Eleven: The Justice of the Major Arcana

The Justice is established in between stalwart columns.  Does this remind you of any other cards?  The inspection of the card continues.  Her double-edged blade is raised in action which implies action is two-fold: it creates and destroys.  The Justice's scale is balanced and fair.  She sees all.  No one is safe from her prosecution.
Meanings: balance, decisions, lawsuits will be won, the desire for harmony in the mind, and required release of excess burdens.
Reverse: Injustice, imbalance, and harsh judgment of others.

Ten: The Wheel of Foutune of the Major Arcana

The Wheel of Fortune card is abstract because it signifies a metaphysical entity: Fate.  Fate and Destiny have decided to write a few pages in the book of one's life.  It is best to let events unfold naturally and not manipulate matters.  I, myself, believe in Fate and Destiny to a certain degree because humans have free will and choice.  However, I know that friends, lovers, classmates, and strangers purposely enter life to help guide one in life.  As a self-proclaimed empathic person, I receive numerous sensations from strangers that I know will become major characters in the story of my life.  Sometimes dreams will allow me to see future friends.  My friends, Cat W. and Aly G., arrived at the perfect time; when I was set and unconsciously willing for new relationships.  Coincidences are not rare do not always happen. This is when Fate and Destiny lead.
 Now,  I shall return to the card.  The serpent glides down the wheel.  He is the evil Egyptian god named Typhon.  He represents the pure essence of life as it is prepared for manifestation.  Hermes-Anubis symbolizes intelligence ascending over wickedness.  Above, the sphinx regulates chance and choice.  The beings in the corner represent the four elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth.  The elements will be discussed in later chapters.  Meanings: expansion, good luck, success, and creativity.  Reverse: failure in new beginnings, the need for courage, and hindrances.

Nine: The Hermit of the Major Arcana

The Hermit is a the lone figure on the frigid mountain peak. His lantern and Star of Solomon guides others in wisdom and protection.  Yet, they do not approach him because he needs a respite from society.  The Hermit withdraws to gain intelligence of his inner being and his place in the world.  The public respects his decision.  He will return to the people with the truth when all are prepared to learn. Please view http://baheyeldin.com/culture/star-of-david-solomons-seal.html for more information on the Star/Seal of Solomon.
Meanings: receiving wisdom from a powerful source, prudence, discretion, returning to school, and keeping a journal of one's thoughts.
Reverse: immaturity, foolishness, refusal of good advice, sociopathic tendancies and fear of growing up.

Eight: The Strength of the Major Arcana

The young maiden must have strength to control the mouth of the beast.  In classic decks the infinity symbol, which looks like the number eight on its side, hovers above her garland.  This signifies that her courage and fortitude is a gift from above; the spiritual world.  She uses her endowments to conquer the carnal pleasures and obstacles, so they may not rule her life.  She counters them with spiritual endeavors.  She is unafraid of conflict because she is confident in her own power.
Meanings: vitality, good health, strength, patience, confidence, and arrival of a new pet.
Reverse: discord, lack of morals, fear of the unknown in our spirit, abuse of power, and obsession with materials.

Seven: The Chariot of the Major Arcana

The Chariot signifies the proud king.  He returns home after a glorious battle.  He has seized new territories to expand the kingdom.  The sphinxes pull in opposite directions, but the warrior king's command is keen and fierce. The wand of power and his own observance brings control over his destiny.  The world will accept the charioteer because he accepts himself and his duties.
Meanings: triumph, success, gentle control over others, travel, and determination.
Reverse: restlessness, unethical victory, and weakness (sometimes in health).

Six: The Lovers of the Major Arcana

The Lovers card has two pictures.  Older tarot decks will have the card on the left. This scene depicts a man who must choose between his mistress and wife because Cupid has delivered his wondrous curse. Newer decks and specifically Rider brand decks will contain the one on the right which shows Adam and Eve under the angel of air, Raphael.  Both cards contain the same themes.  Clearly, this card will prove that love has entered one's life. It is pure and accentuated by clear communication. If not pertaining to romance, its appearance means that there is a choice to be made.
Meanings: choice, temptation, love, harmony, and teamwork.
Reverse: arguments, possible broken marriage, and a wrong choice could be made.

Five: The Hierophant of the Major Arcana

In ancient Greece, a hierophant interpreted the secret mysteries given by the gods.  The Hierophant rests between two pillars like the High Priestess.  The Hierophant's pillars; however, represent the Tree of Life from the Kabalah.  One is mercy. The other pillar is severity.  Some Tarot readers believe they represent freedom and obedience.  In any case, the pillars are opposite and symbolize duality.  Moreover, the united priests that kneel before him exhibit desire (red roses) and thought (white lilies).  These flowers also appear in the Magician card.  Overall, the Hierophant guides the entire community in spiritual endeavors. Meanings: religious ceremony, marriage, partnership, large institutions, governments, and social assimilation.  Reverse: unconventional thought, inventiveness, and foolish acceptance of superstitions.
Visit  www.kabbalah.com  for more information about the Kabalah.

Four: The Emperor of the Major Arcana

The Emperor is an assertive man with gray or white hair.  He is the father counterpart to the Empress. However, his age can trick and fool those who are gullible .  He is much stronger than he appears.  His stable throne is flanked by powerful rams.  He, himself, holds the ankh which is the symbol of life in Egyptian hieroglyphics.  The ankh gives him the energy to begin new projects.  The Emperor is unyielding.  His determination can dominate the globe.
Meanings: Leadership, domination, aggression, strength, authority, and paternity
Reverse: Immaturity, childlike emotions, serious injury, and loss of control.

Three: The Empress of the Major Arcana

The Empress is an ageless fair-haired woman.  She is the mother of creative growth.  She lives peacefully in the ebb and flow of novel ideas.  Her loving nature helps her rule the home.  Yet, she is like the Greek goddess Venus: alluring, beautiful, and wealthy.  The Empress calmly controls the material world.
Meanings: harmony, beauty, women, material wealth, marriage, and fertility ( in child-bearing, farming, and creative arts).  Reverse: squandering money, infertility, destruction, stagnation, and psychological instability.

For the Lovely Joshua M. and Those who Think Like Him

My blog will aid novices of the Tarot.  It is designed to simplify the sundry meanings linked to every individual card; there are many meanings and many cards.  If there are questions on a certain card, please leave a comment on that post.  I will cheerfully elaborate and explain in more depth.  Yet, there are goals that I must meet in my time frame.  Therefore, I should continue at my pace and not delay on one card.  Thank you!

P.S. I have added books and websites to help the Tarot reader. They are located under the headings "online" and 'literature."

Two: The High Priestess of the Major Arcana

The High Priestess protects the scroll of wisdom because it is not for all eyes.  She uses the moon to trust in her intuition and psychic ability.  Her balance is perfect between the masculine palms and feminine pomegranates.  She is also in harmony between the light and the dark.  Meanings: intuition, latent power, virtuous, and deeper knowledge.  Reverse: carnal pleasures, ineptness, and accepting concepts at face value.

One: The Magician of the Major Arcana

The Magician is one of my favorite cards.  I clasp him.  I embrace him.  He chants "As Above, So Below."  He grasps the power from the heavens, so that he may create beauty on the Earth.  He controls the Minor Arcana which are the items on the table.  Infinity surrounds his mind and body.  The white color of his robe signifies pure thought.  The red color of his coat represents desire.  He is the master of the universe.  All will bend under his authority.  Meaning: intellect,  organization, creativity, and command.
Reverse: Indecision, weakness, and use of destructive power.

Zero: The Fool of the Major Arcana

The Fool is the explorer.  He has packed his knapsack, and he is determined to learn from the world.  The youth dreams of achievement and expects wonders to appear to him.  However, there are obstacles.  The naivete and carefree attitude threaten his success.  His blind faith almost causes him to fall from a precipice.  Although his resolve is strong, caution is necessary to keep the Fool from ruin.   Meaning: freedom, new adventures, foolishness, optimism, ignorant, and unaffected.
Reverse: Folly, indiscretion, and thoughtless action.

The Major Arcana and Reversed Cards

The performers of the Major Arcana represent the central ideas of a reading.  They silently declare the significant events will soon occur.  The cards are number from zero to twenty-one.  During a reading, sometimes the cards face the reader.  On many occasions a card is upside-down or reversed.  This changes the meaning.  Now, the new principle is the opposite of the old meaning, in most cases.  It is imperative to not change the direction of a card.  It must be interpreted as it arrived.

Awankening the Cards

Zen, bliss, serenity, openness, love, and felicity are a few emotions to embrace while meeting your cards.  The set has been resting and dormant until now.  They are your new friends and you must familiarize yourself with them.  It is time to awaken them with human energy, so prepare to begin. Open the package and pull out them out of the container. It is best to keep the stack face down.  Try to think of each card as a battery that needs to be charged, and slowly flip an individual card. 
What do you see? 

• Is it a man or a woman? 
• Is there more than one person?
• Are there symbols in the picture such as a sword or cup? 
• Do some pictures have symbols that remind you of branches or coins? 
• Is there a battle or celebration?

What do you feel?

• Does the picture make you sad, angry, happy, afraid, etc?
• Do you sense a burdensome episode or a long-awaited relief?

Do some cards entice you more than the others?

• If they do, remember their names for when you study the meanings.

As you view the cards, please keep questions similar to these queries on the forefront.  Meditation will become a major factor when sharpening your psychic awareness. This process is unique for everyone.  I advocate soothing music by Imogen Heap www.playlist.com/searchbeta/tracks#imogen%20heap/all/1.  Candles create an enchanted atmosphere, also.  The style will depend on your comfort.  It is best to do what feels natural, and to never force a practice.  Uncertainty and anxiety will taint the cogitation.  Thus, it will make it difficult to become a superior tarot reader.

So I Bought my Cards....Am I Ready for Predictions?

Sadly, one is not prepared after the deck has been purchased.  Also, it is important to note that the deck needs to be given to the new mystic.  It must be a gift!  Consider if it was a present, please.  Did you borrow the money?  Was the packaged wrapped in shiny paper or tied with a floppy bow?  Did your friend pass to you a bag from the New Age shop with the receipt still encircling the stack?  All of these ways are acceptable.  If you purchased the cards with your own money, then it is not a set of purity.  Tarot must be a gift because it is tradition to receive the opportunity of knowledge from someone else.  To alleviate the issue of stunted cards, return them to wherever they had been acquired and ask someone to grant a new deck to you.  Thankfully, this will not alter your empathic abilities so do not worry.

A "Crash Helmet" Introduction and The Learning Process

Frankly, the Tarot is the practice of fortune telling and enlightenment by using a deck of cards.  The 78 cards of the Tarot contain universal themes of humans: love, strife, money, etc.  Moreover, those 78 cards are unevenly divided into the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.  The Major Arcana issues the main ideas of the reading.  Thus, the Minor Arcana administers the specific information.  To interpret, one must ask a question and put them in a meaningful layout.  A general theme among the cards should appear after all of them have been turned.  This motif will be the answer to the question.  I will elaborate on the Arcanas and the operation of a reading in later chapters.  I will add a new installment each week.  By the end of my blog, it is possible to become a dynamic Tarot reader or have the metaphysical appetite appeased.  My hope is to create an understandable manual for an intrepid, inquisitive student and a blase wanderer of the internet.

The History

The birthplace of the Tarot has been lost in time as empires were eradicated and generated.  Some speculators proclaim that Christian invasions prompted hierophants of ancient religious sects and pagans to store their secrets with the nomadic gypsies (Eden Gray 6).  They traveled the globe and transmitted the mysterious wisdom to those who the gypsies believed to be worthy (6).  Another possibility is that it became a pictorial language between the scholars from diverse lands in post-Alexandria (7).  Although the origin of the Tarot is unknown, its ability to assistance even into modern day is remarkable.

Bibliography
Gray, Eden. A Complete Guide to the Tarot. New York, Bantam, 1970. Print.

The Genisis

During the summer, I had found myself in a quagmire.  I enjoy productivity, but the newly-gained freedom lured slothfulness.  I had tried to hide from it; however, it stole upon me.  Soon, I spent my afternoons by taking numerous personality quizzes on the internet.  Tarot casually appeared to me in one of these tests.  It promised to convey which card best suited my essence.  I had only known minor details of the wonderful art of Tarot, and I was intrigued.  After ten questions, my result was delivered.  I was the High Priestess.  It stated that she cradles the secrets of the universe in her arms.  The small passage about her made me crave more information, and I began my struggle to become a tarot reader.  Presently, anyone can see the High Priestess in me.  I will be a teacher and guide.

What Does This Title Mean?

Yes, this title is strange; however, I will explain.  "As Above, So Below" has become my mantra, and it is a common expression of the Tarot.  Simply, the phrase means to use what the universe has supplied and produce goodness.  It reaffirms the belief that people can successfully control their lives.  Sometimes humans forget the beautiful power enveloped within.  Emotions such as helplessness, fear, and numbness can pierce the soul.  They destroy the power: peace and optimism.  Yet, meditation coupled with the Tarot has allowed me to reconnect with my spirit and the external factors of my life.  Furthermore, I can recognize that my job is assist others to become aware of the priorities in their life and expose personal truths.  Tarot is not exclusively used to predict future events. It can also awaken the soul because it brings knowledge form above, so that we may use it in our existence below.