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TARO CARD SYMBOLOGY – Initiatory Unit 3

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CANDIDATES FOR THE THIRD DEGREE in the Ancient order of HRA Taro will now assemble in the imaginary LODGE ROOM. Cigbo has been busy (he confides) bailing out of jail those eager beavers, who have already begun telling fortunes with the cards. At the far end of the room will be seen three HRAs who accepted the invitation given upon closing the Lodge after the last meeting, and who have remained deep in meditation until just now. (Having, however, taken time out to write letters to Ol’ High Card to express their disapproval of making the preliminary clean sweep of such things as the Egyptian origin of the cards, the tie with the Caballa, and the assignment of astrological meanings to the cards. Some of the letters were so learned that, lacking a means of verifying statements, High Card was unable to decide what might or might not be part of the original Taro deal. The material will be preserved carefully for possible use when we finish our first series of initiations and are ready for an “Advanced Course.” Here is a little of the material in question, presented at this time just to satisfy your curiosity and to give the flavor.

“If we have three levels in the Great Plan, 1, 2, and 3, we would have three levels in man, One High Self, incorporating male and female qualities, a ‘2’ level self of two selves, and a ‘body’ as the world is the ‘body of God.’ So we get a 6. Now we are told in Genesis, ‘Let us – the Elohim in the old versions, a plurality – make man in our image and after our likeness.’ If man is created in the image and likeness of the ONE, he must have the same qualities and attributes, only in a lesser degree. The Hebrew name given to the ‘creature’ made by God when ‘male and female created He them,’ is “Ish-Aleph” meaning ‘wedded or united to God, so one with God and also one with, and united to, all other beings. “Ish-ish’ in Hebrew is the ‘side’ of man that is wedded or united to him, the woman-self … Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, one in value, is a silent letter – not sounded – so God must be man’s partner, his silent partner, giving man freedom to speak for him – ‘the mouth of God.’ But then we are told Adam is put into a ‘deep sleep’ so he does not speak the word of God very well. In the Egyptian ritual this ‘person’ was called The Speaker,’ who spoke for the gods.”)

Even before the Lodge is declared open, there is a rude interruption. Cigbo, the password, suddenly insisted that no meeting was legal unless the hat was passed. Having no hat, he rushed to pass his cigar box after which he announced that he, as the most important factotem, was asking donations so that he could spend what he did not pocket on a 200 foot high temple. When he saw that he was being cried down, he compromised and rushed out to wheel in a large man-size DOG HOUSE. He explained that it really was to act as a bomb shelter for Ol’ High Card when irate HRAs took after him. He invited those bailed out of jail to enter the house, but when none responded, went into it himself and took on the blame. Unfortunately someone had placed a mouse trap in the structure and Cigbo stepped into it. Suddenly reminded, all candidates gave the password loudly while some of the lady HRAs, hearing, “MOUSE TRAP!” levitated and stood on their chairs. The police woman who had arrested the fortune tellers and who was riding herd on them, came down from her chair muttering veiled threats to run the whole kit and kaboodle in for making noises to disturb the peace. Cigbo took fright at this and ran for the nearest door, cigar box falling open and thousand dollar bills being scattered widely. As all HRAs now have third degree matters in mind, and as none need money, the bills are ignored.

THE PACK IS PLACED ON THE ALTAR and the Lodge is declared to be in session. High Card seats himself gracefully on the roof of the dog house. The roof caves in. The nearest candidates fish out High Card, help pin up his torn robes of office, and then throw the remains of the dog house out through the nearest window. From outside comes a wail of anguish. Everyone again intones the password, and Cigbo comes limping in, looking accusingly about him. Someone drops a dime into his battered cigar box and he is pacified.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS is soon disposed of as nothing very new or different has been proposed by way of explanations of the meanings of the Fool card or of the three in the top row of the central spread. High Card offers to let anyone who wishes to do so to act as lecturer for the session and administer the 3rd degree. There being no response, the Lamp Lighter is called in from the foyer, where she has gone to buy popcorn, and all haste is made to light the lamp on the rostrum. There is still no oil in it. The house lights are turned up and the candidates settle more comfortably in their seats to catch a few winks while the lecture is given.

THE LECTURER INTONES SOLEMNLY “We now approach the HOLY Taro.” A voice asks, ‘Why is it Holy?” High Card clears his throat. “I don’t know.” He starts all over again. “We now approach the Taro.” He pauses but there are no more objections, although a few HRAs who have taken courses in the MYSTERIES OF THE SACRED AND HOLY TAROT squirm uneasily. The Lodge Sweeper hurriedly grasps broom and dustpan. He finds a few fragments of ideas supposed to be swept out for the time being, and disposes of them.

THE LECTURE OFFICIALLY BEGINS NOW

All candidates will take up the sheet of illustrations showing the nine cards of the Central Taro Spread. This sheet may be identified because it has the FOOL at the left side.

Locate the second row of three cards, II-High Priestess, XI-Justice, and XX-Judgment

Remember that these cards fall into this position because all three add to the same number value, that of “2.” Note further that they would fall far apart if placed in the order of the numbers at their tops. The special and secret numerical order now place side by side the card of the LAWs of life, the card of karma and the card of reincarnation. Nothing could be simpler.

OF COURSE, WE TAKE THE HUNA CONCEPT of The Laws, of Karma and of Reincarnation. The artist who drew the HIGH PRIESTESS put the word “TORA” on the half hidden scroll of the LAW. That is Hebrew. Our dogma makes it read “TARO” to indicate that the LAW is GUIDANCE administered by na Aumakua to instruct us in the doctrine of NON-HURT.

The cross on the breast of the Priestess is a plus sign to indicate her sex. Behind her is a backing veil drawn to hide the inner or higher levels, and on the veil are pictured ripe fruits, these indicating a fullness of growth and ripening or GRADUATION in the Aumakua realm. The illlars are black and white, or male and female, indicating the association of male and female at union is completed in the step up to the Aumakua state from that of na Auhane. The High Priestess reveals the LAW of proper living which is that of LOVE and Mercy, the feminine side. Her crown is a union of sun and moon, male and female, but with the new moon at her feet, she retains her femininity even in the complete UNION.

THE JUSTICE CARD, numbered Xl, is brought back to stand in its proper place beside the High Priestess. The male figure of the card holds a scales in one hand and a sword in the other. He symbolizes the stern and unbending law of “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.” This is a modified “Karma” because the High Priestess adds the Law of MERCY to the matter and gives us the chance to obtain FORGIVENESS FOR SINS OF HURT when we repent and HAVE MADE AMENDS. (That is the doctrine of the great kahuna, Jesus, not the warped and endlessly-stretched and solidified Hindu doctrine which allows NO forgiveness and no remission.)

The JUSTICE figure is the male member of the Aumakua pair. The pillars behind him are alike in color, symbolizing the state which is often assumed and in which the Union is too complete to be called one of two Selves. His crown has three points and a square. The points remind us of the three selves which make the whole man. The square repeats the evidence that the physical is included in the picture of the whole man.

THE JUDGEMENT CARD numbered XX, is brought back to its proper place to show the laws under which we live. This is the card of survival after death and of reincarnations, not of a judgement of sinners before sending them on to heaven or hell. The angel figure with wings is the UNITED Aumakua Pair supervising the reincarnation processes. The horn is a male symbol and the cross is again the plus sign of the female. The drawing shows flames as a part of the headdress of the Aumakua, the flames symbolize the LIGHT, which stands for the Aumakus PARENTAL PAIR IN FULL UNION.

THE VAST NUMBER OF INCARNATIONS demanded by the stretched and warped doctines of India are, like the warped idea of Karma, much worked over by Huna. Reincarnations need be only enough in number to allow the Aunihipili and Auhane to learn their lessons and to graduate or step up from one level of experience to the next when ready. The Aunihipili, or physical world, is an animal one and subject to all the dangers and accidents of the physical. But, even though a person dies in childhood, he reincarnates in a new body and continues his schooling. In the card picture is seen a family arising. Loved ones keep together as incarnations follow one after another – the LAW of LOVE and Mercy assures this.

THE SWORD of the JUSTICE CARD figure seems to suggest that the enforcement of the Law of Justice rests with the Aumakua and that HE holds the power and administers justice. This contradicts the idea that only the First Cause is free of the control of this law and that the first beings created as spirits of highest degree were given the task of administering this fine justice, while all angels from the highest down to the lowest were weighed in the karmic balances.

The MOUNTAINS in the background of the JUDGEMENT card are the symbol recurring often in the major Tarots, indicating the “path” or course of life leading upward as growth and evolutionary progress are made. In the TEMPERANCE card, number XIV, it is fully indicated, a path running upward to the two peaks, one peak for the female and one for the male half of the Aumakua Parental Pair. Behind the twin peaks the sun is shining, repeating the symbol of the LIGHT which indicates the Aumakua.

In the HERMIT CARD, numbered IX, the Aumakua is symbolized as an old man who has reached the end of the “path” on the top of the mountain. In his hand he hold a lantern, again the identifying symbol of the Aumakua.

In the card, THE MOON, numbered XVIII, our reproduction is bad because of the blue color on the background of the picture, but in the original a path is seen to wind into broken far hills. In contrast to the HERMIT card of arrival at the end of the upward path, the MOON card symbolizes the very start of the upward growth, the way being beset by the animal natures and marked by a male and a female tower, showing that the journey is one involving man and woman, so that they may eventually learn the perfect love which allows the complete UNION.

As has been pointed out, the paired cards set side by side by the number code, give us always the contrast between the ideal state and the imperfect. The HERMIT is the ideal state at one end of the “path” while the MOON is the difficult beginning in which the crab striving to come up out of the water has much to overcome. The crab moves as easily backward as it does forward, and was chosen by the card designer to symbolize the many false starts and backslidings as we endeavor to progress.

STRENGTH, numbered VIII, falls under the code beside THE STAR numbered XVII. As pairs of opposites, their contrast makes sense. In the STRENGTH picture we see the two peaks united as ONE. The figure 8 lying sidewise over the head of the figure indicated a long period of progression (rather than an “eternity”). The Aumakua in the feminine aspect is symbolized. She overcomes the lower animal urges of the Aunihipili and the end of the path is near. But, in contrast, THE STAR figure has behind it one poorly formed far mountain and in the sky, stars lacking shape and meaning. The water being poured into water and onto the land is wasted, symbolizing the low and middle mana wasted because none is sent upward to the Aumakua. There is a bird sitting on a tree at the right, symbol of “spirit,” in this case the Aumakua watching and waiting until such a time as knowledge is gained and the proper beginning of progress can be started.

THE HIEROPHANT, card number V, paired with TEMPERANCE, numbered XIV, repeats the symbol of the mana and its proper use. In fact, the Temperance card might well be made to trade places with the card, STRENGTH. If so exchanged, the contrast would be perfect, for the angelic Aumakua of TEMPERANCE illustrates well the perfect way to use the mana. Note that three lines in the drawing of the water being poured from one cup to the other can indicate our three grades of mana. The flow is first up to the Aumakua and then back, the result being contact and Help and Guidance which will be needed to tread the long “path” to the mountain top. The figure holding the cups is identified as an Aumakua by the circle of the sun (LIGHT) on the forehead. The triangle, point upward, on the breast again reminds us that three selves are needed to make up a whole man.

THE HIEROPHANT repeats the card of the HIGH PRIESTESS, but in this case with a male figure, the male half of the Aumakua. Again we note that the pillars behind him are of the same color, not indicating a separation of the two parts of the Aumakua. The crown has three rings and three upright pieces at its top, symbolizing the idea that the knowledge of the fact that there are three selves is a part of the mysteries. The right hand is lifted to show two fingers united, indicating the final UNION of na Aumakua. The cross held in the left hand has three bars, symbolizing once more the three selves. There are three crosses also on the long tab falling in the front of the robe. They do not show in our illustion, but are on the original. The two figures kneeling before the Hierophant appear to be male, but the robe of one is decorated with a lily the other with a rose, so we see that they must be man and woman – a symbol of the fact that we progress two by two instead of one by one after initiation into the meaning of the mysteries. If we look for a contrast between the cards of TEMPERANCE and the HIEROPHANT, we see it in the finished evolution of the Temperance Aumakua and the humble approach to the very beginning of knowledge shown by the Aumakua waiting to act as guide to the two kneeling figures. The kneeling figures may be thought of as the simple worshipers of churches who still do not have the needed knowledge to progress without an earthly pastor.

THIS COMPLETES THE INITIATION for the THIRD DEGREE, as well as starts the work of the Fourth. By now it will be seen how well the number value code opens the secret symbolical meaning and how very “pat” these meanings appear, once they are explained in Huna terms.

All candidates will now awaken and put on the decorative cape of the Fourth Degree for a moment, before the pack is returned to its box and the Lodge is closed.

Max Freedom Long HUNA in the Kabala & Tarot

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