiritual goals but ultimately struggles to conform to social conditioning. The superego in that sense becomes a mechanism for the survival of the conditioned self. The higher self, on the other hand, is compelled to choose spiritual principle, such as truth and justice, over survival, as you can see here on this path.
   “But there is something else about this path that I don’t want to overlook. The hanged man is suspended by the foot, and the ability to suspend thought cannot be over-rated in spiritual practices. Without the ability to quiet the mind, you cannot see beyond the mundane into the inner planes. The element of Water is associated with this card, and Water is associated with the subconscious depths of the mind. Through the subconscious where the soul resides, you can move into the vast ocean of consciousness, which leads to the super-conscious awareness of oneness and harmony. Learning to suspend the chatter of the ‘monkey mind,’ the surface mind, is part of the sacrifice of the Path.”
   “Is the conscious mind bad?”
   “Oh, no, I don’t mean to imply that at all. The fully developed conscious mind of the enlightened individual is the true higher self, encompassing the intellect, the emotions, the imagination, the will, and the memory, all of which need to be developed and mined for personal growth. However, we can get bogged down in the surface mind. So much of civilization is just surface mind. We get busy and have so many details to worry about that sometimes we breath a sigh of relief after taking care of the little things and don’t worry about our emotional and mental and spiritual development. Notice the great simplicity of this path. We need to simplify in order to cultivate the ability to shift focus to whatever level we need to work on. That takes great discipline, which is another important aspect of the sphere of Mars.
   “Some psychologists have managed to recognize the existence of the soul and the transpersonal aspects at the core of being. It always helps to compare and contrast the findings of experts in all fields. The Tree of Life is comprehensive, and you can use the Tree as a filing cabinet where all knowledge can find a place.
   “On this scary path, you see a man hanging upside down with his hands tied behind his back. That is incredibly painful and humiliating, but the man seems at peace. In fact, his head is glowing as if he has attained enlightenment. He has moved beyond the veil of illusion to the reality of the spirit. He appears terribly alone and mistreated, but he recognizes the oneness of all creation. His mind suspended, he is a point of consciousness within the vast ocean of the Cosmic Mind.”

Go on a different adventure with Mr. M.

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

Death: The 24th Path

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ALLIES OF SCORPIO

   “This path is scary too, Mr. M.”

   “The 24th path presents challenges for even the most valiant and courageous hero. Since it is called ‘Death,’ most people assume that the path is only about physical death. But remember, each path has meanings for all levels of the self, the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels, not just the physical level. The path nevertheless still inspires fear because it suggests radical change, and of course many people are afraid of change. But change, of course, is the only certainty in this world. Even more importantly, perhaps, the soul grows through change. On every level death leads to regeneration. Of the people we see on this path who are expiring as death approaches, only one, a small child, appears to be welcoming death with flowers. It’s that attitude that we cultivate in the face of change on all levels. We must be as little children.”

   “I’m not sure that I can do that, Mr. M.”

   “Certainly it becomes harder as one grows older. On previous paths, we have passed within the veil, which might be one reason that this path is so scary. In other words, we have already begun examining what it means to be awake. So often, we just go about the business of living on auto-pilot, half-asleep. Our family and our society condition us to maintain the 'unexamined self,' partially as a survival mechanism. We adopt certain beliefs and get into physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual habits as we learn to play by the rules. In the process, we become passive, allowing others to control and manipulate and even crush our imaginative powers, and it is this very habit of inner passivity that becomes the veil. Even though these habits and beliefs interfere with our ability to live fully and creatively, if nothing challenges our belief systems too much, and life doesn’t treat us too badly, then we remain passive and don’t question anything. But this tower that we create is sometimes hit by lightning, as we have witnessed in the 27th path, The Tower.”

   “So should we accept change, Mr. M?”

   “On one level, yes. On another, the path suggests that we have no choice. The trick is to embrace change in such a way as to move purposefully from lower to higher consciousness. The astrological sign of Scorpio associated with this path suggests this process. On the lowest level, Scorpio is associated with the scorpion, but Scorpio is also associated with the snake and the eagle. The snake, among other things, is a symbol of rebirth because it sheds its skin. The eagle, as well as being a symbol of Water, symbolizes the higher self; the eagle, as a soaring bird, sees great distances, just as the higher self takes on the perspective of eternity. Scorpio is, of course, a Water sign, and you’ll notice that in the background, a river passes by two towers as the sun rises, or sets, in the distance. The towers suggest the side pillars of the Tree of Life, and the sun as a symbol is associated with Tiphareth, or Beauty, the Emanation of the higher self.

   “Remember that the highest spiritual experience of Malkuth, the physical plane, is the ‘Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel,’ the guardian angel being the higher self, and we cannot experience the higher self without the death of the conditioned self.”

   “That seems really hard, Mr. M!”

   “Yes, but at some point, the individual, like the little child, embraces the death of the lower self for the birth of the higher self. In the meantime, apathy and inertia are the great dangers of this path. In the face of constant change, the individual might give up on potential growth. Change might be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be meaningless or random or merely destructive. We have the power of the will to change in positive, beneficial ways.

   “On this path, you see Death on a white horse moving toward a small group of people who are all dying, which is so sad--all dying at one time. That sort of thing can be just too hard to understand. Why would God allow such a thing to happen? But then everything we know will die at some point. Everything we know now will disappear from the earth at some point. Everything is changing, and we want to put up walls around us to keep all the changes away, but death just keeps coming on his white horse. Where would we be, though, if everything stayed the same? That would just be the worst kind of death. The main thing is to keep moving along the path, to keep changing and growing in every way that we can.”

Five of Cups: Mars in Scorpio

   "Look, Mr. M, there's that sad man again!" Claire exclaims.

   "Yes, we're seeing him again because we are in the realm of Scorpio, which is the realm of radical change and transformation. He is torn because he has to decide how to move on to another stage of his life. He cannot escape this life-changing choice, which means that he might need to leave much behind. It isn't easy to leave behind your attachments. It can break your heart and tear your soul apart. Most of us have to face a choice of this kind at some point, but learning how to deal with it eventually gives us strength to deal with even greater challenges."

   "It's still kind of sad, Mr. M."

   "Indeed, it is. Sad but true."

Six of Cups: Sun in Scorpio

   "That girl looks a little like me, Mr. M," Claire proclaims.

   "Yes, she does. Our friend is holding a golden cup that contains a white lily. We are not sure if she has given the flower to her friend or if he is about to hand it to her. Her friend seems to be savoring the sweetness of the flower. In this simple act of giving, the girl, accepting and innocent, gazes in wonder at the flower and her friend. The influences of the Sun and Scorpio are present here. The Sun is associated with the sixth Emanation on the Tree of Life, the sphere of the Vision of Harmony and sacrifice. The transformation associated with Scorpio, is, on the surface at least, simple: To enter the kingdom of heaven, you must become as a little child, open to love and friendship as well as to giving and receiving. Her friend is older and wears a strange hat, which might inspire fear in the little girl, but she trusts and accepts him. The significance of the act is that, despite appearances, the heart is open. The interchange is a simple act of trust and acceptance as the soldier walks by, which reveals a state of radical innocence that prevails despite all the harshness in the world--this an open reciprocation between the “self” and everything that is “other.”

Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio

   "Mr. M, it looks like that guy has to make a hard choice too."

   "Our friend in shadow faces seven golden cups floating in the clouds. The four cups in the foreground contain emblems of worldly success and power while the three cups in the background, which are less accessible, appear more resonant with spiritual development. Our friend, who is under the influences of Venus and Scorpio, is reaching out a shadowy hand as though about to make an important decision. Scorpio is associated with transformation, suggesting the inevitable change that occurs after such a decision. The influence of Venus, so filled with desire and volatile emotion, is unstable on every plane except the spiritual plane, where the influence leads to valor and high spiritual love. Each choice before our friend is attractive in some way, but there is also something off-putting about each one. The golden snake and the dragon are both a little frightening, the castle seems remote, the blue head floats decapitated above the cup, the jewels on closer inspection resemble colorful bubbles, and the cup with the laurel victory wreath has a faint skull etched or reflected in it. The central cup above the lower four shows a figure emanating pink light, a figure whose arms are outstretched. The top half of the body is completely hidden by a veil, and the figure remains totally anonymous and seemingly detached from worldly concerns and desires. At first glance, that cup might seem the least attractive of all. However, pink is associated with the highest, most loving energy of the heart. The four lower cups suggest the four lower Emanations of the Tree of Life, while the central cup suggests Beauty, the Emanation of spiritual transformation from the lower personality to the Higher Self. Given the powerful influence of Venus, which, except on the highest levels, attaches a person to the lower planes through desire, it is impossible to determine which cup our friend will choose, but spiritual love is within his reach."

Go on a different adventure with Mr. M.