Thoughts on Key 13...
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In the Tarot Fundamentals course, lesson 30 (I think), which you studied probably 15 years ago or more
(first year BOTA lessons), there is mention that Key 13 represents something to do with Mars, but no details are given because this will be "revealed" when the student is ready and not before, due to all the damage the student could possibly do with this newfound knowledge.Studying in conjunction with the Book of Thoth, I came up with these ideas:
(The imagery below refers to the classic Tarot imagery (BOTA), not the Thoth, but several ideas were taken from Book of Thoth...)
Key 13 relates to purification of desire (white rose) through putrefaction (death). The skeleton has done sort of a "complete 360" with the spinal twists. Interesting to note that a circle has 360 degrees and numerically represented the Sun and the old Solar God Mithras, a template for Jesus Christ. Later, when it was discovered that a year was closer to 365 days, the greeks came up with Abraxas which enumerated to 365 and, in response, the followers of Mithra changed the spelling to Meithra, which also enumerated to 365.
Exactly one year into my recent formal education comes the study of the Death card. Coincidence? I doubt it. I have been through the whole Zodiac now and a full cycle / circle of the Sun from last June to this June.
I suppose key 13 relates to the end of selfish desire. Agape is a sort of selfless love and relates to the idea of "Unity" which is represented by Achad and Aleph (the skeleton walks toward the south where the sun reaches it's high point), so I am concluding that this implies "death of the old self" or a sort of rebirth. This seems to make sense with the symbolism of 13 / Nun = Jesus (fish) + 12 apostles, water baptism/rebirth and whatnot. (Just hashing out where Christianity's ideas evolved from.)
Since the Tarot works on the subconcious, I take it that by self-conscious analysis of one's surroundings one transfers knowledge to the subconscious which relates these ideas to Binah where they are interpreted and shot back across the abyss to Chesed aka Jupiter/ El/ Jehovah, who incorporates this into the "law of the land," so to speak of material reality (?). I'm not sure if that is Qabalistically technically correct. Probably not.
I guess Key 13 refers to a shift of awareness from self to other, and paradoxically from "other" to self or Unity.
Do I seem to be on the right track?
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@Redd Fezz said
"In the Tarot Fundamentals course, lesson 30 (I think), which you studied probably 15 years ago or more
(first year BOTA lessons), there is mention that Key 13 represents reversing the Mars force, but no details are given because this will be "revealed" when the student is ready and not before, due to all the damage the student could possibly do with this newfound knowledge. When the student is ready and the knowledge is revealed, no amount of temptation could sway the student to put this knowledge to ill use. But, here again, there are comments that with this knowledge one could destroy the world (or something). And so, reversing the Mars force is not revealed in the lesson, but several hints are dropped."Actually, ill-applied, one could hurt oneself. That's the bigger risk. (And yes, the temptation to apply it along the 26th Path would then be greater also unless one were balanced.)
To give away only what I can on the exact reference you gave: Case arranged for the technical methods of this to be given to BOTA Chapter members of the 3=8 Grade (and actively practiced in 3=8 through Portal). It is also hinted out more "loudly" in the "Great Work" course, where the sequential steps of alchemy are discussed and one particular section - recognizable as what you described - is skipped over without explanation.
I can't disclose the exact method taught there, but I can tell you that simple, quiet meditation - persisted in daily for many months - will bring about this result in someone suitably prepared. (The formal technique merely creates more optimal conditions for the effect, and boosts some other areas of development - but I've given you the most important information, which I know from non-obligated sources.)
Those who are ready for this to produce the right effect will already have accomplished the alchemical stages of discovering the true First Matter, completing the Earth Work, completing the Air Work, and thereby reaching the stage called the "Blood of the Red Lion." I give these technical references for those who know the whole alchemical schema underlying the formal Western Mystery initiation schema. For everyone else, I'd just say that the one instruction I gave above won't hurt, and probably will set the desired effects in motion up to the extent of the individual's readiness.
I can also tell you that the whole nature of the result is encoded in the Masonic apron.
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@Redd Fezz said
"In the Tarot Fundamentals course, lesson 30 (I think), which you studied probably 15 years ago or more
(first year BOTA lessons), there is mention that Key 13 represents something to do with Mars, but no details are given because this will be "revealed" when the student is ready and not before, due to all the damage the student could possibly do with this newfound knowledge."I'm not a BOTA member, but isn't the simplest explanation (for the connection to Mars) just that Key 13 corresponds to the Path of Mem on the Tree of Life? Mem links Hod and Geburah, and the latter (which has tons of Mars symbolism) is the "destination" that can only be reached by someone ready to trod the paths to 6=5.
In other words, wait till your HGA can help before going too deep with this Key...?
Steve
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@Steven Cranmer said
"I'm not a BOTA member, but isn't the simplest explanation (for the connection to Mars) just that Key 13 corresponds to the Path of Mem on the Tree of Life? Mem links Hod and Geburah, and the latter (which has tons of Mars symbolism) is the "destination" that can only be reached by someone ready to trod the paths to 6=5."
Whoops! I'm mixing up attributions -- sorry. Mem is the 13th Hebrew letter, and I've always kind of liked the French (Levi/Wirth) set of correspondences between the letters and the Tarot (Aleph=Magus, etc.)
Anyway, in the GD correspondences "Key 13" corresponds to Nun, which has a Scorpio attribution. Mars (and Antares!) are tied in with Scorpio.
Hopefully I'm not **still **confused...
Steve
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Thanks for the thoughts, Steven. I was referring to something really specific which I've since edited out for the sake of trying to stick to my associate builder obligation, but your thoughts provided more insight than you probably realize. I'm really unfamiliar with the multiple astrological aspects, so any clues and reminders I get are great. I mean, it seems like almost anywhere on the tree isn't just, for example, "Mars" but more like "the moon exalted in Capricornus with 3 extra symbols referencing Venus, Mars and XYZ, etc." It's coming along, though. I remember when I didn't want to bother memorizing the names of the sephiroth!
My initial lazy attitude toward the Qabalah cracks me up!! -
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I actually meant the plain white lambskin
Though I've always liked that particular set of symbols.