TAROT INTERPRBTATION

LessonTwenty

THE SURE SI]PPORT

The tableaufor this week is:

10 ll T2

l3 I4 15

t6 17 18

The magic squareis:

TJ 18 il

l2 t4 I6

17 l0 15

In both arrangements,the centralpicture is Key 14, Temperance.The constantsummationof

the magic squareis 42. It showsdiscrimination(I(ey 6) as the consequence
of the operation
of memory (Key 2) through reason(I(ey 4). Thus this tableauemphasizesmemory as the
sourcewhencereasondrawsthe materialwith which it works, to the end that discrimination
may be expressed.Key l4 showsthe real natureof the processwherebywe develop
discrimination. Key 6 typifies the outcomeof this process.

Now, in Lesson 19 you were told that the "Knowledge and Conversationof the Holy
GuardianAngel" might well meanyour associationwith somepersonalitya little beyond you
on the Way to Freedom. Yet it was said also that the messengerwho guidesyou on your way,
no matterhow little advancedbeyondyou he may be, is, as messengeror guardianangel,a
channelto put you in contactwith the One ldentity.

This week you will find the emphasisfalling on the thoughtthat the processwhereby you
developdiscriminationthroughreasoningcorrectlyon materialsfurnishedby memory is a

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processdue, in large measure,to the fact that you are actedupon by intelligencesmore highly
'fhere
developedthan your own. comesa time in everyperson'soccult progresswhen he
realizesthat he himself is in a sensethe subjectof an experiment. fhey to whom this idea is
repugnantmake evident by that very repugnancethat no matter how glibly they may think and
talk about occultism,they have yet to experiencein their own personssomeof its fundamental
verities.

The plain truth is that none of us would have made any progressalong the path of attainment
had we not beenworked upon, experimentedwith, temperedand modified by the loving care
of other human beingswhosetraining and experiencequalify them for this work. Sometimes
it is only after long yearsthat this truth dawns on the student.

I{e may supposehimself to be a perfectlyfree agentdoingjust exactlywhat he pleases.Fle

may pride himself on his independence, on his perseverance, on his desireto advanceto better
things. But sooneror later he beginsto realizethat all along he hasbeenunder direction.

As the yearspass,he can look back and seehow he hasbeenled, gently and lovingly, as the
blind are led by thosewho carefor them. With this realizationcomesa deephumility and a
greattl-rankfulness.One seesthen that the plotection and careof the One Identity reachus
through the channelsof other lives. The betterone knows this One Identity and the clearerhis
consciousness of relation to it, the more able is he to act as a directorfor thosewhose graspof
truth is not so firm as his.

Wc are all at various stagesof human development.From thoseaboveus we receiveaid and

in somedegreewe are the meansthey employ to carry out their experiments.When we
realtzethis truth, we shall be able to undertakesimilar experimentsof our own. As Lao-tze
says: "Imperfect men arc the materialswith which the wise man works."

This work consistsin a seriesof demonstrationsthat everyhumanpersonalityis a centerof

expressionfor the whole seriesof cosmic cycles. By his work with thoseunder his direction,
the wise man learnsmore and more concerningthe Law of Cycles. The effect of his labors on
thosewho are assignedto him makesthem, in turn, more and more consciousof the operation
of the samelaw in their own lives.

Remember,true occultismis not a systemof beliefs. On the contrary,it is a science

consistingof verified and verifiableknowledge. The work of a practicaloccultist aims ever at
the reductionof the numberof his beliefs and the establishmentin their place of positive
knowledge.

ln the main, the subjectof the variousexperimentsis the occultist'sown organism. The great
art of transmutationis that of the transformationof one'spersonalvehicle. Stepby step,it is
raisedand purified. New cells and groupsof cells are madeto function and at last, the work is

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completedby the substitutionof a deathless,spiritual body, a Master'sbody, for the

corruptible,mortal vehiclewith which he was born. (Keys 10, 14, 18)

Such transformationsrequire fine adjustmentsand they also demandfaith. This faith is the
imaginativedevelopment,in concreteforms built from mental substance,of fundamental
propositionsor seedthoughtswhich are strictly reasonableand which rest on a firm basisof
proven and provablefact. Over and over againthe wise books admonishus to test every
propositionin the fires of actualexperience.It is not to the lazy thatNature unveils her
beauty. (I(eys 71, 14, 77)

One of the hardestlessonsfor the beginneron this path of practicaloccultismis what Jesus
expresseddramaticallyby his doctrineof non-resistance.With characteristicOriental
exuberanceof metaphor,he broughtthe principle down to the planeof personalrelations.
"Agree with thine adversaryquickly, whilst thou art in the way with him."

For untold millenniums the merely naturalman hasregardedevery other personas a potential
enelny and has fearednatureas an opponent. AgelessWisdom deniesthis fallacy and the
progressof modem scienceconfirms the truth of the denial. Even exotericlaboratoryresearch
demonstratesby actualteststhat nothing in natureis intrinsically inimical to man. Everything
has its use. Even the deadliestpoisons,rightly understoodand applied,ffi&y be usedby us to
enhanceour happinessand enlargeour boundariesof control over circumstance.

Yet, beforewe may accomplishanything,we must realizeour utter personaldependenceon

the cosmic order. We must seethat all our troublesresultfrom ignoranceof the way things
really are. We must destroyour ancienthabitationsof error by the influx of the light of truth.
(I(eys 12,14,16)

Even deathmust no longer be looked upon as evidenceof the unfiiendlinessof nature. Still
lessmay we regardit as the working of a power of spiritualevil, malignantlyopposingthe
welfare of mankind. By certaintypes of experimentit is possibleto prove that the very forces
which bring aboutthe deathof a humanbody may be so directedthat they will, first of all,
awal<encentersin the brain which can registerour experiencesas consciouspersonsduring
the periodswhen we are not functioningon the physicalplane. This knowledgegained,we
may passto a yet higher stageof unfoldment.

In tliis higher stage,the adeptmakesfor himself a physicalvehicle so enduring,so perfectly

and radiantly healthy,and so fiee a channelfor the manifestationsof the subtleforcesof
nature,that he may continueto exist on the physicalplanefor a period of yearsfar in excess
of the ordinary life-span. When he doeslay asidehis physicalbody what occursis not death
in the ordinary senseof the word. It is a simple stoppageof physicalfunction and conscious
separationof the higher vehiclesof personalityfrom the physicalinstrument. Thus, by his
ability to remain a long time on the physicalplane as an adult humanbeing, an adepthas
TAROT INTEIlPRETATION: 20

opportunity to make experimentsand solveproblemsrequiringprotractedresearch.(I(eys 13,

r 4 ,l 5 )

All this has its beginningin an intellectualrecognitionof the truth that every human
personalityis a particularexpressionof a universalorder. At first, this perceptionassumesthe
lbnn of belief. It is a conviction forced upon us by carefulreasoning,following observation
'fhen
of the courseof nature. comesimaginativedevelopmentof the seedidea and the
building up of definite mental imagesof the logical consequences to which this idea ieads.
Ilere ali the creativepowersof the mind are brought into play.

Furthermore,sincemental imagestend alwaysto find outlet in action,the fosteringof the

seedidea by imaginationresultsin actualalterationsof circumstance.Thesedemonstratethe
validity of the original thought. Little by little, the old habitsof thinking are reversed,and
there comesinto manilbstationa correspondingreversalof one'souter situation. Joy takesthe
place of sorrow, healthsupplantsdisease,prosperitymanif'estsitself in place of poverly,
wisdom displacesignorance.(I(eys I0,11,12)

This processof verification beginswith the overthrowof falsenotions. By substituting

accurateobservationfor superficialacquaintance with surfaceappearances, we storeour
memorieswith recordsof knowledgeof things as they are insteadof with vagueimpressions
o1'thingsas they look. Then, by meditatingon what we havelearned,we begin to see
relatiorxh$s_unpetceive4 by moq_!pqlpong,and qqf rrlq_ditatisu.also
effectsan,adjixtment.ol
the bzrlanceamong certaincentersof force in our bodies.

This is what is representedby the symmetricalarrangementof starsin Key 17. The stars
symboiizefbrcesat work through astraland physicalcenterswhich are closely connectedwith
the endocrineglands. Throughright adjustmentof the functionsof theseglands,the body
chemistry is changedand we are then transformedfi'om the stateof the natural man into the
stateof spiritual humanity. The seedof right thoughtbearsfruit in perfectedbodies. By this
processwe are graduatedfrom the school of natural humanity, to take our rightful place in the
ranksof the "twice-born."(Keys 16, 17, l8)

It cannot be made too emphatic that the methodsof practical occultism are directed to the end
of effecting a distinct physiological modification. We hearmuch of adeptsand masters,and,
in certainquarters,altogethertoo much aboutastralbodiesand other finer vehiclesof
personality. Finer vehiclesthere certainlyare and as part of our training, we haveto learn
how to l'unctionin them consciously. We have to learnalso how to impresson the physical
brain a record of this higher functioning.

Orr the other hand,someteachingfound in bookspurportingto deal with practicaloccultism

is suchthat it leadsto the belief that the physicalbody is only an obstacleto spiritual
clevelopment.This is a grosserror. An unhealthybody is certainlya bar to occult progress.
Wise books insist that physicalhealthmust precedeany attemptto work with finer forces,

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especiallyin thoseforms of practicewhich, in the Orient, are calledYoga, and in the

Occident,Alchemy and Magic.

This is one reasontheselessons,written for our AssociateBuilders,have little to say about

this kind of practice,namely breathing,physical,and other exercises.We have learnedthat
even relatively simple and carefully chosenexercisesare often misapplied.

Astral work, in particular,is dangerousfor personswho are not in perfectphysical health. It

seemsto be a characteristicof occult immaturity for the pupil to be sure he knows more than
his teacher! Even the best efforts of a teachercannot altogetherovercomethis tendency.
Tlius it becomesthe part of wisdom to withhold detailedexplanationof technicalwork from
all but thosewho have given satisfactoryevidenceof their fitnessto receivesuch instruction.

The main obiect of occult practice,moreover,is not the developmentof the higher vehicles.
One of the fallaciesof pseudo-occultismis the notion that thesevehiclesneeddevelopment.
Wlrat must be purified and perfectedis the physicalbody. Your finer vehiclesare all right,
.iustas they are. Tl-reGreatWork consistsin the integrationof the "strong force of all forces"
hereon the physicalplane. This work includesvariouskinds of mentalpractice,and what you
are doing with the Tarot I(eys affords unlimited opportunitiesfor this. The objective is the
building of a new type of organism.

This ttervorganismv,'ili nct glc.,i'cf itself. It gror.,'sbi, the cpplicaticncf the ssne lar',,sand
forceswhich have brought it to its presentstageof "naturalhumanity." But it must be taken
beyondthis stage,and the only way this can be doneis by conscious,intentionalapplication
of thesepowersto the end that the new creaturemay be evolved. This is why we insist that
the unfoldmentof a new kind of physicalbody, ratherthan the developmentof finer vehicles,
is the object for which we are working. Rememberthat no work of this kind can succeedif
one'seflbrts be directedto the wrong ends.

This being understood,it shouldalso be easyto seethat sincesubconsciousness is the

body-builder,we shall get our new bodiesas a result of its activities. From what we know of
subconsciousness, it shouldbe evidentalsothat sinceits activitiesare automatic,and are
determinedby our habitualconsciousmental attitudes,the first stagesof the Great Work must
be thosewhich effect a changein our consciousthinking. lt is for this reasonthat the Tarot
seriesbeginswith the Magician,the I(ey which representsthe use of our conscious
inteilectualpowersin actsof attention,which attention,as you may seefrom a glanceat the
symbolsof I(ey 1, is to be directedto the field of sensoryexperience.When we observethat
field accurately,our minds are storedwith true impressions,and thesebearfruit ultimately in
the resenerationofour bodies.
7'4R07' INT'ERPRETATION: 2O

MEDITATIONS

FIRST DAY: I(eys 10,14,18, I am on the upwardturn of the Wheelof Life which brings
me ever nearerthe one true Goal. I embraceevery opportunityto verify the truths of Ageless
Wisdom. The PerfectLaw is being built up in my body. AIt that I am is related to the
whole life-expression,and under the guidanceof the Universal Mind, I pressonward to
the heightsof liberation.

SECOND DAY: Keys 11, 14, 17. I live my faith. It is a reasonableexpectationof eternal
progress. Every day I look for fresh revelationsof truth. My whole life is adjusted to the
Greater Life that works through me to reveal its perfection.

THIRD DAY: Keys 12, 14,76. I am consciouslyreversingmy fbrmer statesof mind. I live
my life under direction from the One Self. I welcomethe overlhrow of every erroneous
opinion. I am the unmoved witnessof the great transmutationwhich puts an end to the
senseof separateness.

F'OURTHDAY: I(eys 13, 14,15. I welcomechange.I seein all experience that the One
Life works upon me to purify rny whole personality. I faceproblemswith equanimity,for I
am one with That which knows the right answersto them all. This is a new day, and I meet
its testswith joy, confident that every seemingadversaryis but another opportunity.

FiFTFi DAY: iieys iQ 17,72. lire Spirit at the heart of the universeis one *ith my spirit.
'l'he
law which rules the starsrules also in my members, My supportis the Eternal.I am
unmoved by changing circumstance,poisedin the midst of action, certain of support
through all apparent vicissitudes.

SIXTII DAY: Keys 16, 17,18. This day the lightning-flashof somenew knowledgeof
Reality rids me of anotherenor. Let me be still, that I may seetruth. The path is open before
me, and I pressonwardtoward the goal. I am free from the senseof separateness,and I
rest this day in the unbroken knowledge that even in my body I am being raised to a
height beyond all former attainments.

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