Ii Tarot and Time 8 Iii the Jungian Psyche 10 Iv Parsifal and the Grail Quest 14 V Elemental Forces 20 Vi the Celtic Spread 25 Vii the Dialogue Method 30

DISCOURSING WITH THE GODS

The Art and Practice of Tarot Divination

Stefan D. Schindler, Ph. D.

For Strider Schindler and Paul Kellman

In fond memory of Rabbi Hillel Fine.

Special thanks to David and Barbara Schindler, Robert Kellman, Elie Shupak, Esther Brandon, Lewis and Meg Randa and their children and grandchildren, William Cornwell, Severin Kitanov, Seth, Heratio, Lois Davis, Barbara Harris, Richard Oxenberg, Travis Cunningham, Maurine Myo'on Stuart, Toni Snow, Barbara Musoff, and Bob Sims.

Published by The Educational Publisher www.EduPublisher.com

ISBN: 978-1-62249-043-1

The Qabalistic Tree of Life and Knowledge

CONTENTS

PART ONE: ARCHETYPAL ADVENTURE 1

I THE JOURNEY 1 II TAROT AND TIME 8 III THE JUNGIAN PSYCHE 10 IV PARSIFAL AND THE GRAIL QUEST 14 V ELEMENTAL FORCES 20 VI THE CELTIC SPREAD 25 VII THE DIALOGUE METHOD 30

PART TWO: THE 22 MAJOR ARCANA 37

0. THE FOOL 37 1. THE MAGUS 47 2. THE PRIESTESS 55 3. THE EMPRESS 63 4. THE EMPEROR 67 5. THE HIEROPHANT 73 6. THE LOVERS 79 7. THE CHARIOT 85 8. ADJUSTMENT 89 9. THE HERMIT 95 10. FORTUNE 101 11. LUST 107 12. THE HANGED MAN 113 13. DEATH 121 14. ART 125 15. THE DEVIL 131 16. THE TOWER 135 17. THE STAR 141

18. THE MOON 145 19. THE SUN 153 20. THE AEON 157 21. THE UNIVERSE 163

PART THREE: THE COURT CARDS 167

Wands 167 Cups 172 Swords 176 Discs 180

PART FOUR: THE SMALL CARDS 185

Wands 186 Cups 194 Swords 202 Discs 209

PART FIVE: A TAROT READING 219 FOR THE NEW AEON

PART SIX: THE NAPLES 231 ARRANGEMENT

About The Author 245

PART ONE:

ARCHETYPAL ADVENTURE

I THE JOURNEY

Aleister Crowley once said that Tarot is a book of wisdom disguised as a deck of cards. Egyptian magi, seeing dark ages ahead, closed the pyramids, and condensed their wisdom into symbols arranged in a pictorial journey beginning and ending with The Fool. The book of wisdom most closely approximating Tarot is The I Ching, the Chinese “Book of Changes.” The theme of both is that life is constant change, yet there are patterns woven into the flux, and these 1

Discoursing With The Gods patterns are the secret to self-knowledge. This returns us to Socrates and the Delphic Oracle: “Know thyself.” Consulting The I Ching or Tarot is like having a conversation with a mirror which peers into your soul. The patterns in the flux are called archetypes, C. G. Jung’s word for an idea stretching back through St. Augustine to Plato. Jung refers to archetypes as the contents – the forces – of the collective unconscious. Archetypes are the universal or “root” types of human experience, manifesting in our lives, relationships, dreams and myths. The purpose of this book is to show the archetypal stages on The Fool’s journey from innocence to wisdom, and to offer a guide to using Tarot for divination. The operating assumption of Tarot is that humans are more than Darwinian accidents stumbling into consciousness. Although, like a tree, we have our roots in the earth while growing toward heaven, it is more true to say that we have our roots in the heavenly. Tarot is a means for romancing the soul: recollecting the spiritual meaning of the human adventure on earth. Tarot divination is a method for clarifying the past, understanding the present, glancing into the future. It is a guide for enlightenment and decision-making. As the name indicates, Tarot overlaps with the study of Torah, the “law” – the Mosaic stories, prayers, rules and rituals forming the basis of Judaism, both exoteric and esoteric. Exoteric means social, public, traditional; on the surface; more or less easily accessible. Esoteric indicates the mystical undercurrent, hidden from public view; symbolic and magical; the path of the few; the study of the inner, multidimensional meanings behind the surface definitions of words and symbols. In short, the study and practice of Tarot is adventure into the esoteric. We shall necessarily invoke numerological, astrological and alchemical meanings in our study of the Tarot; yet our aim is mostly practical: understanding the cards in a way that enables one to utilize Tarot effectively as a divination device. Early in the twentieth century, Crowley designed a new deck of Tarot cards for The New Aeon: The Age of Aquarius, which Crowley calls The Aeon of Horus. Horus was a son of Isis and Osiris. Horus is

Discoursing With The Gods depicted as a falcon, or a falcon-headed Magus; he is also represented by “the Eye of Horus,” winged and all-seeing. Crowley roots his interpretation of Tarot in the wisdom and mythology of ancient Egypt. Crowley’s The Book of Thoth is his commentary on the cards. The book is subtitled Egyptian Tarot. Thoth, the Egyptian Ibis-headed god of learning and magic, was known to the Greeks as Hermes and to the Romans as Mercury. Hermes is messenger of the gods and guide of the dead. His magic wand is the Caduceus: the Western medical sign, Western Tao sign, symbol of The Middle Way; the twin snakes of yin and yang coiling around the seven chakras of the spinal totem pole; the journey of the fiery serpent Kundalini from base to crown reflecting the aspirant’s journey up The Qabalistic Tree. Qabalah means “to receive” and “to reveal.” Qabalah is the numerological study of Torah. The cards of Tarot are mapped onto the Qabalistic Tree. This Tree is a complex hieroglyph, a sacred symbol passed down through the ages as a revelation of the inner meaning and archetypal stages of the human adventure. If Crowley is our guide, Elizabeth Haitch is our muse. Haitch’s reincarnational autobiography, Initiation, narrates the tale of her life as Pharaoh’s daughter in ancient Egypt. It discloses some of the deepest mysteries of Thoth. As a secondary reference, I occasionally refer to her Wisdom of the Tarot. The 22 Trumps of the Tarot – also called Atu, or Major Arcana – correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each trump constitutes a branch on the Qabalistic Tree: The Tree of Life and Knowledge. The words Tarot and Torah are linguistically intimate. The question might thus be asked: Is Tarot Egyptian or Hebrew? The question dissolves when one remembers that Moses was initiated into Egyptian mysteries before leading the Jews on their Exodus. What about the Gypsies, famous for introducing Tarot into medieval Europe? It was formerly thought that they came from Egypt, given the nature of their name. But studies eventually confirmed that they came from India. How, then, did they learn about Tarot? Elizabeth Haitch provides the clue, partly based on the sayings of Pythagoras: The Egyptians and the Indians both came from Atlantis.

Discoursing With The Gods

Tarot cards are not a substitute for decision-making. They are a guide. Tarot has a sense of humor. If you work with the cards with diligence and humility, you will discover this playfulness. If you become overly serious or too dependent on the cards, they will show you The Fool. Would it not be folly for a tarnished prism to blame the rays of light for not producing a rainbow? Although I’ll here be using The Book of Thoth as a guide, I’ll mostly be sharing what I’ve learned from the cards themselves. My hope is that the reader will be inspired to embark upon their own “discourse with the gods.”

NOTE: Referencing The Naples Arrangement

The Qabalistic Tree of Life and Knowledge is the symbolic pictograph upon which the Tarot cards are mapped. The Tree exhibits ten points (circles or Sephiroth), twenty-two branches, three pillars, and four planes. I offer a provisional and introductory interpretation of this Tree, and the meanings of its various aspects, in the concluding chapter of this book: THE NAPLES ARRANGEMENT – The Metaphysics of The Tree of Life: A Short Essay on the Process of Cosmic Geometry. The chapter on The Naples Arrangement elaborates terms and insights referenced in the five chapters preceding it. I have placed it at the end for two reasons. 1) Because of its philosophic abstraction (its metaphysical sophistication). 2) Because the information contained therein is not crucial for knowing how to do a Tarot reading. The reader is encouraged to glance at this essay now, or prior to beginning Part Two: The Major Arcana. Thorough comprehension is not the point. Rather, the essay provides a working familiarity with various terms used in the book. That is its primary function. A quick perusal is all that is necessary. I have placed The Naples Arrangement at the end of the text in order to keep the book as a whole relatively simple and user-friendly.

A FURTHER NOTE: On Words, Numbers, and Crowley’s Originality

Discoursing With The Gods

The word Qabala means “to reveal” and “to receive.” Qabalism is the numerological study of Hebrew letters and words. These numerological meanings point to the mystic implications and wisdom behind the surface or literal significance of the letters and terms being referenced. In general, Qabala means mystical or esoteric Judaism; more specifically, the study of the deeper meanings of Hebrew letters and words. These deeper meanings are elaborated by their placement on The Qabalistic Tree: The Tree of Life and Knowledge. The Qabalistic Tree (see “The Naples Arrangement”) is the sacred hieroglyph at the core of esoteric Judaism. Qabala was systemized – or loosely codified – during the Middle Ages, thanks to the work of mystically inspired rabbis. It spawned dialogue and debate which continues to this day. The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet correspond to the 22 Trumps (Atu, or Major Arcana) of the Tarot. The 22 Hebrew letters, and their corresponding Tarot Atu, signify the 22 branches on The Tree, connecting the ten Sephiroth. Qabalistic study “reveals” what is otherwise disguised and hidden. It makes the implicit explicit. It allows us to “receive” the esoteric wisdom veiled by exoteric knowledge and ritual. Qabala has several different spellings. It can begin with a Q, a C, or a K. It can have one or two “b”s, and is sometimes spelled with an “h” at the end. There are also various names and spellings for Sephira (singular), Sephiroth (plural) – the 10 chakra-like, energetic “points” on The Tree. In esoteric medicine, The Tree is a diagram of the human body. “As above, so below.” The body as a microcosm mirrors the macrocosm. In some texts, bowing to the exigencies of English language-use, Sephira is plural, and Sephiroth is singular. I have stayed with the spelling indicated in the previous paragraph in order to conform throughout this book to the terminology and spelling adopted by Aleister Crowley in The Book of Thoth.

Discoursing With The Gods

“Chakra” is an Asian term for whirling energy-center. There are 10 chakras in the human body, usually simplified to – and illustrated as – the primary 7. Chakra functioning is the key to good health. The chakras are well known to practitioners of – and central to the study of – acupuncture, acupressure, yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, Qui Gong, herbalism, herbal medicine, Kundalini, pranayama (breathing exercises), and holistic, non-traditional medicine in general. Chi (or ki) means “energy.” It also signifies power. The more energy you have, the more power you have. The flow of energy throughout the body – which determines your overall personal power – is a function of the chakras: their health in general, the speed of their whirling in particular, and the condition of the various and complex channels in the body which connect them into an organized, organic whole.

Although the basic structure of The Qabalistic Tree remains the same, the names given to its various parts often vary, depending on the author, and on whichever tradition he or she is inclined to favor. Again, for the sake of consistency, I have stayed with Crowley’s usage throughout this book. Readers who engage in comparative analysis will note the discrepancies just mentioned. Rather than think of them as discrepancies, I prefer to think of them as varieties. In terms of names and numbers, there is no single, one and only “correct” version of The Qabalistic Tree. One is obliged to keep this in mind when reading “The Naples Arrangement,” especially if one does so in conjunction with other texts. To illustrate, here’s one example. What I have called branch number one on The Qabalistic Tree – the path or branch of The Fool, connecting the first Sephira, Kether, to the second, Chokmah – is often referred to in other texts as path or branch number eleven. This is because those other texts think of the ten Sephiroth as constituting the numbers one through ten, and the branches as signifying a continuation of that numerological sequence. What I call branch number two, others call branch number twelve; and so on, right through to the end. One can easily see, therefore, that this is not so much a “discrepancy” as a

Discoursing With The Gods simple matter of terminological preference. The essential significance remains the same. Crowley’s interpretation of Tarot is unique, partly because he places various Atu on branches of The Tree quite differently than traditional arrangements. Also, Crowley is not always consistent in his own descriptions and graph attributions. That is to say, primarily: the graphs illustrating The Qabalistic Tree at the end of The Book of Thoth are not entirely consistent with the descriptions he offers in earlier chapters. Advanced students of Qabala will find this both puzzling and frustrating. My point is simply this: do not be concerned. These are metaphysical, literary, and stylistic issues best left to scholars and experts, and play no significant role in the tale I tell in Discoursing With The Gods. Most of the information contained herein is fairly straightforward and easily comprehensible, despite the occasional poetic flourish. Relax, remain flexible, and enjoy the ride. This book is a guide for Tarot divination; and with practice, patience and perseverance, it will lead you into utilizing the cards with success: first, most likely, for yourself, and then for others. Each reading – each “throw” – lays a foundation for increased accuracy in the next. Think of The Spirit of Tarot as a wise and playful goddess, who has made herself available for aspiring students on The Path of Knowledge. The most important student-quality is to approach Her with respect. When doing a reading, one can express this respect by doing the reading in a quiet, meditative environment, free of distractions. Apart from that, all that is needed are an open mind, humility, seriousness of intent, and gratitude.

II TAROT AND TIME

In his autobiography, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung narrates an out-of-body, near-death experience capturing the flavor of what it means to be free of space-time. He describes his resistance to returning to his body as not wanting to fall from bliss, back into the box of matter’s crucifixional physics. The passage confirms what the mystic tradition says about the soul, the relativity of time, and the holographic multiverse. Hank Wesselman – like Carlos Castaneda, a scientifically trained anthropologist engaged in shamanic research – describes a near-death out-of-body experience remarkably similar to Jung’s. Seth – a spirit- entity channeled by Jane Roberts – says lifetimes are simultaneous. Some incarnations branch into space-time; others branch into non- physical dimensions. Time is like an Uroboros. An Uroboros is a snake that eats its tail. It is, accordingly, a mandala. A mandala is a sacred hoop; a

Discoursing With The Gods symbol of returning, roundness, wholeness and simultaneity. Hank Wesselman’s trilogy – Spiritwalker, Medicinemaker, Visionseeker – narrates his adventures in conversing with a future self, just as that future self converses with his past incarnation as Wesselman. Seth’s The Education of Oversoul Seven nicely illustrates this notion of incarnational simultaneity. Wesselman’s scientific training adds credence to his story, and affirms the Sethian perspective. Tarot’s special talent is focusing on, and speaking to, the life we think of as ours, happening now: our conscious experience of ourselves “in the present.” Tarot attunes herself to the limitations and parameters of what we think of as past, present and future. Tarot adjusts her discourse to the time-structured vocabulary of our experience. Tarot is timeless, yet astoundingly adept at navigating time. How does Tarot work? How can a mere shuffling of a deck of cards produce an accurate picture of a querent’s life situation? The answer is: Synchronicity. Synchronicity is a term coined by Jung as a substitute for “coincidence.” “Syn” means “same,” and Chronos is the Greek god of time. Synchronicity indicates meaningful simultaneity. Events are holographically interconnected. Tarot, like The I Ching, is a device for interpreting the interdependence of events. Synchronicity is a name for psychic forces functioning in a holographic framework. For a fuller explanation of these ideas, consult Seth Speaks by Jane Roberts, The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot, and two books by Ken Wilbur: Quantum Questions and The Holographic Paradigm.