Sunday 20 May 2007

Mysticism, Art, and Tarot: Reflections on the Sanctuary of the Soul

Rudolph Steiner, a mystic and an educator in the early 1900's spoke of the increasing need for art in culture. In his view, art and visual beauty stimulate "picture consciousness" within an individual.


A skillful artist has the ability to unlock mysteries and imagination previously dormant within the human psyche, as well as to assist us in drawing upon the spiritual forces and angelic realms which overlight human intelligence and creativity.

Whether the form of expression is painting, drawing, mosaic, stained glass, or some other medium, the opportunity always exists to see within a work of art the freedom and individuality of the artist.

Art and visual beauty stimulate the moist and fertile places within the human soul.

Colour is a symphony heard throughout the rainbow spectrum, and, likewise, the truest expression of the human soul is a rainbow body.

Ultimately, the soul is nothing other than a translucent, multi-colored field of pure consciousness, shimmering with feeling. The more conscious we become, the more brilliant and fluid is the colors of our auric rainbow.

We need a full-color spectrum of possibilities in order to open the heart and stimulate joy and inspiration as we transmute through life's many challenges.

The universal archetypes of the tarot -- the fool, the wizard, the priestess, the king -- are common picture archetypes living within the soul of humanity.

For centuries, the tarot has served as a medium of art, inspiration, and wisdom. Its roots are deeply embedded within the alchemical mysteries of nature.

The four suits of the tarot represent the four elements of air, fire, earth, and water. The twenty-two Major Arcana cards have been painted over and over again, each artist seeking to translate the pictures of the Soul.

A tarot card serves as a mini universe, mirroring the inner world of each individual seeking guidance from this multi-dimensional panorama of visual wisdom.

Just as art reflects the mood of cultural shifts, each tarot deck is designed and interpreted to reflect the aesthetic and bias of its respective artists and values.

The union of art, inspiration, and wisdom is what distinguishes the tarot as a medium of esoteric genius.

Antero Alli, a noted astrologer and esoteric teacher, writes: "Like art and also like philosophy, a tarot system is a reflection of an epoch, an era in human history."

The tarot acts on the soul. Through imagination, art, and wisdom, the tarot brings us closer to our own psychic dialect.

As one meets the demands of the twenty-first century, they may discover a void, or hollow place within.

This empty feeling of alienation or loneliness may trigger the need to reclaim the virtues of intuition and mysticism, both the cores of invention and imagination.

Without these aspects of human artistry and beauty, the continuum of evolution may be thwarted and the genius of the human soul undermined and damaged.

My work as an astrologer and tarot consultant is inspired by a need to look beyond the framework of this culture, and extract the wisdom or genius of each individual I meet.

The mind is full of pictures guided by the forces of inner and outer experiences.

Awakening subconscious stories and memories heals the spirit and brings greater meaning to everyday existence.

The images of the tarot are living aspects of initiation and growth depicted by frozen frames of imagination and wisdom.

It is our task to expand the lens of each picture so we may explore this life's adventure. From this vantage point, we live the story of our soul and joyfully unfold the mastery of our destiny.

Perhaps the Fool is the wild card that governs your inner world. The Fool, ruled by the planet Uranus, has a ruthless desire to awaken and invoke risk and change. The fool can shock, entertain, tease, and is as unpredictable as shifting tides.

Has someone new and eccentric entered your life? Are you considering a big change in life that requires a major leap of faith? Do you suddenly feel as though you are lost in the woods, not knowing where to turn?

Archetypes appear in the media through the people who we watch in politics, sports, the movies, and glamour magazines.

Through color, style, music, and art we connect ourselves to the "movie screen of life," and earnestly play out the role that fits our inner world best.

The most difficult task rests in our ability to maintain an individual stance within the "hall of mirrors" of life, and, reap the abundance of a colorful, wise, and imaginative life.

Pay attention to the pictures and images that greet you and capture your attention each day. Watch for signs and omens, especially signals that grab at your imagination or stop you in your tracks. Be cognoscente of the people that fascinate, mesmerize, or repel you.

How do they reflect your inner world?

Archetypes, represented by tarot or any other cultural medium, color one's life through dreams, every day experiences, and through the people one meets each day.

Observe those who personify these archetypal qualities, and, while doing so, seek to understand the way they reveal the art and wisdom of universal truths.

1 comments:

patti said...

All this Tarot stuff is so interesting. I will take more notice of things/people going on around me now. Amazing pic.