October 4-6, 2011: VI - The Lovers
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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwpTuQqKoY0/TVRf8H4kdHI/AAAAAAAAAYE/VKNHZcFavDo/s1600/zayin.gif
VI
THE LOVERS
(Gemini)MEDITATION COLOR: Orange.
HEBREW LETTER: Zayin, sword, symbolic of intellect and representative of division, multiplicity, severing, severity.
**CARD NAME: **“Lovers” is the title of the Second Grade of the Order per Liber Legis, equivalent to Adept. It comes from the Indo-European root leubh-, “to care, desire, love.” Important derivatives include belief, love, libido.
ESOTERIC MEANING: The Consciousness of Sensation (or Consciousness of Disposition). It provides faith to the Compassionate (i.e., the Adepts), and clothes them with the Holy Spirit. Within the Supernals, it is called the Foundation of Beauty.
TREE of LIFE: Tiphereth to Binah. (Links ‘Beauty’ and ‘Understanding’; or the Ego-center with Intuition, Ruach with Neshamah, Vav with Heh. The wedding of ‘the Son’ with ‘the Mother.’ The Ordeal of the Abyss. Confrontation of duality and multiplicity. The Mystery of Knowledge.)
ESOTERIC TITLE: The Children of the Voice, the Oracle of the Mighty Gods
TANTRIC & ALCHEMICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Wedding. Declaration of the Work to be done, employing a complex alchemical symbolism. Solve.
DIVINATION: Inspiration, receptiveness, intuition, intelligence, “second sight,” childishness, frivolity, triviality, thoughtfulness divorced from practical considerations, indecision, contradiction, self-contradiction, instability, the necessity to choose between alternate paths. May mean love, union, the proper mating of opposites, resolution of differences, a proper relationship between the inner and outer aspects of life (or between subconsciousness and ego-consciousness).
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xF86j3374Ns/S-vwKgOtO0I/AAAAAAAAEnE/2pQE8SEkc14/s320/TheLovers_Thoth.jpg
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93,
I've not been following this thread much, but it happened that the Lovers came up in something else I've been working on, so I fell into the rhythm here. My attention was drawn strongly to the Queen scale color, mauve, which is also the color of Hermes' robe. The Archangel of this path, Ambriel, is popularly connected with communication, which had an immediate click with Hermes as the Hierophant in this card. The imagery kept dissolving into separate components that then appeared identical at root.
Perhaps that's the secret of actual communication - the lack of separating barriers, except on a superficial level? For me, it clarified why AC was told this card should be called "the Brothers." The opposing elements are always from the same origin.
93 93/93,
Edward -
@Edward Mason said
"93,
The Archangel of this path, Ambriel, is popularly connected with communication, which had an immediate click with Hermes as the Hierophant in this card. "
That's a very interesting aspect that you bring up, most valid - and one i sort of knew about (from other systems of correlation , not Archangels, but still) and yet have dismissed somehow... Good one, thanks for sharing!
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"Perhaps that's the secret of actual communication - the lack of separating barriers, except on a superficial level? "
As in when and where words are involved?
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93,
"As in when and where words are involved?"
I'd hope it goes beyond verbal contact.
93 93/93,
Edward -
LOL I meant the superficial level of communication exists when and where words are used
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@Shadoniee said
"LOL I meant the superficial level of communication exists when and where words are used"
I perceive it more as communication between one's higher self (one brother/ twin) and the this-dimension/earthly Self (another twin)... which kabbalistically would be the highest purpose of Gemini as a sign... which (acc. to the same tradition) does make those under the influence of the sign - great teachers... these two rang bells when i read Edward's post.
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Some interesting events occured during the time spent with this card. I'll share them after I share my insights. Here they are:
Orange to Yellow background: Ok, we have something going on in the background there. A transition of one state to of energy to another.
Swords - 10 to be exact...they appear to be a gate or barrier between the background and the foreground of the card. A sword is a weapon for cutting, severing, slicing, killing, defending, offending...it's main function is to separate.
The pillars - duality is now manifested...in the previous card, we had Man, Woman and Child connected to one another...in this card however they are seperate.
Here's an interesting observation about this card...traditionally, the pillar on the right hand side of the card is the masculine pillar and the pillar on the left hand side is the feminine pillar...but on this card there is a woman in front of the the pillar on the right, and a man in front of the pillar on the left. Perhaps this is an allusion to the idea that in the world of duality every thing contains some of its opposite?
The Hermit - Here was see a hooded figure, arms outstretched in what looks like the sign of the enterer, with a scroll weaved around his arms. It occurs to me that he is the only one that can pass through the gate of swords. He's got the "magick word" so to speak. Beneath him appears a scene from a royal wedding. It occurs to me the wedding couldn't take place without his aid. It ain't happenin' if he ain't callin' it
The scroll - the instruction, law, lesson, code given by the Hermit
The King: Crowned, sporting a fur and a robe with serpents on it, probably snake-skin (he IS black
) In his right hand is his bride's hand, and in his left hand is a spear being offered to him by a child.The Queen: Also crowned, also decked out in a fur and robe with bees on it. She's holding her King's hand with her right hand and a grail in her left hand.
I think there is a great deal of intimacy, commitment, and devotion between these two that is beautifully depicted in this card. I like the fact that there is an interracial couple on this card. I guess interracial couples were taboo when it was orignially painted but I dunno, it takes the duality theme a little deeper than if their had been 2 white people or 2 black people getting married on the card.
Black child with club - he's offering the spear to the king. I thought this of as being the nephesh transmitting its will to the Ruach
White child with cup - he's offering the grail to the Queen. Not really sure what to think of that. Perhaps it's along the same lines as the black kid handing the king the spear but it's fuzzy to me.
Red Lion - The essence of alchemical Gold
White eagle - The essence of alchemical Silver
Winged egg with serpent coiled about it - whatever is in that thing is probably going to come out when these two get married and consumate the marriage
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The Lovers took me the longest time to connect... Its dawn of day four that i am meditating on it and going through the symbology.
Its almost five am, Friday where i am - and just now, as i focused on the card, i saw in my minds eye the 6 "reversing" itself and becoming 9, and , as its dawning outside, it dawned on me that the Hermit, under his cloak , is all those things - the king and the queen, Lilith and Eve, Cain and Abel, the egg, the snake... all of it!
The only part i couldn't connect with is the cherub - but then i do have a problem with picturing positive entities/ G-d's presence as harp-playing/ arrow pointing winged little fatties...
I did write a poem too, and took pics of my meditative setting, but i am too tired to post them now.
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@Paula Abdul said
"And you know-it ain't fiction
Just a natural fact
We come together
Cuz opposites attract" -
"And you know-it ain't fiction
Just a natural fact
We come together
Cuz opposites attract"I never got the cherub until today....divided for love's sake, for the chance of union
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@Shadoniee said
"
"And you know-it ain't fiction
Just a natural fact
We come together
Cuz opposites attract"I never got the cherub until today....divided for love's sake, for the chance of union"
Wow!
You know, Shadoniee, this is project is having much bigger impact both on my perception and on my rl - than i ever imagined!
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"Wow!
You know, Shadoniee, this is project is having much bigger impact both on my perception and on my rl - than i ever imagined! "Same here
I promised to share a story about the Lovers. Here it is:
I have a coworker that just started working at my job about 3 months ago. I noticed that she has an incredible energy about her, she's very headstrong and there's just something about her that makes her an absolute joy to be around.
One day we had a conversation about money and she shared her system for saving money with me which I thought was really helpful.
On the second day of meditating on the Lovers card, her and I had a conversation that resulted in a business plan. One that would allow us to create a small business teaching people in their 20's a new way to relate to money as well as a solid plan on saving money. It came out of pure conversation and inspiration.
when I got home to meditate on the Lovers, the conversation about our business popped into my mind. I looked at the card and I saw me and my coworker. She's a white, blonde Russian immigrant and I'm a black kid from NYC.
Tying it back into what you said Tortoise, and also what Jim said in the book about this journey through the tarot being one of the most amazing 1 1/2 years of ones life, neither of you are kidding. I'm having a blast.
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To me this card has always represented purity of friendship.
Rather than romantic love, or sexual love, it is more like brotherly love between best friends. More accurately, the aspect of true friendship, of pre-marital lovers. -
"To me this card has always represented purity of friendship.
Rather than romantic love, or sexual love, it is more like brotherly love between best friends. More accurately, the aspect of true friendship, of pre-marital lovers."Funny you should mention that PS.
My co-worker has a boyfriend that she plans on marrying. When I shared the idea with her the impression I got that she was going to end up being MY wife. I didn't get a sense of romantic or erotic love. I got the feeling of the pure love between best friends you speak of. I ultimately took it as an indication of the nature our relationship will take on if we actually end up launching this business and a potential marriage that could come out of it.
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And here is the pic i promised (better late than never
)http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/magicturtoise/lovers.jpg