The Tarot loves to tell stories. The following is the result of asking seven questions and stepping aside so the cards could speak.

Story Telling

Deck – Miss Cleo

How should the story begin?

Six of Coins – the giving of wealth and awards

Who will solve the crime?

The Chariot – Lord Ahmose, Captain of the Charioteers

Who is the guilty party?

Five of Cups – disappointed and grieving lover

Who will help Lord Ahmose to uncover the truth?

Queen of Swords – the wily Nebet Hetepet

How was it done?

Temperance

What is the result?

Three of Swords

How does Ahmose fare?

Judgement

Ahmose and the Feast of Amun

Year Five of the Reign of Pharaoh Ra-Hotep
The Living Horus, Whose Ka is Exalted
Life, Health, Prosperity!

It was the Feast of Amun and the city was celebrating. The priests of the temple had performed the rituals and the people were enjoying the festivities. Beer and bread, ducks and onions, music and dancing. The streets were filled with the merrymaking of thousands of Pharaoh’s children.

Lord Ahmose climbed into his litter for the ride to the Royal Palace. It was time for the giving of favours and promotions. Pharaoh would be waiting to distribute this years awards to the faithful, the courageous, and the wily. The litter carried him through the maze of streets and the crush of celebrants. The noise receded and the way became easier. There would be many supplicants today, men hopeful of wealth and the favour of Pharaoh. Lord Ahmose intended to receive both.

As Captain of Pharaoh’s Charioteers, Ahmose had fought many battles to protect the Two Lands. The last skirmish had driven away Asian invaders intent on capturing and killing soldiers stationed in the eastern outposts. He had personally taken the hands of 20 of the enemy and chased many more back into the desert. Today he would reap the reward of his bravery and his loyalty to Egypt. Perhaps, Ahmose mused, he would receive the Golden Flies, the highest honour awarded to a soldier for bravery.

Lost in his daydream of the riches to come, the Captain was surprised when his litter tumbled to the ground. Shouts rang out and choking dust rose up as many feet raced past where Ahmose and his servants were sprawled.

The Lord Ahmose was furious. “What in the name of Set is wrong with you! How dare you drop me! I’ll have each and every one of you impaled in the desert and left for the jackals!”. “But Master, it was not our fault! The soldiers pushed us and knocked us down as they ran past us!” replied the frightened slave.

Ahmose rose and dusted off his once brilliantly white kilt. “To the Duat with the bunch of them!” he shouted. “I can’t present myself at court looking like this!”. A soldier in the rear guard of the troops heard his complaint and recognized the Captain. He stopped long enough to explain. “There will be no court today for you my Lord Ahmose or anyone else. The daughter of Pharaoh is missing! She was attacked on her way back from the Temple. Her litter carriers are scattered and the princess is nowhere to be found. The wrath of Pharaoh is great”. The soldier ran on to join the rest of his troop, leaving Lord Ahmose in shock.

He must find out who did this! Who would dare to kidnap the Princess? How did they manage to take the Lady Sat Hathor when she was surrounded by guards? What did they plan for her? Even more troubling, was she still alive?

After making sure that neither he nor the services of his squad were wanted or needed, Lord Ahmose made his way to the banks of the Nile. He had decided that the wharf, the busiest of all places in the land, should be his first stop. Men from many countries could be found here trying to sell the wares they had brought with them. Along with Hittite traders and sailors from beyond the Great Green, fisherman, merchants, prostitutes, thieves and most importantly, assassins and kidnappers could be found there. It was eerily silent, quite unlike the usual noise and bustle. “These people are afraid”, thought Ahmose. “They must know something that would put them in danger of the wrath of Pharaoh. I must find out what they know!”

Many debens of copper and silver were wrapped tightly in a linen cloth and carried by Ahmose himself. He knew that coins always loosen the tongue. He went first to the House of the Beautiful One, the most frequented of all the brothels. Nebet Hetepet, Mistress of Offerings, ran this house and Ahmose knew her well. Many weeks spent in the dry and dusty desert under the blazing eye of Ra made a man hungry for the cool delights that Nebet Hetepet had to offer. Men came to this brothel to drink, to find a woman, to relax and gossip. If there was something to find out Ahmose was sure he would learn of it here.

A tall and sensuous woman appeared and bowed to Ahmose. “Lord Ahmose, it has been too long since we showed you our hospitality. Come with me. The mistress will be pleased to see you.” No one knew the real name of this beautiful woman. She was a gift to Nebet Hetepet from one of the brothel’s regular customers, a highly placed official in Pharaoh’s court. Names were words of power and although Bener was a slave, spoils in war from a foreign country, she held on to this at least. Bener was her name now. She would be known as “sweet little one” and no one would ever be able to use her name, her power, against her. She seemed even more beautiful than he remembered her. There was something in her face, some change that Ahmose could not quite grasp. “Thank you Bener. I am in great need of the wisdom of your Mistress”. Bener raised one eyebrow but said nothing. She turned gracefully and led Lord Ahmose to the private rooms of Nebet Hetepet.

“Ah, my Lord! How good it is to see you. You bring honour to my house. Did you come to savour the delicacies I have to offer?”. She looked deeply into his eyes and softly sighed. “No, I see that you come on another, more serious matter. Sit!”. She clapped her hands and two servants appeared. “Bring us beer and food and then leave us.”

The slaves returned with beer, roast duck, bread and honey cakes. They left quietly and closed the curtains. Ahmose could see their shadows against the fine linen. They would guard the doorway and make sure that their Mistress was not disturbed.

Nebet Hetepet was once one of the most beautiful women in Egypt. Time, good food, many servants and much wealth had taken away her tiny, delicate body. She retained her beauty but now only those men with a fond memory of the youthful Nebet sought her out. And of these, only a very special few ever made it into her bedroom and into her confidence. Lord Ahmose was one of these favoured few.

“Only you, Lord Ahmose, are wise enough to come to The House of the Beautiful One in search of answers. The Eyes and Ears of Pharaoh, the Medjay, the palace guards…all are searching the city for the evil-doer. They won’t find him.”

Nebet Hetepet picked delicately at the duck She drank a long draught of beer and looked questioningly at Ahmose. “What kind of life do you think awaits a royal Princess? Egypt does not marry her royal women to Princes of other countries. She cannot marry anyone below her station and there is no one in The Two Lands above her. She is not in line for the throne and yet she is a constant danger. Perhaps a Lord or a Noble could convince her that she could rule Egypt more wisely than her brother. She has royal blood and many would foolishly follow her. If she is called by the god she can become the Wife of Amun and submerse herself in the duties of that priestly office. What if she isn’t so inclined? What if she is passionate and headstrong but without intelligence and wisdom? What if she wants nothing more than to be a wife to a farmer and mother to many sons and daughters?” Ahmose held his glass of beer, unable to take his eyes from Nebet Hetepet “What was the woman trying to say?” he thought to himself.

“You are wise in the ways of the world Lord Ahmose. I’m sure that you will be able to think on this matter and come to a conclusion. The true conclusion.”. Nebet Hetepet arose from her cushions and called for her servants. “The Lord Ahmose is leaving now. Escort him to his litter and then return immediately. We have much work ahead of us this evening”. She looked closely at Ahmose and what she saw satisfied her. “I will say no more. Remember the words that you heard and the sights that you saw. You will find your answer. Remember also the days of your youth before you make a decision as to what to do with that knowledge.”

As he walked out of The House of the Beautiful One, Ahmose caught site of Bener. She was carrying linens toward the back of the house and her eyes were shining. “She seems very happy for a servant!” thought Lord Ahmose. “Life, health, prosperity to you my Lord” called Bener. Her slender form disappeared behind the curtains.

Arriving home Ahmose dismissed his servants and walked purposefully to his sleeping quarters. He lit the lamps and sprawled on his pallet. He must think! Nebet Hetepet knows what happened. She knows and she told me! But what do her words mean?

He closed his eyes to think but the excitement of the day overtook him and he fell into a troubled sleep. His dreams were full of beautiful women, children, and farmers. There was the princess, sad eyed and desolate. Bener appeared, smiling at him with mocking eyes and Nebet Hetepet came to whisper secrets. In the swirls of his unconscious Ahmose saw a woman standing with one foot in a pool of sacred water. The other foot was on dry land and she was pouring liquid from a golden cup to one made of electrum. Back and forth the stream of liquid flowed. Ahmose was drawn to those cups and to their contents. The faces of the women came and went, flashing between the vision of the Lady and her Cups. Bener wishing him good health, the missing Royal Princess, Nebet Hetepet with her knowing look. The Royal Princess and Bener. Gold cup, electrum cup.

Ahmose awoke with a cry. He knew the secret! He knew what Nebet Hetepet was trying to tell him! He must see Pharaoh! But first, a trip to the House of the Beautiful One.

Lord Ahmose was brave but not stupid. He knew the streets of the city were dangerous, especially at night. He took many armed men with him and no one approached or tried to interfere. If only he wasn’t too late!

As he raced through the city Ahmose thought about what he had learned. He pondered various solutions to Pharaoh’s predicament. How to allow his daughter, a woman with royal blood, to just vanish? Pharaoh must save face. He must make secure the throne and his heir. He must reassure the people that he was the Mighty One, that nothing in the land was accomplished without his approval.

Bener was waiting for him on the steps to The House of the Beautiful One. When Ahmose saw her he wondered how he could ever have been mistaken. The same build, the same colouring, the same exquisite beauty. But this beautiful woman, with tears spilling out of her darkly kohled eyes, was not the servant Bener. It was Her Royal Highness, Princess Sat Hathor.

“Life, health, prosperity to you Lady Sat Hathor”. She was not surprised by his greeting. “Old habits die hard Lord Ahmose. I realized as soon as I had given the Royal greeting that I had given myself away. Nebet Hetepet was very angry with me.” The heart of Lord Ahmose was filled with pity. How unhappy she must have been to attempt such a thing! “No one could remain angry with you for long My Lady. Besides, the Mistress told me of the plan”. He paused for a moment, unsure of his next words. She was, after all, the Princess of Egypt, daughter of Mighty Pharaoh. She had the power to end his life or, at the very least, send him into exile. She must have seen the hesitation. She lifted her head proudly and addressed him. “You have nothing to fear from me Lord Ahmose. My life is in ruins, my heart broken. I no longer care what happens to me. I have no more will, no power. I have nothing”. With these last words the Princess broke into sobs and ran into the House.

The Lord Ahmose followed her into the inner room, the sobs of the young woman leading him to where she lay, crumpled and keening. The Mistress was holding Sat Hathor and stroking her head. “There, there. It will be alright little one. Lord Ahmose will help us.” She looked up and smiled at the Captain. “You will help a love sick girl and a sentimental old woman, won’t you?” The Captain nodded. “I will do what I can for both of you”.

“She was so unhappy you see. The rigours of court and the fawning of the courtiers, the incessant demands on her time, the watchful eye of Pharaoh. All she wanted was a “normal” life. To fall in love, marry, have children. I am well known in court”, she blushed delicately, “And little Sat Hathor eluded her protectors and sought me out. We had many long talks and peaceful hours. I knew right away that Bener and the Lady could be mistaken for one another. Some days, to the delight of both of us, Sat Hathor would take the place of Bener. She greeted customers, brought food and drink, changed linens. She was so happy! And then the inevitable happened. She met a young man here and was taken with him. I tried to warn her that any man who used my establishment was not good enough for her. She wouldn’t listen. She planned to run away and marry him and she sought my help. We devised a plan. Lady Sat Hathor would attend the ceremonies but slip away before the Royal party approached their litters to return to the palace. Her personal servant, who agreed to help, would step inside and give the order to return to the Palace. We hoped that no one would notice Sat Hathor’s absence until the procession reached the Palace. It was unfortunate that her sister, Meryamun, took it into her head to talk to Sat Hathor on the ride home. When she climbed into the litter and found her sister missing she raised the alarm. The servant had the presence of mind to run off into the crowds before she could be stopped by Pharaoh’s men. She made her way here and we have sent her to the Delta to keep her safe from Pharaoh”. A sad look came over her face and she swallowed loudly, trying to keep the tears out of her voice. “That wretched boy took fright and left the little one all alone. Now she will have no husband and no home. How can she return to the Palace? Pharaoh will have her exiled or killed. He must punish her. He cannot afford any sign of weakness. The people demand strength from Pharaoh.”

The old Captain was stirred by the story. The fact that Nebet Hetepet showed no concern for herself was not lost on him. She truly loved this child. Pharaoh’s wrath would surely strike her too but she seemed worried only about the fate of the young Princess. He promised to help them. But how?

Ahmose understood that courage was necessary but tact was essential if he was to save the Princess and her friends. He would approach the Queen, mother of Sat Hathor. Surely she would understand a young girl’s foolishness? “Keep her safe Mistress. I will do my best with Pharaoh.”

The next day a litter appeared outside the House of the Beautiful One, a litter bearing the Royal standard. The Queen herself, surrounded by guards, stepped out from behind the curtains. “Take me to my daughter immediately!”. When Sat Hathor saw her mother she stood very still and very straight. The Princess might be an anxious young woman, worried about her impending fate but she was, first and foremost, a Royal young woman. “Hello Highness” she said and bowed. “Silly child,” whispered the Queen as she raised her arms to her daughter. At that sign from her mother, Sat Hathor ran across the room to be enfolded by those welcoming arms. “Your father is very angry with you” said the Queen. She looked up and into the eyes of Nebet Hetepet. “And even angrier with those who helped you in this idiotic scheme.” “Oh mother!” wailed the princess, “Don’t let father harm Nebet Hetepet! She is my friend.”

“You are both coming back to the Palace where I can keep an eye on you. You obviously need more supervision and an outlet for all that passion. And this woman needs watching. I can’t leave her. Who knows what kind of mischief the two of you will get up to next time. She can be your hand servant”.

“Certainly Your Highness. As you wish.” said Nebet Hetepet as she made obeisance to the Queen. The old woman was secretly glad. She was tired of this life and ready to settle down.

“Oh, thank you Mother!” cried Sat Hathor. “You have talked to Pharaoh? It is alright?”

“This time I have cooled his anger. I doubt that I can intervene a second time Sat Hathor. Come, we will return now to the Palace”.

Lord Ahmose accompanied the women to the House of Pharaoh. He retired as Captain of the Charioteers and settled into the life of a man of the court. He could often be found walking in the gardens with Sat Hathor and Nebet Hetepet. He had received his honours at last.

From the pen of the Scribe Em-Sesheta
"Hail to you Djehuti, Lord of Divine Words,
Homage to you who records the measures,
Who balances the scale whereon the heart is placed.
I call upon your wisdom and sound judgement,
Wise scribe, make me clean of hands and pure of heart,
I keep your heart alive,
Uttering words that the gods love.”
That which is written shall be remembered.

Copyright October 7 2005

msesheta

  I knew months ago that we would be in a recession and that gas, oil, food,clothing - all our modern conveniences would sky rocket. Complacency is one of the problems we will have to get over and deal with. The biggest one that I can see is our idea that we have the "right" to have what we want, when we want it - and more and more of it too! I'm afraid we have become used to using resources at our convenience. It is going to be a new world and we had better get on track for it now.
    It's not so much that we will go "backwards" and that we will have to live like they did in the 1930's - baking our own bread (if we can get grains), sewing our own clothes, carrying buckets of water from a well, no television or internet. But we will have to make hard choices. I want my books, internet, computer and to be warm in winter. If I have to use the air conditioner less in the summer so that I can have heat in the winter, I will do that. If I have to cut back on restaurants and convenience food to pay the internet bill, I will do that. I choose to walk a lot of places now to save on gas so that I can afford fuel for the car for when I truly need it. Most of my household goods are purchased used because I believe in recycling (or they are not "high end" - I see no need for a 3 thousand dollar sofa that I will sit on for an hour or two a day but I do not trust used soft furnishings, too much chance of fleas, bed bugs and other nasties in sofas, chairs and beds that come from strangers). I don't really know when it happened but we seem to believe that we have to have the "best", the "newest", the "fastest", the "biggest".
    I will take some of that blame and responsibility. I recently spent more on a new laptop than many families make in a year. But I am willing to do without other things. I no longer believe that I deserve to have everything that I see and I know I need to make compromises and choices. I want the coffee I buy to be "fair trade" and/or shade grown coffee and I have to pay extra for that. In return I will spend less on pre-packaged foods to make up that additional cost. At least I have that choice available. Some people will have to choose between coffee and cereal for breakfast. I have no idea how my son is going to be able to feed and clothe three children, let alone pay for sports, equipment, dance classes, martial arts lessons and gasoline to get them to all the places they need to be. We couldn't afford any of that when I was growing up and perhaps the next generation will find that all these extras will be denied to them too. It might be a good time to bring back hop-scotch, jump rope and marbles.
    I won't step foot in Walmart. I would rather do without or save up a bit more to purchase from a Canadian company or from local vendors. I do not want to perpetuate the outsourcing, low wages and cheap goods mentality that has gripped us. America had better wake up soon before it is too late.
    The local nursery gave away Redbud seedlings and hubby picked one up for me. Cities need to plant more trees instead of destroying our forests. The nursery has joined with Rayon to plant trees in Haiti and we donated $10 to plant 10 trees. Take a look at google earth and see what Haiti looks like. There is a clearly seen line that is the border between Haiti and the Dominican. Green, lush forests and parks on the Dominican side and arid desert on the Haitian side. Greed, bad planning and human interference has destroyed half an island.
    I am just as greedy as the next person, don't get me wrong. But I am beginning to see that I must regulate and structure my "need" for "things". If I want that new tarot deck I must be prepared to do without something else. THAT is what this generation doesn't yet understand but they will. One cannot have every single bloody thing that one wants just as soon as the idea crosses one's mind. You can't live in a home that you can't afford, you can't drive a car that is beyond your means, you can't use Mother Earth's resources without replacing them. It is an honour and a privilege to be alive and live on this beautiful planet. The Earth doesn't owe us a thing, we owe her. Life doesn't owe us either.

Elemental Personalities In The Tarot

The Four Suits

Fire – passionate, assertive, aggressive, intuitive, energetic, risk takers, sexual, ambitious, reckless.

Water – emotional, romantic, empathic, passive, idealistic, hopeful, psychic, spiritual.

Air – intelligent, honest, logical, rational, reasonable, conflicted, thoughtful, knowledgeable, understanding, intellectual.

Earth – material, slow and plodding, fertile, studious, patient, comfort seeking, survivalist, practical, down to earth, hard working.

Kings

Wands – fire, zealot, sexually motivated, competitive, fiery temper.

Cups – water, imaginative, considerate, kind, nurturing, loving.

Swords – air, rational, truthful, analytical, intelligent, intellectual, diplomatic.

Pentacles – earth, wealthy, hard worker, patient, stable, reliable.

Queens

Wands – fire, passionate, temperamental, fondness for sex, demonstrative, ambitious.

Cups – water, emotional, sensitive, psychic, occult interests, gentle, loving.

Swords – air, sarcastic, witty, intellectual, good communicator, rational.

Pentacles – earth, wealthy, good money manager, fertile, nature lover, fondness for luxury.

Knights

Wands – fire, swiftness in actions, ambitious, haste, enthusiasm, excitable.

Cups – water, intuitive, moody, idealistic, social, sensitive, romantic.

Swords – air, analytical, communicator, decisive, adviser, honest.

Pentacles – earth, plodding, patient, practical, hard working.

Pages

Wands – competitive, excitable, optimistic, courageous, daring.

Cups – loving, psychic, kind, friendly, sensitive, warm, hopeful.

Swords – air, keen intellect, logical, a negotiator, witty,

Pentacles – earth, studious, stable, reliable, thrifty, love of nature.

Sesheta-mallorn

Rider-Waite Symbolism

Generally speaking, Waite describes these cups as strange chalices of vision. They are all up on a cloud, which may reflect their ungrounded, impractical or transient nature and the over-imagination or confusion of the figure conjuring them. Accordingly, they have been associated with wishful thinking.

There is some dispute as to what the 7 symbols in the cups mean, but tarotologists have some speculation as to the meanings. It may be noted that the exact elements of this vision may be less important than the very act of conjuring them.

This Card represents self-delusion. Ideas that we need not worry about the real world because we might win the lottery.

The cups seem to offer:

    * A snake - may represent animal passion and desire. Alternatively, some consider the snake to represent powerful transformative knowledge. The snake around The Magician's waist may offer insight into Waite's intention with this inclusion herein.

    * A treasure horde - probably represents wealth and abundance.

    * A human head - may represent a potential companion to the seeker (love).

    * A castle or tower - may represent power and stability, or one's native land. (contrast with The Tower)

    * A laurel wreath - most likely represents victory, honour and status. Note the skull like shadow on the cup itself, which may point to the great dangers of vanity and pride (a deadly sin).

    * A dragon - in keeping with the Christian imagery of the deck, it is more likely a symbol of evil, anger and envy, calamity. Today, dragons are mostly associated with fantasy, the supernatural, magic.

    * A shrouded, glowing figurine - may represent the burning need for the conjurer's self-illumination.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_of_Cups

I was doing some research last night on this Page. I have found that this card has been interpreted mostly as "spy".

Historically this Page was reputed to be Ogier, the son of Danish King Geoffrey; Renaut a paladin of Charlemagne among others.

These are the original cartomantic interpretations (according to Paul Huson):
Etteilla - a spy, a curiosity seeker, an observer, an examiner, a watcher, calculation, speculation
Reversed - unforeseen, sudden, unexpected, to compose or recite on the spot
Mathers - a spy, overlooking, authority
Reversed - that which is unforeseen, vigilance, support
Golden Dawn - wisdom, strength, acuteness, grace, dexterity
Reversed - frivolous and cunning
Waite - authority, overseeing, secret service, vigilance, spying, examination, an indiscreet person will pry into the querent's affairs
Reversed - unforeseen, an unprepared state, sickness

I find it interesting that the GD's interpretations are not even close to anyone else's. Is this where we began to get the modern interpretation?

In "Dictionary of the Tarot" by Bill Butler I found this:
Crowley - her character is stern and revengeful, her logic is destructive, she is firm and aggressive, great practical wisdom
Douglas - similar to traditional with additional negative implications of deviousness, prying, vindictiveness, or treachery
Eden Gray - a page in the diplomatic service, possible great understanding of diplomacy, impostors, cunning, possible sickness
Grimaud - defensive and agile intellect triumphing without violence , oppression by matter, powerlessness in the face of strong forces
Papus - a child, an enemy, bad news, delay

Sources:
Mystical Origins of the Tarot
Paul Huson
Pages 216 - 218

Dictionary of the Tarot
Bill Butler
Pages 99 - 102

 

The Virtues – Assignments to the Trumps

The Virtues were a common subject in Medieval and Renaissance art and allegorical paintings were often used. Tarot historians see these allegories in the tarot Trumps (as the journey of the soul).

The first thing would be to list The Virtues and then define allegory.

 

The Virtues

From: http://changingminds.org/explanations/values/seven_virtues.htm

“When Pope Gregory defined the seven deadly sins that we should avoid, he also included a counter-balancing set of values that we should espouse and adopt. These are: 

Faith is belief in the right things (including the virtues!). Hope is taking a positive future view that good will prevail. Charity is concern for, and active helping of, others. Fortitude is never giving up. Justice is being fair and equitable with others.  Prudence is care of and moderation with money. Temperance is moderation of needed things and abstinence from things which are not needed.

The first three of these are known as the Spiritual Virtues, whilst the last four are called the Chief or Natural Virtues. The Natural Virtues had already been defined by Greek philosophers, whilst the Spiritual Virtues are a slight variation on St. Paul's trio of Love, Hope and Faith (due to variation in translation from the original: Charity and Love arguably have a high level of overlap).

There are also a number of other sets of virtues, including:

• The Seven Contrary Virtues which are specific opposites to the Seven Deadly Sins: Humility against pride, Kindness against envy, Abstinence against gluttony, Chastity against lust, Patience against anger, Liberality against greed, and Diligence against sloth.

• The Theological Virtues: Love, Hope and Faith, as defined by St. Paul (who placed love as the greatest of them all).

• The four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice.

• The Seven Heavenly Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence.

• The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy are a medieval list of things you can do to help others: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give shelter to strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick, minister to prisoners, and bury the dead.

• The Seven Bushido Virtues: Right decisions, Valor, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty.”

The exercise in the study book is based on the four cardinal virtues of temperance, strength, justice and prudence (from classical philosophy) and the three added "Christian" virtues of faith, hope and charity

Allegory

“Allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and characters are often personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy.

Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.”

The question now is – Do the tarot Trumps include allegories of the seven virtues?

Historians agree that Tarot began as an ordinary Italian-suited deck with an added fifth “suit” or group of allegorical triumphs. It was originally known as carte da trionfi, cards with triumphs, or trumps. I believe (so far in my researches) that the Seven Virtues WERE intentionally included in the first tarot decks. The occultists later used these as the basis of adding in their own ideas, theories and beliefs.

Michael J Hurst states that the Trumps should be separated into three groups of differing subject matter. These three groups are:

 

Social Hierarchy – Two representatives from each of the three estates of Medieval – The Fool, The Mountebank, The Popess, The Empress, The Emperor, the Pope

The Realm of Man

Know your place!!!

 

Allegories of Life – Conditions of human life - Love, The Chariot, Justice, Time, The Wheel of Fortune, Fortitude, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance

The Realm of the Soul

Triumphs, tribulations and mortality.

 

Biblical End Times – Spiritual and Celestial Powers - The Devil, the Tower, the Star, The Moon, The Sun, The Angel, The World

The Realm of Eternity

 

From Hurst’s Site - http://www.geocities.com/cartedatrionfi/Riddle.html#Ng

“In The Waning of the Middle Ages, Johan Huizinga wrote:

Towards the end of the Middle Ages two factors dominate religious life: the extreme saturation of the religious atmosphere, and a marked tendency of thought to embody itself in images. Individual and social life, in all their manifestations, are imbued with the conceptions of faith. There is not an object nor an action, however trivial, that is not constantly correlated with Christ or salvation. All thinking tends to religious interpretation of individual things; there is an enormous unfolding of religion in daily life.

That’s what the riddle of Tarot was all about: Tarot is a story of Christian salvation, schematic but encyclopedic, and the role of man and God in that story. As the story of Christian salvation may be considered a likeness of the “truth”, an eikos mythos, so is the story of Tarot.”

”The Tarot trump cycle can now be seen in its original context, alongside other examples of the various incorporated motifs, each with its own spiritual (and political) significance. Admittedly, this will not appeal to many contemporary Tarot enthusiasts. They have little understanding of, and less interest in, the antiquated (at least from their viewpoint) spiritual message of the Three Estates, the Fall of Princes, the Dance of Death, or ultimate victory over the Devil and Death. How depressingly mediæval and Christian these things seem! Modern Tarotists will still prefer their divinatory meanings and “archetypal” projections, Renaissance humanism, Pagan symbolism, Neoplatonic magic and mysticism, and modern fictions of Gnostic Magdalene-cult heresies and anti-Catholic conspiracy theories over medieval Stoic ethics and mainstream Roman Catholic eschatology, even with its mystical interpretation. Nonetheless, a real spiritual message is present in the trump cycle even before its modern revisioning. It is profound, complex, and it includes subtleties and beauty beyond the range of simplistic Cabalistic correspondences or the projections of neo-Jungian archetypes. It details the spiritual facts of life as understood by Christian Europe for well over a thousand years: In a neatly structured encyclopedia of salvation within the popular Trionfo della Morte tradition, Tarot shows the triumph of Death in this world and the ultimate triumph of God over all, the last enemy to be destroyed being Death.”

 

If this is the case, and I strongly suspect that it is, then the Virtues would have had to be included.

In Michael Hurt’s words, the message of the tarot seems to be ““Know your place, practice the virtues, and trust in God.’

 

Decks Used for Comparison

Mantegna Tarot – not strictly a tarot but it is an historical deck that is dated around 1460. It is interesting to look at this deck and how it’s constructed. There are five groups of ten (ten being the number of perfection). Each group has a strict hierarchical order and the five groups are:

The Human Conditions

Apollo and the Muses

The Arts and Sciences

The Geniuses and Virtues

The Planets and the Celestial Spheres

What a great way to summarize what the beliefs were at the time!

 

I have also used a few other 78 card historical decks.

Tarot of the Master (1893)

Golden Tarot of the Renaissance (Estensi Tarot - 1470)

Giotto Tarot (based on the work of Giotto di Bondone 1267 - 1337)

 

Cardinal Virtues

Strength (Bravery or Fortitude) – Strength

From the Encyclopedia Mythica “Cyrene - The daughter of the naiad Creusa and the mortal Hypseus, king of the Lapiths, and granddaughter of the river god Peneus. This myth has Cyrene wrestling a lion which was attacking her father's sheep. The god Apollo, passing by, saw this and immediately fell in love with her. He carried her off to Africa, where he built her a city (called Cyrene, on the coast of North Africa). The region Cyrenaica is also named after her. Aristaeus is her son by Apollo.

I imagine this is where the Waite image of the lion and the beautiful young woman comes from:

I would think that the original was based on brute strength such as the story of Samson or Hercules and the Nemean lion. Thomas Aquinas thought that Fortitude was the virtue that helped us resist all fear so I think that the lion in the image reinforces the idea of strength through “fearlessness”.

The Ancient Tarot of Lombardy shows a well-muscled young man with one knee on the lion’s back and he is holding open the jaws with his hands. Tarot of the Master has a well-dressed woman with her right hand on a pillar. She seems to be resting it comfortably on the top of the pillar. On her left side is a crouching lion that seems to be obeying her by a hand command only. In the Estensi (a very beautiful deck with lovely colours and gold leaf) Strength shows a woman seated on a throne with a white pillar on the inside of her right knee. She is breaking the pillar in two. Something new I learned is about the halo above her head. Paul Huson in “Mystical Origins of the Tarot” (page 102) states that the Virtues were often portrayed with a polygonal or hexagonal halo. This “is reserved in Christian iconography for allegorical, as opposed to sanctified figures.” So, the halo tells us that this image is an allegory for Strength. The LWB that accompanies this deck gives the meaning as “energy – hard work, moral strength, courage”.

The historical decks show Fortitude in an allegorical manner by using an image of physical strength to represent an inner, moral strength. Fortitude is principally in the mind and yet the cards generally show a strong brute wrestling a lion or pushing down pillars. The other side of this is the decks that show a young woman breaking a pillar. She is obviously not physically strong enough to do this so the lesson is that inner, moral strength is what is needed.

Temperance (Restraint) – Temperance

I find this quite interesting. This word comes from the Latin Temperare (to mix correctly). Historically, this was a standard symbol of the virtue Temperance, representing the dilution of wine with water. This can be taken literally as living a moderate lifestyle; water down your wine, don’t eat to excess, don’t pray to excess, and don’t exercise to excess. As an allegory it takes on the meaning of combining or blending of opposites. Modern occultists and tarot interpreters have added many more meanings to this card.

In the tarot of the Master a young woman pours water into a wine jar. The Mantegna card includes some symbolism that I still have to research. The image is of a young woman who looks as if she might be pregnant. She holds a golden vase in each hand but there is no liquid flowing. On the ground beside her is an animal staring into a mirror that is placed on the ground. Perhaps the combining of spiritual and animal energies?

The Estensi card shows a young woman, seated on a golden stool. She is pouring liquid from one jar into another. She has the polygonal halo so that we understand that this is an allegorical card.

Justice – Justice – This is a moral concept involving the fair and impartial treatment of all persons, the continued effort to “do right”.

The tarot of the Masters shows a young woman seated on a throne. She is holding a balanced scale in her right hand and an upright sword in her left. The Estensi is similar but with the sword in her right hand and the scales in her left. There is the polygonal halo again to tip us off about the allegory in the card. Neither woman is blindfolded. I believe it symbolizes that you must LOOK at the facts to be able to render and impartial and “right” judgement. Weigh the opinions of everyone before using your intellect (the sword) to come to a decision. The Mantegna shows a woman standing and not seated. She holds an upright sword in her right hand and the scales in her left hand. There is a bird on the gound below the scales with his claws around a red globe of some sort. It is a white, long-necked bird and I can’t quite make out what it is or what it represents. An Ibis? A crane? It slightly resembles the pelican that is found on the Charity card..

Prudence (Wisdom) – The Hermit – Paul Christian gave Arcanum 9 the meaning of Prudence as did Mathers and Waite. The original translation from the Greek was prudence and was associated with wisdom. Modern English has lost this meaning and most people think of “cautiousness” when they hear the word prudence. Recently the word form the Greek has been re-translated as “practical knowledge” or “practical wisdom”. A fourteenth century memory manual identifies Saturn with the virtue Prudence and Saturn is sometimes associated with The Hermit. Also, the earliest cards showed the Hermit with an hourglass, clearly an allegorical card about time and Saturn or Cronos is symbolic of time. Wisdom only comes with time?

However, an essay on autonomy and decency found at this address: http://www.collegevalues.org/articles.cfm?a=1&id=657) claims that the ancient definition of prudence was that moral decency involves knowing how to do the right thing in the right way for the right reason. Using this idea the 20^th card in the trumps, Judgement, might be seen as an allegory for Prudence. Good judgement is based on Prudence. You must have practical wisdom to be able to make judgements. To illustrate this the card illustrators used an image of the final Judgement Day from the bible. So, as in all allegories, we have two layers of meanings for this card. There is first the literal idea of the Biblical Judgement and then the symbolic meaning of practical knowledge.

The World card from the Estensi Tarot shows a woman standing on a representation of earth with a sceptre in one hand and a globe in the other. This “earth” is sitting on top of the clouds and might represent the heavenly aspect of earth. She has the polygonal halo that suggests that this is an allegorical image. This might represent the ultimate “wisdom” of the heavenly spheres.

I haven’t come to a decision yet on which card represents Prudence but I know it’s in there somewhere!

 

Theological Virtues

Faith - The Pope or The Hierophant – the earthly head of the church whose job it is to spread the faith and show the followers of the church what faith can accomplish.

The images used for this card do not change much from deck to deck. The figure is quite obviously The Pope with his accoutrements of power. The only difference is that some cards show two acolytes and the tarot of the Masters shows only the Pope himself. The Mantegna has an actual card that is named faith. It shows a young woman, richly dressed holding a golden cup or censor in her right hand (perhaps it is something associated with the church, I don’t have that much knowledge of the symbolism). She is staring at this intently and at her feet is the “faithful” dog.

Hope – The Star – Christ was known as the “Bright Morning Star” and the seven smaller stars in the image were more than likely meant to portray the seven churches of Rome, for whom the meaning of this card was intended. Modern interpretations include “hope” for this card and I suppose that the death of Christ (which represented the conquering of the Devil) brought hope to the followers of Christ.

The Mantegna shows a woman with hands raised in prayer and at her feet a phoenix arising out of the fire. The Maters shows a naked woman pouring water out of two jugs into a pool or stream. There is one large star (Christ) and 7 smaller stars (the churches). The Estensi image is of a naked woman standing on water. There are fish and seashells in the water as well as a ship in the distance. She is holding a very long arrow in her right arm and it is pointing downwards. A star shines over her head like a halo.

Charity –The card in the Cary-Yale Visconti deck that is referred to as “Charity” shows a richly robed woman nursing an infant from her left breast. The Estensi shows a young woman holding an empty purse upside down and making a gesture with her left hand (thumb and baby finger out, middle fingers curved inwards). At her feet is a pelican feeding her young. I am not really sure where to place this virtue. I thought at first that it might perhaps be the Empress but I can’t quite get there. Perhaps the heretical Papesse or female Pope?

The Moon

I am confused (which people who know me realize is a natural state for
me!). I was looking through several decks for some inspiration about
The Moon. Those of you who have read some articles about Aleister
Crowley will remember his famous line, "Tzaddi is not the star".

In the RWS deck the numbering system begins with the Fool and that
card is numbered 0. It is given the Hebrew letter Aleph, the first
number of the Hebrew alphabet. The letters are assigned in a linear
fashion which brings us to the Moon card (numbered 18) and the Hebrew
letter QOPH, number 19 in the alphabet. My books say that this letter
means "ear", stands for the occult extension of sleep, the direction
South-Below, the corporeal intelligence and the zodiacal sign Pisces.
On the face of it, this seems reasonable.

Now, lets go back to Tzaddi. The RWS (and the Golden Dawn) assign the
letter Tzaddi to the 17th card, the Star. Tzaddi means fish hook and
represents thought, meditation, South-above, and Aquarius. Again, this
seems reasonable given the meaning of the card.

Now for the spanner in the works. I have a lovely deck called the
Kazanlar Tarot. It was designed by Emil Kazanlar. Mr. Kazanlar came
from a father of mixed Turkish and Persian background and a Hungarian
mother. He lived in the countries of both parents and grew up in a
home where each parent followed a different religion. The deck is a
combination of Asian and European influences. His illustrations and
card meanings can be quite different from what we are used to in North
America.

In this deck the numbering system begins with the number 1 card, the
Magician, which is given the first number of the Hebrew alphabet
Aleph. (This always made more sense to me but I do understand that the
placing of the Hebrew letters was very difficult and involved - they
don't really belong there, it is a man-made convention that was used
to try to tie more symbolism into the cards).

This numbering system brings us to the Moon card which in this deck is
assigned Tzaddi! Hey! Tzaddi really isn't the Star :)

Now we know that Tzaddi means fish-hook. The author states that, "the
hook serves also to fix together something that is loose. It makes the
uncertain, certain. A subtitle for the Moon is pleasant uncertainty;
moonlight signifies uncertainty...It is reminiscent of a
will-o'-the-wisp that catches the eye and gives a vague premonition of
danger".

So, finally the questions! Do the attributions assigned to the cards
make any difference to you? Does associating Pisces vs. Aquarius change
the meaning of the card? Does anyone really care if the Moon is QOPH
or Tzaddi? Does your interpretation of a card change when using decks
with different symbols and associations? Just what is it in a Tarot
card that "speaks" to you?

Common divinatory meanings of the Moon are voluntary change, mystery,
the occult, dreams, the inner path, the subconscious, deception, fear,
unforeseen perils, hidden dangers, restlessness.
I think it also represents the dangers of the Spiritual path. These
are usually based on fear of the unknown, conditioning from society
and mainstream religion. We must take this journey; emotional
commitment to a materialistic philosophy of life only creates an
illusion of safety and quite often manifests that which we fear the
most. It is inevitable that we make the journey to the light, we might
as well have fun along the way!

Oh, I almost forgot. Some Moon lore for everyone. The Moon is the only
astral body which encircles the earth. The planets revolve around the
Sun and the sun revolves around the Galactic centre. That makes the
Moon very special to us here on earth.

Radiant Waite Tarot and Kazanlar Tarot:
http://taroteca.multiply.com/photos

THE SNAIL

At the bottom of the Nine of Pentacles, Pamela Colman Smith painted a snail. What idea was she trying to help us to see?

Sandra A. Thompson, in her book “Pictures From the Heart”, tells us that snails are a lunar symbol and represent not only feminine energy but also the cycle of death and rebirth. She goes on to say that the shell is linked to the spiral and to self sufficiency.

The number nine is often linked to the Sephirah Yesod and to the unconscious while also meaning completion and ease in that particular suit. A pentacle is a five sided star that is surrounded by a coin. Isabel Kliegman sees this symbol as representing the body and the soul. The star is what we are made of and the coin is the body that houses it.

So what do we have? Someone who feels comfortable in her body, someone who has worked hard and can now enjoy the fruits of her labour. Someone who is self sufficient and proud of the person she has become. At the same time, she knows that all things must pass. Life is a never ending cycle of birth, growth, deterioration and death. Knowing this, she can enjoy what she has made, both in the outside world and in her soul. She can enjoy but not be bound by it. She is not afraid of the loss of her power or position because she knows that what she so meticulously built up can be taken away at any moment. And this is okay. She can build again. She is not her possessions.

What more can the snail tell us? Perhaps Ms Colman Smith wanted to point out that perfection is a myth. No true garden is free of insects, dirt and debris. Each and every garden has a snail just as every human has some habit or characteristic that makes them seem less than perfect. The woman in this card is at ease in her body and in her surroundings. She sees the snail in her garden but loves and enjoys what she has made anyway. She knows that perhaps in the eyes of others she is too short or too fat or too poor, but deep inside that star in the middle of the pentacle she is perfect unto herself. She not only accepts the snail in her garden, she welcomes it.

I keep a snail on my computer monitor and another on the kitchen windowsill. They remind me that I don’t have to look “perfect” to others. In fact “what other people think of me is none of my business”. I must acknowledge the snail in my garden and give it pride of place in my being. It is that snail who makes me who I am.

The world is full of human beings who have no confidence, who feel no joy in being who they are. People can spend their entire lives trying to “fix” themselves, to remake themselves in the image of what popular culture dictates as “perfect”. There are billion dollar industries that prey on this mistaken sense of what is “right”, what is “acceptable”. For some people it does not matter how much they own or how much they accomplish. It is never enough; they can never enjoy it because they need to erase that snail. They feel an overwhelming urgency to obtain perfection.

Why do we waste our precious time and resources denying the snail in our garden? Take a close look at the face of the woman in the card. Do you see her serenity? Does she look apologetic for being successful, well dressed, and self sufficient? No. She is happy and confident and at home with herself and with her life.

One other thing comes to mind when I look at the snail on the Nine of Pentacles from the Rider Waite Smith deck. Snails move slowly. We have all heard and used the term, “He is as slow as a snail”. In this world of computers and almost instantaneous e-mail we use the term “snail mail” to symbolize the slowness of regular postal mail. This card is a snapshot of our lives. The world has slowed down to a crawl and we can now take the time to enjoy what we have created, what we have become. Ultimately time moves forward and nothing lasts forever. But in the world of the Nine of Pentacles, the snail reminds us to find peace within our being and to be proud of who we are; warts, snails and all.