All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.
THE LADY OF PEACE RESTORED
Two of Swords (3D Version)
As Nathan was riding at night through the Tarot Realm, he noticed a blindfolded woman near the ocean crossing two long swords across her chest as the moon was rising behind her. For some reason, as Nathan gazed upon her, he felt a great longing to return home to the realm from which he came, even though he had heard that turmoil and divisiveness continued roiling across the land. The moon and water expressed widespread flux and inevitable change, but the woman showed such inner balance amidst the unrest and fluidity that Nathan wondered for a moment if he could maintain such inner balance in any realm full of so much hatred and disorder. He knew that it would take great concentration and discipline in a land plagued by poverty and disease and inequality to have any positive spiritual impact at all. He wondered if he, like the woman, would need to wear a blindfold to avoid seeing the negativity in the country around him. He sighed and continued riding through the realm, hoping to find the King or Queen of Swords.
In the morning, Nathan finally came upon the Queen of Swords. Nathan dismounted and bowed as he approached the Queen. "I serve thee always, my Queen, but I have a question."
The Queen gazed at him. "Yes, my devoted knight. What is your query?"
Nathan carefully described the woman holding the two swords in perfect balance near the ocean. Then he stated, "I confess that when I looked upon her I had an overwhelming desire to return to the realm from which I came. I was hoping that you might help me understand why. You see, I have learned so much here in this realm that I hesitate to leave it even though as a knight I might provide aid and comfort to a few people drowning in depression, divisiveness, and disillusionment in a troubled land."
Holding her sword straight up and down, the Queen responded, "Yes, my brave knight, I have had the feeling that you might want to return to your homeland to strive for positive change in such an unsettled realm. I know the woman you speak of. She is one of the people who maintains harmony and balance in the spiritual dimension for us in this realm. What subtle forces are influencing her, do you think?"
Nathan thought for a moment. "The ocean and the moon were directly behind her. I couldn't help but be aware of the phases of the moon and notice the constant flux of the water."
"Do you understand the significance of the Moon in her situation?"
"I am not sure, your Majesty. I know that the High Priestess, who is associated with The Moon, represents a deep understanding of the paths on the Tree of Life and embodies the mythological principle of 'The Descent of the Divine.' Despite all of the changes in the world, both good and bad, perhaps the woman is like the High Priestess, able to maintain inner harmony and balance by connecting with the positive subtle forces in the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. The woman was not sitting on a throne, like the High Priestess, however. She seemed completely alone and unacknowledged. With her blindfold on, she seemed anonymous."
"A few people in this realm have purified themselves, and they have dedicated themselves to maintaining spiritual harmony, but of course they usually receive very little recognition. They have chosen to withdraw from worldly matters because they have a deep understanding of the need for sacrifice. There is a personal cost to maintaining balance and harmony in any realm."
"Yes, your Majesty, I understand. How is she able to maintain such inner balance? I am afraid that I would not be able to do so in such a tumultuous realm as the one I came from."
"Do you think that there might be another subtle influence that is motivating her?"
"Well, your Highness, I think there must be. Perhaps only a person who has experienced a great deal of disorder and lawlessness would undertake such a task."
"Yes, I believe that is true. What, my dear knight, is the mythological principle associated with Libra?"
Nathan thought for a moment. "If I am not mistaken, your Highness, it is 'The Justice of Heaven.' I see now, I think. The experience of 'The Descent of the Divine' can inspire a person to strive for 'The Justice of Heaven.' Thank you for your deep understanding, your Highness. You have helped me to clarify my thoughts and feelings, which I deeply appreciate."
"You are welcome, my dear knight, and may the wind be always at your back, no matter which path you choose."
The holy man in the castle had once told Nathan that when dealing with a Tarot card associated with the second Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Wisdom, only two modifiers can be used because no single Tarot card represents only the zodiac. Knowing that the Two of Swords has a Tree of Life correspondence of the Zodiac in Wisdom, Nathan chose the Two of Swords, a card that was hauntingly similar to the woman holding the swords by the sea. The two modifiers associated with the decan of the Two of Swords are Justice, representing Libra, and The High Priestess, representing The Moon. The holy man had once confided that two modifiers can have great power in a Tarot Pentagram Spread if you concentrate on the mythological principle in each card.
Nathan first identified the decan associated with the Two of Swords: Justice (Libra) and The High Priestess (The Moon), Justice representing the spiritual principle of "The Justice of Heaven," and The Moon representing the "The Descent of the Divine."
Nathan got ready to create an artificial elemental of the Two of Swords with the Tarot Pentagram Spread. First, since Air is an active element, he used the Active Invoking Spirit 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.
The Passive and Active Invoking Pentagrams
After he placed all of the foundation cards, he tapped each card in the direction of the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram, making sure to tap the one in the position of Fire in the lower right corner to complete the pentagram.
Then he placed the Two of Swords in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Two of Swords, Lady of Peace Restored, The Moon in Libra, the Zodiac in Wisdom," and tapped the card. Next, he included the two modifiers on the Ace of Swords: Justice, representing Libra, and The High Priestess, representing The Moon.
As he placed the first modifier on the Ace of Swords, he said, "Justice, Libra, 'The Justice of Heaven.'" Then he tapped the card. As he placed the second modifier on Justice, he said, "The High Priestess, The Moon, 'The Descent of the Divine.'" Then he tapped the card.
Then Nathan drew the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram and the spirit wheel in brilliant white above the Two of Swords on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer.
After that, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Air directly over the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of Aquarius in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of Aquarius becoming the living image of the figure in the Two of Swords, and she came alive as a full-length figure. As Nathan visualized the living image, he imagined that sylphs flowed from the Archangel Raphael and 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.
After gazing at the cards for a moment, he stated, "Lady of Peace Restored, motivate me through the descent of the divine to strive for the justice of heaven for the highest possible good of the realm." Then, he finished with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
From that point on, Nathan often unexpectedly felt the descent of the divine and experienced the motivation to strive for inner balance, and he knew that he could return to the realm from which he came.
Find out how Claire and Nathan discovered the Tarot Realm. (This version contains both AI versions and original versions.)
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