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

SEVEN OF CUPS

Meet the Lord of Illusionary Success.

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

   As you continue to wander through the realm of Cups, you encounter a dark man with his hand outstretched as if he is about to pick one of seven golden cups that float before him. Each cup, it seems, contains some emblem of glory. In the cup containing a victory wreath, however, you notice the image of a skull.

Death: Scorpio

   Suddenly you are standing before the figure of Death on a white horse. People are dying all around him. A child holds a flower as if in his innocence he is welcoming the terrible figure.
   You turn to Mr. Mellifluous. Even he seems disturbed. Suddenly Death mutters, “There are many types of death, all transformation. You can die to yourself or to the world, only to find a greater life. Death on every level is not annihilation but regeneration.
   “You must choose carefully, lest you find yourself in a trap worse than death. You have the instincts of self-aggrandizement, combat, lust, instincts that can trap you in a pernicious role that you might regret playing.

The Empress: Venus

   “Look carefully at those golden cups, for the sexual instinct and the instinct for power lead to instability. The influence of Venus remains unstable on the lower realms, but there is hope, for in one cup a figure glows with pink, a color associated with the highest spiritual love. Venus is a Goddess of Love in all its forms, but only the highest form is stable and exalting. Look carefully, for the golden snake of regeneration is attracted to the glowing figure veiled in pink.
   “The person under the veil remains anonymous. The question remains: Do you want wealth and power and fame? Do you want to get lost in a world of dreams? Or do you want to experience exultation and high spiritual love?”

The Page of Wands

   As she flies over the desert, Claire notices a person far below staring at a staff or wand. She spirals down to the person, who seems lost in contemplation, Claire has to wave and loudly announce herself to get the person's attention.

   "Hi, I'm Claire! Who are you?" she inquires.

   "I am the Page of Wands. You can call me the Princess of the Shining Flame, or Rose of the Palace of Fire, but just Flame or Rose will do," she replies, still staring at her wand.

   "What are you doing, if you don't mind me asking?" Claire inquires politely.

   "I am contemplating my Wand, which represents the element of Fire."

   "Wow, that's perfectly wonderful! I want to know more about the elements. What can you tell me?"

   "I am still a student, but I can tell you what I have learned so far. Fire is hot, dry, flowing, luminous, sharp, destructive, life-giving and cleansing. Many believe that Fire evolved first from ether and then from air, with ether giving it the space in which to live, and air giving it the conditions in which to burn. Fire formed in the cosmos as the stars, and we can all see the Fire of our sun, the basis of all life on earth. Since the sun is our physical source, Fire is the basis of the energy in the body that gives us life.  Fire is the basis of the passion of love, the passion of sacrifice, and the passion of the spiritual will, without which the heart and mind cannot achieve greater and greater heights.

   "Since it is dynamic and powerful, it is also linked with masculine energy. Mars is a god associated with Fire, the cleansing fire that destroys obstacles, the fire of justice that burns away evil, the fire that inspires courage, the fire that brings light and knowledge.

   "On a cosmic level, in the zodiac, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius form the triplicity of the Fire element. Regarding the planets, the day ruler, night ruler, and participating ruler of the Fire triplicity are the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn. These archetypal energies are part of the divine Universal Energy field, and therefore they also exist in each personal energy field, as revealed by the Tree of Life. With the heart and mind, we can access these energies within us and expand our consciousness and grow wiser and stronger."

   "How do you know all this?" Claire wonders.

   "Contemplation, meditation, and research, mainly," the Page of Wands replies, still staring at the wand.

   "Thank you so much, my friend. I'll let you get back to it! Bye!" Claire waved and flew high into the sky.

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

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

EIGHT OF CUPS

Meet the Lord of Abandoned Success.

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

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Abandoned Success

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   Suddenly you find yourself near the sea, under the full moon. Near the shore are eight golden cups, three stacked on top of the other five. One cup seems to be missing. As you gaze at the gap between cups you notice a person dressed in red who is beginning a journey up the hillside away from the sea. You suddenly feel that this person might be an artist or magician who over time has developed clear inner vision and a great sense of purpose as well as the discipline to achieve great heights. Under the full moon, you can almost feel the expansion of imagination and inspiration that propels him forward. 

The Moon: Pisces

   The moon speaks, “Primal forces can stimulate the mind to higher attainment. Even though you may have achieved great success in your public or private life, the moon pulls you to the light of the Source. You long for the heights of the spirit even if no one understands your need to move onward to something greater.

The World: Saturn

   “The conscious mind, governed by Mercury, contains motivating primal forces, for Saturn, father of the Gods, is Mercury on a higher arc. The craggy rocks of the shoreline remind you of the primal forces of creation, and the mind longs for the exaltation of contact with those forces. Deep in your soul, you know that you can work with those powerful subtle forces for the highest good of yourself and others.

The Magician: Mercury

   “You know that Mercury enables you to work with those forces by embodying them in imaginative form. Artists and magicians throughout time, for instance, have personified forces as deities or saviors or bodhisattvas so that people can experience them in form and understand their purpose and be inspired by them. After achieving a certain level, artisans realize that they are using their skills to inspire others for the highest good.

   "Both Mercury and Saturn are Gods of restriction and discipline. In the moonlight, even if you are feeling great passion for the journey, you know that you must exercise discipline to achieve your goals. The primal forces that inspire you from deep in the subconscious must link with reason so that the exaltation of the mind leads to greater spiritual understanding.”

King of Pentacles

   Claire finds the King of Pentacles again and flies down to meet him.

   "How do you do, your majesty?" Claire asks.

   "You're back! Good to see you again, my young friend," the King replies.

   Claire blushes. "Thank you, your highness. I was wondering, your majesty, what has influenced you to make you such a great king?"

   "If you look at the pentacle, you might intuit that it represents who I am, for as the King of Pentacles, I am the King of the element of Earth. I am influenced by the four elements that manifest here in this realm, Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. But I am also influenced by a fifth, invisible element, Spirit, which is the underlying element of all that manifests on this earth and the underlying consciousness of all life. All of these elements manifest in this Kingdom. Through these elements, I know the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of the human spirit and the planet, and deep in my heart, I feel love, awe, reverence, and deep gratitude for the Source, the creator of this awesome world."

   "So to become like you, I should feel these elements in my heart?"

   "Yes, my child, for each element represents different levels of being. The elements are associated with the archetypal energies of the zodiac, the triplicities, which are ruled by the powerful archetypal energies of the planets. If you tune your heart and soul to the energies of the four elements and the planets and the zodiac, you will eventually become the Tree of Life itself, your personal energy field in harmony and balance with the Divine Universal Energy Field--one with the Source of all Creation. It is the work of many lifetimes, but if you become as a little child, open to all these energies, you will experience this union more quickly."

   "Yes, your highness, I will feel these elements and energies in my heart and imagine you as often as I can. Thank you so much!" Claire exclaimed as she waved and flew away.

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

 

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

NINE OF CUPS

Meet the Lord of Material Happiness.

Decan: Jupiter in 11 - 20 degrees of PiscesTree of Life Association: The Moon in Yesod (Ninth Emanation)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Material Happiness

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   You step into a room with Mr. Mellifluous and encounter a jovial man in front of a table with nine golden cups on a blue tablecloth. Because the man is so merry and stout, you assume at first that he manages to enjoy life to the fullest, but because the table is not laden with food and drink, you begin to think that he is not merely a hedonist. You sense something sublime about his enjoyment of the physical senses.

The Moon: Pisces

   Standing near him, you intuit that he allows his senses to stir emotions and instincts so that he can exalt consciousness, but you begin to wonder if he is making himself too sensitive and exposed, the way a person open to moonlight for too long might give way to lunacy.

The High Priestess: The Moon

   As you imagine the moon, you find yourself standing in the moonlight. Once again the Moon speaks, “Stirring the instincts can lead to bestial behavior, just as stirring the emotions can lead to pandemonium. However, if your higher self rules your consciousness, you allow the senses to ravish and exalt the mind so that you open up the higher levels of the psyche. You seek out types of art and aspects of nature and relationships that ennoble you instead of debasing you.

Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter

   “The physical senses and instincts are not evil: They are aspects of the Source. You can realize the virtues of the instincts and elevate the mind. The instinct of combat can lead to courage. The instinct of sexuality can transform into high spiritual love. The energies of Jupiter lead you through transformation and regeneration so that your physical senses open your mind to the harmony, magnificence and abundance of the spirit.”

Breaker into Pieces

   Claire notices what appears to be a soldier riding an alligator on the ground far below her. Curious, she flies down and hovers in front of him. "How do you do, sir. My name is Claire. What is your name, sir?" she inquires.

   The soldier growls, "We are called Breaker into Pieces, and we live up to our name if you're at all wondering."

   Claire responds politely, "Do all soldiers here ride alligators?"

   "Of course not!" the soldier shouts. "I am the fiercest warrior in the realm. I manifest the magnificent energy of Jupiter!"

   "You are indeed magnificent, sir!" Claire shouts back. "Are you going somewhere to break something into pieces?"

   "Of course we are, silly child. We follow our instincts. We break and bash and crush and pound everything to dust. We stomp and batter, rip and mangle. We tear apart everything in our path. That's what we do. That's what we've always done!"

   Claire suddenly smells the alligator's breath, but she nevertheless asks one more question, "But can't you also use the energy of Jupiter to create magnificence and harmony and abundance?"

   He grunts, "Nonsense! I've never heard such  ridiculous gibberish! We follow our instincts. What could be better than that? You are just a ludicrous little fairy!" he howls, shaking his spear at her.

   When the alligator takes a step closer, Claire darts away as quickly as she can to another part of the realm.

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

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

TEN OF CUPS

Meet the Lord of Perfected Success.

Decan: Mars in 21 - 30 degrees of PiscesTree of Life Association: The Four Elements in Malkuth (Tenth Sphere)

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Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Perfected Success

   You are wandering through the countryside with Mr. Mellifluous and come upon a joyful family. The parents embrace affectionately and gesture toward a rainbow with ten golden cups while their children dance. Oddly, the rainbow contains only the three primary colors. Their home, within its natural setting, appears modest. Their success seems less related to wealth and more related to happiness.
   Before Mr. Mellifluous even asks the question, you know the answer. The influences are not at all what you expected. You feel a great sense of purity as well as harmony with the natural world. An overpowering freshness emanates from the stream and the forest and the family itself.

The Moon: Pisces

   Suddenly you are next to the stream. A crayfish is crawling onto the land. A dog and a jackal are howling at the moon, which is partially eclipsing the sun. Suddenly the Moon speaks, “The lightning bolt of Mars has totally cleansed the couple who fell from of the tower. The Fire of Mars has burned away all negative thoughts and emotions to establish good health again on all levels. No illnesses remain, either psychologically or physically.

The Tower: Mars

   “This cleansing leaves a freshness on all levels of the psyche, the spirit, the intellect, the emotions, and the body. Fire penetrates deep into the subconscious mind to purify even the instincts, for you are related through evolution with all creatures, no matter how strange, plants and reptiles and animals.
   “When your psyche is purified, you are pulled to me, the Moon, because I reflect the light of the Source, and through me, you can know that light, both in yourself and in the world.”

Queen of Swords
with Claire

 

   Claire is flying above a stream when she sees someone familiar far below, so she decides to find out who it might be. When she lands next to the Queen of Swords, she remembers why the Queen looks so familiar. Claire curtseys. "How do you do, your majesty?"

   "Quite well, thank you! How are you, dear child?"

   "Very well, thank you, your highness. I know this might sound a little strange, your majesty, but I once imagined that I was a queen just like you!"

   The Queen chuckles, "Did you now? How did that go for you?"

   "It was kind of fun for awhile, but then I realized I wasn't really ready to be a queen."

   "Why is that?" the Queen inquired.

   "I decided it was probably a bit too much of a responsibility for someone my age...."

   The Queen laughed. "Very wise, my child."

   "What do you need to know to be a good queen?" Claire asked politely.

   "A great question for any child who wishes to be queen someday! Balance is the key, my dear."

   "What does that mean for you as a queen, your majesty?" 

   "You must purify your heart and mind so that your instincts and desires do not control you. So many leaders are really like children, selfish, greedy, ravenous for power, prideful, unable to care about anything but satisfying their own desires. You must understand that as the queen of your own domain, you have awesome power, which can result in great harm for you and your entire kingdom if you make choices based on unbalanced desires or uncontrolled instincts. 

   "If you purify your heart and mind, releasing all negativity from past suffering, you can rise above negative influences and have intuitive insights about the true intentions of others. You will find very few people are genuinely working for the highest good of others, my child, which can make your role as queen quite challenging.

   "As a queen, you must know your connection to the community of all life so that you can use your power for the highest good of your kingdom. When you purify your heart and mind and know how to neutralize negative influences, you eventually create balance within yourself. When you create harmony in yourself, you desire to create harmony in the world around you. Almost magically, you feel the harmony and divinity of all life and the underlying unity of all consciousness, which naturally motivates you to strive for harmony and abundance for your kingdom, not just for yourself, for everything is connected.

   "Harmony within yourself leads to acceptance and compassion for all life. Only when you know the harmony of creation and establish balance within yourself can you maintain balance within your kingdom, my child. Now, please, go enjoy the festivities and have some fun!"

   Claire bowed. "Yes, your majesty. Thank you, your majesty. I will!" she replied. Then she flew off to join the dance below.

    

   

    

   Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

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

The Ace of Swords:

The Root of the Element of Air

THE ACE OF SWORDS

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   You stop to gaze at a hand holding a sword, topped by a crown, floating in air above a mountainside. Mr. Mellifluous chimes out, "The sword represents the awesome power of the conscious mind, which gradually becomes so aware of the nature of existence that it ultimately aligns itself with the underlying Universal consciousness. That is one reason why the element of Air has a dual significance, representing the discerning intellect as well as the spirit, which is associated with breath, the basis of life.

   "The element of Air on one level represents the flow in the conscious mind of thoughts and emotions and desires. Thought-forms imbued with emotion or desire follow one another in ceaseless currents, unless one makes a conscious effort to still the flow. These thought-forms can manifest as profound harmony or result in great horror for entire ethnicities and races, as we have seen throughout human history.

   "Even the notion of 'dropping into the void' in meditation is a thought-form, but if one stills the conscious mind long enough, the mind can perceive the unity of all consciousness. 

   "Moreover, other thought-forms--subconscious material including archetypal symbols--sometimes surface. The level of mind associated with the element of Water receives spiritual impulses and embodies them with archetypal form. Archetypal symbols appear in vision during meditation without desire attached to them, yet they can ripple out into one’s life through the astral plane into the physical realm and take on great emotional significance, revealing the interconnectedness of the different planes. 

   "Air, also associated with breath, the essence of life, symbolizes spirit in many traditions. Of course, everything is spirit manifested in one form or another, but Air represents the active, conscious currents of spirit, which we associate with awareness and intellect.
   "Emotions, sometimes negative, and desires, sometimes extremely inappropriate, well up from the subconscious depths into consciousness, sometimes causing discord, and Swords, the suit of the Air element, reflects the conflict, which can tear through the thin fabric of rationality. Yet a sword can also swiftly cut through illusions, as well as through difficult problems, and so Air is associated with the critical intellect.
   "A Hermetic axiom is 'Everything is mental energy,' so, in a sense, everything is an aspect of mind, including perceptions of the physical world, yet we perceive energy fields as separate objects because as a matter of survival from an early age we are trained to do so, but the fields that we label as objects are on a basic level connected with all the other fields of energy. Language, as a symbolic system, enables us, indeed requires us, to perceive fields of energy as separate from each other, so the cup is separate from the table, and the table from the floor, and the floor from the rest of the house, and the house from the rest of the cosmos. Because of this ability to separate and classify and analyze, the human intellect has been able to manipulate the environment to an amazingly high degree.
   "As a species, humans tend to agree that particular fields of energy have specific meanings. The very moment that a field of energy 'means something' is the moment it becomes separate from other fields of energy, which can have the effect of separating the mind from the underlying unity of consciousness. The energy field holding the coffee becomes identified as a general type of object known as a cup. Then, other energy fields can be classified as containing a specific purpose. 

   "People, in a sense, have developed the tendency to 'collapse' the energies within the perceptible spectrum of energy into a collective reality with  generally accepted meanings.
   "What you perceive and what is really 'out there' is possibly quite different. Imagine, for a moment, gazing at a knife on a table. For you to perceive the knife, light waves, some of which become absorbed and some of which are scattered, must hit it. Some of these light waves cause chemical changes in your retina, which trigger cells in your optic nerve, which relay patterns of electrical charges into your brain, and there, the nerve messages are translated into an image of a knife on a table. Brain cells retain the image to create a memory that you can draw upon to compare to other energy fields.  Words, which by themselves are simply arbitrary sounds or scrawls on paper, provide a meaning that the culture agrees upon. This tendency to create meaning continues as you apply abstract concepts to the image. The knife resembles the sword that symbolizes the intellect.
   "Between what we perceive and how the brain transforms perception is an infinitesimal gap that quickly deepens into an abyss if you stop relying on your symbolic associations. On one level, this is an aspect of an experience related to Daath, the invisible sphere on the Tree of Life between the separate conscious mind and the experience of mystical unity. The moment that the mind no longer perceives a separation between energy fields is a moment when symbols no longer dominate the mind. A sense of nothingness or emptiness underlying action and form can accompany such a moment, but it can also be a moment filled with an overwhelming sense of the unity of all creation. This sense is slightly shocking to the psyche that is familiar mainly with the world of forms and symbols and so it rarely lasts long unless the mind, through spiritual practices, is able to extend it the experience of unity.
   “'The mind slays reality, so one must slay the slayer' is an old adage, and the element of Air in one sense is the sword that slays the sense of unity underlying existence. Conversely, it is also the weapon that enables the mind to recognize the underlying unity of consciousness while also establishing and maintaining a reality that lends itself to survival in the physical dimension. Recognizing the 'emptiness' of action and form and their symbolic associations is also a spiritual aspect of Air, an element that is, after all, invisible, without form.
   "Since the subtle natural forces that organize the cosmos are made of 'mind stuff,' and since our souls are also invisible but made of the same mind stuff, shamans and initiates throughout the ages have used a common method passed down through the mystery traditions that enables them to connect with subtle intelligences. Because of this astral mind stuff, humans are able to create a special kind of being, called an elemental, by fashioning in the imagination a form suitable for the normally free-flowing force to ensoul. Once a connection is made, the elemental can perform certain tasks within its limited nature for the shaman or magician. Another special type of elemental containing great power is known as a God or Archangel. These awesome intelligences will sometimes manifest within the mind in an appropriate astral form, pouring their force into the psyches of people and providing spiritual assistance, by neutralizing dark forces to create balance, for instance. That is why a Christ figure can inspire such passionate devotion for millions of people over thousands of years. The shaman, magician, or priest goes about his work by constructing a symbolic astral image and reaches out to the subtle intelligence through devotion, in prayer or sacrifice or ceremony, until the intelligence responds favorably with its presence or its "ray" of energy. Great healing and purification and exaltation of consciousness is possible through this connection.

   "The intellect can hold two seemingly contradictory ideas about the mind: the imperative to treat manifested objects and life-forms as separate in order to survive as well as the underlying unity of consciousness--an understanding that is one basis of faith."

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

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

TWO OF SWORDS

Meet the Lord of Peace Restored.

Decan: Moon in 1 - 10 degrees of LibraTree of Life Association: Zodiac in Chokmah (Second Sphere)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Peace Restored

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   A blind-folded woman sits on a white bench near a calm sea. Arms crossed, holding a long sword in each hand, the person is dressed in a pure white robe. The blind-fold is also white. The person on the bench resembles the figure of Justice who holds a sword straight up in one hand and scales in the other.

Justice: Libra

   Suddenly you are once again in front of the queen who holds the scales. She speaks, “White combines all of the colors, so it is a symbol of both unity and purity. In this state, the second Emanation of the Source from the Great Unmanifest, the One has not yet become the Many. Here the most primal form of consciousness handles great power in equilibrium, and here we see a figure all in white, anonymous, on a simple bench, not a throne.

The High Priestess: The Moon

   “Justice is not blind-folded. True Justice sees all. However, the spirit of balance 'above' the Abyss experiences unity without also being immersed in manifested creation in all of its diversity. Hence, the blindfold. Instead, consciousness within the second Emanation on the great Tree of Life harmonizes powerful forces even within the first flux of creation, revealed by water and the moon.”

   Mr. Mellifluous looks at you. "So, what do you see?" he asks.

   "I guess I see this on a more personal level. Having experienced a lot of change in my life, I can identify with her. I understand the kind of inner discipline and strength it takes to deal with all the flux and uncertainty in the world. She personifies a type of archetypal energy on the Tree of Life, and each person embodies the Tree, so this ability is at the core of each person's being--and we can use it beneficially as long as we can access it. And I speak from experience: Often, we must go deep into ourselves, usually with our eyes closed in meditation, to find the strength within ourselves to create and maintain our own inner balance." 

King of Wands

   As Claire glided over the desert, she noticed a king on his throne far below and winged down toward him. Since he seemed unoccupied, Claire approached him.

   "Greetings, your majesty, how are you?"

   "I am well, my child, how are you?"

   "Very well, thank you. I was just wondering why the snake biting its own tail is important here in your kingdom."

   "The snake forms a circle representing eternity. As you are no doubt aware, the snake sheds its skin periodically, which is an appropriate symbol for regeneration within the cycles of life throughout eternity."

   "Why, that is wonderful! Thank you, your majesty. You know, not long ago I met a Knight who also held a wand, like you. He mentioned that the wand gave him the power of passionate spiritual will, or something like that...."

   "So you have met the Knight of Wands. Has he found the pyramids in the desert yet?"

   "Yes, your majesty, that is actually where I met him. I was wondering, your majesty, if I could have a wand too? It contains great power, doesn't it?"

   "My dear child, you already have the power of the wand within you. Remember, symbols, such as the wand, represent powers and energies within you. Indeed, the wand reveals the passion and will to attain the greatest heights, higher than the intellect or the emotions can ever take you. The wand contains a purifying power that burns away whatever gets in the way of greater understanding and harmony and balance. Without the power of Fire, you will have great difficulty attaining the spiritual heights. You need to find that power within yourself to reach your highest good and the highest good of others."

Go on a different adventure with Mr. Mellifluous.

   

   

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

THREE OF SWORDS

Meet the Lord of Sorrow.

Decan: Saturn in 11 - 20 degrees of LibraTree of Life Association: Saturn in Binah (Third Sphere)

Mr. Mellifluous and the Lord of Sorrow.

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   You and Mr. Mellifluous are suddenly flying through the air, and you encounter a strange sight: A heart with three swords through it floats in the clouds as rain softly falls around it. Oddly, the heart is not bleeding. It seems that you are witnessing a symbol from some ancient dream.

Justice: Libra

   “Think of the woman with the sword and the scales,” Mr. Mellifluous advises. “Perhaps she can help you understand what we are seeing.”
   Suddenly you are once again in front of the crowned woman on her throne.
   She states, “Suffering has existed from the very beginning because all things within manifestation transform utterly in order to allow further growth and creation, but there is always balance within the cycles of birth, death, and regeneration. All forms change but the spirit progresses on its path. Without sorrow, there could be no dance, no joy, no love.

The World: Saturn

   “The God Saturn on a primal level restricts free-flowing force in form. Whatever tabernacles in form must die. Saturn can therefore be seen as the grim reaper, but without Saturn, there could be no beauty of proportion, no physical or emotional or mental or spiritual evolution. Despite sorrow, despite horror, the heart eventually gains understanding and re-establishes balance.

   "Be careful. The unbalanced energies of Saturn manifest as the Hinderers. Remember, these fiends might often seem like friends, but all they do is hamper, delay, and frustrate. They love to obstruct, interfere, and thwart. They live to inhibit and fetter and stymie, and they will block and burden and cripple you so that you can no longer continue on your path."

The Hinderers

   Meanwhile, Claire notices a boy on an orange dragon close to the seashore. She thinks that maybe talking with someone closer to her age for a change might be fun, so she spirals down to meet him.

   "Hi!" Claire blurts out when she flutters near him.

   "Hello, bug! Nice wings!" he responds enthusiastically.

   "How did you learn to fly on a dragon?" Claire inquires.

   "I hang out with all the right people. They have shown me many things. I could show you too," he smiles.

   "I'd really like that. But may I ask what kinds of things?" 

   "Of course! If you listen to me you can be rich and famous and stay forever young, like me! Would you like that?"

   "Oh, yes, please! What would you like me to do?"

   "First, you need to listen only to me and do everything I say. Can you do that?"

   "I think so, yes."

   "Good, 'cause it's your fault if you can't!"

   "I'll try not to let you down." Claire frowned.

   "You need to stop listening to all those weirdos out there. They just fill your head with nonsense."

   "Okay," Claire mumbled.

   "And you must never question me. Whatever I say goes. You got that?"

   "But what if I can't do it."

   "Then you'll be sorry! Why do you think I hold a snake and ride a dragon? Do you think, tiny bug, that you can escape from a dragon?"

   "Oh, my. No," Claire muttered.

   "Don't worry. I'll pay you what you need to survive, or almost enough. You can just go into debt if you need more than I give you and pay me back later when you're rich and famous."

   "But when do I get to be rich and famous?"

   "You need to prove yourself first, little bug! Not everyone can prove themselves worthy. Really, what are you thinking? You don't really know much of anything, do you?"

   Claire stared at the flame-like dragon squirming in the water. "Do I really have to do this?" she asked. "I'm fine the way I am. I like my journey."

   The boy roared with laughter, "You won't last long without me!"

   "Why are you doing this?" Claire whined.

   "I want to help you. Can't you see? You might end up a slave to the money till you die, but you never know, you might be able to prove yourself worthy! You might be thinking of escaping, but you'll never get away from me!"

   "You just want me to remain powerless!" Claire hissed. Suddenly, she launched into the sky and flew as fast as she could away from the boy and the dragon. Far below, the dragon seemed stuck in the water and the rocks, but she kept flying away as quickly as she could, nevertheless.

Go on a different journey with Mr. Mellifluous.