...I've been through the desert...

Historically and in modern times it is a common practice for sages, shamans, seers, mystics, indigenous populations, and any other title you can give someone who follows a spiritual path to use psychedelic substances to enhance their work. This altered state of consciousness breaks down the practitioners personal barriers and the barriers of the universe so the practitioner can easily travel and connect with the universe in addition to their own inner Self. This is in addition to the increased connectivity and empathy with themselves, others, and the universe. There are unlimited counts of these experiences with/without the how/why published and unpublished. Though, a good place to start is from Albert Hofmann, Christopher M. Bache, P.h.D.., and Aldous Huxley.

Since the criminalization of psychedelics in the 1960's and 1970's its spiritual use has been forced underground which has limited it to individuals and small circles. There are some notable exceptions to this such as Native American Church. In addition, throughout the years there have been studies to show how some psychedelics, especially LSD can be used to treat various mental illnesses, trauma, and addiction.

Due to my spirituality I have been interested in this experience for sometime (especially since the events of this last year and some change) but I have never sought it out. I figured if it was my path to walk, the universe would provide the opportunity.

Well, the universe did provide the experience to benefit from the conscious alternating effects of LSD. The experience, was well; complicated, amazing, and mind opening. This sums it up nicely:

As the effects started to kick in space and time warped and became fluid or nonexistent so the 12 hours experience felt like an eternity and an instant at the time. Though time is just an illusion anyway. The best explanation of time I ever heard was this;

"...time is nothing more than fractal successions of consciousness strung together into what we call out existence..."

  

During my experience, a lot of things happened and I could probably write a book on everything I remember and how I felt but I think I will try to hit the main points;

• Saw and experienced lots of pretty colors and sounds
• Watched stationary items move and morph or into other items
• Became one with the universe and its energy
• Felt and watched the world breathe
• Became a magnificent Buddha as I traveled inwards 
• Had many out of body experiences
• Got lost in the atoms
•  Rode the waves of mental and emotional anguish
• Connected with random objects and the sky and ground
• Saw skeletons in the wood
• Saw monsters in the dark
• Saw fish in the sky
• Connected on a deep and unfettered level with those who were with me on the journey
• Experienced a shared consciousness with those who were with me on the journey
• Played an intimate chess game with my Shadow
• Ate static 
• Watched the Chesire Cat dance around the screen for awhile
• Rode the waves of physical, mental, and emotional euphoria

In summary, I was an explorer first and foremost on this journey. I let the energy of the universe push and pull in various directions and open random doors to the universe and explored just long enough before I choose a new door. I came away from this experience with four important things;

1. That I needed to get a specific tattoo (one of the ones I have been thinking about for years) with some additions to represent where I have been, where I am going, and to remind me of things every day. 

2. That I do not need to forgive myself for some of the things I have done that causes extreme guilt and self loathing (and have hurt other people deeply). I need to accept that these things needed to happen in one way or another for me to become who I am today and who I am becoming. I am not at this acceptance yet, but I am working towards it. 

3. Honestly, I just feel better about life in general. 

4. All the people who were with me during the journey shared very intimate connections. Think of the intimacy of being in ritual with someone but times it by 100. When you Self is completely exposed and you are one with the universe you also intertwine with the people around you and it creates a unique bond that is powerful.

Swords of Fire

In preparation of a project I want to start in the near future, I have been doing research and meditating on the subject of elements and their correspondences in regard to the Tarot. I have come to the conclusion that swords are fire. Though, before anyone starts viciously banging on their keyboard to let me know how wrong I am let me explain how I came to this conclusion.

The correlation with Swords of Air probably originated from A.E. Waite's The Pictorial Key to the Tarot as his Tarot system is one of the most widely used today. In the RWS system, swords is correlated with air and wands fire. Deborah Lipp draws an interesting conclusion about this in her book The Way of Four;

"The Tarot suit of Air is Swords, although there is an interesting story behind this correspondence.

In 1910, Arthur Edward Waite published his book The Pictorial Key to the Tarot and his “Rider-Waite” Tarot deck. Waite was a Kabbalist and a member of the Golden Dawn magical lodge. His was the first deck to give all seventy-eight cards unique illustrations, and the first to draw associations between the Tarot and the Kabbalah. The Rider-Waite deck became he most popular and influential Tarot ever created, and its influences are seen in the vast majority decks available today.

However, Waite’s membership in the Golden Dawn included an oath of secrecy, so he hesitated to reveal too much in his deck or accompanying book. He decided to switch two of the elemental correspondences in order to preserver his oath. He couldn’t very well change the association of Cups to Water, since that’s a pretty obvious one, and Pentacles are mostly depicted as coin - and again the association between money and Earth is straightforward and obvious. But Swords and Wands are abstract tools, that were not in common usage at the turn of the last century. The Golden Dawn associated Air with Wands and Fire with Swords, so Waite reversed these two and filled his deck with Fiery Wands and Airy Swords.

If you’re a Tarot reader who has used Waite’s deck or a Waite-derived deck, it’s hard to break the mental picture of Air/Sword and Fire/Wand. Every Wand in Waite’s deck has little flames, salamanders, and orange colors, and every Sword has prominent clouds, sylphs, and a lot of light blue. Perhaps because most Witches read the Tarot, most associate the sword, or athame, with Air.

On the other hand, the original associate used by the Golden Dawn and others makes a good deal of sense. The Sword is the stronger and more destructive tool, and Fire is more destructive than Air. The Wand is the tool of the intellectual magician, but the Sword is the tool of the willful warrior (Fire is associated with will). Once you get to know the tools, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that a person wielding a Sword means business (has will), but a person holding a Wand might still be just thinking it over."

The Golden Dawn also associates the sword with the Sephirah Geburah and the planet Mars in some of their degree work.

Outside of the Golden Dawn, we can look to some of grimoires of western mysticism and esoterics that discuss the sword/fire relation and/or talk about the Golden Dawn's blind. Some of these grimoires Eliphas Levi's The Doctorine and Ritual of High Magic and I have talked about a specific part of said book regarding Powers of the Sphinx (which relates to the element correspondences as well), Franz Bardon's Introduction Into Hermetics, Stephen Skinner and Francis King's Techniques of High Magic, The Farrar's A Witches' Bible, and Stephen Skinner's The Complete Magicians Tables.
We also cannot forget to take into account the influences and contributions of Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders.

An interesting thing to note is that the tools from The Greater Key of Solomon, The Magus, and other systems that arose in that same time frame are numerous and Agrippa's foundation work (and other texts before it) did not necessarily have elemental correspondences.  The Golden Dawn along with other people like Eliphas Levi seemed to reduce, codify, elementalfy, and attach other esoteric meanings to the working tools.

In addition, there are other traditions to consider that have fire correlation with swords like the Janati.

Finally we have the differences and influences of the Qabbalah and Astrology. Frater Barrabbas touches on this;

"Using the Qabbalah or Astrology to determine the elemental attributes of the four suits of the Tarot seems to produce two different sets of associations. Where the Qabbalah is used, the order of elements begins with Fire, then Water, Air and finally, Earth. When one uses Astrology with Theosophic influences, the elements begin with Air, and proceed to Water, Fire, and Earth.
The order of the four Suits of the Tarot does not change, and it begins with Wands or Scepters (Clubs), Cups (Hearts), Swords (Spades) and finally, Coins or Pentacles (Diamonds). The sequence is a hierarchy associated with the four levels of the European social order of nobility, clergy, military (land owners) and merchants (artisans). The element associations for these four suits differs whether Wands are considered to be Fire and Swords are Air, as in the Qabbalistic system, or whether Wands are considered Air and Swords Fire, as in the Astrological system. These two approaches have produced two different sets of associations, and have spawned two different systems of magick, in as far as the four elemental tools of magick are concerned. Both systems are substantiated by symbolic correspondences and either will work quite well. What is required is for the magician to adhere to one or the other, depending on what makes sense and works for the individual."

For me, it honestly keeps circling back to the act of "to will", how it feels, and what makes the most sense in a magical and esoteric point of view. Though (like what mentioned in the above quote), I think it is important for everyone to find what feels and makes the most sense to them on the magical and esoteric levels - then remembering to be consistent about it.

 

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References

Regarding Oaths

Oaths is a very interesting thing in Pagan communities. Most of the 101 books out there (especially Wiccan) warn against oaths of secrecy. This inclusion of this is probably the authors blanket attempt at helping the masses avoid cult like situations. Though, this blanket attempt is misplaced because it is usually given without any much explanation and context other then that should be avoided. This misplaced attempt is disappointing to me because oaths and can very important, solemn, and powerful.

Though, I think it is very important that a person should do as much research as they can if they are looking into joining a group (even non spiritual groups) and should meet as many members as possible as well. Issac Bonewits created an amazing rubric to see if the group you are in or thinking about joining is a cult. It is referred to as the ADVANCED BONEWITS' DANGER EVALUATION FRAME and should be used with critical thinking as a form of checks and balances.

Before I go further, I think it is important to define terms. Oaths per the Websters Dictionary is defined as, "a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person or thing, to witness ones determination to speak the truth, to keep a promise, etc.". Though most people are probably more familiar with the idea of a vow, which is defined by the Websters dictionary as, "a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment." A lot of us has taken vows for marriage, for our work (such as doctors, military, police, etc), and for various organizations (such as fraternities, religions, etc). The point of these vows is to make promises with witnesses, in front of your God(s), and yourself.

This point is the same with Oaths, but in a more traditional sense you letting more then just the witnesses, yourself, and your God(s) know your intentions; you are letting the whole universe know.

In the Heathen communities oaths are revered as much as they are feared. This is because of a unique belief within these communities which is those who are witnessed to said oath are responsible for making sure the person upholds their oath and if the oath is broken, the witnesses are also guilty of breaking it. Now there are people that balk at this notion (Pagans, Heathens, the profane, etc) because they think it is insane. If you really think about it and feel it out, this belief makes perfect sense.

A person takes an oath in front of witnesses so the oath is made public. As witnesses it is implied that these people should support the oath taker in helping them keep and fulfill their oath. In addition, the witnesses should be willing to do this out of respect and love for the oath taker. I think it also is implied that the oath taker should feel comfortable enough with these witnesses that they would be able to ask for help and support. With this being said, the oath taker has a deeper responsibility of discussing  their ideas for their oath beforehand with their fellows and should make sure it is within their abilities and the abilities of their witnesses (not just be prideful and drunken boasts or illusions of grandeur). In essence, an oath is a bonding alliance where the oath taker, the witnesses, the God(s), and the spirits all take part. This should never be a problem with a group of true brothers and sisters or any other members of your inner circle.

It was not to long ago that I took one of the most powerful oaths of my life;

As I kneeled on a bearskin I felt invigorated with the strength and presence

of Bother Bear. At the same time my toes were digging into the Earth which 

kept me grounded as I felt the energy of the earth circle through me. This was

all going on as the sounding horn was blown and the proper blessing were set

into place before the ritual could be begin. As my witnesses stepped forward I

felt their love and support wash over me like a wave from the ocean. When I

 I held the horn up time seemed to stop. Each word I spoke to call the universe to 

bear witness reverberated from me like the sound of a hammer striking an anvil.

When I held the cradle up to pledge my peace, truth, and harmony to my 

brothers and sisters each word reverberated from me with the sound of thunder.

When I presented the breath of the life giver to swear my honor to group and 

its spirit each word reverberated from me with the sound of a war cry. Each 

word I spoke when iron bound my skin as I let the universe know I bound myself

harmless to all those that keep the same reverberated out of my like the sound

of countless drums. It was when I felt myself being pulled up did time seem to 

return to normal and my senses became more localized. 

As for Oaths of secrecy? Well these should not always be shied away from just because there is elements of secrecy involved as long as the secrecy is healthy. There is nothing wrong with secrecy if it helps protect members identity because not everyone is out as a pagan or spiritual person, if it helps keep certain practices within the circle and outside of the profane because the profane can have extreme reactions to things they do not understand, etc.

Oaths are extremely important and sacred. I hope that all people, the profane and Pagans alike will start to realize this importance and act accordingly. 

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References

Interview: Barbara Moore

I had the great opportunity to interview Barbara Moore over the holidays. 

Go ahead and introduce yourself.

I’m Barbara Moore. Tarot has been part of my life for almost 30 years, and over the past 22 years it has also been my job and main way of earning income. Currently, I am the acquisitions editor for Llewellyn’s tarot line. I am also an author, deck creator, and teacher. I quit reading professionally about 5 years ago in order to devote more time to projects I love, like deck creation. Although I consider myself a Minnesota girl, for the past two years I’ve lived in northern California, tucked away in a valley surrounded by farms and animals.

What is your favorite book?

At my age, is it impossible to a single favorite book? I’ve loved so many. While I value non-fiction (I learn best by reading, so I depend on books), I rarely fall in love with non-fiction books, no matter how grateful I am for them. Oftentimes my favorite is whatever novel I’m currently reading, which right now is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and it is perfectly wonderful! Poetic, creative, complex…all about books and full of symbols as well as a love story between Fate and Time. I’m smitten. Another novel I read a few years and still think about is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. If I had to pick what book affected me most deeply, I would have to pick two books that in my opinion have to be read in sequence. The first is amazing on its own, but with its follow up, it is even more astonishing. These books are The Sparrow and Children of God by Mary Doria Russell.

For non-fiction, if I had to pick a few favorites, they would be The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers and To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue.

My guilty pleasure reading is the The Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher.

If you practice a spiritual path, what is it? Why were you drawn to it? 

I do not. I am more like a spiritual magpie, kitchen witch, do what works person. I sometimes wish I had a path that I was drawn to…it would be so much easier than making it up as I go along.

Do you have any daily rituals? If so what are they?

My daily rituals change as my needs and interests change. Currently, the only things I do actually every day is pull a tarot card, do 10 – 20 minutes of yoga in the morning, and at night I bless our valley, the land, and all the people and animals on it. I have other things I do on a regular basis or as needed but not necessarily daily.

What first made you interested in tarot? 

In college, I was in an interdisciplinary program and studied history, art history, philosophy, literature, mythology, psychology, math, and science. I loved how I could trace the threads of all these subjects influencing each other as they wove through human history. At a party, someone pulled out a deck of cards, the Rider Waite Smith, and as soon as I held them in my hands, I knew I was holding something special…something that felt like the sum of all human knowledge and a tool that could tell any story that needed telling. Thirty years later and I can verify that my initial instinct was correct. 

What were some of your earliest experiences with tarot like?

Mostly like a self-directed course in tarot, psychology, and mythology. I was obsessed with tarot and Jung. I spent many hours with Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey by Sallie Nichols. My first readings used only the Majors because that is all she covered in her nearly 400-page book. She included one spread and I used it over and over. Eventually I got my sister and a friend interested in tarot, so we studied and did readings together. But there wasn’t an internet at the time, very few books, and not nearly the number of decks we have today. We were very casual about it, sitting at the kitchen table, having drinks, and laying out the cards. I don’t remember us worrying about doing it wrong, the way I see many newcomers to the cards worrying today.

What techniques did you use to learn tarot?

There were two main techniques. One was basically just thinking about tarot…and history, psychology, mythology, literature, art, physics…and finding patterns connecting everything. The other usually involved drinking, my friend or my sister, and a deck of cards. Like I said, we just thought about things we were curious about, threw some cards, and saw what we saw.

After about five years of casual study and experimentation, I learned about the American Tarot Association and their mentorship and certification program. I love degrees and certificates (and back then, naïvely, didn’t question whether it was good or bad, right or wrong), and felt like it would both fun and helpful for me to sum up my path to that point. Still not really much of an internet and email wasn’t that common, so it was all done via correspondence…pens, paper, stamps. In fact, the certification required sending in a cassette tape of a live reading! Can you imagine? Makes me feel old. Anyhow, the certification program asked me to provide my keywords and longer interpretations for all the cards, upright and reversed. I worked surrounded by all the books I bought (all that I could find, but as I said not that many), my notebooks, and my cards. Working card-by-card, I’d read the relevant texts in the books, make notes on parts I agreed with or found provocative. Then I’d form all the information into a coherent essay, and then distill that down to a key sentence and some key words. It was time consuming but an excellent way to synthesize my five years of self-study.

What was your first tarot deck?

Although I find it hard to believe today when I look at the deck, it was the Haindl Tarot. When I had it, I was mostly only working with the Majors. After seeing how the Haindl was so unusual and how most books talked about the Rider Waite Smith, that was my next deck, although I loved collecting them, even early in my tarot life. Because decks were not easy to find, seeing ones in stores that I’d never seen before was always a special treat.

What is your favorite tarot deck besides some of your own?

I’ve had many favorites over the years. Some stay favorites for years, some for months…or even less. One of my favorite true loves was the World Spirit Tarot. I liked it so much that I traded with the artist for an original piece of the art (6 of Cups) and in return, I knit her toddler a sweater. I also loved the Nigel Jackson Tarot (and bought a piece of his original art, Temperance). Currently, I’m enchanted by the Dark Mansion, Pagan Otherworlds, and Dreaming Way Tarot. This winter I’m really looking forward to diving into Benebell Wen’s Spirit Keeper’s Tarot.

What card are you most drawn to? Why?

The Hermit. I am a Hermit by nature and like to take time to think about and absorb things in my own time and my own way. I prefer to be alone and like a quiet life without lots of distractions. When tarot came into my life, everything I read about the Hermit card resonated with me. Later, I learned that it is one of birth cards. The Hermit is in my blood. It is like my core card and I can always return to it to find answers and guidance whenever I feel I’m getting off track I also have a tendency to isolate myself, so it is also a good reminder to balance my Hermitness with more social and community activities. 

 

What is your favorite card? Why?

Temperance has been my favorite from the beginning; however, the Star has become very dear to me over this past year. I went through a bad patch of life and the Star was part of what saved me.

Temperance is such a beautiful card. Temperance is more than just equal amounts of things; it is the blending of the perfect amounts of the perfect things. It is grace under pressure. It is doing the right thing at the right time. No matter how the external circumstances change, Temperance can always retain her balance. The Wheel of Fortune has creatures clutching the edges of the Wheel, suffering the vicissitudes of life. I always picture Temperance standing at the center of the Wheel, unaffected and watching all the drama move around her. 

After going through a quintessential “Death” year, it was hard clawing my way out of depression and confusion. When telling a fellow tarot friend about it, she asked, “if you are done with Death, what card would you like next?” I thought about it and concluded that the Star was the medicine that I needed. I made paper stars covered in glitter and hung them all over the house. I read all I could about what other people wrote about the star. I drew pictures inspired by the card. I did yoga poses that opened my heart to the Star and her gentle healing, grace, and guidance. The Star was a life preserver and helped keep me afloat until I was strong enough to bring in another card. Now I have a practice where I pick a card to be my specific guide through a particular phase in my life (this is not based on time but on need…so not like “every season” based on the calendar but based on what I’m experiencing in my life). My current card is the Empress. I’m finding that with the Empress right now, she is also bringing in the Minor threes.

Can you introduce the various tarot decks you have worked on?

I can, but it’s a pretty long list, since I’ve worked on many. Some I completely designed, including directing the artist and some I just wrote the little booklet for…and everything in between.

These are the decks and books that I consider the most “mine,” meaning that they were mainly my idea and execution:

• Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot

• Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot

• Tarot for Beginners

• Modern Guide to Energy Clearing

• Steampunk Tarot

• Tarot in Wonderland

• Tarot Spreads

• Wizards Tarot

Here is a more complete list, but doesn’t include quite everything (because no one wants that much detail!):

• Barbieri Tarot

• Barbieri Zodiac Oracle

• Book of Shadows Tarot, volumes 1 and 2

• Cats Inspirational Oracle

• Color Your Tarot

• Earth Wisdom Oracle

• Enchanted Oracle

• Epic Tarot

• Gilded Tarot

• Green Oracle

• Llewellyn’s Tarot Calendar 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

• Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot

• Llewellyn’s Little Book of Tarot

• Modern Guide to Energy Clearing

• Mystic Dreamer Tarot

• Mystic Faerie Tarot

• Mystical Manga Tarot

• Pagan Cats Tarot

• Pagan Magical Kit

• Primordial Tarot (forthcoming)

• Shadowscapes Tarot

• Silver Witchcraft Tarot

• Steampunk Tarot

• Sweet Twilight Tarot

• Tarot of the Dream Enchantress

• Tarot for Beginners

• Tarot in Wonderland

• Tarot Made Easy

• Tarot of the Hidden Realm

• Tarot Spreads

• Vampires Tarot of the Eternal Night

• What Tarot Can Do For You

• Witch Crystals

• Wizards Tarot (forthcoming)

• Your Tarot Your Way

What is your favorite tarot project you have worked on? Why?

The Steampunk Tarot. It was the first project that I felt like came almost entirely from me. The artist, Aly Fell, of course brought so much (and even helped with some cards where my descriptions didn’t work) to the project, but the concept and card descriptions were mine. Not only that, but Aly brought them to life so beautifully. Finally, the book…it was my favorite to write. I got to be completely myself in a way I’ve not done with projects that are either more collaborative or that are just books to go with an already made deck. It was fun to write and when I go back and reread it, I still love it. I’m also the proudest of it because not only is a good expression from my heart but also because as a tarot deck it works! I’ve heard from so many people (and experienced it myself) that these cards are just bursting with stories and are quite easy to read as well as being beautiful (assuming you like steampunk style).

What has your creative and published the process been like?

“Varied” is the best word. While there are some similarities between projects, each one is also very unique. “Fortunate” and “blessed” are also good words because I feel so very lucky to have the many opportunities that came my way. Sometimes the ideas come from me alone, oftentimes my publisher has an idea and asks me to explore it. Sometimes it is more like a work for hire, where I’m hired to be the voice of a deck that is already created. All are fun in their own ways.

Has there been any frustrations along the way from various concepts to production? If so, what have they been?

To be honest, there haven’t been that many frustrations. Probably the most frustrating project was the Book of Shadows. This was a long time ago and before Lo Scarabeo had a good understanding that witchcraft, Wicca, paganism, and magic are things people take very seriously and, in some cases, such as with Wicca, it is their religion, and these topics have to be taken seriously. There was also a language barrier. I wrote it in English, then someone translated the text to Italian. In these cases, there is no back and forth with the artist, so if they got my vision wrong, there was nothing to be done. The first round of images for this project were too sexy and objectified and I insisted that new images be made. It was a hard stance, but necessary. In the end, it all worked out really well. So even my most frustrating experience wasn’t that bad in the end.

How would you recommend one of your decks to someone?

I try to find out what their interests are, what they are drawn to in terms of art, and what their previous tarot experience has been. There is no (in my opinion) one deck fits all. For beginners, I normally suggest an easy to read RWS clone, so ones like Llewellyn’s Classic, Mystical Manga, or Steampunk. To be honest, if someone asks for a deck recommendation, I don’t necessarily stick to just my works. I admire so many decks and will suggest them, if I feel they’d be the best fit for the person asking. 

What advice would you give for choosing a deck?

If they are complete beginners, I’d suggest a RWS clone in an art style they like. If they have more experience, then I’d ask which type of decks/systems they prefer, such as RWS, Marseilles, Thoth, or something completely different. If they are more interested in intuitive work, then something like the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, which isn’t for everyone, but for those who click with it, it seems perfect.

What advice would you give for learning the art of tarot?

That depends on the student. People learn differently. Some do best if they just jump in and start reading the images. Some like to read and study on their own. Some prefer a teacher or structured program. So I would say, take whatever approach you take to learning any new skill and do the same with tarot. Regardless of the style of learning, practice is just as important. Reading books and studying will only get you so far. Practice as much as possible to integrate what you learn. And don’t limit yourself to learning tarot. Your tarot readings are influenced by every part of your life, everything you read or listen to, just like any other art. Fill your well with not just tarot but as much wisdom from as many sources as you can.

Do you have any rituals you follow when you do a reading? If so, do these rituals differ from when you read for someone and when you read for yourself? 

When I read for others, I keep things simple. My rituals are silent and not observable by the client (silent prayer to start, shuffling three times, offering thanks when finished). When I read for myself I either just throw the cards on the table (least effective!) or make a full-blown ritual (cast a circle, call in specific guides). I think in reading for myself, I get more out of the reading when I make it special.

Because my life has been challenging over the past three years, I’ve rarely read for others. If I’m not in a good place, if my well isn’t full, I have nothing to offer others. So I’ve refrained. As my life gets more stable and I think about reading for others again, I am contemplating the need for more ritual in a way that is visible to and includes the client. I wonder if the attempts over the past 30 years to make tarot more normalized (and more mainstream) has taken something from the experience of consulting the cards. I wonder if people wouldn’t welcome (and indeed, need) more ritual in their lives. Maybe consulting the cards should have a sense of mystery and wonder to it. 

Do you have anything else to add?

Only to thank you for the opportunity! Who doesn’t love to talk about themselves? I got to talk about myself and about talk so much. It’s been fun and hopefully will be interesting to your readers. 

Four Powers of the Sphinx

"What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?"

Eliphas Levi put forth the Four Powers of the Sphinx and these powers were deeply related to the Magi of old. These powers became the baseline traits for anyone working magic and in the realm of the spiritual to gain wisdom. In Levi's own words he writes:

“To attain the SANCTUM REGNUM, in other words, the knowledge and power of the Magi, there are four indispensable conditions an intelligence illuminated by study, an intrepidity which nothing can check, a will which cannot be broken, and a prudence which nothing can corrupt and nothing intoxicate. TO KNOW, TO DARE, TO WILL, TO KEEP SILENCE such are the four words of the Magus, inscribed upon the four symbolical forms of the sphinx.” 

To Levi, the Magi were carriers of wisdom and magical traditions and to be a magician one needed to aspire to be like the Magi because Levi also stated," magic is the traditional science of the secrets of nature which has been transmitted to us from the magi.” 

So, in translation for one to be proficient in their craft they need to know what they are doing and theory behind it, they need to be fearless on that study, possess exceptional stamina and a strong inner strength, and to understand when to keep silent about their practices in addition to idle talk. Even though Levi brought these into modern light the wisdom of the Four Powers can be found in much older Hermetics and other mystery schools. These Four Powers also have elemental correlations:

• TO KNOW - Air
• TO DARE - Water
• TO WILL - Fire
• TO KEEP SILENT - Earth

The Four Powers of the Sphinx made it into ceremonial magical traditions (such as the Golden Dawn) and countless other craft traditions around 1950. Around that time it became known as the Witches' Pyramid (it is almost exclusively known by this today). 

During the same time period Aliester Crowly also incorporated this into his Thelema and added a 5th power known as TO GO, which correlates to the element of Spirit. TO GO means that we must put our souls into our work and apply the other Powers to our every day life. This would in turn help us to create a balanced life both materially and spiritually. This addition is considered optional by many people and some traditions use it while others don't.

As stated before that this Witches' Pyramid has been incorporated into countless traditions and been written about in countless books. Though, some of the more notable appearances are in Paul Husan's Mastering Witchcraft, Lady Sheba's Book of Shadows, and Christopher Orapello's Besom, Stang, and Sword. 

Even though this is commonly used for magical practices, I think the Witches' Pyramid is a pillar that should be used and put into practice with any spiritual path regardless of that paths use or views on magic. 

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