Tarot - Lessons Of Self-Realisation In A Modern World
How Tarot Can Grant Us A Greater And More Enriched Understanding Of Life

by Melanie Tonia Evans

Tarot, like all metaphysical knowledge can help ‘bring us home.’ It prompts the exploration, discovery and understanding of our true selves. Sadly our society-based views and teachings promote all that disconnects us from ourselves. Gladly more and more individuals are turning inwards, seeking spiritual truth and peace within, after seeking and missing the answers from external, conventional avenues. The trick is to emerge from the womb of self-discovery and connect our truths in the metaphysical / physical worlds. Tarot, and the ancient, spiritual knowledge of our forbearers, assists by making this possible.

This information is in regard to a trip through some of the archetypes of the Major Arcana with the major distinction between the lessons taught by our society and the massive change of thinking necessary to create a new and better world. One where we can continue and live as highly evolved beings. Without this massive shift of consciousness we as Mankind are looking ‘down the barrel’ of physical extinction. This extinction is not as religion would have it, ‘The act of a vengeful God, in response to our sins.’ It is all of our own doing, and we will destroy ourselves. Unless self-realisation and responsibility occurs as a race we are powerless to change the circumstances. Universal knowledge obtained through the ancient wisdom of Tarot can give us some answers to our environment, and ourselves and make us Masters of Destiny rather than Victims of Fate.

LESSON ONE: WE CAN HONOUR ONE’S OWN CALL

The Fool portrays the instinctive side of us that has an impulse and an urge to take a risk. This call is the language of our soul. What serves us best is to live through experience, to embrace life and to “shine”. The Fool reminds us of phrases such as “Work like you don’t need the money, love like you have never been hurt and dance like there’s no-one looking.”

Self-realisation provokes us to internalise one’s answers, to know one’s own truth. We have been taught self-imposed burdens and judge ourselves harshly. “What will other’s think?” “This idea doesn’t meet convention, material security, or the approval of my peers.” Tarot and the lesson of the Fool help us discover recognition of our sixth sense, and grant us permission to respond to the call of our soul. Until we have learnt this lesson, we conduct our lives within self-imposed limitations, and will wonder at the end of life, what we have missed and why the world seems so empty. From this disappointment, a myriad of dysfunctions in our modern society emerge. This disconnection from ourselves lead to poor substitutes to fill the gap of what our soul really yearns for, which is to be acknowledged and honoured.

The language of our soul is openness, freedom and the willingness to take risks. If there is openness with others, and ourselves freedom develops all by itself. The essence of The Fool is the ability to leave behind all the norms, obligations and criteria set by those that aren’t us. To be willing to take risks frees us from fear and any small or limiting thought that we may ever have had about ourselves. It makes us unique.

Embracing The Fool brings the knowing that what is happening is exactly what is needed for our inner growth and personal development.

LESSON TWO: WE ARE POWERFUL CREATORS

The Magician teaches us that we all have the tools to achieve, as well as a direct link to Universal knowledge to initiate and manifest all that we require in our lives. The Magician grants us the opportunity to blend our spiritual clarity with our earthly passions.

Societies teaching authorities have not taught us the Laws of Energy and Manifestation. Little emphasis is put on the creative power of thoughts, the spoken word and actions. If this wisdom had been imparted people would not be walking around saying “I can’t do it” (when they really want to find a way….), “All men are horrible” (when they really want to meet a nice guy) and “Life is the pits,” (when they really want to be happy.)

Society has only touched on our internal power, but even then has placed enormous emphasis on external power. Our answers, healing and fortune, good or bad has been directed outside of ourselves. Religion and our conditioning have done everything to suppress us and tell us that we are sinners and therefore ‘no good.’ Little has been expressed about our powerful inner resources; our creative abilities and untapped manifestation skills.

Medically we rely on medication that causes immense damage to our immune system, when we have the power to heal ourselves. Simply because our conditioning has taught us this. In times of emotional stress we consult a therapist rather than consulting the ‘God Within,’ or worse still we dull the senses with medication to mask the pain that we feel. The very pain that is calling us towards realisation. All because society tells us to.

Embracing The Magician brings the knowing that we are powerful creators that have every element within us to manifest love, health and abundance.

LESSON THREE: WE ALL POSSESS A SIXTH SENSE

The High Priestess lets us know that an inner voice operates within each and every one of us. She gives us insight about ‘who we really are’ and allows us to realise a higher order and grand design behind the synchronicities in our life. She grants us awareness of consciously living as soul energy on a physical plane. The Priestess gives us permission to explore and feel an immense inner wealth.

Society has taught us to dismiss this awareness and intuition as coincidence or worse still total nonsense. Our external society defines riches as those objects that are visible physically in our lives. We have not been granted the knowledge to know, understand or access our inner riches. Unfortunately many have dissatisfaction and extreme unhappiness regardless of the amount of physical riches they acquire.



Embracing The High Priestess brings us the knowing that we all possess an inner wisdom and intelligence that gives us the secrets of our real purpose and the pattern of our design. The connection back to The Source releases a wealth of energy, purpose, peace and centeredness.

LESSON FOUR: WE DON’T HAVE TO WIN BY CAUSING OTHERS TO LOSE

The Chariot teaches us to employ our inner resources and determination in order to enter realms of expanded being. The Chariot grants us permission to employ our will for a personal quest. This archetype allows us to explore the balance between strength and aggression, and the harnessing of a competitive, sometimes aggressive nature to achieve a greater result.

Society has taught us ‘might is right’, ‘survival of the fittest’ and ‘dog eat dog.’ Much of our lives are based on worshipping sport where someone has to lose in order for someone to win. Our politicians continually undermine, demean and injure others in order to ‘get on top.’ Countries destroy other countries to gain power.

The Chariot with its connection to cosmic awareness brings the realisation to employ our brute strength for the Collective Good. All of us are One, therefore the Collective Good, is also our Personal Good. In a new world with a new design aggression and strength must be employed for the needs of majority, not the needs of the minority.

Embracing The Chariot brings us the knowing that the powerful forces within are vital, and should be unleashed and expressed at applicable times, for greater collective purpose.

LESSON FIVE: LOVE OVERPOWERS FEAR (AND ALL THAT WE PERCEIVE AS NEGATIVE)

Temperance and Strength are two archetypes that teach us to have a balanced heart, and to display unconditional love to promote co-operation, harmony and better relationships within ourselves and to others. This love washes clean and tames the beast of fear, which resides within all of mankind. This beast when scared pounces and attacks, when really it is crying out for help.

Our society has promoted fear. Fear of not having enough love, money or security, and how to fight to ensure that you may secure it, and how to defend yourself against someone who may wish to take it. Actions by individuals, leaders and countries are sponsored by fear, and create results of aggression, conflict, brutality and war. The frightened beast within rages then attacks and consumes, ultimately losing the very things that it is fighting for – success, security, love and happiness.

These two archetypes remind us how love can dissolve fear. When we choose the action that is love sponsored we realise that we do more than survive, we do more than win and we do more than succeed. In doing so we experience the glory of who we truly are – pure Universal love.

Embracing Temperance and Strength brings us the knowing that love is the greatest power of all.

LESSON SIX: ENDINGS ARE REALLY NEW BEGINNINGS

Death and The Tower bring the awareness of necessary endings to bring new starts that are in line with the will of our souls and The Universe. These archetypes teach us to relinquish what we are clinging to that has outgrown our evolvement, and to accept sudden urgent change that has occurred in regard to beliefs and structures we have created that don’t serve our higher purpose.

Our society belief structures are resistant to change. Because we have been separated from our selves we have lost the wisdom of a perfect order and design. As a result we know no better than to desperately hold onto love, money or security, as well as things that we know consciously don’t serve us, because of the fear that these things may not be replaced immediately or may not ever ‘turn up’ again. As a result we hang on despite decay and disintegration right before our eyes, and regardless of the pain and suffering it creates for ourselves. And we mourn and grieve any ‘terrible loss’ that has occurred suddenly in our lives.

These two archetypes give us the gift of foresight to recognise that the ‘things’ that come to an end in our life, are cleared away to make space for what is real and necessary in our lives. These lessons give us the strength to march forward, without looking back in order to happily embrace all the gifts that life will grant. We then begin to understand that it is impossible to truly live, until we overcome the fear of death (endings / new beginnings.)

Embracing Death and The Tower brings us the knowing that within every ending we are presented transcendence to a new and wondrous life.

In Summary

These are only some of the messages of self-realisation of the Tarot, which can cause us to re-member who we are. Each archetype of the Tarot gives us internal insight, wisdom and direction that brings self-realisation, and application to living as sentient beings of life. We can begin to take responsibility for our being, and all other sentient beings - because we are all one. Tarot applies the messages. There are many reasons why now more than ever esoteric awareness creating self-realisation is so necessary.

Our planet is in perilous times where one species is destroying entire planet ecosystems, because the needs of most species have been subordinated for the needs and desires of only one. The needs of the majority of this one species have been subordinated for the needs of the minority of the species. The fuel fanning the fire for the minorities needs is ‘fear.’ The species, called “human” is fighting, raging, murdering and pillaging each other, and ultimately itself.

Tarot can help to heal individuals, and create a ripple effect of awareness that can assist humanity. It is a connection to Universal wisdom and The Source within all of us. As deliverers of The Message, and Healers we can look forward with excitement to a new world, by lifting the veil on our consciousness and that of others.

Like the single twinkling Star in the night, and The Star of the Tarot, somewhere deep inside us there is a glimmer of hope – a hope that against all the terrible odds - things can work out. The Star continues to send out light, dim and flickering but light nevertheless. As we receive the light from The Star, just like it, we can send out light to others without doing anything incredibly special. Others receive the light in order to glow in the radiance of hope, meaning and faith for a new and better humanity.

Copyright © 2004 Melanie Tonia Evans. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

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