Path: typhoon.sonic.net!feed.news.sonic.net!HSNX.atgi.net!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!nntp-relay.ihug.net!ihug.co.nz!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail From: axialthrust@yahoo.com (BhP) Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.tarot,alt.divination Subject: Re: Tarot and Qabalah (was ...) Date: 3 Apr 2002 17:09:50 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 86 Message-ID: <361f09a8.0204031709.2b492fa4@posting.google.com> References: <361f09a8.0203280839.10e134a3@posting.google.com> <361f09a8.0204010846.34f2225f@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 146.129.24.233 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1017882591 12593 127.0.0.1 (4 Apr 2002 01:09:51 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 4 Apr 2002 01:09:51 GMT Xref: typhoon.sonic.net alt.magick.tyagi:32218 alt.magick:296434 alt.tarot:103582 alt.divination:19085 EvilWickedBunny@netscape.net (Sue) wrote > axialthrust@yahoo.com (BhP) wrote: > > > Just remember, the threes, twos and aces, > > qabalistically, refer to concepts that are beyond the veil of our > > conscious understanding. We can never fully "talk out" their > > meanings. We can only come to some kind of personal, subjective, > > intuitive understanding of their meanings. This is why I use a lot of > > analogies. They may be too mundane, but at least people can relate > > to them. > > I'd be interested in your concepts about the threes (or any of the other > numbered Minor Arcana), if you'd care to write about any of it. Getting into all the numbered cards may be too much, or at least, too much at once. Given the context of this discussion, maybe you'd be interested in a little more detail about my perspective on the ones, twos and threes, qabalistically speaking. In a way, the ones twos and threes are very similar, in that they all represent forces on the 'other side' of da'ath. I tend to treat them all similarly, as "potential" or "source energies" that are at the root of the questioner's issue, or that the questioner can draw from in the future. (I tend to read the other numbered cards as specific actions or situations rather than this idea of potential or source energy.) The aces are the root energies of the elements. Most books describe them as 'the beginning of a cycle', which makes sense but for me doesn't get at the more basic meaning - every cycle, every thing, every action, springs from unformed potential. When an ace comes up in a reading, I see it as an indication of what is at the root of the question or issue (if it falls in the past), or I see it as a sign of what the questioner can draw from, what energy will be readily available, if it falls in the future. So, for example, if an ace of cups comes up early but the reading is full of pentacles, I won't automatically say 'you will get involved in a new relationship' or some such thing. I'd say, this reading has to do with material issues, such as your living environment, finances or job, but at its root you are dealing with an emotional issue. Which then leads to questions about job satisfaction, comfort at home, etc. The twos are the introduction of duality (opposing forces), and the masculine, outwardly projecting current. For fire and water, the masculine and feminine currents in the 'upper realm', the two energies flow smoothly, they are harmonius. For air and earth, the masculine and feminine currents in the 'lower realm', the two energies require work to balance them. So when these cards come up in a reading, I see them as potential or source energies that naturally tend to outwardly project but require varying degrees of control in order to use them effectively. The threes are the introduction of stability (balancing multiple forces), and the feminine, concentrating current. Again, the wands and cups are harmonious and the swords and pentacles are more difficult. Personally, this is satisfying since the twos and threes are of the 'upper realm' so it makes sense that the elemental masculine and feminine currents of the upper realm would resonate with them. The three of swords presents the first real experience of dissipation. The twos of swords and pentacles require balance and skill, there is potential for a collapse, but with duality the opposing forces naturally work against/with eachother. (Things may fall apart but they can come back together - the process is reversible, so to speak). With the threes, on the other hand, there is no inherent harmony, once there is dissipation things don't naturally bounce back together. The three of swords is an intellectual experience of separation from binah, but also from the upper realm itself. There is a deep sorrow related to coming down through the abyss (or perhaps going up), but in a reading I don't get that esoteric. The three of swords is simply the underlying potential for an unharmonious concentrating force to collapse or an indicator of the separation that is necessary once a thing is created or once an idea is formed. The three of pentacles isn't quite so difficult, perhaps because the feminine earth element resonates well with binah/water. But it is still an indicator of the need to work, except instead of dealing with a dissipating energy, you're dealing with a stagnating energy, so to speak. Earth is the extreme in concentrated energy, the three of pentacles is an extremely stable, solid potential or root energy. It doesn't have a natural tendency to flow, it requires manipulation. The stagnancy that can result is reflected in the four of pentacles. Well that was kind of all over the place. Let me know if it's what you had in mind, or ask anything else. I'm interested in feedback.