Enlighten. A little introduction for the uninitiated

Many of those who are interested in self-development know what meditation is. In addition to classical meditation, there is also tarot meditation. In this kind of practice, the energy of the major and minor arcana of the tarot deck is used. The technique really works and captivates from the first day of work. Aleister Crowley defines tarot meditation as the key to achieving the goal. The most important thing is to decide on the end result.

Recently, my old friend Elena came to me. Complained to me over a cup of tea that her boyfriend, who is abroad, did not want to take her to him. They have been talking for a long time, about two years, and the man, well, he was very indecisive. And I decided to advise her meditation on the tarot arcana. Lena chose one of the arcana, the Last Judgment, to begin with to give impetus to the development of the situation and the simplest of the techniques. The duration of meditation was two weeks.

The first meditation on the tarot arcana gave a positive result. Happy Lena ran in two weeks later and shared a story that the guy started talking about moving and even finding out about the necessary documents. Appetite comes with eating and Lena wanted to harmonize personal relationships. For this purpose, the Ace of Cups was chosen, since it is the Cups that are responsible for the emotional content. After just a couple of weeks, she said that now there is much more understanding between them. Meditation will help you move forward. And how to do this - I will tell further.

Features of meditation

Meditation on tarot as a method of self-development is suitable for every practicing person. But, if you have never encountered it before, pay special attention to your goal and choosing the right card. So, if you are just discovering this type of meditation, you should avoid:

• Towers;
• Devil;
• the moon;
• Of death;
• Threes of swords;
• Nine of Swords;
• Dozens of Swords.

The listed arcana symbolize destruction, and meditation on them can be quite difficult. First you need to gain experience and choose the right technique. As for the technique of execution, everything is also individual here. You can choose the method described here, or you can act on the basis of inner impulses and feelings. Everything is individual, as well as the interpretation of the tarot deck.

Consider what goals can be achieved with the help of meditation on the major arcana of the tarot:

When in doubt which card to choose, rely on your intuition. Lay the cards out in front of you, close your eyes and let the image come. Or choose the lasso to which you will be "drawn". There are special meditative decks, for example, Tarot Osho, or Tarot Angles.

What does meditation do

I will tell you what else you can achieve with tarot meditation:

1. Get a deep, individual understanding of the arcana.
2. Understand your purpose, explore the hidden sides of personality, discover new talents.
3. Improve relationships with people around you, attract love into your life.
4. Find the source of inner strength.
5. Harmonize financial flow.

Who is meditation for?

Tarot meditation can be used by anyone, even a beginner in the world of arcana. The only limitation here is internal resistance. If you feel that it is not for you, it does not suit you, do not force meditation on yourself. Wait for a sincere need for it.

Overview of Meditation Techniques

Now is the time to move on to specific techniques.

active meditation

Its duration is approximately 20-30 minutes. All you need is a deck of cards, paper, and a pen. Sit in a comfortable position. Choose a lasso. Study it in detail. Pay attention to feelings. You like the chosen card, what emotions does it evoke. Look at the play of colors, at the prevailing shades. Look at the lasso, who is depicted on it, what qualities of the hero can be distinguished? So, for example, the Priestess - intuition, knowledge, nature, wisdom. Write down the associations. Write down all thoughts in a notebook. This will be your individual understanding of the lasso.

Simple meditation for beginners

We used this practice with Elena when we first met tarot meditation. Intuitively select a card and put it where you spend the most time. From time to time, look at the lasso and explore your feelings.

The advice was our next step in the practice of tarot meditation. I must say that it turns out an amazing chain of reasoning, and the advice really works. For this method, Lena chose the minor lasso of the Ace of Cups to seek mutual understanding in their relationship. The received advice helped to look at the situation from an unexpected angle and find a rather original and effective solution to the problem. Just choose an arcane and talk to him as if he were your close friend or mentor. Do not limit yourself in time, let the flow of reasoning fully form. The Ace of Coins is well suited to harmonize cash flow.

Passive Meditation

For this practice, you will need candles, meditation music and incense. It is not suitable for beginners, as it requires some practical skills for itself. Among them, knowledge of the interpretation of tarot, the ability to enter a state of trance and stop the internal dialogue. How to do passive meditation:

1. Choose a card.
2. Consider the plot of the lasso for three to five minutes.
3. Set the card aside and close your eyes.
4. Disconnect from thoughts and tune in to the individual energy of the lasso.
5. Look at the lasso as if you were a participant in the event it describes. Focus on color, warmth or cold, smell and taste.
6. Let the images freely enter your subconscious and replace each other.

This meditation is suitable for replenishing the missing qualities. It lasts from half an hour to an hour.

If you have chosen tarot meditation for yourself, then your level of awareness is higher than that of most people. Discover new things and remember that you are the most valuable investment for your own time and energy. By developing yourself, you improve your own quality of life and the lives of others.

A little introduction for the uninitiated

Most people who are at all familiar with the tarot are convinced that their main purpose is the art of predicting the future. Indeed, it is difficult to argue with the fact that throughout its history, humanity has not created such a perfect and sophisticated system, interaction with which could give such an extended forecast. From the other two, the most perfect systems of divination - i-ching and the runic alphabet, tarot differs in that its images directly affect the imagination, creating only their own associations.

The art of divination is not a judgment, but rather a conversation with our holy guardian angel, in which we learn what we should pay attention to, what dangers threaten us and what prospects open up before us. The art of tarot divination is a great way to develop your intuition, and spiritual practice, the purpose of which is to comprehend the universal law of the unity of consciousness and matter.

But besides divination, the tarot has other functions. Since the seventeenth century, voices have been heard in favor of the fact that the tarot is an encrypted secret wisdom, the comprehension of which opens the gates of eternity. The origin of the tarot was erected either to Atlantis or to Egypt, some believed that the first tablets of the law broken by Moses were 22 tarot arcana. These legends do not have any scientific evidence, but their very existence speaks in favor of how deep the level of the psyche is affected by the arcana of the tarot.

In the nineteenth century, the great magician and occultist Eliaphas Levi, correlated the 22 arcana of the tarot with 22 Hebrew letters, and since then the controversy has not ceased and their correspondence and about what place in the alphabet the fool occupies.

The Order of the Golden Dawn has been researching the mysteries of Western magic for many years and has created its own secret correspondence system. These correspondences were kept secret for a long time until Aleister Crowley, the Prometheus of mankind, published them openly. Crowley considered it immoral to hide those keys that could allow everyone to reach their personal level of spiritual realization.

Correspondence tables correlated the tarot arcana not only with Hebrew letters, but also with animals, plants, aromas, magical powers, gods of different pantheons, astrological symbols, and even flowers and smells. As a result, a very special associative chain was built around each lasso. Passing this chain through his psyche, the adept got the opportunity from within, through personal experience, to comprehend one of the 22 octaves of being, which are symbolized by the arcana of the tarot.

Later in the 20th century, thanks to the spread of depth psychology, tarot symbols began to be considered as universal archetypal images of the psyche, the knowledge of which is the knowledge of oneself. The inscription on the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi "man - know thyself" has returned on a new level - the mystery has come to science.

At the moment, there are many very worthy studies that open the symbolism of the tarot, both from the occult (for example, Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth), and from a psychological point of view (the best book I know in this direction is Hayo Banzhaf - "Tarot and the Hero's Way") . Throughout the world, there are entire schools studying the history, symbolology and divination of the tarot.

That is why it seems all the more surprising to me that it is practically not necessary to meet practical instructions for self-knowledge with the help of tarot. Many books recommend "tarot meditation", but no one says how to do this meditation, taking it for granted.

Indeed, for an initiate who is sufficiently advanced in his study of the spiritual universe, such a question is not worth it. However, for a person taking his first steps, the most detailed instruction about spiritual practice is often necessary. And it is precisely here, for some reason, that a gap appears sharply.

This book of 22 meditations aims to fill that gap. Our meditations, on the one hand, are based on the most ancient occult tradition, and on the other hand, on the discoveries of modern depth of psychology. Some of the suggested meditations are completely safe, while others associated with such severe arcana as Death, the Tower and the moon, on the contrary, require strong nerves and considerable preparation. Each of these meditations has its own special indications, but the paradox of magic is that the same practice can be useful in situations that have a polar opposite. For example, meditation on the lasso "fool" may make sense in a situation where a person lacks a sense of lightness and soaring, and on the contrary, it may increase the feeling of ecstasy when we go through this phase.

Each meditation should be prepared for about a week. During this period, it is recommended to grab from the reality around you those images, colors, tastes and smells that correspond to this associative chain. The principle of this work is very close to the magical use of tarot. Magic differs from meditation in that in a magical ritual we aim to act on the world around us by activating the archetype, and in meditation we only need a little contact with it in order to correct our personality, or simply expand the horizon of knowledge. Although the preparation process itself turns out to be almost identical (tarot magic is another study), however, there are differences. The cycle of preparation for a magical ritual should be at least a month, and immersion in the symbolism corresponding to this arcana is much deeper. Whereas in meditation practice, a week is enough to prepare. Meditation should be carried out together, so that one of the partners reads the text, and the other enters the necessary images, while the magical action is usually done alone. Finally, the meditative approach involves relaxation, while the magical approach involves concentration and volitional control.

The most consistent students of the spiritual universe may use these meditations one after the other, exploiting their dangerous side at their own peril and risk. If you have a specific problem in yourself, then you may well choose one or more of the suggested meditations. Some meditations are distinctly erotic in nature (lust, star) and for their practice, sufficient freedom from prejudices and complexes in this area is necessary. If meditation partners are of different sexes, then after erotic meditation, erotic transference is quite possible, and this probability should be taken into account. On the other hand, when working with angry and destructive energies (tower) or the energies of chaos and evil (moon), well-established relationships can be spoiled. Therefore, one should be very careful about choosing a guide to the world of tarot images, so that later one does not have to severely regret.

The occult tradition adheres to the idea that human nature is androgynous, and this idea finds its confirmation in the discoveries of depth psychology, in the form of the concept of anima and animus. Therefore, we recommend, if possible, to discard prejudices and, regardless of gender, use all meditations, although in some it is necessary to imagine oneself in the imagination as a man, and in others - as a woman.

Before meditation, one should reflect on the philosophical message of each of the arcana, as far as possible, study the theory associated with this card, the principle of its spiritual message.

If you manage to penetrate deeply into the symbolism of the major arcana, then this will significantly change your worldview. An ordinary person lives in a dualistic picture of the world - good and evil, true and false, true and false. But any dualism is an insidious illusion on the way to real knowledge. Whether this or that statement is true or false is determined by which lasso you are in the reality tunnel. Let's say the philosophy of Nietzsche and the psychology of Adler, which raises the will to power to the top of the hierarchy of values, will be true for the Arcana Emperor or partly the wheel of fortune, but will be completely false for the Arcana High Priestess. Whereas the Sophian philosophy of Solovyov, on the contrary, is devoid of meaning for the lasso of the Emperor, but is fully meaningful in the space of the high priestess. Classical music by Mozart is great for the Star Arcana, but for the Tower Arcana you need heavy metal that celebrates rudeness and destruction. Love lyrics - fully fits the boundaries of the empress, but when this love lyrics represents passion torn like a split atom, frightening the average person - this is already a lasso of lust. In this sense, we get the key to the words from Aleister Crowley's Book of the Law - "all words are sacred, all prophets are true, but they only understand little."

This is the highest level of work with an idea or image - not to evaluate the idea in terms of the truth of falsity and the image in terms of good and evil, but to play with meanings and images, building your own unique game of glass beads.

The practice of contemplating the symbolism of the tarot will help you break down the boundaries of illusory dualism. Everything manifested is the letters of a perfect alphabet, and the world would be flawed if one of these letters disappeared. Therefore, the practice of tarot is a step towards the destruction of naivety and the prospect of a transition to the next evolutionary species that exists outside of oppositions and dualism.

Although each meditation is accompanied by a commentary explaining its meaning and defining its purpose, nevertheless, the main criterion for which you should adhere to is your own intuition, a voice that is often more accurate than the wisest and most thoughtful instruction that came from outside. So, go free people - the world of symbols is waiting for you.

Fool: Delight of Flight

(This relaxation formula is quite universal, and fits most meditations. However, sometimes the formula will be changed so that meditation topics are already implicitly present in the relaxation formula itself).

Imagine that you are in the dark. (pause) In the distance you see a point of light that you begin to approach. As you get closer, you will see the shining gate in the shape of the letter aleph that you have been contemplating for the last week. She is right in front of you. One more step, and you will find yourself inside it, and with courage you take this step. You see a flash before your eyes and fly towards the unknown and before your eyes you are soft, yellow and sky blue.

Suddenly, you find yourself on a huge, endless field. You hear birds singing, dragonflies chirping, bees buzzing. The sun is shining, there is not a single cloud in the sky, flowers of various colors and shades grow around. You feel a fresh breeze blowing over you from head to toe. (pause)

Suddenly the Wind becomes stronger, you feel how it fills your whole body. You are drunk with the wind, the wind penetrates your whole body, filling you with delight and freedom. Feel the wind, its strength, power, energy, the fury of unrestricted freedom. (pause) No power on earth can hold him back, no chains can hold him back.

You feel that the wind is lifting you off the ground and carrying you over the field. This gives you an unprecedented feeling of lightness and soaring. You are the wind, you break all boundaries and penetrate all cracks, you fly above the earth, free, violent and beautiful. (pause)

Like a proud eagle, you are all carried away, enjoying the feeling of freedom higher. You fly up, up, flying away from the earth, for earthly gravity has no power over you. You fly through space like the spirit of God, free and wild.

You reach the center of the universe, and in that center, in the holy of holies of eternity, you hear the joyful laughter of a child. An eternal child in eternal times. The whole universe is woven with his laughter and his play. Here it is - in a transparent sphere you see a child playing with you. His laughter becomes a part of you, you laugh with him, enjoying an unprecedented feeling of freedom and play. For a while you remain alone with him, and above the imagination begins to open to you only images that matter only to you. Surrender to your imagination and try to remember everything that appears before your inner eye. (big pause)

There is a time to inhale and there is a time to exhale. It's time to return. You feel that the earth is calling you back. You find yourself where you started your journey - on a huge field. You feel like you are regaining the boundaries of your body, the boundaries of your self. (pause)

You return to your body. With each inhalation and exhalation, you return to your body, to this room. Your attention shifts to your breath, and with each breath you return to your body. Inhale and exhale. You return with a feeling of renewal, strength and freedom. Wiggle your fingers and toes, (pause) stretch (pause), when you're ready, open your eyes.

Comment

The lasso fool corresponds to the elements of air and the image of the wind. A fool is actually a mad sage free as the wind.

The preparation for meditation is to meditate on the words from the bible and "the spirit of God tossed over the waters" and "where the spirit is, there is freedom." You can listen to old songs about the wind, for example, the DDT song "What is the wind" or the song "Zimovye Animals" "wind".

Study, as time permits, what meanings in the history of the tarot deck the lasso fool acquired. Hang in your room an image of the letter aleph printed on a sheet of "A4" so that when the time comes for meditation, its image will easily appear before your inner gaze.

Another important image in the associative chain of the zero lasso is the eagle, and you should devote a few minutes to thinking and contemplating the image of a strong and free eagle.

The ideal smell for this meditation is galbanium, but mercurial, volatile incense may well be suitable - white sandalwood, styrax, nutmeg.

The central symbols of meditation are the wind and the eternal child. Wind architepically symbolizes freedom from all conventions. Wind is breath, and breath is life.

It is recommended to turn to meditation on the zero lasso when we need a creative impulse, lightness and sudden inspiration. Of all the major arcana associated with the symbolism of transformation, the "fool" is the most easily experienced. Sometimes it is worth turning to this meditation when we feel that we have become too immersed in everyday life, and our life becomes too gray, monotonous and boring. Then the zero lasso can bring you a creative impulse. Aleph.

Magician: four elements

I ask you to take the position in which your body will be most comfortable. (pause) close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. (pause). Focus all your attention on your breath. Nothing but breath exists for you. (pause) Nothing else can distract and disturb you, because for you there is only breath. (pause) Your breathing becomes deeper, smoother and freer. (pause). You are so relaxed that you see how with each breath you breathe in pure rainbow light that fills you, dissolving all tensions in the body, soul and mind. (pause) With each exhalation, you exhale distracting thoughts, disturbing emotions. Your worries come out like a black cloud and dissolve into infinite space. (Pause) Inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale (pause).

Imagine that you are in total darkness. (pause) In the distance you see a point of light that you begin to approach. As you get closer, you will see the glittering bet-shaped gate that you have been contemplating for the past week. She is right in front of you. One more step, and you will find yourself inside it, and with courage you take this step. You see a flash before your eyes and fly towards the unknown in an amazing purple tunnel. (pause)

Suddenly, the world of ancient Egypt crystallizes out of purple. The sun is shining hot, the green Nile is spilling nearby. Low buildings of ancient Egypt. And in the distance you see huge pyramids. Look around in this new world for you. What attracts attention? What do you look like in this world? What are you wearing and how old are you? What seems especially memorable? The outlines are becoming more vivid, realistic. (pause)

Now you will see the monkey. Keeping a respectful distance, she makes faces at you and waves her arms. It is difficult to understand whether she is mocking you, or in her own way calling for herself. You take a step, so does she, you follow her, and you see that she is heading for one of the pyramids. (pause) After walking some distance, you see that the monkey dived deep into the huge pyramid and you followed it. (pause)

You walk a few steps in the dark, and very opportunely, you have a lamp in your hands, and you light it. Before your eyes is a huge square hall. Look around in this room, what attracts your attention the most? What seems interesting? (pause)

Something is changing, and you feel that the hall has come to life. A tornado erupts from the front wall, a jet of water begins to beat behind you, flames erupt from the right wall, and a heavy rumble is heard from the left, and it seems that the floor begins to crumble. Four elements, four streams begin to push you to the center of the hall. The paths back are cut off by the flow of water, and ahead you see an approaching tornado. You go straight and find yourself in the central point of the hall. A little more and the elements will swallow you up, but this does not happen. You have found yourself at a point of balance that none of the elements can enter. (pause)

Look around as closely as you can. Which of the elements causes you the greatest horror, and which seems almost safe? Which one is presented most vividly, and which one is difficult for you to imagine even approximately? Are they evenly distributed, or does one fill the space of the other? (pause)

But where is the one who called you here? Looking around you can't find a trace of her. Was she a victim of one of the elements, or did she manage to slip into another room? (pause)

Directly in front of you, you see a cable hanging from somewhere above, and looking up, you see that a monkey is descending into your circle. She jumps right in front of you. Something strange happens - taking your hand, she begins to change, and in her face you see your features, turning into your double. (pause). Talk to him. Are you friends or enemies? What feelings are born in your soul when you see your own image in front of you? (pause) Now, unite with your doppelgänger. Feel how your bodies penetrate each other, and the two become one.

Everything around you is changing. You change, reality changes. You feel that the monkey doppelgänger has given you tremendous powers. Instead of fire, you see a rod of royal power, instead of water - a cup, instead of air - a sword, and instead of earth, a heavy copper disk with a five-pointed star. And these tools are your tools. For a few moments, you are given the power to control the elements. Which element do you need the most right now? What do you lack in life - water, fire, air or earth? Your instruments swirl around you and you play with the elements with ease. Take any of these weapons and imagine that you are sending an impulse of this element into the sky - from the world of imagination to the world of your life. While there is time, while you have the opportunity to control this element, send what you need most of all now. (pause) Now, let everything you see on this journey bring forth the image you most need. An image that will symbolize the achievement of your goal.

Comment

The central idea of ​​the lasso magician is the ability to consciously control and direct the four elements. In the old and new tarot arcana, the symbols of the four elements are almost always present, however, if in the old ones they lie on the table in front of the magician, then in Crowley's deck, they revolve around him. This changes the accents a bit - in the most serious work there must be an element of play and lightness, otherwise it is doomed to failure.

Any beginner knows that the elements with which magicians work are not so much elements as symbols of certain psychological states. Wands are intuition, bowls of feelings of emotion and desire, swords are intellectual abilities, and disks of the material plane are wealth and health. The concept of the four elements is a key archetype that has many analogies, all of which are difficult to list.

The main idea of ​​this meditation is to learn to see your states of consciousness in the form of symbols, and through this you will learn to consciously direct them. This meditation is the first step towards full awareness.

In Jung's psychology, the four elements correspond to the four functions of perception - sensation, thinking, feeling and intuition. It is important to learn how to use functions without becoming identified with them. The main task is the balance between functions, and any problems and excesses in this regard should be analyzed.

Another idea implicit in this meditation is the theme of shadow integration. ON the Magician card in Crowley's deck, a beautiful young man is depicted on a ball, next to which is a monster, either a dragon or a monkey. This is the animal side of the personality, the rejected part of the psyche. One can become a magician not through a one-sided strengthening of one part of oneself, but through the integration of shadow aspects. The monkey becomes the double of the psychonaut, his shadow, with which it is necessary to connect in order to achieve integrity.

Another important key to understanding the essence of meditation is the connection of this card with the planet Mercury. Mercury - the patron of magicians and alchemists, is of particular importance for the practicing magician. Therefore, we recommend this meditation to those who wish to seriously learn the secrets of magic. Remember - an imaginary cup means a very real transformation.

The preparation for meditation is a weekly meditation on yellow and purple. Study any available information about the "mage" arcana. Surround yourself with images of snakes, swallows, monkeys. If possible, take out an image of Mercury, Hermes or Thoth and hang it in a conspicuous place. Visit a museum related to Egyptian symbols or read a book about ancient Egypt.

High Priestess: Purification

I ask you to take the position in which your body will be most comfortable. (pause) close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. (pause). Focus all your attention on your breath. Nothing but breath exists for you. (pause) Nothing else can distract and disturb you, because for you there is only breath. (pause) Your breathing becomes deeper, smoother and freer. (pause). You are so relaxed that you see how with each breath you breathe in pure rainbow light that fills you, dissolving all tensions in the body, soul and mind. (pause) With each exhalation, you exhale distracting thoughts, disturbing emotions. Your worries come out like a black cloud and dissolve into infinite space. (Pause) Inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale (pause).

Imagine that you are in complete and impenetrable darkness. (pause) In the distance you see a point of light that you begin to approach. (pause) As you get closer, you will see the glittering gate in the shape of the letter gimel that you have been contemplating for the past week. She is right in front of you. One more step, and you will find yourself inside it, and with courage you take this step. You see a flash before your eyes and fly towards the unknown in a silver tunnel. (pause)

In a few seconds you will find yourself on the field from which your meditation on the zero lasso began. But now you will find yourself on this field in the night. In a clear and endless sky, you see the full moon and stars. There is not a single sound - no cicadas are heard, the bees are silent, and it seems the earth itself has plunged into a deep sleep. Even the wind fell asleep. The whole world is shrouded in gentle lunar haze. (pause)

You see that between the earth and the moon a ghostly road of moonlight is formed, and along this road a figure descends towards you, which vaguely resembles a dog, but is all of moonlight. She calls you to follow her along the lunar road and you take a few steps. Each touch to the lunar steps unfolds with an amazing crystal ringing. The steps seem almost ghostly, they turn out to be reliable, and you step up this road towards the moon, following the guide calling you. Your steps are calm, majestic and solemn. (pause) You're getting higher and the moon is getting closer. You feel the wisdom of the moon, its ability to accept you as if it were your mother. (pause)

Imagine that on both sides of the lunar road along which you are climbing, there are two huge columns - black and white. And in front of the moon, suddenly turns into a beautiful woman, covered with a veil of light. (pause)

Get as close as you can to this amazing veil, but don't touch it. Imagine that you sit down in front of her and begin to immerse yourself in holy meditation. Give freedom to the imagination, let the images float slowly and calmly. Let go of any control and any expectations - let the images come by themselves and from the chaos of images then the message of the High Priestess will surely appear. (long pause)

There is a time to inhale and there is a time to exhale. It's time to return. You feel that the earth is calling you back. You find yourself where you started your journey - on a huge field. You feel like you are regaining the boundaries of your body, the boundaries of your self. (pause) You are returning to your body. With each inhalation and exhalation, you return to your body, to this room. Your attention shifts to your breath, and with each breath you return to your body. Inhale and exhale. You return with a feeling of renewal, strength and freedom. Wiggle your fingers and toes, (pause) stretch (pause), when you're ready, open your eyes.

Comment

The symbolism of the second lasso combines all the most exalted aspects of lunar symbolism - purity, sublimity, receptivity, intuition, innocence, and even divination of the future. It is very possible that during this meditation, images will appear in your mind's eye that are connected with your future.

The tasks that the second lasso sets for itself are directly opposite to the first. If the lasso magician gives the ability to take active action and control the elements, then the High Priestess is, on the contrary, the ability to surrender to the flow, without clinging to anything. The Magician and the High Priestess are Chokmah and Binah, the primary masculinity and femininity, from the interaction of which the whole universe of spirit and matter is created.

Meditation on the second lasso is recommended in cases where you feel the need for feminine, even maternal energy of absolute acceptance and unity. The Gift of the Priestess is the ability to follow the path of the Tao. Remember the wise prayer of one of the Jesuits - "Lord - give us the courage to change what we can change, Lord give us humility, accept what we cannot change and Lord give us the wisdom to distinguish one from the other." The first part of this prayer refers to such male cards as the magician, emperor and charioteer, and the second to the high priestess. So when you are faced with circumstances that are obviously stronger than you, and over which you have no power, this meditation will teach you the necessary humility.

The best preparation for this meditation is to read the Tao Te Ching, reflecting on what it means to be an infant who is in communion with the innermost womb. It is also useful to read the hymns of eternal femininity in Solovyov's poetry. If possible, study any information about the symbolism of the second lasso. Find and print images of goddesses such as Selene, Artemis, Diana, Isis. Abstain from all forms of sexual activity for a week, as this aspect of the moon requires abstinence. As in the previous cases (hereinafter, this will be taken on its own), the image of the corresponding letter (gimel) should be printed so that its representation does not cause problems. During the week before meditation, pay more attention to silver colors.

Meditation is built in accordance with the symbolism of the card, which also did not change much. The high priestess, hidden by a curtain of light, sits between the two pillars of jachin and boaz, or the pillar of mercy and the pillar of severity. Additional images used in meditation are taken from the tables of the golden dawn - a dog, a crystal chime and a full moon. Incense for this meditation are any sweet aromas.

Empress: love

I ask you to take the position in which your body will be most comfortable. (pause) close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. (pause). Focus all your attention on the tips of your toes. Focus all your attention on your toes. (pause), imagine that starting from your toes, a warm and viscous wave begins to rise through your body. (pause) you feel a warm wave engulf your feet, calves, knees and shins. (pause) Your legs sink into a pleasant and viscous heaviness. Your legs become so heavy and relaxed that you cannot even move them. (pause)

The warm wave rises higher. It covers the muscles of the buttocks, abdomen, chest. Your whole torso falls into a pleasant, viscous relaxation and warmth. (pause) Every cell in your body is filled with heaviness, warmth and relaxation. (pause)

A warm wave begins to move through your hands, penetrating into each finger of your hands. (pause) Your arms are relaxed, heavy and full of pleasant warmth (pause). Finally, a warm wave rises to the neck, covers the muscles of the face, and you feel that your consciousness falls into deep and complete relaxation.

You are in complete and impenetrable darkness. (pause) In the distance you see a point of light that you begin to approach. As you get closer, you will see a glittering gate in the shape of the letter Dalet that you have often seen in the past week. She is right in front of you. One more step, and you will find yourself inside it, and with courage you take this step. You see a flash before your eyes and fly towards the unknown in an amazing, sparkling emerald tunnel. (pause)

Now you will find yourself on the seashore. The sun is shining, the waves are splashing, dolphins are playing in the distance. You walk along the shore, your feet are buried in the warm golden sand. There is no one around. (pause)

Now you will see the birth of Venus. See how the beautiful goddess of love and beauty emerges from the water slowly and leisurely. You seem to be inside a Botticelli painting. The retinue of Venus consists of beautiful young men and women, everything in the air is saturated with eroticism, playfulness and pleasure. (pause) White doves and swans surround her, and a beautiful and powerful lynx lurks at her feet. (pause). The whole reality after the appearance of Venus seemed to decide to change color and the space turned out to be shrouded in a gently green haze. (pause)

A bouquet of scarlet roses appears in your hands, which you sacrifice to the Great Goddess. You see how she takes your roses and makes a wreath out of them. Watch how the Goddess accepts your gift, your sacrifice. (pause)

From now on, let the images spontaneously arise and follow them. Try to ask for advice, guidance from the Great Goddess, about what worries and worries you. (pause) Perhaps you will receive an answer in the form of words and advice, or perhaps an image will appear in front of your inner eye that will carry the fullness of the answer to your question. (the way your fantasy carries you along (long pause)

There is a time to inhale and there is a time to exhale. It's time to return. You feel that the earth is calling you back. You find yourself where you started your journey - on a huge field. You feel like you are regaining the boundaries of your body, the boundaries of your self. (pause) You are returning to your body. With each inhalation and exhalation, you return to your body, to this room. Your attention shifts to your breath, and with each breath you return to your body. Inhale and exhale. You return with a feeling of renewal, strength and freedom. Wiggle your fingers and toes, (pause) stretch (pause), when you're ready, open your eyes.

Comment

If the high priestess is heavenly, lunar love, then the empress is her opposite - the mistress of earthly love. This card traditionally corresponds to Venus, nature and love. Therefore, if there are problems in the field of love relationships, this meditation is the best thing for you.

In addition to the very image of the Empress in the deck of Thoth, the key to meditation is the painting "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. Of all the works of art known to me, this painting most deeply and vividly conveys the archetype of Venus.

The incense for this meditation is the scent of a rose or, in extreme cases, red sandalwood. Green, as the color of nature, should be your main topic for preparation. If you are rich - get a ring with an emerald and put it on for the first time on this meditation - this action will greatly enhance the effect of the practice. If your financial situation does not allow such luxury, be content with any imitation of a transparent, green stone. Find an image of the goddesses of love and place them in a conspicuous place. Study all available materials on the symbolism of the third lasso. The ideal music for this meditation is enigma, because in addition to the usual relaxation effect, it contains lovingly erotic notes.

The attentive reader has noticed that in this meditation, for the first time, we have changed the key relaxation formula. Love is primarily an erotic, bodily sphere; problems in love are almost always problems in sexuality. Therefore, if in the three previous meditations, we carry out relaxation through breathing (spirit, soul), then here, obviously, there is an adjustment to the bodily wave.

The power of this practice is so high that it is possible that men will suddenly start courting a nondescript and inconspicuous girl, and a young man will find himself in situations conducive to love rapprochement. Beware of offending Venus and rejecting her gifts.

It should be said that of all the meditations, this one is the closest to the boundaries of magic, since the psychological result a priori implies a change in the life situation.

Emperor - Will to Power.

I ask you to take the position in which your body will be most comfortable. (pause) close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. (pause). Focus all your attention on your breath. Nothing but breath exists for you. (pause) Nothing else can distract and disturb you, because for you there is only breath. (pause) Your breathing becomes deeper, smoother and freer. (pause). You are so relaxed that you see how with each breath you breathe in pure rainbow light that fills you, dissolving all tensions in the body, soul and mind. (pause) With each exhalation, you exhale distracting thoughts, disturbing emotions. Your worries come out like a black cloud and dissolve into infinite space. (Pause) Inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale (pause).

Imagine that you are in complete and impenetrable darkness. (pause) In the distance you see a point of light that you begin to approach. (pause) As you get closer, you will see the glittering tzade shaped gate that you have been contemplating for the past week. She is right in front of you. One more step, and you will find yourself inside it, and with courage you take this step. You see a flash before your eyes and fly towards the unknown in a red tunnel. (pause)

Now you will find yourself in a huge palace. You walk through huge, bright halls. Paintings depicting past won battles hang everywhere, a luxurious carpet path lies under your feet.

You pass one hall after another until you come to the door leading to the main throne room where the emperor is seated. (pause). You open the door and find yourself in the throne room, made in red tones. In the distance you see the emperor on the throne. Axes and swords hang over the throne, and at his feet lies the golden fleece of a ram, and bright, conspicuous tiger lilies grow on the windows of the throne room. (pause)

What is your emperor like? Is he merciful or cruel? Strict or condescending? How does he treat you - benevolently or hostilely? (pause) Can you get closer to see his features? Who does he look like? Which historical ruler would you compare him to? Do his facial features resemble people close to you. How do you think he feels? (pause) Put yourself in his place and look at yourself through his eyes. (pause) Now go back inside yourself and ask him if there is anything you could be of use to him about?

Now ask him to give you strength and courage. Ask him to give you dragon blood. He can show you where to get it, personally give you a vessel with dragon's blood, or at his own will materialize it in front of you. You drink the blood of the dragon from the vessel offered to you, after which you feel that you are overwhelmed by the power and fury of the berserker.

The picture changes dramatically, and you find yourself in the thick of battles. Your blood boils and you go for a breakthrough, forward crushing enemies to the right and left. Finally, a mighty warrior appears in front of you with whom you enter into battle. Enjoy this feeling of delight and intoxication from the battle, the furious and furious battle. (pause) Your weapons cross, and finally you deliver a decisive blow, crushing the opponent's skull. Your opponent falls as if he had been cut down, covered in blood, and a triumphant cry glorifying the gods of battle breaks out of your throat, and you seem to become this cry yourself (pause).

You see a dead enemy in front of you, and you understand that he was the king of another state. By winning this battle, you yourself have become king. Feel the beauty of this state of power and strength, enjoy it before returning. (pause)

Comment

The fourth lasso represents the paternal archetype, as well as the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bany power, as a paternal principle. Crowley pointed out that the letter tsade (a sound varying between s-ts) points to the idea of ​​​​the paternal principle: such words as Caesar, King, seigneur, Father contain the letter "ts", and even the sound "ts" in itself, in first of all, it reminds us of the paternal power that requires silence.

Therefore, the first part of the meditation is completely built around the image of the emperor. Depending on the image in which the emperor appeared before you, you can judge what influence your father had on you, as well as how your relations with higher hierarchs are built.

Images of the golden fleece, paintings of past battles, halls of red color, and finally tiger lilies on the windows, correspond to tables 777 and allow you to penetrate deeper into the atmosphere of this archetype.

The second part of the meditation refers us to the symbolism of the emperor as rajas, that is, the red martial energy. According to tables 777, the meditation corresponding to the fourth arcana is the meditation on a bloodied corpse. The fact that we made the image of a bloodied corpse also the corpse of a killed enemy is quite consistent with the militant patron of the emperor - a ram, the skin of which adorned his shoulders in the castle. However, it should be noted here that the image of the enemy SHOULD NOT BE IN NO EVENT SHOULD BE THE IMAGE OF A REAL PERSON. "The mythological or cinematic image of a warrior is quite normal, but by placing a real person in the imagination space and killing him, you perform an act of black magic, which is always followed by rollback.

The recommendation for the use of this meditation are those life situations that require authority and strength from us. It can be a clash of ambitions, participation in conflicts and confrontations, war, rivalry, and finally sports. Any situation where you need to increase your will to power, ambition and control is a reason to turn to this meditation.

Preparation for meditation can be reading the aphorisms of Nietzsche or Machiavelli (1) if the latter is not too difficult for you, listen to marches and hymns. Find pictures of the Gods of War, especially Ares and Athena, and hang them up in your room for a week. If you are rich - get a ruby ​​ring and put it on before meditation - this will enhance the effect of meditation many times over. Contemplate the color red in terms of energy and aggression and focus on the idea of ​​defeating your enemies or adversaries. As an incense, use vigorous tobacco, even shag, or any other harsh and harsh "male" aroma.

Hierophant: Overcoming Fear

I ask you to take the position in which your body will be most comfortable. (pause) close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. (pause). Focus all your attention on your breath. Nothing but breath exists for you. (pause) Nothing else can distract and disturb you, because for you there is only breath. (pause) Your breathing becomes deeper, smoother and freer. (pause). You are so relaxed that you see how with each breath you breathe in pure rainbow light that fills you, dissolving all tensions in the body, soul and mind. (pause) With each exhalation, you exhale distracting thoughts, disturbing emotions. Your worries come out like a black cloud and dissolve into infinite space. (Pause) Inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale, (pause) inhale and exhale (pause).

Imagine that you are in complete and impenetrable darkness. (pause) In the distance you see a point of light that you begin to approach. (pause) As you get closer, you will see the glittering wow-shaped gate that you have been contemplating for the past week. She is right in front of you. One more step, and you will find yourself inside it, and with courage you take this step. You see a flash before your eyes and fly towards the unknown in an orange tunnel (pause)

You look around and see that you are in an ancient city, maybe Babylon. Look around - what do you see around? (pause) What are the elephants that pull the wagons? What are you and the people around you wearing? (pause) What are the buildings around you? (pause)

Looking around, you see that a boy of five or seven years old is walking towards you. See what he looks like, what is he wearing? (pause) Without a word, he walks up to you and, taking your hand, leads you towards the temple of the ancient gods. On the sides of the gates of this temple are the statues of two huge calves, the very sight of which is menacing and intimidating. (pause) Take a closer look at the gate to the temple. (pause) The boy leads you through the gates of the temple, and inside you are greeted by a priest in solemn attire. Try to see it as best you can. What does he look like, what is he wearing? Perhaps in his features you will recognize the features of the Hierophant from the fifth lasso.

Now you are alone with the source of higher wisdom. The priest of this ancient temple knows everything about you and knows the answers to all your questions. Ask him what interests you the most right now. In his presence, the answers will be born of themselves - no matter in the form of words, or in the form of special images that speak for themselves much more than words. (pause)

Behind the Hierophant you see a beautiful woman holding a sword. Try to remember the features of her face more closely. What would this woman want to tell you? She makes a sign and demands to follow her. You pass through a secret door leading to a hidden part of the temple. You are in a labyrinth where you must meet a minotaur. The Minotaur is your main fear. In a few seconds, when my voice stops, you will see a minotaur. The Minotaur is your fear. He can take on any image and show any memories. He cannot be defeated by force, only the power of thought and knowledge can make him retreat. You will know your most secret and most painful fear. You must overcome it, because here in the labyrinth, invisible to you, a Priestess with a sword is watching you - the one in whose name and glory you go your own way. I stop and you are alone with the minotaur in a battle of the minds (long pause)

The minotaur begins to turn into a ghost, into a white haze and dissolves into the air. You won by the power of the will to know. You feel that She supports you, your goddess, mistress, the one in whom passion and thought are combined - a woman with a sword. (pause) Now, as confirmation of your victory, a copper talisman with a five-pointed star will appear on your chest. Remember it so that when you need to restore it to your memory. (pause)

The last octave of your journey will be the transformation into a dining hall. The young man who brought you to the temple treats you with sumptuous bull meat. Is it the meat of a slain minotaur? Feel this juicy taste of meat on your lips. With this meal, you take into yourself the strength of the bull, its power, reliability, thoroughness. Feel how with every movement this taste enters you. (pause)

There is a time to inhale and there is a time to exhale. It's time to return. You feel that the earth is calling you back. You find yourself where you started your journey - on a huge field. You feel like you are regaining the boundaries of your body, the boundaries of your self. (pause) You are returning to your body. With each inhalation and exhalation, you return to your body, to this room. Your attention shifts to your breath, and with each breath you return to your body. Inhale and exhale. You return with a feeling of renewal, strength and power. Wiggle your fingers and toes, (pause) stretch (pause), when you're ready, open your eyes.

Master tarologists claim that with the help of practices one can achieve incredible results that are impossible with ordinary, passive fortune-telling.

Meditation on the Tarot Major Arcana is carried out by a wide variety of methods, but a universal and unique technique has not yet been developed.

Why Meditate on the Major Arcana

• For the emergence of paired meditation between the Arcana and the tarologist.
• To synchronize your energy with the energy of the Arcana.
• To get some specific answers to questions.

Several Meditation Techniques for the Major Arcana Tarot

Meditation first

• Draw the proper lasso from the deck, starting with Aces.
• Set in the place of greatest spending time. For example, at work or at home, or carry it with you in your purse. It is only important to look at the card from time to time and imagine in your mind its main meaning, key words and study your feelings.

And it's all. If you forget its meanings, look into the book. Just go about your daily business and keep the map in mind.

So with the 20 lasso, meditation on the Major Arcana will help the questioner to capture any ideas regarding the development of his creative inspiration.

Meditation Two: Entering the Map

The technique will help to better know and understand the map, to see the "voices of the past", or problems that were previously unknown. The practice is applied alone or with a client (for example, the presence of a tarologist as a witness). This happens in cases where the ordinary card meaning is frankly deviated or not at all clear.

How to do

• Using your feelings, choose a card, put your finger on it.
• With your eyes closed, enter the figure depicted on the map.
• Sound out words that utter a figure or object. The card doesn't have to be an animated creature.
• Ask what is happening in the inner space of the map.
• Other personalities and elements of the map are also interrogated, which subjectively look significant here and now.
• If the personalities do not answer, then ask: “What are you silent about?”, “What will you never tell about?” After some time, information will come.

Subsequently, the roots of the problem, the essence of internal conflicts, will become apparent. Not only the ways of their resolutions are realized, but also the fullness of the whole picture. The situation will be visible as if from the outside with the prioritization.

The card in the mind of the questioner becomes, as it were, an interlocutor (friendly, or vice versa), with which you can enter into dialogues and receive advice, or you can even be in the position of being tempted.

Therefore, sometimes you just need to listen to advice, and sometimes go beyond the framework of the dialogues and try to see everything as if from the outside. This will help, or an experienced leader, or a witness. Although you can do all this yourself.

Meditation Four: Dive into the Arcana

Meditation on the tarot "Immersion" is extremely well suited for both assimilation of its symbolism, and for general acquaintance.

Helps

• In establishing close contact with the cards.
• In self-knowledge.
• In getting more detailed answers in the process of divination.

How to do

• Get a card, Major Arcana.
• Look carefully at her drawing.
• Explore facial expressions, body movements, colors and configurations.
• Analyze the feelings that the coloring of the card evokes.
• It is good to remember the image, and then cover your eyes.
• Mentally imagine that the map is becoming more and more, filling the whole room with itself.
• Let it take its voluminous form. And this is very important. This is done to get the best meditation results.
• With the image firmly fixed in front of the inner gaze, enter the map. Based on its size, it may have to decrease (figuratively).
• A few seconds of adaptation to the new environment.
• Analyze the atmosphere. There may be sounds, smells, noises, etc.
• Analyze and remember your feelings: sadness, or indifference, excitement or calmness.
• Take a look at the card shapes. See their animation, what they do, their interaction.
• Approach the figures and speak. You can introduce yourself and indicate the purpose of the visit.
• Remember the rules of conduct, such as politeness, and courtesy.
• Ask only direct questions and listen carefully to the answers.
• Track the direction of the conversation.
• Thank the card characters for their time.
• Say goodbye and get out of the lasso.
• Make notes that may be useful on subsequent dives. For these purposes, you need to keep a tarot diary.

Sometimes it happens that some figures can cause feelings of embarrassment or even hostility. In such cases, do not worry. Just get out of the lasso and put it aside. This may mean that a person is not fully prepared to dive into the arcana.

After a while, you can try again.

The Fifth Tarot Meditation: Bringing the Picture to Life

This requires a good imagination. Because the images of the Arcana are schemes that should be revived with the help of imagination. After all, then it will be possible to use them for magical effects.

Ways to revive the Arcana

If a person can easily imagine what he read in the book, if he can clearly imagine the appearance and mannerisms of her characters, clearly see everything that happens to them, then he will be able to work with the Arcana, based on their descriptions.

And if he remembers the films he has seen better, then he will be more free to act with images of the Arcana. You can try both options and choose the most suitable one. This meditation on tarot cards will help revive the figures presented in photographs, pictures or drawings, which can be used as tools for magical influence in real situations and events.

Many tarologists use the Tarot system for divination for a long time, working only with its passive, and do not even know about the secrets of its active forces. Until the picture is activated, it is not able to affect reality. After all, she is dozing. The living image, being an instrument of magic, affects the world, having and manifesting four qualities: color, volume, density and rhythm.

The essence of meditation on tarot cards

Thus, in fact, these qualities should have images on the Arcana, which can be transferred to living beings, objects and situations to people in order to activate the influencing forces. It is in the revival of pictures with one's imagination that the essence of meditation is presented.

All living creatures represented in the Arcana should be endowed with all four qualities of life. Make them voluminous, give them density, color, and warmth. Force them not only to move, but also to breathe. To endow them with skin, muscle tissue, hair and even wool in accordance with images or descriptions.

To all other objects, the environment, nature, interiors, houses, to give their characteristic qualities and properties.

Actually, the Major Arcana, as tools of influence, are most often used in magic, because their powerful Forces are extremely clearly expressed and affect all areas of existence.

So, for example, with the help of meditation on one can find a way out of a particular difficult situation, or call for creative inspiration.

Important technical points of meditation

Particular attention should be paid to the technical aspects of meditation.

In each exercise in the formation of thought forms (the main goal of which is to create an image using willpower and imagination), pay attention to the state of psychological and emotional calm. Any, even the most insignificant tension, will be an obstacle to concentration on the object of meditation.

A person will be able to act in a state of psycho-emotional tension only when the Arcana are used, which can help him in solving the problems that caused this tension.

Thus, at the beginning of your journey, it is not advisable to resort to unreasonable risk. Meditation on the Tarot Major Arcana will require a correct attitude and appropriate training. And with a well-established experience, you need to correctly apply all of the above techniques.

Details

Entering the lasso: independent work techniques, meditation on the Tarot arcana

Mental study of the lasso.

Each lasso is an archetype, a set of symbols, glyphs that carry a certain meaning, and the symbols are associated with the subconscious. Access to the subconscious and its “call” for the exchange of information with consciousness is carried out precisely in meditative and trance states.

Without feeling the states that the symbols carry in the Major and Minor Arcana, you can only quote the descriptions and decodings given in the literature, but not interpret the true messages transmitted by the cards.

Immersion in the arcana and their deep study should just begin with mental study, that is, the study of the semantic meaning of the arcana.

Each lasso is very rich in meaning, especially the Major lasso, and spontaneous entry into meditative contact right away is a way to get confused rather than figure it out. While learning the meaning first, reading about the lasso will lead you to somehow refer to the mythology, the cabal, the magical meaning of the lasso. And gradually, around each lasso, you will form a clear semantic field (the field of the meaning of this lasso), along with an intuitive feeling. When this base is formed, then it is already possible to immerse yourself in the lasso with the help of meditation. And the feeling that you get from this experience of mental and then meditative study of the lasso is clarity, understanding that replaces knowledge, then the lasso itself will become for you not just an abstract concept, but a whole structure, with its own consciousness, personality, behavior. It is this person who will talk to you in practice, conveying his message as accurately as possible.

At the same time, unfortunately, many who begin to work with the arcana reduce the whole practice to only a mental analysis of the meaning of the elements of the image, glyphs and various names of the arcana. This approach is very superficial.

You can make another mistake - limit yourself to a meditative journey through the space that opens up with a specific lasso. Although such a journey is a deeper level of work than the mental one, it is also not enough. It is necessary to catch the feeling of a special vibration inherent in this particular lasso, and without understanding the meaning of the lasso from the very beginning, this is simply impossible or the sensations will be confusing, and you will not be able to separate what really relates to the energies of the lasso, and what is just your “glitches”.

An even more serious work is the perception of the lasso as a certain point of view on the world, a kind of window into Infinity, a way of developing consciousness and Spirit. This is how the lasso was conceived when they were created in the days of Ancient Egypt.

Preliminary preparation for working with the lasso.

Before you get down to magical work with arcana, you must acquire some skills in handling such tools of influence, without which all attempts to activate the arcana (as well as any other magical tool) will be initially doomed to failure.

First you need to work on your perception of information from the outside world, that is, pay attention to your usual physical senses, learn to concentrate, enter a state of immersion in yourself, stop the internal dialogue, exercises such as meditation on black and white dots will help with this. Each such exercise for the development of concentration of attention should be performed until you feel the result. The result can be considered any persistent feeling or feeling of satisfaction from the work done.

It is advisable to refrain from doing exercises at those moments when you are tired, want to sleep, when your mind is occupied with some serious problem. Also, never force yourself to practice under duress. Do each exercise until you are sure that you can easily cope with it. After that, fix it with two or three more repetitions and move on to the next one. The number of repetitions and execution time depends only on your individual abilities.

Further, it makes sense to try yourself in the "revival" of the picture, the image of the lasso. The fact is that the image of the lasso is a scheme that needs to be “revived” with the help of your imagination, so that later you can use it for magical influence.

There are two ways to "revitalize" the arcana, which can be applied with equal success in working with the arcana.

If you can easily imagine what you read about in some book, if you can clearly imagine the appearance and behavior of the characters of the novel from the description, you clearly “see” the events happening to them, the environment in which the story takes place, animals, in question, and even fantastic creatures, if you can imagine how they move, speak, express their feelings and emotions, then you can work with arcana based on their literary description.

If you remember the films you have seen better, you can play back the scenes you like from them several times in your memory, while changing the plot, dialogues, the environment in which the action takes place in your own way, even replacing characters, then it will be easier for you to work with images of arcana , that is, with the Tarot cards themselves.

In any case, you can try to work out both options and choose for yourself the one that is the most simple and enjoyable to work with.

Developing the ability to animate a picture will help you learn to "revive" the figures depicted in a photograph, drawing or picture in order to then use them as tools for magically influencing real situations, events and people.

It is important to remember that while the picture is in a flat - "non-activated" state, it is not able to influence reality. A "living" image is able to influence the material world only when it has four distinctive qualities - color, volume, density, rhythm. Therefore, it is these qualities that we must convey to the people, animals, mythical creatures and objects depicted on the lasso in order to “activate” their influencing potential.

At the same time, it is necessary to take into account some features, which, by the way, fit into our usual ideas about the world around us. We convey all four qualities of life to all living beings depicted on the lasso, that is, we make them voluminous, give the appropriate density, color, warmth, make them move and breathe, designate the structure of the skin, fabrics, wool, hair according to the description or image.

To all other objects: attributes, environment, nature, interior items, buildings - we convey the qualities that are characteristic of them in real life. It can be volume, density, color, quality of the material from which they are made.

The Major Arcana are most often used as tools of influence, since their Forces are very clearly expressed and can affect almost all areas of life. But many Minor Arcana also have great Strength, for example, the Ace of Denarius solves financial problems well, the Six Denarii will help repay debts, and the Three Denarii will help to conclude a long-awaited agreement, contract or marriage.

It is important to know that any exercise in creating a thought form (that is, the purpose of which is the formation of an image using your imagination and will) is done in a state of emotional peace. Even the slightest tension that has arisen for any domestic reasons interferes with your concentration, since your thoughts will constantly return to the events or problems that caused these negative emotions. You can work in a state of emotional tension only if you use a lasso that can help you solve your problem that caused this tension.

Entering the lasso - how to enter the lasso, work independently with the lasso.

Where to start entering the lasso, working with the lasso - first read the description of the lasso, considering the key words and meanings. It is also useful to think, reflect and write down at least a few of your own words-meanings about each lasso, start with the Major lasso.

After you have remembered, thought about the meaning of the lasso, imagine the image of the lasso card. Make it voluminous and lively, as if you are becoming a traveler through the scene drawn on the map, the plot. You can approach any character on the map, ask him a question, and even feel like he's in his role. In the process of such immersion, you gradually understand the hidden meaning and wisdom of this lasso. Then you “come out” of the meditation, open your eyes, remember what you saw and heard, write it down or tell the rest of the participants in the dive (during collective meditation).

If we talk about the meditative state that accompanies you when entering the lasso, then in the most general form we are talking about the so-called "guided meditation", i.e. guided, guided meditation - a psycho-and pneumo-technical practice widely known throughout the world: inducing a more or less altered state of consciousness with an indication of the direction, theme, and a certain figurative structure. In order to avoid unnecessary fears, I will immediately say that the induction of an altered state of consciousness in this case is extremely mild, no violent influence (such as, for example, hypnosis) occurs. This is just a suggestion of a possibility, when a guide to meditation translates a certain state, as taught in a certain tradition, one can follow there (or one can not follow), and it is easy to get out of there. At the same time, the figurative content of this meditation is not accidental and not arbitrary, it belongs to a certain tradition - sephirotic magic.

Basic rules for a simple version of working with a lasso.

Make sure that no one bothers you during meditation, immersion, entering the lasso. Create a pleasant atmosphere (candles, music, incense) that will help you tune in to meditation.

Take the card and place it in front of you. Look at it with a defocused look, as if through the image, without focusing on details. Keep doing this for a while, and gradually the picture will come to life - it will gain volume. Then close your eyes and continue to "see" the image of the card.

Another option, interaction with the lasso. Imagine the map as if it is a big one in front of you, you slowly go into it, and you fall into the space of the map, as if into a portal. When you enter the space of the lasso, clearly fix yourself on the map there, feel, understand where you are, what mood, emotions, sensations, thoughts you have here. This will be the state of the lasso, then remembering the state, you find yourself in the space of the map.

For meditation, you can choose a specific card - depending on your goal, the practical task that you face. Here are possible meditation topics for the Major Arcana Tarot:

I "Magician": learn how to do something, catch any idea, for creativity and inspiration.

II "Priestess": find out the reason, find out why the situation is given, for the development of intuition, help in working with the Tarot.

III "Empress": ask for help in family and love affairs, help and protection for women in childbirth and children, ask your man / your woman for a harmonious male-female union.

IV "Emperor": to help find your life Path, to find a person-assistant on the path of social realization in this period of life, to ask for some kind of sign in reality.

V "Priest": in order to better learn something, it is better to realize the lessons in relationships with another person, ask yourself a Teacher or students for support in learning.

VI "Lovers": help in any choice, to understand the difference between the right choice and temptation, you can ask yourself Big Love (but know that this is a Big test too).

VII "Chariot": to speed up any process, from procrastination.

VIII "Strength": for energy in order to cope with a difficult situation, to activate leadership qualities, composure, concentration.

IX "The Hermit": to realize the influence of past life experiences on your stereotypical reaction, to deal with current life priorities.

X "Wheel of Fortune": for good luck, for understanding what exactly some opportunity is good for.

XI "Justice": to realize the basis of the problem situation, your karmic knot - to unravel.

XII "The Hanged Man": to report on the decision to make a voluntary sacrifice - to enter into asceticism - to accumulate energy to obtain something desired.

XIII "Death": for reassessment, for realizing what to leave in the past from the previous life and what to take into your future from the necessary.

XIV "Transformation": for the state of internal balance and observation (when there is no spiritual harmony, in conflict situations, etc.).

XV "Devil": to get rid of your addictions - become the figure of a man (if the dependence is on the dense and external) or a woman (if the dependence is on the internal state) and remove the rope.

XVI "The Tower": to destroy the unnecessary - to part with a habit, an unnecessary connection, something superfluous in a relationship (the relationship itself can be saved).

XVII "Star": to listen to intuition, activate sensitivity and extrasensory perception.

XVIII "Moon": to realize and work out your fears, to see your Path, Destiny.

XIX "Sun": find your place in life, for happiness and joy.

XX "Revival": to help in new cases, gives energy and strength for a new breakthrough.

XXI "Peace": for the state of Flight and Unity with the World, for the harmonization of health.

XXII (0) "Jester": come up with something new and extraordinary, find in yourself a childish spontaneity and optimism.

Work with the description of the lasso.

Take the description of the lasso, read it first completely as you usually read fiction. Read the description slowly a second time, one sentence at a time. Read the first sentence. Imagine everything that it says, try to mentally draw the author's intention, set out in words. If this is a description of the area where events are unfolding, try to imagine this area, draw it in as much detail as possible, feel the volume, scale, distance.

Do not forget about the effect of presence - you must create, see and feel this picture not somewhere far away, not on the screen, but around you. You must be in the conditions and events you create. You need to feel everything that is happening around you, turn on all your senses - see images, hear sounds, feel with your skin all temperature changes, wind, atmospheric phenomena.

Take your time, do not try to create the whole picture at once. No need to try to move away from the created picture. You must feel your own presence in it so clearly in order to get into possible impressions from it, and also to catch the general condition of the lasso.

Let's analyze this option for working with the lasso using the example of the Minor lasso Ace of Denarius.

Let's read the description of the lasso. The hand emerging from the cloud holds a golden denarius. Below you can see a flowering garden, a gate and a road leading to the mountains. The Ace of Denarii symbolizes the element of earth. The five-pointed star on it is a pentagram that unites the five primary elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air and Ether. In cabalism, it means the tetragram of the name of God, supplemented by the letter "shin", which means the name of Jesus (yod-he-shin, Yeshua - Jesus). Having learned the highest meaning of the unity of the primary elements, we leave the Garden of Eden to discover a world full of miracles. Accept everything that this world will give you, says the card, learn the secrets of life.

Now try to imagine first the sky clear, pure, azure. Then try to imagine that against the background of this purity, a soft, fluffy cloud appeared, by no means thunderous, only white, not foreshadowing anything like rain or even wind. It does not cover the sun, it just hides a small piece of the sky behind it. A man's hand appears from this cloud - muscular and strong, it holds out a gold coin to you. The coin is large, very heavy, it sparkles with a pentagram minted on it. The hand does not try to hold it, it is ready to give it to you. The coin is ready to fall into your hands. Feel this picture, try to imagine yourself standing at the hand of Fate, giving happiness. And maybe you can catch him.

In this case, you will need to try to include all your senses. Vision will help to see everything that happens, hearing will catch the rustle of the wind, the singing of birds, you can smell the smells, feel the weight and coldness of gold falling into your hands. All sensations will help make the images more real, and therefore more effective in achieving your goals.

When you have finished working with the lasso, without opening your eyes, take a deep, smooth breath, then the same smooth exhale. Feel your body, move your hands, feet, stretch, as after waking up from sleep.

Do not stop working suddenly, give yourself the opportunity to leave those impressions and sensations that you received along with the created image of the lasso. This will help you the next time you need to use it again, get into the right state much faster and get better results from your work.

More complex options for entering the lasso, diving into the lasso, working with its energy need to be studied specifically in Tarot courses. But even if you started your acquaintance with the arcana on your own, remember that the main thing here is practice, practice and more practice!

A LITTLE ABOUT MEDITATION

Aleister Crowley once presented meditation as "a means to an end." The specific language of the Arcana Tarot makes it possible to describe and fix concepts and ideas that are difficult or impossible to convey in other languages. In order to reach this state of "silent knowledge" it is necessary to apply meditation on the Tarot.

Meditation on tarot cards is a separate, large and very complex topic. Meditation serves several purposes. First of all, it is an expansion of knowledge of the arcana of the tarot. In purely practical terms, meditation is extremely useful if there is some kind of stagnation in your life that does not suit you. as a result of meditation, there is some “correction” of the space around you, because you or the people around you begin to acquire the qualities of one or another lasso, events begin to occur around you at great speed, new people begin to burst into your life, and protracted problems and situations are resolved much faster (but this does not mean that it is easier, rather the opposite) . As a result of meditation, a person's thinking can change dramatically, just as his life can change. Among the other effects of meditation, it should be noted an improvement in mood, calming, improving the ability to listen to oneself, solving many psychological problems and harmonizing the personality, realizing one's mistakes, getting rid of many false beliefs and purification, which ultimately leads to a significant shift in thinking and personal growth. People who meditate on the arcana can learn a lot from these activities, because in the "space" of the Tarot Arcana there is something for everyone to learn. Each of the seventy-eight Tarot cards can be used as an illustrated meditation key. Each card contains symbols that work on multiple levels, which will show their complexity and depth when further studied and practiced.

What is meditation?

Meditation (from Latin meditatio - thinking, thinking) is a mental process. Until the 20th century, this term simply meant deep reflection, concentration on a problem, inner prayer (rare), as well as a form of philosophical lyrics (lit.). At the end of the 19th century, since the Europeans were fascinated by Buddhism and Indian yoga, this term began to be understood as the process of bringing the psyche to a special state of internal concentration - this state of consciousness, transitional between bodily and out-of-body stay, is often called a meditative trance.

There are special meditation decks, such as Osho Zen Tarot, but in fact, absolutely any deck is suitable for meditation. At the initial stage, it is better to use some classic deck, such as the Rider-Waite Tarot, Labyrinth Tarot, Age of Aquarius Tarot, or any deck that does not cause you negative emotions. Post-Crowley decks are great for meditation, such as the Tarot of the Third Millennium, the Heindl tarot. It is not recommended to use decks of vampire or gothic themes for meditation due to the originality of their energy orientation. You can use oracle-type decks, Wiccan, but in any case, the deck should be light, which evokes positive associations in you and with which you want to work, hold it in your hands, etc.

About meditation techniques There is also no clear answer. When working with arcana, various mental practices are possible. Many tarologists offer their own developments in the technique of meditation on the arcana. Some tarot schools can put forward the techniques they practice as the only true ones, their theories and their rules, systems where they logically try to explain this process by the movement of energies, switching off consciousness, immersion in the subconscious, connecting “directly” to the energy-information field on the energy of the lasso through any chakras, through the archetype, to the unconscious of humanity, connecting the entry through the archetype of the lasso to the Tree of Life (Sephiroth) - and so on and much more. It doesn’t matter at all, the main thing is that you yourself have the feeling that you are doing everything right and getting a response from the tarot.

Which arcana is better to start with, MAT or CAT? The answer is depending on your goals. But it is better if you start meditation not with such arcana as the Moon, the Tower, the Devil, Death, because in them you still need to prepare and reach a certain level in order to experience the experience of communicating with them. Also, do not use some of the minor arcana - 9 swords or 3 swords, 10 swords and some others - in practice, the experience of experiencing these arcana is quite difficult.

The Major Arcana are most often used as tools of influence, since their Forces are very clearly expressed and can affect almost all areas of life. The Minor Arcana also have great power and the ability to quickly solve our problems. For example, the Ace of Cups will help to establish relationships with the right person or find a new love, the Ace of Denarii solves financial problems well, the Six Denarii will help repay debts, and the Three Denarii will help to conclude a long-awaited agreement, contract or marriage.

More about what purposes to use which arcana, about various meditation techniques and examples of such meditations will be described further in the following articles.