All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.
MALL DIVINATION
Nathan hadn't shopped at a mall for many moons. In his younger years, he had begun to associate the mall with conspicuous consumption and the greed and gluttony of empty consumerism, and he had realized that he could spend months, even years, hanging out in a shopping mall without making any human or spiritual connections, but he needed some new clothes, so he decided to visit a mall to find out if anything had changed.
Tarot Reader
On an emotional and spiritual level, nothing much had changed. People in the madding crowd avoided eye contact and rarely talked to each other. Nathan quickly found the clothes he needed, but as he was leaving he encountered a young woman in a booth who looked him straight in the eye and asked if he would like a Tarot reading.
Since she was the only person in the mall who had looked directly at him, Nathan smiled and said, "Sure, why not? What kind of spread will you be using?"
"A four-card spread," she replied. "The first three cards reveal the past, present, and future, in that order. The fourth card provides advice."
"Great! Sounds like fun," Nathan responded.
Eight of Swords: Jupiter in Gemini, Mercury in Splendor
The Tarot reader shuffled the deck, then drew the first card. "This card reveals the past. Ummm. The Eight of Swords: Jupiter in Gemini, Mercury in Splendor."
"Is that bad?" Nathan asked.
"Not entirely. This card contains powerful positive energies as well as negative energies."
Portal
Suddenly a portal appeared in the mall and pulled him in. Other people wandering through the mall didn't even notice.
Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter
Even though he seemed to be in a different dimension, Nathan could still hear the Tarot reader's voice.
"Jupiter represents the fourth Emanation of the Tree of Life known as Mercy. The fourth Emanation is also known as 'Glory' and is referenced at the end of The Lord's Prayer, as in 'The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory,' which suggests that Jesus knew the Tree of Life. Jupiter is a powerful God of upbuilding force who represents the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of the spirit. The spiritual experience of the fourth Emanation is the 'The Vision of Love,' and the mythological principle is 'Aspiration.' Remember that the energy of each Emanation of the Tree of Life, except for the two highest, contain a positive and negative pole. The positive pole in this Emanation is the aspiration to build up the world in a positive way for the highest possible good of all as well as the aspiration to know all the energies and dimensions of Universal Consciousness, the highest of which is love. The negative energy associated with Jupiter is called 'The Breaker into Pieces,' which is, of course, the opposite of the ideal energy."
She paused for a moment, then continued. "In the card, the wheel reveals the change of fortune as it constantly turns. You can be a king one moment and lower than the dust the next. You can be destitute or imprisoned for a period of your life and then feel liberated from all false beliefs and negativity. The pharaoh at the top of the wheel is a sphinx, who represents the four basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, like the golden animals in the corners of the card. The four elements represent the triplicities of the zodiac and their ruling planets, in other words, all of the subtle spiritual energies represented by the Tree of Life. If you explore the Tree of Life and experience the dimensions of Universal Consciousness, you can become like a pharaoh, a magnificent spiritual being who manifests the energies of Universal Consciousness in the Kingdom of the Earth."
The Lovers: Gemini
She continued, "I'm sorry. I can get a little long-winded sometimes. Let's move on to the card known as 'The Lovers,' which represents Gemini. In other words, the planet Jupiter rules the zodiac sign Gemini, which is revealed by the decan correspondence associated with this card. The card depicts paradise regained by Adam and Eve. The Archangel Raphael, 'Healer of God,' invites humanity back to Eden. This card on a deeper level reveals the healing and integration of three levels of the individual human psyche. Adam and Eve represent the duality of the male and female aspects of the individual human psyche. Raphael represents the soul of the individual, which evolves through experience. The sun behind Raphael's head represents the divine core of the individual. One can experience a process of healing so that all three aspects of the mind are purified and liberated and integrated, in other words. By experiencing the dimensions of Universal Consciousness represented by The Tree of life, we can experience enlightenment and the unity of all aspects of the self and all creation. In that sense, we can regain paradise."
The Magician: Mercury
The Tarot reader continued. "We have examined the decan correspondence of the Eight of Swords. Now we need to examine the Tree of Life association. Because this Number card is an Eight, it is associated with Mercury in the eighth Emanation of the Tree of Life known as Splendor. In this Emanation we experience the energies of the human mind, which includes the intellect. This card has an alternate title: Lord of Shortened Force. In other words, the human intellect can limit or 'shorten' force through thought. Human thought and imagination can create splendor, or they can imprison people, even a whole society, in false or destructive beliefs. An authoritarian leader, for instance, might torture or imprison a person because he believes he is like a god, above the rest of humanity. On the other hand, people can imprison themselves with their own false beliefs. If you look carefully at the woman in the card, you will see that her bonds are loose, and her blindfold looks like it is about to fall off. The energies associated with Jupiter and Gemini might liberate her. Mercury might also liberate her since, like the Magician, she can work with the four elements, and they can also free her as she touches the dimensions of Universal Consciousness."
Computer Store Portal
She continued, "It is time now to focus on the second card in the spread, which represents the present." Suddenly Nathan was drawn into another portal as she drew the card.
Judgement: Fire
"Ahhh, Judgement, a card that represents the element of Fire. Fire can destroy, but it can also cleanse and purify. In this card, we see the Archangel Gabriel purifying the souls of the dead as they rise from the tombs that had imprisoned them, and they hold up their hands in joyful liberation. A flag with a red equal-armed cross flies from Gabriel's trumpet. The red balanced cross not only represents the four elements in harmony with each other--it also symbolizes compassion. These souls are experiencing the power of the four elements of the wise and the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. They know the underlying unity of all creation and therefore also feel compassion for their brothers and sisters and all the creatures of the earth."
Toy Shop Portal
The Tarot reader continued, "It is time now to draw the third card, which represents the future." Nathan was suddenly drawn into another portal. This time he ended up in a toy shop.
Six of Cups: Sun in Scorpio, Sun in Beauty
The Tarot reader drew the Six of Cups. "The Sun in Scorpio, The Sun in Beauty. This is one of the best cards in the deck. An adult figure, often described as a dwarf, hands a flower in a golden cup to a child, who accepts the gift with open arms. This is an act of compassion and love, which reveals an acceptance of otherness and diversity. They are able to trust each other enough to experience the joy of giving and receiving. This card suggests the awakening of the heart and mind, which is similar to the card 'Judgement.' The positive energies of the present will continue on into the future."
The Sun
She continued, "The Sun, associated with the sixth Emanation of the Tree of Life, is the source of all life within the Kingdom. On the Tree of Life, The Sun is the center of equilibrium and symbolizes the awakening of the mind to the divinity of all life. The spiritual experiences of the sixth Emanation, known as Beauty, are 'The Vision of Harmony' and 'The Mysteries of the Crucifixion.' Through compassion and love, we create and maintain harmony in ourselves, in our family, in the community. Sacrifice of some kind is almost always involved. Some people give their life for others. Some people neutralize negative forces to create balance. Some people work for the highest good of others through their religion or their political activity. Some people create works that exalt the soul. Creating and maintaining beauty and harmony often requires great sacrifice."
Death: Scorpio
She continued, "But it also often first requires a great transformation. On the Tree of Life, the path represented by the Tarot card known as 'Death' connects with the Emanation of the Sun. In the Tarot, the card Death represents Scorpio. A great transformation of some kind can feel like a kind of death, and that is represented by three symbols: the scorpion, the snake, and the eagle. The scorpion is an earthly creature. The snake is as well, but it experiences a kind of rebirth as it sheds its skin. Through the process of rebirth, we can rise from our limited earthly nature to see from the perspective of eternity, like the eagle. We can experience the vision of harmony and know the mysteries of sacrifice, the spiritual experiences associated with The Sun. People often fear this process of rebirth as much as they fear death because it can cause a profound inner change which motivates them to adopt values that are different from the values of other people and their society. They can experience other spiritual dimensions and know that all energy is holy and all life is divine, which enables them to see beyond materialism and empty consumerism. On the physical plane and the inner planes, the sun is an extremely powerful influence."
Food Court Portal
The Tarot reader stated, "It is time now for a little advice." As she drew the fourth card, Nathan was drawn through another portal.
Three of Wands: The Sun in Aries, Saturn in Understanding
"Aw, very interesting," she mused. "The Three of Wands: The Sun in Aries, Saturn in Understanding. The Sun is obviously having an extremely powerful and positive influence on you. This card suggests that through adventure and exploration, you can see the big picture. You are free enough now to experience the dimensions of this plane and the dimensions of Universal Consciousness."
The Emperor: Aries
She continued, "The Sun in Aries is the decan correspondence of this card. We have already talked about The Sun, so let's talk a little about Aries. The Emperor sits on a throne in a molten world of change. In other words, his dynamic masculine energy enables him to maintain stability in a world of flux. The path of The Emperor originates in the Emanation of The Sun and connects with the most dynamic, masculine energy in the cosmos, represented on the Tree of Life by the second Emanation known as Wisdom. Aries is also associated with spring and rebirth, hence the poppies at his feet. He is a powerful figure who understands the need for sacrifice to maintain harmony in his kingdom. Through the mysteries of sacrifice, he maintains dominion in a world of fire and flux."
The World: Saturn
She continued, "Saturn is the Tree of Life association represented by the Tarot card known as 'The World.' Saturn is associated with the third Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Understanding. The mythological principle of the path is 'The Descent into the Underworld.' Sometimes we must go down in order to rise and experience all of the dimensions of the four elements, as well as the fifth element of spirit. A figure dances within a golden victory wreath with a red ribbon in the shape of an infinity symbol at the top and bottom holding the wreath together. Animals representing the four elements surround the wreath. On this path, we can either descend or ascend. If we descend, we can know the elements as they manifest in the physical plane. If we ascend we can know the elements as they manifest in the spiritual dimensions. In that way, we come to know ourselves. Adventure almost always involves risk, but the more we explore the world and our inner selves, the more we touch the dimensions of Universal Consciousness."
Tarot Reader in Booth
Suddenly Nathan was back with the Tarot reader, who was still sitting in her booth. "Thank you so much!" he said. "That was quite an insightful journey!"
The Tarot reader looked him straight in the eye. "You're welcome!" she replied. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your journey through the mall."
Leaving the Mall
Nathan smiled and explored the mall for awhile. "This mall is much better than it used to be!" he thought to himself as he was leaving.
