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The tarot of the old path- Key 18-Illusion
The Thoth Tarot- Key-18, is The Moon card, which is based on the Illusion of Moonlight and the Vesica Pisces.
The Tarot of the Old Path names key-18, Illusion, and is based on the same principle with a theme based on the dark side of the Moon and/or the dark subconscious. Represented on the Illusion Tarot Card, are the pale, almost insubstantial figures of a man and woman, standing in troubled waters of disturbed emotions. This scene of desolate feelings is emphasized by the man holding his head in his hands, distraught and unable to open his eyes. The Woman is pleading with the Moon (pleading to the Goddess).
We can see the new moon image, with a faint suggestion of full moon, within the image of the Egyptian-Sky Goddess Nuit (Nut) . The expression on the Goddesses face is none to happy and the image of her face is reflected in the troubled water. She is hurt by our ignorance and sheds a tear, indicating her hidden emotion for her children who refuse to "grow up" and "above all things, know themselves".
Due to the mayhem of childhood, many of us forget that we are the masters of our own image, and if we are distraught, in grief or emotionally disturbed, it is from our own thinking not the "outside" world. Overwrought emotion comes as we take ourselves too seriously, i.e., "judgments of good and bad". The 5 fingers of the Goddess, form waterfalls that feed the pool of emotions, implying that she is the creator of Consciousness and the resulting Emotions. She is the Imagination (image maker)---the "Womb-with-a-view";The Moon. 5 is the number of the five Tattvas of the Hindu philosophy, as seen in the chart above or on the hand below.
There is only one way to communicate with the inner "gods/goddesses" and that way is in this great statement given to me as a young 10 year old boy by my teacher YO Chen when he said," If you wish to speak to me, you must stand, for I'll not kneel to your weakness." Such a statement, may be called "tough love" but it is also the communication of equals, something we often forget. We are the Strength of Immortality, of the "gods"; we have inherited Divinity and are seen as the "image of the Living Divine Creatrix", to build weakness by myopic thinking, and then bow to it as if it is a greater reality than ourselves, is to be the "insane" kneeling of immortals to the mortality of the body; lost in our own mire of confusion, misdirection and fear of death.
Our name is I AM and our life is a declaration of thought forms or self-made identity, called-"Me'! Death and emotional darkness is just a phase of the Moon and/or life, it will soon cycle back into it's full glory, just as the Spirit will soon rebuild a new form of self-expression. The Goddess is mirroring the statement,"Get over yourself, get on with you, impeccability is what we do!"
The symbol for early conscious growth is the crayfish, and disturbed by the dark moon; Moon dogs howl in the background.
In the language of flowers, the honeysuckle growing at the side of the card,implies inconsistency and the bramble signifies envy and remorse. The overhanging willow trees represents the those that are forsaken and the poplars on the horizon, represent The Tree of Life.
The card emphasizes a warning of distinguishing illusion from reality; that the reflected light of the moon casts shadows of illusion and uncertainly, implying the reflected light of the dark subconscious, as the reflection of the Goddess's face in the Moon-pool being disturbed by the ripples of the survival mind of the human. The Subconscious is also where psychic powers are developed. The Unconscious and its sub in the animal body, speaks in symbols, images and their gestures. Misinterpretation of these intuitive messages or taking them as literal messages, can lead us into disaster. Besides, the literal language bound consciousness, often misinterprets the images we are given from our intuitive self. To benefit from this insight of symbols we must learn to interpret the symbols given by using the "Sun/Son" light of Higher Reason and the Symbols of Moon light (unconsciousness) in combination, they assist each other rather than confuse each other. Therefore, Qabalists study the Tarot as Divination in the Qaballah or any Gnosis, aids language bound reason in learning the language of the imagination. For she only speaks in forms, and is reflected in literal consciousness as emotions. She is illuminated by Tiphareth (The Solar or Higher Consciousness) and reflects unseen knowledge our reason must listen to in order to impeccably operate the Creative self.
thoth- atu 18-the moon
THE THOTH DECK KEY 18- THE MOON:
Represents the Hebrew letter Qoph (Path of Qoph), meaning back of the head or ear, and the zodiacal sign of Pisces. Being the last of the signs, Pisces represents the last stage of winter. Crowley calls it ,"The Gateway to Resurrection", as the Back of the Head, is connected to the potencies of the cerebellum.
In the old Aeon of Osiris, the resurrection of the Sun/Son, was seen as not only from winter, but from night. Thus, above the water is a sinister and forbidding landscape representing midnight. From the gap between two barren mountains, we see a stream tinged with blood and nine drops of menstrual blood falling down in the shape of Yods (Hebrew foundation letter) falling from the Moon onto the "Serum of Life" stream. Then Moon is representative of the cycles of the Feminine Womb, which was the old matriarchal moon calendar. This makes sense as all form belongs to the invisible lady we know as Imagination and the Collective Unconscious who both reflect the light of reason. All Images are born of Imagination......every single one.
The hills sprout dark Towers of mystery and fear; of all prejudice, superstition, and dead tradition that darkens the face of the Goddess Imagination.
For the initiate, to tread the path of the Moon (Qoph), is to enter the realm of the dark subconscious, where all terror's , nightmares and self-loathing of the mortal mind's underworld are stored. For the mortal-brain fears and hates the body for dying and fears the cycles and process of time incorporated by the Spirit. Inside all of us is a sense of emotional inferiority, because we are all made vulnerable in flesh. A vulnerability that gives us greatness in character. For Vulnerability teaches us generosity, charity, empathy, healing, etc. With flesh being run by an "outer Master", is gone the inner Lust filled joy of immortal Spirit who fears nothing, as it is not of thing, but things are of it as illusions of itself. We must attempt to realize Spirit has created a body, to go beyond the darkness of self-uncertainty into the sensual realm of self-awareness. The Old I Am is now the newer I AM Me!
On The Thoth Card, the threshold of Life and Death, is represented by the the gateway guarded by the two images of the Jackal-headed God Anubis of Khem. At their feet are the jackals themselves who devour the carcasses who don't know his name. In other words, personalities that are unable to "travel form body to body" because they are burdened with fear of being, therefore, misusing the inherited power of I AM. They must experience the consumptive sleep of death while those who "know themselves", who shine with the light of the I AM, lose not awareness, and travel directly to another body to continue on with the Great Work of Divine Self-Awareness through the utilization of Living Image. To many this is the Tibetan process of the Dali Lama.
The Moon card represents the darkness of illusion brought on by the drunkenness of sense, as well as, the "after life", where the Solar mind will cleanse away the belief in illusion as reality. But this sensual drunkenness is not the same intoxication of ever bright Dionysus, for as Crowley states in his Book of Thoth," Whatever horrors may afflict the soul, whatever abominations may excite the loathing of the heart, whatever terrors may assail the mind, the answer is the same at every stage,' How splendid is the Adventure!". Like I am known to say, "Screw then all, just keep dancing!" The illusion of misery, is our own creation!
WHEN THE KEY 18, THE ILLUSION OR THE MOON CARD IS THROWN DURING A DIVINATION:
It implies:
- Choice and authenticity.
- A time to check motives to make sure they are honest, and you are not deceiving yourself.
- Trust your intuition and stay on the path of Corporeal Intelligence that connects the psychic upwelling and emotions with the body, leading to physical manifestation and spiritual unfoldment.
- you are completing Karma through evolution.
- The Shamanic call to enter the darkness. The "Dark night of the Soul", where we annihilate the illusions that torment us and emerge cleansed and Bright.
- Experiencing unconscious forces or unseen influences from within materializing in our life.
- Hidden enemies, danger,, false friends.
- Being guided by your Greater Self, to "clear your mind of error".
Reverse meanings or if ill defined:
- Small deceptions
- Overcoming serious temptations.
- A mystery solved
- Upset emotions.
Thank you for your interest and comments. May you live long and prosper.
