By Gary Meister, CTM
This time we are looking at path Six, running between Sphere 3, Understanding and Sphere 6, Beauty. Representing this path is Major Arcana Key, 6, The Lovers, Discrimination.
A man and woman stand across from each other on both sides of the picture. They are nude, which, in Tarot, symbolizes openness, honesty, having "nothing to hide". Behind each of them is a small tree. The man stands in front of the "Tree of Life", indicated by the flames at the tips of its twelve branches. The woman is standing in front of a tree bearing fruit, which has a serpent coiled around it, its head reaching out to talk to her. This is apparently The Garden of Eden and they are Adam and Eve.
Between them, and off in the distance, is a tall purple mountain representing the heights we can reach when we discriminate properly between positive spiritual thinking and identifying too strongly with the material things in life.
Above and between them is an angelic figure, said to be the Archangel, Raphael, who here issymbolizing the Higher Power, the Superconscious Mind, God. Now—the man, representing the conscious mind, looks to the woman, who is the subcounscious, for guidance. The woman in turn looks to the Superconscious for the Higher Guidance one can get there. This is the applied "Intuition", as we spoke about in Lesson Eleven.
As to the Kabbalistic meaning, here, The Creator, having learned the lesson of Sphere III, "Understanding", is moving more deeply into Its creation to discover "Beauty", following the the path of "Discrimination". It weighs the merits of each step of Its creation and discriminates the useful from that which is not useful. Using only that which fits with The Creator's perfection, It moves from # 3, "Understanding" toward # 6 "Beauty". In "Understanding" the real meaning of the creation, it is understood to be "Beautiful". "And The Lord looked and said It is good!"
Now, taking a look at how the Kabbalah to see how it pertains to every level of the creative process, we take another look at the baby we have been following. At this point, the baby has made a connection with other living beings and has began classifying them; dogs, cats, fish, toads, frogs, worms; this growing child is learning to see that everything in Gods Creation has its own Beauty. He/she discriminates between the different living things and those which aren't living; classifying, discriminating, learning. And, watching this child develop this connection with Life, is a beautiful thing indeed.
Now – you are working on the project you started in lessons past. You have been through the stages of creation up to and including "Understanding" what you really want to do. You have reasoned it out and used your intuition to guide you along the way. Now, you leave the sphere of "Understanding" to travel the path of "Discrimination" to the sphere of "Beauty". As you "discriminate" between all the steps you have taken, you begin to see the inner "Beauty" of this entire creation of yours. It is beautiful and, at least for now—all is good.
IN A READING:
If I were to draw this card in a reading, I might say, "It looks like you have an important decision to make. Even though you have thought it out and tried to listen to your intuition, you are still filled with doubt. What might work well for you here is to make a list. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. Label one side 'Positive' and the other 'Negative'. Now—list each aspect of the situation under one side of the list or the other. This should make it easier for you to 'Discriminate' between the good and bad aspects and come to your decision."
That's what I might say—how about you? You're the reader.
See you next time.
Bright Blessings ~ Gary Meister, CTM