TAROT II{TERPRETATIOI{

LessonTwo

The Tarot Keys fbr this lessonare the Fligh Priestess,the Hermit and the Tower. Begin by
reviewing the six lessonsin Tarot Fundamentalsdealingwith thesethree Keys.

Then readthis lesson,to get the generalidea of the secondstepin spiritual unfoldment. After
this readingcomesthe nrostimportantpart of vour work. The Lifb-powerhasa special
messagefor you and you must make your mind receptiveto this instructionlrom the One
'feacher
within. Becauseyou cannotexpectto do this in a day, you shouldmake goocluseof
yoru occult diary. Take a little time every day to listen to the lnner Voice and make note of
evcryirnpression you receive.

Sct apart a f-ewnrinutesevery clayfor this. It makeslittle differencewhat time you select,so
long as it is not too soonaftera meal. Choosea time you cankeepdaily, without being
disturbed.

Take two or tluee good, deepbreaths.Then forrnulatea questionrvhich concernsthe stageol'

unfbicimentyou are studying. Bxpectto recervean answer. Srt quretand iisten.

You may seemactuallyto heara voice. Or the answermay seemto rise in your mind as a
thought. Possiblya symbolic vision may come. Whateverthe form takenby the answer,after
a I'ewtrials it will come during this time of quiet listening.

Write it down. If you hearwhat seemsto be an innervoice,recordits message.If you seea

v i s i o n , c l e s c r i b e i t a c c u r a t el fliyd.e a s r i s e t o t h e s u r f a c e o f y o u r c o n s c i o u s n c ' s s , s e t t h e m
dou,n. At first the responsemay be indefinite. Perhapstheremay be only sorneslight stirring
of your emotions,somesort of feelingabor:tthe questionyou haveput. If so,describethe
feeling. Different temperamentsreactto this practicein variouswa)'s.

Be surethe writing follows meditationanclthat it sirnply recordsthe responsewhich comes

from within after you asl<a deflnite question. This is not automatiowriting. You are not to sit
passive,waiting for anythingthat may occrr to yon. You make yourself receptiveto a
particularkind of infbrmation.

You know the omniscientLife-power understandsevery detail of the subiectabontwhich you

have inquired and is thereforeableto answeryour qnestion. Your part is to provide
corrditionssLritablelor bringing the answerinto the field of self-consciousawareness.
7 . . 1 ] I O 1 I' N T E R P R I i ] ' A T I O N :

Tr,vomonths liom now, read over whatever has come to you within the next few days alter
you study this lesson. Then study the High Priestess,the Hermit and the Tower once more.
You will discoverthings you do not seenow, and you will be ableto add to your notes. By
that time you may fbel tliat somepafts of yotr first notesneedmodification or recasting. lt is
inevitable,as you ripen in consciousness, that you shouldfind bettcr and clearerways to
expressthe trrith which is within you.

Thtts, ther'ewill never come a time when you cannotimprove your work somewhere,nor a
time when you will know all thereis to know. Never will you be deniedthe.joy of making
fi'eshdiscoveries,the happinessof finding new beautiesin this wisdom teaching. The riper
you become,the more will you know and the betterwill you be able to expresswhat you
know.

Yet you shonldnot begin your work with any tinge of feeling that thesefirst stepsare not
important. Wrat you get now, just as it cornes,is u,hatis bestfor your presentstageof
clevelopment.

The sccondstageof spiritual unfoldmenthas for its activeprinciple the phaseof universal
consciousnessrepresentedbi' the High Priestess.This we have identified with what is
variouslylabelledby modernpsychologyas subconscious, subliminal, or subjectivemind.

It lrasbeencalled also transliminal consciousness,and thereis much in favor of this term.

'I'ransliminal
means"acrossthe threshold"and in somerespectsthis seemsto be a more
accuratedescriptior-rof the consciousness
syrnbolrzeclby the High Priestess.

lior ouc thing. it conveysuo itnpt'ession

of infbriority,',
as do the rvordssubconsciousand
sulrlinrinal. This mode of consciousness is what Flinduphilosophy callsPrukriti. The u'ise
men of tlre Liastsay thatPrakrili (subconsciousness) andPurusltc (self-consciousness)are
coequaland coeternal.

Through tlansliminal consciousness we can readthe recordsof pastexpressionsof the

Lif'e-porver.Psychologistshave found that subconsciousness hasperfectmemory. Nothing
you ever experiencedhas beenforgotten. Many yearsago, experimentsconductedin France
by ColonelDe Rochas,succeecled in tappingsubconscious memoriesof previous
incarnations.Unclerhypnosis,recollectionhas beencarriedback to birth, and then, told to go
back larther still, the subjecthasrelatedexperiencesof a personwho Iived severalgenerations
earlier and the accountsso given liave beenverified by ancientrecorcls.

Objectionhas beenmaclethat the result of suchexpedmentsis taintedby the operator's

sr:ggesticxr, and that consequentlythele is no proof that the subiectrecallshis own former
existence. Yet the investigatorshave floundold archivesin churchesand town-halls,showing
that at the time mentionedby the subject,personshaving the nameshe gives did actually live
and that at the sametime eventsoccurredsuchas he remembers.Even iI'we concedethat the

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 1",1R O T I N 7' Ii It P It E',t"t',t' I o N ;

sub.lectmay not be readinga recordof his own personalexperience,the fact remainsthat

through his subconsciousmind he hasaccessto somedeepreservoirof memory.

Certainly we all carry with us a perfectrecordof whateverwe have experiencedin this

incarnation. And one may leam whateverhe needsto knorv concerningpreviousphysical
expressionsof the particulartendenciesof the Life-power rvhich are now unfblding through
his personality.

We oft'erno argumentfor the doctrineof reincarnation.Argument settlesnothing whatever.

Ob.jectionscome from personsrvho are wanting in a certainkind of'experience.We choose
words carefully when we say we hnow that the particularcomplex of activitiesnow projected
through the personalityof the writer of theseiessonsis a continuationof activitieswhich, at
otlrer times and places,rvereprojectedinto pliysical existenceas other persons,whose lives
were occupiedwith circumstancesand responsibilitiesquite different.

We say we know, becausewe rememberthoseotherpersons,with as vivid a recollectionof

emotionaland intellectualexperienceas that which enablesLrsto identify this present"Paul
FosterCase" with a youngsterof ten, whosereputationfor deviltry was emphasizedby his
fetther'sprominencein the affairs of the local Congregationalchnrch. Paul Caseremembers
being that boy. In exactlythe sameway, he also remembersbeing a Rabbi who wrote a
Qabalisticcotnntentaryon Genesis.For him, one memoryis just as valid as the other.

The scroll of the High Priestesssymbolizesthis cosmicmemory,to which we all have access.
I(eep in mind the fact that the two aspectsof the personalexpressionof the Lifb-power
(Purushaand Prakriti, self'-conscious and subconscions,Magician and High Priestess)are
coexistent. The Life+ower is both. It is the superconscious nnitv of which thesetwo arethe
poles.

Whereverthe Life-power is presentthe two poles areplesentand they are presentin their
entirety. What seetnto us to be personalmanif-estations
of self-consciousnessor of
subconsciollsnessarereally expressionsof the Lif-e-powerin self-consciousor subconscions
modes.

Logical necessitiesof the processwherebythe Life-power manifestsitself, result in the

illusion of personalseparateness;
br-rtwhen reasonhastakenus this far, we may go on to make
experimentsrvhich fi'eeus foreverfrom the delusionsresultingfrom uncritical acceptanceof
the illusion. We have continuallyto reminclourselvesthat we arenot really separatebeings,
until we establishsubconsciousrecognitionof our essentialunity with the Life-porver.

Carelul observationof nature,using the ob.iectiveconcentrationrepresentedby I(ey I , will

ettableus to discoverthe essentialunity of Being behindthe veils of manifold appearanse.
This discoveryhasto be transferredfrom self--consciousness to subconsciousness. We make
the discoveryby watching closelywhat occursin the plane of existencewe perceiveby means

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ol'our senses.Frorn this planewe get facts,whicli we use in the processof inductive
reasoning.

At this point in our r,rnfbldment we do not experiencethe unity of Being as we shall know it
when we becorneriper. We perceiveit intellectuallyas a premiseor hypothesis.This we turn
over to subconscioLlsness. [t is the seedthe Magician plantsin his garden.

In consideringthe tirst stageof unfoldmentwe saw that subconsciousness is always amenable

to suggestionand that it controlsall vital functions. It is the mistressof the body-building
process. lt determinescell-structure,When subconsciousness is impressedwith the idea of
the r"rnityof Being, every cell of the trillions in the body is modified by that impression. The
suggestionacceptedby subconsciousness tingesthe consciollsness ofall the cells.

From the moment self-consciousness impressessubconsciousness with the premiseof

non-separateness, the mental stateof the whole cell community beginsto be changed. Some
of the cells do not adaptthemselveseasilyto the new conceptionof personality. They die,
and are elinrinatedlrom the body. Their placesare takenby new cells, new "wine-sldns" to
hold the "wine" of the new idea.

'fhLrs
a graduralchangein body structureis effected.until a moment arriveswhen thereis a
sulficientnumberof new cellsto rnakepossiblea flashof personalrealizationof the truth.

Weci<sand months,perhapsyearsmay passwhile theseimperceptiblechangesin cell

structurearebeingaccomplished.The personin r,r'hose body thesechangesoccurhasno
inkling of what goeson; but ail at oncecomesa flashof directperceptionwhich seemsto
upsethis whole houseof 1ife. Tliis sudden,catastrophicglin-rpse
of reality is picturedby
I(ey 16.

Sottretitnes this vivid experience ternporarilyparalyzesone or more of the person'sfaculties.

One may be struck dumb by it. Another, lihe St. Paul, may go blind. Even when the physical
eff'ectsare not so marked,thereis a forcible tearingapartof the structureof personal
cousciousness, so that he who is passingthroughthis experiencernay Ibar for his sanity.
Sr-rdden as it is, tl-risexperienceis the cuhninationo1'anorderly seriesof mental and physical
changes,.iustas a thunderstormis the culn'iinationof a gradualaccumulationof electrical
energy. It doesnot come until one is preparedto standthe shock.

It destroysfbreverthe delusionof separateness, just as a lightning flash gives a traveler a

momentarybut clear picture of the road he is on and destroyswhateverfalse notionshe may
have fbrmed of it while stumblingalong in the dark. The darknessmay closein againand as
time passcs,soille detailsof the vision may grow dirn; but the f'lashof realizationcannotbe
fbrgottenand the memory of it will spur the traveler. It will give him courageto pursuehis
iournevto its encl.

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 t' I R O I', I N T' E I1 I' ].t L 7' A 7' I 0 At

Thereforeis the path assignedto the letterPeh calledthe "Exciting Intelligence"and it joins
Victory to Splendoron the Tree of Life. This experienceis at once arcalizattonthat the I
AM, by reasonof its own nature,is evennow the conquerorof every limitation and it is also a
flaslrof intuition which gives one a glirnpseof the dazzhnggloryof the perl'ectexpressionof
the I-imitless Light.

The flash of realizationis a momentarysharingof the Lif-e-power'sperfect Self-Ifuowleclge.

It seemsto contradicteverythingin previousexperiencebecauseall previousexperiencehas
beencoloredby the senseof separateness. The consciousness o1'theLife-power finds
expressionin the words,"I am the Lord, andthereis noneelse."

Prior to havingthis experience,

the humanconsciousness is, "I am a poor morlal, surrounded
by millions of othermortalswho are actualor potentialenemiesand by naturalconditions
evenmore inimical." Suddenlyto realizethat all this is a lie, suddenlyto seethat one is
immortal,suddenlyto perceivethat all otherhumanbeingsand all conditionsof personal
experienceare working togetherto bring aboutthe perfectmanifestationof a cosmic plan
which in essenceis the outworking of the inmost reality of one's being-tliis is a reversalof
personaland raceconsciousness so radical,that fbr a time, it overwhelmsus.

This experienceis not an acquisition. Neither is it a miracle. Becauseyou are a centerof

expressionfor the self-conscious aspectof the l-if-e-power's activity,a time anives in the
evolutton of this consciousnessthroughyour personaiitywhen the premiseof the unity of
Being is formulatedin your conscionsmind. This premisethenbecomesthe startingpoint for
a seriesof subconsciottsoperationsthat build into your body new cellswhich areableto give
expressionto the Lifelou'er' s self-linowledge.

Tlre flash of inspirationtherefbre,is a participationin the Life*power's perfect,all-embracing

lecollection of itself. For a nromentone rememberswho and wlrat he reallv is.

Thus the lightning flash of I(ey l6 may be understoodto be a ray of light from the Hermit's
lantern. When the experiencecornes,it seemsthat we have seensomethingnew. The light
seemsto cornefrom aboveand from afar. In truth, the Light-beareris closeat hand,herewith
Lrsrlow and always-"closer than handsor feet."

We have ernphasizedthe physiologicalchangeswhich precedethis realization,yet orrly a very

carelessreaderwill jump to the conclusionthat we aretrying to persuadeyou that this sudden
illumination is nothing more than a physicalphenomenon.To think so would be a grave
error. We considerit bestto makethe natureof the processas clearas possible,so that you
may seeit as an orderly manifestationof cosmic law and not as a miracle.

Tlie physiologicalexplanationof tliis stageof spilitual unlblclmentmay be carriedmuch

farther, sincethe occult meaningsof the letter Yocl correspondingto I(ey 9 provide some
importantclues. Yet certainconsiclerations we neeclnot now cliscnss makeit seembestto

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limit ourselvesto giving a f'ewhints. They who are readywill be able to follow theseclues to
their logicalconclusions.

Iiirst of all, consideltlre astrologicalattributionof the letter Yod. Note the sign of the zodtac
and the part of the hurnanbody ruled by it. Note also the planetaryruler of the sign. Then,
rememberingthat this secondstageof spiritualunfoldmentresultsfrom a changein cell
structureeffectedby subconsciousness, ask yourselfwhat theseastrologicalcorrespondences
lltean.

'fhey
point to a palt of the body where an importantchangeoccurs. They indicatethe power
wliioh initiatesthe transformation.When you have madethis knowledgeyour own (never
forgetting that it is alreadylatent in you), you will be ableto make specialapplicationsof the
law of sr"rggestion, which will acceleratethe transformationsof cell structurewe have
described. We are not being l,villfully mysterious. I{ere is an opporlunity for you to find out
somethinglirr yourself. When you do discoverit, you will understandsomeof the reasonsfor
our reticence.

The principle behindthis is that personaleffbrt is the price we must pay for the discovery of
'l'o
trLrth. teil you the auswerto the problem,insteadof showir-rg you how to find out for
yourself"wor.rldbe a violation of cosrniclaw. You neverreally know it unlessyou find it out
in.iustthis way. Nobody cantell you so that 1,611really comprehendit. Actually,you know
tlte ansr,ver
already. Get it into consciousawarenessand then apply it to hastenyour
unlblclurent.

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