The Cosmic Tarot Read online

  The Human Community - The Tower recalls the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). The people attempted to make a tower to reach the heavens. To stop them, God scattered them about the earth and their common tongue was splintered into diverse languages. The partially built tower was abandoned.

  The pious rejoice in the justness of God's sentence on upstart humankind. A nagging question remains, though. Wasn't the work to reach the heavens a noble one? And who can help but mourn the shattering of a primeval understanding among humankind, an understanding so perfect it seemed to threaten God himself. The tumbling crown on XVI The Tower offers a clue to one way of interpreting the story.

  The crown is a symbol of earthly power. Who wears the crown rules earth. In medieval times, the anointed royalty felt themselves to be closer to God than the commoners. Richard I, called the Lionheart, claimed that the only one who outranked him was God himself. Partly his words were defiance to the Papacy, but a feeling of innate superiority conditioned him and his fellow royalty. The brutal exploitation of peasants by the ruling class showed no human sympathy.

  In the same way, slave holders and colonialists all over the world persuaded themselves that their race or nationality and their technology and material condition gave them the right, indeed the obligation, to dominate and "guide" people of other lands and races. Colonialism, racist "supremacy," sexism, and classism are all manifestations of conceit on a social scale.

  Ultimately, the most powerful and the most abject are equal in spirit. A tower of brick is basically a pile of mud. Attempts to reach heaven through material structures and human-directed projects throw us right back on the ground.

  The Individual - The Tower is a symbol of the status quo, entrenched ways of thinking and living. Carefully built security in lifestyle and dogma walls off inspiration and spontaneity. Snobbishness and arrogance block any insight one might have of oneself or others.

  Opening up can be painful, a real trauma. The lightning of exposure can take the form of an uncomfortable glimpse into our own complacency, or it can be a shattering, life-transforming event. The Tower can represent an unpleasant person, one who forces us to deal with the negative aspects of our own personalities.

  Meanings - Forced change. Breakdown. Ruin. Fight. Catastrophe. Destruction. Break up of constricting convictions. Arrogance. An unpleasant and unwelcome person. An intrusion on a complacent existence. Intolerance. Disappointment. Chance for a new start. Liberation. Enthusiasm. Complete and sudden change. Continued oppression. Living in a rut. Inability to change.

  XVII The Star

  A woman stands on the edge of a lake, a flamingo at her side. She pours water from two cups into the lake, the liquid pouring over a lotus. The rays of the star in the sky meet the moon, the star on the woman's headband, and a rising star.

  The Cosmos - The six-pointed Magen David (Star of David) is a symbol of the ancient religion of Judaism. The Hebrew people evolved a monotheistic religion in the midst of a pagan land. Like the Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva triad which is in reality one godhead, Yahweh (Jehovah), who is called Adonai, is creator-sustainer-destroyer all in one.

  The six-pointed star shows two triangles, one pointing up and one pointing down. These triangles can be seen to represent the action of the animal or earthly body aspiring to spirit, and the spirit becoming incarnate, inhabiting the body. In the book of Genesis, man is earth-dust vivified by the breath of the divine creator; the word "spirit" derives from Latin spiritus, breath.

  In the same way, the Egyptian creator Ptah fashioned clay statues of humans and breathed life into them. Jesus is called the Word (of God) made flesh, and the Word rides on the breath (hence, the power of praying or chanting aloud). Many Hindus consider Christ to be like Krishna, an avatar (emanation) of Vishnu, the deity descended into bodily form.

  We are all like Christ or Krishna; we all contain the breath of divine potency in the earthen vessel of our flesh. The beautiful woman on the Star represents divinity in nature.

  The Human Community - The Star is the ecology card of the tarot. Unashamed of her natural body, unafraid to stir the waters of the deep, the woman circulates the waters, as the rain feeds the waterfall, as ground water feeds the spring that wells up from below. The bird at the woman's side is trusting.

  Humankind will never return en masse to the primitive life, unless a grand catastrophe wipes out civilization. However, we vitally need to stay in touch with our earth. Nature is a mirror of society and of humankind's collective consciousness, or soul, or karma. Exploitation or generosity, carelessness or long-term planning, ignorance or knowledge: all are reflected in the rivers, the mountains, the oceans, the sky.

  The Individual - The Star is one of the most auspicious cards in the deck. It is pure hope, unstained by arrogance, disappointment, and doubt, hope before the solidifying act of faith, fluid and inspired. The hope of the Star is not grounded in material or psychological desire; it is the thought of salvation or enlightenment, hope for the good of all beings. The Star illuminates the divinity in everyone and everything; it is the realm of miracles.

  The experience of the Star can be one of those days when you wake up joyous for no special reason, a day when the faces of people on the street are beautiful even with the suffering that marks them. The experience of the Star can be divine ecstasy.

  Meanings - Hope. Beauty. Brilliance. Clarity. Inspiration. Unconventional person. Bright prospects. Mixing of the past and present. Optimism. Return of childhood faith brings joy amidst sorrow. Something valuable which one thought lost is found. Insight. Astrological influence. Fantasies. Resignation.

  XVIII The Moon

  A crayfish crawls out of the waters, attracted by the moon. Within the moon are two fish, symbolic of the astrological sign Pisces, which is ruled by watery Neptune. The sky opens to the immensity of the cosmos.

  The Cosmos - A metaphor of the way in which lunar forces manifest can be seen in the tides of the earth. We cannot see any force emanating from the moon to perform the massive work of moving earth's oceans, rivers, lakes, and topsoil. The unseen, intangible force of the moon is perceived only through its effects.

  The Human Community - Archetypically, the moon rules the unconscious, the part of the mind that is unknown to us, and yet can motivate our actions and thoughts. The unconscious is not evil in itself, but it is dangerous in that it can circumvent reason and conscience, and powerful in that its roots lie partly in physical and emotional gratification.

  In The Undiscovered Self, Carl Jung points to the danger of a society in which reason and insight do not figure strongly. Fanatic, fantasizing types know how to fish in the depths of the collective unconscious to draw forth psychotic behavior from the masses: genocide, witch hunts, totalitarianism, cruel excesses in scientific research on animals and humans, citizens spying on citizens, ethnic cleansing.

  Two questions arise after atrocities are made unbearably clear to the world. When did we realize what was happening—and why did we let it continue? We fear the answer to such questions.

  Facing up to the obscure currents of human nature need not be an exercise in pessimism or self-flagellation. Manifestations of social insanity are easily recognizable: cruelty and prejudice are the major distinguishing characteristics. Like any serious illness, they should not be ignored—especially since they tend to run a plague course if unchecked. Self-knowledge is at least a beginning of responsibility for our actions.

  The moon has a bright face as well as an obscure one. Inspiration arises from the depths of the psyche to find expression in the arts, which in turn illuminate the human psyche through engaging all our faculties: the senses, the intellect, the emotions, the imagination.

  An art work can be polemic or propagandistic, but the most effective are not those that have the answers, but those that raise questions, stimulating insight.

  Solidarity and sympathy among people can come simply through exposition of the human heart. When an Asian is moved by an
African dance, when a Tennessee Williams play meets with great success in Russia, we find that we are not so different from each other after all.

  The moon rules healing that depends on intuition and faith, rather than empirical science and technology. Many of us have had the experience of visiting doctor after doctor, until we finally connect with one who makes the proper diagnosis and prescribes a helpful treatment. Healers with lunar power can be found in mainstream medicine, but tend to gravitate to alternative and folk medicine, especially herbalism.

  The Individual - Like the moon, Pisces is able to see into the darkness. Emotional life, the hidden currents of the psyche, clairvoyance, inexplicable urges: all are to Pisces as water to the fish. Though Pisces is able to absorb and reflect the emotions of others, he or she is introverted, inclined to hide his or her own deeper feelings.

  Pisces might be a mystic, a teacher, a speculative scientist, an artist—especially an actor; or Pisces can descend into delusions of power with witchery, charlatanism, a celebrity complex, or even fascism.

  The forces of the moon act strongly on the watery temperament of Pisces, evoking vulnerability, susceptibility, and the tendency to indulge in languid pleasures and mind-altering substances. Like a fish, Pisces will submerge himself or herself in the element chosen, easily becoming an egotistical socialite, an addict of drugs and/or dreams, a fanatic; or a charismatic leader, a martyr who sacrifices everything for his or her faith, a true medium, a devoted and sensitive lover, a great actor who enlightens us with his or her portrayal of the undercurrents of human life.

  The individual symbolized by the Moon can be one who is "all things to all people." We gravitate to these celebrities, all vulnerability and all charisma, with great talent often inextricably mixed with an androgynous persona.

  Lunar qualities have been called feminine, in contrast to the solar, masculine qualities. Women are perceived to be more at home in the realm of the emotions and are supposed to be more intuitive.

  In fact, beyond the amount of emotional display allowed by culture, men seem to feel as much joy, sorrow, anger, and so on, as women, and women have all the rational and analytical faculties that men have.

  The Moon warns of hidden currents, possibly gossip and intrigue. The Moon can also indicate a breakthrough, especially in scholarly or artistic work. With sudden insight, a new realm opens.

  The twelve stars around the moon are arranged like the hours of a clock, indicating time perceived as a cycle, rather than as linear. For women of child-bearing age, the Moon directs attention to reproductive health, as the menstrual cycle generally synchronizes with the moon's cycle. The Moon may indicate thoughts about having children. The Moon can also signal menopause.

  Meanings - Salvation. Mercy. Emotions. Sensitivity. Artistic talent. The unconscious. Hidden mental power. To forget oneself. Drugs. Dreams. Extrasensory perception. Intuition. Secrets revealed. Intrigue. Gossip.

  XIX The Sun

  A child plays in an idyllic landscape. The sun blazes above; over-arching all is the starry sky.

  The Cosmos - The sun has been worshiped throughout history, and no wonder, for its very light can nurture or destroy mortals. Unpitying sunlight forms deserts and wastelands. The depletion of our natural sun shield, the ozone layer of the atmosphere, has made the rays of the sun more carcinogenic.

  The sun is also the bringer of health, a universal disinfectant and healer. Organisms hostile to human life, such as bacteria, mold, and mildew, are often defeated by the heat and light of the sun. Mental depression can be alleviated by exposure to sunlight.

  In past centuries, Europeans perceived the earth as being at the center of the cosmos. The center of awareness later shifted, and now we place the sun at the center of our solar system, though the universe is not known to have a center—or a boundary. The sun is the center of our world as we know it: a constant flux of creation, maintenance, and destruction.

  The Human Community - Archetypically, the sun represents the ability to reason, to assess facts, to be objective. The rational mind is a valid, valuable part of the human psyche, but the light of reason can be a merciless ray. Intolerance for "foolish" sentiment, as well as hidebound academia, rigid philosophies that codify a flawed status quo, the ideal of the self-sufficient, complacent "self-made man" are examples of social sunburn.

  An over-solarized society is less inclined to sympathize with those who are down and out, and more inclined to rationalize stinginess and alienation. What doesn't fit into the culture's rosy self-image will be mocked or suppressed. Lunar types arouse mass psychosis; the heat of solar passion, often disguised as rational solutions to social problems, energizes mobs to act on the lunacy.

  Tempered by compassion and insight, the rational mind is a priceless treasure. The Constitution of the United States was framed by men whose value of reason and knowledge transcended self-interest and personal emotional considerations. The insightful, rational mind allows us to see that prejudice is based on fear and negative conditioning. As the intuitive mind turns toward the unknown, reason prompts us to investigate.

  Science has gifted us with advances in disease control. For example, simple concepts of hygiene now taken for granted were inspired by the revelations of the microscope. Educational and scientific institutions and doctors who rely on empiricism and technology are in the realm of the sun.

  The child on the card indicates that innocence and candor are also fostered by the sun. These qualities translate into openness and accountability in governments and institutions, and patriotism inspired by equitable government. Whereas the Strength card refers to the might of the armed forces and police, the Sun card focuses on the honor, bravery, and glamor these institutions can have.

  The Individual - The sun can shine with brilliant intensity; the solar type can be filled with passion. Unlike the Piscean/lunar type, a sun child will not hide or be lost in his or her emotions. The solar type relishes sharing all with everyone, and natural charisma ensures an eager and devoted audience. Leo, ruled by the sun, is the astrological sign most connected with show business.

  Like lunar qualities, solar qualities are beautiful when balanced. Objectivity is warmed by patriotism and loyalty. Reason is deepened with intuition; a sense of right and wrong is graced by compassion. Tibetan Buddhist iconography represents the moon as the soothing, cooling effect of compassion on the troubled mind, whereas the sun represents the fearless and intense quality of wisdom that burns away the obscurations that prevent us from realizing the wondrous nature of the mind.

  The Sun card indicates a balanced, objective person with a strict sense of honor. As a companion, this person will be passionate but discreet, and honest—sometimes painfully so. The Sun can herald a flamboyant person, a teller of tall tales, an entertaining and charming braggart. The glare of the spotlight is to this person rays of beneficent sunshine.

  Fearlessness is a trait that all solar types share; the Sun may bring a dare-devil, a soldier, or anyone who is unafraid to fight for their cause, or for a share of the loot.

  The Sun can be a physician, as was Aesculapius, son of the Greek solar god Apollo. The Sun generally points to good health. Children are born under the benevolence of the sun. The Sun card may indicate children born to a woman who is past her child-bearing prime.

  Meanings - Light. Openness. Completion. Warmth. Satisfaction. Energy. Idealism. Passion. Education. Science. Patriotism. Bravery. Honor. Children. Medicine. A physician. Contentment. Joy. A happy marriage. A good friend. High spirits. Sincerity. Achievement in the arts. Arrogance. Loneliness. Cloudy outlook.

  XX Judgement

  Three trumpets reach from the cosmos to wake the dead. Two women and a man spring from the parched soil. A manacle breaks away from one of the women's wrists. A spectrum of light is cast from the sun.

  The Cosmos - Judgement depicts the end—the end of a cosmic cycle, or the end of the cosmos altogether—and the beginning of something new. The miracle takes place all the time. A seed falls t
o the ground and decays, and a plant pushes its way to the light. The flood that destroys all in its path leaves a rich, nurturing silt when it recedes.

  Judgement represents not only the end of place, of material existence, but also the end of time. How can we conceive this? How to understand? All but the most realized beings have no more idea of timelessness, or eternity, than an acorn has of an oak—though the unfolding of enlightenment is encoded within each of us, as the oak is in the acorn.

  The Human Community - A Buddhist teaching says, "If you want to know what you were in a past life, look in the mirror." What has come into being sprang from the past, just as the immortals on the card are reborn in human form. For example, even strong democracies tend to focus on single leaders—presidents or prime ministers—as our ancestors bowed to kings and queens.

  We build from ancient materials, often without realizing it. The Indian statesman, Jawaharlal Nehru said, "We are all, individuals as well as nations, products of our past (call it heredity or the cumulative effect of action) and our environments. To that extent, and it is a great deal, we are children of destiny, bound in many ways to walk along a predetermined path." The thought blends the feeling of X Wheel of Fortune, the half-way point to XX Judgement, and the Judgement card.

  As we evaluate the past by examining the present, so the future will be defined by the present. Nehru spoke of destiny not as ordained by gods, but rather as inherited from formations of the past. Equality or inequity, freedom or oppression, prosperity or disparity of wealth—we leave these to our children, our grandchildren, their children. The generations to come will be our ultimate judge.