REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 10: CLOTHING

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

There’s something different about the symbolism found in clothing.  Mineral, plant and animal themes all refer to human coexistence with the natural environment, while clothing is used to represent states of mind.  Other symbols express the human domain as well, but none of them, including gender, hold significance as specific as clothing.

What?  More specific than gender?  What does that mean?  

Here’s why:  Gender can have variable meanings in a reading.  Court cards often refer to a particular man or woman, but can also represent the Spirit (King) or the Soul (Queen) of the seeker, regardless of gender. Additionally, some of the major arcana are androgynous.  Paul Case refers to The Fool as the “heavenly androgyne”, for example.  The Hermit is another, despite the long gray beard representing knowledge.  The state of mind expressed in that card is transcendent and beyond all superficial divisions, including race, nationality, politics, religion, status, dogma, and gender.  The symbolic significance of gender in the cards ranges from a celebration of the union of opposites to the exaltation of a state where gender is no longer the primary identifying characteristic of a person.

Clothing, on the other hand, holds explicit meaning.  In the Rider-Waite deck this is most frequently found in the color of the garment.  White, blue, red, black and gray are each indicative of a different force.  In some cases, there is additional symbolism as well.  The Magician wears a belted white undergarment, covered by a loose red robe.  Several other figures in the major arcana also wear white, and it consistently signifies universal energy and perfect wisdom.  Biting its own tail as it encircles him, the snake belting the Magus suggests wisdom and eternity.  The red robe is a symbol of passion, desire and activity.  This outer garment is easily taken off and on, and indicates the power of choice and self-conscious awareness.

The flowing robes of the High Priestess are white and blue, and symbolize the stream of consciousness.  These colors together suggest coldness and moisture, which are the characteristics of the element of water, as well as the astrological properties of the Moon.  The color blue is a symbol of the subconscious mind and memory throughout the deck, whether in clothes or environment, and the robes of The Priestess define her as the origin of those forces, wherever else they may be found.

The meanings found in the robes of The Empress and The Emperor are straightforward.  Hers are an association with Venus, through astrological symbols embroidered on a white background, in keeping with a variety of plants that also recognize the Earth Goddess.  

The red robes of The Emperor are a continuation of the forces found in the Magician’s outer robe. The Hierophant and Justice have the same connection, suggesting a correlation between all four cards.  Strength also has ties to The Magician, as shown by her pure white dress, belted by a chain of red roses.

Although it’s not very obvious, The Hierophant wears three layers.  Again, the outer red robe signifies self-awareness and willpower.  At the throat is the blue collar of the next layer, associating The Hierophant with The Priestess.  The white undergarment shows connection with higher power, and the white trim against red on the outer indicates the direct impact of the divine on the human life.

There are just a few more noteworthy garments among the major arcana.  The transcendent Hermit wears the only gray cloak.  Gray represents wisdom and is given that occult meaning because it is the result of mixing any two complimentary colors.  The red leggings and blue shirt of The Hanged One refer to the opposing qualities of fire and water.  The cloak of The Fool is laden with more symbolic meaning than any other garment in the deck.  The white undershirt is almost completely covered by the black cloak of ignorance, and it is this state of naivete that gives the card its name.  Embroidered on the cloak are numerous symbols that refer to the rhythmic patterns of the universe.

And finally, we have the nudes.  In order, these are The Lovers, The Star, The Sun, Judgement, and The World.  The state of mind expressed in each of these cards is that of heightened spiritual awareness.  It’s interesting to note that with one exception, these are all among the very last cards of the major arcana, the final destination points of our journey towards a meaningful life.  It seems the clothing we wear along the way may express and define us, but in the end, ultimate meaning is to be found only after the layers of attachment to the material world have been removed.

REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 9: ANIMALS

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

The symbolism we’ve looked at so far in this series has addressed three different points of emphasis in the Tarot.  These are:   The connection of the conscious mind with higher power, the expression of the subconscious mind in the physical world, and the development of each person’s own Great Work.  

Today, we’ll consider  a different focus by examining the role of animals in the cards.  Animals in the Rider-Waite deck generally represent human adaptation of the natural environment.  There are some exceptions, such as the astrological symbols in the Wheel of Fortune and The World, but for now our discussion will dwell on the rest.  Let’s start with the little white dog of The Fool.  

As a dog-lover, I’m going to take this opportunity and run with it.  The symbolism of the dog and The Fool together is a reference to another bit of ancient history, the coevolution of human and canine.  A species that is said to have descended from only 3 Asian wolves some 15,000 years ago, the dog has not only been changed by human adaptation but has changed us as well.  In fact, scientists theorize that our relationship with dogs was key to our survival in earlier times, and that they’ve been an on-going aide to the advancement of the human race ever since.  Although our closest animal relative is the chimpanzee, as is the wolf to the dog, a dog has an innate ability to read human social cues in a way the others can’t.  Anyone who has a dog already knows this.  This is the result of thousands of years of coevolution. 

But here’s the surprising part:  Humans and dogs share the same genetic code.  We get the same diseases.  Skeptical?  So was I.  Check out this article from The Dana foundation, “Your gateway to information about the brain and brain research.”  Humanity’s best friend may have more to offer us than we know.

http://www.dana.org/news/brainwork/detail.aspx?id=714

With this in mind, we can assume the appearance of a dog in The Fool isn’t random.  It represents the fourth essential concept expressed in the major arcana; the idea that meaning is found in harmony with the natural environment, rather than dominance over it.  The little dog of The Fool is no servant, but a companion, protector, and spirit guide.  She warns of impending forces, but is willing to follow the very instant the traveler plunges into the abyss.  The white color of her coat represents a state prior to manifestation where these attributes have not yet been realized.  The companionship between the Fool and the dog, then, symbolizes unlimited potential for those who work in harmony with the natural world.  The partnership between nature and art is also represented by the wolf and the dog found in The Star.

In Strength, this idea of keeping in balance with the natural world is turned inward.  The lion represents not only the environment, but our own untamed instincts.  The relationship shown between the woman and the lion in this card is a celebration of the integration of the forces of nature into the human personality, and the ability to channel them into a positive directions.

The only bird in the cards is an Ibis that perches on the tree with the flaming fruits in The Star.  Sacred to Hermes the Magician, the Ibis features a long bill with a natural hook, and represents fishing for truth in the waters of the unknown.  In the following card, The Moon, a shell-fish emerges from this same pool, symbolic of the false belief that we are each separate, isolated beings, and begins to travel along the path of the Great Work.  This road leads through the different realms of the material world, past extremes of both nature and art, and finally beyond the boundaries of that which is already known.  The Ibis stirs the waters of the subconscious through meditation, which then creates the beginning of true changes in the personalty.  In this manner, the forces at work in The Star and The Moon have the ability to work together and greatly affect our lives in a positive way.

Finally, white horses parade through two very different cards, suggesting that underlying forces in both are from the same source.  In Death, a bridled steed bears an armored grim reaper, while on the other hand, a nude child balances bareback under the radiance of The Sun.  In both cases, the horses represent universal solar energy, vast beyond the scope of individual personality, yet manifested in the human life.  The child’s outstretched arms indicate self-consciousness that has opened up to Universal Light, and  when combined with the absence of saddle and bridle in the Sun, symbolize perfect balance.

Perfect balance is, in fact, the promise inherent in a connection with the natural forces around us.  If the Tarot is viewed as a map for a meaningful life, then the directions given for this turn are very clear.  There is no way for humans to “win” a war on Mother Nature, no possibility of truly dominating and controlling her.  Along that road, there is only the potential for destruction, as we assault the body that sustains us, and that will surely outlast us.  But the Tarot urges us to follow another path, one that’s in alignment with the forces of the natural world.  In that direction lies the potential for knowledge and understanding beyond our wildest dreams.  Follow that little dog!

REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 8: PLANTS

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

In the study of Tarot symbolism, it’s helpful to notice there are four different realms of the natural world that are expressed in the major arcana.  These are the mineral, plant, animal, and human kingdoms.  Today, we’ll turn our attention to the symbolism of plants.  We’ve previously discussed examples of the mineral kingdom, but in the form of stonework, which indicates the effects of human adaptation.  In The Moon, we see the mineral realm in an unmodified state at the edge of the pool alongside the plant kingdom.  Out of the waters of the subconscious crawls a hard-shelled crab, suggesting consciousness limited by the belief that we are each separate, isolated beings.  The crab passes first through the mineral and plant kingdoms, then past the realm of animals and that which is already known.  Only then does the self connect with higher meaning and begin to shed that outer shell.  In this case, plants are part of a group of several symbols working together to represent the evolution of human consciousness.  In more general terms, however, the appearance of any type of plant life indicates that the forces represented in the card are based in the material world.

Some plants have specific meanings.  Roses, for example, are a symbol of Venus and they indicate desire.  We see them in three major arcana.  In the Magician, their presence is a suggestion that power drawn from a higher source is modified by human desire.  Paul Case takes this idea even further, writing “This is true of all self-conscious activity.  Every moment of our waking consciousness is motivated and conditioned by some type of desire.”  In Strength, the chain of red roses encircling the woman represents artistic adaptation of desire.  Although it isn’t pictured very clearly, the chain forms a figure eight, or infinity symbol.  In some decks, she is shown leading the lion by this chain.  The symbolism of the eighth arcana is a clear message that the way to rise above our basic instincts is through creative self-control of our desires.  The third rose appears in the hand of The Fool, but in this case the rose is white, indicating freedom from desire.

The plant life found in The Empress represents Mother Earth.  Cypress trees in the background are sacred to Venus, as is the ripening wheat in the foreground to Isis, Hathor, and Ceres.  The lush garden setting in which the Empress resides emphasizes a relationship between this card and The Magician, who also stands among luxuriant vegetation.

The Irises in Temperance are a reference to the Greek Goddess of the rainbow, and an important clue to the meaning of the card.  Iris, daughter of Elektra and sister to the Harpies, was the winged messenger of the gods.  Known for her swiftness, Iris traversed to the ends of the world and to the underworld, as well, to deliver these messages to mortals.  This symbolism reinforces the ideas expressed in the representation of the archangel Michael.  Temperance signifies vibrational cosmic energy, bearing the power to transform our lives, and the presence of the Iris suggests how suddenly that can happen.  Consider the rainbow, and how quickly she appears and disappears.

The High Priestess, situated between The Magician and The Empress, sits in front of a veil embroidered with palms and pomegranates.  These symbols suggest the union of opposing forces, most specifically the conscious and subconscious minds.  This is one of the most prevalent messages in the major arcana. 

The flaming fruits in one of the trees behind the Lovers represent the 12 astrological signs.  All of these fruits bear triple flames which together, according to Paul Case, represent 36 different personality types.  He also states that the fruits on the other tree are symbolic of the five senses, although only four are shown in the Rider-Waite interpretation.

There are three more major arcana that contain plant life as important symbols.  The Star, card of meditation, features an Ibis perched in a tree representing the human nervous system.  The symbolism in the combination of plant and animal here refers to the necessity of quieting our thoughts in order to make way for messages from the subconscious.

The four sunflowers cheerfully greeting the day in The Sun represent all the qualities of the number four that we’ve previously studied; order, measurement and benevolence.  They signify the four realms of nature, the four seasons, the four worlds of the Kabbala, and all of the forces found in the four suits.

Finally, in The World we find a wreath in the form of an ellipse surrounding the dancer, suggesting all the possibilities of the number zero, as well as a connection to The Fool.  The ribbons that bind the wreath at the top and bottom are tied in figure eights, a subtle but important clue.  Those symbols join The World to The Magician and to Strength, and tell us that the forces found in the earlier two arcana have now been fully realized in the physical world.

I followed up on another clue as I was looking for a way to wrap up this discussion.  In his writings about the symbolism of plants, Paul Case mentions that he was excited by the work of Luther Burbank.  Considering the source, I knew that was a hint that the famous horticulturist’s work contained a little-known metaphysical side.  It took some digging to find it, but eventually I stumbled across the Autobiography Of A Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda, another great admirer of Burbank.  In his chapter devoted to the botanist, titled “Luther Burbank-A Saint Amidst the Roses”, the Yogi quotes him extensively.  Burbank’s work with hybridization resulted in the development of 800 new species and varieties of plants.  In this brave new age in which we live today, GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) are foisted onto the world, driven for the most part by corporate greed, and to the great concern of many of us who live here.  It’s an interesting reflection, then, to consider the original intentions of the pioneer of this field.  It’s never too late to get back to love.  

I’ll leave you today with these excerpts from the autobiography, and here’s the link if you’d like to read more: http://www.ananda.org/autobiography/#chap38

Excerpts from Autobiography Of A Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda, Chapter 38, “Luther Burbank-A Saint Amidst the Roses”:

“The secret of improved plant breeding, apart from scientific knowledge, is love.”  Luther Burbank

     Burbank’s little adopted daughter came romping with her dog into the garden.  “She is my human plant.” Luther waved to her affectionately. “I see humanity now as one vast plant, needing for its highest fulfillments only love, the natural blessings of the great outdoors, and intelligent crossing and selection. In the span of my own lifetime I have observed such wondrous progress in plant evolution that I look forward optimistically to a healthy, happy world as soon as its children are taught the principles of simple and rational living. We must return to nature and nature’s God... I am in revolt against the educational systems of our time, severed from nature and stifling of all individuality...New types of training are needed—fearless experiments. At times the most daring trials have succeeded in bringing out the best in fruits and flowers. Educational innovations for children should likewise become more numerous, more courageous.”

“The most stubborn living thing in this world, the most difficult to swerve, is a plant once fixed in certain habits. . . . Remember that this plant has preserved its individuality all through the ages;...Do you suppose, after all these ages of repetition, the plant does not become possessed of a will, if you so choose to call it, of unparalleled tenacity?...The human will is a weak thing beside the will of a plant. But see how this whole plant’s lifelong stubbornness is broken simply by blending a new life with it, making, by crossing, a complete and powerful change in its life. 

“My friend Henry Ford and I both believe in the ancient theory of reincarnation,” Luther told me.  “It sheds light on aspects of life otherwise inexplicable. Memory is not a test of truth; just because man fails to remember his past lives does not prove he never had them. Memory is blank concerning his womb-life and infancy, too; but he probably passed through them!” He chuckled.

REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 7: ANGELS

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

It’s widely believed that the Tarot has origins as a pictorial book of occult knowledge disguised as a pack of cards.  Even further, some say modern-day playing cards were developed as another layer of concealment.  The earliest documented deck is from the late 13th century, although there are various theories about the country of origin.  Italy, France and Germany are often cited as possibilities.  The popular idea that the Tarot originated in ancient Egypt and was spread to Europe by Gypsies has been disputed by scholars, including Dr. Arthur Edward Waite, creator of the Rider-Waite deck.  Based on this, we gather that the Tarot was developed to preserve knowledge of cultures under attack by the repressive regime of the Catholic church during the middle ages.  It’s not surprising, then, that over the course of 500 years the cards would assimilate some of the figures from Christian mythology.  

Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel are the three angels of the Tarot.  According to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia online, they’re part of a group of seven archangels from the “angelology of post-Exilic Judaism”, meaning they predate Christianity.  In our metaphor of the Tarot as a map for a meaningful life, I like to think of the angels as guides, pointing the way to must-see destinations.  

The first to appear is Raphael,  suspended beatifically over The Lovers.  Also known as the Angel of Science and Knowledge, the qualities attributed to Raphael are healing and compassion.  Raphael means “God heals” in Hebrew, and in Catholicism Saint Raphael is Patron of healers, the blind, travelers, matchmakers, and happy meetings.  In The Lovers, Raphael represents superconsciousness, or the universal mind.  Levitating between the Sun and the human figures in the illustration, Raphael is shown as a channel for Spirit and Life-force.  The important destination found in The Lovers is an open and energetic exchange between the conscious and subconscious minds.  It is in this balance, Raphael tells us, that we find the healing capacity for love.

The archangel Michael inhabits Temperance, the 14th major arcana.  Prominent in the lore of both Christianity and Judaism as a protector, Michael is reputedly known also to Muslims, who describe him as covered with fine hairs all over his body which act like tongues, beseeching the Mercy Of Allah on behalf of sinners.  In Catholicism, Michael is patron of grocers, mariners, paratroopers, police, and illness.  Traditional illustrations most often depict him brandishing a sword, and he is considered to be the highest ranking of all the angels, captain of the armies of Heaven.  In Hebrew, the name Michael literally means “Who is like to God?”.  Among other things, Michael is credited for driving Lucifer out of Heaven after he refused to follow the direction of humans.  Later, after Adam and Eve had also been cast out, Michael is said to have helped them survive by teaching them how to farm.  Taken in that context, we see that we are are guided to the “destination”  of Temperance by the first and greatest advocate of the human race.  In that case, let’s hop off the bus for a moment and take a closer look.

The sword-wielding warrior is replaced with another perspective in the Tarot.  The angel of Temperance is a symbol of vibrational energy, which generates and sustains all life.  The cups in the illustration represent self-consciousness and subconsciousness, and the water vibrating between them is a symbol of what Paul Case calls “cosmic mind-stuff”.  Action and reaction are suggested.  The position of the feet signifies subconscious activity manifested in the material world.  While the message in Temperance is similar to the one brought to us by Raphael in The Lovers (harmony between the conscious and the subconscious), we know that the emphasis of each card is different because of the meanings of the particular angels.  Raphael points the way toward our best possibilities for mental and physical health, and Michael teaches how to preserve, protect, and encourage that to flourish.  

Paul Case refers to the angel of Temperance as “the real I AM, or Ego of the entire human race”, demonstrating the ability to adapt and modify the personal stream of psychic energy.  The vernacular of the 1960’s coined a simple phrase that’s fairly descriptive of the forces represented by Michael, as well.  “Good vibrations” may have passed its heyday of popular usage, but that’s the basic idea presented by our guide at this stop.  The key to moving our lives along in a positive direction is found through attuning our minds to the correct energies, and to the constant fluctuations of those currents.

The final member of our angel triumvirate resides in the card of Judgement.  Gabriel bears the distinction of being highly recognized in three major world religions.  In the tradition of Islam, Gabriel is reputed to have dictated the Holy Koran to the Prophet Mohammed.  In the Christian religion the Protestants, who typically avoid anything that smacks even remotely of idolatry, join in with the Catholics in the imagery of a horn-blowing Gabriel  announcing the second coming of Christ and calling all souls to the last judgement.  Gabriel is also said to have appeared to Daniel in the Old Testament, and is credited for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  The Jewish Heritage Online Magazine describes the angel as “God's messenger on numerous missions and the constant defender of the Jewish people”.  In Hebrew, Gabriel literally means “God has shown himself mighty”, but is more often interpreted as “Strength of God”.

Gabriel is Patron Saint of communication specialists, including broadcasters, telecommunications workers, diplomats, messengers, postal workers, and (interestingly) stamp collectors.  

It is said that Gabriel is made of fire, and in the symbolism of the Tarot, we see the action of heat upon water.  According to Paul Case, this symbolizes the creation of air, which in turn creates sound.  The seven lines radiating from Gabriel’s trumpet represent seven mystical tones.  Fire and water mean what they always mean in the cards, Spirit and the subconscious mind.  In my opinion, the meaning of Judgement is somewhat more obscure than most other major arcana, and it can also be difficult to elude my childhood idea of a punitive God peering over a long scroll containing a list of all of my previous mistakes.  What can I say?  I’m a preacher’s kid.
 

Once one gets past that, however, there’s another way to look at Gabriel and this issue of judgement.  Spirit calls to our subconscious mind, bringing us a message of gladness.  Our honest efforts are recognized and our best intentions understood.  The music from Gabriel’s horn is a blessing from higher power.  Our guide at this point offers a message of welcome.  This is truly the destination we have sought for so long!

REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 6: THE SUN

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

Next, we turn our attention to the only repeating symbol in the deck that also has its own major arcana!  Representing a universal force known by many names including Spirit, Life-force, and God, The Sun is a symbol of deity.  This specific image appears in five major arcana in the Rider-Waite deck, and this force is further represented in other cards by the color yellow.  Crowns, auras, hair, and backgrounds of this color are all agents of Spirit, and suggest electric, animating energy and vitality.  

Not all of the Suns are yellow, however.  White light illuminates The F00l, implying the universal forces represented in that state are impersonal and not yet realized in the human experience.  

The image of the Sun is first seen in The Lovers, which is also the beginning of the mountain of the Great Work.  If you consider the Tarot to be a map for a meaningful life, the directions in this card are unmistakable.  A harmonious balance between the conscious and subconscious minds is the key that opens the door to divine guidance.  We find the combination of Sun over mountain again in Death, and in Temperance as well.  In all cases, the meaning is that of dynamic universal forces directly at work in the human life, and the possibility of divine guidance.

The 19th major arcana lies between The Moon, where changes in old ways of thinking are incorporated into the personality, and Judgement, where the personality begins to lose meaning in lieu of greater universal consciousness.  The Sun, therefore, represents a strong sense of connection to higher power while the personality is still very much in play.  In a reading, this generally translates to health, happiness, and the promise of a good life!  Metaphysically, The Sun represents the capability for unlimited spiritual growth in each of us.  In our map for a meaningful life, then, The Sun is one of the most sought after destination points!

REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 5: THE MOUNTAIN

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

For the most part, the symbols we’ve examined so far in this series have focused on the subconscious mind as a medium for the expression of universal forces.  With the mountain, however, the eye of symbology turns to our actions.  Representing the Great Work itself, the mountain is first seen in The Lovers and found again in another eight cards, making it one of the most prevalent symbols in the deck, along with water and stonework.  But what is this Great Work, exactly?

Different for all of us, the Great Work is an opportunity.  In it is found the sense of a higher purpose, and the satisfaction of a meaningful life.  It is your calling, whatever that might be.  That doesn’t imply it will be grandiose, or even particularly obvious to the world.  The Great Work thrives on good decisions and healthy choices, and offers moments of happiness along the way as its reward.  More importantly, the person on the path of their own Great Work adds positive vibrational energy to the world every day, in a personal way. 

In The Lovers, we learn that a harmonious exchange between the conscious and subconscious minds is the basis for the beginning of the Great Work.  Next seen in Strength and The Hermit, the presence of the mountain suggests that compassion and self-discipline are vital qualities to bring to the Work.  The icy peaks of The Hermit represent forces that exceed the boundaries of the personal, and a strong sense of connection with higher power.   

Death and Temperance exhibit the mountain, again consecutively.  It sits in the background of Death, an assurance that we’re on the right path, even though it leads through upheaval and transformation.  The forces found In Temperance are those of the positive vibrational energies mentioned earlier.  Temperance contains a clear message that that we are most in tune with the flow of universal forces when following our Great Work. 

The mountain presents alongside the pools of The Star and Moon.  The former indicates that meditation is a state that has the ability to greatly enhance our Work.  In The Moon, a card that represents the evolution of consciousness, we find a path that leads to the mountain.  This path travels from the pool of the unknown past the boundaries of that which is already known, and then undulates in the distance as it slowly ascends the heights.  That undulation represents the states of trance and dreamless sleep.

Icy peaks surround the lake of Judgement, signifying that eventually our Works will exceed this realm and join completely with universal forces.

Last, we find the mountainous precipice on which teeters The Fool.  Representing all possibility prior to manifestation, The Fool is also the first, for it is here that the potential of the human experience begins again.  

Finding one’s own Great Work is a very personal matter, but the Tarot contains some guidance.  The qualities expressed in The Lovers point the way.  You might say it’s a matter of an open mind, and a willing heart.

REPEATING SYMBOLS, PART 4: WATER

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

Water is one of the most dominant symbols in the Rider-Waite deck.  Found in nine major arcana, it’s also prevalent in the four suits.  Beginning to flow in the robes of The High Priestess, water wends its way throughout the cards, always meaning the same thing.  Water is essentially the Priestess herself, and contains all of the meanings of that card.

The forces expressed in The High Priestess are the powers of the subconscious mind and memory.  Since there are other symbols for the subconscious as well, let’s consider what makes the symbolism of water unique.  

What are the characteristics of water?  For starters, it’s an essential element for all life on the planet, and a major component of our bodies.  That in itself sets this symbol apart from most others.  Water reshapes the earth over which it moves and can display massive force in a single instance of upheaval, or work with a persistent power over ages.  Movement is necessary to avoid stagnation, and water flows and pools with the ability to constantly change shape.  We’re also able to float on it.  Without water, there is no life.  In the symbolism of the Tarot, then, there is no meaning without the subconscious.    

There are nine cards in the major arcana that display water.  The first five are linked together by the stream that begins with the High Priestess and continues through the Empress, Emperor, Chariot, and Death.  In Temperance, the card that immediately follows Death, the steady stream transforms into a pool, also shared with The Star and The Moon.  In the last appearance of water in the major arcana, the pool becomes the lake of Judgement, on which float the final vestiges of our former selves.  

The running stream suggests energetic subconscious activity, while the significance of the pools has to do with hidden knowledge.  The three cards that share the pool show different aspects of the search for that knowledge.

The waters that began flowing in the High Priestess amass to vastness in Judgement.  Beyond that, as the cards move on to the forces found in The World, there is no longer a distinction between  the conscious and subconscious minds at all.  

When carried over to the minor arcana and the practical application of everyday matters, water is represented by the suit of Cups and is most often a symbol for the emotions.  However, it can also represent the creative process and the ability to perceive patterns.  The appearance of water in the illustration suggests subconscious influences, just as it does in the major arcana.

The forces found in the The High Priestess and the symbolism of water actually represent the right side of the human brain.  I’ll leave you once again with this quote from “the singing scientist”, neuro-anatomist and metaphysical evangelist Jill Bolte Taylor who dares us “to have the courage to step to the right of your left hemisphere!’