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

Five of Wands: Saturn in Leo, Mars in Power (AI Version)

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LORD OF STRIFE

Five of Wands (3D Version)

   Nathan was riding through town when he heard clattering and clashing sounds nearby and turned to find five boys fighting each other with long wooden wands. He paused for a moment and smiled. He remembered the days, which seemed so long ago, when he had fought other boys in his neighborhood. They had occasionally hurt each other, but never seriously. He suddenly longed for the time when skirmishes and battles resulted in greater strength and courage instead of bloodshed and death. For Nathan and for the other knights of the realm, all battles and skirmishes were a matter of life or death, victory or defeat. Sometimes as a boy, in the realm where he grew up, Nathan had pretended to be a knight during neighborhood scuffles, and he suspected that those skirmishes had prepared him for his future in the Tarot Realm, but as he nostalgically observed the rough-and-tumble fight, he was suddenly no longer sure that it was in his best interests to be a warrior on the physical level. He wondered if instead he could be a warrior on the spiritual level.
   As Nathan rode back to the castle, he thought about the subtle forces that were influencing the five boys during the rumble. Many boys constantly jockeyed for power, trying to be top dog, but it seemed more than just an instinct for combat or dominance. The fights often ended up being fun to some degree, but they also built confidence and courage and strength. Sometimes a trivial fight could bring a deep inner power into consciousness that the boy didn't even know he had.
   The holy man smiled as he approached Nathan, "Good to see you again, my friend."
   Nathan smiled. "Good to see you again as well. Thank you for coming to see me."
   "My pleasure," the holy man replied.
   "While you're here, can I ask you a question?" Nathan asked.
   "Of course, my friend."
   "While in town, I saw some boys fighting each other with long wooden staffs. The fight took me back to my childhood, but instead of seeming like just a free-for-all stimulated by mere instinct or hormones, the fight seemed to have a deeper spiritual purpose. I began to suspect that strong spiritual influences were at play."
   The holy man smiled. "The instinct for combat is often quite strong, especially in teenage boys, but I think you're right. Can you think of any subtle forces that might have been influencing them?"
   "Well, when I was a boy, I often pretended to be a knight commanded by the God of war, but there seemed to be something more than the subtle influence of Mars. Is it possible that Leo was influencing them as well?"
   "Ah, yes, the force of Mars can give you great courage and strength, but the force of Leo can give you something just as powerful. Do you remember the mythological principle associated with Leo?"
    Nathan thought hard for a moment. "Aw, I remember now. We have discussed this before. The mythological principle of Leo is 'Meeting with the Other Self.'"
   "Do you remember what 'the Other Self' is?"
   "If I am not mistaken, it means the higher self."
   "On the Tree of Life, the higher self consists of six Emanations. In terms of personal consciousness, the three supernal Emanations at the top of the Tree represent the divine core of the individual. The Kingdom, or tenth Emanation, represents the the physical reality where the subtle spiritual forces manifest. Do you remember the six Emanations of the higher self?"
   "They would have to include the ethical triangle represented by Jupiter, Mars, and The Sun, and the magical triangle represented by Venus, Mercury, and the Moon."
   "Together, the six Emanations form the soul of the individual, the higher self, which is also known as the evolutionary Individuality, the unit of consciousness that survives after the body turns to dust. Eventually, after many incarnations in the physical realm, the soul experiences union with the Divine Source."
   "So, in the physical realm, by learning to fight and then by fighting for a higher cause, a person can get in touch with his higher self? That isn't limited to physical fighting, is it?"
   "You can become a spiritual warrior as well, but that takes even greater discipline. Which Gods are the great taskmasters?"
   "Mars and Saturn are the great disciplinarians."
   "Okay, let's tease this out a bit. Some believe that martial discipline is the most effective way to develop self-restraint and control in the physical realm. Mars is a God of justice and courage and strength and remains on the side of underdogs who fight for a righteous cause. The mythological principle of Mars is "The War at the World's End,' which sounds apocalyptic, but an apocalypse can be a prophetic disclosure or revelation, a great shift in understanding that enables the heart and mind to open to the energies of heaven, in other words, a shift that enables individual consciousness to experience the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. The experience of an apocalypse can be individual or collective, like the experience of any of the powerful subtle energies of the Tree of Life. What is the mythological principle of Saturn?"
   "'The Descent into the Underworld,' which can be a cleansing and enlightening experience that burns away negativity and opens the heart and mind to Universal Consciousness."
   "Yes, my friend. Through Saturn we are disciplined by form, which ultimately, in my opinion, is even more severe than martial discipline, but 'The Descent into the Underworld' can help us to release and burn away the negativity caused by conflicts and limitations. Throughout history, conditions have often seemed to indicate that the world was about to end, and if you return to your homeland, you might experience a heightened sense of fear in many people about the future of humanity and the planet, for good reason, but remember that a spiritual apocalypse is a shift in understanding that links the consciousness of the incarnated personality with the higher self, which in turn is linked to the divine core and Universal Consciousness. That understanding enables you to be a powerful spiritual warrior even if the world is ending. That is why I have have taught you rituals that can establish and maintain those links even in the harshest circumstances."
   "Thank you, my friend, I will always remember."

Strength: Leo (AI Version)

   Nathan pulled out the Five of Wands from his Tarot deck. As he gazed at the card, he remembered that the decan association of the Five of Wands is Saturn in Leo, and the Tree of Life correspondence is Mars in Power, the fifth Emanation. He chose the Five of Wands as the central card, and he included as modifying cards Strength, which represents Leo; The World, which represents Saturn; and The Tower, which represents Mars.

The World: Saturn (AI Version)

   Then he created an artificial elemental, also known as a living image, with the Tarot Pentagram Spread, using those cards.

The Tower: Mars (AI Version)

   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.

Active and Passive Invoking Pentagrams

   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 the Five of Wands

   Then he placed the Five of Wands in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "Five of Wands, Lord of Strife, Saturn in Leo, Mars in Power," and tapped the card.

Modifying Cards for the Five of Wands

   Then, since Leo is a Fire sign, and the Five of Wands represents Saturn in Leo, Nathan placed Strength as a modifier on the Ace of Wands. As he was tapping the card, he stated, "Strength, Leo, 'Meeting with the Other Self,'" After that, he placed The World over Strength and stated, "The World, Saturn, 'The Descent into the Underworld." Then he placed The Tower on The World and stated, "The Tower, Mars, 'The War at World's End."

 Spirit Pentagram

   Then Nathan drew the Active Invoking Spirit Pentagram and the spirit wheel in brilliant white above the Five of Wands on the altar, charging the pentagram and the symbol in the usual way with the Sign of the Enterer. Next, he drew an Invoking Pentagram for Fire directly over the Spirit Pentagram, charging the pentagram and the symbol of Leo in the usual way. At that point, he imagined the symbol of Leo becoming the living image of the Five of Wands, and the warriors came alive as full-length figures. 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.

Invoking Pentagram for Fire

   After gazing at the cards for a moment, he stated, "Lord of Strife, I humbly ask thee to help me to remain conscious of the links between my incarnated personality, my higher self, and my divine core, and help me maintain the discipline I need to function in my higher self even in the worst circumstances."
   Then he ended by saying, "So mote it be!" Before he finished the ritual, he performed the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, and he imagined how he could help others by living in his higher self.
   From that point on, Nathan often felt a sense of living from the perspective of his higher self.

Continue with Nathan through the Tarot Realm.

Review the LBRP and the SIRP.

(All AI generated images are based on paintings, 3D Blender renderings, or photographs by Jim Robbins.)

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

Four of Swords: Jupiter in Libra, Jupiter in Mercy (AI Version)

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LORD OF REST FROM STRIFE

Four of Swords (3D Version)

   As Nathan continued his journey through the Tarot Realm, he decided to rest a few moments in a church, where another knight, who at first seemed a recumbent effigy on top of a tomb, remained in deep meditation. Three swords pointed directly down at him, but a fourth sword rested horizontally on the side of the bed.
   Then Nathan noticed a brilliant stained glass window above the meditating knight. The window suggested the vividness of a vision. Nathan closed his eyes and felt that he was being drawn into a meditative state. After awhile--he was not quite sure how long--he had a vision of a crowned woman in a red robe holding a sword straight up and down in her right hand and golden scales in the other.

Justice: Libra (AI Version)

   Suddenly the woman spoke, "You can maintain balance deep in the soul even when conflict rages around you, but you must go below the conscious mind, which is so often full of strife and contradiction. Deep in the subconscious mind is a state where symbols, patterns of spiritual principle, manifest. In this state of deep transformation and regeneration, the higher self reveals patterns of the harmony, magnificence, and abundance of the spirit.

The Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter (3D Version)

   "Here in this inner realm, you can have visions and hear wise voices. You can transcend the five senses, as well as time and space, and establish balance within yourself so that you can then manifest harmony, which eventually results in greater harmony for yourself and your realm."

The King of Swords (AI Version)

   After leaving the church, Nathan came upon the King of Swords. He dismounted, and as he was walking toward the King, Nathan thought for a moment that he saw golden butterflies fluttering behind the King's head.
   "Good afternoon, your Majesty. If you have a moment, I have a question," Nathan stated politely.
   "Yes, my brave knight. What is your query?" the King of Swords replied.
   "Thank you, your Highness," Nathan responded. "I just encountered a knight meditating in church. I felt drawn into the meditative state as I gazed upon him, and I got the sense that he was in a deep inner state of harmony and peace even though three swords were pointing straight down at him, and I also sensed the magnificence and abundance of the human spirit. Even if a person is overwhelmed by conflict, is it possible for a person to maintain a deep state of inner harmony, your Highness? In this case, I think the knight was experiencing the subtle energies of Jupiter in Libra."
   "You can establish an inner state of harmony and abundance and joy, my friend, even during times of great conflict. In meditation and ritual, you can release all of the negative energies that have built up inside your heart and mind and spirit and even within your body. You can purify yourself at every level. When you have healed yourself, the golden butterflies of transformation appear, and you can touch the different dimensions of Universal Consciousness represented by the paths of the Tree of Life. One of the central paths on the great Tree is called 'Justice,' and it represents 'The Justice of Heaven.' What does that mythological principle mean to you?"
   "To me, your Majesty, it means neutralizing dark, unbalanced forces and releasing inner negativity to establish inner harmony and balance. I think it has a great deal to do with forgiveness for others who have harmed you. Once you release that negativity, you can also begin to feel sympathy and love for others who are struggling, and even for all of humanity, even for those who have acted in extremely unbalanced ways toward you or toward the community of all life."
   "Invoking the great powers of harmony, such as the Archangels of the Elements, can also help you to maintain harmony and balance on all levels of your being. The holy man in the castle has shown you how to do that, has he not?"
   "Yes, he has, your Highness. I practice the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram daily. As you might know, I am thinking of returning to my homeland, and I must confess that I am afraid of returning to a realm so overwhelmed by negativity and conflict that it might make me unbalanced. If I am going to remain a knight in that realm, I need to maintain a state of inner harmony as much as humanly possible."
   "Remember, my friend, that the mythological principle of Jupiter is 'Aspiration.'" The root of the word gives us a clue: spirare ("to breathe") and spiritus ("spirit"). Always remember that as a knight you aspire to maintain harmony in the world around you, no matter what realm you are in. Knowing what is right and wrong, what is balanced or unbalanced, what is beneficial or harmful, requires inner harmony. Through your aspiration to maintain harmony within yourself and your sphere of influence, you can experience and manifest the justice of heaven, for yourself and others around you, even in extremely difficult circumstances. If you return to your homeland, the aspiration to experience and manifest the harmony, abundance, and magnificence of the human spirit will have to remain crucial to your being, like breathing, for that realm is riddled with dark forces, which often cause unbalanced people to commit great injustices. If you can, also remember that what happens in your homeland can have an adverse effect on this realm, so if you are able to continue to aspire to manifest the harmony of spirit, mind, heart, and body in that realm, you will also benefit the Tarot Realm. All realms are connected, and we are all connected by consciousness, as is the community of all life."
   Nathan bowed. "Thank you, your Highness. I will always remember your wise words."

The Breakers into Pieces (AI Version)

   The holy man in the castle had once told Nathan that when dealing with a Tarot card associated with the same God or Goddess representing both the Emanation on the Tree of Life as well as the the decan, only two modifiers can be used. Knowing that the Four of Swords has a Tree of Life correspondence of Jupiter in Mercy, and the decan association of Jupiter in Libra, Nathan chose two modifiers: Justice, representing Libra, and The Wheel of Fortune, representing Jupiter.

The Passive and Active Invoking Pentagrams

   Nathan got ready to create an artificial elemental of the Three 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.
   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.

Foundation Cards with The Four of Swords

   Then he placed the Four of Swords in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Four of Swords, Lord of Rest from Strife, Jupiter in Libra, Jupiter in Mercy," and tapped the card. Next, he included the two modifiers on the Ace of Swords: Justice, representing Libra, and The Wheel of Fortune, representing Jupiter.

Modifiers with The Four of Swords: Justice and The Wheel of Fortune

   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 Wheel of Fortune, Jupiter, 'Aspiration.'" Then he tapped the card.

Pentagram for Spirit

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

Invoking Pentagram for Air

   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 Four of Swords, and it came alive in his imagination. 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, "Lord of Rest from Strife, help me to establish inner harmony and balance and manifest the magnificence and abundance of the human spirit as well as the justice of heaven." Then, he finished with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   From that point on, Nathan often experienced inner harmony and balance.

Continue with Nathan through the Tarot Realm.

Review the LBRP and the SIRP.

(All AI generated images are based on paintings, 3D Blender renderings, or photographs by Jim Robbins.)

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

Nine of Cups: Jupiter in Pisces, The Moon in The Foundation (AI Version)

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LORD OF MATERIAL HAPPINESS

Nine of Cups (3D Version)

   One day, Nathan stumbled into a room in an unfamiliar part of the castle, and he unexpectedly encountered a man sitting quietly on a bench. Nathan could smell fragrant incense and hear stunning music and see ravishing tapestries and paintings on the walls, and he could tell that the man was tuning his mind to subtle spiritual energy high above worldly concerns. Nathan wanted to apologize to the man for interrupting, but the man smiled, emanating a joyful vibration. Mixed with the joy was also a sense of magnificence and harmony and abundance. The man had a mysterious power: he seemed capable of shifting the mood of other people to a positive vibration. Nathan stared quizzically at the man for a moment, then nodded his head and quickly left the room.

The King of Cups

   The next day, Nathan rode his horse along the ocean and came upon 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 query?"
   "Your Majesty, I recently stumbled upon a man in the castle in a room filled with fragrant incense and music and works of art that ravish the soul. He seemed to be tuning his mind to something that made him joyful, and his happiness affected my mood. Do some people have the ability to affect others emotionally and spiritually, your Majesty?"
   "You might be surprised at how connected we all are at the spiritual and mental and emotional levels. Some people are keenly aware of that connection and consciously create an inner temple of spiritual archetypes that represent the paths of the Tree of Life, in other words, the dimensions of Universal Consciousness, and they know that using the senses can help us connect with those positive spiritual energies. In other words, incense and music and art and archetypes can help you tune your mind to high spiritual energies, during meditation or ritual, and can help you experience the power of imagination and the magnificence, abundance, and harmony of the human spirit."
   "I got the sense, your Highness, that the energy of the moon was involved in some way."

The Moon and Pisces on the Tree of Life

   "The moon represents the powerful energy of the imagination. In the Tarot, the High Priestess, who, through imagination, is deeply connected to all the paths on the Tree of Life, represents the Moon. But the ancients loved to create blinds that confuse the uninitiated. In other words, another card in the Tarot is called 'The Moon' but represents Pisces. Both The Moon and Pisces are associated with the element of Water, which represents the emotions and the subconscious mind. Rituals and meditation and the arts help us to feel deep emotions and to go deep into the subconscious mind, which links us to extremely powerful spiritual energies. The imagination naturally creates archetypal images that help us to understand the subtle spiritual energies."
   "You mentioned experiencing the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of the human spirit, your Highness. Is the subtle energy of Jupiter also involved in this experience?"
   "If you experience love for the arts and for the flowers and birds and other creatures of the earth, you can more easily connect with the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. The more you love, the more you can connect with the paths of the Tree of Life, like the High Priestess. The more you love, the more you can experience the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of creation and the human spirit. The more you engage your senses lovingly with the world around you, the more you can expand your consciousness and feel your connection with the various dimensions of creation. An inner state of love and connection can create an external state of material happiness, and material happiness, through the use of the physical senses and the imagination, can help us access the different dimensions of Universal Consciousness."
   "So Jupiter is very much involved in this process."
   "Indeed. In the realm you came from, many people in power want to break down your ability to love, for the power of The Moon and Jupiter threatens them. The wealthy and powerful do everything they can to alienate you from other people and other creatures of the earth. They want to confuse you with incessant propaganda and lies, and they want you to focus primarily on making money for them and on consuming their goods so that they maintain their power. If you feel the subtle energies of The Moon and Jupiter, you would not allow yourself to harm other people or the world. If you decide to return to that realm, be careful, for Tarot rituals open up your imagination and help you feel your connection to all of creation. People in power in that realm prefer religious practices that cause divisiveness, for hatred and division help them maintain power."
   "Thank you, your Highness, I will remember your wise advice. I serve thee always." Nathan bowed and mounted his horse and rode off to a secluded part of the forest.

The Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter

   Nathan found a Tarot card very similar to what he had witnessed: the Nine of Cups. The decan association in the card, he remembered, is Jupiter in Pisces, and the Tree of Life correspondence is The Moon in The Foundation, the ninth 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 give up trying to understand the cards and therefore would not be able to use the subtle forces represented by the Tree of Life for unbalanced reasons.

The Moon: Pisces

   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 the 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 cleansing and purification. Nathan realized that the purification of the mind and the emotions must be of paramount importance in spiritual development, for a soul filled with negativity cannot connect with other people or other creatures of the earth.

The High Priestess: The Moon

   Because Nathan was creating a living image based on the Nine 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.

Passive and Active Invoking Pentagrams

   After he placed all of the foundation 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 Nine of Cups

   Then he placed the Nine of Cups in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Nine of Cups, Jupiter in Pisces, The Moon in The Foundation." Then he tapped the card.

Modifiers for the Nine of Cups: The Moon, The Wheel of Fortune, and The High Priestess

   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 Wheel of Fortune on The Moon and stated, "The Wheel of Fortune, Jupiter, 'Aspiration.'" Then he placed The High Priestess on The Wheel of Fortune and stated, "The High Priestess, The Moon, 'The Descent of the Divine."

Invoking Pentagram for the Element of Water

   Then Nathan drew the Passive Invoking 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. 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 Nine of Cups. 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 thee Lord of Material Happiness, Jupiter in Pisces, The Moon in The Foundation."
   Then he said, "From the holy Emanation of The Foundation, Shaddai El Chai, help me to purify my heart and mind so that through my physical senses I may come to love all of the dimensions of Universal Consciousness and the world."
   Then he humbly stated, "Perform this task, then return to the divine Emanation of The Foundation, 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 connect with all of the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. Then he ended the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   Afterwards, Nathan began to feel more love for all of the creatures of the earth, and he knew that his new ally was guiding him.

Continue with Nathan through the Tarot Realm.

Review the LBRP and the SIRP.

(All AI generated images are based on paintings, 3D Blender renderings, or photographs by James T. Robbins.)

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

Three of Swords: Saturn in Libra, Saturn in Understanding (AI Version)

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LORD OF SORROW

Four of Wands (3D Version)

   As Nathan was riding during a rainstorm through the Tarot Realm, he envisioned three swords piercing a heart that was floating in the sky above him. The heart was not bleeding, and the swords were perfectly balanced, with one straight up and down and two crossing each other diagonally. Despite the balance, Nathan felt a deep sense of sorrow for the human condition and for himself. He felt confused because of the contrast between sorrow and balance. He just could not understand how terrible pain and grief could exist in a harmonious state.

Queen of Swords

   After the rain ended, Nathan found 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 his vision of three swords in perfect balance piercing a heart. Then he stated, "I confess that when I looked upon the heart I had an overwhelming feeling of grief and loss, yet I also felt a sense of peace. I was hoping that you might help me understand my strangely conflicting emotions."
   Holding her sword straight up and down, the Queen responded, "Bleeding Hearts are reminders for us to be compassionate for the suffering of others, and they are also symbols of undying love. The bleeding heart flower is often used in floral arrangements at both weddings and funerals. All people experience sickness and suffering and loss. Through love and compassion, we neutralize the negativity of suffering and create harmony for ourselves and others. Do you remember the mythological principle of Saturn?"
   Nathan thought for a moment. "I do, your Highness. The 'Descent into the Underworld.'"
   "Do you understand its significance?"
   "Perhaps, your Majesty. I know that Saturn is the Father of the Gods. On one level, the God Saturn limits free-flowing spiritual force in physical form, and physical form always eventually breaks down, which can result in suffering and loss for human beings. Through suffering, we develop compassion, which helps us to understand that we are all part of the collective consciousness of humanity. In the process, many of us also come to understand that we are also part of one Universal Consciousness."
   "What do you think the 'Descent into the Underworld' means?"
   "Well, your Highness, in my personal experience, the 'Descent into the Underworld' means a descent into the subconscious mind. Personally, during meditation, I empty my mind. Sometimes I cleanse my consciousness by entering the void, and sometimes I purify my chakras by mentally draining negativity from my energy centers into the fires below the earth. At one point during the mental purification process, I realized that the energy centers in the aura are associated with the Tree of Life, and I also realized that by purifying our energy centers, we create harmony within the self and within our sphere of influence even if we have experienced great loss and suffering."
   "Yes, my friend. What is the mythological principle of Libra?"
   "Your Majesty, I know that the 'Justice of Heaven' is associated with Libra."
   "What does Libra mean to you?"
   "To me, Libra means harmony and balance even within constant change and suffering. Justice means the continual attempt to maintain harmony and balance for the highest possible good."
   "Yes, my friend, and the establishment of harmony within our sphere of influence helps us to experience the energies of heaven."
   "I think I understand, your Highness. Through loss and suffering, we develop compassion and learn how to neutralize negativity and maintain inner harmony, which tends to manifest also as external harmony within our individual personal life and within the realm."
   The Queen nodded. "Understanding is the name for the third Emanation on the Tree of Life, the realm of Saturn and our beloved celestial Mother, and understanding includes sympathy for the pain and suffering of others. Understanding requires imagination, in other words, the ability to imagine what it is like to be in someone else's position. We develop sympathy and understanding through the experiences of illness and pain and suffering and loss. The justice of heaven stems from this understanding, in other words, from sympathy and compassion and love. Without understanding and without the experience of the justice of heaven, we cannot neutralize evil and negativity to create and maintain harmony.
   "My friend, I know that you are thinking of returning to your homeland. I would like to remind you that a great deal of unnecessary pain and suffering exists in that realm. For instance, if you become seriously ill or lose your job, you can lose your home and your access to health care. You can find yourself in a position where you can no longer put food on the table. Tyranny prevails in that realm, and the people there struggle constantly with fear and negativity, but they are conditioned to blame themselves for their misfortune. I know of people in that realm who have lost their job simply because they have told the truth or have fought to protect their environment and their community. The people with wealth control the levers of power and usually do not appreciate or tolerate truth or equality or the attempt to protect the community and the environment because that threatens their wealth, so they purposely create divisiveness, which manifests in horrible ways. The people with wealth and power do not live with sympathy and imagination. They do not know the justice of heaven. They often invade our realm to enslave our people and plunder our resources. They are polluting the entire world and sowing the karmic seeds of disaster. Returning to your homeland will require a great deal of courage on your part, for the powerful in that realm often harm those who live for the justice of heaven. If you stand up for the oppressed, you will become one of the oppressed."
   "Thank you, your Highness, I will remember your words of wisdom. I serve thee always." Nathan bowed and mounted his horse.

Justice: Libra (AI Version)

   The holy man in the castle had once told Nathan that when dealing with a Tarot card where the same God or Goddess is associated with the Emanation on the Tree of Life as well as the the decan, only two modifiers can be used. Knowing that the Three of Swords has a Tree of Life correspondence of Saturn in Understanding and the decan association of Saturn in Libra, Nathan chose two modifiers: Justice, representing Libra, and The World, representing Saturn.

The World: Saturn (AI Version)

   Nathan got ready to create an artificial elemental of the Three 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.

Foundation Cards with The Three of Swords

   Then he placed the Three of Swords in the middle of the pentagram, saying, "The Three of Swords, Lord of Sorrow, Saturn in Libra, Saturn in Understanding," and tapped the card. Next, he included the two modifiers on the Ace of Swords: Justice, representing Libra, and The World, representing Saturn.

Modifiers with The Three of Swords: Justice and The World

   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 World, Saturn, 'The Descent into the Underworld.'" Then he tapped the card.

Pentagram for Spirit

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

Invoking Pentagram for Air

   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 symbol in the Three of Swords, and it came alive in his imagination. 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, "Lord of Sorrow, help me to experience the descent into the underworld so that I know the justice of heaven." Then, he finished with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
   From that point on, Nathan often in meditation experienced the descent into the underworld to neutralize negativity so that he experienced the harmony and balance of the justice of heaven.

Review the LBRP and the SIRP.

(Please note: All AI generated images are based on paintings, 3D Blender renderings or photographs by Jim Robbins.)