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

Ten of Wands: Saturn in Sagittarius

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LORD OF OPPRESSION

Ten of Wands (AI Version)

   Nathan was riding through the realm and noticed a man carrying ten wands toward a house far off in the distance. Nathan felt sorry for the worker because he seemed imprisoned by his task. The man at first appeared to be a common laborer struggling with his burden, but then Nathan noticed that even though the laborer could not see far ahead of himself, he was heading straight for his destination and skillfully balancing all ten wands as he lurched ahead with great determination and perseverance. Nathan at that moment sensed a rare kind of heroism in the man. Nathan opened his psychic senses and recognized that the laborer was demonstrating the great strength and discipline associated with Saturn, but the man was also exhibiting dynamic, fiery energies, and Nathan couldn't quite identify the source of his power and vitality.

King of Wands (AI Version)

   Impressed, Nathan continued on his journey and came upon the King of Wands. Nathan dismounted and bowed as he approached the King. "I serve thee always, great King, but I have a question."
   The King gazed at him. "Yes, my devoted knight. How can I help you?"
   Nathan responded, "Your Majesty, I just saw a common laborer carrying ten wands, a heavy burden, with great skill and discipline, toward a house in the distance. With his skill, he was able to balance all ten wands, which seemed to imprison him, but he carried on nevertheless with great discipline. He seemed heroic as he performed his task. I sensed the influence of Saturn as well as a fiery energy that seemed to be the source of his prowess. I was hoping, great King, that you might help me identify that fiery source that is influencing him."
   "Many people exhibit heroism in their daily life despite all the obstacles and challenges that might make some feel that life amounts to nothing more than a miserable, meaningless grind," the King responded. "But some people reveal a deep fire within themselves that consistently reveals the heroism of humanity."
   "What is that noble fire, your Highness?"
   Balancing his wand straight up and down, the King responded, "The fire of Sagittarius burns deep in the soul and inspires a person to strive for greater balance and harmony and understanding, despite all the mundane tasks and hardships. The element of Fire motivates us to master skills and aspire to greater heights. A common laborer can aspire to heaven, just like a holy man, but the attainment of that goal requires great discipline and intense focus, which a person can develop even while performing mundane tasks."
   Nathan replied, "Yes, your Highness. I couldn't help but think that balancing those ten wands is similar to balancing the energies of the ten holy Emanations of the Tree of Life."
   "Similar indeed, on one level at least. Each person, no matter what station he or she has in life, must learn how to balance the energies of the Emanations of the Tree of Life in order to create harmony within their sphere of influence. The mythological principle of the path of Sagittarius is 'The Ascent to Heaven.' The path is on the Middle Pillar of the Tree of Life and is associated with our beloved Archangel Michael, 'Like unto God.'
   "Remember also that the mythological principle of Saturn is 'Descent into the Underworld." In other words, a person must descend deep into the mind to find that inspiring and purifying Fire within. With that deep inner Fire and the discipline of Saturn, a person can ascend toward the heavenly realms and ultimately even to the Source of all Creation.
   "Descent into the Underworld and Ascent to Heaven go hand in hand. You must go deep into the darkest recesses of the mind and cleanse the hidden or suppressed energies that are blocking you before you can ascend into heaven."
   "I will remember thy powerful elucidation, your Highness, so that I too might someday ascend to the heavenly realms." Nathan bowed, then mounted his horse and rode into the forest.

The World: Saturn (AI Version)

   Nathan stopped in a secluded meadow and pulled out the Ten of Wands from his Tarot deck. As he gazed at the card, he remembered that the decan correspondence of the Ten of Wands is Saturn in Sagittarius, so he also also separated The World, associated with Saturn, and Temperance, associated with Sagittarius, from the deck. He remembered that the word temperance suggests sacrifice and prudence in pursuit of moderation and balance, so he chose Temperance as the central card and The World as a modifying card.

Temperance: Sagittarius (3D Version)

   Then Nathan got ready to create an artificial elemental of Temperance with the Tarot Pentagram Spread.

Active and Passive Invoking Pentagrams

   First, since Fire is an active element, he used the Active Invoking Pentagram while laying down the foundation cards, starting in the lower right corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper left corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Active Invoking Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the position of Fire in the lower right corner to complete the pentagram.

Foundation Cards with Temperance

   Then he placed Temperance in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "Temperance, Sagittarius, the Ascent to Heaven," and tapped the card.

Modifying Card for Temperance: The World, Saturn

   Then, since Sagittarius is a Fire sign, and the Ten of Wands represents Saturn in Sagittarius, Nathan placed The World as a modifier on the Ace of Wands, saying, "The World, Saturn, the Descent into the Underworld," and tapped the card. 

Spirit Pentagram

   Then Nathan drew the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram and the spirit wheel in brilliant white above Temperance on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer.

Invoking Pentagram for Fire

   After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Fire directly over the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of Leo in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of Leo coming alive as the full-length figure of the Archangel Michael. As Nathan visualized the living image, he imagined that salamanders filled the living image while at the same time tiny points of winged light flowed from his own aura and filled the living image as well. Nathan then stated, "Great Archangel Michael, help me to establish balance and discipline in my life so that I can descend deep into the underworld to find the powerful fire that will enable me to ascend ever higher."
   Then he ended by saying, "So mote it be!" Before he finished the ritual, he imagined for a few minutes descending to the underworld and finding the Fire that would enable him to ascend more and more to greater heights. Then he finished with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   From that point on, Nathan felt a fire within that helped him grow and attain greater heights.

(Note: All AI versions are based on my 3D Blender renderings, paintings, or photographs)

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

Seven of Cups: Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Victory

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LORD OF ILLUSIONARY SUCCESS

Seven of Cups (AI Version)

   As Nathan was taking a leisurely walk through the Tarot Realm, he suddenly had a vision of a cloud with seven golden cups. As he peered carefully at the cups, he noticed that they seemed to be offering him a choice. In one golden cup, a fierce dragon, full of fearsome strength and power, appeared to be nesting. In another, a golden cup with a faint skull etched on the side contained a victory wreath. Next to that, another golden cup, faintly etched with a woman's face, brimmed over with jewels, some of which seemed almost like bubbles. A lonely tower loomed above the fourth cup. On the upper left, a blue head floated dreamily above a golden cup. A golden snake extended from another. In the middle, an anonymous figure shrouded by a bright pink cloth lifted up her arms in supplication or devotion. The figure appeared to be emanating light. Nathan hesitated. He could not choose. All of the cups seemed both appealing and off-putting in some way.

The King of Cups (AI Version)

   Later that day, Nathan rode his horse along the beach and eventually found the King of Cups. Nathan dismounted from his horse and bowed. "I serve thee always, your Majesty, but if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a question."
   The King responded, "Yes, my friend, what is your query?"
   Nathan carefully described the seven cups in his vision. Then he said, "Your Majesty, each golden cup offered something valuable, but I just couldn't choose because it seemed that something negative was associated with each golden cup. Do you have any advice?"
   "I can give you advice, my valiant knight, but the final choice is yours."
   "Yes, I understand, your Highness."
   "You've been having spirit visions again! You are adjusting well to this realm, my friend. The Queen has told me a little about your other visions. The thing to remember is that the instincts come into play as you are faced with this choice. Do you want to be as fierce and strong and powerful and wild as a dragon? That might impress people, but you might also scare everyone away. Do you want to face death constantly just to attain the honors associated with victory? Do you want glittery jewels that attract superficial people, baubles that often inspire relationships as transitory as bubbles? Do you want to be all alone in a high tower above everyone else?
   "I'm not sure, your Highness. That is why I hesitated."
   "Do you want to be dreamy and detached from reality? Do you want to be like a golden snake that is reborn as it sheds its skin, a snake associated with the intense forces of the kundalini, forces that can carry you to other realms but can leave you unbalanced and ungrounded in this realm?"
   "This is a hard choice, your Highness."
   "Yes, it is. I'm not saying each of these choices is bad. Each of us learns and evolves through experience, but I agree that all the choices seem illusionary or negative in some way. Think for a moment about the anonymous figure shrouded in pink. Why do you think the figure in your vision was emanating light?"
   "Well, your Highness, because pink represents high spiritual love, I think the figure was representing a spiritual path of some kind, but I was put off a little by the figure's anonymity."
   "That's understandable. What subtle forces did you experience during your vision?"
   Nathan pondered for a moment. "Venus in Scorpio, I think, but I don't understand why I experienced them."
   "Venus is the Goddess of Love who represents the mythological principle of 'The Marriage of Heaven and Earth.' Were you attracted more with your heart or your instincts to the anonymous figure?"
   "With my heart, now that you ask, your Highness. So spiritual love can create a marriage of heaven and earth?"
   "Love creates a sense of oneness as well as the understanding that we live in a realm interwoven with divine spiritual and physical energies. Through the experience of love, we feel that everything is connected in a sublime fabric of light, our personal consciousness a facet of Universal Consciousness. Sometimes a great transformation must occur before we understand this spiritual truth. Scorpio is a force that brings this transformation. Unfortunately many fear this change as much as they fear death. Sometimes we must be as a little child as we experience such a tremendous inner change."
   "Thank you for your sage advice. I think I know which choice to make."
   "You are very welcome, my friend."
   Nathan bowed, "I serve thee always, my King."

The Empress: Venus (AI Version)

   Nathan found a Tarot card very similar to what he had witnessed in his vision: the Seven of Cups. The decan association in the card is Venus in Scorpio, and the Tree of Life correspondence is Venus in Victory, the Seventh Emanation on the Tree of Life. So the Goddess of Love truly presides here, Nathan thought. The figure of Death on a pale horse, on the other hand, dominates Scorpio. Nathan noticed then in the Tarot card known as Death that a little child, while experiencing his transformation, is handing a flower to the horrifying skeletal figure in black armor.

Death: Scorpio (AI Version)

   Nathan rode to a secluded part of the forest where he could perform a ritual with the Seven of Cups.

The Passive and Active Invoking Pentagrams

   Because Nathan was creating a living image based on the Seven of Cups with the Tarot Pentagram Spread, he placed all the foundation cards down on his makeshift altar with the tops facing west on his altar. Since Water is a passive element, Nathan used the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram while laying down the cards, starting in the lower left corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper right corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the lower left corner to complete the pentagram.

Foundation Cards with the Seven of Cups

   Then he placed The Seven of Cups in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Seven of Cups, Venus in Scorpio, Venus in Victory." Then he tapped the card.

Modifiers for the Seven of Cups: Death and The Empress

   Next, he placed Death on the Ace of Cups in the upper right hand corner of the pentagram as a modifier. The card representing the zodiac sign goes first, he remembered. As he placed Death on the Ace of Cups, he stated while tapping the card, "Death, Scorpio, the Meeting with the Powers of Death." As he tapped the card, he recognized that the powers of death can bring great transformation on the spiritual and mental and emotional levels instead of just physical death.
   Then he placed The Empress in the upper right hand corner on the other modifier, Death. As he placed The Empress, he stated while tapping the card, "The Empress, Venus, the Marriage of Heaven and Earth." As he tapped the card, he recognized that a true understanding of the Marriage of Heaven and Earth often occurs only after great inner transformation.

Spirit Pentagram

   Then Nathan drew the Passive Invoking Pentagram and the spirit wheel in the air in brilliant white above the Seven of Cups on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer.

Invoking Pentagram for the Element of Water

   After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Water directly over the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of the eagle, associated with Scorpio, in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of the eagle's head turning into the anonymous figure with the glowing pink shroud. Then he imagined the figure moving a few feet west of his altar and coming alive as a full-length figure. As he visualized the living image, he imagined undines flowing from the Archangel Gabriel and filling the living image while at the same time the bright points of Water flowed from his aura and filled the living image as well.
   Then he stated, "I name you Luminary of Oneness and High Spiritual Love."
    Then he said, "Help me to know the oneness of the interwoven, divine spiritual and physical energies within creation. Help me to know that everything is connected and that each personal consciousness is a facet of Universal Consciousness. If a great inner transformation is necessary before I truly understand this spiritual principle, then let it be so! Let me be as a little child as I experience this awesome inner transformation." Then he humbly stated, "Perform this task then return to the divine Emanation of Victory, doing no harm. So mote it be!"
   Before he finished the ritual, Nathan imagined for a few minutes the living image of the shrouded figure making him aware through love of the oneness of Creation, and he felt a great transformation: His personality was completely erased while at the same time he experienced a profound sense of eternity. After awhile, he ended the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   Nathan felt one with creation sometimes  afterwards, and he knew that his new ally was guiding him.

(Note: All AI versions are based on my 3D Blender rendering, my paintings, or my photographs)

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

Ten of Cups: Mars in Pisces

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LORD OF PERFECTED SUCCESS

Ten of Cups (AI Version)

   While Nathan was meditating in the morning, he suddenly envisioned a golden cup and plate and a golden crown on a brilliant white tablecloth. Above the table, a golden balanced cross hovered. Then he envisioned a sun above his head that illuminated a full moon rising at the edge of the table as though the table's edge were the horizon. Amazed by the vision and the powerful subtle forces that he was feeling, Nathan opened his eyes, and the vision disappeared. He closed his eyes again, hoping the vision was still there, but the vision had vanished completely. Disappointed, Nathan got ready for another day. As he rode out into the Tarot Realm, he encountered a happy family near a rainbow. The father tenderly caressed the mother as both held up one hand as though absorbing the positive energies emanating from the rainbow while their children danced nearby--or perhaps they were greeting Claire as she flew under the rainbow. When Nathan gazed at the rainbow more carefully, he noticed that it was unlike any rainbow he had seen before. Ten golden cups floated inside a rainbow with only three colors: red, blue, and yellow. Nathan suddenly wondered if he was having another vision, this time with his eyes wide open. The energies in the scene felt similar to the energies he had experienced during the vision but also different, and he wasn't sure why, so he rode down to the beach, hoping to find the King or Queen of Cups.

The Queen of Cups (AI Version)

   Eventually Nathan found the Queen of Cups on the beach. Nathan dismounted from his horse and bowed. "Your Majesty, I am so happy to see you, for I have a question."
   The Queen responded, "Yes, my friend, what is your query?"
   Nathan described his early morning vision and the happy family he encountered under the strange rainbow. "Your Majesty, I don't know why, but the subtle forces felt very similar, but different in some way. Can you help me understand what is happening?"
   "Yes, my valiant knight, in our realm, we experience synchronicities all the time, so we are all well-aware that events are connected by meaning, not just by causation. Many of us in this realm have a deep subconscious connection with the spirit realm, so no one here is stigmatized for having spirit visions or experiencing synchronicities. I know you found your way here through the wilderness from another realm where anyone who admits to having a spirit vision or experiencing a synchronicity is considered a lunatic. Most people in the realm that you come from don't meditate and perform rituals or purify their hearts and minds regularly and therefore do not have much of a connection with the spirit realm."
   "You're right, your Highness. Most people in that realm would throw me in the looney bin if I told them even a little of what I just told you. But your Majesty, I was hoping that you could help me understand the vision and what seems to me like a synchronicity."
   "Of course, my inquisitive knight. Let us start with the vision. What do you think the golden crown stands for?"
   Nathan thought for a moment. "Magnificence."
   "What about the golden plate and chalice?"
   Again Nathan paused for a moment. "Abundance!"
   "What about the golden, equal-armed cross?"
   "Harmony!" Nathan blurted out.
   "Now, what do the sun and moon in your vision mean to you?" the Queen asked.
   "Well, your Highness, during the vision, I felt like the moon symbolized the soul illuminated by the sun. I associate the sun with the Source of all life and therefore in my vision The Sun seemed to suggest my personal connection with Universal Consciousness."
   "So, what do you think it all means?"
   Nathan pondered for a moment. "I think it means the harmony, abundance, and magnificence within the human soul that we experience through our connection with Universal Consciousness."
   "Well done, my brave knight! Now let us discuss the happy family and the strange rainbow that you encountered as you rode through the Tarot Realm. I believe that the happy family was sharing a spirit vision with you. In other words, you were all tuned in to the same vision. The three colors of the rainbow suggest the elements of Fire, Air, and Water, and their beautiful environment represents the element of earth where the other three elements manifest. Can you think of any symbol in your early morning vision that represents the four elements in balance with each other?"  

   Nathan thought for a moment. "Why, yes, of course, your Highness: the golden balanced cross!"
   "Does anything suggest the family's abundance?" the Queen asked.
   "Why, yes, your Highness," Nathan responded. "They live in a small cottage, not a castle, but their happiness and love reveal their spiritual abundance."
   "Why do you think there were ten golden cups in the rainbow?"
   "Well, your Majesty, gold represents the incorruptibility of spirit, and the ten cups suggest the ten holy Emanations of the Tree of Life. I think the ten golden cups suggest their experience with the forces and principles associated with the Tree of Life that manifest in our realm."
   "Does anything suggest their magnificence?" the Queen asked.
   "Why, yes, indeed. They are not royalty, but their knowledge and experience of the forces of the Tree of Life and the elements, and their love and affection for each other and the spiritual harmony and abundance that they manifest in their lives suggest their magnificence as human beings," Nathan responded. "Based on my vision during meditation, I believe, your Highness, that each person is a magnificent spiritual being."
   "Very insightful, my brave, young knight. In the Tarot Realm, many people experience the subtle forces behind events. Let us talk for a moment about the possible differences between your vision during meditation and the synchronicity that you experienced in the physical realm. What subtle forces did you feel during your synchronicity?"
   "That, I think, might be the difference between the two experiences of the subtle realm!" Nathan exclaimed. Then he pondered for awhile. "The subtle forces in my synchronicity seemed incongruous with the love and happiness of the family." Suddenly Nathan blurted out, "I think the subtle influences were Mars in Pisces, but I don't understand how that could be so."
   "Let us consider that question for a moment. As a knight you experience Mars as a God of war and power and strength and courage and discipline and justice. The lightning bolt of Mars also illuminates. His divine, holy Fire purifies the heart and mind."
   "Yes, I see now, your Majesty. His divine Fire illuminates and purifies so that we can know the forces of the Tree of Life and Universal Consciousness, the Source of all Creation. That divine, holy Fire, I see now, is one source for their happiness, but what about Pisces, your Highness?"
   "Aw, yes, Pisces, the realm of the Moon. Many things are mysterious and hidden in that realm. Our instincts, for instance, reside in the subconscious. We are rarely aware of how they motivate us. The Moon is illuminated by the Sun. The forces of the Moon have great power over our instincts, so much so that some people in this realm howl at the Moon like lunatics, but the light of the Sun draws our soul to it so that we can know the power of the Source and the power of selfless sacrifice and harmonizing love."
   Nathan responded, "I see. So their happiness is also linked to the power of selfless sacrifice and harmonizing love. They do not act from the baser aspects of the instincts, but in a way that creates harmony and enables them to experience love and affection for each other in a divinely caring and responsible way. In that way also, they experience the harmony, magnificence, and abundance of their own being. I guess my vision and my synchronicity were not so different after all."
   "Indeed. Not so different after all," The Queen smiled.
   Nathan bowed and said, "Thank you, your Majesty. I serve thee always." Nathan mounted his horse and rode to a secluded place where he could perform a ritual.

The Tower: Mars (AI Version)

   Nathan found a Tarot card very similar to what he had witnessed when he had encountered the happy family: the Ten of Cups. The decan association of the card, he remembered, is Mars in Pisces. Nathan understood the Fire and lightning of Mars in a different way after his talk with the Queen, and he understood the mystery of the Moon and Pisces and the harmonizing effect of the Sun better now as well.

The Moon: Pisces (AI Version)

   Because Nathan was creating a living image based on the Ten of Cups with the Tarot Pentagram Spread, he placed all the foundation cards down on his makeshift altar with the tops facing west on his altar.

The Passive and Active Invoking Pentagrams

   Since Water is a passive element, Nathan used the Passive Invoking Pentagram while laying down the cards, starting in the lower left corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper right corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Passive Invoking Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the lower left corner to complete the pentagram.

Foundation Cards with The Ten of Cups

   Then he placed the Ten of Cups in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Ten of Cups, Mars in Pisces."

Modifier for the Ten of Cups: The Moon

   Then he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups in the upper right hand corner of the pentagram as a modifier. As he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups, he stated while tapping the card, "The Moon, Pisces, the Emergence from Water." Then he placed The Tower on The Moon and said, "The Tower, Mars, The War at the World's End," which he interpreted as the internal apocalypses that feel like great transformations and lead to higher awareness. Then he tapped the card.

Invoking Spirit Pentagram

   Then Nathan drew the Passive Invoking Pentagram and the spirit wheel in the air in brilliant white above the Ten of Cups on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer.

Invoking Pentagram for the Element of Water

   After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Water directly over the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of the eagle, associated with Scorpio, in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of the eagle's head becoming the living image of the Mother and Father and rainbow in The Ten of cups. Then he imagined the figures moving a few feet west of his altar and coming alive. As he visualized the living images of the Tarot card, he imagined undines flowing from the Archangel Gabriel and filling the living image while at the same time bright points of Water flowed from his aura and filled the living image as well.
   Then he stated, "I name you Lord of Perfected Success, Ten of Cups, Mars in Pisces."
   Then he said, "Lord of Perfected Success, cleanse me, purify me so that I know deep in my heart the magnificence, harmony, abundance of the human spirit and manifest the untainted energies of the four Elements and the ideal forces of the holy Emanations of the Tree of Life. Help me maintain a strong subconscious connection with the spirit realm for the highest possible good of myself and others."
   Then he humbly stated, "Perform this task, then return to the element of Water, doing no harm. So mote it be!"
   Before he finished the ritual, Nathan imagined for a few minutes the living images of the figure in The Ten of Cups purifying him with water so that he could manifest the ideal spiritual principles associated with the elements and the Emanations of the Tree of life and feel one with Universal Consciousness. Then he ended the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   Nathan began to understand sacrifice and harmonizing love and feel one with all life during his great challenges afterwards, and he knew that his new allies were guiding him.

(Note: All AI versions are based on my 3D Blender renderings, paintings, or photographs)

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

Eight of Cups: Saturn in Pisces,

Mercury in Splendor (Eighth Emanation)

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LORD OF ABANDONED SUCCESS

Eight of Cups: (AI Version)

   Nathan stopped to rest on a beach near eight golden cups. Three of the golden cups were stacked on top of the other five, which left a gap--as if something was missing. Through that gap between the cups, Nathan could see an old friend climbing a steep hill. Nathan shouted and waved, but the ocean was drowning out his voice, and his friend didn't turn around--as though determined to leave everything behind. His friend was once a powerful and successful knight who had fought valiantly for the realm. Now, however, his friend, who wasn't wearing his suit of armor, seemed to be abandoning his success and moving on. Nathan was afraid that they might not ever encounter each other again, which saddened him because his friend had taught him how to be an effective knight. The eight golden cups suggested to Nathan that his friend had gained knowledge and strength as a knight on a deep spiritual level, but perhaps his friend felt that something was wrong with his life. Nathan experienced deeper and deeper melancholy as he watched his friend climb higher and higher up the hill.

The King of Cups (3D Version)

   At sunrise, Nathan rode his horse along the beach and eventually found the King of Cups. Nathan dismounted from his horse and bowed. "Your Majesty, I have a question."
   The King responded, "Yes, my friend, what is your question?"
   "Your Majesty, last night I saw a great knight leaving on a journey. He is a friend of mine who taught me many things. I got the sense that he was abandoning his success as a knight because he felt something was missing in his life. Do you know why he was leaving, your Majesty?"
   "Yes, my valiant knight, in our realm this is actually a time of joy and celebration, for your friend is now following a spiritual path, which will greatly benefit the realm."
   "How so? If you don't mind me asking, your Highness."
   "If you have a few minutes I will tell you, for you someday might find yourself in a similar situation. Remember the Father of the Gods, our beloved Saturn, who resides in the third Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Understanding. The Emanation of Understanding is the womb of creation above the planes of manifestation, where our beloved Heavenly Mother also resides. During the cosmic act of creation, Saturn knew that he needed to give beings in the planes of manifestation a way to survive in challenging and harsh conditions, so he gave them instincts. Was your friend using a wand as a walking stick, by any chance?"
   "Yes, your Highness."
   "Think of the wand as representing the range of energies associated with the instincts. At one end of the wand, the instincts can trigger terribly unbalanced behavior, especially if negative emotions are clouding a person's judgement. At the other end, the instincts can be used in a balanced, ideal way for the highest good if a person has a mind free of negativity."
   "I am afraid that I don't quite understand, your Highness."
   "For instance, think of the fourth Emanation, which is the first state of being to form in the planes of manifestation below the heavenly realms. The fourth Emanation is known as 'Mercy' and is associated with Jupiter. The most basic instinct bestowed by Saturn on the beings in the realms of manifestation is the self-preservation instinct. At one end of the spectrum, for example, people filled with negativity who stir the survival instinct can manifest the unbalanced vices of tyranny, bigotry, gluttony, and hypocrisy, all of which are types of selfishness that are often quite harmful to the community of all life. The survival instinct, in other words, can be the motivation for self-aggrandizement, for obtaining power and wealth at the expense of others, often through aggression. On the other hand, we can exercise discipline and understanding, both characteristics of Saturn, to manifest the basic instinctual force in a selfless, virtuous manner through obedience to the Divine Will for the highest possible good of all life, for all beings are divine and everything is connected. In that way, in other words, we are motivated by the self-preservation instinct to protect and preserve the community of life so that we and all other beings can survive in a sustainable, balanced manner."
   "I think I am beginning to understand, your Highness."
   "Let me provide you with another example. Think of the fifth Emanation known as 'Severity' or 'Strength,' which is associated with Mars. To continue the metaphor, at the negative end of the wand in the sphere of Mars is the instinct for combat, which can lead to cruelty and destructiveness. Using the instinct in a positive, ideal way, on the other hand, a person can manifest courage, discipline, strength, and the power of righteousness in the pursuit of justice.
   "Completing the ethical triangle on the Tree of Life is the sixth Emanation known as 'Beauty.' The vice in the sixth Emanation is pride, another form of selfishness that can lead to tribalism, denial of the truth, as well as conflict with individuals and other groups. Pride exalts the self and people in some groups above all others. Some religious groups, for example, end up causing great harm to people and the realm as a whole because they are acting out of pride and self-exaltation, and these religious groups will sometimes even support a demagogue who promises to be their protector and savior--even though that person is obviously a criminal and a fraud and a cheat and a liar and a narcissist who acts from the basest of intentions and motivations. If, on the other hand, we use the forces of the instinct in the Emanation of Beauty in a positive manner--without negativity--we can know the meaning of selfless sacrifice and harmonizing love. We can experience the light of Universal Consciousness, for the Son in the Emanation of Beauty shows us the Father.

Mars and Venus in Relation to Each Other on the Tree of Life

   "I'll provide just one more example. If you look carefully at the Tree of Life, you'll notice a slanted path descending from the sphere of Mars, which is the fifth Emanation, down to the sphere of Venus, which is the seventh Emanation. This has deep meaning, for in mythology Mars and Venus are lovers, and both manifest the life-force in its most potent state. One might believe that their passion for each other is due to the sexual instinct, but also notice that the slanted path passes through Beauty, the sixth Emanation associated with The Sun, which harmonizes and purifies the basic instinct so that they feel great passion for each other as well as high spiritual love.
   "The world right now is in crying need of leaders who choose to act with virtue, not vice--in other words, leaders who act in an ideal, balanced manner instead of a negative, unbalanced manner. Any leader who stimulates the negative aspects of the instincts in his followers can cause terrible chaos and divisiveness and end up ruining a society. Each Emanation on the Tree of Life within the planes of manifestation has both a virtue and a vice, and all of the virtues and vices manifest in The Kingdom, the physical realm, so our leaders and their followers need to be aware of how the instincts are affecting them and how they can use the instincts as forces for a higher good.
   "The reason that we are celebrating your friend's departure on his spiritual journey is that first he is going to cleanse himself with water, which he will do before he begins his journey. Then he will mentally cleanse all negativity from the energy centers in his psyche so that he is no longer motivated by his instincts to act in a selfish or destructive way. In our realm, we all internalize negativity, and as we grow older, the negativity tends to build up inside of us, but after his purification process, negativity will no longer influence how he acts, instinctively or otherwise. He is going to honor the forces of the Tree of Life through strong dedication and discipline, both of which together lead to harmony and understanding. In that way, using his instincts in an ideal, balanced manner, he can serve the community of all life for the highest possible good."
   "Thank you. I understand now, your Majesty. I serve thee always."

The World: Saturn (AI Version)

   Nathan found a Tarot card very similar to what he witnessed as he rested by the ocean: the Eight of Cups. The decan association of the card, he remembered, is Saturn in Pisces, and the Tree of Life correspondence is Mercury in Splendor, the Eighth Emanation. Nathan pondered for a moment. Strangely, he thought to himself, the High Priestess is associated with the astrological symbol of The Moon while the Tarot card entitled The Moon represents Pisces. The holy man in the castle once told Nathan that the ancients purposely created blinds in the Tarot so that the uninitiated would become confused and give up trying to understand the cards and therefore would not be able to use the forces represented by the Tree of Life in an unbalanced way.

The Moon: Pisces (3D Version)

   Nathan examined The Moon, the card representing Pisces. A dog and a jackal are howling at the moon, and a large crawdad is emerging from the water--a scene that reveals primal instincts stimulated by the forces of the moon. Nathan remembered that the mythological principle associated with the card is "The Emergence from Water," which suggests that creatures with their basic instincts are emerging from the primordial waters--or suggests the emergence from water after purification. When Nathan looked closer, he noticed that the moon is in front of the sun. The moon provides a magnetic pull on the earth and except during the "dark of the moon" reflects the light of the sun in different phases. Since humans are part animal, the moon can stimulate the primal instincts within the human psyche, but even within the animal nature of human beings, Nathan realized, there is also a great pull in the soul toward the light of The Sun, the Source of all life on earth and the spiritual symbol of harmonizing love and sacrifice.
   Nathan rode to a secluded part of the forest where he could perform a ritual with the Tarot card known as The World, associated with Saturn.

Active and Passive Invoking Pentagrams

   Because Nathan was creating a living image based on the Eight of Cups with the Tarot Pentagram Spread, he placed all the foundation cards down on his makeshift altar with the tops facing west on his altar. Since Water is a passive element, Nathan used the Passive Invoking Pentagram while laying down the cards, starting in the lower left corner of the pentagram, moving to the upper right corner and continuing from there. After he placed all of the cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Passive Invoking Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the lower left corner to complete the pentagram.

Foundation Cards with The World

   Then he placed The World in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The World, Saturn, Journey through the Underworld." As he tapped the card, he realized that the mythological principle of "Journey through the Underworld" could be referring to the purification of the instincts and the dark areas of the mind. The holy man in the castle, he remembered, had once mentioned a story of Anubis taking people deep into the underworld to cleanse them of all negativity.

Modifier for the Eight of Cups: The Moon

   Then he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups in the upper right hand corner of the pentagram as a modifier. As he placed The Moon on the Ace of Cups, he stated while tapping the card, "The Moon, Pisces, the Emergence from Water."

Invoking Spirit Pentagram

   Then Nathan drew the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram and the spirit wheel in the air in brilliant white above The World on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer. 

Invoking Pentagram for the Element of Water

   After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Water directly over the Passive Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of the eagle, associated with Scorpio, in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of the eagle's head becoming the living image of the main figure in The World. Then he imagined the figure moving a few feet west of his altar and coming alive as a full-length figure. As he visualized the living image of the Tarot card, he imagined undines flowing from the Archangel Gabriel and filling the living image while at the same time the bright points of Water flowed from his aura and filled the living image as well.
   Then he stated, "I name you Saturn, Father of the Gods, who has provided all creatures in the world with instincts to enable them survive."
   Then he said, "From the holy Emanation of Understanding, help me to purify myself so that I may manifest the the virtues, the ideal aspects of the instincts, for the highest possible good of myself and others."
   Then he humbly stated, "Perform this task, then return to the divine Emanation of Understanding, doing no harm. So mote it be!"
   Before he finished the ritual, Nathan imagined for a few minutes the living image of the figure in The World purifying him with water so that he could manifest the virtues associated with the instincts. Then he ended the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   Nathan began to act with greater compassion and understanding during his great challenges afterwards, and he knew that his new ally was guiding him.

(Please note: All AI Versions are based on my 3D Blender renderings, paintings, or photographs)