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The Manara erotic tarot- key 10-The Mirror ( Lo Specchio )
The Milo Manara, Erotic Tarot - Key 10-The Mirror, may seem like an odd example of fortune. Yet it is also based on the planet Jupiter (sign on bottom right), making this a card of "good fortune", Optimism, Expansion, and Conservation. Here we have a young woman examining her body in a mirror. Being young, and beautiful, she is examining her good fortune. This may seem egotistic behavior to some; However, there is no shame in being grateful for one's being and loving the look of their form. We are invisible souls, who can only see themselves in the reflected light of matter. In science, matter is the term for any type of material. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. At a minimum, matter requires at least one subatomic particle, although most matter consists of atoms. The word "matter" is sometimes used to refer to a pure substance. There is also the fact that she is looking for defects. However, she is examining the fit of her new clothes, and how it compliments her form. It behooves us to remember that all that is seen, is Energy reflecting upon itself. Here, fortune is seen as an optimistic attitude that opens doorways to success.
The Thoth Tarot- ATU 10-Fortune, is called the Path of Caph (meaning Fist) on the Tree of Life and runs from Chesed (mercy) to Netzach (Victory). This path is on the side of the Tree of Life called The Pillar of Mercy and connects the Personality to the Higher Self (all Sephiroth above Tiphareth are in the Higher Self).
The Path of Caph has a mediating function and the planet Jupiter is assigned to this Path. Jupiter is also said to govern the flow of blood, thus reinforcing the mediating function of Caph.
The letter Caph (Khaf), is a "double letter', meaning that it is a union of opposites, riches, and poverty, which are the natural fluctuations of Jupiter's forces on this path. Since this Path is one of the "Gateways to the Soul", the riches and poverty here are of the Psyche itself.
The meaning of Caph (Kaph) is fist, and refers to the completion of an activity, such as, the closing of a circle or grasping comprehension.
This is a cycle, albeit a closed one, the Wheel of Fortune is considered a flow of Karma, which is a state in which you get what you put out. The Wheel is an important symbol, besides that of a prayer wheel, it is also the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
This is not a roulette wheel of chance and accidents, for in Qabalah, it is known that we are solely responsible for our own destinies which the words "freedom of choice" imply. The Wheel of Fortune supplies us with what we earn, which can be pleasant or unpleasant but no matter what, change is constant.
The interchange of opposites is what makes the wheel Spin, in this case, we have, the Feminine, Geburah: Severity, and the masculine Chesed: Mercy, interchanging their forces and form. This interchange of opposites is shown by the Ten Spokes on the Thoth Deck card, symbolizing the Ten Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, which is a continuity of Force and Form, in equilibrium.
In his Hermetic work, The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom, Sr. Paul Foster Case calls the Path of Caph, the Intelligence of Conciliation which would best be seen as a gyroscope, two wheels interlocking within each other, spinning in opposite directions., for this card represents the mediation of activity between rotating and/or moving opposites. The sense being that there is a cyclic and rhythmic motion of activity, as well as cause and effect.
What is interesting here is that on the Thoth Deck Card, the Sphinx is seen as the stabilizing element during change and is positioned on top of the Wheel. The ancient Egyptians used the Sphinx image as the Pharaoh, usually vanquishing his enemies, with lion like power. Later, the Greeks, modified the Sphinx by illustrating it as a woman on a male lion's body. Thus, the Sphinx came to represent the union of mankind, with the raw power of the animal kingdom, and a balance of male (electric) and female (magnetic) in the same form. Again, the union of opposites, is the birthplace of all Power,
The Qabalistic concept of the Sphinx is that it is the Synthesis of all Elemental Forces, much like the Pentagram symbol of Mankind, where the Spirit is the Fifth element above and added to the four elements of the manifested kingdom. In fact, among the documents of the Enochian Mysteries of the Golden Dawn, the Sphinx has four forms, that of a Bull, Eagle, Man and Lion. These four faces are also described by Ezekiel in the Bible interpretation of his vision. The Wheel of Fortune is the glyph of perpetual motion where the flying Eagle balances the Man; the roaring Lion counterpoises the laborious Bull.
As stated, the Sphinx represents the stabilizing element during change. It is both the balancing phase of cyclic energy and the guardian to the gateway of the Mysteries, holding the secret of life and death. Thus, the Sphinx is a gate guardian of the Path of Caph (fist) as it is both that through which one passes in birth or death, and that which controls the passage.
The Sphinx also symbolizes the directing aspect of the Higher Self in Tiphareth (beauty) and being a Gate Keeper, it is protective and keeps the Personality from absorbing more force than its system can handle. By correctly answering the question of the Sphinx, which is an extension of the Greek Axiom, Man, know thyself, implies that one is ready to pass through the gate of inner consciousness. As in the Oedipus legend, once correctly answered, the Sphinx throws itself back into the Sea which to a Qabalist means that the Gate keeper is no longer needed and is reabsorbed into the vast Ocean of Individual Higher Consciousness that created it. If the initiate can't answer the Sphinx's question, they are "slain", which is the protection part of the Sphinx, as it sends back those personalities that are unready to pass consciously beyond the restrictions of time/space.
The dog faced monkey, on the left side of the wheel, is in reference to the Plutonian, Cynocephalus. Cynocephalus is not only the companion of Thoth but also the symbol of time and eternity. Thoth, being called the Lord of Holy Words, by the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians, is the inventor of writing and the scribe for the Gods whose duty was to record the results of the weighing of the Souls on the Path of Lamed (See the Adjustment Card).
Thoth is also said to divide time into months, seasons, and years. Thus, his companion is Cynocephalus, the symbol for time and eternity. Briefly, the Words of Thoth are the vibratory patterns that turn the Wheel of Fortune. Being quite esoteric here, the Wheel of Fortune means that when the Higher Self, that brings the Elements under control, it bestows upon the Personality that "knows itself" faithful companions that are the "words" (definitions), vibratory patterns that free the Personality from the General Wheel of Fortune and/or Karma that governs the "sleeping souls" who "above all things don't know themselves" and therefore, place "things" higher than self.
The Thoth Wheel of Fortune card depicts the interaction between the Sphinx, Hermanubis and Typhon, Hermanubis is a dual god, combining Horus and Anubis and is written as Heru-em-Anpu, meaning Horus as Anubis. Sword in hand, Heru-em-Anpu is often depicted in mythology as the slayer of Typhon, who is illustrated as a snake, Typhon was of Greek origin and was involved in the wars of supremacy of the Gods and slain by Zeus. But as time developed the complexity of Myths, Typhon became the dark aspect of Osiris known as Set. The combination of these symbols plays out the counter-changing influence of Light and Dark energy. In Quantum physics, Dark Energy is the Pushing Force, the "vibrations" that spin the universe and push it outward. Knowing this may cause one to wonder if "death" is the pushing force for Life.
When the FORTUNE or THE MIRROR card is thrown during a reading:
- It indicates that in the next 10 weeks or 10 months there shall be new opportunities for creating fortune in the querent's life.
- Life is moving and busy here, so breakthroughs in prosperity and abundance are approaching fast.
- Generally, this is a good luck card depicting rewards and recognition for things completed.
- The cycle of the law of attraction, where like attracts like.
- Optimism.
- Turns for the worst.
- Fatalism.
Thank you for your interest, comments, and supportive donations. May you live long and prosper.
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