Ten of Swords reversed/The Empress. The Ten of Swords (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, talkative) in an upright position tells of bottoming out, and of feeling completely powerless. Because this card often describes the darkest times that seem to destroy our will to go on, and because the card is reversed, I may feel empowered and satisfied with my efforts today. The Empress corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change), Venus (beauty, allure, pleasure, relationships), Daleth (door or womb) and the Path between Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) and Chokmah (dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity). She is about abundance, about the pleasure of the senses, about the ability to nurture others, and about a deep and rewarding connection to Nature. Two cards that tell of a sense of well-being!!

My Thoth card is The Star. The number 17 card of the Majors (which reduces to the number 8, the focused and aware response to degeneration), The Star (Air, hot/separates and wet/adapts; Aquarius; Qof, back of head; the Path between Malkuth, the physical world of action and outer, physical reality, and Netzach, the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration) represents love kindled by hope, both hope for my own self, and for humankind. The Star is about being serene and optimistic, and it is about the fulfillment that comes to us in response to giving to others.

My Legacy card is the King of Cups reversed, flavored by the Seven of Coins reversed. The King of Cups (cusp of Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, and Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling mysterious, obsessive) is the expert on emotions and the subconscious, mainly because of his life experiences. He is calm, caring and tolerant towards others, and real good at advising others as far as obtaining serenity, but is sometimes not so good at being in touch with his own feelings. Because my King of Cups is reversed, I may find that no matter how hard I try today, diplomacy may seem powerless. The Seven of Coins (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, law and order, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) in an upright position tells us that our efforts thus far may bring future rewards, but full potential has not yet been realized. Because the card is reversed, and flavoring my King, it reinforces the discomfort presented by the King, but also tells me that if this inability to apply my own caring to benefit others does occur, it will be like an Alberta Clipper, and pass right through by morning.

My 6-digit date number is 9, the number of completeness of effect and manifestation.

My horoscopes: “You have independent views about everything, Sagittarius. People would be wrong to try to box you into thinking a certain way. Don't let others convince you to accept something you're skeptical of. You know what you believe so don't be afraid to express it even if they go against the grain. Independence is important to you. You want others feel this freedom that's so critical to a healthy lifestyle.”

And: “Matters regarding love and romance are in your favor today, and you will find that love comes to you when you least expect it. There is a powerful creative force within you that will be most rewarding if you tap into it and put it to use for some sort of artistic endeavor. A strong, yet erratic urge may be calling you into action today, so be ready to respond with your entire being.”

I have had a busy few days. Our family vacation began this past weekend. As always, my brother-in-law, his dog, and I spent the early morning hours at Sunset Beach. Oh, how beautiful it was there! The stream which flows out of the marshes (and probably, out of Davey’s Lake) had been completely stopped up the last time I was there, which was in February, but now it washes into the Delaware Bay once again, but in a completely different way, on a completely different path.

How beautiful the marshes were; everything is green and ripe, and the fragrances of wet mud, green growth and the brine of the water filled me with joy and peace. The Bay was calm, and the sky was overcast, but the clouds were inverted. I could clearly see the shoreline of Delaware in the distance. There was something cleansing and empowering about it all, and I look forward to returning to Sunset Beach on Friday morning.

I purchased a new Tarot deck last week, and absolutely love it! It is the Shadowscapes Tarot, and the artwork is so absolutely incredible that I am going to just be using it for meditative purposes, at least until I am able to stop myself from being drawn into each card for minutes at a time. LOL, that would end up being a long (and boring for the Seeker) reading. But each day, I shuffle and pull a card and then meditate on it, and each day I seem to find new insights regarding that card. For instance, the card I threw today is the Ten of Pentacles, a beautiful card. I felt a lovely connection to the image, and after reading the interpretation of the card from the Shadowscapes Companion (the LWB that comes with the deck), I was reminded that attaining the bounties of the Ten of Pentacles involves not only learning the rules and implementing the rules, but also following them, for an entire lifetime. **smile** Love that! I think I will include any new insights I receive, whenever I do throw a card for myself.

More on the 12th Path. Ellen Cannon Reed describes this path as connecting the idea or concept of “being” and the idea or concept of “form”; going from “being” to taking “form” can be seen as higher energy slowing or lowering its vibrational level to a point where it can be recognized. Hence, the Kether/Source and Binah/Goddess connection; it is hard to visualize The Source, but Goddess can be imaged, usually pretty easily. And being able to understand Goddess is the step that allows us to begin to understand The Source.

The ibis is the symbol of this Path; wading birds represent meditation, patience, and seeing hidden things, and I can see why the ibis is important to this Path. Wading birds usually live near the water (LOL, hence, the “wading” part), and Water represents feelings, emotions and the subconscious, all falling under the umbrella of feminine energy. I don’t think I would have come this far in my explorations of the Paths of the Tree of Life if I were not able to open myself to important messages, and then wait for them. The seeing hidden things part pretty much speaks for itself.

This is the Path of realizing our abilities. It certainly seems like that is what I am doing right now. Opportunities are presenting themselves, and I feel confident enough to take advantage of them.

Yesterday, I worked for the first time with what may end up being my second regular Bodywork client. I am thrilled that something is finally happening here. I am convinced, 100%, that Vedic Thai Massage would benefit any person, any body type, any health or fitness level; I love being able to share this awesome healing modality with others; this is one of my life goals. Tonight, I see my other regular client. Yes!! I am truly realizing my abilities, abilities that come to me from Deity. I have studied and I have practiced, I have learned about Deity and about my own physical body and life force and personal energy form, and how they interact. These things are necessary to know and understand for that knowledge and that understanding both allow me to apply a recognizable Form to Deity so that I am have a relationship with Deity, to the limit of my capacity as an energy being which is using a physical vehicle to perceive life, living and the world. And I understand, as I “stand” at the top of the Pillar of Form and regard The Source through the teachings of the Pillar of Form, that my Pathworking has taught me how to perceive and perhaps understand Deity by experiencing that part of Deity which is amenable to having a Form imposed upon It. But it is the love and healing that comes to me from Deity (from this part of Deity that seeks interaction and thus is open to being shaped according to the needs of others), the love that is gifted to me from Deity, that in turn I am manifesting as I am offering healing and serenity to my clients. I am grateful! I hope that this new understanding of Deity will add potency to what I share with others and to my own life experiences.

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Queen of Swords/Knight of Wands.  The Queen of Swords (cusp of Virgo, “I serve,” practical, sensible, work and service oriented, and Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, grace) tells of being up front and open with everyone, of being quick on the uptake, and it reminds me to make use of the experience I have gained.  This Queen may be a bit detached but she is able to laugh off challenges, and then take care of them quickly and efficiently.  The Knight of Wands (cusp of Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, deep, obsessive, and Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering) is confident and daring and passionate, everything a Knight should be.  He may be the first person into the pool, but sometimes he forgets to check the depth before he dives in.  I may need to keep my eyes open for hidden dangers today, I should attempt to finish what I start, and I should also remember that a bit of quiet grounding and some focus on depth rather than excitement will help both my Queen and my Knight.

My Thoth card is the Prince of Cups.  Oooh, Court Cards today!  The Prince/Knight of Cups (cusp of Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause-oriented, and Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, suffering, soul growth) tells of a person who feels things deeply, and that is a two-edged sword.  This Prince is a lover and a helper, but because he is not well grounded, he can be a bit impractical.  He is somewhat temperamental and may leave the unpleasant tasks to others, but he does like to feel good.

My Legacy card is Temperance reversed, flavored by the Six of Swords reversed.  Temperance connects with Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering) Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Samekh (the tent post), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world of action and outer reality) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify).  It is reversed today, so again we are talking about extremes.  Between my two Knights/Princes and the Temperance card being reversed, I need to be very careful. Balance!  Compromise! The Six of Swords (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause oriented) is about hitting the reset button in order to move away from a problem or blockage.  The card is reversed, so it may be telling of some enthusiasm and fun, but the energies of this card are a bit more grounded.  Perhaps this more grounded energy will help settle the rest of my cards.

My 6-digit date number is 4, the number of depth and stability.  Boy, I need me some of that!

My horoscopes: “It may be difficult to get moving today, Sagittarius. You may want to just stay in bed. Don't feel guilty about it. Take an afternoon nap and enjoy the tender company of a partner. Stick close to home and enjoy good music and a fine meal with someone you love. Don't rock the boat. Simply relax and enjoy the pleasures life has to offer.”

And: “Is your desire to save money keeping you from having a fulfilling social life? Money is meant to be spent as well as saved, so shake loose some of your spare change and treat yourself to a small splurge today. You can be wise about how you use your money without cutting yourself off from every single spending situation. Being too focused on money is not a good thing. As in all things, your financial life must be balanced.”

Technology: “Turn closed-minded confusion to open-ended readiness. Find a botanical garden or a lovely vista because quiet contemplation will give you the stamina and readiness to seize the moment and go for the gusto.”

In “The Witches Tarot,” Ellen Cannon Reed talks about the 12^th Path and its correspondences.  The metal mercury corresponds to the 12^th Path, and this makes sense.   “The metal mercury, which does have form, is attributed here because it has the least form of any metal.  When we think of metals, we think of copper and iron, brass and bronze.  Yet mercury is still a metal, but without a form of its own – a precursor of form.”  This makes even more sense when I remember that the planet connected to Hod, the bottom of the Pillar of Form and closest to the energies of Malkuth and the physical world, is . . . drum roll please . . . Mercury!

Ms. Reed also mentions The Magician, and she explains the appropriateness of this card in this position.  The Magician uses his ability to control and direct the energies of the elements to seemingly (or literally) perform magick.  Control is actually a form of restriction, and restriction imposes Form. 

This Path is also about visions and about seership, not mundane divination (which has its own value), but the ability to realize that we can attain our hopes and become anything we desire.  This is the Path of the true magician, the true alchemist. The transformations presented through working with this Path begin to allow us to discern the true differences between the spiritual and the physical, and we may end up finding that some of the effects and manifestations that we believed were spiritual are actually of the physical world.

In order to come out of my work with this Path in a whole and balanced way, I will need to tap into both my ability to analyze and compare, and my ability to hear my Inner Voice.

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Six of Cups/Seven of Wands. The Six of Cups (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, compulsive, deep, obsessive), tells of experiencing simple joys. The Cups cards are about feelings, and this one is probably the best of them all, even better than the Ten of Cups, which has a sense of completion about it. The contentment connected with the Six of Cups is child-like in its simplicity, and it fills me with a lovely sense of being blessed with incredible bounty. The Seven of Wands (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, natural leader, egotistical, selfish) has a personal significance for me, given to me by Archangel Uriel (representing a Threshold and along with it, the tests of the Guardian). This card reminds me of the importance of knowing what I believe to be true and of sticking to my guns rather than accepting something that is not right for me.

My Thoth card is the Eight of Wands reversed. “LOL, “Swiftness” reversed is exactly how I feel today. I had trouble getting up this morning. The Eight of Wands (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, skill, communication, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) in an upright position is about a sudden release of energy of some kind that clears away confusion. Often this release of energy is connected to communications or news of some kind, and the giving or receipt of that communication will precipitate action. In the Thoth deck, this is the only Wands card that does not contain fire or flames in its image. Instead, there are seven electrical bolts, and electricity is a fitting metaphor for this card. Reversed, it can be telling me that there is a danger of using too much sudden force, or of using energy too quickly. Impulse is not good today.

My Legacy card is the Seven of Coins, flavored by the Five of Cups reversed. The Seven of Coins (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, law and order, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) tells us that rewards have been honestly earned thus far, but full potential has not yet been realized. Today may not be a day of action; rather I might find it more beneficial to look at what I have done and where I have come from, so that tomorrow I can make my choice as far as a next step. The Five of Cups (Mars, action, aggression, drive, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, mysterious, obsessive) in an upright position tells of emotional down time, a setback, a feeling of regret, or a lack of support. Because my Five of Cups is reversed, and flavoring my Seven of Coins, I may feel a sense of accomplishment when I assess my progress, and I most likely will be pleased with the choices I have made so far.

Two Seven cards today: a bit about the number 7. The number 7 is about pause and reflect, it tells of accomplishments but still work to be done, of anticipation but remaining watchful, evaluation, research, thoughtfulness, it represents the energy of pushing too hard and thus needing to step back, looking within, it is associated with the moon and thus with introspection; the number 7 disrupts the energy of the sixes, but in the process bring greater variety and imagination. This number offers the concept of the pause that is the beginning of Degeneration (similar to the pause between the times of harvest and the beginning of the Fall). Completeness also represented by 3 and 9, but for different reasons. Traits: positive: philosopher, quiet, intuitive and meditative with a global perspective; negative: aloof, isolated, solitary, secretive, overly sensitive, sometimes pessimistic.

My 6-digit date number is 3, the number that tells of new creations out of the potential of 1 and the balance and polarity of 2.

My horoscopes: “You may be in quite the party mode today, Sagittarius. Be open and social with the people around you. Take off on a wild adventure that quenches your thirst for spontaneity and fun. Stay up late and talk to a friend you haven't seen for a while. The time to live is now. Make the most of every moment of your life.”

And: “Don't fall for the false promises of retail therapy -- shopping trips won't help you figure anything out right now! Instead of buying things in an effort to distract yourself from what's bothering you, go for a minimalist experience with a friend or a romantic partner. Seek out some simple pleasures -- take a walk, share a home-cooked meal or play some basketball. Frivolous material goods won't bring the joy they once did -- you're more mature than that now.”

Technology: “All the architectural drawings in the world won't build a house. Sometimes, you have to walk away from the planning table to try something out. Prototype like a mad scientist and break the chokehold of too much thinking.”

The 12th Path imposes Form onto the highest vibrating, least manifested, energy of Kether. This Path represents continuous creation, and interestingly (and appropriately!) enough, it also corresponds to the science of Physics. And because Binah itself is about analysis and reasoning, it is in turn about an awareness of duality, of truth and falsity, fair means or foul means. And here we are led directly to the Tarot Major Arcana card associated with the 12th Path, The Magician or Magus.

This is such a powerful card!! But in many ways, it is a very grounded card as well, because The Magician is the conduit between Divine power and earthly manifestation. The Magician is about action, not about teaching or learning; he is able to access any potential available, and then use his very considerable skills and talents to manifest into reality his goals and aims. He not only knows what to do in any given situation, but he also knows why it should be done. That gives him powers and abilities beyond mere mortal man.

The Magician is about wielding power, and since the skills and talents are his (gained and refined by the expenditure on his part of huge efforts), The Magician sometimes makes the mistake of believing that the power is his also. However, it is not. The power behind the Magician is Deity, The Source, the Highest Emanation, the Purest Essence. Just because he can tap into that power does not mean that its source is within him, and herein lies the duality of The Magician. He can be a Hero, but he can just as easily be the Villain. He can save the day, but he can also be the originator of the problem, and those two roles are not exclusive in nature. To The Magician, the end result often justifies the means of achieving that result; he is a scientist as well as a wizard and sorcerer, and to him the knowledge of what to do and how to do it is more important than ethical considerations. Yep, he likes it when ethics and science move on parallel paths, but if he has to make a choice, most of the time ethics will be dealt with after the fact. No earthly person or group has the ability to hold him accountable for his own actions, which can be good or bad, depending on the situation.

As long as he remembers the Divine source of his power (and in the end, of his skills and talents), The Magician can create miracles. He knows his tools inside and out, and he can not only make things happen, but his talent with sleight of hand can make you think that he did it all magickally, with no effort at all. He can be a gossip and loves to hear all the dirt; after all, some day that little tidbit might come in handy elsewhere. He is all about communication, confidence, action, knowledge, and the cunning use of skills and talents to get what he wants. And he is good at facilitating transformation.

All of these descriptions tell me what manifests when we combine the purest source of Power that is Kether with the Form and Understanding that is Binah. Awesome creative powers!

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Knight of Swords/Justice. The Knight of Swords (the cusp of Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, intelligent) is brave, insightful, courageous, and logical. Unfortunately, he is not good at seeing and accepting the validity of views that oppose his own. Justice is a card of adjustment, and it corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and quick, animated energy that usually brings problems or challenges that bring growth), Libra (“we are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation), Lamed (ox goad; training or teaching), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Geburah (the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed). Because Justice is about cause and effect, assuming responsibility and understanding all viewpoints, this card just might have a bit of a calming effect on the energies of my Knight. There is nothing wrong with having confidence in my own viewpoints, but I also need to be open to the perceptions of others.

My Thoth card is the Four of Disks reversed. “Power” is Crowley’s keyword for the Four of Disks (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation or the deepest self, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, authority, caution cunning), and in an upright position this card tells of very solid foundations. This Four is a card of earthy power which brings an awareness of our own possessions, and since it is reversed, I just may find that I am not able to maintain a semblance of order in my physical world today, at least not the order I feel should be there. Perhaps I need to open myself to learning a new way of seeing things.

My Legacy card is the Ace of Swords reversed, flavored by Faith (Marchetti’s version of The Hierophant). The Ace of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution authority, cunning, Aquarius and Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, artistic) can be seen as the birthplace of ideas and concepts, of the understanding of my own “truth,” and of the confidence that overcomes adversity. The element of Air, which corresponds with the suit of Swords, does not have self-generated impulses, but it can easily have an effect when influenced by the other elements. And having a calm center is the starting point for making use of the potentials of this Ace. “The Ace of Swords is the sword of our own personal power and in order to deal with the forces unleashed through the journey of the swords, one must develop discernment and a still centre for tranquility.” From the article “The Ace of Swords: Seizing the Power of Discernment,” by Cheryl Lynne Bradley. Faith/The Hierophant corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes), Taurus (“I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn), Vau (the nail which holds tradition in place), and the Path between Chesed (the place where forms and structures are stabilized and nurtured), and Chokmah (dynamic male energy, the origin of vital force and polarity), this card is the nail that holds in place tradition and culture, and it encourages us all to both learn and teach. I am being reminded today that having an educated and wise world view gained through attaining knowledge and experience, and sharing that knowledge and experience with others in order to broaden my own perceptions, is certainly a worthy goal as long as I don’t become mired down in dogma. That Ace of Swords reversed that is being flavored by this Faith card could very well present the perfect storm that allows fundamentalism to creep into the day. Danger, Will Robinson! There seems to be an uncomfortable theme in my cards today, but forewarned is forearmed.

My 6-digit date number is 11 (Archangel Uriel), which reduces further to 2, the number of balance and polarity.

My horoscopes: “Your adventurous spirit is noble, Sagittarius, but you might find that this is one of those days in which you're asked to justify your actions. Other people could be jealous of you and your lifestyle, so they're trying to find fault with the things you do. Don't get tricked into thinking that anything you're doing is necessarily wrong or bad just because someone doesn't agree with it.”

And: “Your imagination is ready for some inspiration, so art and music will hold a great deal of appeal for you today. Even billboards and TV commercials might capture your attention and show you new ways of thinking about things. Your worldview is sophisticated, but you still have a lot more to learn about how people can perceive and express themselves in different ways. Attend a concert if possible, or just put on your earphones and enjoy a new CD.”

Technology: “Be on the lookout for meddlers who would like nothing more than to see you fall flat on your face. If you spot shenanigans, do your best to intervene. Guide meetings to the necessary conclusions and force interests to align to get your work done.”

Before moving on to the 12th Path, I took a moment to re-read Ted Andrews’ information in More Simplified Magic: Pathworking and The Tree of Life, regarding the 13th Path. Several sentences jumped out at me, and seemed to be directly referring to my meditations on the 13th Path over the last few days. “This is the Path of faith and learning to use and depend upon our own resources to achieve success in our endeavors. Through the energies of this Path, we learn to draw upon all of our resources and all of our past experiences. At some point, even these resources may be stripped away, leaving us only with the desire to experience the Crown (Kether).” And “Working this Path brings upon us a tremendous test of faith. When the Test is met, the burdens are ultimately replaced by glorious blessings in all areas of our life.” And “No matter how difficult the Path seems, the rewards will come.” I have indeed breached the boundaries between the worlds and forged a connection between my heart and my mind, and it is with the knowledge that my Deities are with me, every step of the way, that I move forward to the 12th Path.

The 12th Path connects Binah (Understanding) and the concepts of Form and the Sacred Feminine, and Kether (Crown) and The Source. Binah itself can be broken down into two subparts: the higher vibrating energies can be called “The Higher Mother,” and the lower vibrating energies can be called “comprehension.” Kether can also be broken down into two subparts: will within the soul, and pleasure within the soul; faith can be seen as a combination of both. And Kether, the sphere representing the least physical manifestations of energies, has a direct connection to Malkuth, the sphere associated with the physical manifestations of energies through self-expression of the soul (achieved through thought, speech and deed). They are located at either end of the Pillar of Balance, and the 12th Path connects Form to this Balance (which itself is balanced because of the connection between Kether and Malkuth).

The Hebrew letter associated with the 12th Path is “Beth,” which means “house,” “tent,” or “dwelling.” The house is the dwelling (or even the body) of man in the world of duality and illusion; it offers protection and shelter, and is a “containing form.” It represents the Sanctuary, the Temple, and Gnosis (Knowledge), and it contains the Light of Spirit; in fact, it imposes Form onto the Light of Spirit!

I think I am beginning to understand, and I would not have as clear an understanding as I have so far if I did not experience the 13th Path first. What a great foundation for understanding the basis of the entire Tree of Life to be found in the Supernal Triangle!

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