Background title art by Lola Singer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lola_(singer)

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Universe, I am your beloved conduit for the Radiance and Grace of Life.

The Starman Tarot-Key 21-The World, depicts the first lady of Life, in a more Piercing gaze of a Shamanka Warrior. Shamanism, is a system of transcending worldly experience into the higher realms of the mind, without a religion nor temple, but using the human vehicle as the place of these experiences. There are many techniques, and we will not go into all of them. Here, she is rising out of the earth, as an embodiment of the immense force of Mother Nature. Here, she is presented as a wise and ancient being who is wearing armor made of alchemical and sacred earth magic. All of which implies her powerful elegance. Her major chakras are replaced with magical and alchemical devices from the skull that implies life/death, the power of the Base Chakra to the Godhead of the Crown Chakra, in a Ankh like golden form of Tau Cross and Orb. She is surrounded in a type of cathedral made of the skeleton of industry, as the World is her Church.

The ancient roots that are piercing the space above her, are the images of the ancient bristlecone pine, the oldest non-clonal organisms on the planet earth. There are the biggest and oldest trees of the forest called "Mother Trees" as they have a vast micorrhizal networks of fungi, underground, that support seedlings or young trees by ferrying the nutrients to them for growth. Throughout the Starman Tarot, one will see reference to the Mother Tree, reminding us of Mother Nature who has lived through many epochs, gathering her wisdom and knowledge by living through the worst of times and the best of times, ever correcting, ever evolving. In Qabalah, that is the Tree of Life illustration of the Universal Collective Intelligence, The Greater Self, of which we are all a copy of.

Although considerably advanced in years, 4.6 billion to be exact, the unapologetic Lady Nature, stands before us in all her power and glory, still fecund, fertile and ever-producing. The exhibition of her fertility is shown on the Starman Tarot card as handfuls of grain and the cacao pods laid before her; Cacao is/was considered a sacred food of the Gods that originated in South America thousands of years ago. Grain and Cacao are some of the most nutritionally condensed foods in existence. She is surrounded in gifts of abundance, sacred metals of gold, the sacred medicine plant of tobacco whose very smoke carried all the hopes, dreams and prayers to Mother Earth Shamanka and Creator of the World.

One will witness the auspicious nature of this Lady Earth, when they walk the path of integrity and offer her their works that expand and liberate life and humanity. I have had her present herself to me in many different but no nonsense ways, as a dear friend and supporter of my works. We are the most blessed of beings.

The universe resounds with the joyful cry I AM.

-Scriabin

The Universe card is the principle of individuality, totality, and wholeness. To those of Eastern culture, this is the image of Shiva (Androgyny); to the Christian, this is the image of the virgin Mary with her foot on the head of the serpent.
 

The proper study of the Qabalistic Paths (Major Arcana cards) is the ascending of Understanding up the Tree of Life, as we are "below" and need to remember the realms of Pure Spirit/Mind "above". The experiences on Earth, assist us in our goals of a more refined understanding of Universal patterns, for form gives us "vision" and measurement. Such as a microscope helps the biologist in a more refined understanding of cell-structure and bacteria, minute earth manifestation. With its crystalline lenses of light, the "I sight" of our senses, helps us sense and measure deeply into the reflected microcosm, so that we better understand the immeasurable macrocosm. By our ability to connect the above Universal Collective Unconscious to the self-conscious of the below, we give the Divine Creative intimacy with Creation.

As long as our Divine Consciousness is functioning though a physical vehicle, this is where our serious exoteric work begins and ends.

The 32nd Path of Tau-Key 21-The Universe, joins the crystallized world of earth, Malkuth-meaning Kingdom, with the 9th Sephiroth Yesod, meaning Foundation. It is the first journey out of the material condition that leads us to a greater understanding of the Personality that was designed by the Higher Self/Psyche (Tiphareth) for each incarnation, before our man-made personality blinded us to our divinity. We must remember that as a transmitted consciousness, we reside at the Foundation, while the body, is receiving our transmission on the realm of Malkuth/Kingdom. When death is experienced, we lose reception on earth and hence, realize Yesod as our place of being.

Dr. Paul Foster Case, who wrote the class room text, The Thirty-Two Paths to Wisdom (the number Thirty- Two is the sum of the Paths and the Sephiroth) calls the Path of Tau (The Universe card or World card) the "Administrative Intelligence" because it "directs and associates in all seven planets." The "seven planets" he is referring to are the Microprosopus-Hexagram pattern of the seven planets on the Tree of Life. The Qabalistic Microprosopus, is comparable to the Microcosm.

The understanding of the Path of Tau (meaning cross), from Malkuth to Yesod, is rooted on the fact that all is Mind/Psyche. I know that as we are all body-oriented because of the condensed focus of the senses, we think that the Mind's realm of ideas, dreams, or thoughts, are somehow divorced from the physical as \we have a dual concept of ourselves as a body and mind. The Qabalah teaches that all is Mind; yes, the body is "crystallized self-image", a type of Avatar, but Mind is the One Energy that transforms and Spirit is the mystery before "the All"! Taking this a step further, all is Spirit and Mind the body is therefore, "Crystallized Spiritual Identity". In the Mysteries, the distinction of Mind and Body is one of perception (brought on by senses), not an actuality and/or reality. For instance, the pictures we see when we close our eyes, are a more refined form of matter, the images and energy forms which are closest to the physical condition.

The concept of Yesod (Foundation) is based on the understanding that most of the Universe is unseen, in fact, our bodies are composed of the electromagnetic spectrum and seem solid, yet they are 99.6 % invisible space. That means, that most of us are judging the Kingdom of Spirit (the Earth) with less than .4% of our minds, called the "lesser ego", via the minutiae of imposed sensuality! This is because Malkuth (the physical) is the only sensual kingdom of Spirit and is necessary to concentrate intelligence on the "eternal Now". Thus we must travel the Path of Tau to experience the "Seven Palaces of Assiah"(Seven sacred planets) as subjectively represented on the Thoth Universe card.

I previously explained that the Universe-key 21, is called the Path of Tau. The symbol of Tau is the equal armed cross which symbolizes the important fact that, the Thoth Universe, or the traditional tarot- World cards, as opposed to other Path-cards, represents all Forces present in their full expression. Tau is also the central point of the Aleph (Fool), Mem (The Hanged Man) and Shin (The Aeon) Paths which makes the equal armed cross on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The Crowley/Harris card shows small tau crosses as the fabric of the Time/Space grid that surrounds the cosmic oval or Womb. Larger explanations of all of these Paths will be periodically explain in future blogs, as they have been in past blogs.

Before I go on with further explanation of the Universe-or World card, Key-21, it would be appropriate here to tell you how to mentally "Walk" the inner Path of Tau. This mental walk, is called Skrying. Skrying, is simple really, all one has to do is focus on a card's reflection, while using a dark mirror and candle, imagining themselves entering the reflection in the mirror.

This is somewhat like lucid dreaming, where you enter the dream and control the events by replacing the anthropomorphic image with your own. Here, one is projecting themselves into an inner vision by the use of a "day dream", projecting oneself into the Greater Vision of the Card. Some may breathe deep and easy, relaxed in body, and mentally project themselves into the Key Vision. Others, as do I, like traveling into a tunnel, imagine themselves entering the Visions as the card grows ever bigger, until entry. At first, maybe boredom takes over, but soon the diligent student discovers that what they experience in this lucid skrying, is not of their own making. They often are astonished at the vitality, energy and spontaneous images that these "mandalas" or Keys to gateways, invoke.

In the Forces of Tau, is the Knowledge, the data, of all the accumulated ideas that went into the making of our world and the cosmos. There is much to experience and remember here so discrimination is recommended, as we journey back into our Divine inheritance, we must educate our "I's" (many identities) in order to perceive our "I AM". The Path of Tau begins the process of Knowing ourselves as we have been known into existence; an existence so dutifully produced by our Divine Parent's Lascivious Lucid Dream. In fact, if the student of Tarot/Qabalah, doesn't skry these cards, they may as well be a deck of playing cards or be a charlatan that preys on superstitious small egos for monetary gain.

From the standpoint of Gnosis (knowledge), the Universe or World, Key 21, maybe the most important card in the deck, as it is the beginning of our journey back to Spiritual Awareness: the inner journey so important to "enlightenment" as the "Me", becomes One with the "I AM". On this Path of Tau, we experience our own personality consciousness, which is of our own making, from a view point of the Higher conscious of the Soul/Psyche, a reality that can be both frightening and gratifying. Yes, we make our own reality and the World/ Universe card helps us to travel beyond the self-absorbed reality of our personalities, into the Higher Self- reality that created our consciousness program in the beginning, and how freedom of choice defines our "End" by the composite pattern of our personalities.

Between the Hebrew letters of Aleph (Fool) and Tau (The Universe), on the Tree of Life, is the entire Universe, the Alpha and the Omega and we must journey upwards from our Spirit's "ending" manifestation, into the beginning; For they who know their end, know their beginning! Thus, the Path of Tau-The Universe, is a Path that can only be successfully traveled by those who begin the process of bringing their Personalities into a self-understanding balance. Of Persona, we have many, built in "passed lives" and stored in a vessel of conscious energy known as our Soul's Akashic Records, for as all things, we too are a collective.

Each state of conscious energy is represented by the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life and for the sake of "Knowing Thyself", they must be viewed at first, independently, and later as a wholeness. This may also astound the student, but it is on the path of Tau, that one discovers the extent to which the process of inner exploration is assisted by the guidance of the "Angels", particularity Archangels. The Family of Spirit is vast and many, and of that family, we are the Children of the Divine Couple; The Inheritors. It may surprise you, especially since the Pavlovian indoctrination of your personality, that to the whole of the Universe, you are most precious! The purpose of this blog is to help you see, as you are seen by your Creator and wonder of wonders, you are not condemned but Loved without condition into being!

One of the most important lessons of the World/Universe card, is that of discrimination and/or discernment, a process that can only be learned in the earthly realm of Malkuth. This gateway to the Astral, and higher awareness, is the Path of Tau, and the Astral is the place of” fluid thoughts", ideas, dreams, before they crystallize into manifestation. It is as if light were liquid, as if the mirror of your mind is not yet solidified, like the fluid metal of Mercury; Solidification is necessary to reflect you in crystalline light, “within the dark mirror of space".

A note of caution: There is deception in the Astral, fantasies; Phantoms that may never make it into our dimensional manifestation, and some you never want to see, so be discriminating and serve nothing but the "spirit within". However, despite the illusions and temptations of the Astral, only through divination can we enter the "Administrative Intelligence" balance; a Intelligence that is shown in the Starman Tarot-World as the Creatrix -Mother Nature and Thoth Tarot card as the Dancing Lilith, the "first wife" draped in coils of Lord Python, the "first husband" and/or Serpent Force (Thoth) while being surrounded by the animal symbols of the Four Cherubim and/or Elements of Pythagorean Alchemy. Implying, from these elements of alchemy, that she weaves the Universe in her fecund and fertile copulating dance. The All Seeing Eye (I) in the Thoth Tarot- UNIVERSE card, sending forth rays of light that become the Python, suggests the "first Husband" of the Goddess Lilith---the "First I-dentity" which would be Kether on the Tree of Life and later the Eye (I) of Horus--the child of both Isis and reborn Osiris, who is the Christ-Buddha consciousness that our self-consciousness are to become on Earth as messengers of our Solar Self/Soul.

The Universe/World Card is a multidimensional understanding of the Cosmic Mind. After much study, one may grasp the principle that the entire Tree of Life, which is taught through the Path of Tau-The Universe, is the most profound concept of "As above, so below". To a sensual body, this means "up and down", to the Infinite, this just means "higher vibration" and "lower vibration", a normal occurrence as energy condenses to greater and greater crystallization. Of course, Spirit/energy, frequency, ideas and Mind are inseparable, just as electricity and data in your computer are inseparable. Therefore, another axiom is attributed to the Tree; "The Know is in the Flow". That is why, when we mentally journey a Path, we gather knowledge at the same time we encounter higher mental frequency. Hence, diligent skrying is more than just a moment of silent contemplation, it is also a gathering of information.

I have discussed the "Will-To-Form" of the Great Mother Binah (3 Sephiroth on the Tree of Life) who is the Life Conscious and which is Saturn in the exalted Supernal Realm. She is completely expressed on the Path of Tau, key 21-The Universe. The female figure of the "Cosmic Dancer" of the Universe, is the fullest expression of this Life Conscious and has been called Isis, the Anima Elohim, as well as, Saturn/Chronos who gives life and destroys it as Great Mother Binah. Some may be confused by this Chronos comparison, since "Father Time" is a description of Chronos/Saturn but before the Patriarch, the Goddess of Time-Space was Juno. However, the Ternary Maid-Mother and Crone, is the Description of Binah, and of Time itself, from youth to old age, Time/Space is her domain as it is the dancing-weave used to build form.

As before stated: The oval ring of Stars illustrated on the Thoth Universe card, that surrounds the central female figure, represents the Womb of the human female, as well as, the Cosmic Womb into which the soul passes after body death. The grid of Time/Space is shown on the Thoth UNIVERSE card as surrounding the oval Cosmic Womb. No matter the symbols, we all arise from our death surrounded in a ring of stars, on our way to the Great Mother. The Kerubs of the Four Elements, Fire, Water, Air and Earth are shown in corners of THE UNIVERSE card.

Life, with its beginning, middle, and end, processes in waves or spirals (Spirit is a Spiral flow of Energy) which cycle back upon themselves. This circling back upon itself is often shown as a Great Serpent, Ouroboros. This is also the natural course of the Akashic Fluid (Astral Fluid) of Yesod where the Serpent Kundalini is coiled in its passive state, and uncoiled in its active state. Thus Crowley choose to represent the Great Serpent of Akashic Fluid as "Lord Python" of Lilith fame.

The Universe Card is also surrounded in the Great Dark Sea, a reference to the Great Mother Binah, who is the "Sea of all consciousness" which on the Path of Tau, is consciousness in the most dense and difficult expression. The Sea is less dark and light blue as her thighs on the Starman WORLD card. Again, discrimination must be used when traveling the Akasha of Yesod, many who entered this Path, entertain themselves with extended fantasy and find themselves tormented by phantoms of their own making and serving masters that only slave thinking can dream up as saviors. The discerning traveler will supply every test of reason, and feeling. After a time of discernment, one will begin experiencing a process of learning, which is not of their own making. Verifying that the images, of Tarot by elaborate research, definitely aid in this process of "Above All Things, Know Thyself".

When The UNIVERSE OR WORLD Card is thrown during a reading, it means:

• Synthesis
•  The matter itself.
•  World and Kingdom.
• The principle of wholeness, totality and individuation.
• The querent will build in the next 21 weeks, new worlds internally and externally and actualizing them in their life.
• Attainment of goals and overcoming difficulties.

• Having everything available for you and the awareness to merely reach out and choose one of many options.

*More than any other card, The Universe depends on the accompanying cards, as it usually denotes the subject of the question.

If ill defined:

• Fleeting success, as you have more to do. 
• Feeling disconnected with the world. Not "grounded".

Thank you for your interest, comments, and supportive donations. May you live long and prosper!