The path of the Tarot reproduces every step of the warrior’s life. Here picks up the thread already drawn with the arcana VII The Chariot with the new breath of arcana VIII Justice.
In the next step, you become the arcana VIII – Justice. With the sword, you cut through, i.e. you decide. With the scale, you weigh the advantages and inconveniences. Same weight: undecision. If you do not know what you want, you know what you do not want. Denial of guardianship of parents, teachers, elder ones. You kick over the traces with the virtuous feeling for being always right. Pain received and given. The crown, again, encircled your head, symbolizing your ego, the crown is heavier than ever. This crown will be crowning us up to the arcana XVI – The Tower. There is still a long way before.
The way passes through the arcana VIIII – the Hermit. First refusal of what you are, first questioning about fundamental questions of existence, you begin to wonder if this whole story does not hide a few secrets. Immersing yourself into the I Ching, the Tarot, astrology or Kabbalah. You don’t understand much, but you go on, isolating yourself, you kind of meditate. But the ego is still around. As long as your crown is on your head, enlightenment doesn’t show off. The dark lantern you are holding does not illuminate much.
A renewal is required: the arcana X will allow your first molt. Wheel of fortune : that name must not deceive you, this is not a lottery, but a sort of torture device. No relation to the wheel of fortune that makes you rich. Here the word is used in the same sense that a gentleman of fortune, or pot luck. This is good or bad luck. This is random. The opposite of good old “every time you win.” Here, every time you toast. The little king as naked as a blue monkey, is the ego that flickers, it will soon let go to pick up new energy.
Here comes the arcana XI – Strength. You got a winning feeling that reminds of the Chariot, in a more assertive way. You move forward in material life, you make a living, perhaps you pick up the jackpot and get rich. This is the time of easy money and good cheer. In parallel with this material success, you get married, you get a place in the sun, you take care of your family. Happy people have no story, as we say in France: this arcana may last for years, and many people do not go beyond.
Suddenly, without warning, you are head over heels. Everything look different. The things you enjoyed yesterday are looking sad and empty. Over is your love, fled your companion, broken your achievements. The hardest trial you ever lived is now. The name is arcana XII – The Hanged Man. On your inner field, this is the first initiation. The being has achieved so far on the physical, material and emotional.
Here you leave what is human, too human to come into himself. Tired of Earthly knighthood, you discover with amazement a world you had previously ignored, Heavenly knighthood. The hangman is upside down, which means that everything has changed.
When you think you get all the answers, the universe comes and changes all the questions.
What was up is down, the values are reversed, a new adventure begins: the quest for total freedom.
Then comes the unnamed mystery. It bears the number XIII. Does it mean happiness or sorrow? You are but a skeleton, you mow everything that impedes progress. In your haste, you cut your own foot. The severed heads of a daughter and a kinglet are engrams that you are wiping off. Plunging into the depths of unconscious,summarize your life path. Reviewing the people you loved, those you betrayed, and those you lost.
And comes catharsis.
It’s time for the arcana XIIII – Temperance. The warrior becomes a fairy angel. Temperance regenerates and becomes your first magical powers, the flagship of the warrior on the path to enlightenment. You get wings to rise again. In your hands, two pitchers are joined by a trickle of water. It is the evocation of magical powers that first flush ; it is also a sign of the beautiful inner fluidity that characterizes this mystery.
Finally, on your fontanel, a red flower announces first rise of energy that will be confirmed with the following arcane. Enlightenment is approaching now. The arcane XV – the Devil presides over the opening of the first six chakras which are indicated on the subject’s body by anthropomorphic graphics: faces, eyes, etc.
It is then invaded by the rising energy figured in red. Unconscious is figured in dark blue, contrasting with the spots of red energy and some places in pink color, representing flesh, human body, material life.
The naked devil makes a warm and sensual atmosphere. Note that both sexes are chained and controlled however.
You are surrounded by powerful happiness to exist. Full powers are coming next. This arcana, too, may take some time to cross over.
One day finally comes enlightenment.
You are admitted into the arcana XVI – the Tower
He slowly dies who does not travel, who does not read, who does not listen to music, who does not know how to laugh at himself.
The Tarot arcanes reproduced here belong to the Tarot of Rochefort, restored under the guidance of Jean-Claude Flornoy.