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Strange Castle on the Street

1sweet

00:00 / 04:00

THE FIRST TAROT CASTLE

As The Fool was strolling down a street not far from his apartment in the El Dorado District, he came upon a castle next to other dwellings. "I must be in a parallel universe," he thought to himself. "I've never noticed this here before."

At the Castle Door

So The Fool knocked on the door to see if the castle was real. A man in a white coat opened the door and invited him in.

Science Lab

The Fool discovered that he had entered a science lab. "That's odd," Nathan thought to himself. "A science lab inside of a castle?"

Head of Science Lab

The Fool suddenly found himself near the desk of the head scientist.
"We primarily focus on mind-control experiments in this lab," the head scientist stated. "Throughout history, people in power have used religion as a way of brainwashing people. The oligarchs in power now want to know if they can use the mystical Qabalah as a form of mind control or if they should ban the Qabalah altogether. The Tarot dovetails in every conceivable way with the mystical symbol system of the Qabalah known as the Tree of Life. Since you have managed to find our castle--and we don't believe in coincidences, mind you--we invite you to become part of our experiment."
"I must be in a parallel universe," The Fool thought to himself. "Okay, I guess so," he mumbled.

Research Assistant

"Very well, then," the head scientist smiled. "My research assistant will soon join you and start the experiment."
Suddenly the research assistant appeared with a deck of Tarot cards. "With the Major Arcana cards, you can make four castles of five cards each, the first of which is comprised of the cards known as 'The World,' 'Judgement,' 'The Sun,' 'The Moon,' and 'The Star.' I am going to perform an EEG as I show you each card one at a time. The EEG is an electroencephalogram, which is a painless test that measures the electrical activity of the brain. It is also known as a brain wave test."
"Okay, sure," The Fool responded meekly.

The World: Saturn

"The first card of the first castle, as I mentioned, is 'The World.'" The research assistant held up the card. "What do you see when you look at this card?" she asked.

Earth Element Portal

The Fool squinted at the card and envisioned an Earth Element portal. "I see what might be either an ascent or a descent," Nathan replied. "This card is associated with Saturn, the Father of the Gods and the creator of the primordial energies of the cosmos. The mythological principle associated with the card is 'The Descent into the Underworld,' suggesting a journey into the primal energies and dark recesses of the subconscious mind. Within the fires of this underworld, one can burn away all negativity and ascend ever higher to experience the subtle forces associated with the elements, which includes the energies of the triplicities of the zodiac and their ruling planets. In other words, you can begin to experience the subtle energies of the dimensions of Universal Consciousness represented by the Tree of Life."
The research assistant smiled. "I see you know a little bit about the Tarot," she giggled.
"Yeah, a little bit, I guess," The Fool grinned.

Judgement: Fire

"I am now going to show you the next card of the first castle, which is known as 'Judgement,'" she stated. "What do you see in this card?"

Fire Element Portal

The Fool stared at the card, and in his mind a Fire Element portal opened. "I see the Archangel Gabriel blowing his trumpet to raise the dead during the Last Judgment. But the card has a deeper symbolic significance, I think. After being cleansed by Fire, the soul through exultation can rise to greater heights through love and compassion, symbolized by the red balanced cross, which also symbolizes the elements and their associated energies, which includes the triplicities of the zodiac and their ruling planets."

The Sun

"Impressive. I am now going to show you the next card of the first castle known as 'The Sun,'" she stated. "What do you see in this card?"

Spirit Element Portal

The Fool gazed intently at the card, and the Spirit Element portal opened in his mind. "I see a joyful awakening," he replied. "The mythological principle associated with the card is 'The Awakening of the Mind,' which includes not only the awakening of the intellect but also the ability to see into the spiritual dimensions. This occurs after the purification process that we experience on the previous path known as 'Judgement.' After we are purified by Fire, we immerse ourselves more and more in the Waters of the subconscious mind and consequently become more aware of the soul."

The Moon: Pisces

"Nice," the research assistant replied. "What do you see in this card?"

Water Element Portal

The Fool examined the card, and a Water Element Portal opened in his mind. "I see the moon in alignment with the sun. This symbolically suggests the connection of the Holy Spirit with the Son of the trinity. In other words, the Holy Ghost presents symbols to the inner eye so that we have greater understanding of spiritual principle and can eventually rise to the Emanation of The Sun, the realm of sacrifice and harmonizing love. The Moon, associated with the ninth Emanation known as The Foundation, and The Sun, associated with the sixth Emanation known as Beauty, are in alignment on the Middle Pillar of the Tree of Life as well. The subconscious mind is associated with the Element of Water, which includes the instincts of our bestial nature represented by the jackal and the dog, and feels a strong pull toward the light of The Moon and The Sun."

The Star: Aquarius

The research assistant nodded and presented another card. "What do you see in this card," she inquired.

Air Element Portal

The Fool gazed at the card and smiled. "I see an image that represents 'The Awakening of the Heart,' which is associated with our current time period, the Age of Aquarius. After much storm and chaos, we might, thanks to the energies of Aquarius and its ruling planet, Saturn, evolve into a state of love and compassion, a state of higher awareness represented by the main star in the card. Notice that in the first castle we have moved from the world, representing the earth, to a state of purification, and from there to the sun and the moon and the stars--our consciousness always expanding."

Gamma Waves

Suddenly three technicians approached, one of them revealing the EEG.

Lab Technicians

"Our subject has experienced gamma waves throughout the entire experiment, and of course the gamma brain wave is associated with higher brain functions like cognition, memory, creative thinking, inspiration, and spiritual awareness. Some people even experience a mystical feeling of oneness with all of creation in this state. Our realm has spent centuries suppressing this brain wave, but so far we haven't yet figured out how to make people turn this state of mind on and off. The oligarchs, I am sure, would like you to continue participating in our experiment. What do you say?"
"I must be in an altered state of reality," The Fool muttered to himself.

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Virgil in the Yogurt Shop

3hammer

00:00 / 05:00

SECOND TAROT CASTLE

The Fool felt like having a sweet treat with chocolate and nuts on top. When the Fool entered the yogurt shop down the street, he strolled by an old man who seemed to be meditating.
The old man opened his eyes and whispered, "Spirituality is not always sweetness and light, my friend, not always like yogurt with tasty toppings."
"What?" the Fool muttered.
"My name is Virgil. I give tours through the Tarot castles," the old man replied.
"Great! I don't want to be rude, but where are these castles? I don't see any castles," the Fool responded.
"The second castle is just on the other side of that door," the old man replied, pointing to a door to the back room.
"You're kidding, right?" the Fool laughed.
"Follow me if you want to find out," the old man muttered gruffly.

Inside the Castle

The Fool often wondered what the back rooms of small shops looked like, and the old man seemed harmless enough. "Okay," he mumbled sheepishly. "You're not going to rob me, are you?"
To the Fool's great surprise, when they passed through the door, they entered the hall of what appeared to be a great castle.
"Are you familiar at all with the Tarot, my friend?" Virgil asked.
"A little bit," The Fool meekly responded.
"The second castle of the Tarot is associated with five cards: 'The Tower,' 'The Devil,' 'Temperance,' 'Death,' and 'The Hanged Man,'" Virgil stated. "All Tarot cards are associated with the Tree of Life, as you probably know, but I must warn you: this is a dark castle, my friend. Many people are not prepared for what they encounter here."

Lightning in the Room

The old man suddenly opened a door. Lightning exploded inside of the room. "The first card associated with the second castle is 'The Tower,' which reveals lightning striking a tower--a sudden, great disruption."

The Tower: Mars

Virgil continued, "Most people try to avoid disruptions of any kind. Nevertheless, we experience illness, accidents, the death of loved ones, family problems, the loss of friends, work problems, natural disasters, political catastrophes, environmental crises, and many other kinds of disorder and upheaval. Often, because of these disruptions, we are motivated to examine our lives and find the strength, discipline, and courage to deal with negative circumstances. Mars, who is associated with the fifth Emanation on the Tree of Life known as 'Power,' is associated with this card for a very good reason. Mars concentrates his power in an ideal way to bring justice and harmony to the world. If ever you need that kind of power, you can invoke Mars. This castle may seem dark, but the lightning bolt that causes disruption also provides the illumination that can reveal how to find a way through the darkness. Let's continue to the next room."
"Okay, I think," the Fool muttered.

Demon

"You might want to summon your courage now," Virgil advised as he opened the next door.
When the Fool peered into the room, he saw a demon sitting on a bed. "Yikes!" he blurted out.

The Devil: Capricorn

"The Devil is perhaps the most difficult Tarot card to understand," Virgil stated. "Many life forces are beyond the control of human beings. Hurricanes and tornadoes and tidal waves and earthquakes are powerful destructive forces. Many animals are larger and stronger and more ferocious than humans. People sometimes experience powerful urges that are extremely difficult to control. It is easy to blame whatever is out of our control on some archetypal symbol of evil, such as the devil. The archetypal figure in the Tarot card known as 'The Devil,' however, represents Capricorn, a zodiac sign that is associated with creativity and confidence and potency. To see this, you must use your inner eye--the Hebrew letter associated with this card, 'Ayin,' has multiple meanings, including 'eye,' 'perception,' and 'insight.' Many dimensions of Universal Consciousness are mysterious and beyond our comprehension, at least at first. You no doubt have experienced the subtle energies of other people. As your consciousness expands, you experience the life forces of plants and animals and subtle spiritual energies as well. Some forces in the subtle dimensions are extremely powerful. When you journey into the spiritual dimensions, you find some powerful forces that can cause harm and chaos and disorder--we naturally fear them like we fear the ferocious animals that exist in our dimension. A great challenge for many who experience the dimensions of Universal Consciousness is learning how to neutralize dark spiritual forces to maintain balance. As a traveler on the paths of the Tree of Life, you must learn how to maintain harmony within yourself and find allies who help you--spirit guides, saints, guardian angels, Archangels, Gods or Goddesses, or all of the above. Notice that the Devil in the Tarot card holds up his right hand in blessing, for the path of Capricorn leads to The Sun, the Emanation of harmonizing love and sacrifice known as Beauty, the center of equilibrium on the Tree of Life. As you neutralize dark forces to create balance and harmony within yourself and the world, you progress on the path of Capricorn and eventually experience the Christ-force in the Emanation of Beauty."

Archangel Michael

They moved to the next portal. Virgil opened the door, and Nathan could suddenly see a great Archangel. Virgil continued: "This is the Archangel Michael, 'Like unto God.' As the ruler of the element of Fire, he can cleanse the psyche and burn away negative forces and bring balance back to you and your world, often quite quickly."

Temperance: Sagittarius

Virgil held up the Tarot card known as 'Temperance' and continued, "Michael represents 'The Path of the Arrow,' the middle path of ascension to The Sun, the Emanation of Beauty. Michael is a great ally, as are all of the Archangels, especially the other Archangels who manifest subtle elements in our plane: Raphael, Gabriel, and Auriel. The key, as always, is balance. These great spiritual beings will work with you if you are sincerely striving to create harmony and balance in yourself and your world."

Death in Castle Room

They moved to the next room in the castle. Nathan suddenly saw the figure of death inside the room as Virgil opened the door.

Death: Scorpio

Virgil continued, "This is another extremely challenging path that also leads to the Emanation of Beauty, the sphere of the Sun and the cosmic Christ, the center of equilibrium on the Tree of Life. This is a path of great transformation. You cannot see from the perspective of eternity and experience the holiness of all energy and the divinity of the community of all life unless you dissolve in light and experience the psychic death of the self. To truly follow the new commandment, 'Love one another,' you must experience this rebirth."

Water in the Castle Room

Virgil opened the next door. The room inside was filling with water.

The Hanged Man: Water

Virgil continued, "This too is a difficult path. 'The Hanged Man' represents the element of Water, which is associated with The Moon and the subconscious mind. This card was once called 'The Traitor' because a person who experiences the rebirth that leads to the Emanation of The Sun no longer manifests herd mentality. He or she can suspend consciousness in deep meditation or ritual and experience the dimensions of Universal Consciousness. Remember that the High Priestess, who represents The Moon, knows all the paths of the Tree of Life and brings her knowledge of the subtle dimensions into our dimension. 'The Hanged Man' makes a sacrifice in order to know the depths of the psyche and the powerful subtle dimensions of Universal Consciousness."

Strolling Back to the Yogurt Shop

(Click on The Fool Above to Review the LBRP and the SIRP.)

"Thank you so much for the tour!" the Fool exclaimed as they headed back to the shop.
"Time for some yogurt. What kinds of toppings are you going to choose?" Virgil asked.
"I was thinking of chocolate and nuts, but now I might add one or two more," Nathan smiled.

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

The Fool on a Path to the Third Tarot Castle

2vibin

00:00 / 03:53

THE THIRD TAROT CASTLE

As the Fool was hiking down a trail, he thought he saw faeries fluttering around him. "Probably just butterflies or bugs of some kind," he thought to himself.

Hermit

The Fool soon encountered a hermit crouching on the path. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, young man," the hermit responded. "I was just opening my third eye."
"What does that mean?" the Fool asked, hoping that he was not talking to some crazy old man.
"Everyone has a third eye that can see into the spiritual dimensions, but most people are conditioned to keep that eye closed. Most people fear that the powerful subtle forces of the spiritual dimensions will disrupt their equanimity in some way. However, if you open your third eye now, you might see the subtle spirits here in this forest. After you see the nature spirits with your third eye, I will show you the third castle of the Tarot, which is associated with five cards: 'Justice,' 'The Wheel of Fortune,' 'The Hermit,' Strength,' and 'The Chariot,'" the old man stated. "As you probably know, all Tarot cards dovetail in every conceivable way with the symbolism of the mystical Tree of Life. Close your eyes now and go deep within yourself for a little while."

Sylph

After awhile the old man whispered, "Open your eyes and come back to the forest. Let us continue together now on the path."
Suddenly the Fool felt a gentle breeze and noticed a faery fluttering across the path. "Did you see that?" Nathan blurted out.
"Yes, my friend, that lovely creature is an elemental of Air known as a sylph, more commonly known as a faery," the old man replied. "The great Archangel Raphael rules the element of Air, which includes the zodiac signs Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini and their ruling planets, Venus, Saturn, and Mercury respectively. Let us continue to the third castle."

Gnome

The Fool and the old man continued down the path. Suddenly the Fool saw a tiny man clutching the stalk of a tiger lily. "Did you see that?" the Fool blurted out.
"Yes, my friend, that little man is an Earth elemental referred to as a gnome," the hermit replied. "The great Archangel Auriel rules the element of Earth, which includes the zodiac signs Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo and their ruling planets, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury respectively. Let us continue on our way."

Salamander

The Fool and the old man continued again down the path. Suddenly the Fool saw a lizard of some kind on fire on the path. "Did you see that?" the Fool blurted out.
"Yes, my friend, that is a Fire elemental known as a salamander," the old man replied. "The great Archangel Michael rules the element of Fire, which includes the zodiac signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius and their ruling planets, Mars, The Sun, and Jupiter respectively. Let us continue."

Undine

The Fool and the old man continued again down the path. Suddenly the Fool saw a tiny girl swimming in the stream next to the path. "Did you see that?" the Fool exclaimed.
"Yes, my friend, that is a Water elemental known as an undine," the old man replied. "The great Archangel Gabriel rules the element of Water, which includes the zodiac signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces and their ruling planets, The Moon, Mars, and Jupiter respectively. You might have realized as you encountered the elementals that the mind naturally anthropomorphizes and personifies the subtle forces manifesting in nature as people or animals."
"Yes, that thought crossed my mind for a moment," the Fool replied.

Third Tarot Castle

"You have obviously opened your third eye, my friend. Let us continue now to the third Tarot Castle," the old man urged.

Room of the Air Element

After a hike up a steep hill, the Fool and the hermit entered the castle. They wandered down a hall in the castle and the old man suddenly opened a door. "What do you see, my friend?"
"I see a small cyclone or tornado swirling around in the middle of the room!"
"Yes, this is a room in the castle that contains the Air Element. The first card in the third Tarot castle is Justice, which represents Libra."

Justice: Libra

The old man held up the Tarot card. He continued, "This path on the Tree of Life connects the sixth Emanation of The Sun with the fifth Emanation of Mars, which has deep significance. After the personality has dissolved in the brilliant light of The Sun, the soul knows the divinity of all life and strives for harmony and balance in the world, which is accomplished to a great extent through justice. In other words, after you have experienced the Vision of Harmony and the Mysteries of Sacrifice, the spiritual experiences of the sixth Emanation, you proceed on this path to the realm of Mars, which contains the energies of strength, courage, and discipline, qualities that enable us to establish and maintain balance in the world, often at some personal cost."

Jupiter

They continued strolling down the hall in the castle and the old man suddenly opened another door. "What do you see, my friend?"
"I see a magnificent king sitting on a golden throne."
"Yes, you are seeing the God Jupiter. The second card in the third Tarot castle is The Wheel of Fortune, which represents Jupiter."

Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter

The hermit continued, "When you reach the third castle on the Tree of Life, you know that the gold of the spirit, represented by the golden symbols of the elements, the eagle, the bull, the lion, and the man, manifest harmoniously in nature even as the wheel of fortune keeps turning and change constantly occurs. You become like a magnificent pharaoh who embodies the four elements, as well as the golden element of Spirit. Like Jupiter, the King of the Gods, in other words, you manifest the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of the spirit. Let us continue."

Gnome in the Castle Room of Earth

They continued strolling down the hall in the castle and the old man suddenly opened another door. "What do you see, my friend?"
"I see a small gnome in the castle room."
"Yes, you are seeing another gnome. The third card in the third Tarot castle is The Hermit, which represents Virgo."

The Hermit: Virgo

The old man held up the Tarot card. "Notice that the path of The Hermit is illuminated by the hexagram, also known as the Star of David, in the lantern," he said. "The hexagram represents the unity of the four elements and the subtle energies of the twelve zodiac signs and their ruling planets, in other words, all the paths of the Tree of Life. This path connects the Emanation of The Sun with the fourth Emanation of Jupiter. The Hermit has attained a great height because he has experienced the dimensions of Universal Consciousness after experiencing the brilliant light of The Sun. Let us continue, my friend."

Lion in the Castle Room of Fire

They continued strolling down the hall in the castle and the old man suddenly opened another door. "What do you see, my friend?"
"I see a lion near a fire in the middle of the room."
"Yes, you are seeing a lion that represents Leo, which is associated with the element of Fire."

Strength: Leo

The old man held up the Tarot card known as Strength. "Notice that the woman in the card is taming the lion through gentleness," he said. "She is creating balance on a path between two of the most dynamic Emanations of the Tree of Life, the Emanation of Jupiter, which is often associated with powerful creative force, and the Emanation of Mars, which is often associated with powerful destructive force. Some might imagine that these forces remain in eternal conflict with each other, but Jupiter contains the forces that inspire the creation of organized, ethical societies, and Mars contains or eliminates the forces that create an internal and external lack of harmony and balance. This path reveals the harmony of these two forces in eternal balance. Let us continue to the next room."

Water Creature in the Castle Room of Water

They continued strolling down the hall in the castle and the old man suddenly opened another door. "What do you see, my friend?"
"I see a strange water creature floating in the middle of the room."
"Yes, you are seeing a creature associated with the element of Water."

The Chariot: Cancer

The old man held up the Tarot card known as The Chariot. "This card represents a path on the Tree of Life that crosses the Abyss between the planes of manifestation and the subtle heavenly energies," he said. "The knight in the card is either ascending to experience the highest subtle energies of Universal Consciousness or descending to experience the planes of manifestation, which are, of course, also dimensions of Universal Consciousness. The mind, on a quest on the paths of the Tree of Life, can transcend space and time and experience the most profound spiritual energies that humans can know." The old man paused and smiled.
"Thank you so much for your tour of the third castle," the Fool said.
"You are welcome, my friend," the hermit replied. "Enjoy your path on the way home."

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

Burden

4doors

00:00 / 04:00

THE FOURTH TAROT CASTLE AND THE SUPREME INVOKING RITUAL OF THE PENTAGRAM

The Fool was carrying a great burden as he stumbled down the street. He met Virgil lounging at a table outside of a restaurant.
Virgil greeted him joyfully, "Hello, my friend. What are you carrying on your back? It looks heavy."
"I am burdened, my friend. I have two gigs, but wages don't even keep up with inflation, not even close, so, like so many others, I am being crushed by debt. Since we have a for-profit health care system instead of universal health care, people keep getting sick when Covid mutates into a new variant - even if they have tried to keep up with the vaccines and boosters. The pandemic can be contained with testing, contact-tracing, and quarantining - other realms with established universal health care systems have done it. Instead, in this realm, we keep making each other sick, at home and at work, which is a real threat since the vast majority of us have to work but have no job security. So many of us are vulnerable. I have recently experienced Covid pneumonia, the symptoms of which can last a long time. On top of that, we just recently re-elected a criminal and insurrectionist as our leader. In his first term he spread misinformation and disinformation about the Covid virus so that the air-borne disease turned into a conflagration. Now he's setting up a fascist government in a realm that used to retain the forms of democracy while the super-rich oligarchs ruled behind the scenes. Now the oligarchs are conducting a coup and dismantling democracy and openly showing us that they rule the roost. Back in the good old days, we at least tried to follow the constitution and the norms and forms of democracy. I usually don't complain, but this is just so dark and harmful and absurd. I can't even become involved politically now because I get sick so often when I'm around other people, and I have to worry about losing my gigs."
Virgil replied, "I am just as fearful as you about the future, my friend. Come with me and I'll show you the fourth Tarot Castle, which might help you let go of negativity, to some degree at least."

Strolling with Virgil on the Path

The Fool and Virgil strolled down a trail toward the fourth Tarot Castle. "This walk is already lightening my burden. I would write a song about it, but unfortunately, I no longer hear or feel music in my heart anymore."
"I understand. This castle and a related ritual might help you get through these dark times," Virgil replied.

Castle in the Clouds

They kept climbing higher and higher on the path, and finally they came to a castle in the clouds.
"This is the fourth Tarot Castle," Virgil stated as he opened the front door. "Please enter. Let me show you what is inside."

The Fourth Tarot Castle

On the wall in the first room was an image of the Tree of Life with five Tarot cards associated with the castle.
"The five Tarot cards associated with this castle are 'The Emperor,' 'The Empress,' 'The Lovers,' 'The High Priestess,' and 'The Hierophant,' as you can see," Virgil stated as he motioned toward the image. "Notice that all five cards represent some of the highest paths of the Tree of Life."

The Emperor: Aries

"The path of the Emperor connects the Emanation of Beauty, associated with The Sun, with the Emanation of Wisdom, associated with the zodiac. This is a profoundly transformative path of masculine, dynamic energy, associated with Aries and the rebirth of spring. The Emperor appears to live in a world of molten lava, but he retains dominion of himself and maintains stability within his sphere of influence, through inner power and wisdom, despite all the fiery change and flux around him. He is connected to the zodiac, in other words, to all the subtle spiritual energies of the cosmos represented by the Tree of Life, which is the basis of his spiritual power and wisdom. He represents the mythological principle of 'The Monarch of the Golden Ages,' whether in the past or the present or the future because he is a fully awake human being who can maintain dominion in any age."
"Nice," The Fool replied.

The Empress: Venus

Virgil continued, "The Empress compliments The Emperor. She is Venus, the Goddess of love, the Goddess of beauty in love and the arts and the natural world, and the mythological principle associated with her is 'The Marriage of Heaven and Earth.' Her path also connects with the Emanation of Wisdom--in other words, with all of the subtle forces of the zodiac represented by the Tree of Life. Through Venus, we 'feel with' the profound subtle forces. Then, through the imagination, we can fashion forms such as Gods and Goddesses and Archangels and Angels that symbolically personify the forces. Then, through the intellect, we can distinguish the different characteristics of the spiritual energies. That is how, through human history, people have been able to create Gods and Goddesses to worship and to help us understand the dimensions of Universal Consciousness so that we can expand our own consciousness and know the unity of all creation. The forms of the Gods and Goddesses that people throughout history have created are personified differently in different cultures, but the spiritual forces are the same."

The Lovers: Gemini

Then Virgil gazed at the Tarot card known as The Lovers and continued, "In this card, The Emperor and Empress are represented together in Eden, and the Archangel Raphael welcomes them back into paradise because they know the subtle forces of Universal Consciousness and the underlying unity of all creation. The Emperor holds the sword and the wand because they symbolize the active, masculine energies of Air and Fire, and the Empress holds the cup and the pentacle because they represent the passive, feminine energies of Water and Earth. Together in 'paradise regained,' in the Emanation of Understanding, the four 'Elements of the Wise' represent all of the energies of the cosmos, including the triplicities of the zodiac and their ruling planets, as well as the integration of the incarnated personality with the soul and the divine core of the Evolutionary Individuality."

The High Priestess: The Moon

Virgil continued, "The High Priestess represents The Moon, the mystical middle path on the Tree of Life that connects the Emanation of Beauty with the Emanation of the Source, known as the Crown of Creation. The Moon in the matrix of the Tree of Life is also associated with the Emanation known as The Foundation and therefore with the Holy Spirit, who presents symbols that reveal spiritual principle to those who can see into the spiritual dimensions. From the Foundation, in meditation or ritual, you can then rise toward the Emanation of harmonizing love and sacrifice known as Beauty, which represents both The Sun and The Son of the Holy Trinity, the Emanation of Beauty where form dissolves in brilliant light. On the path of the High Priestess, you can then rise on the Middle Pillar of the Tree toward the Source and experience the unity of creation. Remember that the mythological principle associated The Moon is 'The Descent of the Divine.' Through the High Priestess, we can rise and then bring down the spiritual energies and manifest them in The Kingdom, the physical plane of being."

The Hierophant: Taurus

Virgil then turned to the Tarot card on the upper right side of the Tree and continued, "The Hierophant, who compliments The High Priestess, connects, like The Emperor and the Empress, with the Emanation of Wisdom, and therefore also with the subtle energies of the cosmos represented by the Tree of Life. And like the paths of The Emperor and the Empress and The Lovers and The High Priestess, this path also crosses the Abyss that separates the heavenly energies from the planes of manifestation. The path of the Empress, which connects the Emanation of Wisdom with the Emanation of Understanding, remains above the Abyss, but her energies also manifest in the seventh Emanation known as Victory, which emanated from the Sun during cosmic evolution. She holds up a prism to the brilliant light of The Sun so that we can see the colors of the spiritual energies and manifestation distinctly."

The Archangels of the Elements with the Fourth Tarot Castle

Virgil guided The Fool to another room in the castle to show him another image on the wall. "This image of the Tree of Life ," Virgil continued, "shows us how the Four Archangels of the Elements are connected with the energies of the Tarot cards in the fourth Castle."

The God-Names Associated with the Archangels in the SIRP

"When you perform the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram, you invoke the Archangels and connect with the energies of the high Emanations associated with The Emperor, the Empress, The High Priestess, The Hierophant, and The Lovers. During the ritual, you bring the high spiritual energies down the planes to manifest in The Kingdom. Let me show you how this works."

Archangel Raphael in Beauty Associated with the Emanation of Wisdom (YHVH)

Virgil continued, "We begin the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram by facing east. Raphael, as the 'Healer of God,' is the Archangel who represents the Emanation of Beauty, associated with The Sun. On the Tree of Life, the paths of The Lovers, The High Priestess, and The Emperor connect with the heavenly Emanations of Understanding, the Crown of Creation, and Wisdom respectively."

Archangel Raphael in The Lovers: Associated with The Sun

"In fact," Virgil continued, "Raphael is depicted in the card known as The Lovers as the Archangel welcoming humanity back into Eden. When we invoke Raphael at the beginning of the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram, he connects us with the Emanation of Wisdom through the God-name of 'YHVH,' or Jehovah, thereby connecting the Emanation of The Father with the Emanation of The Son."

Archangel Michael in Splendor Associated with the Emanation of Understanding (Elohim)

Virgil continued, "When we turn south and invoke the Archangel Michael, we awaken the energies of the Emanation of Understanding, which is across from the Emanation of Wisdom above the Abyss that separates the heavenly energies from the planes of manifestation. We do this by vibrating the name 'Elohim,' which invokes the powerful feminine energies of the celestial Mother in the third Emanation.

Archangel Michael in Temperance: Associated with Splendor

"Michael, in the matrix of the Tree of Life, is also associated with the Emanation of Splendor as well as with the mystical path associated with Sagittarius known as Temperance, which is on the Middle Pillar between the Emanations of The Foundation and Beauty. As we perform the ritual, in other words, the Archangels bring the heavenly energies down the planes.

Archangel Gabriel in the The Foundation Associated with the Emanation of Mercy (El)

"When we turn and face west during the ritual and invoke Gabriel, we connect the ninth Emanation known as The Foundation with the fourth Emanation of Mercy through the vibration of the God-name 'El.'"

Archangel Gabriel in Judgement

Virgil continued, "In the Tarot card known as Judgement, Gabriel blows his trumpet to bring us to a higher awareness of the subtle spiritual energies and the unity of all creation. The red balanced cross on the flag connected to his horn symbolizes compassion for all people and all life."

Archangel Auriel Associated with the Emanation of The Kingdom (Adonai)

Then Virgil pointed to the Tarot card known as The World and continued, "Auriel brings the heavenly energies down the planes into The Kingdom, the physical plane, through the God-name 'Adonai.' The Archangel is either ascending, opening our minds to the subtle energies of the four elements of the wise, or descending into the Kingdom to bring the subtle energies and knowledge of the Tree of Life into our physical plane."

Archangel Auriel in The World

(Click on the Angel Above to Review the LBRP and the SIRP.)

Virgil finished by saying, "Each of the Archangels of the Elements blesses us with spiritual energies that cleanse us of negativity and heal us on every level: spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical."

All stories, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2023 by Jim Robbins.

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