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| Wind Poppies, North Fork of Kings River |
There is one place on earth, it
seems, that knows what I need better than I do. In the shade of a
flowering buckeye tree on the road above the North Fork of the Kings
River, I suddenly sensed that I had to face a terrible illusion. I
was not like some Buddha under a Bodhi tree, however. Over the years
I have come to realize that peaceful vibrations in the river canyon
allow repressed dimensions of my soul to surface. Sometimes I feel
the nearly forgotten sense of freedom that I experienced by the river
as a child or a sense of well-being so profound that I forget myself.
Sometimes I hear a wise voice or experience an insight. Today,
unexpectedly, I was feeling like a man with ten swords in his back.
On the foothill road drenched with peace, I could not find a reason
for the creeping sense of paralysis and despair. As I hopped over the
stones, late spring flowers were dazzling me, so I couldn't
concentrate on the cause of my unexpected suffering. Finally I
plopped down, frustrated and perplexed, on a pounding stone by the
the river.
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| Ten of Swords, Lord of Ruin Sun in Gemini, Sun in Tiphareth |
Why was the Ten of Swords haunting
me so much? Perhaps because I have noticed a strange thing happening
due to my blogs: People in Fresno, CA, if they know me at all, flee
from me in absolute terror. It would be amusing if it weren't so
disconcerting. Either a person who tells the truth scares the
bejeebers out of people in Fresno, or, what is more likely, someone
is spreading horrible rumors about me. It's almost as if someone in
Fresno has become a negative extension of my blog persona, pretending
to be me and threatening people. In grocery stores, old acquaintances
have dashed away from me in panic. One man even shadowed me out to
the parking lot to see if I had damaged his car, which I found
troubling because I have never once even considered harming anyone's
property. I suspect that a border-line sociopath whom I unfortunately
knew many years ago (and possibly some of her friends) might be
spreading lies about me, making people think I'm a monster.
In the river canyon, raw emotions
surface and I sense currents of thought and emotion. It was possible
that my subconscious was showing me that whatever is actually
happening is turning me into
the figure in the Ten of Swords once
again. (Quick note: If you are idiotic enough to have unjustly
ruined a man's reputation, giving him nothing to lose, you will
inevitably fear him for a long, long time. A man with nothing to lose
is truly a man to fear and might strike at any time. Truly, though,
if you are one of the people running away from me, you should instead
be fleeing from the people spreading the lies because, believe me,
they would stab you in the back a hundred times without remorse if
they targeted you. At any rate, those responsible for spreading the
lies are the ones making you afraid, not me.)
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| Six of Wands Jupiter in Leo Sun in Tiphareth |
The great irony is that I have
never threatened anyone. I have never wanted to harm anyone. I have
only wanted the truth to be known. Really, if I devoted any time to
hurting people, would I ever get anything done, especially now that I
don't have much energy? My spiritual and creative life would die on
the vine. I wouldn't be able to focus on writing or composing music
or painting pictures or performing rituals: Vengeance doesn't suit
me. I am only able to remain a spiritual and creative person because
I have continually let go of negativity: I have forgiven,
innumerable times, anyone who has harmed me, and based on my
experience, I know that you no longer need to harm someone you have
truly forgiven.
As I meditated by the river, I
knew that I was also envisioning the Ten of Swords because of my
illness. Because of celiac disease,
my digestive system seems to be
shutting down. I feel like a fifty-six year old person with an eighty
year old body. This is, of course, a continual source of physical,
emotional and mental discomfort. I envision black energy within my
digestive system whenever I scan my body with my mind's eye. I purify
myself mentally on a regular basis, but the blackness keeps
returning. I have never been able to shake this negativity (just like
over the past thirty years I haven't been able to shake, it seems,
whoever continues to stab me in the back). Throughout my life I have
experienced periods where I have slowly spiraled down into a chasm
because my illness kept getting worse, and nobody could identify the
problem. In each period, if I did not somehow alleviate the illness
to some extent, I crashed, and, yeah, I crashed more than once in
ways that other people noticed. From personal experience, I know that
many people blame you for your physical illness, even for heart
disease and cancer. They believe that you must have done something
wrong to deserve your illness. Celiac disease is a genetic disease,
which for me has led to extended periods of digestive system
dysfunction and atrial fibrillation, yet even some of the people
closest to me have attributed my “failings” to a poor mental
attitude, so I also carry with me feelings of guilt and shame as
well.
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| Wheel of Fortune, Path 21 Jupiter (Associated with Six of Wands) |
Over the years I have continued to
identify different food allergies until I have finally discovered the
main cause. Because of celiac disease, I also have leaky gut syndrome
and irritable bowel syndrome, for instance, and my stomach can no
longer efficiently
digest anything, especially not chewy meats or
anything with fiber, which includes, unfortunately, most fruits and
vegetables. The cause of this disease is not in any way
psychological, as many of my doctors over the years would have had me
believe, but it does affect me psychologically. Since foods
containing gluten are toxic to my system, I have inevitably
experienced bad psychological reactions, including brain fog,
fatigue, and severe depression. (I also have a strange compulsion to
speak truth to power, possibly because of all the cognitive
dissonance I have experienced over the years due to the disease—See
previous posts.)
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| Strength, Path 19 Leo (Associated with Six of Wands) |
By the river, I understood one
thing, at least: My old story is dying. It was never big enough for
me anyway. The challenge, of course, is creating a new story that is
large enough, a difficult task for me to imagine by the river since
The Ten of Swords kept reappearing in my mind's eye. It came to me
then that I have reached a point where negativity could actually kill
me. I could imagine that at some point in the near future I might
just give up. I knew then that I must focus on powerful, positive
energies that cleanse and renew me. Sitting on a pounding stone by
the river, I realized also that collectively we are reaching a point
where humanity could devastate the planet: Purification and renewal
are universal needs in these troubled times.
There was another reason that I
was envisioning the Ten of Swords in my mind's eye: The Sun in
Gemini, the decanate
correspondences of the card. In other words,
behind the blackness in the Ten of Swords is The Sun, which on the
Tree of Life is associated with the sphere of healing and
equilibrium, the Christ-center, known as Tiphareth. My soul was
showing me that I needed to banish the negativity in my life
represented by the Ten of Swords and invoke the healing energies of
the source of all physical life, and the Sun behind the sun. I became
certain that my new story has to focus on invoking powerful positive
forces and letting go of illusions and negativity.
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| Six of Swords Mercury in Aquarius Sun in Tiphareth |
By the river, I also realized that
I cannot avoid my own mortality anymore. My father died three days
before he turned fifty-six, which means that I have lived, at this
point, three months longer than he did. My father had heart trouble
and had gone to the doctor for tests before he passed, but the
doctors couldn't find anything wrong with him, which suggests that he
too might have experienced atrial fibrillation from celiac disease.
As a member of the Great Generation, my father believed that finding
a decent job and providing a good home for the family was the meaning
of success. My father grew up on a
farm during the Great Depression
and survived WWII, then moved out to California with my mother in the
late nineteen forties. He slowly edged from the lower class into the
middle class by finding a slightly better job every few years. By the
age of fifty, he had attained what he considered success but died a
few years later; in comparison, several of his siblings survived into
their late eighties and early nineties. In his struggle for upward
mobility, my father worked most of the time, and I never got to know
him as I was growing up. He was always stoic and viewed disease
merely as an obstacle to overcome. Perhaps because of my father, in
my old story, I believed that I should be able to overcome negativity
through sheer willpower in order to attain success. I even believed
subconsciously that success itself would save me from negativity.
That story still haunts me. I have to let that go as well.
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| The Magician, Path 12 Mercury (Associated with Six of Swords) |
Had he lived longer, my father
probably would have considered me a failure. But in this economy, my
failures probably would have
occurred even if I had at one point
landed a decent job. Many of the men I know, myself included, have
found themselves over-educated and underemployed with temporary jobs
that do not provide pensions or health care. Several of these men
have worked for a corporation for over twenty-five years only to end
up with a quickly exhausted severance package, and they are now
scrambling for work as independent contractors. Another worked for
thirty years without a pension; just when he was thinking about
retiring, his company took away thirty thousand dollars in sick pay
that he had accrued. Needless to say, a few weeks later he submitted
his resignation.
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| The Star, Path 28 Aquarius (Associated with Six of Swords) |
As I sat alone, humbled by a wild
river, I felt very alone with my own mortality. I realized that I had
accepted the illusion that if we become successful or famous we will
never feel alone again. Gazing at the river, I knew that was pure
nonsense. I have to banish the negative energies from my life and
renew myself. I know better than anyone else what I need to do. The
people I love can do nothing to help me. I can only do this myself.
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| Six of Cups Sun in Scorpio Sun in Tiphareth |
I knew then that I have a choice:
Stay as positive as possible or give up. In my old story, I focused
on the negative. The
negativity bias refers
to the notion that, even when of equal intensity, things of a more
negative nature, such as unpleasant thoughts, emotions, or social
interactions and harmful or traumatic events, have a greater effect
on one's psychological state and processes than do neutral or
positive things. In other words, something very positive will
generally have less of an impact on a person's behavior and cognition
than something equally emotional but negative.
I knew that I would have to overcome this bias or perish.
When I got home, I
realized that I already have the spiritual
tools to overcome this
negativity. Working with the Tarot over the years I have discovered
that you can work with adverse cards to banish negative energies and
then invoke the associated positive energies through a ritual that I
have devised with Tarot Cards that I call the Tarot Pentagram Spread.
I have based the banishing and invoking rituals of my Tarot Pentagram
Spread on extremely effective banishing and invoking rituals known
respectively as The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP)
and The Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram (SIRP), both of
which have been used by adepts for many years.
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| Death, Path 24 Scorpio (Associated with Six of Swords) |
My spirituality has
grown out of suffering: I have had to struggle with negativity every
day, so I am no stranger to mental purification techniques, which
include The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, a ritual
that cleanses me and keeps me balanced despite illness and associated
problems.
Without this banishing ritual, I doubt that I would have
survived as long as I have. In addition to keeping me spiritually
balanced, it has protected me from malicious spirits and demonic
forces. (See previous posts.) At one period in my life, for instance,
when I was under attack by a powerful malicious spirit, I began using
the LBRP regularly. One night, as I was beginning the banishing
ritual, I heard what sounded like a cross between a shriek and a howl
slamming the roof above me with the force of a sonic boom. At that
moment the air outside was still and no airplanes were flying over
the house. That entity has not bothered me since.
 |
| Six of Pentacles The Moon in Taurus The Sun in Tiphareth |
(For many of you, I
realize, we are wading into a jungle with huge spiders, bizarre flowers and strange
winged creatures. Some of you, I'm sure, are beginning to question my
sanity. However, I long ago pledged to speak my truth in this blog
even if everyone considers
me insane. My goal now is merely to share
a ritual that has helped me immensely in banishing negative energies
and invoking positive forces. If you don't believe in that “hocus pocus,” you are excused.)
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| The High Priestess, Path 13 The Moon (Associated with Six of Pentacles) |
As I mentioned, one
of my Tarot Pentagram Spreads is based on the Supreme Invoking Ritual
of the Pentagram. This ritual, which
can be dangerous in the
hands of neophytes, invokes powerful cosmic forces. Before I
continue, I should warn you: When you contact a sephira, or sphere,
on the Tree of Life, or the God it represents, you allow its entire
spectrum of energy, from the positive to the negative pole, to pour
into the soul. For instance, with Mars, who represents Geburah, the
fifth sephira on the Tree, you contact the positive virtues of
strength, courage, and discipline, as well as its vices on the
negative end of the pole: cruelty and destructiveness. If you do not
know how to handle the energy, the vice of the sphere can dominate
your personality. Also,
it is always possible that malicious spirits
and demonic entities might take notice that you are becoming more
sensitive to the spiritual dimension and start wreaking havoc in your
life (as they did in mine). Occult work takes courage and commitment.
Once you open that door, you must perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual
of the Pentagram at least once every day.
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| The Hierophant, Path 16 Taurus (Associated with Six of Pentacles) |
My
negativity has tended to heighten the vices of the spheres of the
Tree of Life. I have for the past twenty years traveled back and
forth on the paths between Netzach to Tiphareth, from Venus to the
Sun, and from Tiphareth to Geburah, from the Sun to Mars. I am
probably more prone to experience the vices of each sphere because of
my chronic illness (so don't be surprised if you, gentle reader, have
encountered a little cruelty in my blogs). Contacting the powers, I
believe, is the way to live an abundant life, but as I mentioned, the
powers contain both balanced and unbalanced energies. Adventurers in
the unseen must learn how to harmonize those forces within
themselves, which is the work of a lifetime.
If I have not scared
you off by now, I would like to share a powerful ritual that banishes
the negative energies in the Ten of Swords and invokes The Sun and
other positive energies in associated Tarot Cards.
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| The Sun, Path 30 The Sun (Associated with the Six of Cups) |
THE RITUAL OF THE SUN
The
Ten of Swords, known as "Lord of Ruin," appears on the
surface to be one of the worst cards in the deck. However, hidden
symbolic associations within the card reveal positive elements that
make the figure in the card a possible ally. In the number cards all
the adverse cards contain hidden, positive forces, and all the
overtly positive cards imply a negative condition as its polar
opposite. For instance, even a positive card such as the Ten of
Pentacles, known as "Lord of Wealth," implies that the
negative condition of poverty has been overcome.
In
the Golden Dawn system of correspondences, the suit of Pentacles
represents the element of Earth, the suit of Swords the element of
Air, the suit of Cups the element of Water, and the suit of Wands the
element of Fire. Also, in the system of Golden Dawn correspondences,
each number card of the Minor Arcana, from the Twos to the Tens, is
assigned ten degrees of the zodiac, called a decan, or decanate, each
of which is ruled by a planet. The number cards are also associated
with the ten sephiroth (spheres) of the Tree of Life. For instance,
the Aces (or Ones), described as the roots of the powers of the elements, are
all assigned to Kether, the first sphere on the Tree; the Twos to
Chokmah, the second sphere; the Threes to Binah, the third sphere;
and so on down to the Tens in Malkuth, the tenth sphere.
Astrological
Associations of the Spheres (Sephiroth):
- ACES, Sphere 1, Kether: the first swirlings
- TWOS, Sphere 2, Chokma: the zodiac
- THREES, Sphere 3, Binah: Saturn
- FOURS, Sphere 4, Chesed: Jupiter
- FIVES, Sphere 5, Geburah: Mars
- SIXES, Sphere 6, Tiphareth: The Sun
- SEVENS, Sphere 7, Netzach: Venus
- EIGHTS, Sphere 8, Hod: Mercury
- NINES, Sphere 9, Yesod: The Moon
- TENS, Sphere 10, Malkuth: the four elements
The
meaning of each number card is derived from its element, the combined
planet and sign of its decanate, and its location within a sephira.
The Ten of Swords, “Lord of Ruin,” is associated with the element
of Air since it is in the suit of Swords, with The Sun in Gemini, and
with the four elements in Malkuth (the tenth sephira on the Tree).
All of these associations color the meaning of the card.
As
I mentioned, for
the Ten of Swords and the other adverse cards, one can banish the
unwanted energies, then invoke the hidden, positive energies of the
card. In the Ten of Swords, the bright yellow light of the sun
peaking through the clouds suggests that dark nights of the soul in the
material realm can also lead to greater spiritual awareness. The Sun
is associated with the source of all life and with enlightenment. On
the Tree of Life, the Sun is associated with the Christ center,
Tiphareth, the sephira of sacrifice, healing, harmony, spiritual
inebriation, and the awakened higher self. The zodiac sign Gemini
symbolizes the mortal and immortal aspects of the self, the mortal
dying to be reborn in the spirit.
After
I perform the LBRP and the SIRP, I use the following process, step by
step, to lay down the cards as a way to first banish the negative
energies in the Ten of Swords and then to release the positive
energies of The Sun associated with the card. Of course, I use the
pentagram, which many people unfortunately associate with evil, in my
Tarot spread. The pentagram is a five-pointed star with several
important esoteric meanings. First of all, the pentagram can be drawn
in one continuous motion, suggesting its unity of form, but unlike
the circle, which has no beginning or end, one can begin drawing the
pentagram at any of its five points, each of which has various
symbolic associations. The pentagram reveals the unity of Earth, Air,
Water, and Fire, and the fifth element of Spirit, or Aether. This
also reflects the esoteric doctrine that four visible states have
their root in a fifth, invisible state.
Like
the circle, the pentagram establishes boundaries. In order to invoke
any spiritual energy, a boundary must be established for the
appropriate energy to manifest in a concentrated form. The pentagram
is also used to banish unwanted energies so that desired energies can
then be invoked in a purer state. As a five-pointed figure, the
pentagram stems from the sephira, or state of being, represented by
the fifth sphere on the Tree of Life known as Geburah (meaning
“power” or “severity”). Geburah restricts and controls energy
on all levels of being in the same way that a combustion engine
controls force so that the engine will run and the vehicle will
operate. In other words, the severity of Geburah restricts force in a
harmonious and productive manner when used effectively in ritual.
So it is appropriate that the pentagram is a figure representing the most harmonious force in the cosmos, the Christ-force. This is so because the elements and the letters of a familiar name of God, also known as the Tetragrammaton, are positioned on the points of the star to reflect this symbolic meaning. The Tetragrammaton contains the Hebrew letters Yod Heh Vau Heh, the unpronounceable name of God that people pronounce as Yahweh, or Jehovah. Reflecting how manifestation occurs down through the planes of force and form, Yod represents the element of Fire, Heh represents Water, Vau Air, and final Heh Earth, Fire and Air being active planes of force, Water and Earth being passive planes of form. Each of these elements is associated with a suit in the Tarot, Fire with Wands, Water with Cups, Air with Swords, and Earth with Pentacles. To continue the association chain, in simple terms Fire represents the spiritual plane, Water the mental plane, Air the astral plane, and Earth the background energies of the physical plane.
So it is appropriate that the pentagram is a figure representing the most harmonious force in the cosmos, the Christ-force. This is so because the elements and the letters of a familiar name of God, also known as the Tetragrammaton, are positioned on the points of the star to reflect this symbolic meaning. The Tetragrammaton contains the Hebrew letters Yod Heh Vau Heh, the unpronounceable name of God that people pronounce as Yahweh, or Jehovah. Reflecting how manifestation occurs down through the planes of force and form, Yod represents the element of Fire, Heh represents Water, Vau Air, and final Heh Earth, Fire and Air being active planes of force, Water and Earth being passive planes of form. Each of these elements is associated with a suit in the Tarot, Fire with Wands, Water with Cups, Air with Swords, and Earth with Pentacles. To continue the association chain, in simple terms Fire represents the spiritual plane, Water the mental plane, Air the astral plane, and Earth the background energies of the physical plane.
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| Foundation Cards: The Four Aces and Judgement |
These
five states have as their root a fifth state represented by the
Hebrew letter Shin, which signifies the spiritual Aether, the root of
manifestation. When Shin is positioned in the center of the God name
Yahweh, a new word is created: Yeheshuah. This is a secret name of
Christ—down through the years it probably morphed into the name
Jesus. Shin is positioned at the top of the pentagram to show how the
other four elements manifest harmoniously from the root energy. One
can draw a star that moves from the most active energies of
manifestation to the most passive in one continuous motion, beginning
with Aether at the top, moving to the lower right point (Fire), then
to the upper left point (Air), then over to the upper right point
(Water), then to the lower left point (Earth), then back to the top.
 |
| Ritual Order of Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram |
The
Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram starts with the Earth element in
the lower left hand corner of the pentagram and moves toward the
apex, the element of Spirit, or Aether, then to Fire, Air, Water, and
back to Earth. So for the Banishing Ritual of the Tarot Pentagram
Spread, I first envision a pentagram on the table. Then I lay down
the card with the unwanted energies in the middle of the pentagram,
in this case the Ten of Swords, and then use foundation cards that
represent the root of each element to banish the unwanted energies. I
first lay down the Ace of Pentacles in the lower left hand corner. I
place “Judgement” at the top of the star, the Ace of Wands in the
lower right hand corner, the Ace of Swords in the upper left corner,
the Ace of Cups in the upper right corner. Then I tap each card in
the same order, saying the name of each card, making
sure that I complete the pentagram by tapping the Ace of Pentacles
again. Then I say, "The Pentagram is complete." During the
process of laying down the cards, I imagine the black energies within
myself draining into the magma under the earth. I take my time,
making sure that all the negative energies have drained out of my
system and have burned up completely.
 |
| Spirit Invoking Rituals of the Pentagram, Active and Passive |
Then
I pick up the five foundation cards (the Aces) used for the banishing
ritual, putting them in a pile, and place The Tarot Card known as The
Sun over the Ten of Swords. I shuffle the foundation cards and then
place them in order for the active spirit invoking pentagram. Before
laying out the cards, I visualize a pentagram on my alter or table.
Since I am invoking active spiritual energy, I start with the Fire
element and move toward the Air element, placing the Ace of Wands in
the lower right hand corner and then the Ace of Swords in the upper
left hand corner, continuing with the Water element and so on in a
continuous motion until I complete the pentagram. Then I tap each
card in the same order, saying the name of each card as I do so,
making sure to tap the Ace of Wands in the lower right point a second
time to complete the pentagram. Then I say, "The Pentagram is
complete." (If I am invoking passive energies from a card in the
suit of Pentacles or Cups, I start with the Ace of Pentacles in the
lower left hand corner and move toward the element of Water in the
upper right hand corner, placing the Ace of Cups in the upper right
hand corner and continuing until I complete the star.)
 |
| The Sun with Foundation Cards |
When
it comes to laying out the cards, I have found that a little advanced
planning is always helpful. For instance, I arrange the cards in a
small deck in an order that enables me to perform the ritual without
worrying about their order and placement, especially if I am using a
lot of modifiers. I often, for instance, make separate piles, one for
the primary card and the foundation cards, with the primary card on
top; one for the zodiac modifiers; one for the planetary modifiers;
and one for the number cards--all in the order of placement. The type
of invoking pentagram I am using, either active or passive, affects
the lay out of the cards since I will either be starting with Wands
in the position of the Fire element in the lower right hand corner
and moving to the upper left-hand corner, or with Pentacles in the
position of the Earth element in the lower left-hand corner and
moving in the opposite direction. This may all sound extremely
complicated, but mastering the basics is not difficult once a person
develops a familiarity with the cards and the pentagram. I have
discovered that this layout helps with memory and concentration, both
of which are extremely important in invocation and in the Great Work
in general, especially when it comes to the more advanced rituals.
 |
| Elemental Triplicities of the Zodiac Cards |
Tarot
modifiers add power to the invocation—like any symbol in a ritual
should. All modifiers should be related in some way to the card that
is the primary focus. Having worked with the cards for a number of
years, I have internalized the meaning of each card in the layout.
Before I begin laying down the Aces as the foundation cards, I choose
the aspects that I want to emphasize, which requires me to examine
all of the cards within the deck associated with The Sun, in this
case four number cards associated with the sixth sephira, Tiphareth,
and the number cards with decan associations, the cards with
associated zodiac signs, and the cards with associated planets.
As I mentioned, I first place the card that best represents the ritual purpose in the center of the pentagram, in this case The Sun. Then I lay out the foundation cards, the Aces and Judgement, at the points of the pentagram, following the order of the Active Spirit Invoking Pentagram since Air (symbolized by the suit of Swords) is an active element. To review, I start with the element of Fire in the lower right hand corner, move to the element of Air in the upper left corner, continue over to the element of Water in the upper right corner, then down to the element of Earth in the lower left hand corner and so on until I return to the element of Fire. Then I tap each card, ending with the Ace of Wands and say, “The pentagram is complete.” Next, I lay out the modifying cards following the same order. The modifiers are placed as follows:
 |
| Order of Modifier Placement in Pentagram Spread |
As I mentioned, I first place the card that best represents the ritual purpose in the center of the pentagram, in this case The Sun. Then I lay out the foundation cards, the Aces and Judgement, at the points of the pentagram, following the order of the Active Spirit Invoking Pentagram since Air (symbolized by the suit of Swords) is an active element. To review, I start with the element of Fire in the lower right hand corner, move to the element of Air in the upper left corner, continue over to the element of Water in the upper right corner, then down to the element of Earth in the lower left hand corner and so on until I return to the element of Fire. Then I tap each card, ending with the Ace of Wands and say, “The pentagram is complete.” Next, I lay out the modifying cards following the same order. The modifiers are placed as follows:
1)
a card at each point that signifies an associated zodiac sign
2) a card at each point that signifies a related planet
3) an associated number card at each point
2) a card at each point that signifies a related planet
3) an associated number card at each point
Determining which
modifiers work best when invoking planetary energies is simply a
matter of determining the related sphere of the planet on the Tree of
Life, in this case, Tiphareth, sphere number six, and the decan
associations of the number cards.
 |
| Tarot Correspondences |
I
choose all the number cards associated with the sixth sephira and the
Major Arcana cards with associated zodiac and planetary signs:
Wands:
Strength (Leo), The Wheel of Fortune (Jupiter), the Six of Wands
(Jupiter in Leo)
Swords:
The Star (Aquarius), The Magician (Mercury), the Six of Swords
(Mercury in Aquarius)
Cups:
Death (Scorpio), The Sun (in the center of the pentagram), the Six of
Cups (Sun in Scorpio)
Pentacles:
The Hierophant (Taurus), The High Priestess (The Moon), the Six of
Pentacles (Moon in Taurus)
When
laying out the modifiers, the zodiac card is placed first on the Ace,
followed by the planetary modifier, then the number card.
After
laying down all the cards, I invoke the Egyptian Gods associated with
the astrological signs and the sephiroth of the Tree of Life, knowing
that the Gods from culture to culture are variations of each other.
For instance, Mercury is the Roman version of the Greek Hermes and
the Egyptian Thoth. Mars is the Roman version of The Greek Aries and
the Egyptian Horus. I stay with one pantheon in order to avoid
confusion. Fortunately I also have statuettes of Egyptian Gods in my
ritual space that resonate with the Tarot Cards and create an
association chain of spiritual principle. Since I have invoked each
God more than once before, I feel no anxiety about contacting their
energy. As I invoke each God, I say a little prayer focused on the
theme of cleansing and renewal and living in the higher self (or
living in enlightenment.) The prayers have a powerful
cumulative effect, which has had a life-altering, positive effect on
me. I have included a few examples below.
EGYPTIAN GODS IN THE RITUAL OF THE SUN
Strength:
Sekmet
Wheel
of Fortune: Ma'at
The
Star: Sothis, the Celestial Isis
Magician:
Thoth
Death:
Anubis
The
Sun: Ra
The
Hierophant: Osiris
High Priestess: Nephthys
High Priestess: Nephthys
EXAMPLES OF PRAYERS:
Thoth
Great Thoth, God of wisdom,
God of magic, God of healing,
Heart of Ptah, tongue of Ra,
cleanse me, purify me,
heal me completely so that I
may live in my higher self,
knowing the dance of life,
the harmony and magnificence
of the eternal Source, so that I
may serve thee and the one God
for the highest possible good.
God of magic, God of healing,
Heart of Ptah, tongue of Ra,
cleanse me, purify me,
heal me completely so that I
may live in my higher self,
knowing the dance of life,
the harmony and magnificence
of the eternal Source, so that I
may serve thee and the one God
for the highest possible good.
Sekhmet
Great
Sekhmet, Goddess
of Fire, whose breath
created the desert,
daughter of Ra, consort of Ptah,
divine arbiter of Ma’at
in the Hall of Judgment,
Great Goddess, cleanse me,
purify me, reveal thy light,
reveal how to remain open,
how to attract and radiate joy,
so that I may know
the magnificence of Fire
and live in my higher self,
serving thee and the one God
for the highest possible good.
of Fire, whose breath
created the desert,
daughter of Ra, consort of Ptah,
divine arbiter of Ma’at
in the Hall of Judgment,
Great Goddess, cleanse me,
purify me, reveal thy light,
reveal how to remain open,
how to attract and radiate joy,
so that I may know
the magnificence of Fire
and live in my higher self,
serving thee and the one God
for the highest possible good.
Anubis
Great Anubis, God of the Underworld,
great guide of souls through the dark,
renew me in this difficult time,
let all negativity drain away,
transform me so that all darkness
dissolves in the light of a new day,
let me die to my old self
so that I live in my higher self,
serving thee and the one God
for the highest possible good.
Ma'at
Great Goddess of harmony,
abundance, and magnificence
in the world of the spirit,
consort of Thoth,
cleanse me and renew me
so that I may live in harmony
with all of creation, so that I
may balance my energies
and thrive in my higher self,
serving thee and the one God
for the highest possible good.
The last part of the ritual for me has the most impact. After performing the ritual once, I have maintained a much more positive focus. If you do this ritual, please do not forget to perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram at the end—something you should do without fail at the end of any ritual.
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