Kabbalah
I just ran across an article from the San Francisco Bay area talking about Kabbalah, and moving into the studyof Judaism through the gateway of Kabbalah. The article is really quite interesting (just skip past the short mention of Madonna – probably not too much spirituality there!).
Towards the end of the article we see a small mention of a Rabbi by the name of Steven Fisdel who created a deck of Kabbalah Tarot cards. The link to the article is here: Kabbalah, with a link to Rabbi Fisdel’s site here: ClassicalKabbalist.org.
The Great Seal Of The United States
I just got done reading “Two Essays by Paul Foster Case” (available from Builders of the Adytum). The first one was “The Masonic Letter G”, and the second one was “The Great Seal of the United States”. The essay on the Masonic letter “G” was certainly interesting, but the essay on the great seal of the United States really struck home.
We are into a new presidency, and we are experiencing a climate of great change in the basic manner of how things are done. For much of my adult life I have wondered if I was seeing the downfall of a time period, much as those at the end of the Roman era would have seen.
It is reflected in our seeming inability to shore up our physical infrastructure (buildings, roads, bridges), and now it is showing up in our seeming inability to shore up our financial infrastructure. I am not surprised to see suicides happening in the highest places. If we look at the genuine suicides, I believe that we will find these to be individuals that lived their lives as well as they could, and took responsibility when their actions, which they felt were the best actions that they could have taken, ended up losing their clients the very money that their retirement depended upon.
Humanity overall needs to take a close look at itself, and see how far it has fallen from its own beliefs and ideals. The United States is not all that old. Our beginnings are still evident in the life that we live today. It was with great interest that I read Paul Foster Case’s thoughts on the Great Seal of this country.
From the book:”… As the national arms, the seal states symbolically the principles which animated the founders of the republic. Today these principles are being forgotten. Because they are neglected in our political and economic practice, grave danger threatens the national life. To avert that danger, we must go back to the fundamentals of true Americanism, clearly set forth in thesymbolism of the seal.”
I do not know the date that this essay was written, but Dr. Case died in 1954. What seemed to me to apply today was already apparent in his time. Through the ensuing years our lack of adherence to the fundamentals of this land have manifested in many different ways.
I have seen the Great Seal discussed in several different books relating to Free Masons, and did know that the founding fathers were Free Masons. I am placing these thoughts in my Tarot blog because the principles that we see here are also seen in esoteric Tarot decks.
Dr. Case discusses the history of the Great Seal, as well as its symbolism. I found it interesting to see that the design passed through three committees before a final version was decided upon. Deja Vu all over again! The official version of the seal was drawn by James Horton Whitehouse, chief designer for Tiffany & Company. Two incorrect seals were cut – one showing a crested eagle (as opposed to the requied American eagle), and one showing the eagle holding only six arrows in his talon (the correct number being thirteen).
There is great discussion in this essay on the number thirteen, and on the science of gematria. Specified for the seal are paleways of thirteen pieces for the escutcheon, thirteen arrows for the bundle int he eagle’s talon, and a motto of thirteen letters. as well as thirteen berries and thirteen leaves on the olive branch.
The olive branch, as we might gues, stands for peace. What I did not realize is that placing the branch in hte eagle’s dexter talon was a radical departure from the heraldry of the Old World. In placing the olive branch in the dexter talon, our founding fathers were proclaiming the principle that the primary aim of the United States was to establsih peace.
The shields colors carry their own weight: red for valor, white for purity, and blue for justice.
The uppermost motto on the back of the seal contains thirteen letters, the date at the bottom of the pyramid nine letters, and the lower motto seventeen letters. Together they add up to thritynine letters – three times thirteen. The triangle of the pyramid represents the number three.
There is a great deal more to the Great Seal, but, all in all, it represents principles that I feel we as a country, and as individuals, have strayed from.
We can only be true to ourselves. If we can do this, we will carry this energy to the group collective, and perhaps bring our country back in line with what it was intended to be.
Tarot University
From Tarot University, and founder Christine Payne-Towler, we have a new deck in progress – the “Illuminist Tarot”. Christine and her partner, Michael Dowers, are offering a 24 page chapbook of the major arcana, done in black and white line drawing style. This is a Limited Edition - 150 signed and numbered copies.
For more information, and to order, please visit Tarot University Announcements.
Chinese New Year
Today is Chinese New Year’s. It is a Yin year, and the Year of the Ox. The qualities inherent in the year of the Ox are dependability, patience, ambition, the ability to work hard, and to work methodically. The focus for this year is on material things.
I drew the Lover’s as a Tarot card for this year. I see this as coming to a better understanding of myself, and bringing a sense of balance to my life.
The questions that I ask myself about my Tarot interests/work are:
1. Am I where I want to be?
2. Am I enjoying what I do?
3. What needs to be nurtured?
4. What needs to be let go?
5. Where does the Tarot fit in with the rest of my life?
May this be a year of growth and expansion for all of us!
Blessings,
Bonnie
The World Of Tarot
There is a lot out there in the Tarot world – some good, some not so good. I ran across a post this am that I feel is well worth sharing. From The Tarot Channel, it is the January 23, 2009 post from Mark McElroy entitled Assumptions. Here is the link -The Tarot Channel.
Enjoy!
Deck In Progress
From the Comp Tarot e-group comes this link, to a new non-Tarot, divination deck in progress from Lorena B. Moore (Ironwing Tarot): www.mineralarts.com/artwork/BlackCatSociety.html
Lorena’s progress can be followed on her blog: ironwing.wordpress.com
This is a black and white deck, based on cats. The four suits are Fangs, Paws,Claws and Masks. IMHO – This is going to be an incredible deck!
Three Cards To Midnight
I don’t generally become involved with gaming, but when the “Three Cards To Midnight” game (rather, game in progress, because it is not out yet) came to my attention, I was very interested. Here is the link to the trailer:
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Bonnie
Robert Place
I just noted that on Leisa ReFalo’s Podcast site Tarot Connection she is running a Podcast from Darkness Radio with Robert M. Place. The focus of this Podcast is the paranormal, so to hear an interview on the Tarot was incredible!
The interview is well done, flows smoothly, and covers many different topics. It can be heard on Leisa’s site Tarot Connection or on their live chat show www.para-investigations.com/chat.
