 Historians must reconstruct the past out of hazy memory. "Once upon a time" requires "second sight." The "third eye" of intuition can break the "fourth wall" of conventional perspectives. Instead of "pleading the fifth," historians can take advantage of the "sixth sense" and be in "seventh heaven." All with the power of hindpsych, the "eighth wonder of the world." It has been said that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Therein lies the importance of Tarot readings for antiquity. When we confirm what has already occurred, we break the shackles of the past, freeing ourselves to chart new courses into the future. |
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See our analysis of archetypes from a long time ago in the Star Wars series over at MysteryArts.com. |
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The skull of poor Yorick, a Tarot archetype in the highly witty film Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. |
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Can you decode this eerie lost prophecy of Nostradamus? Black rivers spill down the cross of red. Moonstruck hordes gather to see the face of god. "Black rivers" refers to ink, to be spilled by Hermann Rorschach, a psychoanalyst from Switzerland (hence "cross of red," home of the Red Cross organization). The "moonstruck hordes" are analysands ("lunacy" traditionally being associated with the full moon), and what they see in the inkblots distinguishes psychosis from mere neurosis. |
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Here are some hilarious translations of Nostradamus' prophecies. For example: No. MMMM.
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines.
Din, din, don. Din, din, don.
The Zebu of the North takes wing
And rolls the English Channel back;
The Archaeopteryx will sing
And run the Mallard off the track.
There is no need to explain the significance of this quatrain, which predicts the election of Boris Johnson as mayor of London. Indeed, the significance is so extraordinarily obvious that it is surprising, in hindsight, that this interpretation was not discovered until May 3, 2008.
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Our Tarot of Portmeirion project continues to inspire, with a new discovery of " Th'ə ˈHī-(ə-)rə-ˌfant" joining " The Tower." Kudos to our friend at Anima Tarot, who brings insight and intrigue to the Tarot archetypes at play in her vicinity. And what a cracking Hierophant she has found in a statue of Noah Webster! --- Tamara writes: Many thanks for your kind words regarding my project! While my community is certainly no Portmeirion, I'm enjoying tuning into the Tarot archetypes in my midst.
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The Devil’s Trill"Hey, a soul can't be bought, nor can a soul be sold."
—Thompson Twins, "Shake It Down," Queer
Who could count how many musicians have sold their souls for unearthly talent? The violinist Paganini was rumored to have made such a contract, and the blues guitarist Robert Johnson famously bragged that he had. We’re by no means suggesting that either the British pop band Thompson Twins or the German soul/electro singer Billie Ray Martin sold their souls for their exquisite musical abilities. (If we were indeed privy to such diabolical secrets, we’d be all the less likely to whisper them about!) We merely call your attention to the unconventional personage who accompanied each band on stage. Wearing a large hat that obscures his face, this archetypal figure in black looked nothing like the rest of the band. Exuding aloofness and confidence, this maverick appeared to be some sort of “puppet master,” pulling the band’s strings even as he manipulated his own bass or steel guitar. In the case of Thompson Twins, the mysterious figure even brazenly shape-shifts, his shadow growing larger and smaller as he performs behind a massive screen. Of course, two different musicians played out the role of the hat-wearing figure in black; while their identities are known, it is the archetype they played out that is in question. Figure One: the bassist in black (right) looks nothing like the zany members of Thompson Twins in this 1985 Liverpool performance.  Figure Two: The bassist looms over the band. Here he is seen in enlarged shadow form.  Figure Three: Another view of the mysterious bassist looming over vocalist Tom Bailey.  Figure Four: Shapeshifting from behind a screen, the enigmatic bassist repeatedly changes size.  Figure Five: Behind Billie Ray Martin sits Mr. X, his face always hidden by his incongruous cowboy hat, in this 1995 performance on the “Later With Jools Holland” television program.  Figure Six: What archetype is this mysterious figure playing out, performing a pedal steel guitar in an electronic dance band? 
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An Insight into The Chariot, from Sufi Lore(a guest blog for Tarot Dame) There has been age-old speculation that the Tarot was handed down by wandering Middle Eastern mystics and alchemists. The speculation is well-founded, in that the imagery of Sufi lore is reflected in Tarot iconography. For thousands of years, Sufi masters have used dervish folktales as tools to unlock insights in would-be illuminates. Like the cards of the Tarot, esoteric dervish parables shine light upon hidden trends in the events of life, revealing the significance of seemingly unimportant details. The allegorical stories are meant to constructively affect the inner consciousness of the seeker, develop higher mental functions, raise awareness, and ultimately foster self realization. One particular fragment of Sufi wisdom offers insights into the psychological meaning of The Chariot card. The fragment was recorded by scholar Idries Shah from the notebook of a Persian dervish. The fragment invites us to picture a charioteer, seated in a vehicle, propelled by a horse, and guided by himself. These three symbolic forces must work in tandem to attain their goal: "Intellect is the 'vehicle,' the outward form within which we state where we think we are and what we have to do. The vehicle enables the horse and man to operate. This is what we call tashkil, outward shape or formulation. The horse, which is motive power, is the energy which is called ‘a state of emotion’ or other force. This is needed to propel the chariot. The man, in our illustration, is that which perceives, in a manner superior to the others, the purpose and possibilities of the situation, and who makes it possible for the chariot to move towards and to gain its objective."
The fragment notes that any one of the forces may be able to fulfill a function, “but the combined function which we call the movement of the chariot cannot take place unless all three are connected in the Right Way. Only the ‘man,’ the real Self, knows the relationship of the three elements, and their need of one another. Among the Sufis, the Great Work is the knowledge of combining the three elements. Too many men, too unsuitable a horse, too light or too heavy a chariot—and the result will not take place.” The reference to the “Right Way” will be familiar to anyone versed in Taoist philosophy, just as the “Great Work” echoes the symbolism of Alchemy. Naturally, we also find parallels to Sufi wisdom in the metaphysical literature of Gnostic Christianity, Hasidic mysticism, Vedantic Hinduism, and indeed all of the Mystery schools. In Tarot for Your Self, Mary K. Greer explores John Blakeley’s attempt to trace a Sufi origin of the Tarot. Parables of the Spanish Muslim mystic Ibn Al-‘Arabī are compared to imagery of the Marseilles Tarot in Islamic Sainthood in the Fullness of Time: Ibn Al-‘Arabī’s Book of the Fabulous Gryphon by Gerald Elmore. Any collection of Sufi allegories may indirectly yield insights on the meanings of Tarot cards. The fragment about The Chariot is featured in Tales of the Dervishes by Idries Shah.
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Today's Question: Did Britney Spears shave her head in February 2007?With
hindpsych, the answer is "yes"! In our Tarot spread, we see an imagination running rampant in the first card, the Seven of Cups. Here are depicted dreams, illusions, and seemingly limitless possibilities, all symbolic of a crazy environment marked by self-indulgence. Note that the person in this card is imagining a full head of hair in the top left cup, followed by the smooth head of a draped figure next to the serpent of temptation. The middle card is the Seven of Pentacles, symbolic of assessing one's status. The figure in this card has reached a milestone and is enjoying the fruits of his labor. This card suggests that Britney has reached a crossroads and is thinking about change. The final card, the Ace of Swords, depicts a blade on a crown, and by extension scissors upon a head. We can say with confidence that Britney shaves her head in 2007,
and we can now move on. |
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Today's Question: Did the Beatles cross the Atlantic for an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964?With hindpsych, the answer is "yes"! In our Tarot spread, the card on the left is the Knight of Pentacles. A hard worker who is dedicated to his chosen course, this knight symbolizes the Beatles. The knight is face to face with the center card, the Page of Cups. The Page of Cups is a symbol of an outpouring of emotions and a new love affair. The page represents America's reception of the Beatles. Note that behind the page is a body of water, symbolic of the Atlantic Ocean. The final card in our spread is the Ten of Pentacles. This is a symbol of affluence—supreme business success, long-term abundance, and all-around good fortune. Note that the knight begins with a single coin and ends with a tenfold bounty. We can say with confidence that the Beatles cross the Atlantic for an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964, and that it is a pivotal moment in their career. We can now move on. |
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Today's question is dedicated to conspiracy theorists everywhere:Was the Apollo Moon landing a hoax?* With
"hindpsych," the answer is "yes," the moon landing was faked by NASA! The first card in our Tarot spread, the Five of Pentacles, depicts two figures limping past the star-filled stained glass window of a church. The figures are stooped, bandaged, and barefooted; one walks on crutches. The figures suggest that NASA is "handicapped," hobbling along on rudimentary technology. The figures don't notice the warmth offered by the church behind them, suggesting that NASA is unable to find a solution to its technological hardships. The middle card, the Four of Cups, depicts a figure sitting under a tree, looking at three cups before him and not noticing a fourth cup being offered from "on high." This fourth cup in the clouds represents the Moon. NASA is too focused on earthly matters to set its sights on the sky. The third card, the Hierophant, symbolizes power: political, religious, and military force. The Hierophant is making a proclamation, his right hand pointed to the heavens. The powers that be announce a successful Moon landing. Yet we can say
with confidence that NASA, whether hobbling on crutches or sitting cross-legged under a tree, isn't going anywhere. The Apollo mission was a hoax, and we can now move on.
Tarot cards colored by Prof. Oddfellow from Public Domain artwork. |
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Original Content Copyright © 2010 by Craig Conley. All rights reserved.
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