A collection of intriguing topics and fascinating stories

about the rare, the paranormal, and the strange

Volume 8





Pablo C. Agsalud Jr.
Revision 6










Foreword

In the past, things like television, and words and
ideas like advertising, capitalism, microwave and
cancer all seemed too strange for the ordinary
man.

As man walks towards the future, overloaded with
information, more mysteries have been solved
through the wonders of science. Although some
things remained too odd for science to reproduce
or disprove, man had placed them in the gray
areas between truth and skepticism and labeled
them with terminologies fit for the modern age.

But the truth is, as long as the strange and
unexplainable cases keep piling up, the more likely
it would seem normal or natural. Answers are
always elusive and far too fewer than questions.
And yet, behind all the wonderful and frightening
phenomena around us, it is possible that what we
call mysterious today wont be too strange
tomorrow.

This book might encourage you to believe or refute
what lies beyond your own understanding.
Nonetheless, I hope it will keep you entertained
and astonished.

The content of this book remains believable for as
long as the sources and/or the references from the
specified sources exist and that the validity of the
information remains unchallenged.










Amulets, Manuscripts,
and Artifacts


Uncover the mysteries of the amulets, ancient manuscripts and
artifacts.



Amulets



Some people believe that these objects have the power to ward off evil
and bad luck, and some could rid off certain maladies.


Cross
http://www.Wikipedia.org

A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other,
dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they
run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need
not meet at right angles.

The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols, and has been used by many religions,
most notably Christianity. It is frequently a representation of the division of the world into four
elements (Chevalier, 1997) or cardinal points, or alternately as the union of the concepts of
divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line (Koch, 1955).

Etymology

The word cross comes ultimately from Latin crux, a Roman torture device used for crucifixion,
via Old Irish cros. The word was introduced to English in the 10th century as the term for the
instrument of the torturous execution of Jesus as described in the New Testament, gradually
replacing the earlier word rood.

History

1600 BC marble sacral cross from the Temple Repositories of
Knossos. (Heraclion Archaeological Museum, Greece)

It is not known when the first cross image was made; after
circles, crosses are one of the first symbols drawn by children of
all cultures. There are many cross-shaped incisions in European
cult caves, dating back to the earliest stages of human cultural
development in the stone age. Like other symbols from this
period, their use continued in the Celtic and Germanic cultures
in Europe. For example, Celtic coins minted many centuries
before the Christian era may have an entire side showing this
type of cross, sometimes with the cardinal points marked by
concave depressions in the same style as in stone age carvings.
Other coins may be showing the cross held by a rider on a horse
and springing a fern leaf, sometimes identified as a Tree of Life
symbol.

A famous Armenian khachkar at Goshavank.

As of April 10, 2013, pictures of a possible contender for the first
use of the cross symbol has been found at the Tell Khaiber
excavation site in Ur, Iraq. The shape of one of the buildings,
believed to be about 4,000 years old, is in the shape of a cross
of the type used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This would
predate the ancient Israelites Tabernacle in the wilderness and
the first two temples by about 800 years.


As markings

Written crosses are used for many different purposes, particularly in mathematics.

The Roman numeral for ten is X.
In the Latin alphabet, the letter X and the minuscule form of t are crosses.
In the Georgian alphabet, the letters and are crosses.
The Chinese character for ten is (see Chinese numerals).
The dagger or obelus () is a cross
The addition (or plus) sign (+) and the multiplication (or times) sign () are cross
shapes.
A cross is often used as a check mark because it can be clearer, easier to create with
an ordinary pen or pencil, and less obscuring of any text or image that is already
present than a large dot. It also allows marking a position more accurately than a
large dot.
A large cross through a text often means that it is wrong or should be considered
deleted. A cross is also used stand-alone () to denote rejection.


Crucifix

The Crucifix is one of the key sacramentals used by Catholics and has been
used to ward off evil for centuries. The imperial cross of Conrad II (1024
1039) referred to the power of the cross against evil. Many of the early
theologians of the Catholic Church made reference to use of the sign of the
Cross by Christians to bless and to ward off demonic influences.

The crucifix is still widely used as a talismanic sacramental by Christians.
In Christian culture, it is considered to be one of the most effective means
of averting or opposing demons, as stated by many exorcists, including the
famous exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth.

Ankh

Also known as the Egyptian Cross, the Key of the Nile, the Looped
Tau Cross, and the Ansate Cross. It was an Ancient Egyptian symbol
of life and fertility, pre-dating the modern cross. Sometimes given a
Latin name if it appears in specifically Christian contexts, such as the
crux ansata ("handled cross").


Basque cross

The lauburu.



Bolnisi Cross of Georgia

The four Bolnisi crosses are used in the Georgian Flag.



Budded Cross

Also known as the Apostles' Cross, the Trefle, Botone or Cathedral
Cross. The three circles or discs at the ends of each arm in a Christian
context represents the Trinity but was probably also copied from earlier
Celtic Druidry, where the circles or rings represent the three dominions of
earth, sky and sea.


Christian cross

Also known as the Latin cross or crux ordinaria. It is the most common
symbol of Christianity, intended to represent the death of Jesus when he was
crucified on the True Cross and his resurrection in the New Testament.


Coptic ankh

The Coptic ankh is an adaptation of the Ancient Egyptian Ankh used by early
Gnostic Christians in Egypt; compare Coptic cross.


Original Coptic Cross

The original Coptic cross used by early Gnostic Christians in Egypt.


Coptic Cross

A small circle from which emanate four arms of equal length, with angled
T shapes in the corners, cross-pieces outward, representing the nails
used in Jesus' crucifixion. This cross receives its name from Coptic
Christianity, which centered on Alexandria, Egypt.

New Coptic Cross

This new Coptic Cross is the cross currently used by the Coptic Orthodox
Church and the Coptic Catholic Church of Alexandria. It evolved from the
older Coptic Crosses depicted above.


Double Cross

Used by doctors and veterinarians as an introduction on medical
prescriptions in Denmark and Norway. It is read "in nomine Dei" and
followed by "rp": recipe.

Sun cross

Also known as the Bolgar cross, Sunwheel, solar cross or Woden's
cross. Used in Europe since the Neolithic era and by ancient and
contemporary Native American culture to represent respectively
Neopagan beliefs and the great Medicine Wheel of life. Was used by the
Bulgarian Tzars (emperors) as a symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox
Church.


High cross

Free-standing Celtic crosses commonly found in Ireland and to a lesser
extent in Great Britain, very common in churches and graveyards.


Canterbury cross

Used in the Anglican Churches. It has four arms of equal length, each
widening at the outer end in a hammer shape so that their rims nearly
form a circle. Each arm bears a triangular panel incised with a
triquetra symbolizing the Trinity. In the center of the cross is a small
square. The Anglo-Saxon original, as a brooch, dates from c. 850 AD
and was excavated in 1867 in Canterbury, England. A stone replica
can be found in Canterbury Cathedral and in many other Anglican
cathedrals around the world.


Greek cross

Used especially by Eastern Orthodoxy and Early Christianity Also
known as the crux immissa quadrata. Has all arms of equal length
and not much longer than the width. Often the arms curve wider as
they go out..

Red cross

The earliest emblem of the Red Cross is a red Greek cross on a white
background; it is often claimed to have been derived as the inverse of
the Flag of Switzerland, which has a white Greek cross on a red
background.

Serbian cross (Tetragrammatic cross)

The motif of a cross between objects is perhaps derived from
Constantine's labarum and has figured on Byzantine coins, since the
6th century. Later, the four symbols of the cross have been
interpreted as flints or firestones, but also as the initials (letters )
of the imperial motto of the Palaiologos dynasty: King of Kings,
Ruling Over Kings (Greek: ,
Basileus Basilen, Basileun Basileuontn). The
cross has been used by Serbian states and the Serbian Orthodox
Church since the Middle Ages after Duan the Mighty was crowned
Emperor (Tsar) of the Serbs and Greeks (16 April 1345). Today it is
the national, religious and ethnic symbol of Serbs and Serbia.

Florian cross

Adopted as an emblem by the fire service, this cross is named for
Saint Florian, the patron saint of Austria and firefighters. Although
similar to the Maltese Cross and Cross patte, it differs in having arms
rounded outwards at the ends. Two different versions are included
here; the one above is commonly found on fire service badges,
patches, and emblems; the one below is typical of the Saint Florian
medallion or medal.

Orthodox cross

Used in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The top line is said to represent the
headboard, and the bottom, slanted line represents the footrest, wrenched
loose by Jesus' writhing in intense agony. It is raised to the left side,
because that was the side of the righteous criminal who said to Jesus:
"remember me when you come into your kingdom". This symbolises the
victory of good over evil. The letters IC XC found at the end of the main
arm of most Eastern Orthodox Crosses are a Christogram, representing
the name of Jesus Christ (Greek: ). See also the Cross of
Salem.

Chi-Rho

Constantine I's emblem, the Chi-Rho (from the two Greek letters that
make it up) is also known as a Christogram. Several variants exist.
When shown on the banner of a standards, the standard is known as a
labarum.


Lorraine Cross

Used in heraldry. It is similar to a patriarchal cross, but usually has one
bar near the middle and one near the top, rather than having both near
the top. Is part of the heraldic arms of Lorraine in eastern France. It was
originally held to be a symbol of Joan of Arc, renowned for her
perseverance against foreign invaders of France.


Marian Cross

Included on the coat of arms of Pope John Paul II, the Marian Cross is
a Catholic adaptation of the traditional Latin cross to emphasize
Catholic devotion to Mary.





Pisan cross

The coat of arms of the people of Pisa; now symbol of the Comune of
Pisa.


Occitan cross

The central figure in the coat of arms of the counts of Toulouse; now a
symbol of Occitania as a whole.


Papal cross

Analogous to the two-barred patriarchal/archiepiscopal cross used in
heraldry to indicate a patriarch or archbishop. The three cross-bars
indicate a rank above those offices and represents the Pope's role as
Supreme Pontiff.

Patriarchal cross

Similar to a traditional Christian cross, but with an additional, smaller
crossbar above the main one meant to represent all the Orthodox
Christian Archbishops and Patriarchs. In the Eastern Orthodox Church,
this cross is sometimes seen with an additional, slanted bar near the foot
of the cross (see Orthodox cross). This cross is similar to the Lorraine
Cross, Caravaca Cross, and Salem Cross. It is used on the coats of arms
of Slovakia, Hungary and Lithuania, and by the Lithuanian Air Force.
Celtic Cross

Popular in Great Britain and Ireland in Roman Catholic, Anglican and
Presbyterian denominations. Also called "Saint Luke's Cross" by School
of Theology (Episcopal) graduates that receive a cross upon graduation.


Celtic cross (simplified)

(simplified)

A cross in a circle (overlapping). Some white nationalist and neo-fascist
groups adopted this variation of the Celtic cross. This variation was also
used by the Zodiac killer at the scenes of his crimes.


Cross of Sacrifice

A Latin cross with a superimposed sword, blade down. It is a symbol used by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at the site of many war
memorials.


Cross of Salem

Also known as a pontifical cross because it is carried before the Pope, it is
similar to a patriarchal cross, but with an additional crossbar below the main
crossbar, equal in length to the upper crossbar. It is also similar to the
Eastern Cross.


Saint Nino's Cross

Also known as a "Grapevine cross" and traditionally ascribed to Saint Nino, the
4th-century female baptizer of the Georgians, it is used as a symbol of the
Georgian Orthodox Church.


Saint Thomas Cross

Also known as a "Mar Thoma Cross" and traditionally ascribed to Saint
Thomas, the Apostole of India, it is used as a symbol of the Syro Malabar
Catholic Church and venerated by all Saint Thomas Christians
denominations.


Saint George's Cross (in Scandinavia)

The definition of a St George's cross is, in Scandinavia, extended to also
include a centred cross, normally red but not necessarily, with triangular
arms that do not fill the square. The example beside is the cross of the
Swedish Order of Freemasons.

Saint Peter's Cross

An upside-down Latin cross, based on a tradition that holds that
Saint Peter was martyred by being crucified upside-down. Today it
is often associated with anti-Christian or Satanic groups.

In Christianity

The origin of the symbol comes from the Catholic tradition that
Simon Peter was crucified upside down, as told by Origen of
Alexandria. The tradition first appears in the "Martyrdom of Peter",
a fragmented text found in, but possibly predating, the apocryphal
Acts of Peter, which was written no later than 200 A.D. It is believed that Peter requested this
form of crucifixion as he felt he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner that Jesus
died. As such, some Catholics use this cross as a symbol of humility and unworthiness in
comparison to Jesus.

According to Roman Catholicism, the Pope is Peter's successor as Bishop of Rome. Therefore
the Papacy is often represented by symbols that are also used to represent Peter one
example being the Keys of Heaven, another the Petrine Cross.

Anti-Christian imagery

The Cross of St. Peter has sometimes become associated with anti-religious imagery, as it is
used to represent the opposite of Christianity by inverting its primary symbol, the Latin Cross.

Peter's Cross on a Lutheran church



Tau Cross

Also known as Saint Anthony's Cross, the Egyptian Cross and the crux
commissa. It is shaped like the letter T. Francis of Assisi used it as his
signature.


Thieves' Cross

Also known as the Furka Cross. The fork, shaped like the letter Y.


Mariner's Cross

The Mariner's Cross is a stylized cross in the shape of an anchor. The
Mariner's Cross is also referred to as Saint Clement's Cross in reference
to the way he was martyred.



Order of Christ Cross

Cross originally used by the Portuguese Order of Christ. Since then it
has become a symbol of Portugal, used on the sails of the carracks
during the Discoveries Era, and currently by the Madeira Autonomous
Region of Portugal and the Portuguese Air Force.



Swastika

The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in
either right-facing () form or its mirrored left-facing () form. The
fylfot is a similar version.

Archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates from the
Neolithic period. It occurs mainly in the modern day culture of India, sometimes as a
geometrical motif and sometimes as a religious symbol. It remains widely used in Eastern and
Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Though once commonly used all
over much of the world without stigma, because of its right-facing variant's iconic usage in
Nazi Germany, the symbol has become stigmatized in the Western world.

St. Brigids Cross
http://www.Wikipedia.org

In Ireland, St Brigid's crosses woven from rush were
kept indoors (in houses and animal houses) to keep
away illness for the year.

Brigid's cross, Brighid's cross or Brigit's cross (Irish:
Cros Brde, Crosg Brde or Bogha Brde) is an Irish
symbol. Though a Christian symbol, it possibly derives
from the pagan sunwheel. It is usually made from
rushes or, less often, straw. It comprises a woven
square in the centre and four radials tied at the ends.

Brigid's crosses are associated with Brigid of Kildare,
who is venerated as one of the patron saints of Ireland.
The crosses are traditionally made on 1 February, which
in the Irish language is called L Fhile Bhrde (St
Brigid's feast day), the day of her liturgical celebration.

Many rituals are associated with the making of the crosses. It was traditionally believed that a
Brigid's Cross protects the house from fire and evil. It is hung in many Irish and Irish-
American kitchens for this purpose.

Brigid's cross (sometimes stylized) was used to represent Irish radio network Telefs ireann
and RT 1 (later RT One); in 1961 to 1987 and 1993 to 2000.

Story of the Christian St. Brigid and Her Cross

In Christian religion, St. Brigid and her cross are linked together by a story about her weaving
this form of cross at the death bed of either her father or a pagan lord, who upon hearing
what the cross meant, asked to be baptized. One version goes as follows:

A pagan chieftain from the neighbourhood of Kildare was dying. Christians in his household
sent for Brigid to talk to him about Christ. When she arrived, the chieftain was raving. As it
was impossible to instruct this delirious man, hopes for his conversion seemed doubtful. Brigid
sat down at his bedside and began consoling him. As was customary, the dirt floor was strewn
with rushes both for warmth and cleanliness. Brigid stooped down and started to weave them
into a cross, fastening the points together. The sick man asked what she was doing. She
began to explain the cross, and as she talked, his delirium quieted and he questioned her with
growing interest. Through her weaving, he converted and was baptized at the point of death.
Since then, the cross of rushes has existed in Ireland.

Pagan origins

The presence of the Brigid's cross in Ireland is likely far older than Christianity. The Goddess
Brigid was one of the Tuatha D Danann. Her feast day was the feast of Imbolc, and the cross
made of rushes today is very likely the descendant of a pagan symbol whose original meaning
may have been locally understood even into the early 20th century in rural Ireland. One
remnant of that tradition in the meaning of the Brigid's Cross today, is that it is said to protect
a house from fire. This does not fit with any part of the Christian story of St. Brigid, and so is
likely a part of the older polytheistic tradition behind the feast day.

Common Amulets
http://www.Wikipedia.org
http://www.UnexplainedStuff.com

An amulet (Latin amuletum) can be any object but its most important characteristic is its
alleged power to protect its owner from danger or harm. Amulets are different from talismans
as a talisman is believed to bring luck or some other benefit, though it can offer protection as
well.

Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants,
rings, plants and animals; even words in the form of a magical spell or incantation to repel evil
or bad luck.

The word "amulet" comes from the Latin amuletum; the earliest extant use of the term is in
Pliny's Natural History, meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble".

Amulets in folklore

Amulets vary considerably according to their time and place of origin. In many societies,
religious objects serve as amulets, e.g. deriving from the ancient Celts, the clover, if it has
four leaves, symbolizes good luck (not the Irish shamrock, which symbolizes the Christian
Trinity).

In Bolivia and Argentina, the god Ekeko furnishes a standard amulet, to whom one should
offer at least one banknote or a cigarette to obtain fortune and welfare.

In certain areas of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, it is traditionally believed that the jackal's horn
can grant wishes and reappear to its owner at its own accord when lost. Some Sinhalese
believe that the horn can grant the holder invulnerability in any lawsuit.

In the Philippines, the local amulet is called agimat or anting-anting. According to folklore, the
most powerful anting-anting is the hiyas ng saging (directly translated as pearl or gem of the
banana). The hiyas must come from a mature banana and only comes out during midnight.
Before the person can fully possess this agimat, he must fight a supernatural creature called
kapre. Only then will he be its true owner. During holy week, devotees travel to Mount
Banahaw to recharge their amulets.

Amulets and ancient Rome

The amulet is particularly prevalent in ancient Roman society, being the inheritor of the
ancient Greek tradition, and inextricably linked to Roman Religion and magic (see Magic in the
Greco-Roman World). Amulets are usually outside of the normal sphere of religious experience
though associations between certain gemstones and gods has been suggested, for example,
Jupiter is represented on milky chalcedony, Sol on heliotrope, Mars on red jasper, Ceres on
green jasper and Bacchus on amethyst.[9] Amulets are worn to imbue the wearer with the
associated powers of the gods rather than for any reasons of piety. The intrinsic power of the
amulet is also evident from others bearing inscriptions, such as vterfexix (utere fexix) or
"good luck to the user."[10] Amulet boxes could also be used, such as the example from part
of the Thetford treasure, Norfolk, UK, where a gold box intended for suspension around the
neck was found to contain sulphur for its apotropaic qualities.


Amulets in the Abrahamic religions


In antiquity and the Middle Ages, most Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Orient believed in
the protective and healing power of amulets or blessed objects. Talismans used by these
peoples can be broken down into three main categories: talismans carried or worn on the
body, talismans hung upon or above the bed of an infirm person, and medicinal talismans.
This third category can be further divided into external and internal talismans. For example,
an external amulet can be placed in a bath.

Jews, Christians, and Muslims have also at times used their holy books in a talisman-like
manner in grave situations. For example, a bed-ridden and seriously ill person would have a
holy book placed under part of the bed or cushion.

Judaism

Amulets are plentiful in the Jewish tradition, with examples of Solomon-era amulets existing in
many museums. Due to proscription of idols, Jewish amulets emphasize text and namesthe
shape, material or color of an amulet makes no difference. See also Hamsa.

The Jewish tallis (Yiddish-Hebrew form; plural is tallitot), the prayer shawl with fringed corners
and knotted tassels at each corner, is perhaps one of the world's oldest and most used
talismanic objects. Some believe it was intended to distinguish the Jews from pagans, as well
as to remind them of God and Heaven. An incorrect conjugation of the plural form (with
Ashkenazi pronunciation), "tallisim," is very close to the term "talisman;" however, the word
"talisman" has come to us through Arabic, although ultimately derives from the Greek.

Christianity

The Roman Catholic Church maintains that the legitimate use of sacramentals in its proper
disposition is only encouraged by a firm faith and devotion in God, not through any magical or
superstitious belief bestowed on the sacramental. In this regard, rosaries, scapular, medals
and other devotional religious Catholic paraphernalia derive their power, not from the
symbolism created by the object, rather by the faith of the believer in entrusting its power to
God. While some Catholics may not fully appreciate this view, belief in pagan magic or
polytheistic superstition through material in-animate objects are condemned by the Holy See.

Protestant denominations in general do not share in this belief, but other Christian
Evangelicals sometimes advertise in television prayer clothes, or coins, and wallet reminders
claiming to have intercessory powers on its bearer.

Lay Catholics are not permitted to perform exorcisms but they can use holy water, blessed salt
and other sacramentals such as the Saint Benedict medal or the crucifix for warding off evil.

Cord

A simple cord is perhaps the plainest amulet of them all. Wrist, ankle, and neck cords are
popular in contemporary times and have a long history. Unlike other amulets, which when lost
or broken are believed to end luck or protection, cords release magic to come true when they
break naturally from wear. An amulet lost or broken might be a reason for despair, but a
broken cord should signal the beginning of good fortune.


Crystals

The treasures of King Tutankhamen of Egypt (c. 13701352 B.C.E.) abound with crystals in
the form of gems and jewels. They were intended for personal adornment, but they also had
symbolic meaning: they were believed to possess mystical and religious powers. Today,
crystals are still worn for decorative purposes in the form of gems and jewels; those who
believe in the mystical powers of crystals wear them as amulets.

Holy water

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (number 301) specifically refers to the use of holy water
for "protection from the powers of darkness."

Catholic saints have written about the power of holy water as a force that repels evil. Saint
Teresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church who reported visions of Jesus and Mary, was a strong
believer in the power of Holy water and wrote that she used it with success to repel evil and
temptations.

Horseshoe

Cast-off horseshoes are often nailed up over, or close by, doorways, normally with the ends
pointing upwards; it is said to collect good luck, or to stop the luck from falling out (see
Oakham's horseshoes). Model horseshoes (of card or plastic) are given as good-luck tokens,
particularly at weddings, and small paper horseshoes feature in confetti.

Images

Sumerians, who inhabited Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and were contemporaries of the
Egyptians, had amulets inscribed with images of animals and gods. They also inscribed
such images on seals for everything from pottery to vaults to doors: the emblem on the seal
represented a guardian spirit that would bring bad luck to those who opened the sealed
compartment without permission of the owner.

In ancient Greece, phalli were believed to have apotropaic qualities. Often stone reliefs would
be placed above doorways, but there were also many three-dimensional renditions erected
across the Greek world. Most notable of these were the urban monuments found on the island
of Delos. Grotesque, satyr-like beaded faces, sometimes with the pointed cap of the workman,
appeared often over the doors of ovens and kilns, to protect the work from fire and mishap. A
similar use of phallic representations to ward off the evil eye remains popular in modern
Bhutan and is associated with the 500 year old Buddhist tradition of Drupka Kinley, and is
paralleled by other south Asian uses of the lingam symbol.

In Roman Art apotropaic imagery was a common theme. Envy was thought to bring bad luck
to the person envied. To avoid envy Romans sought to incite laughter in their guests by using
apotropaic images. Images such as large phalluses, deformities like hunchbacks, or non-
roman subjects such as pygmies and black Africans were common. Romans saw deformity
as funny and thus believed you could use images of deformity to keep away the evil eye.




Among the Ancient Greeks the most widely-used image intended to avert evil was that of the
Gorgon, the head of which now may be called the Gorgoneion, which features wild eyes,
fangs, and protruding tongue. The full figure of the Gorgon holds the apex of the oldest
remaining Greek temple where she is flanked by two lionesses. The Gorgon head was mounted
on the aegis and shield of Athena.

Eyes were often painted to ward off the evil eye. An exaggerated apotropaic eye was painted
on Greek drinking vessels in the 6th century BC to ward off evil spirits while drinking. Fishing
boats in some parts of the Mediterranean region still have stylised eyes painted on the bows.
A Turkish budget airline has adopted the symbol (known as Nazar boncuu or Nazar bonjuk)
as a motif for the tailfin of its aeroplanes. The Yiddish expression, "Kain ein horeh" ( )
is apotropaic in nature, and literally translates to "no evil eye," somewhat equivalent to the
expression, "Knock on wood."


The doorways and windows of buildings
were felt to be particularly vulnerable to
evil. On churches and castles,
gargoyles or other grotesque faces
and figures such as Sheela na Gigs and
Hunky Punks would be carved to
frighten away witches and other malign
influences. Those other openings,
fireplaces or chimneys, may also have
been carved. Rather than figural
carvings, these seem to have been
simple geometric or letter carvings.
Where a wooden post was used to
support a chimney opening, this was
often an easier subject for amateur
carving. To further discourage witchcraft,
rowan wood may have been chosen for
it.



Similarly the grotesque faces carved into pumpkin lanterns (and their earlier
counterparts, made from turnips, swedes or beets) at Halloween are meant to avert evil: this
season was Samhain, the Celtic new year and, as a "time between times", it was believed that
souls of the dead and other dangerous spirits walked the earth at this time.

Inscriptions

Early Christians inscribed the word ichthys (Greek for "fish") on their amulets because the
word contained in Greek the initials for Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. The fish symbol has
been important to Christians ever since.

Incantations

In Ireland and Great Britain, magpies are thought to bring bad luck and many people repeat
various rhymes or salutations to placate them.


Medals

Back of the Catholic Saint Benedict medal with the Vade
Retro Satana abbreviation: "Step back, Satan."

A well-known amulet among Catholic Christians is the Saint
Benedict Medal which includes the Vade Retro Satana
formula to ward off Satan. This medal has been in use at
least since the 18th century and in 1742 it received the
approval of Pope Benedict XIV. It later became part of the
Roman Catholic ritual.


Mirrors

Mirrors and other shiny objects were believed to deflect the evil eye. Traditional English
"Plough Jags" (performers of a regional variant of the mummers play) sometimes decorated
their costumes (particularly their hats) with shiny items, even to the extent of borrowing silver
plate for the purpose. "Witch balls" are shiny blown glass ornaments, like Christmas baubles,
that were hung in windows.
Parchments and books

Ancient Jews wore amulets around their necks that contained slips of parchment on which the
laws of God were written. The Torah, comprising five books of the Old Testament of the Bible,
is among the copies of holy books including the Bible (Christians), Vedas (Hindu), the Koran
(Muslims), and the Avestar (Zoroastrians) believed by the faithful to bring good luck and to
ward off evil. A favorite contemporary Muslim amulet consists of a square-inch miniature of
the Koran enclosed in metal and worn around the neck. Muslims also believe they gain power
by wearing amulets inscribed with a form of the name of Allah.

Amulets are frequently mentioned in Talmudic literature where they are called kemiya and
often consist of a written parchment or root of herbs worn on a small chain, a ring, or a tube.
Many such amulets had healing purposes: they were considered legitimate only after having
worked successfully in healing on three different occasions. Another kind of parchment amulet
was the mezuzah, a Hebrew word for door post. Moses (14th13th century B.C.E.)
commanded Israelites to inscribe the words "Hear O Israel, the Lord Our God Is One God" on
the doorposts of their homes. An amulet with those words continues to be attached to doors in
many modern Jewish households, or worn as a gold chain around the neck for good luck.

Rabbits Foot

Animals have been used as symbols in amulets since the earliest times. Modern amulets
include a rabbit's foot; when rubbed it is activated to bring luck.

http://www.Wikipedia.org

Victorian silver mounted rabbit's foot charm

In some cultures, the foot of a rabbit is carried as an
amulet believed to bring good luck. This belief is held by
individuals in a great number of places around the world
including Europe, China, Africa, and North and South
America. It is likely that this belief has existed in Europe since 600 BC amongst Celtic people.
In variations of this superstition, the donor rabbit must possess certain attributes, or have
been killed in a particular place, or killed by a particular method, or by a person possessing
particular attributes (e.g. by a cross-eyed man).

The rabbit foot charm in North American and anan culture

The belief in North American folklore may originate in the system of African-American folk
magic known as hoodoo. A number of strictures attached to the charm that are now observed
mostly in the breach:

First, not any foot from a rabbit will do: it is the left hind foot of a rabbit that is useful
as a charm.
Second, not any left hind foot of a rabbit will do; the rabbit must have been shot or
otherwise captured in a cemetery.
Third, at least according to some sources, not any left hind foot of a rabbit shot in a
cemetery will do: the phase of the moon is also important. Some authorities say that
the rabbit must be taken in the full moon, while others hold instead that the rabbit
must be taken in the new moon. Some sources say instead that the rabbit must be
taken on a Friday, or a rainy Friday, or Friday the 13th. Some sources say that the
rabbit should be shot with a silver bullet, while others say that the foot must be cut off
while the rabbit is still alive.

As a substitute for bones from a human corpse

The various rituals suggested by the sources, though they differ widely one from another,
share a common element of the uncanny, and the reverse of what is considered good-omened
and auspicious. A rabbit is an animal into which shapeshifting witches such as Isobel Gowdie
claimed to be able to transform themselves. Witches were said to be active at the times of the
full and new moon. Silver bullets, of course, are reputed to be sovereign against uncanny
creatures such as werewolves.

These widely varying circumstances may share a common thread of suggestion that the true
lucky rabbit's foot is actually cut from a shapeshifted witch. The suggestion that the rabbit's
foot is a substitute for a body part from a witch's body is corroborated by other folklore from
hoodoo. Willie Dixon's song "Hoochie Coochie Man" mentions a "black cat bone" along with his
mojo and his John the Conqueror: all are artifacts in hoodoo magic. Given the traditional
association between black cats and witchcraft, a black cat bone is also potentially a substitute
for a human bone from a witch. Hoodoo lore also uses graveyard dust, soil from a cemetery,
for various magical purposes. Dust from a good person's grave keeps away evil; dust from a
sinner's grave is used for more nefarious magic. The use of graveyard dust may also be a
symbolic appropriation of the parts of a corpse as a relic, and a form of sympathetic magic.

In any case, the rabbit's foot is dried out and preserved, and carried around by gamblers and
other people who believe it will bring them luck. Rabbit's feet, either authentic or imitation,
are frequently sold by curio shops and vending machines. Often, these rabbit's feet have been
dyed various colors, and they are often turned into keychains. Few of these rabbit's feet carry
any warranty concerning their provenance, or any evidence that the preparers have made any
effort to comply with the rituals required by the original tradition. Some may be confected
from fake fur and latex "bones."

President Theodore Roosevelt wrote in his autobiography that he had been given a gold-
mounted rabbit's foot by John L. Sullivan as well as a penholder made by Bob Fitzsimmons out
of a horseshoe. A 1905 anecdote also tells that Booker T. Washington and Baron Ladislaus
Hengelmuller, the ambassador from Austria, got their overcoats confused when they were
both in the White House to speak with President Roosevelt; the ambassador noticed that the
coat he had taken was not his when he went to the pockets searching for his gloves, and
instead found "the left hind foot of a graveyard rabbit, killed in the dark of the moon." Other
newspaper stories reported the incident but omitted the detail about the rabbit's foot.

In addition to being mentioned in blues lyrics, the rabbit's foot is mentioned in the American
folk song "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," once popular in minstrel shows;
one line goes: "And you've got a rabbit's foot To keep away de hoo-doo."

Humorist R. E. Shay is credited with the witticism, "Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but
remember it didn't work for the rabbit."


Scapulars
http://www.Wikipedia.org

The devotional scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or
Brown Scapular

The term scapular (from Latin scapulae, "shoulders") as
used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian
sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional
scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred
to as "scapular".

The "monastic scapular" appeared first, perhaps as early
as the 7th century in the Order of Saint Benedict. It is a
somewhat large length of cloth suspended both front and back from the shoulders of the
wearer, often reaching to the knees. It may vary in shape, color, size and style. Monastic
scapulars originated as aprons worn by medieval monks, and were later extended to habits for
members of religious organizations, orders or confraternities. Monastic scapulars now form
part of the habit of monks and nuns in many Christian orders.

The "devotional scapular" is a much smaller item and evolved from the monastic scapular.
These may also be worn by individuals who are not members of a monastic order and the
Roman Catholic Church considers them sacramentals. The devotional scapular typically
consists of two small (usually rectangular) pieces of cloth, wood or laminated paper, a few
inches in size, which may bear religious images or text. These are joined by two bands of cloth
and the wearer places one square on the chest, rests the bands one on each shoulder and lets
the second square drop down the back.

In many cases, both forms of the scapular come with a set of promises for the faithful who
wear them. Some of the promises are rooted in tradition, and others have been formally
approved by religious leaders. For instance, for Roman Catholics, as for some other
sacramentals, over the centuries several popes have approved specific indulgences for
scapulars


History

Photograph of Saint Thrse of Lisieux, Doctor of the
Church, in the Carmelite Brown Scapular, 1895.

The exact origin of the scapular as a practical garment
continues to be debated by scholars. However, many
sources agree that the scapular emerged from an apron-
like piece of cloth worn by monks. Item 55 of the Rule of
Saint Benedict, dating to the 7th century, clearly refers to
the use of the scapular. In the Western Church the key
elements of a monk's habit eventually became the tunic,
the cincture, the scapular and the hood. A nun's costume
included the tunic, the scapular and the head veil. Some
authors interpret the scapular as a symbolic apron based
on the fact that monks and nuns, when engaged on some
manual labor, tend to cover it with a protective apron or
carefully tuck it up or throw the front length back over
their shoulder to prevent it from getting in the way.

The fact that specific promises and indulgences were attached to the wearing of scapulars
helped increase their following, as was seen with the early example of the Brown Scapular,
habit of the Carmelites, which included the traditional promise that those wearing it piously
would be spared the fires of Hell. This promise was based on the Carmelite tradition that the
Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock at Cambridge, England in 1251 in answer to
his appeal for help for his oppressed order and recommended the Brown Scapular of the Our
Lady of Mount Carmel to him and promised salvation for the faithful who wore it piously.
However, this issue is subject to debate among scholars. Today historians question whether
this Marian apparition took place at all, others argue that it was another Carmelite brother
who witnessed the apparition. The Carmelite Order states on their website "Although the
historicity of the scapular vision is rejected, the scapular itself has remained for all Carmelites
a sign of Mary's motherly protection and as a personal commitment to follow Jesus in the
footsteps of his Mother, the perfect model of all his disciples."

Regardless of the scholarly debates regarding the exact origin of the Brown Scapular, it is
clear that it has been a part of the Carmelite habit since the late 13th century, and the
Carmelite Constitution of 1294 considers it a serious fault to sleep without a scapular and the
Constitution of 1369 stipulates automatic excommunication for Carmelites who say Mass
without a scapular.

A scapular promise historically known as the Sabbatine privilege, was associated with an
apocryphal Papal Bull allegedly by Pope John XXII. It states that through her special
intercession, on the Saturday following their death, Mary will personally liberate and deliver
the souls of devotees out of Purgatory. The Vatican has denied the validity of this document
since 1613 and forbade the Carmelites to preach the Sabbatine privilege, an admonition which
they did not always adhere to. At the same time however the Church gave the Carmelites
permission to preach that Mary's merits and intercession would help those "who have departed
this life in charity, have worn in life the scapular, have ever observed chastity, have recited
the Little Hours of the Blessed Virgin, or, if they cannot read, have observed the fast days of
the Church, and have abstained from flesh meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays."

Today, the Carmelite Orders, while encouraging a belief in Mary's general aid and prayerful
assistance for their souls beyond death and commending devotion to Mary especially on
Saturdays which are dedicated to her, explicitly state in their official catechetical materials
that they do not promulgate the Sabbatine privilege, and are at one with official church
teaching on the matter.

Historically, however, belief in the Sabbatine Privilege had a positive impact on the popularity
of the scapular, and the growth of the Carmelites, and over the centuries helped the devotion
to the scapular reach a height that the Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages called it "one of the
main Marian devotions of Christendom".

Historical records clearly document the growth of the Brown Scapular devotion during the
16th, 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception that
dates to 1617 was eventually granted a significant number of indulgences, and many graces
were promised to those who would honor the Immaculate Conception by wearing the Blue
Scapular and live chastely according to their state in life. In 1885 Pope Leo XIII approved the
Scapular of the Holy Face, (also known as The Veronica) and elevated the Priests of the Holy
Face to an archconfraternity. He also approved the Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel and
the Scapular of St. Joseph, both in 1893, and the Scapular of the Sacred Heart in 1900.

Varieties

Monastic scapular




21st century Cistercian monks in
their habit (with hoodless black
monastic scapular).

Carthusians in white hooded scapulars, by Francisco
de Zurbarn, 1630-1635.

Today, the monastic scapular is part of the garb, the habit, of many Christian religious orders,
of both monks and nuns. It is an outer garment about the width of the chest, from shoulder to
shoulder. It hangs down in the front and back almost to the feet, but is open on the sides (it
was originally joined by straps at the waist). It may seem similar to the analavos worn in the
Eastern tradition but is unrelated to them.

Historically, the monastic scapular was at times referred to as scutum (i.e. shield), as it was
laid over the head, which it originally covered and protected with one portion (from which the
hood afterwards developed). A specific aspect of the use of the monastic scapular from its
earliest days was obedience and the term jugum Christi, i.e. "yoke of Christ", was used to
refer to it. The term "yoke of Christ" signified obedience and removing a scapular was like
removing the yoke of Christ, i.e. rebelling against authority. For instance, the Carmelite
constitution of 1281 prescribed that the Scapular should be worn to bed under penalty of
serious fault. And the constitution of 1369 included automatic excommunication for a
Carmelite saying mass without a scapular.

Over the centuries the religious orders adapted the basic scapular as they considered
appropriate for themselves, as a result of which there are now several distinct designs, colors,
shapes and lengths in use. For example, the Dominican Order and Carthusians attached a
hood to their scapular, rather than keeping the former a separate item of their habit. And the
color selection could change over time, for instance prior to 1255 the Augustinian scapulars for
novices were black and those of the lay brethren were white, but thereafter all scapulars but
those of the lay brethren had to be white.

In some cases the monastic scapular was used to distinguish the rank or level of the wearer
within a religious order. For instance in some Byzantine monastic practices two levels of fully
professed monk or nun exist: those of the "little habit" and those other of the "great habit",
these being more senior and not having to do manual labor. In these cases, the "great habit"
was simply distinguished from the "little habit" by the addition of a scapular decorated with
the instruments of the Passion.

Just as the stole is the vestment that came to mark the office of a priest, the monastic
scapular became the equivalent for those in the monastic life and even today, a long scapular
identifies its wearer as a member of a religious order. It is a symbol of the confraternal way,
combining in itself the principle of ora et labora (prayer and work); and so the form was later
adopted by pious laity who wished to have an open sign of their devotion.
Non-monastic reduced scapular

Some authors suggest that the tradition of wearing a reduced form of a non-monastic scapular
started in the 11th century with Saint Peter Damian and the monastic scapular was gradually
transformed from an item of clothing that was part of the habit of monks and nuns to a
smaller sacramental item that expressed devotion by individuals, called oblates, who lived in
the world, but wished to be affiliated with a monastery.

In the Middle Ages, it became common for Christian faithful to share in the spirituality of the
new mendicant orders in an auxiliary sense, sometimes called Third Orders because they were
founded after the initial orders of the friars and nuns. Although these people (called Tertiaries)
were permitted to wear the "tertiary habit", because they had not taken religious vows they
were not usually permitted to wear the full habit of the order. With time, it was considered a
high honor and great privilege to be granted a small cloth attached by bands which would be
worn over the torso in the same manner as the full monastic scapular. Confraternities came to
be formed in which people would be granted the wearing of this item as a mark of their
sharing in the good works of a particular order. Among Franciscans, they were known as
Cordbearers, due to their also wearing a small cord around the waist in imitation of the one
worn by the friar.

After the disruptions of religious life during the period of the French Revolution and the
Napoleanic invasions of France and Italy, wearing of the tertiary habit became prohibited.
Thus it eventually became common that a smaller form of an order's scapular would be
bestowed upon the non-monastic. Rather than a full length of cloth, it consisted of two
rectangles (several inches wide, and much larger than a modern devotional scapular) of wool
joined by bands in some fashion. These are still worn today by the "Third Order" members of
the Franciscans, Carmelites, and Dominicans. In order to gain the benefits of the order, the
members must wear these scapulae constantly. However, in 1883 in his "Constitution On the
Law of the Franciscan Third Order" called Misericors Dei Filius, Pope Leo XIII declared that
wearing either these medium-sized scapulae of the "Third Order" or the miniature forms of the
smaller devotional scapular entitled the wearer equally to gain the indulgences associated with
the order. Some religious orders still give a short version (sometimes called the "reduced
scapular", but this usage is archaic) of their large scapular to non-monastics that are
spiritually affiliated with them. Such short scapulars are designed to be unobtrusive and can
be worn under regular clothing at home and at work.


Devotional scapular

Rosary and scapular

Devotional scapulars are sacramentals, primarily worn
by Roman Catholics and some Lutherans, designed to
show the wearer's pledge to a confraternity, a saint, or
a way of life, as well as reminding the wearer of that
promise. Some devotional scapulars bear images, or
verses from scripture.

Devotional scapulars typically consist of two rectangular
pieces of cloth, wool or other fabric that are connected by bands. One rectangle hangs over
the chest of the wearer, while the other rests on the back, with the bands running over the
shoulders. Some scapulars have extra bands running under the arms and connecting the
rectangles to prevent them from getting dislodged underneath the wearer's top layer of
clothes.

The roots of devotional scapulars can be traced to the gathering of laity into confraternities for
spiritual direction, whereby the faithful would be assigned some badge or token of affiliation
and devotion. The image or message on the scapular usually reflects the order's focus,
tradition or favored devotion. Devotional scapulars and the indulgences attached to them grew
along with the growth of Catholic confraternities during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1611,
the Servite Order's confraternity and their Black Scapular of the Seven Sorrows of Mary
received indulgences from Pope Paul V.

By the early 20th century the devotional scapular had gained such a strong following among
Catholics worldwide that the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1914 stated: "Like the Rosary, the
Brown Scapular has become the badge of the devout Catholic." In the 1917 reported
apparitions of Our Lady of Ftima the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared "with a Rosary in
one hand and a scapular in the other". Sister Lcia (one of the three Ftima children
visionaries) stated that the Virgin Mary told her: "The Rosary and the Scapular are
inseparable". In the United States "Scapular Magazine" helped enroll one million Americans to
pray the Rosary based on the Fatima messages. The Rosary and the devotional scapular
continue to be linked in the 21st century.

While a number of scapulars (e.g. the Scapular of the Holy Face, also known as The Veronica)
are entirely Christocentric, the most widespread scapulars such as the Brown Scapular of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel and the Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception relate to Marian
devotions and consecrations. The official teachings of the Catholic Church indicate that the
Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel is one of the most highly recommended Marian devotions.
This has been the case through the centuries, and more recently with popes including Pius XII,
Paul VI and John Paul II, who stated that he received his first Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel
at age ten when his Marian devotion was taking shape and he continued to wear it into his
papacy.


The Catholic Encyclopedia lists 18 small scapulars approved by the Church:

The White Scapular of the Most Blessed Trinity (1193)
The White Scapular of Our Lady of Ransom (1218)
The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1250)
The Black Scapular of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (1255)
The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception
The Red Scapular of the Most Precious Blood
The Black Scapular of the Passion (1720)
The Red Scapular of the Passion (1846)
The Black Scapular of Help of the Sick (1860)
The White Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (1877)
The Blue and Black Scapular of St. Michael the Archangel (1880)
The Scapular of St. Benedict (1882)
The Scapular of the Holy Face (1885)
The White Scapular of the Our Lady of Good Counsel (1893)
The White Scapular of St. Joseph (1898)
The White Scapular of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (1900)
The Scapular of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1901)
The White Scapular of St. Dominic (1903)

Of all the types recognized by the Church the best-known, and perhaps the most popular, is
the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, sometimes referred to as the Brown Scapular from
the color of its bands. The brown scapular is associated with the Sabbatine Privilege, which
promises that the Virgin Mary will deliver those who wear the scapular piously from Purgatory
on the first Saturday after their death.

The wearing of a devotional scapular has been viewed as a constant meditation by Bishop Leo
De Goesbriand:

"Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, Mary never sees me without seeing upon my
body an evidence of my devotion to her."

From a spiritual viewpoint, Father Etienne Richer argues that devotional scapular is one of key
Roman Catholic sacramentals that harmonize with Catholic Liturgy in the meditative process.

Scapular of St. Michael the Archangel
http://www.Wikipedia.org

Some Catholic sacramentals are believed to defend against evil, by virtue of their association
with a specific saint or archangel. The Scapular of St. Michael the Archangel is a Roman
Catholic devotional scapular associated with Archangel Michael, the chief enemy of Satan.
Pope Pius IX gave this scapular his blessing, but it was first formally approved under Pope Leo
XIII.

The form of this scapular is somewhat distinct, in that the two segments of cloth that
constitute it have the form of a small shield; one is made of blue and the other of black cloth,
and one of the bands likewise is blue and the other black. Both portions of the scapular bear
the well-known representation of the Archangel St. Michael slaying the dragon and the
inscription "Quis ut Deus?" meaning Who is like God?.

*Five-fold Scapular


Scarab

Egyptians considered amulets necessary for protection of the living and the dead. An amulet
with a heart on it was often placed with the dead to help represent them in judgment about
their fate in the afterlife. Likenesses of scarabs (a kind of beetle) were also prominent. A
scarab encloses an egg in mud or dung and rolls it along to a spot where it can be warm and
safe. Egyptians considered this a metaphor for the journey of the sun each day. The scarab
amulet became a common emblem for regeneration and was placed with the dead.

Talisman

Jewish tallis (Yiddish-Hebrew form; plural is tallitot), the
prayer shawl with fringed corners and knotted tassels at
each corner, is perhaps one of the world's oldest and
most used talismanic objects. Some believe it was
intended to distinguish the Jews from pagans, as well as
to remind them of God and Heaven. An incorrect
conjugation of the plural form (with Ashkenazi
pronunciation), "tallisim," is very close to the term
"talisman;" however, the word "talisman" is of Greek
origin.

A talisman (Arabic: ; transliterated: tilasim) is an
object which is believed to contain certain magical
properties which would provide good luck for the
possessor and possibly offer protection from evil or
harm. The word comes from the Arabic word
(Tilasm), from an alteration of late Greek telesma (), "completion, religious rite", itself
from the word tele () which means "I complete, perform a rite". Amulets and talismans
are often considered interchangeable despite their differences. For example, the amulet is an
object with natural magical properties, whereas a talisman must be charged with magical
powers by a creator; it is this act of consecration or "charging" that gives the talisman its
alleged magical powers. The talisman is always made for a definite reason whilst an amulet
can be used for generic purposes such as averting evil or attracting good luck.

According to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a magical order active in the United
Kingdom during the late-19th and early-20th centuries, a talisman is "a magical figure
charged with the force which it is intended to represent. In the construction of a talisman, care
should be taken to make it, as far as possible, so to represent the universal forces that it
should be in exact harmony with those you wish to attract, and the more exact the symbolism,
the easier it is to attract the force."

Preparation of Talismans

All the traditional magical schools advise that a talisman should be created by the person who
plans to use it. They also recommend that the person making the talisman must be familiar
with all the symbolisms connected to all the different planetary and elemental forces. In
several medieval talismans, geomantic signs and symbols were used in relation with different
planets. These symbolisms which are frequently incorporated in geomantic divination, also
have alchemical implications. Other magical associations, such as colors, scents, symbology,
patterns, Kabbalistic figures, can also be integrated in the creation of a talisman. However,
they should be in synchronization with the elemental or planetary force selected to represent
the talisman. It is also feasible to augment a personal touch to the talisman through adding a
verse, inscription, or pattern. These inscriptions can be magical emblems, bible verses or
sonnets.

Talismans in Medieval Medicine

Lea Olsan writes of the use of amulets and talisman as prescribed by medical practitioners in
the medieval period, citing four doctors that served as primary sources for her research. She
explains that the utilization of such charms and prayers (referred to a Empirica in authoritative
medical texts) were rarely a treatment of choice due to the inability of such treatments to be
properly justified in the realm of Galenic medical teachings. Yet, the use of amulets was
typically considered acceptable due to the large number of references to their use in the
medical literature overall. Through drawing on these references as a guide, Gilbertus, for
example, writes of the necessity of using a talisman to ensure conception of a child. He
describes the process of producing the talisman, which includes writing words, some
uninterruptable, some biblical, on a parchment to be hung around the neck of the man or
woman during intercourse.

Examples

Seal of Solomon

The Seal of Solomon, also known as the interlaced triangle, is another primeval talisman and
amulet that has been commonly used in several religions; but though it is said to have been
the emblem by which the wise king ruled the Genii, it could not have originated with him as its
use dates back much further than the Jewish Dispensation. As a talisman it was believed all-
powerful, being the ideal symbol of the absolute, and was worn for
protection against all fatalities, threats, and trouble, and to protect
its wearer from all evil. In its constitution, the triangle with its apex
upwards represents good, and with the inverted triangle, evil: the
triangle with its apex up being typical of the Trinity that exists in
several religions; in India, China and Japan, its three angles
represent Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, the Creator, Preserver, and
Destroyer or Regenerator; in Egypt it represented Osiris, Isis and
Horus; and in the Christian Church, the Holy Trinity. As a whole it
stands for the elements of fire and spirit, composed of the three
virtues (love, truth, and wisdom). The triangle with its apex downward symbolized the
element of water, and typified the material world, or the three enemies of the soul: the world,
the flesh, and the Devil, and the cardinal sins, envy, hatred and malice. Therefore, the
meaning of the two triangles interlaced, is the victory of spirit over matter, and at the
beginning of our present civilization was believed an all-powerful talisman and amulet,
especially when used with either a Cross of Tau, the Hebrew Yodh, or the Egyptian Crux
Ansata in the center.

Talismanic Scroll

This object, an 11th century Talismanic Scroll, was discovered in Egypt and produced in the
Fatimid Islamic Caliphate (909-1171 C.E.) It resides in the collection of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art (New York, NY) along with a number of other Medieval Islamic amulets and
talisman that were donated to the museum by the Abemayor family in 1978. About 9 inches
by 3 inches in size, the miniature paper scroll contains a combination of prayers and Quranic
verses, and was created for placement in an amulet box. This block print bears Kufic, the
oldest calligraphic Arabic script, as well as Solomons Seal, a star with six points has been
identified in a large number of Islamic art pieces of the period. Block printing was utilized as a
technique through which to mass-produce talisman scrolls, hundreds of years before block
printing was incorporated into European societies.



Swastika

The swastika, one of the oldest and most widespread talismans known, can be traced to the
Stone Age, and has been found incised on stone implements of this era.
It can be found in all parts of the Old and New Worlds, and on the most
prehistoric ruins and remnants. In spite of its antiquity, and the assertion
by some writers that it was used by the Egyptians, there is little
evidence to suggest they used it and it has not been found among their
remains.

It is unknown whether the correct form stands with its arms turned to
the left, or to the right. Both forms seem equally common, found both
ways in various territories. On the stone walls of the Buddhist caves of India, which feature
many of the symbols, arms are often turned both ways in the same inscription.




Touch piece
Wikipedia.org

A touch piece is a coin or medal attached to attracted superstitious beliefs, such as those with
"holes" in them or those with particular designs. Such pieces were believed to cure disease,
bring good luck, influence people's behaviour, carry out a specific practical action, etc.

What most touch pieces have in common is that they have to be touched or in close physical
contact for the power concerned to be obtained and/or transferred. Once this is achieved, the
power is permanently present in the coin, which effectively becomes an amulet.

Cure of diseases by coins

Coins which had been given at Holy Communion could be rubbed on parts of the body
suffering from rheumatism and they would effect a cure. Medallions or medalets showing the
"Devil defeated" were specially minted in Britain and distributed amongst the poor in the belief
that they would reduce disease and sickness. The tradition of touch pieces goes back to the
time of Ancient Rome, when the Emperor Vespasian (979 AD) gave coins to the sick at a
ceremony known as "the touching."

Many touch piece coins were treasured by the recipients and sometimes remained in the
possession of families for many generations, such as with the "Lee Penny" obtained by Sir
Simon Lockhart from the Holy Land whilst on a crusade. This coin, an Edward I groat, still held
by the family, has a triangular-shaped stone of a dark red colour set into it. The coin is kept in
a gold box given by Queen Victoria to General Lockhart. It can supposedly cure rabies,
haemorrhage, and various animal ailments. The coin was exempted from the Church of
Scotland's prohibition on charms and was lent to the citizens of Newcastle during the reign of
King Charles I to protect them from the plague. A sum of between 1,000 and 6,000 was
pledged for its return.

The legend of the Lee Penny gave rise to Sir Walter Scott's novel The Talisman. The amulet
was placed in water, which was then drunk to provide the cure. No money was ever taken for
its use. In 1629 Isobel Young sought to borrow the stone to cure their cattle. The family of
Lockart of Lee would not lend the stone in its silver setting; however, they gave flagons of
water in which the coin had been steeped.

Healing of the King's or Queen's Evil

Persons of royal blood were thought to have the "God given" power of healing by this
condition by touch, and sovereigns of England and France practised this power to cure
sufferers of scrofula, meaning "Swine Evil", as it was common in pigs, a form of tuberculosis of
the bones and lymph nodes, commonly known as the "King's or Queen's Evil" or "Morbus
Regius." In France it was called the Mal De Roi. William the Lion, King of Scotland is
recorded in 1206 as curing a case of scrofula by his touching and blessing a child who had the
ailment. Charles I touched around 100 people shortly after his coronation at Holyrood in 1630.
Rarely fatal, the disease was naturally given to spontaneous cure and lengthy periods of
remission. Many miraculous cures were recorded, and failures were put down to a lack of faith
in the sufferer. The original Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Church contained this
ceremony. The divine power of kings was believed to be descended from Edward the
Confessor, who, according to some legends, received it from Saint Remigius.

The custom lasted from the time of Edward the Confessor to the reign of Queen Anne,
although her predecessor, William III refused to believe in the tradition and did not practice
the ceremony. James II and James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender, performed the
ceremony. Charles Edward Stuart, the "Young Pretender," is known to have carried out the
rite in 1745 at Glamis Castle during the time of his rebellion against George II and also in
France after his exile. Finally, Henry Benedict Stuart, the brother of Charles, performed the
ceremony until his death in 1807. All the Jacobite Stuarts produced special touch-piece
medalets, with a variety of designs and inscriptions. They are found in gold, silver and even
lead.

Robert the Pious or Robert II of France was the first to practise the ritual in the 11th century.
King Henry IV of France is reported as often touching and healing as many as 1,500
individuals at a time. No record survives of the first four Norman kings' attempting to cure by
touching; however, there area records of Henry II doing so. Mary I performed the ceremony
and her half-sister, Elizabeth I, cured all ranks and degrees. William Tooker published a book
on the subject, entitled Charisma; sive Donum Sanationis.


Queen Anne, amongst many others, touched the 2-
year-old infant Dr. Samuel Johnson in 1712 to no
effect, for although he eventually recovered, he was
left badly scarred and blind in one eye. He wore the
medal around his neck all of his life and it is now
preserved in the British Museum. It was believed that
if the touch piece was not worn then the condition
would return. Queen Anne last performed the
ceremony on 14 April 1714. George I put an end to
the practice as being "too Catholic", but the kings of
France continued the custom until 1825. William of
Malmesbury describes the ceremony in his Chronicle
of the Kings of England (1120) and Shakespeare
describes the practice in Macbeth.

The gold Angel coins, which were first struck in
Britain in 1465 and later dates, particularly of the
reigns of James I and Charles I, are often found
officially pierced in the centre, as illustrated in Coins
of England 2001 to be used as touch pieces. The
sovereigns of the House of Stuart used the ceremony to help bolster the belief in the "Divine
Right of Kings." Charles I indeed issued Angels almost exclusively as touch pieces to the point
where intact specimens are hard to come by. He was the first monarch to perform the
ceremony in Scotland at Holyrood Palace on 18 June 1633. The size of the hole may indicate
the amount of gold taken in payment by the jeweller or the mint for the work of piercing or
punching and the provision of a ribbon or silk string.

The cure was usually more of a "laying on of hands" by the monarch and the Angel coin or
medalet, etc., although touched by the monarch, was seen as a receipt or talisman of the
potential of the monarch's healing power. Originally the king had paid for the support of the
sufferer until he had recovered or died. The move to the gift of a gold coin touch piece may
represent the compromise payment when the custom of "room and board" support by the king
ceased. Coffee in the 18th and early 19th centuries was thought to be a relief, but not a cure
for scrofula.

The Angel coin was favoured at these ceremonies because it has on the obverse an image of
St. Michael slaying the Devil represented as a dragon (actually a heraldic Wyvern). St.
Michael, especially venerated for his role as captain of the heavenly host that drove Satan out
of Heaven, was also associated with the casting out of devils and thus was regarded as a
guardian of the sick.

The monarch him/herself hung these touch piece
amulets around the necks of sufferers. In later years
Charles II only touched the medalet as he
unsurprisingly disliked touching diseased people
directly. He "touched" 92,107 people in the 21 years
from 1661 to 1682, performing the function 8,500
times in 1682 alone.

After these coins ceased to be minted in 1634, Charles
II had holed gold medalets specially produced by the
mint with a similar design of good defeating evil. An
example of a medalet in the British Museum has a hand
descending from a cloud towards four heads, with "He
touched them" around the margin, and on the other
side a rose and thistle, with "And they were healed."

Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary for 13 April 1661:
To Whitehall to the Banquet House and there saw the
King heale, the first time that ever I saw him do it
which he did with great gravity; and it seemed to me to
be an ugly office and a simple one. John Evelyn also
refers to the ceremony in his Diary on the dates of 6
July 1660 and 28 March 1684.

Unsurprisingly the system was open to abuse and numerous attempts were made to ensure
that only the deserving cases got the gold coin, because others would simply sell it.

Good luck coins

In many countries it was believed that coins with holes in them would bring good luck. This
belief could link to a similar superstition linked to stones or pebbles which had holes, often
called "Adder Stones" and hung around the neck. Carrying a coin bearing the date of your
birth is lucky. In Austria any coin found during a rainstorm is especially lucky, because it is
said to have dropped from Heaven. European charms often require silver coins to be used,
which are engraved with marks such as an "X" or are bent. These actions personalize the coin,
making it uniquely special for the owner. The lucky "sixpence" is a well-known example in
Great Britain.

Holy Sacrament communion coins were thought to acquire curative powers over various
ailments, especially rheumatism and epilepsy. Such otherwise normal coins, which had been
offered at communion, were purchased from the priest for 12 or 13 pennies. The coin was
then punched through and worn around the neck of the sick person, or made into a ring.

Gonzalez-Wippler records that if money is left with
a Mandrake root it will double in quantity
overnight, she also states that the way to ensure
the future wealth of a baby is to put part of the
child's umbilical cord in a bag together with a few
coins. Lucky coins are lucky charms which are
carried around attract wealth and good luck, whilst
many, often silver coins, attached to bracelets
multiply the effect as well as create a noise which
scares away evil spirits. Bathing with a penny
wrapped in a washcloth brings good fortune at
Beltane or the Winter Solstice in Celtic Mythology.
Chinese Money Frogs or Toads, often with a coin in
their mouths, bring food luck and prosperity.



A Celtic belief is that at the full moon any silver coins on one's person should be jingled or
turned over to prevent bad luck, also the silver coins would increase as the moon grew in size.
A wish to a new moon could also be made, but not as seen through glass, jingling coins at the
same time. American silver "Mercury" dimes, especially with a leap year date, are especially
lucky. Gamblers' charms are often these dimes, Mercury being the Roman god who ruled the
crossroads, games of chance, etc.
Although these dimes actually figure
the head of Liberty, people
commonly mistake it for Mercury. A
silver dime worn at the throat will
supposedly turn black if someone
tries to poison your food or drink.
American "Indian Head" cents are
worn as amulets to ward off evil or
negative spirits. In Spain a bride
places a silver coin from her father
in one shoe and a gold coin from her
mother in the oth er. This will ensure that she will never want for anything. Silver coins were
placed in Christmas puddings and birthday cakes to bring good luck and wealth. A variation on
this custom was that in some families each member added a coin to the pudding bowl, making
a wish as they did so. If their coin turned up in their bowl it's said their wish was sure to come
true.

In ancient Rome "good luck" coins were in common circulation. "Votive pieces" for example
were struck by new emperors, promising peace for a set number of years. Citizens would hold
such coins in their hand when making a wish or petitioning the gods.

Coins bearing religious symbols are often seen as lucky; for instance, the Mogul emperor
Akbar's rupees carry words from the Islamic faith, and in India the Ramatanka shows the
Hindu god Rama, his wife, Sita, his brother and the monkey god, Hanuman. Gold ducats
issued in the name of the mid-18th century Doge Loredano of Venice bore an image of Christ
and were issued to be worn as pendants by pilgrims. The Shinto religion has a shrine called
Zeniariai-Benten where followers wash their money in the spring water at certain times of year
to ensure that it doubles in quantity. In Roman times, sailors placed coins under the masts of
their ships to ensure the protection of the gods from the wrath of the sea.

A rare example of a "Wish Tree" exists near
Ardmaddy House in Argyle, Scotland. The tree is a
hawthorn which are traditionally linked with fertility,
as in "May Blossom." The trunk and branches are
covered with hundreds of coins which have been
driven through the bark and into the wood. The local
tradition is that a wish will be granted for each of the
coins so treated. Many pubs, such as the "Punch
Bowl" in Askham, near Penrith in Cumbria have old
beams with splits in them where coins are forced "for
luck."





Another local custom at Askham is the throwing of
coins from the nearby bridge onto a boulder that lies
below the water level of the river. Getting the coin to
stay on the rock gives the thrower "good luck."
Obvious connections exist with water generally and
the practice of throwing in coins to seek favours of
the water spirits. The Lady's Well in Kilmaurs,
Scotland, is a typical wishing well. At St. Cuby's Well
(SX224 564) in Cornwall the legend was that if
anyone did not leave an offering of money then they
would be followed home by Piskies in the shape of
flying moths, embodying the spirits of the dead. At
Loch na Gaire in Sutherland, Scotland, it was the
tradition to throw coins into the waters to ensure
that the waters kept their healing properties.



A "Black Saxpence" in Scots, is a sixpence, supposed by the credulous to be received from the
devil, as a pledge of an engagement to be his, soul and body. It is always of a black colour, as
not being legal currency; but it is said to possess this singular virtue, that the person who
keeps it constantly in his pocket, how much soever he spend, will always find another sixpence
beside it.

A Devonian superstition is that carrying crooked coins is good luck and keeps the devil away.

Bad luck coins

In Ireland it is thought to be bad luck to give money away on a Monday.

The 1932 silver yuan coin from China showed a junk, rays of sunshine and a flock of birds.
These were seen as symbolising Japan (the rising sun symbol) and its fighter planes (the
birds) invading China. The coin was re-issued in 1933 without the sun or the birds.

The Queen Victoria "Godless" florin was regarded as bringing bad luck.

Finding money was bad luck in some cultures and the curse could only be removed by giving
away the money.

It is bad luck to have an empty pocket, for even a crooked coin keeps the devil away.

Love tokens

The bent coin as a love token may be derived from the well-recorded practice of bending a
coin when making a vow to a saint, such as vowing to give it to the saint's shrine if the saint
would intercede to cure a sick human, animal, etc. Bending a coin when one person made a
vow to another was another practice which arose from this.

Protection against evil

It was believed that the gift of second sight came from the devil; as protection, a silver coin
was used to make a cross above the palm of a Gypsy fortune-teller, thus dispelling any evil. In
Japan, Korea and Indonesia, coins were made tied together to form sword shapes which were
thought to terrify, and therefore ward off, evil spirits. They were also hung above the beds of
sick people to drive off the malevolent spirits who were responsible for the illness.

Curse coins

In 2007 a lead "coin based" curse on a Roman emperor was found by a metal detectorist in
Lincolnshire. The 1,650-year-old curse was an act of treason, blasphemy and criminal
defacement of the imperial coinage. The perpetrator had cursed the emperor Valens by
hammering a coin with his image into lead, then folding the lead over his face. Thousands of
ordinary lead cursing charms exist with written inscriptions and a small hole for suspending
them.

Touch pieces that influence behaviour

Coins placed on the eyes of the dead, if briefly dropped into the drink of a husband or wife,
would "blind" them to any infidelities that the partner might be involved in.

Also, some groups say that if a penny is thrown into a person's drink, they must "down" the
rest of it.

Coins carrying out a specific practical action

In Germany, since Medieval times, it was believed that a
silver coin with a Sator square engraved on it will put out a
fire if thrown into the conflagration. Coins were placed on the
eyes of a corpse to prevent them from opening and also in
Greek mythology as payment for the ferryman who would
carry the dead person across the River Styx into Hades. In
the 17th century coins bearing an engraving of St. George
were carried by soldiers as a protection against injury
following a lucky escape when a bullet hit such a coin and the
soldier remained uninjured (Coins of the World). Some of the
gold coins of Edward III carry the cryptic legend: IHS MEDIVM
ILLORVM IBAT ("But Jesus passing through the midst of them,
went his way" St'Luke IV. 30). According to Sir John
Mandeville, this was a spell against the power of thieves.

White heather

White heather is often sold by Irish travelling people and Roma to "bring good luck".
(Frequently this turns out to be not heather but white sea-lavender, a species of Limonium.)

Wishbone

The wishbone from the breast of a bird is believed to make wishes come true to the person
lucky enough to hold the larger half when the bone is broken with a partner, a common
practice at Thanksgiving Day dinners in the United States.


Universal Amulets
The Encyclopedia of Angels
by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Some objects have enjoyed widespread use as protections against a variety of evils. Among
them are:

Bells

Bells are used in many cultures as a powerful way to repel demons, other evil spirits, and the
EVIL EYE. Bells are associated with the divine and have been used in magical and religious
rites since antiquity. Bells summon people to prayer and clear the air of odious presences.

Bell ringing to drive away evil spirits is described in Assyrian magical texts dating to the fi rst
millennium B.C.E. NICHOLAS REMY said that demons consider bell ringing to be the barking
of those mad witches, and they are repelled by it with great indignation. The revulsion of
demons is evidenced in the fact that many bell ringers are struck by lightning, which is under
demonic control, Remy said.

Bells are attached to clothing, tied to children and domestic animals, and hung in doorways.
Red ties, ribbons, and sashes increase the protective power of the bells. In lore, bells should
be rung during storms, which are caused by witches and demons. On nights when witches
were believed to be about, such as Samhain (All Hallows Eve) and Beltane (also known as
Walpurgisnacht), church bells were rung to prevent the witches and their demon FAMILIARs
from fl ying over a village. In witch trials, accused witches testifi ed about being transported
through the air to a SABBAT on the back of a demon or the DEVIL and of being thrown off to
fall to the ground when a church bell sounded in the night. When a person dies, church bells
traditionally are rung to protect the journey of the dead from demonic attack as it travels into
the afterlife.
Fumes

Burned incense and herbs and sacrifi ced animals are not only pleasing to the gods, but
repellent to demons. The book of Tobit tells how the archangel Raphael taught a young man,
Tobias, to produce fumes from the burned liver of a fish in order to exorcize the demon
ASMODEUS.

Salt

Salt repels demons and evil things because it is pure in its whiteness, is a preservative, and is
linked to life and health. Salt is contrary to the nature of demons, who are intent upon
corrupting and destroying. It should be avoided in magical rituals for conjuring demons. Salt
repels witches and the evil eye. A test for bewitchment is the inability of a person or animal to
eat anything salted. Inquisitors in the European witch hunts protected themselves by wearing
a sacramental amulet that consisted of salt consecrated on Palm Sunday and blessed herbs,
pressed into a disk of blessed wax. One means of torturing accused witches was to force-feed
them heavily salted food and deny them water.

Salt is a magical remedy for evil spells. An old recipe for breaking an evil spell calls for
stealing a tile from a witchs roof, sprinkling it with salt and urine, and then heating it over fire
while reciting a charm.

In American Ozark lore, women who complain of food being too salty are suspected of being
witches. One way to detect a witch is to sprinkle salt on her chair. If she is a witch, the salt
will melt and cause her dress to stick to the chair.

In superstition it is considered bad luck to spill, borrow, or run out of salt, perhaps because in
times past, salt was a valuable and scarce commodity. Spilling salt makes one vulnerable to
the Devil; the bad luck may be negated by tossing a pinch of salt with the right hand over the
left shoulder.

In Christianity, blessed salt is mixed with blessed water to make holy water.

Running water

Water represents purity and will reject evil. In folklore, crossing running water will enable a
person to evade pursuing evil spirits and witches. In the European witch hunts, suspected
witches were sometimes swum, or dunked into deep water with their hands and feet bound.
If they fl oated, it meant that the water rejected them because they were evil, and so they
were guilty of WITCHCRAFT. If they sankand usually drownedit meant that the water
accepted them, and they were innocent.

Crooked paths

Crooked paths and bridges confuse all spirits, including evil ones, and will prevent them from
accessing a place.

Jewish Amulets against Demons
The Encyclopedia of Angels
by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Major Jewish religious objects with amuletic properties against evil are:

Mezuzah

One of the most important amulets is the mezuzah, biblical inscriptions attached to doorposts.
The inscriptions are verses in Deuteronomy 6:419 and 11:1320the delivery of the
commandments from the one and only God, and his instructions to obey themto remind
Jews of the principle of monotheism. The mezuzah may have originated as a primitive charm;
by the Middle Ages, it had acquired great power as a protector against demons. Rabbinic
leaders tried to give it more religious signifi cance, based on Deuteronomy 6:9: And you shall
write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. However, in popular usage, it
served primarily to ward off evil.

So powerful was the mezuzah in its ability to keep demons away that Gentiles and Jews alike
used it. It was believed also to prevent premature death. Many homes had mezuzot in every
room. People also carried small mezuzot as personal protective charms.

Strict procedures were followed for the making of a mezuzah. It was to be written on deer
parchment according to an amulet table in the angelic Sefer Raziel and under certain
astrological and angelic infl uences. One set of 10th-century instructions were It is to be
written only on Monday, in the fi fth hour, over which the Sun and the angel Raphael preside,
or on Thursday, in the fourth hour, presided over by Venus and the angel Anael.

Mezuzot were encapsulated in cases. It was forbidden to alter the face of the mezuzah but was
permissible to write on the back of the parchment. One popular medieval addition was the
name Shaddai, held to be especially powerful in repelling demons. Small windows were cut in
the backs of the mezuzot cases so that the name Shaddai would show. Other additions were
names of God, other Bible verses, names of angels, and magical symbols. Frequently named
angels were Michael, Gabriel, Azriel, Zadkiel, Sarfi el, Raphael, Anael, Uriel, Yofi el, and
Hasdiel.

Mezuzot are in still in use as both religious objects and amulets; they guard homes and are
worn on the person.

Tefillin

Other important antidemonic amulets are tefillin, a pair of black leather boxes containing
parchment inscribed with biblical verses. Tefillin are also called phylacteries. One of the pair is
a hand tefillin, worn wrapped by a strap around the arm, hand, and fi ngers. The other is a
head tefillin, strapped above the forehead. The tefillin serve as a sign and remembrance
that God led the children of Israel out of Egypt. They are worn during weekday morning prayer
services.

Tsitsith

The tsitsith consists of fringe attached to outer garment, and survives in the modern day as
the fringe on prayer shawls. The tsitsith and the tefi llin especially are amulets against
accidents, illness, and death. The Talmud states that the threefold cord of mezuzah, tefi llin,
and tsitsith is a powerful combination against evil: Whoever has the tefi llin on his head, the
mezuzah on his door, and tsitsith on his mantle, may feel sure that he cannot sin.

Moonlets

Moon-shaped amulets were once worn as necklaces by both men and women and were placed
on the necks of animals. Other amulets are earrings. The Bible tells of Jacobs burying earrings
beneath an oak tree.


Christian Amulets against Demons
The Encyclopedia of Angels
by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Christian amulets against evil include holy objects and chants, including:

Cross and crucifix

The cross is one of the oldest amulets in the world, predating Christianity by many centuries.
Its most common form is four arms of equal length rather than in a T shape. The cross has
been associated with Sun deities and the heavens and in ancient times may have represented
divine protection and prosperity. The cross also is represented by the Y-shaped Tree of Life,
the world axis placed in the center of the universe, the bridge between Earth and the cosmos,
the physical and the spiritual. In Christianity, the cross transcends the amulet to become
symbolic of the religion and of the suffering of Christs crucifi xion; yet, it still retains aspects
of an amulet, protecting against the forces of evil. Even before the crucifixion of Christ, the
cross was a weapon against the dark forces. According to legend, when LUCIFER declared war
upon God in an attempt to usurp his power, his army scattered Gods ANGELs twice. God sent
to his angels a Cross of Light inscribed with the names of the Trinity. Upon seeing this cross,
Lucifers forces lost strength and were driven into HELL.

Early Christians made the sign of the cross for divine protection and as a means of
identification to each other. In the fourth century, Christs wooden cross was allegedly found in
excavations in Jerusalem by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine I. Helena is said to have
found three buried crosses at the site of the crucifixion but did not know which belonged to
Christ. She tested all three with the corpse of a man. Two crosses had no effect upon the
body, but the third caused it to return to life. Helena sent part of the cross to Constantine,
who sent a portion to Rome, where it is still preserved in the Vatican. Helena reburied the rest
of the cross. Bits of the cross that were fashioned into amulets became highly prized.

As the church grew in power, so did the cross. According to belief, nothing unholy can stand
up to its presence. The cross, and the sign of the cross, will help exorcise demons and devils,
ward off the INCUBUS and SUCCUBUS, prevent bewitchment of man and beast, protect crops
from being blasted by witches, and force vampires to flee. During the Middle Ages, inquisitors
often wore crosses or made the sign of a cross while in the presence of accused witches, in
order to ward off any evil spells they might cast with the help of their demons. People crossed
themselves routinely, before the smallest task, just in case an evil presence was near. The
cross in hot cross buns is a remnant of a medieval custom of carving crosses in the dough of
bread to protect it against evil.

In cases of demonic POSSESSION, victims recoil from a cross. Surreptitiously placing a cross
behind the head of a DEMONIAC is one of the tests of possession. Demoniacs spit on crosses
and destroy them. Some suffer stigmata in the shape of a cross. Other victims recoil from the
cross, as in the case of a 16-year-old girl, Clara Germana Cele, in 1906. Cele could not bear to
be in the presence of even a small piece of cross, even if it had been wrapped and concealed.
In the Catholic rite of EXORCISM, the priest protects himself and the victim with the sign of
the cross. The rite requires that numerous signs of the cross be made on the victims
forehead.

Chant
Gregorian chant, that is, prayers sung in Latin, are used to quell demons in some possession
cases, and to cleanse spaces. Demons are believed to find Gregorian chant unbearable.

Benedict medal

The medal of St. Benedict (ca. 480ca. 457) has always been associated with the cross and is
sometimes called the Medal-Cross of St. Benedict. It is the medal of exorcism and protection
against SATAN and the forces of evil.

The front of the medal shows St. Benedict with a cross and raven. No one knows when the fi
rst medal of St. Benedict was struck. At some point in history, a series of capital letters, V R S
N S M V - S M Q L I V B, was placed around the large figure of the cross on the reverse side
of the medal. In 1647, a manuscript dating to 1415 was found at the Abbey of Metten in
Bavaria, explaining the letters as the initials of a Latin prayer of exorcism against Satan:

Vade retro Satana!
Nunquam suade mihi vana!
Suntmala quae libas.
Ipse venena bibas!

Begone Satan!
Never tempt me with your vanities!
What you offer me is evil.
Drink the poison yourself!

St. Benedict medals are carried on a person and placed in homes, cars, and other places as an
amulet against Satan and a reminder to resist temptation.

Holy water

Holy water is a mixture of water and salt blessed by a priest. Salt symbolizes incorruptibility,
eternity, and divine wisdom, and water symbolizes purity. Church sites were consecrated with
holy water. The Catholic rituals of the benediction and BAPTISM with holy water ensure
physical health and the exorcism of evil spirits.

As an extra precaution against demons, salt traditionally is placed in a newborn babys cradle
until the infant can be baptized. At death, salt is left in a coffi n to help protect the soul from
demons during its transition from Earth to the spirit plane.






*Seals and Symbols


Some people believe that these symbols have magical or divine
powers.

Seals
The Encyclopedia of Angels
By Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Seals are symbols representing the names or essences of angels, INTELLIGENCES and spirits,
including those of the planetary and celestial bodies. Seals are used in MAGIC in the
invocation of a desired entity. They also are important in the mystical practices of the
MERKABAH, in which the mystic must use the proper seal to gain entry to each level of
HEAVEN and the seven halls within the highest heaven.


Seal of Agrippa
The Encyclopedia of Angels
By Rosemary Ellen Guiley



LEFT: Magical seal of Agrippa with sacred names






Intelligences
The Encyclopedia of Angels
By Rosemary Ellen Guiley


LEFT: Magical tables, seals,
and characters of planetary
intelligences, from The
Magus by Francis Barrett



Tree of Life

The Encyclopedia of Angels
By Rosemary Ellen Guiley



In the KABBALAH, the Tree of Life is a two-dimensional symbol of the schematic organization
of the cosmos. The symbol is a ladder array of 10 sephirot, a term derived from the Hebrew
word for sapphire. The sephirot are vessels for the emanations of Ain Soph (not ending) or
God, who has no name or form and cannot be comprehended. Ain Soph created the cosmos
through the sephirot, sending energy down and then back up again. The sephirot channel
streams of divine energy, which becomes denser and coarser as it reaches the material plane.
Each sephirah has its own color, titles that express its divine qualities, divine NAMES by which
one can attempt to contemplate Ain Soph, and its own assigned ruling angels, angelic orders,
archdemons, and demonic orders. The sephirot are linked to each other by pathways on which
divine light flows both up to God and down to the material world.

In spiritual study, the Tree of Life ladder is used to achieve altered states of consciousness
toward union with God. Sin disrupts the upward flow of divine energy. Organization of the Tree
Each sephirah is a state of consciousness and a level of attainment in knowledge: mystical
steps to unity with God. The 10 sephirot are arranged in different groups, which facilitate the
understanding of their meanings. The first sephirah, Kether (Crown), is the closest to Ain Soph
and is the source of all life and the highest object of prayer. Malkuth (Kingdom) penetrates the
physical realm and is the only sephirah in direct contact with it. The lower seven sephirot are
associated with the seven days of creation. Another division splits them into two groups of
five, the upper ones representing hidden powers and the lower five representing manifest
powers. In another division, the top threeKether, Chockmah (Wisdom), and Binah
(Intelligence)are associated with the intellect; the middle threeChesed (Love), Geburah
(Strength), and Tipareth (Beauty)are associated with the soul; and the lower threeNetzach
(Victory), Hod (Splendor), and Yesod (Foundation)are associated with nature.

The sephirot also are split into three pillars. The Right Pillar, masculine, represents Mercy and
includes Chockmah, Chesed, and Netzach. The Left Pillar, feminine, represents Severity and
includes Binah, Geburah, and Hod. The Middle Pillar represents Mildness or Moderation and
includes Kether, Tipareth, Yesod, and Malkuth. The Middle Pillar alone also is called the Tree of
Knowledge.

Sometimes an 11th sephirah is included, Daath (Knowledge), located on the Middle Pillar
below Chockmah and Binah, and it mediates the influences of the two; it is also considered to
be an external aspect of Kether. Daath made its appearance in the 13th century. When
represented on the Tree, it is depicted as a sort of shadow sphere. Daath cannot be a true
sephirah, for the Sefer Yetzirah, the key text of Kabbalistic philosophy, states that there can
be only 10 sephirot, no more, no less.

The 10 sephirot each have an unholy counterpart, who are emanations from the left side of
God. The pathways linking the sephirot have become more complex over time. Illustrations in
the early 16
th
century, for example, depict only 16 pathways. By the 17th century, there were
22 pathways, each of which was assigned a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Thus, Gods
creation is made through the essences of numbers and letters.

Together the sephiroth of the Tree of Life comprise a unity and create a five-dimensional
continuum: the three dimensions of the physical world, plus time, plus the spiritual realm. Like
the Akashic Records, they serve as a permanent record of everything that has ever taken
place and ever will take placethe memory of God. The sephirot also serve as a means of
communication with the unknowable God. The totality of the sephirot is expressed in the
Tetragrammaton, the sacred and unspeakable name of God, given as YHVH (Yahweh), or the
Lord.

Applications of the Tree of Life

The sephirot are ineffable and cannot be understood verbally, so descriptions of them cannot
begin to approach their true essence. They can be reached only through the second sephirah,
Chockmah (Wisdom), which is nonverbal consciousness. Binah (Intelligence) is verbal
consciousness. The Kabbalist learns to oscillate between Chockmah and Binah states of
consciousness in order to grasp the sephirot.

Consciousness is altered by using the Tree of Life as a ladder for ascent in contemplation,
prayer, and meditation. Mantras of arrays of Hebrew letters, having specific numerical
properties, are employed. Only the most stable and ethical, who have first purified their
bodies, minds, and spirits, are permitted to approach the Tree of Life.

The sephirot are contemplated by visualizing them vibrating with color (which represent
various qualities), together with images of their corresponding Hebrew letters of the divine
names of God, and the planets, angels, metals, parts of the body, and energy centers. Breath
and sound also are utilized to raise consciousness. The Tree of Life is a central part of the
Western magical tradition.

Following are the names and associations of the sephirot, as given in Agrippas Occult
Philosophy, edited and annotated by Donald Tyson:

KETHER
Number: One
Titles: The Crown; The Ancient One; The Aged; The Most Holy Ancient One; The Ancient of the
Ancient Ones; The Ancient of Days; The Concealed of the Concealed; The Primordial Point;
The Smooth Point; The White Head; The Inscrutable Height; The Vast Countenance
(Macroprosopus); The Heavenly Man
Divine Name: Eheieh (I Am)
Archangel: Metatron
Angelic Order: Hayyoth (The Holy Living Creatures)
Archdemons: Satan, Moloch
Demonic Order: Thamiel (The Two Contenders)
Heavenly Sphere: Primum Mobile
Part of Man: Head
CHOCKMAH
Number: Two
Titles: Wisdom; Divine Father; The Supernal Father
Divine Names: Jah; Jehovah (The Lord); Yod Jehovah (given by Agrippa)
Archangel: Raziel
Angelic Order: Ophanim (The Wheels)
Archdemon: Beelzebub
Demonic Order: Ghogiel (The Hinderers)
Heavenly Sphere: Zodiac
Part of Man: Brain


BINAH
Number: Three
Titles: Intelligence; The Mother; The Great Productive Mother
Divine Names: Elohim (Lord); Jehovah Elohim (The Lord God)
Archangel: Tzaphkiel
Angelic Order: Aralim (The Thrones)
Archdemon: Lucifuge
Demonic Order: Ghogiel (The Concealers)
Heavenly Sphere: Saturn
Part of Man: Heart

CHESED
Number: Four
Titles: Love; Greatness
Divine Name: El (The Mighty One)
Archangel: Tzadkiel
Angelic Order: Hasmallim (The Shining Ones)
Archdemon: Ashtaroth
Demonic Order: Agshekeloh (The Smiters or Breakers)
Heavenly Sphere: Jupiter
Part of Man: Right arm

GEBURAH
Number: Five
Titles: Strength; Judgment or Severity; Fear
Divine Names: Eloh (The Almighty); Elohim Gabor (God of Battles)
Archangel: Camael
Angelic Order: Seraphim (The Fiery Serpents)
Archdemon: Asmodeus
Demonic Order: Golohab (The Burners or Flaming Ones)
Heavenly Sphere: Mars
Part of Man: Left arm

TIPHARETH
Number: Six
Titles: Beauty; Compassion; The King; The Lesser Countenance (Microprosopus)
Divine Names: Eloah Va-Daath (God Manifest); Elohim (God)
Archangel: Raphael
Angelic Order: Malachim (Kings or Multitudes)
Archdemon: Belphegor
Demonic Order: Tagiriron (The Disputers)
Heavenly Sphere: Sun
Part of Man: Chest

NETZACH
Number: Seven
Titles: Firmness; Victory
Divine Name: Jehovah Sabaoth (Lord of Hosts)
Archangel: Haniel
Angelic Order: Elohim (Gods)
Archdemon: Baal
Demonic Order: Nogah (The Raveners)
Heavenly Sphere: Venus
Part of Man: Right leg
HOD
Number: Eight
Titles: Splendor
Divine Name: Elohim Sabaoth (God of Hosts)
Archangel: Michael
Angelic Order: Bene Elohim (Sons of Gods)
Archdemon: Adrammelech
Demonic Order: Samael (The False Accusers)
Heavenly Sphere: Mercury
Part of Man: Left leg
YESOD
Number: Nine
Titles: The Foundation; Eternal Foundation of the World
Divine Names: Shaddai (The Almighty); El Chai (Mighty Living One)
Archangel: Gabriel
Angelic Order: Cherubim (The Strong)
Archdemon: Lilith (The Seducer)
Demonic Order: Gamaliel (The Obscene Ones)
Heavenly Sphere: Moon
Part of Man: Genitals
MALKUTH
Number: Ten
Titles: The Kingdom; The Diadem; The Manifest Glory of God; The Bride (of Microposopus);
The Queen
Divine Names: Adonai (Lord); Adonai Malekh (Lord and King); Adonai he-Aretz (Lord of Earth)
Archangel: Metatron in manifest aspect; also Sandalphon
Angelic Order: Issim (Souls of Flame)
Archdemon: Nahema (The Strangler of Children)
Demonic Order: Nahemoth (The Dolorous Ones)
Heavenly Sphere: Elements
Part of Man: Whole body



FURTHER READING

Kaplan, Aryeh. Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation. Rev. ed. York Beach, Maine:
Samuel Weiser, 1997.
Scholem, Gershom. Kabbalah. New York: New American Library, 1974.
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Written by Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim.
Translated by James Freake. Edited and annotated by Donald Tyson. St. Paul, Minn.:
Llewellyn Publications, 1995.




Birthstones


A stone for every month.
A gem for a length of years.
Emblematic Stones



Breastplate Stones
(old Testament)

Probable
Identity

Foundation Stones
(New Testament)

Carnelian (sardius) Red jasper Jasper
Chrysolite Serpentine Sapphire
Emerald Green feldspar Chalcedony
Ruby Garnet Emerald
Lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli Sardonyx
Onyx Onyx Sardius (carnelian)
Sapphire Brown agate Chrysolite
Agate Banded agate Beryl
Amethyst Amethyst Topaz
Topaz Yellow jasper Chrysoprase
Beryl Malachite Jacinth
Jasper Jade Amethyst





Traditional
Birthstones

Jewellers' List
(1912)

Synthetic
Material

Month

Garnet Garnet Dark-red corundum January
Amethyst Amethyst Purple corundum February
Jasper; Bloodstone Bloodstone; aquamarine Light-blue spinel March
Diamond; Sapphire Diamond Colorless spinel or corundum April
Emerald; Agate Emerald Emerald or green spinel May
Agate; Emerald Pearl; Alexandrite Cultured pearl June
Onyx; Turquoise Ruby Red corundum July
Sardonyx; Arnelian Sardonyx; Peridot Green spinel August
Chrysolite Sapphire Blue spinel or corundum September
Beryl; Opal Opal; Tourmaline Pink spinel or corundum October
Topaz Topaz; Yellow corundum November
Ruby Turquoise; Zircon Medium-blue spinel December








Mystical Books


[comments here]

*Codex
*Apocrypha

A group of 14 books, not considered canonical, included in the Septuagint and the Vulgate as
part of the Old Testament. Works of doubtful authenticity.

Sefer Raziel
(Sefer ha-Raziel, Sefer Reziel, Sepher Rezial Hemelach, Raziel ha-Malach)
The Book of the Angel Rezial

According to lore, the first book ever written, containing the secrets of the cosmossecrets
and mysteries of creation, even things that angels do not knowgiven by God via the angel
Raziel to ADAM and his lineage. The Sefer Raziel is made of sapphire.

The origin and date of the text are not known, but it was in existence in the 13th century. The
Sword of Moses, a GRIMOIRE, makes reference to it. The Sefer Raziel appears to be a
collection authored by different people. Some sources credit authorship to either Eleazar of
Worms of Isaac the Blind; Eleazar of Worms, who lived from 1160 to 1237, may have
authored at least part of it. Most likely, it was compiled in the 13
th
century. It was so highly
revered that it was believed mere
possession of it would prevent fire. By the
19
th
century, there were 25 editions of it.
In 2000 the first English translation was
published of the entire text of a Hebrew
edition published in Amsterdam in 1701.

According to legend, the book originates in
heaven. When God expels Adam from
Paradise, he takes pity on him and tells
Raziel to give him the book so that he can
gaze into the mirror of all existence and
see the face of God, and himself as an
image of God. Adam and his lineage are
visited constantly by the archangel Michael
and other angels for instruction and
consolation.

The book passes down to NOAH, who uses
it for making the ark, and to SOLOMON,
who is shown the book by Raziel in a
DREAM and uses it for learning his great
magical wisdom and power. ENOCH
consulted the book.

According to the Zohar, Raziel gives Adam
the book while he is still in Paradise. It contains the secret wisdom of the 72 letters of the
name of God and its esoteric 670 mysteries, and 1,500 keys, which had not been given even
to angels. As Adam reads the book, angels gather around him and learn the knowledge of
Chokmah (wisdom). The angel Hadraniel sends one of his subordinates to Adam, who tells him
to guard the book well and not disclose its contents to anyone. Adam obeys, keeping it secret.
But when he is expelled from Eden, the book mysteriously disappears, causing Adam such
distress that he immerses himself up to his neck in the Gihon River. When his body becomes
covered with sores, God sends Raphael to give the book back to him. Adam acquires full occult
knowledge, and he passes the book to his son Seth when he dies. Seth bequeaths it, and it
eventually comes into the possession of ABRAHAM.

In other lore, the angels are jealous at being left out of the cosmic secrets and steal the book
from Adam and throw it into the sea. God orders Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, to retrieve it
and return it to Adam. It later is passed to ENOCH, where much of it is incorporated into the
books of Enoch.

Although the keys in the book are not understood by any other angel, Raziel nonetheless is
said to stand on the peak of Mt. Horeb every day and proclaim the secrets to humankind.

The 1701 edition includes five manuscripts, all of which seem to have been written at different
times. Important material deals with the 22-fold, 42-fold, and 72-fold NAMES of God; the five
names of the human soul (Neshemah, breath of life; Nephesh, the soul itself; Ruoch, spirit or
mind; Cheyah, life or vitality of the spirit; and Yechideh, the unity or uniqueness of the spirit);
the seven hells (Gihenam, hell itself; Shaarimath, gates of hell; Tzalemoth, shadow of death;
Baraschecath, the pit of destruction; Tithihoz, clay of death; Abbadon, perdition; and Shahol,
the highest hell); the divisions of the Garden of Eden; and the types of angels and spirits who
have dominion over various things in creation. The book also gives angelic scripts, ANGEL
LANGUAGES, long lists of magical incantations for directing the MEMUNIM (deputy angels),
and magical instructions for rituals and the making of TALISMANS and AMULETS.



FURTHER READING

Godwin, Malcolm. Angels: An Endangered Species. New York:Simon and Schuster, 1990.

Savedow, Steve. Sepher Rezial Hemelach: The Book of the Angel Rezial. York Beach, Maine:
Samuel Weiser, 2000.

Trachtenberg, Joshua. Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion. New York:
Berhmans Jewish Book House, 1939.


*Sefer Yetzirah
The Book of Creation

*Mysterium Magnum
The Great Mystery




Moses beholding the Messiah and the Great Mystery (Jakob Boehme, Mysterium magnum)



Grimoires

Handbooks of MAGIC that include the lore and NAMES of angels, DEMONS, and spirits, and
instructions for invoking them for various purposes. Grimoires, some of which reputely date to
ancient sources, came into common circulation in the Middle Ages and were particularly
popular from the 17th to early 19th centuries.

The black books as they were often called, were used by magicians, sorcerers, alchemists,
physicians, noblemen, and students of the occult and mystical. Grimoires still are sometimes
consulted by students of ceremonial magic in modern times, though newer books have
replaced them.

The purpose of most grimoires is to conjure and control spirits and cosmic forces for
protection, wealth, luck, power, curses on enemies, and so forth. Grimoires give precise and
sometimes laborious instructions for various rituals, instructing the magician what to wear,
what tools to use, and what prayers and incantations to recite at precise astrological times and
various hours of the day and night, according to the ruling angels and intelligences. They give
recipes for incenses to burn, descriptions of the creation of magic circles, AMULETS,
TALISMANS, SEALS and sigils, instructions on the slaughtering and sacrifices of animals, and
ways to deal with unruly demons. They admonish the magician to prepare with periods of
fasting, sexual abstinence, cleanliness, and prayer, and to use only virgin materials in rituals.
They describe the duties and powers of angels, demons, and spirits.

The material in grimoires is drawn largely from Hellenistic Greek and Egyptian magical texts,
and from Hebrew and Latin sources. The ancient Jews had a rich magical lore involving the
invocation of the names of God and the angelic forces of good against the interferences of
demons.

Some grimoires are devoted to theurgy, or white magic, while others concern goety, or black
magic. Some include both. The greatest grimoire is The Greater Key of Solomon, which has
provided material for many other grimoires. The book is attributed to the legendary King
SOLOMON, who asked God for wisdom and commanded an army of demons to do his bidding
and build great works. A book of incantations for summoning and thwarting demons attributed
to the authorship of Solomon was in existence in the first century C.E. It is mentioned in
literature throughout the centuries, grow ing in size and content. So many versions of this
grimoire were written that it is difficult to ascertain the contents of the original text. A Greek
version which dates to 11001200 C.E. is part of the collection in the British Museum. Around
1350, Pope Innocent VI ordered a grimoire called The Book of Solomon to be burned; later, in
1559, Solomons grimoire was condemned by the church again as dangerous. The Greater Key
of Solomon was widely distributed in the 17th century.

Lemegeton

Another grimoire attributed to Solomon is the LEMEGETON, or Lesser Key of Solomon. A
major Jewish magical text is the SEFER RAZIEL, supposedly based on the cosmic secrets
passed to ADAM and said to be the book passed to Solomon. With the rise of the KABBALAH in
the Middle Ages, a system of magic called practical Kabbalah emerged, though it had little to
do with the theoretical Kabbalah.

Testament of Solomon

The Testament of Solomon is a Greek text in the pseudepigrapha written between the first and
third centuries C.E. It tells the story about how King Solomon built the Temple of Jerusalem by
commanding demons. The text is rich in demonology, angelology, and lore about medicine,
astrology, and magic. The author probably was familiar with the Babylonian Talmud.

The text says that stellar bodies are demonic, wielding destructive power over the affairs of
humanity. The 36 decans, or 10-degree portions of the zodiac, are called heavenly bodies and
likewise are ruled by demons, who cause mental and physical illnesses. There are seven
world rulers who are equated with the vices of deception, strife, fate, distress, error, power,
and the worst, each of whom is thwarted by a particular angel (with the exception of the
worst). The testament provides a significant contribution to the legends of Solomons magical
powers and the magical handbooks attributed to Solomon. It is not a grimoire of magical
instruction, however.

Grand Grimoire

This French grimoire was probably authored in the 17
th
or 18th century. The earliest edition of
it bears no date or place of publication; one version of it claims to date to 1522. Its full title is
The Grand Grimoire, with the Powerful Clavicle of Solomon and of Black Magic; or the Infernal
Devices of the Great Agrippa for the Discovery of all Hidden Treasures and the Subjugation of
every Denomination of Spirits, together with an Abridgment of all the Magical Arts. The editor,
Venitiana del Rabina, said that he translated the work from the writings of Solomon himself,
which came into his possession.

The Grand Grimoire is a text of black magic, which Waite described as one of the most
atrocious of its class. It has the same chief demons as the Grimorium Verum and nearly the
same subordinate officers, but it describes different duties for them. The book is especially
significant for its feature of a specific pact between the magician and Lucifuge Rofocale, the
Prime Minister of Lucifer, who makes his only appearance in this grimoire alone. However, his
last name Rofocale may be an anagram of Focalor a demon named in the Lemegeton.

The book also includes instructions for necromancy that only a dangerous man-iac or an
irreclaimable criminal would attempt, according to Waite. The rite calls for, among other
things, creating a disturbance during a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

AGRIPPAs Occult Philosophy is one of the greatest Western works on occult and magical
lore, published in 1531. FRANCIS BARRETT drew heavily upon Occult Philosophy for his book
The Magus, published in 1801.


Other major grimoires are:

The Book of Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage
[1458]

Authorship is attributed to Abramelin (Abra-Melin), a Jewish mage of Wrzburg who
supposedly wrote the grimoire for his son in 1458; most likely, it was written in the 18th
century. The book was a major influence in the 19th-century occult revival carried out by the
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in England.

Grimorium Verum
[1517]
Drawn on The Greater Key of Solomon and written in French, this book probably was written
in the mid-18th century, though claims were made that it was translated from Hebrew by a
Dominican priest and was published by Alibeck the Egyptian in 1517.

Fourth Book
[1535]

Authorship is attributed to HENRY CORNELIUS AGRIPPA, but the book, supposedly the fourth
volume of Agrippas monumental three-volume Occult Philosophy, was written by an unknown
author. It is also known as the Liber Spirituum and is in the opening of the Lemegeton. The
Fourth Book appeared after the death of Agrippa in 1535 and rehashes in an informal way
much of the material in Occult Philosophy. Weyer, a student of Agrippa, rejected it as a
forgery, as did other occultists.

Like the Lemegeton, the Fourth Book gives instructions for communicating with evil spirits. It
covers the names of spirits associated with the planets and their characters, sigils, and
pentacles. There are rituals for evoking both good and evil spirits and for practicing
necromancy. Waite called the Fourth Book muddled and said that its lack of precision
rendered it ineffective as a manual of magic.

Arbatel of Magic
[1575]

The Arbatel of Magic is slim text written in Latin and published in Basel, Switzerland, in 1575.
It was translated into German in 1686. The authorship is not known, but it is speculated the
person may have been Italian, due to several obscure references to Italian history. Waite said
that Arbatel is probably the name of an instructing or revealing angel. The book refers to
Theophrastic Magic, indicating influences of PARACELSUS. It has no connection to the
Solomonic writings and does not even mention Solomon; rather, it has strong Christian
elements. Waite considered it representative of transcendental magic.

Grimoire of Honorius
[1629]

First published in Rome between 1629 and 1670, it gained wide circulation during the 17th
century. The authorship is attributed to Pope Honorius, a reputed sorcerer, though this is
doubtful. It claims to be based on the practical Kabbalah, but its connection is tenuous. As a
magical text, it is viewed as having little foundation.

Theosophia Pneumatica
[1686]

Also known as The Little Key of Solomon, this grimoire was published in 1686 in German. It
possibly was included in the German edition of the Arbatel of Magic, a work it follows closely.
Of anonymous authorship, the Theosophia Pneumatica makes no claims to ancient origins.
Like the Arbatel, it is Christian in orientation and holds that the exaltation of prayer is the end
of the Mystery. The Hebrew term Talmidderived from the verb for to learnis used to
describe the aspiring magician. The author also was knowledgeable about ALCHEMY and
included references to it. Waite included this book in his classification of transcendental magic.

Heptameron

Also called Magical Elements, this book is attributed to PETER OF ABANO, an Italian physician
who died in 1316 after being condemned to death by the Inquisition. Abano is not believed to
be the author. The Heptameron probably was written in the 16th century and may have been
intended as a supplement to the Fourth Book. The grimoire is a composite work of white and
black magic that deals with finding treasure, procuring love, detecting secrets, opening locks,
fomenting hatred and evil thoughts, and so on. It is divided into two parts: the evocation of
the Spirits of the Air, who are demons, and a set of angelic evocations for each day of the
week. Waite described the Heptameron as an attempt to . . . offer the neophyte a complete
wizards cabinet.

Little Albert
[1722]

Also titled Marvelous Secrets of the Natural and Cabalistic Magic of Little Albert, this
text was published in 1722. Material from it appears in various grimoires.

The Enchiridion of Pope Leo
[1523]

This book is technically not a grimoire, although Waite included it in The Book of Black Magic
and of Pacts. The Enchiridion of Pope Leo offers no instructions for magical rituals but is a
collection of CHARMS turned into prayers, accompanied by mysterious figures supposedly
taken from rare old manuscripts. ELIPHAS LEVI gave it more importance than it merits,
claiming that it had never been published with its true figures, an assertion that cannot be
proven.

According to the story of the books alleged origins, Pope Leo III (r. 795816) gave the Roman
emperor Charlemagne a collection of prayers following his coronation in Rome in 800. The
collection had special properties: Whoever carried it about on his or her person with the
proper attituderespect for the Scripturesand recited it daily in the honor of God would
have divine protection for his entire life. He would never be defeated by his enemies and
would escape all dangers without harm. The text claims that Charlemagne, who enjoyed great
fortune, wrote a letter of thanks in his own hand to Pope Leo III, which is still preserved in the
Vatican Library. This collection of prayers was published as the Enchiridion for the first time in
Rome in 1523. A second edition is said to have been issued in 1606, and a final edition in
1660. The book was probably composed in the 17th century and given the legend to lend it
authenticity. Charlemagne may not have been literate, and no letters of his are extant.


The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts
[1898]

This text was written in 1898 by Arthur Edward Waite, a leader of the Hermetic Order of the
Golden Dawn. In the first part of the book, Waite discusses other grimoires; the second part
comprises a Complete Grimoire of Black Magic.


True Black Magic

This book is also called The Secrets of Secrets. An 18th-century grimoire that draws heavily
upon The Greater Key of Solomon.



Red Dragon
[1822]

Published in 1822 but reported to date back to 1522, this is nearly identical to the Grand
Grimoire.


The Black Pullet

Probably authored in the late 18
th
century in Rome, The Black Pullet does not claim to be a
manuscript of antiquity. It places particular emphasis on magic talismans and rings. It has
appeared in altered versions as Treasure of the Old Man of the Pyramids and Black Screech
Owl.


Book of Shadows
http://www.Wikipedia.org

A Book of Shadows is a book containing religious texts and instructions for magical rituals
found within the Neopagan religion of Wicca. Originating within the Gardnerian tradition of the
Craft, the first Book of Shadows was created by the pioneering Wiccan Gerald Gardner
sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s, and which he utilised first in his Bricket Wood
coven and then in other covens which he founded in following decades. The concept of the
Book of Shadows was then adopted by other Wiccan traditions, such as Alexandrianism and
Mohsianism, and with the rise of books teaching people how to begin following Wicca in the
1970s onward, the idea of the Book of
Shadows was then further propagated
amongst solitary practitioners unconnected
to earlier traditions.

One of Gerald Gardner's earliest Books of
Shadows.

Initially, when Wicca was still dominated
by covens, "only one copy [of the Book]
existed for an entire coven, kept by the
high priestess or high priest. That rule has
proved unfeasible, and it is [now]
commonplace for all Witches to have their
own copies." In the various traditions that
make up British Traditional Wicca, copies
of the original Book composed by Gerald Gardner with the aid of his High Priestess Doreen
Valiente, along with alterations and additions that have been made since then, is followed by
adherents. They have tried to keep the contents of this Book a secret, although it has been
published on a number of occasions by figures such as Charles Cardell, Lady Sheba and Janet
and Stewart Farrar. In other Wiccan traditions and amongst a number of solitary practitioners,
alternate versions of the Book have been written that are independent of Gardner's original.

Numerous associations and traditions have since grown up around the Book of Shadows.
Traditionally, "a Witch's book of shadows is destroyed upon death." The concept of the Book of
Shadows has subsequently appeared in popular culture, for instance being utilised in the
American television series Charmed and providing the title of films, musical albums and
comics, however in all these cases it was taken out of its original Wiccan context.

History
Origins

Gerald Gardner, the "father of Wicca", first introduced the Book of Shadows to people that he
had initiated into the craft through his Bricket Wood coven in the 1950s. He claimed that it
was a personal cookbook of spells that have worked for the owner; they could copy from his
own book and add or remove material as they saw fit. He said that the practice of Witches
keeping such a book was ancient, and was practised by the Witch-cult throughout history.
According to tradition, Gardner claimed, the book was burned after a person died, so that it
would not be discovered that they had been a witch.

Gerald Gardner did not mention any such thing as a "Book of Shadows" in his 1949 (though
written three years earlier), novel about mediaeval witchcraft, High Magic's Aid. Doreen
Valiente claimed that this was because at the time, Gardner had not yet conceived of the idea,
and only invented it after writing his novel.

High Priestess Doreen Valiente made the claim that Gardner found the term "Book of
Shadows" from a 1949 edition (Volume I, Number 3) of a magazine known as The Occult
Observer. In this edition, she claimed, was an advertisement for Gardner's novel, High Magic's
Aid, which was opposite an article titled "The Book of Shadows" written by the palmist Mir
Bashir. The article in question was about an allegedly ancient Sanskrit divination manual which
explained how to foretell things based upon the length of a person's shadow. Valiente
theorised that Gardner then adopted this term for his Witches' grimoire. She maintained that
"It was a good name, and it is a good name still, wherever Gardner found it".
A typescript from a page of Ye Booke of Ye Art Magical.

A leather bound manuscript written in Gardner's handwriting that was titled Ye Bok of Ye Art
Magical was later found amongst his papers from the Museum after his death by Aidan Kelly
and was later obtained by Richard and Tamarra James of the Wiccan Church of Canada. It
appeared to be a first draft of Gardner's Book of Shadows, and featured sections based upon
the rituals of the Ordo Templi Orientis which had been devised by the occultist Aleister
Crowley. Gardner had gained access to these rituals in 1946, when he had purchased a
charter from Crowley giving him permission to perform the OTO rituals.

Some people have taken this as evidence that Gardner invented the idea of a Witches'
Grimoire, perhaps sometime between 1946 (when he finished his novel High Magic's Aid), and
1949, and had named it Ye Bok of Ye Art Magical. In 1949, he had renamed it to the Book of
Shadows, and soon began to make use of it with his Bricket Wood Coven.

Adding weight to the evidence indicating Gardner invented the Book was that other Neo-pagan
witches of the time, such as Robert Cochrane, never made use of such a book.

Valiente's rewriting

In 1953, Doreen Valiente joined Gardner's Bricket Wood coven, and soon rose to become its
High Priestess. She noticed how much of the material in his Book of Shadows was taken not
from ancient sources as Gardner had initially claimed, but from the works of the occultist
Aleister Crowley, from Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches, from the Key of Solomon and also
from the rituals of Freemasonry. She confronted Gardner with this, who admitted that the text
he had received from the New Forest coven had been fragmentary and he had had to fill much
of it using various sources. He also stated that "well, if you think you can do any better, go
ahead",[8] and Valiente thought that she could, later stating that:

I accepted the challenge and set out to rewrite the Book of Shadows, cutting out the
Crowleyanity as much as I could and trying to bring it back to what I felt was, if not so
elaborate as Crowley's phraseology, at least our own and in our own words.

Valiente rewrote much of it, cutting out a lot of sections that had come from Crowley (whose
negative reputation she feared), though retaining parts that originated with Aradia, or the
Gospel of the Witches, which she felt was genuine witchcraft practice. Valiente dramatically
rewrote sections such as the Charge of the Goddess and also wrote several poems for the
book, such as The Witches Rune. She also helped to create a poem to include the Wiccan Rede
within it.

Valiente also noticed that a chant in one ritual in the book was based upon the poem "A Tree
Song" from Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling, which she had enjoyed as a child. The
chant in question stated that:

Oh, do not tell the priest our plight,
Or he would call it sin;
But - we have been in the woods all night,
A-conjuring summer in !
And we bring you news by word of mouth -
Good news for cattle and corn -
Now is the Sun come up from the South,
With Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

(These eight lines are exactly the final stanza of "A Tree Song".)

This version of the ritual, written by both Gardner and Valiente, but containing sections
adopted from various sources, such as Aleister Crowley, Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches,
and even Rudyard Kipling, went on to become the traditional text for Gardnerian Wicca.

In British Traditional Wicca

In forms of British Traditional Wicca, which include Gardnerian Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca and
Algard Wicca, the Book of Shadows used by adherents is based upon that written by Gardner
and Valiente.

Although his own book had been put together with the help of Doreen Valiente and included
material from a variety of modern sources, (notably from Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches
and the writings of Aleister Crowley) it also included sections written in an antique (or mock-
antique) style, including advice for witches brought to trial and tortured. Gardner claimed that
these sections were genuinely historical in origin, and that witches had not been allowed to
write anything down until recently, to avoid incrimination; when at last Books of Shadows
were allowed, the rituals and spells had to be written in a jumbled manner to prevent any
non-initiate from using them. More recent scholars however have doubted their authenticity.

It seems likely that Gardner told his three subsequent initiatory lines that the book should be
copied word for word, and Wiccans descended from Eleanor Bone, Patricia Crowther and
Monique Wilson have widely believed that the book was of ancient provenance. North
American Gardnerians of the Long Island line allow covens to add rituals and teachings to the
book, but nothing may be removed.

Contemporary usage

There sometimes exists two Books of Shadows kept by more traditional Wiccans, one being a
coven book of core rituals and practises which remains unchanged and from which new
initiates copy, and the second, intended for personal use, which differs from witch to witch and
contains magical material collected by the initiate,(such as astrology, herbal lore, and
information regarding divination).
Publication

After Gardner's death, his rival, Charles Cardell, published much of the material from the
Gardnerian Book of Shadows. In the 1970s, the Alexandrians Janet Farrar and Stewart Farrar
decided, with the consent of Doreen Valiente, that much of the Gardnerian book should be
published in its true form. Much of it was published by the Farrars in their 1984 book The
Witches' Way.

In Eclectic Wicca

In non-traditional or "eclectic" forms of Wiccan or Neo-pagan practice, the term Book of
Shadows is more often used to describe a personal journal, rather than a traditional text. This
journal records rituals, spells, and their results, as well as other magical information. This can
be either an individual or coven text, and is not normally passed from teacher to student. In
many cases, this kind of Book of Shadows is an electronic document (disk or website) instead
of a hand-written one. Some reserve the Book of Shadows for recording spells and keep a
separate book, sometimes called the Book of Mirrors to contain thoughts, feelings and
experiences.

Other traditions

Not all traditions of Wicca utilize the term "Book of Shadows". In Seax Wica, a tradition
founded by Raymond Buckland, the Book of Shadows is called "The Tree", and in Devotional
Wicca, the book is titled "The Book of Ways"; many traditions refer to their Books of Shadows
as simply "The Book".

I Ching (Book of Changes)
Wikipedia.org

The I Ching (Wade-Giles) or "Y Jng" (pinyin), also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of
Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. The book contains a
divination system comparable to Western geomancy or the West African If system; in
Western cultures and modern East Asia, it is still widely used for this purpose.

Traditionally, the I Ching and its hexagrams were thought to pre-date the recorded history,
and based on traditional Chinese accounts, its origins trace back to the 3rd to the 2nd
millennium BC. Modern scholarship suggests that the earliest layer of the text may date from
the end of the 2nd millennium BC, but place doubts on much of the mythological aspects in
the traditional accounts. Some consider the I Ching's extant compilation dates back to 1,000
BC. The oldest manuscript that's been found, albeit incomplete, are texts written on bamboo
slips, and dates to the Warring States Period.

During the Warring States Period, the text was re-interpreted as a system of cosmology and
philosophy that subsequently became intrinsic to Chinese culture. It centred on the ideas of
the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the
inevitability of change.

The standard text originated from the ancient text transmitted by Fei Zhi (c. 50 BC-10 AD) of
the Han Dynasty. During the Han Dynasty this version competed with the bowdlerised new
text version transmitted by Tian He at the beginning of the Western Han. However, by the
time of the Tang Dynasty the ancient text version, which survived Qins book-burning by being
preserved amongst the peasantry, became the accepted norm among Chinese scholars.

History

Traditional view

Traditionally it was believed that the principles of the I Ching originated with the mythical Fu
Xi (F X). In this respect he is seen as an early culture hero, one of the earliest legendary
rulers of China (traditional dates 2800 BC-2737 BC), reputed to have had the 8 trigrams (b
gu) revealed to him supernaturally. By the time of the legendary Yu (Y) 2194 BC 2149 BC,
the trigrams had supposedly been developed into 64 hexagrams (lu sh s ga), which were
recorded in the scripture Lian Shan (Lin Shn; also called Lian Shan Yi). Lian Shan, meaning
"continuous mountains" in Chinese, begins with the hexagram Bound ( gn), which depicts a
mountain (|) mounting on another and is believed to be the origin of the scripture's name.

After the traditionally recorded Xia Dynasty was overthrown by the Shang Dynasty, the
hexagrams are said to have been re-deduced to form Gui Cang (Gi Cng; also called Gui
Cang Yi), and the hexagram responding (kn) became the first hexagram. Gui Cang may be
literally translated into "return and be contained", which refers to earth as the first hexagram
itself indicates. At the time of Shang's last king, Zhou Wang, King Wen of Zhou is said to have
deduced the hexagram and discovered that the hexagrams beginning with Initiating (qin)
revealed the rise of Zhou. He then gave each hexagram a description regarding its own
nature, thus Gua Ci (gu c, "Explanation of Hexagrams").

When King Wu of Zhou, son of King Wen, toppled the Shang Dynasty, his brother Zhou Gong
Dan is said to have created Yao Ci (yo c, "Explanation of Horizontal Lines") to clarify the
significance of each horizontal line in each hexagram. It was not until then that the whole
context of I Ching was understood. Its philosophy heavily influenced the literature and
government administration of the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC-256 BC).

Later, during the time of Spring and Autumn Period (722 BC-481 BC), Confucius is
traditionally said to have written the Shi Yi (sh y, "Ten Wings"), a group of commentaries on
the I Ching. By the time of Han Wu Di (Hn W D) of the Western Han Dynasty (c. 200 BC),
Shi Yi was often called Yi Zhuan (y zhan, "Commentary on the I Ching"). Together with the
commentaries by Confucius, I Ching is also often referred to as Zhou Yi (zhu y, "Changes of
Zhou"). All later texts about Zhou Yi were explanations only, due to the classic's deep
meaning.

Modernist view

In the past 50 years a "Modernist" history of the I Ching emerged based on research into
Shang and Zhou dynasties' oracle bones, Zhou bronze inscriptions and other sources (Marshall
2001, Rutt 1996, Shaughnessy 1993, Smith 2008). In the 1970s, Chinese archaeologists
discovered intact Han dynasty-era tombs in Mawangdui near Changsha, Hunan province. One
of the tombs contained the Mawangdui Silk Texts, a 2nd century BC new text version of the I
Ching, the Dao De Jing and other works, which are mostly similar yet in some ways diverge
from the received, or traditional texts preserved historically. This version of the I Ching,
despite its textual form, belongs to the same textual tradition as the standard text, which
suggests it was prepared from an old text version for the use of its Han patron.

Rather than being the work of one or several legendary or historical figures, the core
divinatory text is now thought to be an accretion of Western Zhou divinatory concepts.
According to Daniel Woolf, the text would reached the form that we know it today at the end
of the 2nd millennium BC. As for the Shi Yi commentaries traditionally attributed to Confucius,
scholars from the time of the 11th century AD scholar Ouyang Xiu onward have doubted this,
based on textual analysis, and modern scholars date most of them to the Warring States
period (475 BC-256 or 221 BC), with some sections perhaps being as late as the Western Han
period (206 BC-9 AD).

Structure

The text of the I Ching is a set of oracular statements represented by 64 sets of six lines each
called hexagrams ( gu). Each hexagram is a figure composed of six stacked horizontal lines
( yo), each line is either Yang (an unbroken, or solid line), or Yin (broken, an open line with
a gap in the center). With six such lines stacked from bottom to top there are 26 or 64
possible combinations, and thus 64 hexagrams represented.

The hexagram diagram is composed of two three-line arrangements called trigrams ( gu).
There are 23, hence 8, possible trigrams. The traditional view was that the hexagrams were a
later development and resulted from combining the two trigrams. However, in the earliest
relevant archaeological evidence, groups of numerical symbols on many Western Zhou
bronzes and a very few Shang oracle bones, such groups already usually appear in sets of six.
A few have been found in sets of three numbers, but these are somewhat later. Numerical sets
greatly predate the groups of broken and unbroken lines, leading modern scholars to doubt
the mythical early attributions of the hexagram system, (Shaugnessy 1993).

When a hexagram is cast using one of the traditional processes of divination with I Ching,
each yin and yang line will be indicated as either moving (that is, changing), or fixed
(unchanging). Sometimes called old lines, a second hexagram is created by changing moving
lines to their opposite. These are referred to in the text by the numbers six through nine as
follows:

Nine is old yang, an unbroken line () changing into yin, a broken line ( );
Eight is young yin, a broken line ( ) without change;
Seven is young yang, an unbroken line () without change;
Six is old yin, a broken line (X) changing into yang, an unbroken line ().

The oldest method for casting the hexagrams, the yarrow stalk method, was gradually
replaced during the Han Dynasty by the three coins method and the yarrow stalk method was
lost. With the coin method, the probability of yin or yang is equal while with the recreated
yarrow stalk method of Zhu Xi (11301200), the probability of old yang is three times greater
than old yin.

There have been several arrangements of the trigrams and hexagrams over the ages. The b
ga is a circular arrangement of the trigrams, traditionally printed on a mirror, or disk.
According to legend, Fu Xi found the b ga on the scales of a tortoise's back. They function
like a magic square with the four axes summing to the same value, using 0 and 1 to represent
yin and yang: 000 + 111 = 101 + 010 = 011 + 100 = 110 + 001 = 111.

The King Wen sequence is the traditional (i.e. "classical") sequence of the hexagrams used in
most contemporary editions of the I Ching.

Trigrams



The solid line represents yang, the creative principle. The open line represents yin, the
receptive principle. These principles are also represented in a common circular symbol (),
known as taijitu, but more commonly known in the west as the yin-yang diagram, expressing
the idea of complementarity of changes: when Yang is at top, Yin is increasing, and the
reverse.

Trigrams Representation

In the following lists, the trigrams and hexagrams are represented using a common textual
convention, horizontally from left-to-right, using '|' for yang and '' for yin, rather than the
traditional bottom-to-top. In a more modern usage, the numbers 0 and 1 can also be used to
represent yin and yang, being read left-to-right. There are eight possible trigrams (bgu):


Trigram
Figure
Binary
Value
Name
Translation
Wilhelm
Image
in
Nature
(pp.l-li)
Direction
(p. 269)
Family
Relationshi
p (p. 274)
Body
Part
(p. 27
4)
Attribute
(p. 273)
Stage/
State
(pp.l-li)
Animal
(p. 273)

111 qin
the
Creative,
Force
Heaven,
sky
northwest father head strong creative horse

110 du
the Joyous,
Open
swamp,
marsh
west
third
daughter
mouth pleasure
tranquil
(complete
devotion)
sheep,
goat

101 l
the
Clinging,
Radiance
fire south
second
daughter
eye
light-giving,
dependence
clinging,
clarity,
adaptable
pheasant

100 zhn
the
Arousing,
Shake
thunder east first son foot
inciting
movement
initiative dragon

Trigram
Figure
Binary
Value
Name
Translation
Wilhelm
Image
in
Nature
(pp.l-li)
Direction
(p. 269)
Family
Relationshi
p (p. 274)
Body
Part
(p. 27
4)
Attribute
(p. 273)
Stage/
State
(pp.l-li)
Animal
(p. 273)

011 xn
the Gentle,
Ground
wind southeast
first
daughter
thigh penetrating
gentle
entrance
fowl

010 kn
the
Abysmal,
Gorge
water north second son ear dangerous in-motion pig

001 gn
Keeping
Still,
Bound
mountain northeast third son hand
resting,
stand-still
completion
wolf,
dog

000 kn
the
Receptive,
Field
earth southwest mother belly
devoted,
yielding
receptive cow

Hexagram

The first 3 lines of the hexagram, called the lower trigram, are seen as the inner aspect of the
change that is occurring. The upper trigram (the last three lines of the hexagram), is the outer
aspect. The change described is thus the dynamic of the inner (personal) aspect relating to the
outer (external) situation.


Hexagram Symbol R. Wilhelm Modern Interpretation
1 ||||||
Force
(qin)
The Creative Possessing Creative Power & Skill
2
Field
(kn)
The Receptive
Needing Knowledge & Skill;
Do not force matters and go with the flow
3 ||
Sprouting
(zhn)
Difficulty at the
Beginning
Sprouting
4 ||
Enveloping
(mng)
Youthful Folly Detained, Enveloped and Inexperienced
5 ||||
Attending
(x)
Waiting
Uninvolvement (Wait for now);
Nourishment
6 ||||
Arguing
(sng)
Conflict Engagement in Conflict
7 |
Leading
(sh)
The Army Bringing Together, Teamwork
8 |
Grouping
(b)
Holding Together Union
9 |||||
Small Accumulating
(xio ch)
Small Taming Accumulating Resources
10 |||||
Treading
(l)
Treading (Conduct) Continuing with Alertness
11 |||
Pervading
(ti)
Peace Pervading
12 |||
Obstruction
(p)
Standstill Stagnation
13 |||||
Concording People
(tng rn)
Fellowship Fellowship, Partnership
14 |||||
Great Possessing
(d yu)
Great Possession Independence, Freedom
15 |
Humbling
(qin)
Modesty Being Reserved, Refraining
16 |
Providing-For
(y)
Enthusiasm Inducement, New Stimulus
17 |||
Following
(su)
Following Following
18 |||
Corrupting
(g)
Work on the Decayed Repairing
19 ||
Nearing
(ln)
Approach Approaching Goal, Arriving
20 ||
Viewing
(gun)
Contemplation The Withholding
Hexagram Symbol R. Wilhelm Modern Interpretation
21 |||
Gnawing Bite
(sh k)
Biting Through Deciding
22 |||
Adorning
(b)
Grace Embellishing
23 |
Stripping
(b)
Splitting Apart Stripping, Flaying
24 |
Returning
(f)
Return Returning
25 ||||
Without Embroiling
(w wng)
Innocence Without Rashness
26 ||||
Great Accumulating
(d ch)
Great Taming Accumulating Wisdom
27 ||
Swallowing
(y)
Mouth Corners Seeking Nourishment
28 ||||
Great Exceeding
(d gu)
Great Preponderance Great Surpassing
29 ||
Gorge
(kn)
The Abysmal Water Darkness, Gorge
30 ||||
Radiance
(l)
The Clinging Clinging, Attachment
31 |||
Conjoining
(xin)
Influence Attraction
32 |||
Persevering
(hng)
Duration Perseverance
33 ||||
Retiring
(dn)
Retreat Withdrawing
34 ||||
Great Invigorating
(d zhung)
Great Power Great Boldness
35 ||
Prospering
(jn)
Progress Expansion, Promotion
36 ||
Brightness Hiding
(mng y)
Darkening of the Light Brilliance Injured
37 ||||
Dwelling People
(ji rn)
The Family Family
38 ||||
Polarising
(ku)
Opposition Division, Divergence
39 ||
Limping
(jin)
Obstruction Halting, Hardship
40 ||
Taking-Apart
(xi)
Deliverance Liberation, Solution
41 |||
Diminishing
(sn)
Decrease Decrease
42 |||
Augmenting
(y)
Increase Increase
43 |||||
Parting
(gui)
Breakthrough Separation
44 |||||
Coupling
(gu)
Coming to Meet Encountering
45 ||
Clustering
(cu)
Gathering Together Association, Companionship
Hexagram Symbol R. Wilhelm Modern Interpretation
46 ||
Ascending
(shng)
Pushing Upward Growing Upward
47 |||
Confining
(kn)
Oppression Exhaustion
48 |||
Welling
(jng)
The Well Replenishing, Renewal
49 ||||
Skinning
(g)
Revolution Abolishing the Old
50 ||||
Holding
(dng)
The Cauldron Establishing the New
51 ||
Shake
(zhn)
Arousing Mobilizing
52 ||
Bound
(gn)
The Keeping Still Immobility
53 |||
Infiltrating
(jin)
Development Auspicious Outlook, Infiltration
54 |||
Converting The
Maiden
(gu mi)
The Marrying Maiden Marrying
55 |||
Abounding
(fng)
Abundance
Goal Reached,
Ambition Achieved
56 |||
Sojourning
(l)
The Wanderer Travel
57 ||||
Ground
(xn)
The Gentle Subtle Influence
58 ||||
Open
(du)
The Joyous Overt Influence
59 |||
Dispersing
(hun)
Dispersion Dispersal
60 |||
Articulating
(ji)
Limitation Discipline
61 ||||
Centre Confirming
(zhng f)
Inner Truth
Staying Focused,
Avoid Misrepresentation
62 ||
Small Exceeding
(xio gu)
Small Preponderance Small Surpassing
63 |||
Already Fording
(j j)
After Completion Completion
64 |||
Not-Yet Fording
(wi j)
Before Completion Incompletion


Hexagrams Defined

Hexagram 1 is named (qin), "Force". Other variations include "the creative", "strong
action", "the key", and "god". Its inner (lower) trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven, and
its outer (upper) trigram is the same.

Hexagram 2 is named (kn), "Field". Other variations include "the receptive",
"acquiescence", and "the flow". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer
trigram is identical.

Hexagram 3 is named (zhn), "Sprouting". Other variations include "difficulty at the
beginning", "gathering support", and "hoarding". Its inner trigram is ( zhn) shake = ()
thunder, and its outer trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water.

Hexagram 4 is named (mng), "Enveloping". Other variations include "youthful folly", "the
young shoot", and "discovering". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water. Its outer
trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain.

Hexagram 5 is named (x), "Attending". Other variations include "waiting", "moistened",
and "arriving". Its inner trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven, and its outer trigram is
( kn) gorge = () water.

Hexagram 6 is named (sng), "Arguing". Other variations include "conflict" and "lawsuit".
Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and its outer trigram is ( qin) force =
() heaven.

Hexagram 7 is named (sh), "Leading". Other variations include "the army" and "the
troops". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and its outer trigram is ( kn)
field = () earth.

Hexagram 8 is named (b), "Grouping". Other variations include "holding together" and
"alliance". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer trigram is ( kn)
gorge = () water.

Hexagram 9 is named (xio ch), "Small Accumulating". Other variations include "the
taming power of the small" and "small harvest". Its inner trigram is ( qin) force = ()
heaven, and its outer trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind.

Hexagram 10 is named (l), "Treading". Other variations include "treading (conduct)" and
"continuing". Its inner trigram is ( du) open = () swamp, and its outer trigram is (
qin) force = () heaven.

Hexagram 11 is named (ti), "Pervading". Other variations include "peace" and "greatness".
Its inner trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven, and its outer trigram is ( kn) field =
() earth.

Hexagram 12 is named (p), "Obstruction". Other variations include "standstill (stagnation)"
and "selfish persons". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer trigram is
( qin) force = () heaven.

Hexagram 13 is named (tng rn), "Concording People". Other variations include
"fellowship with men" and "gathering men". Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire,
and its outer trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven.


Hexagram 14 is named (d yu), "Great Possessing". Other variations include "possession
in great measure" and "the great possession". Its inner trigram is ( qin) force = ()
heaven, and its outer trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire.

Hexagram 15 is named (qin), "Humbling". Other variations include "modesty". Its inner
trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain and its outer trigram is ( kn) field = ()
earth.

Hexagram 16 is named (y), "Providing-For". Other variations include "enthusiasm" and
"excess". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer trigram is ( zhn)
shake = () thunder.

Hexagram 17 is named (su), "Following". Its inner trigram is ( zhn) shake = ()
thunder, and its outer trigram is ( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 18 is named '' (g), "Correcting". Other variations include "work on what has
been spoiled (decay)", decaying and "branch" [1]. Its inner trigram is ( xn) ground = (
) wind, and its outer trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain. Gu is the name of a
venom-based poison traditionally used in Chinese witchcraft.

Hexagram 19 is named (ln), "Nearing". Other variations include "approach" and "the
forest". Its inner trigram is ( du) open = () swamp, and its outer trigram is ( kn)
field = () earth.

Hexagram 20 is named (gun), "Viewing". Other variations include "contemplation (view)"
and "looking up". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer trigram is (
Xena) ground = () wind.

Hexagram 21 is named (sh k), "Gnawing Bite". Other variations include "biting through"
and "biting and chewing". Its inner trigram is ( zhn) shake = () thunder, and its outer
trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire.

Hexagram 22 is named (b), "Adorning". Other variations include "grace" and "luxuriance".
Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire, and its outer trigram is ( gn) bound = (
) mountain.

Hexagram 23 is named (b), "Stripping". Other variations include "splitting apart" and
"flaying". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer trigram is ( gn)
bound = () mountain.

Hexagram 24 is named (f), "Returning". Other variations include "return (the turning
point)". Its inner trigram is ( zhn) shake = () thunder, and its outer trigram is (
kn) field = () earth.

Hexagram 25 is named (w wng), "Without Embroiling". Other variations include
"innocence (the unexpected)" and "pestilence". Its inner trigram is ( zhn) shake = ()
thunder, and its outer trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven.

Hexagram 26 is named (d ch), "Great Accumulating". Other variations include "the
taming power of the great", "great storage", and "potential energy." Its inner trigram is (
qin) force = () heaven, and its outer trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain.

Hexagram 27 is named (y), "Swallowing". Other variations include "the corners of the
mouth (providing nourishment)", "jaws" and "comfort/security". Its inner trigram is (
zhn) shake = () thunder, and its outer trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain.


Hexagram 28 is named (d gu), "Great Exceeding". Other variations include
"preponderance of the great", "great surpassing" and "critical mass." Its inner trigram is (
xn) ground = () wind, and its outer trigram is ( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 29 is named (kn), "Gorge". Other variations include "the abysmal (water)" and
"repeated entrapment". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and its outer
trigram is identical.

Hexagram 30 is named (l), "Radiance". Other variations include "the clinging, fire" and "the
net". Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire, and its outer trigram is identical. The
origin of the character has its roots in symbols of long-tailed birds such as the peacock or the
legendary phoenix.

Hexagram 31 is named (xin), "Conjoining". Other variations include "influence (wooing)"
and "feelings". Its inner trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain, and its outer trigram is
( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 32 is named (hng), "Persevering". Other variations include "duration" and
"constancy". Its inner trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind, and its outer trigram is (
zhn) shake = () thunder.

Hexagram 33 is named (dn), "Retiring". Other variations include "retreat" and "yielding".
Its inner trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain, and its outer trigram is ( qin)
force = () heaven.

Hexagram 34 is named (d zhung), "Great Invigorating". Other variations include "the
power of the great" and "great maturity". Its inner trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven,
and its outer trigram is ( zhn) shake = () thunder.

Hexagram 35 is named (jn), "Prospering". Other variations include "progress" and "aquas".
Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer trigram is ( l) radiance = (
) fire.

Hexagram 36 is named (mng y), Darkening of the Light. Other variations are
"brilliance injured" and "intelligence hidden". Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire,
and its outer trigram is ( kn) field = () earth.

Hexagram 37 is named (ji rn), "Dwelling People". Other variations include "the family
(the clan)" and "family members". Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire, and its
outer trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind.

Hexagram 38 is named (ku), "Polarising". Other variations include "opposition" and
"perversion". Its inner trigram is ( du) open = () swamp, and its outer trigram is (
l) radiance = () fire.

Hexagram 39 is named (jin), "Limping". Other variations include "obstruction" and "afoot".
Its inner trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain, and its outer trigram is ( kn)
gorge = () water.

Hexagram 40 is named (xi), "Taking-Apart". Other variations include "deliverance" and
"untangled". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and its outer trigram is (
zhn) shake = () thunder.



Hexagram 41 is named (sn), "Diminishing". Other variations include "decrease". Its inner
trigram is ( du) open = () swamp, and its outer trigram is ( gn) bound = ()
mountain.

Hexagram 42 is named (y), "Augmenting". Other variations include "increase". Its inner
trigram is ( zhn) shake = () thunder, and its outer trigram is ( xn) ground = ()
wind.

Hexagram 43 is named (gui), "Displacement" Other variations include "resoluteness" and
"break-through". Its inner trigram is ( qin) force = () heaven, and its outer trigram is
( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 44 is named (gu), "Coupling". Other variations include "coming to meet" and
"meeting". Its inner trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind, and its outer trigram is (
qin) force = () heaven.

Hexagram 45 is named (cu), "Clustering". Other variations include "gathering together
(massing)" and "finished". Its inner trigram is ( kn) field = () earth, and its outer
trigram is ( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 46 is named (shng), "Ascending". Other variations include "pushing upward".
Its inner trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind, and its outer trigram is ( kn) field = (
) earth.

Hexagram 47 is named (kn), "Confining". Other variations include "oppression
(exhaustion)" and "entangled". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and its
outer trigram is ( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 48 is named (jng), "Welling". Other variations include "the well". Its inner
trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind, and its outer trigram is ( kn) gorge = ()
water.

Hexagram 49 is named (g), "Skinning". Other variations including "revolution (molting)"
and "the bridle". Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire, and its outer trigram is (
du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 50 is named (dng), "Holding". Other variations include "the cauldron". Its inner
trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind, and its outer trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire.

Hexagram 51 is named (zhn), "Shake". Other variations include "the arousing (shock,
thunder)" and "thunder". Both its inner and outer trigrams are ( zhn) shake = ()
thunder.

Hexagram 52 is named (gn), "Bound". Other variations include "keeping still, mountain"
and "stilling". Both its inner and outer trigrams are ( gn) bound = () mountain.

Hexagram 53 is named (jin), "Infiltrating". Other variations include "development (gradual
progress)" and "advancement". Its inner trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain, and its
outer trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind.

Hexagram 54 is named (gu mi), "Converting the Maiden". Other variations include "the
marrying maiden" and "returning maiden". Its inner trigram is ( du) open = () swamp,
and its outer trigram is ( zhn) shake = () thunder.



Hexagram 55 is named (fng), "Abounding". Other variations include "abundance" and
"fullness". Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire, and its outer trigram is (
zhn) shake = () thunder.

Hexagram 56 is named (l), "Sojourning". Other variations include "the wanderer" and
"traveling". Its inner trigram is ( gn) bound = () mountain, and its outer trigram is (
l) radiance = () fire.

Hexagram 57 is named (xn), "Ground". Other variations include "the gentle (the
penetrating, wind)" and "calculations". Both its inner and outer trigrams are ( xn)
ground = () wind.

Hexagram 58 is named (du), "Open". Other variations include "the joyous, lake" and
"usurpation". Both its inner and outer trigrams are ( du) open = () swamp.

Hexagram 59 is named (hun), "Dispersing". Other variations include "dispersion
(dissolution)" and "dispersal". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and its outer
trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind.

Hexagram 60 is named (ji), "Articulating". Other variations include "limitation" and
"moderation". Its inner trigram is ( du) open = () swamp, and its outer trigram is (
kn) gorge = () water.

Hexagram 61 is named (zhng f), "Center Returning". Other variations include "inner
truth" and "central return". Its inner trigram is ( du) open = () swamp, and its outer
trigram is ( xn) ground = () wind.

Hexagram 62 is named (xio gu), "Small Exceeding". Other variations include
"preponderance of the small" and "small surpassing". Its inner trigram is ( gn) bound = (
) mountain, and its outer trigram is ( zhn) shake = () thunder.

Hexagram 63 is named (j j), "Already Fording". Other variations include "after
completion" and "already completed" or "already done" . Its inner trigram is ( l) radiance
= () fire, and its outer trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water.

Hexagram 64 is named (wi j), "Not Yet Fording". Other variations include "before
completion" and "not yet completed". Its inner trigram is ( kn) gorge = () water, and
its outer trigram is ( l) radiance = () fire.
Core Principles

The I Ching is a "reflection of the universe in miniature". The word "I" has three meanings:
ease and simplicity, change and transformation, and invariability. Thus the three principles
underlying the I Ching are the following:

Simplicity - the root of the substance. The fundamental law underlying everything in
the universe is utterly plain and simple, no matter how abstruse or complex some
things may appear to be.
Variability - the use of the substance. Everything in the universe is continually
changing. By comprehending this one may realize the importance of flexibility in life
and may thus cultivate the proper attitude for dealing with a multiplicity of diverse
situations.
Persistency - the essence of the substance. While everything in the universe seems
to be changing, among the changing tides there is a persistent principle, a central
rule, which does not vary with space and time.

Binary sequence

In his article Explication de l'Arithmtique Binaire (1703) Gottfried Leibniz writes that he has
found in the hexagrams a base for claiming the universality of the binary numeral system. He
takes the layout of the combinatorial exercise found in the hexagrams to represent binary
sequences, so that would correspond to the binary sequence 000000 and | would be
000001, and so forth.

The binary arrangement of hexagrams is associated with the famous Chinese scholar and
philosopher Shao Yung (a neo-Confucian and Taoist) in the 11th century. He displayed it in
two different formats, a circle, and a rectangular block. Thus, he clearly understood the
sequence represented a logical progression of values. However, while it is true that these
sequences do represent the values 0 through 63 in a binary display, there is no evidence that
Shao understood that the numbers could be used in computations such as addition or
subtraction.

Richard S. Cook states that the I Ching demonstrated a relation between the golden ratio (aka
the division in extreme and mean ratio) and "linear recurrence sequences" (the Fibonacci
numbers are examples of "linear recurrence sequences").

Divination

In China, the I Ching had two distinct functions. The first was as a compendium and classic of
ancient cosmic principles. The second function was that of divination text. As a divination text
the world of the I Ching was that of the marketplace fortune teller and roadside oracle. These
individuals served the illiterate peasantry. The educated Confucian elite in China were of an
entirely different disposition. The future results of our actions were a function of our personal
virtues. The Confucian literati actually had little use for the I Ching as a work of divination. In
the collected works of the countless educated literati of ancient China there are actually few
references to the I Ching as a divination text. Any eyewitness account of traditional Chinese
society, such as S. Wells Williams, The Middle Kingdom, and many others, can clarify this very
basic distinction. Williams tells us of the I Ching:

"The hundreds of fortune- tellers seen in the streets of Chinese towns, whose answers
to their perplexed customers are more or less founded on these cabala, indicate their
influence among the illiterate; while among scholars, who have long since conceded all
divination to be vain..". (The Middle Kingdom, vol. 1, p. 632)







Strange Artifacts


Whether they were used as means of divination, relics for veneration,
or tools for protection, these objects have found their way into the
lives of believers, occult or not.
Angel Wreath
(feather crown)

The Encyclopedia of Angels
By Rosemary Ellen Guiley

In the folklore of the Ozarks area of the United States, lumps of feathers formed into wreath
shapes found inside bed pillows. An angel wreath found inside the pillow of someone who has
just died is a lucky omen that the person is saintly and has gone to heaven. The wreath is a
symbol of the golden crown the person will wear in heaven.

Angel wreaths vary in shape and size. Some are tightly bunched and others loosely formed.
They resemble rings, buns, caps, and balls, and they are from two to six inches in diameter.
Most likely the wreaths form naturally from pressure and handling of the pillow. The feathers
become attached by the minute barbs on the quills.

Folkloric tradition holds that the feathers inside the pillow of a deceased person should be
searched for signs of an angel wreath. If one is found, the family is relieved. Angel wreaths
have been preserved in families as lucky charms.

In earlier times, the discovery of an angel wreath was worthy of mention in the town
newspaper. Angel wreaths once were so highly prized that they were stolen or secreted into
pillows. Sometimes people would ask to be buried with the angel wreaths of their deceased
spouses or relatives. It was widely believed that the wreaths were not made by humans or by
chance but were of divine origin.

Ozark superstition also holds that angel wreaths are not from heaven but from the devil, and
they are a sign of witchcraft at work. Thus, feather pillows should be regularly searched, and
any partially formed wreaths destroyed.

FURTHER READING
Randolph, Vance. Ozark Magic and Folklore. New York: Dover Publications, 1964. First
published 1947.

Antikythera Mechanism
150-100 BC
http://earthmysterys.blogspot.com/
Written March 2, 2011 | 4:11 AM

LEFT: The Antikythera mechanism (main fragment).

The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient
mechanical computer designed to calculate
astronomical positions. It was recovered in 190001
from the Antikythera wreck.Its significance and
complexity were not understood until decades later.
Its time of construction is now estimated between
150 and 100 BCE. The degree of mechanical
sophistication is comparable to a 19th century Swiss
clock. Technological artifacts of similar complexity and workmanship did not reappear until the
14th century, when mechanical astronomical clocks were built in Europe.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau visited the wreck for the last time in 1978, but found no additional
remains of the Antikythera mechanism. Professor Michael Edmunds of Cardiff University who
led the most recent study of the mechanism said: "This device is just extraordinary, the only
thing of its kind. The design is beautiful, the astronomy is exactly right. The way the
mechanics are designed just makes your jaw drop. Whoever has done this has done it
extremely carefully ... in terms of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism
as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa."

The device is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, accompanied by a
reconstruction made and donated to the museum by Derek de Solla Price. Other
reconstructions are on display at the American Computer Museum in Bozeman, Montana, the
Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, the Children's Museum of Manhattan
in New York, and in Kassel, Germany.

Origins

The mechanism is the oldest known complex scientific calculator. It contains many gears, and
is sometimes called the first known analog computer,although its flawless manufacturing
suggests that it may have had a number of undiscovered predecessors during the Hellenistic
Period. It appears to be constructed upon theories of astronomy and mathematics developed
by Greek astronomers and it is estimated that it was made around 150-100 BCE.

Consensus among scholars is that the mechanism itself was made in the Greek-speaking
world. All the instructions of the mechanism are written in Koine Greek.One hypothesis is that
the device was constructed at an academy founded by the ancient Stoic philosopher
Posidonius on the Greek island of Rhodes, which at the time was known as a center of
astronomy and mechanical engineering, and that perhaps the astronomer Hipparchus was the
engineer who designed it since it contains a lunar mechanism which uses Hipparchus's theory
for the motion of the Moon. However, the most recent findings of The Antikythera Mechanism
Research Project, as published in the July 30, 2008, edition of Nature alternatively suggest
that the concept for the mechanism originated in the colonies of Corinth, which might imply a
connection with Archimedes.

The circumstances under which it came to be on the cargo ship are unknown. Investigators
have suggested that the ship could have been carrying it to Rome, together with other
treasure looted from the island to support a triumphal parade being staged by Julius Caesar.


Function

LEFT: Schematic of the artifact's mechanism.

The device is remarkable for the level of
miniaturization and for the complexity of its parts,
which is comparable to that of 19th century clocks.
It has over 30 gears, although Michael Wright (see
below) has suggested as many as 72 gears, with
teeth formed through equilateral triangles. When a
date was entered via a crank (now lost), the
mechanism calculated the position of the Sun, Moon,
or other astronomical information such as the
location of other planets. Since the purpose was to
position astronomical bodies with respect to the
celestial sphere, with reference to the observer's
position on the surface of the Earth, the device was
based on the geocentric model.

The mechanism has three main dials, one on the
front, and two on the back. The front dial has two
concentric scales. The outer ring is marked off with
the days of the 365-day Egyptian calendar, or the
Sothic year, based on the Sothic cycle. Inside this,
there is a second dial marked with the Greek signs of the Zodiac and divided into degrees. The
calendar dial can be moved to compensate for the effect of the extra quarter day in the solar
year (there are 365.2422 days per year) by turning the scale backwards one day every four
years. Note that the Julian calendar, the first calendar of the region to contain leap years, was
not introduced until about 46 BCE, up to a century after the device was said to have been
built.

The front dial probably carried at least three hands, one showing the date, and two others
showing the positions of the Sun and the Moon. The Moon indicator is adjusted to show the
first anomaly of the Moon's orbit. It is reasonable to suppose the Sun indicator had a similar
adjustment, but any gearing for this mechanism (if it existed) has been lost. The front dial
also includes a second mechanism with a spherical model of the Moon that displays the lunar
phase.

There is reference in the inscriptions for the planets Mars and Venus, and it would have
certainly been within the capabilities of the maker of this mechanism to include gearing to
show their positions. There is some speculation that the mechanism may have had indicators
for all the five planets known to the Greeks. None of the gearing for such planetary
mechanisms survives, except for one gear otherwise unaccounted for.

Finally, the front dial includes a parapegma, a precursor to the modern day almanac, which
was used to mark the rising and setting of specific stars. Each star is thought to be identified
by Greek characters which cross reference details inscribed on the mechanism.

The upper back dial is in the form of a spiral, with 47 divisions per turn, displaying the 235
months of the 19 year Metonic cycle. This cycle is important in fixing calendars.

The lower back dial is also in the form of a spiral, with 223 divisions showing the Saros cycle;
it also has a smaller subsidiary dial which displays the 54 year "Triple Saros" or "Exeligmos"
cycle. (The Saros cycle, discovered by the Chaldeans, is a period of approximately 18 years 11
days 8 hours the length of time between occurrences of a particular eclipse.)

The Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, with experts from Britain, Greece and the
United States, detected in July 2008 the word "Olympia" on a bronze dial thought to display
the 76 year Callippic cycle, as well as the names of other games in ancient Greece, and
probably used to track dates of the ancient Olympic Games. According to BBC news:

"The four sectors of the dial are inscribed with a year number and two Panhellenic Games: the
'crown' games of Isthmia, Olympia, Nemea, and Pythia; and two lesser games: Naa (held at
Dodona) and a second game which has not yet been deciphered."

Speculation about its purpose:

Derek J. de Solla Price suggested that it might have been on public display, possibly in a
museum or public hall in Rhodes. The island was known for its displays of mechanical
engineering, particularly automata, which apparently were a speciality of the Rhodians. Pindar,
one of the nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, said this of Rhodes in his seventh Olympic Ode:

"The animated figures stand
Adorning every public street
And seem to breathe in stone, or
Move their marble feet."

Arguments against it being on public display include:

The device is rather small, indicating that the designer was aiming for compactness and, as a
result, the size of the front and back dials is unsuitable for public display. A simple comparison
with size of the Tower of the Winds in Athens could give us a hint to suggest that the aim of
the Antikythera mechanism manufacturer was the mobility of this device rather than its public
display in a fixed place (such as a temple, museum or public hall).

The mechanism had door plates attached to it that contain at least 2,000 characters, forming
what members of the Antikythera mechanism research project often refer to as an instruction
manual for the mechanism. The neat attachment of this manual to the mechanism itself
implies ease of transport and personal use.

The existence of this "instruction manual" implies that the device was constructed by an
expert scientist and mechanic in order to be used by a non-expert traveler (the text gives a lot
of information associated with well known geographical locations of the Mediterranean area).

The device is unlikely to have been intended for navigation use because:

Some data, such as eclipse predictions, are unnecessary for navigation.
The salt-laden dampness of marine environments would corrode the gears in a short
period of time, rendering it useless.

On 30 July 2008, scientists reported new findings in the journal Nature showing that the
mechanism tracked the Metonic calendar, predicted solar eclipses, and calculated the timing of
the Ancient Olympic Games.Inscriptions on the instrument closely match the names of the
months on calendars from Illyria and Epirus in northwestern Greece and with the island of
Corfu.


Similar devices in ancient literature

Cicero's De re publica, a 1st century BCE philosophical dialogue, mentions two machines that
some modern authors consider as some kind of planetarium or orrery, predicting the
movements of the Sun, the Moon, and the five planets known at that time. They were both
built by Archimedes and brought to Rome by the Roman general Marcus Claudius Marcellus
after the death of Archimedes at the siege of Syracuse in 212 BCE. Marcellus had a high
respect for Archimedes and one of these machines was the only item he kept from the siege
(the second was offered to the temple of Virtus). The device was kept as a family heirloom,
and Cicero has Philus (one of the participants in a conversation that Cicero imagined had
taken place in a villa belonging to Scipio Aemilianus in the year 129 BCE) saying that Caius
Sulpicius Gallus (consul with Marcellus' nephew in 166 BCE, and credited by Pliny the Elder as
the first Roman to have written a book explaining solar and lunar eclipses) gave a 'learned
explanation' of it and demonstrated it working.

I had often heard this celestial globe or sphere mentioned on account of the great fame of
Archimedes. Its appearance, however, did not seem to me particularly striking. There is
another, more elegant in form, and more generally known, moulded by the same Archimedes,
and deposited by the same Marcellus, in the Temple of Virtue at Rome. But as soon as Gallus
had begun to explain, by his sublime science, the composition of this machine, I felt that the
Sicilian geometrician must have possessed a genius superior to any thing we usually conceive
to belong to our nature. Gallus assured us, that the solid and compact globe, was a very
ancient invention, and that the first model of it had been presented by Thales of Miletus. That
afterwards Eudoxus of Cnidus, a disciple of Plato, had traced on its surface the stars that
appear in the sky, and that many years subsequent, borrowing from Eudoxus this beautiful
design and representation, Aratus had illustrated them in his verses, not by any science of
astronomy, but the ornament of poetic description. He added, that the figure of the sphere,
which displayed the motions of the Sun and Moon, and the five planets, or wandering stars,
could not be represented by the primitive solid globe. And that in this, the invention of
Archimedes was admirable, because he had calculated how a single revolution should maintain
unequal and diversified progressions in dissimilar motions.

When Gallus moved this globe it showed the relationship of the Moon with the Sun, and there
were exactly the same number of turns on the bronze device as the number of days in the real
globe of the sky. Thus it showed the same eclipse of the Sun as in the globe [of the sky], as
well as showing the Moon entering the area of the Earth's shadow when the Sun is in line...
[i.e. It showed both solar and lunar eclipses.]

So at least one of Archimedes' machines, probably (considering Gallus' interests and the fact
that that portion of the De Republica seems to be concerned with astronomical prodigia and in
particular eclipses) quite similar to the Antikythera mechanism, was still operated around 150
BCE.

Pappus of Alexandria stated that Archimedes had written a now lost manuscript on the
construction of these devices entitled On Sphere-Making.The surviving texts from the Library
of Alexandria describe many of his creations, some even containing simple blueprints. One
such device is his odometer, the exact model later used by the Romans to place their mile
markers (described by Vitruvius, Heron of Alexandria and in the time of Emperor
Commodus).The blueprints in the text appeared functional, but attempts to build them as
pictured had failed. When the gears pictured, which had square teeth, were replaced with
gears of the type in the Antikythera mechanism, which were angled, the device was perfectly
functional.Whether this is an example of a device created by Archimedes and described by
texts lost in the burning of the Library of Alexandria, or if it is a device based on his
discoveries, or if it has anything to do with him at all, is debatable.

If Cicero's account is correct, then this technology existed as early as the 3rd century BCE.
Archimedes' device is also mentioned by later Roman era writers such as Lactantius
(Divinarum Institutionum Libri VII), Claudian (In sphaeram Archimedes), and Proclus
(Commentary on the first book of Euclid's Elements of Geometry) in the 4th and 5th centuries.
Cicero also said that another such device was built 'recently' by his friend Posidonius, "... each
one of the revolutions of which brings about the same movement in the Sun and Moon and
five wandering stars [planets] as is brought about each day and night in the heavens..."

It is unlikely that any one of these machines was the Antikythera mechanism found in the
shipwreck because both the devices fabricated by Archimedes and mentioned by Cicero were
located in Rome at least 30 years later than the estimated date of the shipwreck and the third
one was almost certainly in the hands of Posidonius by that date. So we know of at least four
such devices. The modern scientists who have reconstructed the Antikythera mechanism also
agree that it was too sophisticated to have been a unique device.

It is probable that the Antikythera mechanism was not unique, as shown by Cicero's
references to such mechanisms. This adds support to the idea that there was an ancient Greek
tradition of complex mechanical technology that was later, at least in part, transmitted to the
Byzantine and Islamic worlds, where mechanical devices which were complex, albeit simpler
than the Antikythera mechanism, were built during the Middle Ages.Fragments of a geared
calendar attached to a sundial, from the 5th or 6th century Byzantine Empire, have been
found; the calendar may have been used to assist in telling time.In the Islamic world, Ban
Ms's Kitab al-Hiyal, or Book of Ingenious Devices, was commissioned by the Caliph of
Baghdad in the early 9th century. This text described over a hundred mechanical devices,
some of which may date back to ancient Greek texts preserved in monasteries. A geared
calendar similar to the Byzantine device was described by the scientist al-Biruni around 1000
CE, and a surviving 13th century astrolabe also contains a similar clockwork device.It is
possible that this medieval technology may have been transmitted to Europe and contributed
to the development of mechanical clocks there.


Investigations and reconstructions:

The Antikythera mechanism is one of the world's oldest known
geared devices. It has puzzled and intrigued historians of science
and technology since its discovery. A number of individuals and
groups have been instrumental in advancing the knowledge and
understanding of the mechanism including: Derek J. de Solla
Price (with Charalampos Karakalos); Allan George Bromley (with
Frank Percival, Michael Wright and Bernard Gardner); Michael
Wright and The Antikythera Mechanism Research Project.

LEFT: Reconstruction of the Antikythera mechanism in the
National Archaeological Museum, Athens (made by Robert J.
Deroski, based on Derek J. de Solla Price model).

Derek J. de Solla Price

Following decades of work cleaning the device, in 1951 British
science historian Derek J. de Solla Price undertook systematic
investigation of the mechanism.
Price published several papers on "Clockwork before the
Clock".and "On the Origin of Clockwork",before the first major
publication in June 1959 on the mechanism: "An Ancient Greek
Computer".This was the lead article in Scientific American and
appears to have been initially published at the prompting of
Arthur C. Clarke, according to the book Arthur C. Clarke's
Mysterious World. In "An Ancient Greek Computer" Price
advanced the theory that the Antikythera mechanism was a
device for calculating the motions of stars and planets, which would make the device the first
known analog computer. Until that time, the Antikythera mechanism's function was largely
unknown, though it had been correctly identified as an astronomical device, perhaps being an
astrolabe.

In 1971, Price, by then the first Avalon Professor of the History of Science at Yale University,
teamed up with Charalampos Karakalos, professor of nuclear physics at the Greek National
Centre of Scientific Research "DEMOKRITOS". Karakalos took both gamma- and X-ray
radiographs of the mechanism, which revealed critical information about the device's interior
configuration.

In 1974, Price wrote "Gears from the Greeks: the Antikythera mechanism a calendar
computer from ca. 80 B.C.",where he presented a model of how the mechanism could have
functioned.

Price's model, as presented in his "Gears from the Greeks", was the first theoretical attempt at
reconstructing the device. According to that model, the front dial shows the annual progress of
the Sun and Moon through the zodiac against the Egyptian calendar. The upper rear dial
displays a four-year period and has associated dials showing the Metonic cycle of 235 synodic
months, which approximately equals 19 solar years. The lower rear dial plots the cycle of a
single synodic month, with a secondary dial showing the lunar year of 12 synodic months.
One of the remarkable proposals made by Price was that the mechanism employed differential
gears, which enabled the mechanism to add or subtract angular velocities. The differential was
used to compute the synodic lunar cycle by subtracting the effects of the Sun's movement
from those of the sidereal lunar movement.

Allan George Bromley
A variant on Price's reconstruction was built by Australian computer scientist Allan George
Bromley of the University of Sydney and Sydney clockmaker Frank Percival. Bromley went on
to make new, more accurate X-ray images in collaboration with Michael Wright. Some of these
were studied by Bromley's student, Bernard Gardner, in 1993.

Michael Wright
Michael Wright, formerly Curator of Mechanical Engineering at The London Science Museum
and now of Imperial College, London, made a completely new study of the original fragments
together with Allan George Bromley. They used a technique called linear X-ray tomography
which was suggested by retired consultant radiologist, Alan Partridge. For this, Wright
designed and made an apparatus for linear tomography, allowing the generation of sectional
2D radiographic images. Early results of this survey were presented in 1997, which showed
that Price's reconstruction was fundamentally flawed.

Further study of the new imagery allowed Wright to advance a number of proposals. Firstly he
developed the idea, suggested by Price in "Gears from the Greeks", that the mechanism could
have served as a planetarium. Wright's planetarium not only modelled the motion of the Sun
and Moon, but also the Inferior Planets (Mercury and Venus), and the Superior Planets (Mars,
Jupiter and Saturn).

Wright proposed that the Sun and Moon could have moved in accordance with the theories of
Hipparchus and the five known planets moved according to the simple epicyclic theory
suggested by the theorem of Apollonios. In order to prove that this was possible using the
level of technology apparent in the mechanism, Wright produced a working model of such a
planetarium.

Wright also increased upon Price's gear count of 27 to 31 including 1 in Fragment C that was
eventually identified as part of a Moon phase display.He suggested that this is a mechanism
that shows the phase of the Moon by means of a rotating semi-silvered ball, realized by the
differential rotation of the sidereal cycle of the Moon and the Sun's yearly cycle. This precedes
previously known mechanisms of this sort by a millennium and a half.

More accurate tooth counts were also obtained, allowing a new gearing scheme to be
advanced. This more accurate information allowed Wright to confirm Price's perceptive
suggestion that the upper back dial displays the Metonic cycle with 235 lunar months divisions
over a five-turn scale. In addition to this Wright proposed the remarkable idea that the main
back dials are in the form of spirals, with the upper back dial out as a five-turn spiral
containing 47 divisions in each turn. It therefore presented a visual display of the 235 months
of the Metonic cycle (19 years 235 Synodic Months). Wright also observed that fragmentary
inscriptions suggested that the pointer on the subsidiary dial showed a count of four cycles of
the 19-year period, equal to the 76-year Callippic cycle.

Based on more tentative observations, Wright also came to the conclusion that the lower back
dial counted Draconic Months and could perhaps have been used for eclipse prediction.

All these findings have been incorporated into Wright's working model,demonstrating that a
single mechanism with all these functions could be built, and would work.

Despite the improved imagery provided by the linear tomography Wright could not reconcile
all the known gears into a single coherent mechanism, and this led him to advance the theory
that the mechanism had been altered, with some astronomical functions removed and others
added.

Finally, as an outcome of his considerable research,Wright also conclusively demonstrated that
Price's suggestion of the existence of a differential gearing arrangement was incorrect.
Michael Wright's research on the mechanism is continuing in parallel with the efforts of the
Antikythera Mechanism Research Project (AMRP). Recently Wright slightly modified his model
of the mechanism to incorporate the latest findings of the AMRP regarding the function of the
pin and slot engaged gears that brilliantly simulate the anomaly in the Moon's angular
velocity. On 6 March 2007 he presented his model in the National Hellenic Research
Foundation in Athens.

The Antikythera Mechanism Research Project
The Antikythera mechanism is now being studied by the Antikythera Mechanism Research
Project, a joint program between Cardiff University (M. Edmunds, T. Freeth), the National and
Kapodistrian University of Athens (X. Moussas, Y. Bitsakis), the Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki (J.H. Seiradakis), the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, X-Tek Systems
UK. and Hewlett-Packard USA, funded by the Leverhulme Trust and supported by the Cultural
Foundation of the National Bank of Greece.

The mechanism's fragility precluded its removal from the museum, so the Hewlett-Packard
research team and X-Tek Systems had to bring their devices to Greece. HP built a 3-D surface
imaging device, known as the "PTM Dome", that surrounds the object under examination. X-
Tek Systems developed a 12 ton 450 kV microfocus computerised tomographer especially for
the Antikythera Mechanism.

It was announced in Athens on 21 October 2005 that new pieces of the Antikythera
mechanism had been found. There are now 82 fragments. Most of the new pieces had been
stabilized but were awaiting conservation.

On 30 May 2006, it was announced that the imaging system had enabled much more of the
Greek inscription to be viewed and translated, from about 1,000 characters that were visible
previously, to over 2,160 characters, representing about 95% of the extant text. The team's
findings shed new light concerning the function and purpose of the Antikythera mechanism.
Research is ongoing. The first results were announced at an international conference in
Athens, November 30 and December 1, 2006.
New discoveries

On 30 November 2006, the science journal Nature published a new reconstruction of the
mechanism by the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, based on the high resolution X-
ray tomography described above.This work doubled the amount of readable text, corrected
prior transcriptions, and provided a new translation. The inscriptions led to a dating of the
mechanism to around 100 BCE. It is evident that they contain a manual with an astronomical,
mechanical and geographical section. The name HISPANIA (, Spain in Greek) in these
texts is the oldest reference to the Iberian Peninsula under this form, as opposed to Iberia.
The new discoveries confirm that the mechanism is an astronomical analog calculator or orrery
used to predict the positions of celestial bodies. This work proposes that the mechanism
possessed 37 gears, of which 30 survive, and was used for prediction of the position of the
Sun and the Moon. Based on the inscriptions, which mention the stationary points of the
planets, the authors speculate that planetary motions may also have been indicated.
On the front face were graduations for the solar scale and the zodiac together with pointers
that indicated the position of the Sun, the Moon, the lunar phase, and possibly the planetary
motions.

On the back, two spiral scales (made of half-circles with two centers) with sliding pointers
indicated the state of two further important astronomical cycles: the Saros cycle, the period of
approximately 18 years separating the return of the Sun, Moon and Earth to the same relative
positions and the more accurate exeligmos cycle of 54 years and one day (essential in eclipse
prediction, see Eclipse cycle). It also contains another spiral scale for the Metonic cycle (19
years, equal to 235 lunar months) and the Callippic cycle with a period of 1016 lunar orbits in
approximately 76 years.

The Moon mechanism, using an ingenious train of gears, two of them linked with a slightly
offset axis and pin in a slot, shows the position and phase of the Moon during the month. The
velocity of the Moon varies according to the theory of Hipparchus, and to a good
approximation follows Kepler's second law for the angular velocity, being faster near the
perigee and slower at the apogee.

On 31 July 2008, a paper providing further details about the mechanism was published in
Nature (Nature Vol 454, Issue 7204, July 31, 2008).In this paper, among other revelations, it
is demonstrated that the mechanism also contained a dial divided into four parts, and
demonstrated a four-year cycle through four segments of one year each, which is thought to
be a means of describing which of the games (such as the ancient Olympics) that took place in
two and four-year cycles were to take place in any given year.

The names of the months have been read; they are the months attested for the colonies of
Corinth (and therefore also traditionally assumed for Corinth, Kerkyra, Epidamnos, and
Syracuse, which have left less direct evidence). The investigators suggest that the device may
well be of Syracusan design and may descend from the work of Archimedes; alternatively it
may have been ordered by and customized for any of these markets and was being shipped.
Nature published another study on 24 November 2010.The study interprets the mechanism to
be based in computation methods used in Babylonian astronomy, not ancient Greek
astronomy, implying that the Babylonian astronomy inspired the Greek counterpart including
the mechanical constructs.

Andrew Carol, an Apple software engineer, created a replica of the mechanism out of 1,500
LEGO pieces, and has correctly predicted the Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 as a demonstration
of its accuracy.

Black Madonna
Wikipedia.org



A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting
of Mary (( Mother Of Jesus Christ)) in which the skin
appears black, the term being especially applied to
those created in Europe in the medieval period or
earlier. In this specialized sense "Black Madonna" does
not apply to images of the Virgin Mary portrayed as
explicitly black African, a type of image popular in Africa
and areas with large black populations, such as Brazil
and the United States.

Left: The Black Madonna of Czstochowa, Poland

Some statues get their color from the material used,
such as ebony or other dark wood, but there is debate
about whether this choice of material is significant.
Others were originally light-skinned but have become
darkened over time, for example by candle soot. This is
generally thought to be the explanation for most
medieval "black" images of Mary, but this theory has
been largely contested by those who believe that the
color of originally-dark Madonnas had a more
intentional significance.

The Black Madonnas are generally found in Catholic areas. The statues are mostly wooden but
occasionally stone, often painted and up to 75 cm tall, generally dating from between the 11th
and 15th centuries. They fall into two main groups: free-standing upright figures and seated
figures on a throne. The pictures are usually icons which are Byzantine in style, often made in
13th or 14th century Italy. There are about 450500 Black Madonnas in Europe, depending on
how they are classified. There are at least 180 Vierges Noires in France, and there are
hundreds of non-medieval copies as well. Some are in museums, but most are in churches or
shrines and are venerated by devotees. A few are associated with miracles and attract
substantial numbers of pilgrims.


Theories

The study of Black Madonnas revived in the late 20th century. A growing amount scholars of
comparative religion have suggested that Black Madonnas are descendants of pre-Christian
mother or earth goddesses (Moss, Benko), often highlighting Isis as the key ancestor-goddess
(Redd, McKinney-Johnson). Some psychologists have discussed maternal and female
archetypes, often from a Jungian perspective, as well as themes of feminine power, as they
find them expressed in the Black Madonnas (Gustafson, Begg). Although these approaches
have stimulated some academic interest, they do not represent the well-established consensus
about medieval motives for carving or painting Black Madonnas.

A link between the Black Madonnas of the European Middle Ages and ancient pagan traditions
and representations has been asserted typologically despite the absence of evidence of any
direct historical or artistic influences. Although no direct Catholic theological sources exist, it
has also been suggested by some authors that the medieval veneration of Black Madonnas
was in response to a line from the Song of Songs 1:5 in the Old Testament: "I am black And
Beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem..." These words are discussed at length in the sermons of
St Bernard of Clairvaux, although he uses them to refer not to Mary but to the Catholic
Church. Several surviving Black Madonnas are inscribed with these words, although in at least
some cases the inscriptions were added at a later date.

Those writers who present esoteric interpretations of the Black Madonnas usually include some
combination of the following elements:

Black Madonnas grew out of pre-Christian earth goddess traditions. Their dark skin is
associated with ancient images of these goddesses, and with the color of fertile earth.
They are sometimes associated with stories of being found by chance in a natural
setting: in a tree or by a spring, for example. It is further asserted that some of their
Christian shrines are located on the sites of earlier temples to Cybele and Diana of
Ephesus.

Black Madonnas derive from the Egyptian goddess Isis. The dark skin may echo an
African archetypal mother figure. Professor Stephen Benko claims that early Christian
pictures of a seated mother and child were influenced by images of Isis and Horus. He
further asserts that the slashes on the cheek of the Black Madonna of Czstochowa
represent the markings of the Eye of Horus.

Some claim that the Black Madonnas portray the original skin tone of the Virgin Mary,
thus placing the figures in apt historical contexts, as Jesus' family was more likely than
not to have African features.

Black Madonnas express a feminine power that is not fully conveyed by a pale-skinned
Mary, whom they assert symbolizes gentler qualities like obedience and purity. The
"feminine power" approach is sometimes linked to female sexuality, which was
allegedly repressed by the medieval Church.

There is an association between Black Madonnas, the Templars and St. Bernard of
Clairvaux. Ean Begg suggests they were revered by an esoteric cult with Templar and
Cathar links, but this idea is dismissed by most Euro-centric scholars, who also reject
stories of connections with Mary Magdalene and Gnosticism.



Black Madonnas Worldwide






Tindari Madonna Bruna: restoration work in the 1990s
found a medieval statue with later additions. Nigra
sum sed formosa, meaning "I am black but beautiful"
(from the Song of Songs, 1:5), is inscribed round a
newer base.


Image of the Virgin of Candelaria,
in the Basilica of Candelaria
(Tenerife).





La Vierge noire de Guingamp



The Black Virgin of Montserrat: a
copy at Barcelona Cathedral


Europe



Belgium

Assesse (Namur) : Chapelle de la Vierge Noire, Maillen
Brugge (West Flanders) : Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Regula (Moeder van Regula van
Spaignen)
Brussels : St. Catherine Church
Halle (Flemish Brabant) : Sint-Martinusbasiliek
Lige (Lige) : Outremeuse
Tournai (Hainaut) : Our Lady of Flanders in Tournai Cathedral
Verviers (Lige) : Notre-Dame des Rcollets Church


Croatia

Marija Bistrica (Krapina-Zagorje County)
Donji Kraljevec (Meimurje County)


Germany

Beilstein (Rhineland-Palatinate) : Karmeliterkirche St. Joseph
Bielefeld (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Alttting (Bavaria) : Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of the Miraculous Image)
Kln (Nord Rhein Westfalen) : St. Maria in der Kupfergasse
Dsseldorf-Benrath (North Rhine-Westphalia) : Pfarrkirche St. Ccilia
Hirschberg an der Bergstrae (Baden-Wrttemberg) : Wallfahrtskirche St. Johannes
Baptist
Remagen (Rhineland-Palatinate) : Kapelle Schwarze Madonna
Ludwigshafen-Oggersheim (Rhineland-Palatinate) : Schloss- und Wallfahrtskirche
Mari Himmelfahrt (Ludwigshafen)
Spabrcken (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Windhausen in Boppard-Herschwiesen (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Schloss Hohenstein, Upper Franconia (Bavaria)
Regensburg (Bavaria) : Regensburg Cathedral
Rastatt (Baden-Wrttemberg) : Einsiedelner Kapelle
Munich (Bavaria) : Theatine Church ; St. Boniface's Abbey
Mainau (Baden-Wrttemberg) : Schlosskirche St. Marien
Stetten ob Lontal, Niederstotzingen (Baden-Wrttemberg)
Wipperfrth (North Rhine-Westphalia) : St. Johannes, Kreuzberg
Wuppertal-Beyenburg (North Rhine-Westphalia)


Ireland

Dublin (Leinster) : Our Lady of Dublin in Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church

France


Many examples exist, including:

Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhne) : in Cathdrale Saint-Sauveur d'Aix
Arbois (Jura)
Arceau (Cte-d'Or)
Arconsat (Puy-de-Dme)
Arfeuilles (Allier) : statue of the 13th Century
Aurillac (Cantal)
Avioth (Meuse)
Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise (Puy-de-Dme) : Saint-Andr Church, Notre-Dame de
Vassivire
Besson (Allier) : statue of the 12th Century
Boge (Haute-Savoie) : Notre-Dame-des-Voirons Chapel
Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain) : 13th Century
Chartres (Eure-et-Loir): crypt of the Cathedral of Chartres
Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dme)
Dijon (Cte-d'Or)
Douvres-la-Dlivrande (Calvados) : Basilique Notre-Dame de la Dlivrande
Dunkerque (Nord) : Chapelle des Dunes
Guingamp (Ctes-d'Armor) : Basilica of Notre Dame de Bon Secours.
La Chapelle-Geneste (Haute-Loire)
Laon (Aisne) : Notre-Dame Cathedral, statue of 1848
Le Havre (Seine-Maritime) : statue near the Graville Abbey (Abbaye de Graville)
Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire) : Notre-Dame du Puy-en-Velay
Liesse-Notre-Dame (Aisne) : Notre-Dame de Liesse, statue destroyed in 1793, copy of
1857
Lyon (Rhne) : Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvire
Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhne): Notre-Dame-de-Confession, Abbey of St. Victor ;
Notre-Dame d'Huveaune, Saint-Giniez Church
Mauriac (Cantal)
Mende (Lozre) : Cathedral (Basilique-cathdrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Privat de
Mende)
Menton (Alpes-Maritimes) : St. Michel Church
Meymac (Corrze)
Montmerle-sur-Sane (Ain) : bronze Madonna
Myans (Savoie)
Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine): Notre Dame de Bonne Dlivrance, formerly
located at Saint-tienne-des-Grs in Paris
Quimper (Finistre) : Eglise de Guodet, nomme encore Notre-Dame-de-la-Cit
Riom (Puy-de-Dme)
Rocamadour (Lot) : Our Lady of Rocamadour
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (Alpes-Maritimes)
Seyssel (Haute-Savoie)
Soissons (Aisne) : statue of the 12th Century
Tarascon (Bouches-du-Rhne): Notre-Dame du Chteau
Thuret (Puy-de-Dme)
Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) : Notre-Dame de la Daurade
Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse) : statue on a hill
Vzelay (Yonne)
Vichy (Allier) : Saint-Blaise Church


Italy

Naples (Campania) : Santuario-Basilica SS Carmine Maggiore
Biella (Piedmont) : Black Virgin of Oropa, Sacro Monte di Oropa
Canneto Valley near Settefrati (Lazio) : Madonna di Canneto
Casale Monferrato (Piedmont) : Our Lady of Crea. In the hillside Sanctuary at Crea
(Santuario di Crea), a cedar-wood figure, said to be one of three Black Virgins brought
to Italy from the Holy Land c345 by St. Eusebius.
Castelmonte, Prepotto (Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
San Severo (Apulia) : "La Madonna del Soccorso" (The Madonna of Succor), St.
Severinus Abbot and Saint Severus Bishop Faeto. Statue in gold garments, object of a
major 3 day festival that attracts over 350,000 people to this small town. The infant
Jesus is white.
Tindari (Sicily) : Our Lady of Tindari
Venice (Veneto) : Madonna della Salute, Santa Maria della Salute
Viggiano (Basilicata)
Seminara (Calabria) : Madonna nera di seminara, Maria SS.Dei poveri


Kosovo

Vitina-Letnica (Kosovo) : Church of the Black Madonna, where Mother Teresa is
believed to have heard her calling


Luxembourg

Esch-sur-Sre
Luxembourg : Luxembourg-Grund


Lithuania

Vilnius : Ausros Vartai, The Gates of Dawn, St Theresa


Macedonia

Kalita, Monastery : Madonna icon in the Nativity of Our Most Holy Mother of God
church

Malta

amrun : a medieval painting of a Black Madonna rests in a small church, with the
church being possibly the oldest one in the area, originally built in honor of St.
Nicholas. Brought to Malta by a merchant in the year 1630, the painting is of a statue
found in Atocha, a parish in Madrid, Spain, and is widely known as Il-Madonna tas-
Samra. (This can mean 'tanned Madonna', 'brown Madonna', or 'Madonna of
Samaria'). She may also be called Madonna ta' Atoja, corresponding to the Spanish
Nuestra Seora de Atocha. There were celebrations in 2005, the painting's 375th year
in Malta.


Poland

Czstochowa (Silesian Voivodeship) : Black Madonna of Czstochowa (Czarna
Madonna or Matka Boska Czstochowska)

Portugal

Nazar (Oeste Subregion) : Nossa Senhora da Nazar; see: the legend of Nazar


Russia

Kostroma (Kostroma Oblast) : Theotokos of St. Theodore also known as Our Lady of
St. Theodore ( ), in Theophany Monastery


Serbia

Apatin (Vojvodina) : Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church


Slovenia

Koprivna, rna na Korokem (Slovenian Carinthia) : The church of Sv. Ana with the
Black Madonna


Spain

Andjar (Jan) : Our Lady of la Cabeza
Chipiona (Cdiz) : The Virgin of Regla
Coria (Cceres) : Our Lady of Argeme
El Puerto de Santa Mara (Cdiz) : The Virgin of the Miracles (Virgen de los milagros)
Guadalupe, Cceres : Our Lady of Guadalupe
Jerez de la Frontera (Cdiz) : Nuestra Seora de la Merced (Our Lady Of Mercy)
Madrid ([[Community of Madrid]|Madrid]) : Our Lady of Atocha
Majorca (Balearic Islands) : Virgen de Lluc, Lluc Monastery
Monistrol de Montserrat (Catalonia) : Virgin of Montserrat in the Benedictine abbey of
Santa Maria de Montserrat
Ponferrada (Len) : Virgin of la Encina
Salamanca (Salamanca) : Virgen de la Pea de Francia (The Virgin of France's Rock)
Santa Mara de Guadalupe (Cceres) : Our Lady of Guadalupe
Tenerife (Canary Islands) : Virgin of Candelaria
Toledo (Toledo) : Virgen Morena (Dark Virgin), statue of La Esclavitud de Nuestra
Seora del Sagrario in Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary (Catedral Primada Santa
Mara) (The Enslavement of Our Lady of the Tabernacle)
Torreciudad (Huesca) : Our Lady of Torreciudad


Switzerland

Einsiedeln (Canton of Schwyz) : Our Lady of the Hermits
Sonogno, Valle Verzasca (Canton of Ticino) : Santa Maria Loretana
Uetikon upon Lake (Canton of Zurich) : Catholic Church Saint Francis of Assisi
Metzerlen-Mariastein (Canton of Solothurn) : Mariastein Abbey
Ascona (Canton of Ticino) : Black Chapel
Lugano(Canton of Ticino): Chiesa di Santa Maria di Loreto

The Americas



Brazil

Aparecida (So Paulo State) : Our Lady of Aparecida (Nossa Senhora Aparecida or
Nossa Senhora da Conceio Aparecida) in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our
Lady of Aparecida


Chile

Andacollo (Elqui Province) : La Virgen Morena (Spanish for The Brunette Virgin)


Costa Rica

Cartago (Cartago Province) : Baslica de Nuestra Seora de Los ngeles (Our Lady of
the Angels Basilica)


Trinidad and Tobago

Siparia : La Divina Pastora


United States

Eureka (Missouri) : Black Madonna Shrine, dedicated to Our Lady of Czstochowa,
replica of its shrine
Doylestown (Pennsylvania) : National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa,
reproduction of the Black Madonna icon of Czstochowa, Poland


Asia


The Philippines

Antipolo (Rizal) : Nuestra Seora de la Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo (Our Lady of
Peace and Good Voyage, of Antipolo)
Ermita, Manila (Metro Manila) : Nuestra Seora de Guia (Our Lady of Guidance)
Lapu-Lapu (Cebu) : Nuestra Seora de la Regla (Our Lady of the Rule)
Loboc (Bohol) : Nuestra Seora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe)
Piat (Cagayan) : Nuestra Seora de la Visitacion de Piat (Our Lady of the Visitation, of
Piat)


Lingam
Wikipedia.org

The lingam (also, linga, ling, Shiva linga, Shiv ling, Sanskrit , liga, meaning "mark",
"sign", "inference") is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples.
The lingam is often represented alongside the yoni, a symbol of the goddess or of Shakti,
female creative energy. The union of lingam and yoni represents the "indivisible two-in-
oneness of male and female, the passive space and active time from which all life originates".
The lingam and the yoni have been interpreted as the male and female sexual organs since
the end of the 19th century by some scholars, while to practising Hindus they stand for the
inseparability of the male and female principles and the totality of creation.

Shiva Lingam

Emerging of Lord Shiva or Maheshwara from cosmic flame is Lingodbhava also pictured as
Shiva emerging from the Lingam the cosmic pillar of fire. According to Linga Puran, Shiva
liga Shiva Lingam or Shiva Pindi has been interpreted as a symbol representation
Formless, Universe Bearer & a Complete One, the oval shaped stone is resembling mark of the
Universe and bottom base as the Supreme Power holding the entire Universe in it. Shiva
Purana describes the origin of the lingam as the endless pillar (Stambha). The Linga Purana
also supports the interpretation as a cosmic pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. The
word Lingam has many meanings.

The Hindu scripture Shiva Purana describes the worship of the lingam as originating in the loss
and recovery of Shiva's phallus, though it also describes the origin of the lingam as the
beginning-less and endless pillar (Stambha). The Linga Purana also supports the latter
interpretation as a cosmic pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. Shiva is pictured as
Lingodbhava, emerging from the Lingam the cosmic fire pillar proving his superiority over
gods Brahma and Vishnu.


Linga-yoni at the Cat Tien sanctuary,
Lam Dong province, Vietnam

Sivalingam at the Sri Meenakshi temple
in Madurai



Definition


The Sanskrit term liga, transliterated as linga, has diverse meaning ranging from
gender and sex to philosophic and religions to uses in common language, such as a mark, sign
or characteristic. Vaman Shivram Apte's Sanskrit dictionary provides many definitions:

A mark, sign, token, an emblem, a badge, symbol, distinguishing mark, characteristic;
A symptom, mark of disease
A means of proof, a proof, evidence
In logic, the hetu or middle term in a syllogism
In grammar, gender
The image of a god, an idol
One of the relations or indications which serve to fix the meaning of a word in any
particular passage
In Vednta philosophy, the subtle frame or body, the indestructible original of the
gross or visible body
A spot or stain
The nominal base, the crude form of a noun
In Sk philosophy, Pradhna or Prakriti
The effect or product of evolution from a primary cause and also as the producer
Inference, conclusion


History
Origin

Anthropologist Christopher John Fuller conveys that although most sculpted images (murtis)
are anthropomorphic, the aniconic Shiva Linga is an important exception. Some believe that
linga-worship was a feature of indigenous Indian religion]

There is a hymn in the Atharvaveda which praises a pillar (Sanskrit: stambha), and this is one
possible origin of linga-worship. Some associate Shiva-Linga with this Yupa-Stambha, the
sacrificial post. In that hymn a description is found of the beginningless and endless Stambha
or Skambha and it is shown that the said Skambha is put in place of the eternal Brahman. As
afterwards the Yajna (sacrificial) fire, its smoke, ashes and flames, the soma plant and the ox
that used to carry on its back the wood for the Vedic sacrifice gave place to the conceptions of
the brightness of Shiva's body, his tawny matted-hair, his blue throat and the riding on the
bull of the Shiva. The Yupa-Skambha gave place in time to the Shiva-Linga.[16][17] In the
Linga Purana the same hymn is expanded in the shape of stories, meant to establish the glory
of the great Stambha and the supreme nature of Mahdeva (the Great God, Shiva).

Historical period

According to Saiva Siddhanta, which was for many centuries the dominant school of Shaiva
theology and liturgy across the Indian subcontinent (and beyond it in Cambodia), the linga is
the ideal substrate in which the worshipper should install and worship the five-faced and ten-
armed Sadiva, the form of Shiva who is the focal divinity of that school of Shaivism.

The oldest example of a lingam which is still used for worship is in Gudimallam. According to
Klaus Klostermaier, it is clearly a phallic object, and dates to the 2nd century BC. A figure of
Shiva is carved into the front of the lingam.




Lingobhava Shiva: God Shiva appears as
in an infinite Linga fire-pillar, as Vishnu
as Varaha tries to find the bottom of the
Linga while Brahma tries to find its top.
This infinite pillar conveys the infinite
nature of Shiva.

A Shiva lingam worshipped at
Jambukesvara temple in Thiruvanaikaval
(Thiruaanaikaa)




1008 Lingas carved on a rock surface at the shore
of the river Tungabhadra, Hampi, India

A 10th-century four-headed stone
lingam from Nepal



Modern period

British missionary William Ward criticized the worship of the lingam (along with virtually all
other Indian religious rituals) in his influential 1815 book A View of the History, Literature, and
Mythology of the Hindoos, calling it "the last state of degradation to which human nature can
be driven", and stating that its symbolism was "too gross, even when refined as much as
possible, to meet the public eye." According to Brian Pennington, Ward's book "became a
centerpiece in the British construction of Hinduism and in the political and economic
domination of the subcontinent." In 1825, however, Horace Hayman Wilson's work on the
lingayat sect of South India attempted to refute popular British notions that the lingam
graphically represented a human organ and that it aroused erotic emotions in its devotees.

Monier-Williams wrote in Brahmanism and Hinduism that the symbol of linga is "never in the
mind of a Saiva (or Siva-worshipper) connected with indecent ideas, nor with sexual love."
According to Jeaneane Fowler, the linga is "a phallic symbol which represents the potent
energy which is manifest in the cosmos." Some scholars, such as David James Smith, believe
that throughout its history the lingam has represented the phallus; others, such as N.
Ramachandra Bhatt, believe the phallic interpretation to be a later addition. M. K. V. Narayan
distinguishes the Siva-linga from anthropomorphic representations of Siva, and notes its
absence from Vedic literature, and its interpretation as a phallus in Tantric sources.

Ramakrishna practiced Jivanta-linga-puja, or "worship of the living lingam". At the Paris
Congress of the History of Religions in 1900, Ramakrishna's follower Swami Vivekananda
argued that the Shiva-Linga had its origin in the idea of the Yupa-Stambha or Skambhathe
sacrificial post, idealized in Vedic ritual as the symbol of the Eternal Brahman. This was in
response to a paper read by Gustav Oppert, a German Orientalist, who traced the origin of the
Shalagrama-Shila and the Shiva-Linga to phallicism. According to Vivekananda, the
explanation of the Shalagrama-Shila as a phallic emblem was an imaginary invention.
Vivekananda argued that the explanation of the Shiva-Linga as a phallic emblem was brought
forward by the most thoughtless, and was forthcoming in India in her most degraded times,
those of the downfall of Buddhism.

According to Swami Sivananda, the view that the Shiva lingam represents the phallus is a
mistake; The same sentiments have also been expressed by H. H. Wilson in 1840. The
novelist Christopher Isherwood also addresses the interpretation of the linga as a sex symbol.
The Britannica encyclopedia entry on lingam also notes that the lingam is not considered to be
a phallic symbol;

Wendy Doniger, an American scholar of the history of religions, states:

For Hindus, the phallus in the background, the archetype (if I may use the word in
its Eliadean, indeed Bastianian, and non-Jungian sense) of which their own penises are
manifestations, is the phallus (called the lingam) of the god Siva, who inherits much of
the mythology of Indra (O'Flaherty, 1973). The lingam appeared, separate from the
body of Siva, on several occasions... On each of these occasions, Siva's wrath was
appeased when gods and humans promised to worship his lingam forever after, which,
in India they still do. Hindus, for instance, will argue that the lingam has nothing
whatsoever to do with the male sexual organ, an assertion blatantly contradicted by
the material.

However, Professor Doniger clarified her viewpoints in a later book, The Hindus: An Alternative
History, by noting that some texts treat the linga as an aniconic pillar of light or an as an
abstract symbol of God with no sexual reference and comments on the varying interpretations
of the linga from phallic to abstract.

According to Hlne Brunner, the lines traced on the front side of the linga, which are
prescribed in medieval manuals about temple foundation and are a feature even of modern
sculptures, appear to be intended to suggest a stylised glans, and some features of the
installation process seem intended to echo sexual congress. Scholars like S. N.Balagangadhara
have disputed the sexual meaning of lingam.


Naturally occurring lingams

Lingam in the cave at Amarnath

An ice lingam at Amarnath in the western Himalayas
forms every winter from ice dripping on the floor of a
cave and freezing like a stalagmite. It is very popular
with pilgrims.

Shivling (6543m) is also a mountain in Uttarakhand (the
Garhwal region of Himalayas). It arises as a sheer
pyramid above the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. The
mountain resembles a Shiva linga when viewed from certain angles, especially when travelling
or trekking from Gangotri to Gomukh as a part of a traditional Hindu pilgrimage.

Tarot Cards
Wikipedia.org

Tarot reading revolves around the belief that the cards can be used to gain insight into the
past, current and possible future situations of the subject (or querent), i.e. cartomancy. Some
believe they are guided by a spiritual force, while others believe the cards help them tap into a
collective unconscious or their own creative, brainstorming subconscious. The divinatory
meanings of the cards commonly used today are derived mostly from cartomancer Jean-
Baptiste Alliette who was also known as Etteilla.

History

The original purpose of tarot cards was for playing games, with the first basic rules appearing
in the manuscript of Martiano da Tortona before 1425. Tarot cards would later become
associated with mysticism and magic. Tarot was not known to be adopted by mystics,
occultists and secret societies until the 18th and 19th centuries. The earliest known use of
tarot cards for divination was in Bologna Italy, around 1750, using a set of divinatory
meanings entirely different from modern divinatory tarot.

Modern occult tarot begins in 1781, when Antoine Court de Gbelin, a Swiss clergyman and
Freemason, published Le Monde Primitif, a speculative study which included religious
symbolism and its survivals in the modern world. De Gbelin first asserted that symbolism of
the Tarot de Marseille represented the mysteries of Isis and Thoth. Gbelin further claimed
that the name "tarot" came from the Egyptian words tar, meaning "royal", and ro, meaning
"road", and that the Tarot therefore represented a "royal road" to wisdom. De Gbelin also
asserted that the Romani people (Gypsies), who were among the first to use cards for
divination, were descendants of the ancient Egyptians and had introduced the cards to Europe.
De Gbelin wrote this treatise before Jean-Franois Champollion had deciphered Egyptian
hieroglyphs, or indeed before the Rosetta Stone had been discovered, and later Egyptologists
found nothing in the Egyptian language to support de Gbelin's fanciful etymologies. Despite
this, the identification of the Tarot cards with the Egyptian "Book of Thoth" was already firmly
established in occult practice and continues in modern urban legend to the present day.

The idea of the cards as a mystical key was further developed by Eliphas Lvi and passed to
the English-speaking world by The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Lvi, not Etteilla, is
considered by some to be the true founder of most contemporary schools of Tarot; his 1854
Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (English title: Transcendental Magic) introduced an
interpretation of the cards which related them to Hermetic Qabalah. While Lvi accepted Court
de Gbelin's claims about an Egyptian origin of the deck symbols, he rejected Etteilla's
innovations and his altered deck, and devised instead a system which related the Tarot,
especially the Tarot de Marseille, to the Hermetic Qabalah and the four elements of alchemy.

Tarot divination became increasingly popular in the New World from 1910, with the publication
of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot in December 1909, (designed and executed by two members
of the Golden Dawn), which replaced the traditionally simple pip cards with images of symbolic
scenes. This deck also further obscured the Christian allegories of the Tarot de Marseilles and
of Eliphas Levi's decks by changing some attributions (for instance changing "The Pope" to
"The Hierophant" and "The Popess" to "The High Priestess". The Rider-Waite-Smith deck still
remains extremely popular in the English-speaking world.

Esoteric tarot decks

In English-speaking parts of the world, where there is little or no tradition of using tarots as
playing cards, tarot decks only became known through the efforts of occultists influenced by
French tarotists such as Etteilla, and later, Eliphas Lvi. These occultists later produced
esoteric decks that reflected their own ideas, and these decks were widely circulated in the
anglophone world. Various esoteric decks such as the Rider-Waite-Colman Smith deck
(conceived by A. E. Waite and rendered by Pamela Colman Smith), and the Thoth Tarot deck
(conceived by Aleister Crowley and rendered by Lady Frieda Harris) -- and tarot decks inspired
by those two decksare most typically used. Waite, Colman Smith, Crowley and Harris were
all former members of the influential, Victorian-era Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn at
different respective points in time; and the Golden Dawn, in turn, was influenced by Lvi and
other French occult revivalists. Although there were various other respective influences (e.g.,
Etteilla's pip card meanings in the case of Waite/Colman Smith), Waite/Colman Smith's and
Crowley/Harris' decks were greatly inspired by the Golden Dawn's member-use tarot deck and
the Golden Dawn's tarot curriculum.

Tarot de Marseille

Francophone occultists such as Court de Gebelin, Etteilla, Eliphas Lvi, Oswald Wirth and
Papus were influential in fashioning esoteric tarot in the French-speaking world. The influence
of these Francophone occultists has come to bear even on interpretation of the Tarot de
Marseille cards themselves. Even though the Tarot de Marseille decks are not 'occult' per se,
the imagery of the Tarot de Marseille decks arguably shows Hermetic influences (e.g.,
alchemy, astronomy, etc.). Referring to the Tarot of the Bohemians, Eliphas Levi stated that
"this book, which may be older than that of Enoch, has never been translated, but is still
preserved unmutilated in primeval characters, on detached leaves, like the tablets of the
ancients... It is, in truth, a monumental and extraordinary work, strong and simple as the
architecture of the pyramids, and consequently enduring like those - a book which is the
summary of all sciences, which can resolve all problems by its infinite combinations, which
speaks by evoking thought, is the inspirer and moderator of all possible conceptions, and the
masterpiece perhaps of the human mind. It is to be counted unquestionably among the very
great gifts bequeathed to us by antiquity..."

In the French-speaking world, users of the tarot for divination and other esoteric purposes
such as Alexandro Jodorowsky, Kris Hadar, and many others, continue to use the Tarot de
Marseille, although Oswald Wirth's Atouts-only (major-arcana) tarot deck has enjoyed such
popularity in the 20th century (albeit less so than the Tarot de Marseille). Tarot decks from the
English-speaking tradition (such as Rider-Waite-Colman Smith and decks based on it) are also
gaining some popularity in French-speaking countries.

Paul Marteau pioneered the number-plus-suit-plus-design approach to interpreting the
numbered minor arcana cards ["pip cards"] of the Tarot de Marseille. Prior to Marteau's book
Le Tarot de Marseille (which was first published circa 1930s), cartomantic meanings (such as
Etteilla's) were generally the only ones published for interpreting Marseille pip cards. Many
French tarotists employ only the major arcana cards for divination. In fact, in recognition of
this, many French-language Tarot de Marseille tarot books discuss the symbolism and
interpretation of only the major arcana. Many fortune-tellers in France who use the Tarot de
Marseille for readings will use only the major arcana and will use an Etteilla deck if they are to
use all 78 cards (four suits of 14 cards each) for the reading.

Occult tarot decks

Etteilla was the first to issue a revised tarot deck specifically designed for occult purposes
rather than game playing. In keeping with the belief that tarot cards are derived from the
Book of Thoth, Etteilla's tarot contained themes related to ancient Egypt. The seventy eight
card tarot deck used by esotericists has two distinct parts:

Major Arcana (Greater Secrets, Trump Cards)

Consists of twenty two cards without suits:

The Fool
The Magician
The High Priestess
The Empress
The Emperor
The Hierophant
The Lovers
The Chariot
Strength
The Hermit
Wheel of Fortune
Justice
The Hanged Man
Death
Temperance
The Devil
The Tower
The Star
The Moon
The Sun
Judgement
The World

Minor Arcana (Lesser Secrets)

Consists of fifty six cards, divided into four suits of fourteen cards each; ten numbered cards
and four court cards.

The court cards are the King, Queen, Knight and Jack, in each of the four tarot suits. The
traditional Italian tarot suits are swords, batons, coins and cups; in modern tarot decks,
however, the batons suit is often called wands, rods or staves, while the coins suit is often
called pentacles or disks.

Minor Arcana

The Minor Arcana closely match Anglo-American playing cards, having Ace-through-Ten and
four face cards. The face cards are Page, Knight, Queen, and King. Each suit of the Minors
corresponds to one of the four Alchemical elements. Pentagrams correspond with Earth,
Swords with air, Wands with fire, and Cups with water. (Some variations exist depending on
artist, Pentagrams are sometimes depicted as Coins, Wands with Staves, and so forth.)

The Face cards also correspond to the Elements. The Page is Earth, the Knight is Air, the
Queen is Water, and the King is Fire. This makes the Page of Pentagrams (or Earth of Earth),
the Knight of Swords (or Air of Air), the Queen of Cups (or Water of Water) and the King of
Wands (or Fire of Fire) very strong cards.

Major Arcana

The Major Arcana are a set of twenty-two cards in the tarot deck, with no suit. They serve as
permanent trumps in games played with the tarot deck, and are distinguished from the four
standard suits collectively known as the Minor Arcana. The terms "Major" and "Minor Arcana"
are used in the occult and divinatory applications of the deck, and originate with Paul
Christian.

Each Major Arcanum depicts a scene, mostly featuring a person or several people, with many
symbolic elements. In many decks, each has a number (usually in Roman numerals) and a
name, though not all decks have both, and some have only a picture. These cards are often
interpreted as describing the normal progression of a truly holy life (or the path to
enlightenment of the Initiate through the Mysteries), and often tell where a person is along
their journey, or if they have strayed. Such an interpretation is called the "Fool's Journey" and
it originated with Eden Gray.

Decks

Rider Waite Smith Tarot

Many of the images of the Rider-Waite-Colman Smith (RWS or WCS) deck are derived from
the Tarot de Marseille. However, the influence of other decks is also apparent in the RWCS
deck, e.g., the 17th century Jacques Viville deck for the Sun card and the 16th century Sola
Busca deck for certain pip cards, notably the 3 of Swords and 7 of Swords. The 19th century
deck of Swiss-French occultist Oswald Wirth was also influential for certain of the iconographic
features of the Atouts or major arcana cards of the RWCS deck. The Rider-Waite-tarot deck
has been extremely influential in the development of later divinatory tarot decks to the extent
that many are called "Rider-Waite clones" to indicate that they are easily read by those
familiar with Rider-Waite.

Crowley-Harris Thoth deck

Each card in the Thoth deck is intricately detailed with astrological, zodiacal, elemental and
Qabalistic symbols related to each card. Colours are used symbolically, especially the cards
related to the five elements of Spirit, Fire, Water, Air and Earth. Crowley wrote a book--The
Book of Thoth to accompany, describe, and expand on his deck and the data regarding the
pathways within. Unlike the popular Waite-Smith Tarot, the Thoth Tarot retains the traditional
order of the trumps but uses alternative nomenclature for both the trumps and the courts.

Mythic Tarot

The Mythic Tarot links tarot symbolism with the classical Greek myths.


Hermetic Tarot

Some schools of occult thought or symbolic study, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden
Dawn, consider the tarot to function as a textbook and mnemonic device for their teachings.
This may be one cause of the word arcana being used to describe the two sections of the tarot
deck: arcana is the plural form of the Latin word arcanum, meaning "closed" or "secret."

Tarot is often used in conjunction with the study of the Hermetic Qabalah. In these decks all
the cards are illustrated in accordance with Qabalistic principles, most being under the
influence of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck and bearing illustrated scenes on all the suit cards.
The images on the 'Rider-Waite' deck were drawn by artist Pamela Colman-Smith, to the
instructions of Christian mystic and occultist Arthur Edward Waite, and were originally
published by the Rider Company in December 1909. This deck is considered a simple, user
friendly one but nevertheless its imagery, especially in the Major Arcana, is complex and
replete with esoteric symbolism. The subjects of the Major Arcana are based on those of the
earliest decks, but have been significantly modified to reflect Waite and Smith's view of Tarot.
An important difference from Marseilles style decks is that Smith drew scenes with esoteric
meanings on the suit cards. However the Rider-Waite wasn't the first deck to include
completely illustrated suit cards. The first to do so was the 15th century Sola-Busca deck.

Tarot reading

Tarot reading revolves around the belief that the cards can be used to gain insight into the
current and possible future situations of the subject (or querent), i.e. cartomancy. Some
believe they are guided by a spiritual force, such as Gaia, while others believe the cards help
them tap into a collective unconscious or their own creative, brainstorming subconscious.
Though certain core themes persist seemingly unchanged, the divinatory meanings of the
cards are derived from many sources and can vary significantly based on the time period and
culture which produced the deck. It is generally accepted that the Reader is required to
develop their own personal understanding of the meanings of the cards, using the commonly
recognized meanings as a rough guide.

Common card interpretations

Though core themes and general meanings have remained unchanged for some cards, the
tone and specific depiction of each card can vary wildly depending on the time period, culture,
and personal interpretations of the Author/Artist. As a result and similar to most other
systems of symbolism, the common meanings are intended to be a general guide to assist the
individual in working out their own understanding.

Each card has several meanings, and the reader determines which meaning to apply based on
the card's location in the spread and which cards are turned up around it. Common sense is
also used to discard meanings which have no relevance to the question asked.

Spreads

To perform a Tarot reading, the Tarot deck is typically shuffled by either the subject or a third-
party reader, and is laid out in one of a variety of patterns, often called "spreads". They are
then interpreted by the reader or a third-party performing the reading for the subject. These
might include the subject's thoughts and desires (known or unknown) or past, present, and
future events. Generally, each position in the spread is assigned a number, and the cards are
turned over in that sequence, with each card being contemplated/interpreted before moving to
the next. Each position is also associated with an interpretation, which indicates what aspect
of the question the card in that position is referring to.

Sometimes, rather than being dealt randomly, the initial card in a spread is intentionally
chosen to represent the querent or the question being asked. This card is called the
significator.

Some common spreads include:

Celtic Cross. This is probably the most common spread. Ten cards are used, with five
arranged in a cross and four placed vertically beside the cross. Another card is placed
horizontally across the central cards of the cross to make a total of 10. The first
central card of the cross is frequently the significator and the second card which is
placed over the first represents the conditions surrounding the question; or the
crossing card often represents an obstacle they must face, an aspect of the question
they have not yet considered. The third card which is placed above the first represents
what the person hopes for in relation to the question being asked. The fourth card
which is placed below the first is what the subject has already experienced in relation
to the whole spread. The fifth card is placed to the left of the first card and shows
what was in the past. The sixth card is placed to the right of the first card and shows
the influence that will come in the future. Then on the right of these cards are the
remaining 4 cards, which are placed from bottom to top. So the seventh card
represents the attitude of the question being asked. The eighth card is how family or
friends will influence the question. The ninth card shows the hopes and fears in
relation to the question and the final card, the tenth card, is the Culmination Card
which shows the end result of all of the previous nine cards.

Horse-shoe. Another very common question asking spread. Seven cards are arranged
in a semicircle or 'V' shape. The cards, from left to right, represent the past, present,
influences, obstacles, expectations (or hopes/fears), best course of action and likely
outcomes. Some variations of this spread swap the expectations and inspiration cards
around.

3-card spread. Three cards are used, with the first representing the past, the second
the present, the third the future.

Astrological spread. Twelve cards are spread in a circle, to represent the twelve
signs of the zodiac. A thirteenth card is placed in the middle; often the significator.

1-card spread. It should be noted that a single card can constitute a spread.

Tetractys. Ten cards arranged in a four-rowed pyramid. Each row represents earth,
air, fire or water and each card within the row has a very specific meaning. The single
card in the top row is the significator.

Star spread. Starts in the lower left part and follows the star pattern. The first being
what you see. The second, what you can't see. The third what you can change. The
fourth what you cannot change, and the fifth, what you can expect.

Mirror Spread. This Spread works primarily on existing relationships, but can assess
anything from a budding love affair to an established partnership. It will often reveal
inconsistencies between viewpointsfor example, if the cards at 2 and 3 contradict
one another, there is need to reassess and readjust points of view, or take into
account the input of the other person. Obstacles will sometimes produce very positive
cards. The Probable result card is drawn with circumstances as they currently arebut
if changes recommended by the reading are effected, then this final card can change.

Reversed cards

Some methods of interpreting the tarot consider cards to have different meanings depending
on whether they appear upright or reversed. A reversed card is often interpreted to mean the
opposite of its upright meaning. For instance, the Sun card upright may be associated with
satisfaction, gratitude, health, happiness, strength, inspiration, and liberation; while in
reverse, it may be interpreted to mean a lack of confidence and mild unhappiness. However,
not all methods of card reading prescribe an opposite meaning to reversed cards. Some card
readers will interpret a reversed card as either a more intense variation of the upright card, an
undeveloped trait or an issue that requires greater attention. Other interpreters point out that
card reversal is dependent on the order of the cards before shuffling, so is of little bearing in
the scope of a reading.

Virtual Tarot Readings

Many software applications have been developed which generate automated tarot card
readings-- so-called 'virtual tarot' readings. Both desktop and online software applications are
available for doing virtual tarot readings.

Automated tarot readings typically invite the Reader to type a question into the software
application, and usually, to choose a tarot card spread. The software application assigns a
tarot card to each position in the spread. Many applications offer interpretations for the cards
selected during the reading, as well as a summary of what a given position in the tarot spread
means.

Traditional tarot readings done with a physical deck rely on the idea that the tarot card reader
is able to gain insight into the past, present or future through a personal connection to the
tarot cards. Similarly, virtual tarot software allow various levels of interaction between the
human seeking answers and the software program generating the tarot reading. Some
applications only allow the seeker to type in a question, and launch the automated reading by
clicking a button. Other applications additionally allow the user to click on each card in the
spread generated, at which time that card is revealed -- mimicking the more traditional
process of revealing the tarot card by turning it over.

There is currently hundreds of virtual tarot reading software applications available.

1 Magician Card
Wikipedia.org

The Magician, The Magus, or The Juggler (I) is the first trump or Major Arcana card in most
traditional Tarot decks. It is used in game playing as well as in divination. In divination it is
considered by some to succeed The Fool card, often numbered 0.

Iconography

In French, the Magician is called Le Bateleur, "the
mountebank" or the "sleight of hand artist", a
practitioner of stage magic. The Italian tradition calls
him Il Bagatto or Il Bagatello, which has similar
connotations to the French term according to old
dictionaries. The Mantegna Tarocchi image that would
seem to correspond with the Magician is labeled
Artixano, the Artisan; he is the second lowest in the
series, outranking only the Beggar. Visually the 18th-
century woodcuts reflect earlier iconic
representations, and can be compared to the free
artistic renditions in the 15th-century hand-painted
tarots made for the Visconti and Sforza families. In
the painted cards attributed to Bonifacio Bembo, the
Magician appears to be playing with cups and balls.

In esoteric decks, occultists, starting with Oswald
Wirth, turned Le Bateleur from a mountebank into a
magus. The curves of the magician's hat brim in the
Marseilles image are similar to the esoteric deck's
mathematical sign of infinity. Similarly, other symbols
were added. The essentials are that the magician has
set up a temporary table outdoors, to display items
that represent the suits of the Minor Arcana: Cups,
Coins, Swords (as knives). The fourth, the baton
(Clubs) he holds in his hand. The baton later stands
for a literal magician's "wand".

The illustration of the Tarot card "The Magician" from the Rider-Waite tarot deck was
developed by A. E. Waite for the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1910. Waite was a key
figure in the development of modern Tarot interpretation, though not all interpretations follow
his theology.

In the tarot game

In the games of tarocchi and French Tarot, Le Bateleur is the lowest ranking trump card. He is
one of the bouts, or "ends", in the French game of Tarot; taking a trick with these cards has a
special scoring significance.

Esoteric significance

Some frequent keywords are:

Action Consciousness Concentration Personal power
Practicality Energy Creativity Movement
Precision Conviction Manipulation Self confidence
Being objective Focusing Determination Initiative

A youthful figure in the robe of a magician has the face of the divine Apollo, the sun god, with
a confident smile and shining eyes. Above his head is the mysterious sign of the Holy Spirit,
the sign of life, like an endless cord, forming the lemniscate of infinity. About his waist is a
serpent-cincture or girdle, the ouroboros, the serpent devouring its own tail. The ouroboros is
an ancient symbol of eternity, eternal becoming, or transmutation and transformation, but in
this case it indicates more especially the eternity of attainment in the spirit. In the Magician's
right hand is a wand raised towards heaven, the sky or the element ther, while his left hand
is pointing to the earth. This iconographic gesture has multiple meanings, but is endemic to
the Mysteries, symbolizing divine immanence, the ability of the magician to bridge the gap
between heaven and earth. On the table in front of the Magician the symbols of the four Tarot
suits signify the Classical elements of earth, air, fire and water. Beneath are roses and lilies,
the flos campi and lilium convallium, changed into garden flowers, to show the culture of
aspiration.

Divination

When the Magician appears in a spread, it points to the talents, capabilities and resources at
the querent's disposal. Depending on the card's placement in relation to other cards, the
message is to tap into one's full potential rather than holding back, especially when there is a
need to transform something. There are choices and directions to take. Guidance can arrive
through one's own intuition or in the form of someone who brings about change or
transformation.

The card can mean that a manipulator is floating around, usually if it's reversed. He may be a
beneficent guide, but he does not necessarily have our best interests in mind. He may also
represent the querents ego or self awareness. He can also represent the intoxication of
power, both good and bad.

Interpretation

Qabbalistic Approach

According to Arthur Edward Waite, this card signifies the divine motive in man. It is also the
unity of the individual being on all planes, and in a very high sense it is thought. With further
reference to the "sign of life", i.e. the infinity symbol and its connection with the number 8, it
may be remembered that Christian Gnosticism speaks of rebirth in Christ as a change "unto
the Ogdoad." The mystic number is termed Jerusalem above, the Land flowing with Milk and
Honey, the Holy Spirit and the Land of the Lord. According to Martinism, 8 is the number of
Christ.

In other traditions this card can refer to scholarly knowledge. The Fool (card 0) has learned
something about the workings of the world and now sees himself as powerful. Perhaps the
reputation of the Magician is derived from the Fool misunderstanding what is happening while
the High Priestess (the next card) is looking back, thinking that the Magician is missing the
point of spiritual knowledge.

Mythopoetic Approach

Some schools associate him with Hermes, especially Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic
Egyptian/Greek figure who is a combination of Hermes and of Thoth, a god of the moon,
knowledge, and writing. In this aspect, The Magician guides The Fool through the first step out
of the cave of childhood into the sunlight of consciousness, just as Hermes guides Persephone
out of the Underworld every year.

He represents the potential of a new adventure, chosen or thrust upon one. A journey
undertaken in daylight, in the Enlightenment tradition. He brings things out of the darkness
into the light. He explores the world in order to master it. He is solar consciousness.

He is associated through the cross sums (the sum of the digits) with Key 10, The Wheel of
Fortune, picking up on Hermes as a Trickster figure and a god of chance, and Key 19, The
Sun, bringing us back to Apollo and to enlightenment.

He embodies the lesson of as above, so below," the lesson that mastery in one realm may
bring mastery in another. He also warns of the danger of applying lessons from one realm to
another.

The Magician transcends duality. He has learned the fundamental elements of the universe,
represented by emblems of the four suits of the tarot already broken apart and lying on the
table before him. Similarly, in the Book of Thoth deck, he is crowned by snakes, another
symbol of both infinity and dualism, as snakes have learned from Gilgamesh how to shed their
skins and be reborn, thus achieving a type of immortality; the blind prophet Tiresias split
apart coupling snakes and as a result became a woman, transcending the dualism of gender.

Alternative decks

The Vikings Tarot depicts Tyr as the Magician; he is lifting his arm that was severed by
the Fenris wolf.
The Osho Tarot calls this card Existence and depicts it as a naked figure viewed from
the back sitting on the lotus of perfection, gazing at the beauty of the stars.
In the Shining Woman Tarot, the magician is a shaman.
In the X/1999 Tarot, made by CLAMP, The Magician is Kamui Shirou (the main
character of the story).
In the Trinity Blood tarot deck, Isaak Fernand Von Kampf?r is depicted as the Magician
card.
In the The Legend of the Legendary Heroes Tarot, The Magician is Ryner Lute.
In the upcoming Anne Rice Tarot deck, the Magician card depicts Lestat.
In the Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr, the Magician is portrayed as the Egyptian
goddess, Isis.
In the Shakespeare Tarot, the Magician is depicted by Prospero.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Magician is depicted by Hermes.

2 High Priestess Card
Wikipedia.org

The High Priestess (II) is the second trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot
decks. This card is used in game playing as well as in divination. In the first Tarot pack with
inscriptions, the 18th-century woodcut Marseilles Tarot, this figure is crowned with the Papal
tiara and labelled La Papesse, the Popess. Some say that it referred to the legend of Pope
Joan.

Description

Rider-Waite symbolism

In the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck, upon which
many modern decks are based, The High Priestess is
identified with the Shekhinah, the female indwelling
presence of the divine. She wears plain blue robes
and sits with her hands in her lap. She has a lunar
crescent at her feet, "a horned diadem on her head,
with a globe in the middle place" similar to the crown
of the ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor, but with the
horns having a shape more like half-crescents, and a
large cross on her breast. The scroll in her hands,
partly covered by her mantle, bears the word TORA.
She is seated between the white and black pillars'J'
and 'B' for Jachin and Boazof the mystic Temple of
Solomon. The veil of the Temple is behind her: it is
embroidered with palm leaves and pomegranates.
The motif that hangs behind the High Priestesss
throne, veiling what ever mysteries she guards, is
suggested in the pattern of The Empress gown. The
two are sisters, one bringing life into the world, the
other inviting the living to the esoteric mysteries.
Further behind all of that is what seems to be a body
of water, most probably the sea. The water flows
through most of the cards of the Rider-Waite-Smith
Tarot.

Tarot of Marseilles symbolism

In the Tarot of Marseilles it is noticeable that she wears a blue cape and red robe, in contrast
to The Pope, wearing a red cape and blue robe.

History

La Papessa

This Tarot card was originally called La Papessa, or "The Popess". The card first appeared in
the 15th century. Some of the cards directly linked the woman on the cards to the papacy by
showing the woman wearing a trigregnum or Papal Tiara. There are also variants which, along
with the triregnum, also show a key reminiscent of the keys to the kingdom that are a
traditional symbol of the papacy. In Protestant post-reformation countries, Tarot cards in
particular used images of the legendary Pope Joan, linking in to the mythology of how Joan,
disguised as a man, was elected to the papacy and was only supposedly discovered to be a
woman when she gave birth.

Other variants

However not all cards however clearly linked the card with the papacy. Other variants on the
card associated the woman with the Virgin Mary, Isis, the metaphorical Bride of Christ or Holy
Mother Church. In Swiss Troccas decks, she is called Junon ("Juno"), the Roman Queen of the
Gods. The "Flemish Deck" by Vandenborre (c. 1750-1760) refers to this card as Le Espagnol
Capitano Eracasse ("The Spanish Captain Fracasse"), after a version of Il Capitano, a character
from Commedia dell'Arte.

Sister Manfreda

Visconti-Sforza Tarot cardLa Papessa in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot has been identified as a
depiction of Sister Manfreda, an Umiliata nun and a relative of the Visconti family who was
elected Pope by the heretical Guglielmite sect of Lombard. In The Tarot Cards Painted by
Bonifacio Bembo, Gertrude Moakley writes:

Their leader, Guglielma of Bohemia, had died in Milan in 1281. The most enthusiastic of her
followers believed that she was the incarnation of the Holy Spirit, sent to inaugurate the new
age of the Spirit prophesied by Joachim of Flora. They believed that Guglielma would return to
earth on the Feast of Pentecost in the year 1300, and that the male dominated Papacy would
then pass away, yielding to a line of female Popes. In preparation for this event they elected
Sister Manfreda the first of the Popesses, and several wealthy families of Lombardy provided
at great cost the sacred vessels they expected her to use when she said Mass in Rome at the
Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Naturally, the Inquisition exterminated this new sect, and the
"Popess" was burned at the stake in the autumn of 1300. Later the Inquisition proceeded
against Matteo Visconti, the first Duke of Milan, for his very slight connections with the sect.
This identification has been supported by other Tarot historians, such as Michael Dummett in
his book The Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards.

Interpretations

Knowingness Love Relationships
Wisdom Sound judgment Serenity
Common sense Intuition
Mystical vision introspection otherworldliness

Commonly this card is associated with the card reader or the querant (you), because it is also
focused on 'secrets' it also interpreted when a secret is kept or revealed, when you are holding
on to the truth or revealing it, the card associated with mystery, when powerful female
influences and support currently in force for the querant. It can also represent the perfect
woman in a man's life, and to a woman it can represent being independently solo perhaps
without a man.

Alternative decks

In the Vikings Tarot the High Priestess is Frigg, the wife of Odin. She is sitting on a
throne in a swamp, with her golden slippers emitting a blinding light from the hem of
her dress.
In the Golden Tarot the High Priestess is portrayed as The Papess.
In the Mythic Tarot, created by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene, the High
Priestess is portrayed by Persephone, descending a staircase into the Underworld, with
the Earth behind her, dressed in white, and holding falling, white flowers. She holds up
a pomegranate, which appears in the myth of her abduction by Hades, and is also
used in the Rider-Waite deck. The pillars beside her are the standard black (left) and
white (right), and she also wears a crown, being the Queen of the Underworld.
The Osho Tarot calls this card Inner Voice and depicts it as a quiet person with a circle
face in her center, holding a crystal in both hands and surrounded by two dolphins, a
crescent-moon crown, and water.
The Asteroth Tarot depicts the High Priestess as bathed in the energy of the crescent
moon.

3 Empress Card
Wikipedia.org

The Empress (III) is the third trump or Major Arcana
card in traditional Tarot decks. It is used in Tarot
card games as well as divination.

Description and symbolism

Arthur Edward Waite was a key figure in the
development of modern Tarot interpretations.
However, not all interpretations follow his theology.
Please remember that all Tarot decks used for
divination are filtered through personal experience
and standards.

Some recurring keywords are:

Mothering --- Fertility --- Sexuality --- Abundance
Material prosperity --- Pleasure --- Comfort ---
Power
Nature --- Delight --- Desire --- Physical attraction
Health --- Sensuality --- Beauty --- Satisfaction

The Empress sits on a throne wearing a starry
crown, holding a scepter in one hand. The Scepter is
representative of her power over life, her crown has
twelve stars representing her dominance over the
year, and her throne is in the midst of a field of
grain, representative of her dominion over growing
things.


History

The Empress seems to have had a rather uneventful five centuries. Waite and the other
occultists are responsible for the starry crown, the emblem of Venus, the waterfall, and the
vegetation and wildlife. In historical decks, the Empress sits on a throne, almost always
holding a shield or orb in one hand and a scepter in the other. The shield typically bears an
eagle, the heraldic emblem of the Holy Roman Empire. The Empress Adelaide, beatified by the
Catholic Church, seems a likely historical person this card may allude to.

Interpretation

According to Waite's The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, The Empress is the inferior (as opposed to
nature's superior) Garden of Eden, the "Earthly Paradise". Waite defines her as not being
Regina Coeli (the Blessed Virgin Mary), but rather a Refugium Peccatorum - a fruitful mother
of thousands: she is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word, the
repository of all things nurturing and sustaining, and of feeding others.

The Empress is mother, a creator and nurturer. In many decks she can be shown as pregnant.
She can represent the creation of life, of romance, of art or business. The Empress can
represent the germination of an idea before it is ready to be fully born. The Empress is often
associated with Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love, and indeed the Rider-Waite
deck brandishes her symbol upon a heart-shaped bolster. The Empress is also often
interpreted to be Demeter, goddess of abundance. She is the giver of earthly gifts, although at
the same time, she can be overprotective and possessive. In anger she can withhold, as
Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped. Due to her fury and grief,
Demeter keeps the Earth cold and barren until Spring when her child is returned to her.

Mythopoetic Approach

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by
adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
(March 2008)

She is the Queen of Heaven, as shown by her crown of stars. She is the Great Goddess, the
consort of the dying god. Shes associated through her cross sum (the sum of the digits) with
Key 12 The Hanged Man, the Dying God, her Son (or daughter) and Consort, who dies at
Autumn Equinox or Winter Solstice, and is reborn with Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, or
Beltane. Shes also associated with Key 21, The World, the final card of the Tarot. Through
death, rebirth, and reproduction the world is renewed.

She is associated with Isis, both as the mistress of heaven and as the Ur-Poisoner. According
to some tales, Isis achieved the queenship of heaven by poisoning Ra with a serpent and
refusing to heal him until he told her his secret name. Isiss consort was Osiris, an example of
The Hanged Man.

The Empress is closely associated with the suits of Disks (Earth) and Wands (fire/masculine
generative force). She is the mistress of the Knights (12th cards of the Minor Arcana), who as
Grail Knights are in some sense searching for her, and, like their counterpart in the Major
Arcana, the Hanged Man, may well die for her.

She is also associated with Ishtar, who went alive into the underworld and came back. She is
sometimes associated with Demeter, the mother of Persephone. When Hades, the lord of the
underworld, kidnapped and raped Persephone, Demeter stopped everything from growing until
a deal was struck whereby Persephone spends part of the year with her, part of the year dead.

The fruit on her gown suggests a pomegranate. The pomegranate, of course, is the fruit that
Persephone thoughtlessly or hungrily ate in the underworld, which binds her to it for part of
every year. It also suggests the wall hanging behind The High Priestesss throne, veiling us
from the greater mysteries.

When she appears in a spread, she may represent life itself asserting itself through our
attempts to master it. She can also represent the smothering of a blanket of ivy as it
paralyzes and chokes the forest. She often represents mothers, good and bad, or the demands
of the real world. She can also portray the blood flowing throughout all living things, and the
womb and the tomb.

The Empress may also represent the Object of Desire. Most obviously, the love of the beloved,
the love and approval of parents, especially (but not solely) mothers. While this may be
healthy, over attachment to the object (or to the idea of the object) can be a danger sign.

If the Empress is the Object of Desire, the Hanged Man (or a Hanged Man substitute from the
Minor Arcana) is the one who desires. This can inspire Great Works, or trap the Querant in
pathology. Attachment can lead to death, metaphorically or otherwise. When The Empress kills
(again, metaphorically or otherwise), it is usually by consuming, suffocating, or poisoning.

The Empress may represent the veil of illusion, Maya (illusion). In the Book of Thoth deck, she
holds a lotus in her hand, associating her with the mother of the Buddha, the mother of the
knowledge that transcends the world.

In her beneficent aspect, she gives, nurtures, and/or celebrates life. In her negative aspect,
she takes it, either literally or figuratively.

When Demeter is inverted it portends either an opposite or challenge to the previously
portrayed aspects of her card. If the card shows up upside down it would mean difficulty
(although not lack of success) in her positive attributes. This would include denial by the
certain loved one, or the potential to change this future through personal action. The inverted
Empress should not necessarily imply the opposite of the card, but should be taken as a sign
for a rise to challenge (i.e. your loved one won't come around etc.), to be oneself, to become
the Empress and satisfy ones own individual needs in order to accomplish ones goals.
Essentially, this means growing stronger through being yourself (in many ways potentially)and
becoming the person capable of overcoming certain obstacles in ones life. The Empress can
have a very strong influence on a mans life, whether inverted or upright.

Alternative decks

In the Vikings Tarot, Saga the Empress sits on a beach with a seal, a vast ocean
stretching out behind her.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Empress is Kanoe.
In the The Legend of the Legendary Heroes Tarot, The Empress is Iris Eris.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Empress is depicted by Demeter.

4 Emperor Card
Wikipedia.org

The Emperor (IV) is the fourth trump or Major Arcana card in traditional Tarot decks. It is used
in game playing as well as in divination.


Description and symbolism

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. However, not all
interpretations follow his theology. Usually all Tarot
decks used for divination are interpreted through
personal experience and standards.

Some frequent keywords used by card readers are:

Fathering --- Stability --- Authority --- Power
Control --- Discipline --- Command --- Common
sense
Status quo --- Order --- Structure --- Egocentrism
Tradition --- Rigidity --- Leadership --- Experience
Inflexibility --- Conservative ways --- Organization

The Emperor sits on his throne, holding a scepter,
accompanied by the heraldic Eagle of the Holy
Roman Empire. This is usually on his shield though
the heraldic eagle is sometimes a free-standing
statue or live bird. He symbolizes the top of the
secular hierarchy, the ultimate male ego. The
Emperor is the absolute ruler of the world.




History

The essential features of the design for The Emperor card have changed very little through the
centuries. The Emperor sometimes got caught up in the censorship placed on the Papess (The
High Priestess) and the Pope (The Hierophant), as when the Bolognese card makers replaced
the Papess (High Priestess), Pope (Hierophant), Empress, and Emperor with four Moors or
Turks. In the Minchiate, the first of the two Emperors are assigned number III because of the
removal of the Papess (High Priestess) from the deck.

Interpretation

The Emperor symbolizes the desire to rule over one's surroundings, and its appearance in a
reading often suggests that the subject needs to accept that some things may not be
controllable, and others may not benefit from being controlled.

As with all Tarot cards, multiple meanings are possible. Where the Empress is the Feminine
principle, the Emperor is the Masculine. Most individuals will relate to this card in the same
way they relate to their own father.

Mythopoetic approach

The Emperor is Key Four of the Major Arcana. Fours are stable numbers; four walls, four
seasons, four corners. It takes a massive amount of energy, comparatively, to move them.
The strength of The Emperor is the stability he brings. The weakness is the risk of stagnation.

Emblematic of the power of The Emperor is the origin of the god Zeus. After Gaea (see also
The Empress) created the world, she created a consort, Uranus (sky). Uranus imprisoned
Gaia's youngest children in Tartarus, deep within Earth, where they caused pain to Gaia. She
created the archetypal scythe and gave it to Kronos, who ambushed his father and castrated
him. Kronos followed in the sins of his father, only he let his children be born, then swallowed
them. In the end, his son Zeus (through the good offices of another avatar of The Empress,
Rhea) escapes being consumed and engineers a revolution. Instead of eating his children,
Zeus eats the Goddess destined to bear the child who will engineer his downfall, Metis. And he
becomes the Emperor.

The Emperor is connected to Key 13, Death, through its cross sum (the sum of the digits).
Emperors maintain their power through death and through their relationship with the other 13
of the tarot; The Queens (who legitimate their rule and bear their heirs). He is also strongly
associated with Life; his scepter is an ankh, the symbol of life. But he is in the mountains,
separated from the pulse of life. The sign of the Emperor is associated with the sun sign of
Aries. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and is the leader. The Emperor, like Aries, is fiery,
powerful, authoritative and very egotistical.

King Minos is another aspect of this archetypal image. He was, mostly, a good king who
increased and protected Crete for many years. But he took his kingdom by means of a trick.
He and his brothers disputed who should rule, and he prayed to Poseidon to send a sign from
the sea that he was the chosen of the gods, which he promised to immediately sacrifice to the
god. Poseidon sent a magnificent bull, and Minos was proclaimed king. But he balked at
fulfilling his promise to slay the animal, and substituted a bull from his own herds. In so doing,
as Joseph Campbell put it he converted a public event to personal gain, whereas the whole
sense of his investiture as king had been that he was no longer a mere private person. The
return of the bull should have symbolized his absolutely selfless submission to the functions of
his role. And the consequences were catastrophic; Poseidon afflicted the Cretan queen,
Pasiphae, with an unquenchable desire for the bull. Their coupling produced the Minotaur, who
was fed on human flesh.

The Emperors power and apparent stability bring great comfort, self worth, power. But the
danger, as Minos discovered, is that we may gain a sense of personal entitlement beyond our
actual rights. That way leads to corruption, material or spiritual.

Generally, when the Emperor appears in a spread, he is something to be overcome. Some
rigidity of thinking, some inflexibility of approach, some external force keeping us from our
destiny. A comforting myth the Querent has outgrown. Sometimes, he represents the exterior
forces we must accommodate. Sometimes, he is the superego.

The two rams on each sides of his throne represent Aries presenting him as a powerful
dictator for his time and showing his potential thirst for conquering in war.

Alternative decks

The parallel, fourth Major Arcana card in the Osho Zen Tarot deck is called The Rebel,
and carries some similar connotations.
In the Vikings Tarot Ullr depicts the Emperor. He is shown with a bow, a pair of skis, a
shield, and a sleigh.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Emperor is Kyougo Monou.
In the The Legend of the Legendary Heroes Tarot, The Emperor is Sion Astarl.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Emperor is depicted by Zeus.

5 Hierophant Card
Wikipedia.org

The Hierophant (V), in some decks named The Pope, is the fifth trump or Major Arcana card in
most traditional Tarot decks. It is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description and symbolism

Some frequent keywords associated with The
Hierophant are:

Education --- Knowledge --- Status quo ---
Institution
Conservatism --- Discipline --- Maturity --- Formality
Deception --- Power --- Respect --- Duality
Social convention --- Belief system --- Group
identification
Experience --- Tradition --- Nave

In many modern packs, the Hierophant is
represented with his right hand raised in what is
known esoterically as the blessing or benediction,
with two fingers pointing skyward and two pointing
down, thus forming a bridge between Heaven and
Earth reminiscent of that formed by the body of The
Hanged Man. The Hierophant is thus a true pontiff,
in that he is the builder of the bridge between deity
and humanity. The Hierophant is typically male, even
in decks that take a feminist view of the Tarot, such
as the Motherpeace Tarot.

In most iconographic depictions, the Hierophant is
seen seated on a throne between two pillars
symbolizing Law and Liberty or obedience and
disobedience, according to different interpretations.
He wears a triple crown, and the keys to Heaven are at his feet. Sometimes he is shown with
worshippers, as his alternate title is the Pope or, sometimes, Jupiter. The card is also
commonly known as, "The High Priest," as a counterpart to, "The High Priestess" (which itself
is also sometimes known as, "The Popess," as counterpart to "The Pope").

History

The papacy was not just a religious force, but was a political and military force as well. When
the tarot was invented, the Pope controlled a large portion of central Italy. Renaissance
culture did not question the abstract ideal of the Pope as God's human representative on
Earth. In Tarot of Marseilles, he wears a red cape and a blue robe, in contrast to The Papess,
who wears a blue cape and blue robe.

The more commonly encountered modern name "Hierophant" is due to Antoine Court de
Gbelin. According to de Gebelin, "hierophant" was the title of the chief priest in the Eleusinian
mysteries (an ancient Greek ritual).

Interpretation

The card stands for religion and orthodox theology. It also represents traditional education or
a Man of high social standing. These interpretations merely scratch the surface of the card.
The Pope card also represents the Biblical story of Gods creation of man and woman. He is
also strongly associated with the Deceiver and with Power over others.

Some interpretations also suggest a link between the card and the myth of Isis and Osiris, a
claim made about many cards. Some say the card corresponds to the astrological sign of
Taurus; others Sagittarius or Leo. Yet another association is with the sign Cancer. In non-
Western cultures (Native American, Siberian) the Hierophant retains the role as spiritual
guide, wearing here the mask of a shaman who is also the teacher of holy things. In Native
America, the mythological association is with the Coyote or Trickster God, one who is a
teacher, a benefactor for the spiritual student, but who is often playful or mischievous.

The Hierophant is the card representing organized religion any organized religion. Its
positive and negative aspects are those associated with that religion.

Hierophant literally means the one who teaches the holy things. Ideally, the Hierophant
prepares the Querant spiritually for the adventure of life. The card also represents
individuation or the point where a child starts to understand the boundaries between Self and
Other, family and the community. This is the point where the individual starts constructing his
or her own identity, consciously, unconsciously, or as shaped by exterior forces.

The Hierophant is usually Key 5 of the Major Arcana. Five represents the essence of things as
they are, as in the word quintessence from the Latin words for five and for nature. It is also
the number of the senses: sight, hearing, taste, feeling, and smell. The Hierophant sits on a
throne straddling the world of the senses and the world of meaning.

It is related through cross sums (the sum of the digits) with Key 14: Temperance. The
Hierophant presents the lessons of heaven to earth. Temperance guides the soul from this
world to the underworld.

Some authorities say that the Hierophant generally represents assistance, friendship, good
advice, alliances (including marriages), and religious interests. Reversed; it often refers to bad
advice, lies, and persecution.

Others say that it represents the first level of understanding. When it appears in a tarot
spread, it is a warning to the Querant to reexamine his or her understanding of the meaning of
things; of the structure of the world; of the powers that be. Watch out for hypocrisy.

The negative aspect of The Hierophant is well illustrated by the myth of Procrustes. Procrustes
was a man (or a monster) living in the mountains of Greece. He invited weary travelers into
his home, washed the dust off their feet, provided a meal, and let them lie on his bed. If they
were too big for his bed, he cut them to size. If they were too small, he stretched them to fit.
At last, Theseus came through the mountains and accepted Procrustess seemingly kind offer.
When Procrustes tried to cut him to fit, Theseus killed him, making the road safe. In this way,
the Hierophant is like Freuds superego. It shapes us, sometimes brutally. This shaping is
necessary for us to become who we are. Sometimes, its merely the replication of historic
cruelties. Freud theorized at one point that the superego is an internalization of one's parents.
The Hierophant may represent the parents, living in the Querant.

The Rider-Waite-Smith deck explicitly connects the Hierophant with the Ten of Swords. The
dead man lying face down on the beach, penetrated by ten swords, has his hand in the same
position of blessing as the Hierophant, perhaps hinting that the artist believed that the path of
the Hierophant leads ultimately to death; a sanctified death, but death nonetheless.

Common Interpretation

The Pope card when upright commonly suggest to seek guidance, to follow a positive advice
endorsed to the querant, to do the right thing, to have faith, to keep on the right side of God,
to be a positive role model, to be disciplined in your approach to matters and to clear off
negative karma.

Alternative decks

In Swiss Troccas decks, he is depicted as Jupiter, the Roman King of the Gods.
In the "Flemish Deck" by Vandenborre (c.1750-1760), the High Priest is replaced with
Bacus (Bacchus). It shows the God of Wine with his head and waist wreathed in grape
leaves. He is seated astride a tapped cask of wine while he drinks from a wine bottle in
his left hand.
In the Vikings Tarot the Hierophant is Odin with his two ravens, Hugin and Munin, and
his two wolves, Geri and Freki.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Hierophant is Aoki Seiichirou.
In the Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck, Saruman the White is the Hierophant.
In Howard Rodway's Tarot Of The Old Path the Heirophant is called The High Priest. He
sits on a golden throne accompanied by the heads of a ram and an elephant, along
with a raven in the foreground.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Hierophant is depicted as Chiron, the learned centaur.

6 Lovers Card
Wikipedia.org

The Lovers (VI) is the sixth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is
used in game playing as well as in divination.

Interpretation

In some traditions, the Lovers represent relationships and choices. Its appearance in a spread
indicates some decision about an existing relationship, a temptation of the heart, or a choice
of potential partners. Often an aspect of the
Querent's life will have to be sacrificed; a
bachelor(ette)'s lifestyle may be sacrificed and a
relationship gained (or vice versa), or one potential
partner may be chosen while another is turned
down. Whatever the choice, it should not be made
lightly, as the ramifications will be lasting.

The Lovers is associated with the star sign Gemini,
and indeed is also known as The Twins in some
decks. Other associations are with Air, Mercury, and
the Hebrew letter (Zayin).

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. (Wood, 1998)
However not all interpretations follow his theology.
Please remember that all Tarot decks used for
divination are interpreted up to personal experience
and standards.

From Suite101: Tarot Card Symbolism The Lovers
of the Major Arcana: "The Lovers are the image of
the first true challenge of the Fools life a choice
in love. This does not only mean a choice between
two women, or two men. It also is a reflection of
chosen values, of the decision the Fool must make,
which will define him as a person. The Fool is not yet
fully mature, and so has difficulty separating his
physical desires from what is right.

The consequences of the choice he must make are far-reaching, affecting every part of his life.
This choice is thrust upon him before he is ready, as are many choices in life, and so a mistake
may be inevitable. This situation cannot be avoided, and a choice must be made; abstaining
from this choice is not an option.

The Fool, not yet ready for this, does not fully understand that all choices good and bad
carry consequences. This is an important lesson for the Fool, for he must realize that all things
have a cost associated with them."

Some frequent keywords used by tarot readers are:

Love relationship --- Union --- Passion --- Sexuality
Pleasure --- Humanism --- Desire --- Personal beliefs
Individual values --- Physical attraction --- Connection
Affinity --- Bonding --- Romance --- Heart

Following the Marseilles Tradition, also there are:

Choice --- Doubt --- Difficult decision --- Dilemma --- Temptation

Mythopoetic approach

The Lovers represent the impulse that drives us out of the Garden, towards adulthood.
Sometimes, that impulse manifests as curiosity (Eve, Pandora, Psyche); sometimes it
manifests as sexual desire (the basis of much great literature, as well as ordinary romances,
most teen movies, and even horror films); sometimes it manifests as duty (a soldier heeding
the call). Whatever it is, once we have stepped past the threshold, there is no returning to the
garden.

The Lovers is associated through its cross sum (the sum of the digits) with The Devil, Key 15.
He is often the source of the impulse, or that thing inside of us that responds to it. The Devil's
energy is absolutely necessary, absolutely deadly.

The Lovers also represent raw desire.

Hajo Banzhaf suggests that if the Major Arcana is seen as a map of the Sun's circuit of the
Sky, The Lovers is high noon. Consciousness is at its fullest. Frequently, cards show the Sun in
the position of noon. Two trees, bearing fruit and flame, represent the intoxication of the
material world.

When The Lovers appear in a spread, it typically draws the Querent's attention to whatever
impulse drove her from home, to whatever impulse made him move out, reject the faith of his
fathers, made him accept the call. That original impulse should be honored, but if it dominates
the Querent's life, it will grow tiresome. The call must be renewed.

It can signal that an examination of the Querent's relationship with the garden is needed, be it
exile or absence. Sometimes, it can be useful to go beyond Eden and talk about other
gardens: the bittersweet Kingdom of Logres built by Arthur to keep back the rising dark for a
generation, the idyllic Hobbits' Shire in The Lord of the Rings, or just a happy childhood. Look
for misty eyes of memory, or bitterness at the lack of a past paradise.

The Lovers are also a reminder that we need others to become fully human. Lovers, friends,
adversaries - each one teaches us, each one stretches us.

Alternative decks

In the "Flemish Deck" by Vandenborre (c.1750-1760), the card is called L'Amour
("Love").
In the Vikings Tarot, this card shows Frigg with her golden sandals standing between
the brothers Vili and Ve.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Lovers is represented by Kotori
Monou.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Lovers is depicted by the Judgment of Paris, who chose
Aphrodite (the goddess of Love), who in turn awarded Paris the most beautiful
woman, Helen, which began the Trojan War.

7 Chariot Card
Wikipedia.org

The Chariot (VII) is the seventh trump or Major
Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is used
in game playing as well as in divination.

Description

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. However not all
interpretations follow his theology. All Tarot decks
used for divination are interpreted through personal
experience and standards.

Some frequent keywords are:

Conquest --- Honor --- Victory --- Energy
Egocentrism --- Self-confidence --- Conviction ---
Anxiety
Willpower --- Self-assertion --- Hard control ---
Discipline
Inflexibility --- Success --- Wealth --- Recognition
Impulsivity --- Command --- Bravery --- Pride

A powerful, princely figure sits in a swift chariot,
pulled usually by two sphinxes or horses. There is
often a black and white motif, for example one of the
steeds may be black and the other white. The figure
may be crowned or helmeted, and is winged in some
representations. He or she may hold a sword or
wand, or other masculine symbol. The Thoth Tarot deck has the figure controlling four
different animals, representing the four elements.

Interpretation

It has been suggested the square on the charioteer's chest is a representation of the earth
tattva.

Another view is that the mood of the card may be characterized as that of conquest. It
represents a battle that can be won if the Querent has the willpower for it. The battle is
usually an external one, with a clear goal and plan of action. Qualities needed to win the battle
include self-reliance, righteousness, conviction and plain hard work. The steeds represent
powerful forces, internal or external, that can be controlled to achieve the goal.

The chariot is one of the most complex cards to define. On its most basic level, it implies war,
a struggle, and an eventual, hard-won victory; either over enemies, obstacles, nature, the
beasts inside you, or to just get what you want. But there is a great deal more to it.

What does this all mean? It means a union of opposites, like the black and white steeds. They
pull in different directions, but must be (and can be!) made to go together in one direction.
Control is required over opposing emotions, wants, needs, people, or circumstances; to bring
them together and give them a single direction, your direction. Confidence is also needed and,
most especially, motivation. The card can, in fact, indicate new motivation or inspiration,
which gets a stagnant situation moving again. It can also imply, on a more pragmatic level, a
trip (usually by car), a vehicle - in the repair shop if the card comes up reversed - or a
message.

The Chariot is a fascinating card, but also frustrating. It is armored, but also cut off - a
charioteer fights alone. It moves from one plane to the next (water to land and back again) -
conscious and unconscious, earthly and spiritual. It succeeds by attacking from the side,
rather than straight on.

On the one hand, the Chariot may indicate loyalty, faith, and motivation; a conviction that will
lead to victory no matter the odds. On the other hand, however, the Chariot may signify a
ruthless, diehard desire to win at any cost. The Querent should be reminded to save his
energy for what comes after.

If inverted, the meaning remains the same, but the Querent is in danger of losing the battle
due to a lack of control.

The Chariot has many allusions to the kabbalistic Maasei Merkavah. According to Waite, the
figures on the charioteer's shoulders are supposed to be the Urim and Thummim which were
divinatory tools often used by the Israelites for guidance during times of war. Waite describes
the charioteer as conquest on all planes in the mind, in science, in progress, and thus able
to reply to the riddles of the sphinx, even though he is not of priest and thus unable to answer
to the High Priestess.

Mythopoetic approach

Structurally, the Chariot follows The Lovers. After the impulse that pulls us out of the Garden,
we get on our chariot and depart. At that point, we are the Hero of our own story; maybe the
Hero of everyones story. That Hero might represent Helios, the Greek god who drives the
Suns chariot across the sky, bringing light to the earth. The danger of this card is well
illustrated by the myth of Phaton. Among other things, this story illustrates the danger of
reaching too high, unprepared.

The Chariot is Key Seven of the Major Arcana, it represents the possibility of traveling through
the mysteries of the universe. It also evokes the seven gates of hell that Inanna passed
through, required to partially disrobe at each one before finally being presented to the Queen
of the Underworld, her own sister, Ereshkigal.

Ra from Egyptian mythology piloted the boat of the sun across the sky and back to the gates
of dawn down the Nile every night. One night, Apophis, Chaos and Old Night swallowed the
river to keep the sun from rising. Fortunately, Ras usual enemy, Set, took it upon himself to
save the day by slicing Apophis open, allowing Ra to escape. This story bespeaks the reversals
of the night, where our deadly enemies may be our best friends.

Another famous chariot driver was the god Krishna who in the Bhagavad Gita drove Arjunas
chariot and gave him illumination.

The Chariot is related through cross sums (the sum of the digits) to Key 16, The Tower. Much
like the Chariot takes us from our womb, our happy home, our happy village, or our planet,
the Tower carries us from either what we have constructed for ourselves, or what has been
constructed for us.

Some authorities say that he is the God of Spring, the Son of the Queen of Heaven. The
canopy of his chariot is her starry gown; he wears the waxing and waning moon on his
shoulders; the circle of the Zodiac is his belt. He channels energy from the world above
(signified by the eight pointed star on his brow, eight here representing Venus) to the world
below (signified by the square on his chest, the four corners of the Earth). The star can also
represent the infinite, the square the earthly spheres of time and space.

He is fueled by contradictory impulses, represented by the black and white sphinxes that pull
his chariot.

When this card appears, it evokes the Querents own path - calling, exile or random journey.
The danger is getting on the wrong path - being overwhelmed and dying before our due time.

He may warn that we are in danger of being pulled to pieces by forces we do not control and
do not understand.

Alternative decks

Other names for the card are The Centurion or Victory.
In the Vikings Tarot this card depicts Thor on his chariot ride across the sky.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Chariot is Sorata Arisugawa.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Chariot is depicted by Ares.

8 Strength Card
Wikipedia.org

Strength is a Major Arcana Tarot card, and is numbered either XI or VIII, depending on the
deck. Historically it was called Fortitude, and in the Thoth Tarot deck it is called Lust. This card
is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description and usage as in divination

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations (Wood, 1998). However,
not all interpretations follow his practice. Tarot decks,
when used for divination, are interpreted by personal
experience as well as traditional interpretations or
standards.

Some frequent keywords are:

Self-control --- Being solid --- Patience ---
Compassion
Composure --- Stability --- Perseverance ---
Moderation
Kindness --- Gentleness --- Slowness --- Softness
Serenity --- Comprehension --- Discipline --- Inner
strength

The design of this card is fairly constant across tarot
decks. The key characters are that of a woman and a
lion, with the woman looking calm and gentle, yet
dominant over the lion. Many cards, including that of
the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, have the woman clasping
the lion's jaws. Another feature of the RWS deck is a
lemniscate (a kind of geometric form) hovering over
the woman's head. Other decks have the woman
sitting upon the lion, or merely with one hand upon it.
Some decks feature just one of the characters; flowers are often presented on this card.

History of tarot

The Strength card was originally named Fortitude, and accompanies two of the other cardinal
virtues in the Major Arcana: Temperance and Justice. The meaning of Fortitude was different
from the interpretation of the card: it meant moderation in attitudes toward pain and danger,
with neither being avoided at all costs, nor actively wanted.

The older decks had two competing symbolisms: one featured a woman holding or breaking a
stone pillar, and the other featured a person, either male or female, subduing a lion. This
Tarocchi del Mantegna card (image, left), made in Ferrara around 1470, illustrates both. The
modern woman-and-lion symbolism most likely evolved from a merging of the two earlier
ones.

Interpretation

The modern interpretation of the card stresses discipline and control. The lion represents the
primal or id-like part of the mind, and the woman, the 'higher' or more elevated parts of the
mind. The card tells the Querent to be wary of base emotions and impulse. For example, in
The Chariot card, the Querant is fighting a battle. The difference is that in Strength, the battle
is mainly internal rather than external.

In the Crowley deck this card is entitled Lust, and receives a different focus, as a sun sign
(zodiac), namely Leo, implying a potency that is sexual, creative, and intuitive, which are all
attributes of the element Fire. The other Leonine quality of generosity, or mercy, is also an
aspect of this power or strength. There is a further connection with the heart chakra in
kundalini yoga.

If inverted, the Querant is in danger of losing control to impulses and desires. Pride and
unwarranted anger are also often associated with the inverted card.

Some refer to it simply as a challenging situation requiring persistence and effort.

Mythopoetic approach

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(March 2008)

Hercules, the son of Zeus, is an archetype of strength. He is a Solar Hero, as shown by his
archetypal 12 labors each one standing for one sign of the Zodiac.

Strength can manifest itself in unexpected ways. One of Herculess adventures was to clean
the Augean Stables, which had been filling with horse excrement for as long as anyone could
remember. Hercules diverted a river, washing the manure into the surrounding fields,
renewing the land.

Cybele is associated with large cats, and is often depicted either enthroned with one or two
flanking her, or in a chariot being pulled by large cats. Some contemporary sources have
associated Cybele and Artemis with this card.

Moreover, it is associated with Gilgamesh, the King of Ur, who abused his power and his
people. The people prayed to the goddess Ishtar (see also, The Empress) and she sent Enkidu
to teach Gilgamesh to be human. The two of them bonded, and fought monsters.
Unfortunately, they overreached themselves, and Enkidu died.

In the myth, Gilgamesh is horrified by the death of Enkidu and goes on a quest to defeat
death. He fails, but in the process, he learns what he needs to become a good king. Here,
strength is symbolized as mastering the challenges presented.

Additionally, this card is associated with the suit of Wands. Fire, a generative masculine force,
is leavened somewhat by the fact that it is dominated by a feminine figure.

Strength is associated through the cross sum (the sum of the digits) with The Star. The Star is
often interpreted as paradoxical and a bad omen. While the comet is associated with
foretelling the birth of kings, the Star signaled to Dante that he had found his way out of the
Underworld.

The Lion in the standard card represents the Sun, making Strength a solar hero, much like
Hercules or Herakles, with whom lions are associated.

Because it is usually the eighth card, it is associated with Arachne. Arachne challenged Athena
to a weaving contest and was victorious. Then, Athena transformed Arachne into the eight-
armed spider, to punish her for the victory. (In some versions, Arachne was not turned into a
spider immediately, as Athena was able to accept defeat. However, when Arachne began
bragging to everyone around her that she had defeated Athena, the goddess turned her into a
spider - punishing her not for her victory, but for her [excessive] pride.) The danger of
challenging the mysteries is that we may be destroyed or transformed by them.

Eight is also associated with the Great Goddess because it takes eight years for Venus and
Earth to sync up against the zodiac.

When Strength appears in a throw, it may be a signal that The Querent is facing a challenge
that requires a strong response, rather than brute force. Occasionally, strength comes by
diverting forces, diverting rivers, or fighting on a new battleground. It is a sign that the
Querent has left home and needs to start drawing on all of his or her resources to meet the
challenges of the exterior world.

The danger of Strength is that it can work against the Querent.

In Gnosticism, Demiurge is symbolised as Lion-headed serpent, and his mother is Sophia.

Numbering

Strength is traditionally the eleventh card and Justice the eighth, but the influential Rider-
Waite-Smith deck switched the position of these two cards in order to make them a better fit
with the astrological correspondences worked out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn,
under which the eighth card is associated with Leo and the eleventh with Libra. Today many
decks use this numbering, particularly in the English-speaking world. Both placements are
considered valid.

Alternative decks

The "Flemish Deck" by Vandendorre (c.1750-1760) renumbers La Force ("Strength")
as XI and La Justice ("Justice") as VIII.
In the Vikings Tarot this card shows Thor trying to lift the Midgard Serpent, which he
had been deceived into thinking was just a giant cat.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Strength is Yuzuriha Nekoi and her
Inugami, Inuki.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, Strength is depicted by Hercules.
In the Thoth Tarot, Strength is renamed "Lust".

9 Hermit Card
Wikipedia.org

The Hermit (IX) is the ninth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is
used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. However, not all
interpretations follow his theology.

Some frequent keywords are:

Introspection --- Silence --- Guidance --- Reflection
Solitude --- Looking inward --- Reclusion --- Being
quiet
Inner search --- Deep understanding --- Isolation
Distance --- Retreat --- Philosophical attitude

The Waite version of the card shows an old man
carrying a staff in one hand and a lit lantern in the
other. In the background is a wasteland. Just beyond
the wasteland is a mountain range.

Interpretation

The Hermit has internalized the lessons of life to the
point that he is the lesson. The Hermit, as a kind of
shamanistic hero, has made the complete journey
both the withdrawal and the return. As Joseph
Campbell said, A hero ventures forth from the world
of common day into a region of supernatural
wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a
decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power
to bestow boons on his fellow man. (The Hero with a Thousand Faces)

There are two possible ways this card can be interpreted:

First, the need to withdraw from society to become comfortable with himself.
Second, the return from isolation to share his knowledge with others.

Mythopoetic approach

An old hermit walked around the village and the area day and night, and even in daylight still
carried a lit lantern. One day the villagers had enough curiosity to ask him "Sir, why do you
carry your lantern lit in daylight?" He said, "Because I'm searching for an honest man."

This is a story most often attributed to Diogenes of Sinope, one major contributor to the Cynic
school of philosophy.

There are several different cycles embedded in the Major Arcana. One of them is 1-9, 10-19.
The Magician to the Hermit; the Wheel of Fortune through The Sun. The Fool gains knowledge
of the external world, meets the mysteries, finds the initial object of desire, finds mastery,
finds knowledge, finds a new object of desire, leaves home, gains some strength, and
withdraws for a time to integrate the lessons learned before starting on the next turn of the
spiral, where the Wheel of Fortune spins us into a new adventure.

Alternatively, The Hermit may be the old man or woman, metaphorically, that we meet who
gives us the insights or tools or training we need to confront the beasts of the forest, the
sealed cave, the gated castle, the wormhole.

The Hermit is related through a cross sum (the sum of the digits) to The Moon. While The
Hermit mostly integrates the lessons of the sunlit world, the Moon stands at the threshold of
light and dark and churns the waters of life. In both cases, treasures can be uncovered
through contemplation of what is brought forth. In both cases, monsters may be found.

Some say that The Hermit is a Threshold Guardian, representing an obstacle the Querent, the
hero of the piece, must overcome to move on.

A potentially dangerous aspect of The Hermit is his retreat, his isolation. We all need to retreat
sometimes; retreat and renewal are necessary for growth. But The Hermit may be tempted to
completely withdraw from the world, not because the journey is done, but because the
dragons of the real are too daunting, or because the trivial pleasures of the cave are too
intoxicating. Withdraw at the wrong time, stay withdrawn too long, and growth stops.

The cowl The Hermit wears protects him and isolates him. Hopefully, at some point, he casts it
off and rejoins the world.

Some say that The Hermit represents the time we learn our true names, who we really are.
The Greek philosopher Thales is reported to have been asked, What is the most difficult of all
things? To which he is said to have answered To know yourself. The Hermit is given time to
obey the Delphic Oracles demand: know thyself.

Alternative decks

In some decks it is also called Le Moine ("The Monk") or Time.
In the Vikings Tarot, the Hermit is Heimdall living at the edge of Asgard, standing
ready with Gjallarhorn watching for the signs of the coming of Ragnarok.
In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Hermit is Satsuki Yatouji.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Hermit is depicted by Cronus.


10 Wheel of Fortune Card
Wikipedia.org

Wheel of Fortune (X) is the tenth trump or Major Arcana card in most Tarot decks. It is used in
game playing as well as in divination.

Description

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of the Tarot in line with the Hermetic magical-
religious system which was also being developed at the time, and this deck, as well as being in
common use today, also forms the basis for a number of other modern tarot decks.

The Wheel Of Fortune card, like other cards of the
Major Arcana, varies widely in depiction between
Tarot decks. Basically, this card has been modeled
ever since the tarot's inception in the 15th century
after the medieval concept of Rota Fortunae, the
wheel of the goddess Fortuna. Images generally
show a six- or eight-spoked wheel, often attended or
crested by an individual (sometimes human;
sometimes a Sphinx-like half-human) attired in an
Egyptian-style headdress. In some decks, such as
the AG Mller, the wheel is also attended by an
individual wearing a blindfold; and often there are
people sitting or riding on the wheel whilst others are
shown falling from it.

The wheel is not always shown inscribed with any
lettering. Where this is the case, the letters T-A-R-O
can often be found aligned against four of the
spokes, which can also be interpreted as R-O-T-A,
the Latin word meaning "wheel". In some decks,
such as the Waite, the wheel is also inscribed with
additional alchemical symbols representing the four
elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water (which are
also said to be represented throughout the Tarot by
the four 'suits' of Pentacles or Discs, Swords, Wands
and Cups respectively. These emblems can also be
seen on the Magician's table in the Magician card
(Card I)).

On the Waite card shown, though not necessarily on others, there are also four winged
creatures in the corners of the card, representing the symbols of the four Evangelists (The
Lion, the Ox, the Man and the Eagle). Representing the four astrological signs (Leo, Taurus,
Aquarius and Scorpio). In addition a representation of the god Anubis is seen rising with the
wheel on the right side, while the snake-like Typhon descends on the left. On the wheel,
alternating with the letters T-A-R-O are the Hebrew letters - - - , usually transliterated as
YHWH (Yahweh), the name of the God of Israel.

Interpretation

When the Tarot deck is used for divinatory purposes, the cards are often laid out in a 'spread',
and the exact meaning of the card varies depending on the disposition of any surrounding
cards. In addition, as specific meanings can be drawn from the exact appearance of a card
and, as mentioned, that can vary widely between decks, the interpretation of the card also can
vary between decks. Some decks, such as Waite, carry a theological symbolism specific to
their designer's interpretation; yet such meanings might not be associated with other variants
on the same card, and they may not be acknowledged or referenced by any given reader.

A common aspect to most interpretations of this card within a reading is to introduce an
element of change in the querant's life, such change being in station, position or fortune: such
as the rich becoming poor, or the poor becoming rich.

Turning point; Opportunities; Possibilities
Destiny; Fate; Superior Forces; Movement
Development; Activity; Surprises; Expansion
Sudden Events; Speed; New Developments; Life Cycles
Interpretation; Sudden Change; Dissension; Approachability

Symbolism in Mythopoetics

In this Mythopoetic approach, which views the Major Arcana as a journey through life taken by
the character of the Fool (the Fool being the first card, or the zero card, of the Major Arcana),
the Wheel of Fortune represents the intercession of random chance into the Fool's path. The
card represents the forces that can help or hinder the querant suddenly or unpredictably.

It can also represent the underlying order that the Magician attempts to master. The letters on
the wheel were intended by Waite to mean "Rota Taro Orat Tora Ator," which he "translated"
(this term used loosely) to: "The Wheel of Taro[t] speaks the Law of Ator [Hathor, or Love]."

Through its cross sum (the sum of the digits), it is closely connected to The Magician and The
Sun (cards 1 and 19 of the Major Arcana respectively). Each represents a break with the
previously established order: the Magician starting the journey; The Wheel of Fortune
introducing random chance; and The Sun reborn from the underworld.

Alternative Decks

In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Wheel of Fortune is depicted by the Fates.


11 Justice Card
Wikipedia.org

Justice is a Major Arcana Tarot card, numbered either VIII or XI, depending on the deck. This
card is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description

The Justice card, as a member of the Tarot deck, appears in early Tarot, such as the Tarot de
Marseilles. It is part of the Tarot's major arcana, and usually follows the Chariot, as card VIII,
although various decks vary from this pattern. Justice (virtue), accompanies two of the other
cardinal virtues in the Major Arcana: temperance and strength.

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of the most famous of modern Tarot
interpretations.. His version of the Justice card contains, as his cards usually do, references to
classical Mythology. In his deck, the card is 11 (switched with the Strength (Tarot card)).

Some frequent keywords are:

Impartiality ---Distance --- Coldness --- Justice
Objective mind--- Criticism --- Being clever --- Insensitivity
Decision --- Intellect --- Analysis --- Realism --- Severity
Responsibility --- Rationality --- Clear vision --- Logic and reason

Mythopoetic approach

Justice, in many Tarot representations, is Athena.

Athena was the patron goddess of Athens, credited
with bringing not merely the idea of justice, but a
model for justice, to Athens, Greece. Embedded in
many versions of this card is the story of the cursed
House of Atreus. Atreus broke a promise to Artemis,
who in turn cursed his family, which was a house or
lineage descended from Pelops and from Tantalus,
who had fed his own son to the gods at a dinner
party.

The story culminates with an episode involving
Agamemnon, a hero of the Trojan War. Agamemnon
was not always heroic, at least in modern eyes. He
sacrificed his own daughter, Iphigeneia, to get a
favorable wind to Troy. In vengeance for this
unfatherly act, his wife, Clytemnestra, mother of
Iphigeneia, orchestrated his murder. Their son,
Orestes, in turn sought vengeance for the death of
his father by killing his mother. He was then pursued
around the world by The Furies, who avenged
mothers killed by sons. Athena then called an end to
the cycle of vengeance and empaneled the first jury.

Justice mediates the various claims of right, of
morality, of duty. In a world of scarcity, not every claim can be met. Justice, in theory, sets
forth a system to judge between the claims. The tarot card is therefore typically closer to the
notion of Jurisprudence than to the abstract concept of Justice.

The Justice card is closely connected to The High Priestess through its cross sum (the sum of
the digits). Unlike the hidden knowledge of the High Priestess, Justice is decided in the open;
we are left hoping that our intellect and our intuition take us to the same place.

Justice is also connected to Judgment (Tarot card), Key 20, the ultimate weighting of souls.

Mat was a goddess of justice in Egypt. She ties Judgment with Justice, as she helped judge
the souls of the dead. Therefore, on many Tarot cards of Justice, Maat appears.

The notion of Justice is older than Athena, of course, even among the Greeks. Themis, a Titan,
lurks in the archetype too. She was a goddess of natural order, and judged souls after death.
She is the intersection of the Sacred and Secular orders. Themis was the mother of The Fates,
who must be accommodated.

Plato said that Athena came from Africa, and if that is so, it is likely that Athenas origins lie in
the Egyptian goddess Neith. Like Athena, Neith was a goddess of war and weaving, associating
the card with the tangle of ordered threads that make up the fabric of communal life. Neith
was also, in some stories, the mother of Ra, making her an avatar of the Mother Goddess who
is the womb and tomb of the Sun. In Native American tarot decks, this card is sometimes
associated with Spider Grandmother.

Justice is also associated with the 11th card of the Minor Arcana, The Pages (at least in Waite
and Ryder-Waite, who assigns Justice the number eleven). Pages represent the beginning of a
journey. Justice is a necessary, but not sufficient, step in becoming fully human. It can be
seen as a beginning.

While Athena usually upholds the existing order, demanding that everyone receive their due
as defined by the current order, she is also the older sister of her brother. This is significant
because the second child of Metis is fated to overthrow Zeus (The Emperor). Zeus ate Metis to
prevent her from bearing this second child, but there are those who say he awaits the call,
and that Athena may take up his mantel if he is never born. Then, Justice may overthrow
Power.

When Justice appears in a throw, it usually signals that some injustice needs righting, that
something in the world is dangerously out of balance. This could be interior to the Querent
(not giving the self its due; arrogance), or it could be the calling of the Querent (to right some
external wrong). It is important, however, that the Querent be aware that most things in the
exterior world that they perceive (at least as mediated by a tarot throw) are in fact an
externalization of some interior process or conflict.

Justice Reversed is the classic signal of life out of balance.

In Waite's classic version, to the right are represented the scales (Libra), signifying balance;
to the left is the sword, signifying accountability.

Numbering

Justice is traditionally the eighth card and Strength the eleventh, but the influential Rider-
Waite-Smith deck switched the position of these two cards in order to make them better fit the
astrological correspondences worked out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, under
which the eighth card is associated with Leo and the eleventh with Libra. Today many decks
use this numbering, particularly in the English-speaking world. Both placements are
considered valid.

12 Hanged Man Card
Wikipedia.org

The Hanged Man (XII) is the twelfth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot
decks. It is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description and symbolism

Modern versions of the tarot deck depict a man
hanging upside-down by one foot. The figure is most
often suspended from a wooden beam (as in a cross
or gallows) or a tree. Ambiguity results from the fact
that the card itself may be viewed inverted.

In his book The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, A. E.
Waite, the designer of the Rider-Waite tarot deck,
wrote of the symbol:

The gallows from which he is suspended forms a Tau
cross, while the figurefrom the position of the
legsforms a fylfot cross. There is a nimbus about
the head of the seeming martyr. It should be noted
(1) that the tree of sacrifice is living wood, with
leaves thereon; (2) that the face expresses deep
entrancement, not suffering; (3) that the figure, as a
whole, suggests life in suspension, but life and not
death. [...] It has been called falsely a card of
martyrdom, a card a of prudence, a card of the Great
Work, a card of duty [...] I will say very simply on
my own part that it expresses the relation, in one of
its aspects, between the Divine and the Universe.


He who can understand that the story of his higher
nature is imbedded [sic] in this symbolism will receive intimations concerning a great
awakening that is possible, and will know that after the sacred Mystery of Death there is a
glorious Mystery of Resurrection.

Waite suggests the card carries the following meanings or keywords:

Sacrifice --- Letting go --- Surrendering --- Passivity
Suspension --- Acceptance --- Renunciation --- Patience
New point of view --- Contemplation --- Inner harmony
Conformism --- Non-action --- Waiting --- Giving up

Interpretation

The Hanged Man's symbolism points to divinity, linking it to the Passion in Christianity,
especially The Crucifixion; to the narratives of Osiris in Egyptian mythology, and Mithras in
Ancient Persian mythology and Roman mythology. In all of these archetypal stories, the
destruction of self brings life to humanity; on the card, these are symbolized respectively by
the person of the hanged man and the living tree from which he hangs bound.

The Hanged Man is also associated with Odin, the primary god in Norse mythology. Odin hung
upside down from the world-tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days to attain wisdom and thereby
retrieved the runes from the Well of Wyrd, which in Norse cosmology is regarded as the
source and end of all sacred mystery and knowledge. The moment he glimpsed the runes, he
died, but the knowledge of them was so powerful that he immediately returned to life.

13 Death Card
Wikipedia.org

Death (XIII) is the thirteenth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is
used in Tarot, tarock and tarocchi games as well as in divination.

Description

The Death card commonly depicts a skeleton riding a horse. Surrounding it are dead and dying
people from all classes, including kings, bishops and commoners. The skeleton carries a black
standard emblazoned with a white flower. Some decks depict the Crashing Towers from The
Moon with The Sun rising behind them in the background. Some decks, such as the Tarot of
Marseilles, omit the name from the card.

Rider-Waite symbolism

The king is trampled by a reaping skeleton
horseman, as the Pictorial Key to the Tarot describes
him, which appears to be a personification of death.
The fall of the king may represent the importance
and magnitude of the critical event of this card, or
that death takes us all equally.
The reaper carries a black banner
emblazoned with the Mystic Rose, which according to
Waite symbolises life or rebirth.
As in other cards, the gray background may
indicate uncertainty surrounding this event.
The bishop may represent faith in the face of
death, faith in the divine plan, and faith that "God
works in mysterious ways".
The maiden seeming distraught by the fall of
the king represents the sorrow and great pain that
often accompanies death.
The child, seemingly entranced by the
occurrence, may represent bewilderment or curiosity.
In the darkness behind, according to Waite's
PKT, lies the whole world of ascent in the spirit.
Although some believe the New Jerusalem
appears as a silhouette across the Sun, it does not
appear clearly enough to be certain and may instead
be the tops of The Moon's mountains.

Interpretation

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of modern Tarot interpretations. However,
not all interpretations follow his model.

Some frequent keywords used by tarot readers for the interpretation of Death are:

Ending of a cycleLossConclusionSadness
Transition into a new statePsychological transformation
Finishing upRegenerationElimination of old patterns
Being caught in the inescapableGood-byesDeep change

According to Eden Gray and other authors on the subject, it is unlikely that this card actually
represents a physical death. Typically it implies an end, possibly of a relationship or interest,
and therefore implies an increased sense of self-awarenessnot to be confused with self-
consciousness or any kind of self-diminishment.

14 Temperance Card
Wikipedia.org

Temperance (XIV) is the fourteenth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot
decks. It is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. (Wood, 1998.)
However, not all interpretations follow his theology.
It is important to remember that all Tarot decks
used for divination are interpreted through the
personal experience of those involved with the
reading.

Some frequent keywords are:

Temperance --- Harmony --- Balance --- Health
Moderation ----Joining forces --- Well-being ---
Recovery
Equilibrium --- Transcendence --- Unification ----
Healing
Synthesis --- Bringing together opposites --- Feeling
secure

Temperance (Italian: La Temperanza) appears in the
oldest Italian decks where it is numbered VI or VII.
In the Tarot de Marseille and in most contemporary
decks the card is numbered XIV. In the Thoth Tarot
and decks influenced by it, this card is called Art
rather than Temperance.


Temperance is almost invariably depicted as a person pouring liquid from one receptacle into
another. Historically, this was a standard symbol of the virtue temperance, one of the cardinal
virtues, representing the dilution of wine with water. In many decks, the person is a winged
person/angel, usually female or androgynous, and stands with one foot on water and one foot
on land.

In addition to its literal meaning of temperance or moderation, the Temperance card is often
interpreted as symbolizing the blending or synthesis of opposites. An influential tradition
originating with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn associates Temperance with the
astrological sign Sagittarius. It is also commonly associated with the letter (Samekh) in the
Hebrew alphabet.

Significance in divination

The appearance of Temperance in a reading may suggest to the Querent that moderation is
required in some aspect of life. Interpretations of this card's appearance may focus on
bringing balance to the life of the Querent. In other interpretations the card may serve as a
reminder that a compromise between two seemingly incompatible options is often the best
option. The precise place of this card in the Querent's life will be determined by other cards in
the spread.

Mythopoetic approach

In most modern tarot decks, Temperance stands between Death and The Devil. He or she
(traditions vary) guides the souls of the dead to judgment.

In some traditions, Temperance does the judging. In those schools, the cups in Temperances
hands are the functional equivalent of scales, and Temperance, like Maat, an Egyptian goddess
of wisdom, judges the souls worth before passing it on to the beasts of the underworld. In
some stories, Maat both judges the souls against a feather and protects the scale from being
tipped by Set. If the soul is heavier than a feather, it will be fed to the eater of souls.

In other traditions, Temperance is the remixing of life, accepting the dead into the underworld,
into the blessed lands, and deciding what to send back into the fray. Every atom in our bodies
has passed through thousands of forms, and will pass through thousands more. Temperance
reminds us of our connection to the greater forces.

Others say that the vessels in the Angels hands represent the Golden Crucible of Taoism; the
vessel that contains eternal life. Others say it is representative of the head feeding the
stomach; unification of the physical and spiritual needs.

Temperance is associated through its cross sum (the sum of the digits) with The Hierophant.
The Hierophant (ideally) brings the lessons of the other world into this one in an
understandable form; Temperance (among other things) judges how well we have mastered
the wisdom of the other worlds.

Even though this card is well lit by a setting sun, it is an underworld card. Observe, for
example, the lilies in the background. Lilies grow in Hades, and the lily represents the goddess
Iris, another messenger goddess who transcends the individual realms. The Easter Lily
sometimes represents the death of Christ on the Cross, and the three days He spent in the
underworld before the Resurrection.

The red wings of the Angel represent blood, life, and that which transcends the death of the
individual.

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the Sun in the background conceals a crown. That crown is the
ego, who has died and is at the cusp of the adventures of the night.

Some Jungians say that Temperance represents the unconscious, which can guide us, they
contend, to a deeper understanding of ourselves. The one foot on the land, the other in the
water, represents the unification of the external and internal, conscious and unconscious,
realms.

Under these approaches, when Temperance appears, it is a warning or invitation to be
prepared for a confrontation with the deepest questions of who we are, who we think we are,
and who we will become.

Alternative decks

In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Temperance is Arashi Kishuu.

15 Devil Card
Wikipedia.org

The Devil (XV) is the fifteenth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is
used in game playing as well as in divination.

Symbolism

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the Devil sits above
two naked human demonsone male, one female,
who are chained to his seat. The Tarot Devil card is
derived in part from Eliphas Levi's famous illustration
"Baphomet" in his Dogme et Rituel de la Haute
Magie (1855). Baphomet is winged and horned,
combining human and bestial features. Many
modern Tarot decks portray the Devil as a satyr-like
creature. In the Tarot of Marseilles, the devil is
portrayed with facial features in unusual places, such
as a mouth on his stomach, eyes on his knees, and
with female breasts and male genitalia.

According to Waite, the Devil is standing on an altar.
In his left hand, the Devil holds a great flaming torch
inverted towards the earth. A reversed pentagram is
on his forehead.

Eliphas Levi says in his book, Transcendental Magic,
its Doctrine and Ritual that:

"A reversed pentagram, with two points projecting
upwards, is a symbol of evil and attracts sinister
forces because it overturns the proper order of
things and demonstrates the triumph of matter over
spirit. It is the goat of lust attacking the heavens
with its horns, a sign execrated by initiates." In
Native American tarot, the attribution is often more
complex than this.

Divination usage

Some frequent keywords used by tarot readers are:

Materialism --- Ignorance --- Stagnation --- Self-bondage
Lust --- Egoism --- Obsession --- Anxiety --- Anger
Hedonism --- Passion --- Instincts
Sexuality ---- Temptation --- Doubt --- Vice
Futility --- Physical attraction --- Pessimism --- Insight

Please remember that all Tarot decks used for divination are interpreted according to personal
experience and standards.

Interpretation

The Devil is the card of self-bondage to an idea or belief which is preventing a person from
growing or being healthyan example might be a belief that getting drunk each night is good
for you. On the other hand, however, it can also be a warning to someone who is too
restrained and/or dispassionate and never allows him or herself to be rash or wild or
ambitious, which is yet another form of enslavement.

The Devil is the 15th card of the Major Arcana, and is associated with earth and Capricorn.
Though many decks portray a stereotypical Satan figure for this card, it is more accurately
represented by our bondage to material things rather than by any evil persona. It also
indicates an obsession or addiction to fulfilling our own earthly base desires. Should the Devil
represent a person, it will most likely be one of money and power, one who is persuasive,
aggressive, and controlling. In any case, it is most important that the querent understands
that the ties that bind are freely worn.

Mythopoetic approach

The Devil is both the Ur-Adversary, and a tremendous source of strength. He represents
nearly an inexhaustible source of energy. Battling him gives us strength. Submitting to him
completely is ego-death.

As with The Magician (Tarot card), the iconography of most of the standard Tarot suits appear.
His wings represent Air, the suit of Swords. The torch in his hands, and the flames in the tail
of the male devil represent Fire, the suit of Wands. The grapes in the tail of the female devil
invoke Earth; the same grapes appear in most of the cards in the suit of Disks. Only water,
Cups are missing. On one level, this is curious; water is of the unconscious, and The Devil
dwells in the subconscious. On another level it is heartbreaking; what is missing from the
Devils realm is The Grail, the kindly blessings of the Cup.

Perhaps to make up for the lack of water, the kindlier aspects of this card can be seen in the
Two of Cups.

If the Major Arcana is analogized to the Suns circle across the sky, The Devil governs the Sun
at midnight, when it is most vulnerable to the Old Night. The ancient Egyptians tell of the
serpent demon Apophis, Chaos, who would sometimes lay in wait for Ra as he piloted the boat
of the Sun down the Nile to be born again in the morning. Sometimes, Apophis would swallow
the sun. Mercifully, the reversals of the night brought Set to an unlikely rescue; he ripped
Apophis open and let the Sun escape. Set, The Devil, is the adversary but sometimes, he is
our best and only ally.

In Jungian terms, he is The Shadow: all the repressed, unmentioned or unmentionable desires
that lurk beneath.

The Devil is related both through his cross sum (sum of the digits) and his iconography with
Key VI, The Lovers. Both cards speak to our drives; the drives that take us out of the garden;
the drives that make us hard, make us warm, make us live. The central character in each is
winged; each lives in the archetypal ether. Each is crowned: the Angel in The Lovers with fire,
The Devil by a Pentagram and rams horns. Above each rides a naked man and a naked
woman. But in The Lovers, there is still some sense of newness, wholesomeness, and hope; in
The Devil they are chained by the neck and partially transformed into creatures of the
underworld; transformed by their taste of the darkness; by the fruit of the underworld.

The chains are loose. They can be slipped. The Devils own torch can light the way out and
light the return, back to the surface.

16 Tower Card
Wikipedia.org

The Tower (XVI) (most common modern name) is the sixteenth trump or Major Arcana card in
most cartomancy Tarot decks. It is not used as part of any game.

History

This card follows immediately after The Devil in all
Tarots that contain it, and is considered an ill omen.
Some early painted decks such as the Visconti-
Sforza tarot do not contain it. Also, some Tarot
variants used for game playing omit it.

Early printed decks that preserve all their cards do
feature The Tower. In these decks the card bears a
number of different names and designs. In the
Minchiate deck, the image usually shown is of two
nude or scantily clad people fleeing the open door of
what appears to be a burning building. In some
Belgian tarots and the seventeenth century tarot of
Jacques Vieville, the card is called La Foudre or La
Fouldre, ("The Lightning") and depicts a tree being
struck by lightning. In the Tarot of Paris (17th
century), the image shown is of the Devil, beating
his drums, before what appears to be the mouth of
Hell; the card still is called La Fouldre. The Tarot of
Marseilles merges these two concepts, and depicts a
burning tower being struck by lightning or fire from
the sky, its top section dislodged and crumbling.
Two men are depicted in mid-fall, against a field of
multicolored balls. A. E. Waite's version is based on
the Marseilles image, with bits of fire in the shape of
Hebrew yod letters replacing the balls.

A variety of explanations for the images depicted on the card have been attempted. For
example, it may be a reference to the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, where God destroys
a tower built by mankind to reach Heaven. Alternatively, the Harrowing of Hell was a frequent
subject in late medieval liturgical drama, and Hell could be depicted as a great gate knocked
asunder by Jesus Christ, with accompanying pyrotechnics. The Minchiate version of the deck
may represent Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Divination usage

Some frequent keywords used by card readers are:

Chaos --- Sudden change --- Impact --- Hard times
Crisis --- Revelation --- Disruption --- Realizing the truth
Disillusion --- Crash --- Burst --- Uncomfortable experience
Downfall --- Ruin --- Ego blow --- Explosive transformation
Upside down :

To be currently in a harsh and chaotic situation but exiting in a good manner. Indeed you are
falling but landing with your feet over the soil.
The same of the normal position but less negative because their incorrect position can block
some powers of the card.

Interpretation

Many differing meanings are attributed to the card:

To some, it symbolizes failure, ruin and catastrophe.
To others, the Tower represents the paradigms constructed by the ego, the sum total
of all schema that the mind constructs to understand the universe. The Tower is struck
by lightning when reality does not conform to expectation.
Epiphanies, transcendental states of consciousness, and Kundalini experiences may
result. In the Triple Goddess Tarot, the card is named "Kundalini Rising".
The Tower further symbolizes that moment in trance in which the mind actually
changes the direction of the force of attention from alpha condition (pointed
mindward) to theta condition (pointed imaginal stageward). A Theta condition
(especially in waking versions of theta states) is that moment when information
coming into the ego-mind overwhelms external or sensory stimuli, resulting in what
might otherwise be called a "vision" or "hallucination."
Each card in the Major Arcana is a related to the previous ones. After the self bondage
of The Devil, life is self correcting. Either the querents must make changes in their
own lives, or the changes will be made for them.
The querent may be holding on to false ideas or pretenses; a new approach to
thinking about the problem is needed. The querent is advised to think outside the box.
The querent is warned that truth may not oblige schema. It may be time for the
querent to re-examine belief structures, ideologies, and paradigms they hold to. The
card may also point toward seeking education or higher knowledge.
Others believe that the Tower represents dualism, and the smashing of dualism into its
component parts, in preparation for renewal that does not come from reified,
entrenched concepts. The Ivory Tower as a parallel image comes to mind, with all its
good parts and its bad parts.

Alternate Decks

It is also called Le Maison Dieu ("The House of God").
The "Flemish Deck" by Vandenborre (c.1750-1760) renames it Le Foudre ("The
Thunderbolt"). It shows a frightened shepherd cowering under a burning tree split by a
bolt of lightning while sheep graze at its base.
In Anne Rice Tarot deck the Tower card depicts Armand
In X/1999, the Tower is Tokiko Magami & Tooru Shirou (This makes Tower & Strength
(features Yuzuriha Nekoi & Inuki) are the only cards in the X tarot set that has more
than one character, since the other cards has only one character for one card; the
examples are that Kamui Shirou represents the Magician, Kotori Monou represents the
Lovers, Subaru Sumeragi represents the Hanged Man, Seishirou Sakurazuka
represents Death, Karen Kasumi represents Justice, Princess Hinoto represents the
High Priestess, Kanoe represents the Empress, Arashi Kishuu represents Temperance,
Satsuki Yatooji represents the Hermit).
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Tower is depicted by Poseidon.


17 Star Card
Wikipedia.org

The Star (XVII) is the seventeenth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks.
It is used in game playing as well as in divination.

Description

A naked woman kneels by the water; one foot is in
the water, one foot is on the land. Above her head a
star shines out. In each hand she holds a jug. From
one jug she pours a liquid into the water. From the
other jug she pours a liquid onto the land. In other,
older decks, a woman (or sometimes even a man) is
simply looking and sometimes gesturing at a large
star in the sky.

Interpretation

Some frequent keywords are:

Calmness - Free-flowing love - Trust
Tranquility - Peace of mind - Pure essence
Hope - Serenity - Inspiration - Generosity
Optimism - Joy - Faith - Regeneration
Good will - Optimism - Harmony - Renewal of forces

Rider-Waite symbolism

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations; however, not all
interpretations follow his philosophy.

The bird nested on the tree bears resemblance to the
Ibis, a bird which was venerated by the ancient Egyptians as a symbol of the god Thoth.
There are altogether 8 stars which account for the 8 minor astrological planets (excluding the
sun and moon which have their own respective cards). This is inclusive of Pluto - at the time
of the deck's illustration an unknown planet X (Pluto was officially discovered in 1930).
According to Waite the main star is l'Etoile Flamboyante of the Masonic tradition.

Interpretation

The pool of water refers to the subconscious or the universal. The land refers to the material
world. The natural woman or goddess of Nature renews both. The two pitchers represent
integration of the two opposite sides of our nature. Usually divined as hope for the future, it
may indicate good things to come in the things represented by cards that may be close to the
star in a reading layout.

The Star represents a moment of renewed hope, inspiration and discovery. The turmoil of
escape from the Devil depicted on the previous trump in the series (The Tower) is over,
indicating calm after the storm. It is a breakthrough, a new opportunity to rise to higher state
of consciousness. It is the first of 3 cards of increasing light, indicating we may be receiving
greater clarity. A higher pathway is becoming visible. We may solve a mystery, discover
secrets, or gain ideas in meditation.

The ladder of planets by which we climb the mystical journey is visible in the sky. In the Fool's
or Hero's Journey, the Star indicates that we are approaching the goal of enlightenment.

Alternate Decks

It is also called The Astronomer or The Navigator.
In the "Flemish Deck" by Vandenborre, Le Etoille ("The Star") shows an astronomer
seated at the left-hand corner with a tower in the right-hand corner. Above him is a
large star surrounded by smaller stars. He is looking at the stars with a divider.

18 Moon Card
Wikipedia.org

The Moon (XVIII) is the eighteenth trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot
decks. It is used in game playing as well as in divination.


Symbolism

Two large, foreboding pillars are shown.
Some see them as tombstones, others relate them to
Karma.
A wolf and a domesticated dog howl at the
moon.
A crayfish appears in the water.
The Moon is "shedding the moisture of
fertilizing dew in great drops" (WAITE). These are
numbered 18 in the Rider-Waite deck and are all
Yodh-shaped. On this basis, some associate this card
with impregnation.

Rider-Waite specific

Very clearly, the figure in the moon is
frowning, reflecting displeasure.
The waxing moon has 16 chief rays and 16
secondary rays.
The beasts are a dog and a wolf, which
represent "the fears of the natural mind".
The crayfish crawls from the water onto the
land.
There is a pathway into the distant, dark
unknown.



Interpretation

According to Waite's The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, the card represents life of the imagination
apart from life of the spirit. The dog and wolf are the fears of the natural mind in the presence
of that place of exit, when there is only reflected light to guide it. This reference is a key to
another form of symbolism. The intellectual light is a mere reflection and beyond it is the
unknown mystery which it cannot reveal. It illuminates our animal nature, types of which are
represented belowthe dog, the wolf, and that which comes up out of the deeps, the
nameless and hideous tendency which is lower even than the savage beast. It strives to attain
manifestation, symbolized by crawling from the abyss of water to the land, but as a rule it
sinks back whence it came. The face of the mind directs a calm gaze upon the unrest below,
and the dew of thought falls. The message is: "Peace, be still," and it may be that there shall
come a calm upon the animal nature, while the abyss beneath shall cease from giving up
form.

Some frequent keywords are:

Lack of clarity --- Tension --- Doubt --- Fantasy
Deception --- Psychological conflict --- Obscured vision
Confusion --- Illusion --- Fear --- Imagination --- Worry
Romanticism --- Anxiety --- Apprehension --- Unrealistic ideas

Other meanings

This card has to do with sleep patterns. This can mean both dreaming and nightmares. If one
gets this card, one may be going through a particularly difficult emotional time. Rather than
losing yourself in the overwhelming imagery and fantasy that signal the presence of the Moon,
give form to this imagery through the creative arts (painting, writing, or dancing). The
association this card bears with imagery and fantasy can put one in touch with visions and
insight, creativity and psychic powers.

The Moon can be interpreted with the feeling of uncertainty, where the past still haunts,
unsure of a journey but still going ahead with it, feeling watched and because it is commonly
associated with dreams, fantasies and mysteries this card can also be interpreted with surreal
feelings and situations in your waking life.

Alternative decks

In the "Flemish Deck" by Vandenborre, the moon shows a woman seated in the right-
hand corner with a tree in the left hand corner. The moon is directly above her. She is
shown with a distaff in her right hand and spinning thread with her left hand.
In the old Italian Tarot decks, instead of the above scene there is an astrologer
measuring the large moon above him in some way.
In Mythic Tarot decks, the moon is depicted by Artemis, Selene and Hecate.

19 Sun Card
Wikipedia.org

The Sun (XIX) is a trump card in the tarot deck. Tarot trumps are often called Major Arcana by
tarot card readers.

Description

Rider-Waite symbolism

A. E. Waite suggested that this card is associated
with attained knowledge. An infant rides a white
horse under the anthropomorphized sun, with
sunflowers in the background. The child of life holds
a red flag, representing the blood of renewal while a
smiling sun shines down on him, representing
accomplishment. The conscious mind prevails over
the fears and illusions of the unconscious. Innocence
is renewed through discovery, bringing hope for the
future.

Divination usage

This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations
to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (March 2008)

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. However, all Tarot
decks used for divination are interpreted according
to personal experience and standards.

Some frequent keywords used by tarot readers are:

Optimism---Expansion---Being radiant---Positive feelings
Enlightenment---Vitality---Innocence---Non-criticism
Assurance---Energy---Personal power---Happiness
Splendor---Brilliance---Joy ---Enthusiasm

This card is generally considered positive. It is said to reflect happiness and contentment,
vitality, self-confidence and success. Sometimes referred to as the best card in Tarot, it
represents good things and positive outcomes to current struggles.


Alternative decks

In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Sun is depicted by Apollo.


20 Judgement Card
Wikipedia.org

Judgement (XX), or in some decks spelled
Judgment, is a Tarot card, part of the Major Arcana
suit usually comprising 22 cards.

Rider-Waite symbolism

Very clearly, it is modeled after the Christian
Resurrection before the Last Judgment. An angel,
possibly Gabriel, is depicted blowing a great
trumpet, from which hangs a white flag bearing a
red cross, most likely the St George's Cross. A group
of humans (man, woman, and child) of grayish
complexion stand, arms spread, looking up at the
angel in awe. The people are apparently emerging
from crypts or graves. There are huge mountains or
tidal waves in the background, which almost seem
like glaciers as they are so white and blue. These
may be a reference to the sea giving up its dead on
the day of judgment, as described in the Book of
Revelation.

Divination usage

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of
modern Tarot interpretations. However, not all
interpretations follow his practices. Please remember
that all Tarot decks used for divination are
interpreted up to personal experience and standards.


Some frequent keywords are:

Judgment ----- Rebirth ----- Inner Calling ----- Absolution
Restart ----- Accepting past mistakes/actions ----- Release
Forgiveness ----- End of repression ----- Reconciliation ----- Renewal
Decision ----- Salvation ----- New beginning ----- Hope ----- Redemption

When Judgment appears in a reading, it is usually interpreted as a signal of an impending
judgment, such as of postponed decisions. As the card symbolizes resurrection, it can also be
interpreted to herald the return of individuals from the past. The card also represents God's
promise of life after death. In a reading, especially near the Six of Cups, it may represent a
preoccupation with the past, while also suggesting a new beginning and clearing out of the
past. Tarot scholar Tara Miller writes that "Judgment represents the House of Gabriel, the
knowing that Judgment Day can come at any moment; live your life to the fullest, as the
trumpet of Gabriel is at hand."

Alternative Decks

In the Mythic Tarot deck, Judgment is depicted by Hermes.
In the Thoth Deck deck, Judgement is referred to as The Aeon and includes pictorial
representations of Nuit, Hadit and Ra-Hoor-Kuit and Harpocrates.

21 World Card
Wikipedia.org

The World (XXI) is a trump or Major Arcana card in the tarot deck. It is usually the final card
of the Major Arcana or tarot trump sequence. In the tarot family of card games, this card is
usually worth five points.

Description

A naked woman hovers or dances above the Earth
holding a staff in each hand, surrounded by a green
wreath, being watched by various creatures. In older
decks, these are usually a human face or head, a
lion, an ox, and an eagle, the symbols of the four
Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It also
holds reference to the vision of Ezekiel of the
"throne" or "chariot" of God in the Old Testament.
The four figures in the corners of the card are also
referenced in the Book of Revelation, 4:7, where the
throne of God is described: "And the first beast was
like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the
third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast
was like a flying eagle."

Later decks avoid such overt Christian symbolism, or
ignore it altogether, choosing to explain these
observers as representatives of the natural world, or
the kingdom of beasts. According to astrological
tradition, the Lion is Leo, a fire sign; the Bull or calf
is Taurus, an earth sign; the Man is Aquarius, an air
sign; and the Eagle is Scorpio, a water sign. These
signs also represent the classical four elements.

In some decks the wreath is an ouroborous biting its
own tail. In the Thoth Tarot designed by Aleister
Crowley, this card is called "The Universe."

Interpretation

The World represents an ending to a cycle of life, a pause in life before the next big cycle
beginning with the fool. The figure is at once male and female, above and below, suspended
between the heavens and the earth. It is completeness. It is also said to represent cosmic
consciousness; the potential of perfect union with the One Power of the universe. It tells us
full happiness is also to give back to the world, sharing what we have learned or gained.

According to Robert M. Place in his book The Tarot, the four beasts on the World card
represent the fourfold structure of the physical world, which frames the sacred center of the
world, a place where the divine can manifest. Sophia, meaning Prudence or Wisdom (the
dancing woman in the center), is spirit or the sacred center, the fifth element. It is the fourth
of the Cardinal virtues in the Tarot. The World card is thus a symbol of the goal of mystical
seekers. The lady in the center is its symbol. In some older decks, this central figure is Christ,
in others it is Hermes. Whenever it comes up, this card represents what is truly desired.

Divination usage

In the early twentieth century, A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of modern
tarot interpretations. However, not all interpretations follow his beliefs. Tarot decks used for
divination are interpreted according to personal experience and standards.

Some frequent keywords used by tarot readers are:

Fulfillment --- Accomplishment / Success --- Prospering
Integration --- Involvement
Satisfaction / Repleteness --- Contentment / Good feelings --- Wholeness


22 Fool Card
Wikipedia.org

The Fool or The Jester is one of the 78 cards in a Tarot deck; one of the 22 Trump cards that
make up the Major Arcana. The Fool is unnumbered (sometime represented as 0--the firstor
XXII--the lastMajor Arcana in decks). It is used in divination as well as in game playing.

Iconography

The Fool is titled Le Mat in the Tarot of Marseilles,
and Il Matto in most Italian language tarot decks.
These archaic words mean "the madman" or "the
beggar", and may be related to the word for
'checkmate' in relation to the original use of tarot
cards for gaming purposes.

In the earliest Tarot decks, the Fool is usually
depicted as a beggar or a vagabond. In the Visconti-
Sforza tarot deck, the Fool wears ragged clothes and
stockings without shoes, and carries a stick on his
back. He has what appear to be feathers in his hair.
His unruly beard and feathers may relate to the
tradition of the woodwose or wild man. Another early
Italian image that relates to the tradition is the first
(and lowest) of the series of the so called "Tarocchi
of Mantegna". This series of prints containing images
of social roles, allegorical figures, and classical
deities begins with "Misero", a depiction of a beggar
leaning on a staff. A similar image is contained in the
German Hofamterspiel; there the fool (German:
Narr) is depicted as a barefoot man in robes,
apparently with bells on his hood, playing a bagpipe.

The Tarot of Marseilles and related decks similarly
depict a bearded person wearing what may be a
jester's hat; he always carries a bundle of his belongings on a stick slung over his back. He
appears to be getting chased away by an animal, either a dog or a cat. The animal has torn
his pants.

In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck and other esoteric decks made for cartomancy, the Fool is
shown as a young man, standing on the brink of a precipice. In the Rider-Waite deck, he is
also portrayed as having with him a small dog. The Fool holds a rose in one hand and in the
other a small bundle of possessions.

In French suited tarot decks that do not use the traditional emblematic images of Italian suited
decks for the suit of trumps, the Fool is typically made up as a jester or bard, reminiscent of
the joker in a deck of playing cards.

History

The Hermitage tells us that in the decks before Waite-Smith, the Fool is almost always
unnumbered. There are a few exceptions: some old decks (including the 15th-century Sola
Busca and the Rider Waite) label the card with a "0", and the Belgian Tarot designs label the
Fool as "XXII". The Fool is almost always completely apart from the sequence of trumps in the
historic decks. Still, there is historic precedent for regarding it as the lowest trump and as the
highest trump.

Traditionally, the Major Arcana in Tarot cards are numbered with Roman numerals. The Fool is
numbered with the zero, one of the Arabic numerals.

In tarot games

L'Excuse from the French Tarot card gameIn the various tarot card games such as French
Tarot, Tarocchini and Tarock, the Fool has a unique role. In these games, the Fool is
sometimes called "the Excuse". The tarot games are typically trick taking games; playing the
Fool card excuses the player from either following suit or playing a trump card on that trick.
Winning a trick containing the Fool card often yields a scoring bonus.

In occult tarot, the Fool is usually considered part of the "major arcana". This is not true in the
tarot game itself; the Fool's role in the game is independent of both the suit cards and the
trump cards, and the card does not belong to either category. As such, most tarot decks
originally made for game playing do not assign a number to the Fool indicating its rank in the
suit of trumps; it has none. It usually has a star in French Tarot. Waite gives the Fool the
number 0, but in his book discusses the Fool between Judgment, no. 20, and The World, no.
21.

However, in some more modern tarot card games, specifically Austrian Tarock games, the Fool
is instead played as the 22 of Trump, making it the highest trump in such games.

Symbolism

The Fool is the spirit in search of experience. He represents the mystical cleverness bereft of
reason within us, the childlike ability to tune into the inner workings of the world. The sun
shining behind him represents the divine nature of the Fool's wisdom and exuberance, holy
madness or 'crazy wisdom'. On his back are all the possessions he might need. In his hand
there is a flower, showing his appreciation of beauty. He is frequently accompanied by a dog,
sometimes seen as his animal desires, sometimes as the call of the "real world", nipping at his
heels and distracting him. He is seemingly unconcerned that he is standing on a precipice,
apparently about to step off. One of the keys to the card is the paradigm of the precipice, Zero
and the sometimes represented oblivious Fool's near-step into the oblivion (The Void) of the
jaws of a crocodile, for example, are all mutually informing polysemy within evocations of the
iconography of The Fool. The staff is the offset and complement to the void and this in many
traditions represents wisdom and renunciation, e.g. 'danda' (Sanskrit) of a Sanyassin, 'danda'
(Sanskrit) is also a punctuation mark with the function analogous to a 'full-stop' which is
appropriately termed a period in American English. The Fool is both the beginning and the
end, neither and otherwise, betwixt and between, liminal.

The number 0 is a perfect significator for the Fool, as it can become anything when he reaches
his destination as in the sense of 'joker's wild'. Zero plus anything equals the same thing. Zero
times anything equals zero. Zero is nothing, a lack of hard substance, and as such it may
reflect a non-issue or lack of cohesiveness for the subject at hand.

Interpretations

In many esoteric systems of interpretation, the Fool is usually interpreted as the protagonist
of a story, and the Major Arcana is the path the Fool takes through the great mysteries of life
and the main human archetypes. This path is known traditionally in Tarot as the Fools
Journey, and is frequently used to introduce the meaning of Major Arcana cards to beginners.

In his Manual of Cartomancy, Grand Orient has a curious suggestion of the office of Mystic
Fool, as a part of his process in higher divination. The conventional explanations say that The
Fool signifies the flesh, the sensitive life, depicting folly at the most insensate stage. When The
Fool appears in a spread, he is a signal to strip down to the irreducible core, and interrogate
whether the Querant's self-vision is obscured. It may also be a warning that significant change
is coming. Another interpretation of the card is that of taking action where the circumstances
are unknown, confronting one's fears, taking risks, and so on.


Alternative decks

In German decks he is called Pagat ("The Entertainer"). He is also called the Sks,
from the French Tarot Excuse (or wild card). He and The Magician became the
forerunners of today's lesser and greater Jokers.
In the Flemish Deck by Vandenborre, Le Fou ("The Lunatic or Jester") is numbered
XXII. It depicts a bearded man walking through weeds with a bindle on a stick over his
right shoulder and a walking stick in his left hand. A dog is biting him on the back of
his right thigh.
The Vikings Tarot portrays Loki as the Fool, with a mistletoe in one hand and a fishing-
net in the other.
Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot Fool is walking on air, a symbol of "the creative Light",
according to Crowley. Linked to the Universe card, coins of the planets and zodiac in
his satchel, he embodies all of the twenty-two trump cards and none.
In the Trinity Blood tarot deck Abel Nightroad is depicted as the Fool card.
H. R. Giger's set depicts the Fool sitting in a chair, wearing headphones, with a woman
straddling him (visible from the lower torso down), facing away with her bare buttocks
directly in front of his face. He is holding a pistol-gripped shotgun with the barrel in his
mouth.
In the Shakespeare Tarot, the Fool is depicted by Falstaff.
In the Mythic Tarot deck, the Fool is depicted by Dionysus.


Oracle Cards
Wikipedia.org

Oracle card decks claim to provide insight and positive outlooks to people. Modern oracle cards
are conceptually similar to divinatory tarot cards, but they are often not divided into playing
card suits. They often lack what is often seen as the "darker" images of traditional tarot cards.
Unlike the Tarot, oracle cards are not known to be used for card games. Oracle decks often
differ in the number of cards. Common themes used in oracle card decks involve the power of
positive thought and metaphysical beings such as angels, fairies, mermaids and unicorns.
These cards are sometimes called "fortune telling packs"

Some of the earlier "Oracle" or "fortune telling" cards are similar to conventional playing cards
and may even carry the French suit system. These fortune telling cards often claim a "Gypsy"
tradition of cartomancy and pre-date the New Age movement by a great many years. One
type of early fortune telling pack named after famous cartomancer Marie Anne Lenormand
is popular in Europe. In recent history tarot cards have been used for divination, however this
is not known to have been their original use. The earliest uses of tarot cards are for trick
taking card games which are still enjoyed today in Europe.

Recent titles oracle cards:

Psychological insight cards, spiritual insight cards
2012 inspiration cards (using maya Tzolkin calender energy cards).
Also popular is the 'book with all answers' opening a page answers your preset
question.

Curse Tablet
Wikipedia.org

A curse tablet or binding spell (defixio in Latin, katadesmos in Greek) is a type of
curse found throughout the Graeco-Roman world, in which someone would ask the gods to do
harm to others.

Description

These texts were typically scratched on very thin sheets of lead in tiny letters, then often
rolled, folded, or pierced with nails. These bound tablets were then usually placed beneath the
ground: either buried in graves or tombs, thrown into wells or pools, sequestered in
underground sanctuaries, or nailed to the walls of temples. Tablets were also used for love
spells and, when used in this manner they were placed inside the home of the desired target.
They are sometimes discovered along with small dolls or figurines (sometimes inaccurately
referred to as "Voodoo dolls"), which may also be pierced by nails. The figurines resembled
the target and often had both their feet and hands bound. Curse tablets also included hair or
pieces of clothing. This is especially the case in love spells, which calls for hair from the head
of the love target. Some love spells have even been discovered folded around some hair,
probably to bind the spell itself. Not all tablets included a personal name, but it is clear
especially in the Roman period, that tablets were sometimes prepared in advance, with space
left for inserting the names provided by paying customers."

The texts on curse tablets are typically addressed to infernal
or liminal gods such as Hermes, Charon, Hecate, and
Persephone, sometimes via the mediation of a dead person
(probably the corpse in whose grave the tablet was
deposited). Some texts do not invoke the gods, however, but
merely list the targets of the curse, the crimes or conditions
upon which the curse is valid, and/or the intended ill to befall
them. Some tablets are inscribed with nothing more than the
names of the targets, leading to the supposition that an oral
spell may have accompanied the manufacture of the curse.
The texts on the tablets were not always curses; tablets were
also used to help the dead. Those at whose grave sites these
were placed had usually died at a very young age or in a violent manner, and the tablet was
supposed to help lay their souls to rest in spite of their untimely deaths. The language of those
texts that do give context is often concerned with justice, either listing the target's crimes in
great detail, handing over responsibility for their punishment to the gods, using indefinite
grammar ("whoever committed this crime"), or conditional ("if he is guilty"), or even future
conditional ("if he ever breaks his word"). Frequently, such curse tablets are also inscribed
with additional, otherwise meaningless "curse" words such as Bazagra, Bescu, or Berebescu,
seemingly in order to lend them a kind of supernatural efficacy.

Many of those discovered at Athens refer to court cases and curse the opposing litigant, asking
("May he...") that he botch his performance in court, forget his words, become dizzy and so
forth. Others include erotic binding-spells, spells ranged against thieves, and business and
sporting rivals. Those curse tablets targeted at thieves or other criminals may have been more
public, more acceptable; some scholars even refuse to apply the word "curse" to such
"positive" texts, preferring expressions such as "judicial prayers".

About 130 curse tablets have been found at Aquae Sulis (now Bath in England), where many
of the curses related to thefts of clothes whilst the victim was bathing. Over 80 more have
similarly been discovered in and about the remains of a temple to Mercury nearby, at West
Hill, Uley, making south-western Britain one of the major centres for finds of Latin defixiones.

In Ancient Egypt, so-called "Execration Texts" appear around the time of the 12th Dynasty,
listing the names of enemies written on clay figurines or pottery which were then smashed

Eyguieres Curse Tablet
and buried beneath a building under construction (so that they were symbolically
"smothered"), or in a cemetery.

Voces mysticae

Voces mysticae are words not immediately recognizable as belonging to any known language,
and are commonly associated with curse tablets. Anthropologist Stanely J. Tambiah proposed
in 1968 that such words were intended to represent "the language that demons can
understand". Scholars from antiquity, like Christian philosopher Clement of Alexandria (ca.
200 C.E.), believed that human language was not appropriate for addressing the gods.
Therefore, some of the inscriptions of these curse tablets are not easily translatable, because
they were "invocations and secret names" which would only be understood by the spirits
themselves. Another possibility is that curse tablets were produced by professionals who
wished to lend their art a degree of mystique through the use of an apparently secret
language that only they could understand. In support of this theory, at least some tablets
appear to have blank spaces instead of a name for the target, suggesting they were prepared
in advance, and that the desired target's name would be added on behalf of the customer.

Historiography

Magic was used by the people of the Greco-Roman society to control the natural. All members
of society, regardless of economic or class status, used such magic. There have been roughly
1600 curse tablets discovered, mostly written in Greek. Of those tablets, 220 were located in
Attica.

The first set of curse tablets to be discovered came from the city of Selinus in Sicily. A total of
twenty-two tablets were found, mostly coming from the early fifth century, and directed
toward someone that the user was suing. While the ancient Greeks may have feared the
power of these tablets, some historians have compared the tablets to modern swearing,
arguing that they were produced in a fit of anger, in envy towards a business competitor or
athletic opponent, or in an unhealthy obsession toward a person of romantic interest.

When research first began on the topic of curse tablets, there was serious doubt that these
types of artifacts truly came from ancient Greek society. Most historians believed that ancient
Greek society was highly sophisticated, and did not believe in superstitions. E.R. Dodds, a
professor of Greek at Oxford, was one of the first scholars to begin studying the topic of magic
or superstition in ancient Greece, and others such as Peter Green have also studied this aspect
of ancient Greek society.

Erotic magic

There is debate over whether the use of curse tablets for erotic spells was strictly a male
practice, or if both sexes took up the art. Scholars have debated the possible motivations for
using erotic magic, including unrequited love, sexual control of the victim, financial gain, and
social advancement. The love spells used were similar in design around the Mediterranean
world, and could be adjusted to different situations, users and intended victims. Recent
scholarship has shown that women used curse tablets for erotic magic much more than
originally thought, although they were still in a minority.

There is also debate over the type of women that men were trying to attract with these spells.
Some scholars subscribe to the idea of men trying to make fair, chaste women become filled
with desire for them, while others argue that men were trying to control women whom they
thought to be sexually active for their own personal benefit. Christopher A. Faraone considered
the spells to fall into two distinct categories; spells used for inducing passion and spells used
for encouraging affection. Men, according to Faraone, were the primary users of the passion-
inducing spells, while women were the main users of the affection spells.

Dreamcatcher
Wikipedia.org

In Ojibwe (Chippewa) culture, a dreamcatcher (or dream
catcher; Ojibwe asabikeshiinh, the inanimate form of the
word for "spider" or bawaajige nagwaagan meaning "dream
snare") is a handmade object based on a willow hoop, on
which is woven a loose net or web. The dreamcatcher is then
decorated with personal and sacred items such as feathers
and beads.


Origin

While dreamcatchers originated in the Ojibwa Nation, during
the Pan-Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s they were
adopted by Native Americans of a number of different
nations. Some consider the dream catcher a symbol of unity
among the various Indian Nations, and a general symbol of
identification with Native American or First Nations cultures.
However, other Native Americans have come to see dream
catchers as over-commercialized. Non-Indians have also
used the dreamcatcher for their own purposes.




American ethnographer Frances Densmore writes in her book Chippewa Customs (1979, pg.
113):

Even infants were provided with protective charms. Examples of these are the
"spiderwebs" hung on the hoop of a cradle board. These articles consisted of wooden
hoops about 3 inches in diameter filled with an imitation of a spider's web made of
fine yarn, usually dyed red. In old times this netting was made of nettle fiber. Two
spider webs were usually hung on the hoop, and it was said that they "caught any
harm that might be in the air as a spider's web catches and holds whatever comes in
contact with it."

Traditionally, the Ojibwa construct dreamcatchers by tying sinew strands in a web around a
small round or tear-shaped frame of willow (in a way roughly similar to their method for
making snowshoe webbing). The resulting "dream-catcher", hung above the bed, is used as a
charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. As dreamcatchers are made of willow and
sinew, they are not meant to last forever but are intended to dry out and collapse as the child
enters the age of wonderment.

The Ojibwa believe that a dreamcatcher changes a person's dreams. According to Konrad J.
Kaweczynski, "Only good dreams would be allowed to filter through Bad dreams would stay
in the net, disappearing with the light of day." Good dreams would pass through and slide
down the feathers to the sleeper.

Another version from the same article was, "Nightmares pass through the holes and out of the
window. The good dreams are trapped in the web, and then slide down the feathers to the
sleeping person."


Popularization

In the course of becoming popular outside of the Ojibwa Nation, and then outside of the pan-
Indian communities, "dreamcatchers" are now made, exhibited, and sold by some New age
groups and individuals. According to Philip Jenkins, this is considered by most traditional
Native peoples and their supporters to be an undesirable form of cultural appropriation.

The official portrait of Ralph Klein, former Premier of the Canadian province of Alberta and
whose wife Colleen Klein is Mtis, incorporates a dreamcatcher.

The idea of a dream catcher was used by Margaret Salinger, daughter of J. D. Salinger, in her
book of memoirs about her father, Dream Catcher: A Memoir.


Gods Eye
Wikipedia.org


A God's eye is a yarn weaving and a Huichol spiritual object.

The Ojo de Dios or God's eye is a ritual tool, magical object, and cultural symbol evoking the
weaving motif and its spiritual associations. The four points represent the elemental processes
earth, fire, air, and water.



The Ojo de Dios, or God's Eye, is a simple or complex weaving made across two or more sticks
and is thought to have originated with the Huichol Indians of Jalisco, Mexico. The Huichol call
their God's eyes Sikuli, which means "the power to see and understand things unknown."
When a child is born, the central eye is woven by the father, then one eye is added for every
year of the child's life until the child reaches the age of five. Original Huichol Crosses are
extremely rare to come by. There are many that are being made for the tourist market, but
they do not carry the same traditional and spiritual significance.


Nierika, Nielika or Nearika

In traditional Huichol ranchos, a thread of sort that is the nieli'ka or nierika. Negrn states that
one of the principal meanings of nierika is that of a metaphysical vision, an aspect of a god or
a collective ancestor." Importantly, it is the term the Huichol use to refer to deities. Negrn
quotes Lumholtz as stating that for the Huichol "a nierika means a picture, an appearance, or
a sacred representation." The term nierika is etymologically rooted in the verb nieriya, to
see. Nierika are found in most Huichol sacred places: house shrines (xiriki), springs, caves
and temples. Some Natives of northwest Mexico and throughout the southwest U.S. had
visions during peyote ceremonies. Natives have received guidance from Gods who appeared
before them in many shapes, though the eyes of the God was so intense and overwhelming
many Natives could only see the eye of the God. To show others the vision they had, became
the God's eye woven on sticks with handspun yarn, colored with various types of berries,
flowers, and other materials that contribute to the sense of the God's eye.

Negrn states that: The votive nierika is generally a round offering, symbolizing an ancestor
and prayer offerings sanctified by the blood of a sacrificed animal." Nierika as a ritual object
may be attached to votive arrows with bamboo and yarn, or wood-and-wax-embedded
objects. Similarly, Lumholtz states that the nierika evokes an ancestor, thanks it with blood
offerings, and invokes its favors. The nierika may take different forms and fabrication may
differ greatly: a small round or square tablet with a hole in the center covered on one or both
sides with a mixture of beeswax and pine resin into which threads of yarn are pressed; when
the image is not round, it may be considered a resting mat for the ancestors, or a prayer mat
or itari.

Negrn states the elaborate interwoven nierika that Lumholtz called namma (which is close
to the pronunciation of Namkha) from which originated the detailed and now prized yarn
paintings of the commercial art world, are now rarely if ever seen. Namma were generally
rectangular or square in shape, with yarn woven onto a grid of bamboo sticks. These Gods
Eyes are also called by the Spanish term "ojo de dios". One understanding of the ojo de dios
according to Harvey is of a: "wand" (the eye) through which the eye of god will see the
supplicant. Harvey states that: "The cross of the ojo de dios is that of the legendary four
directions: earth, fire, water, and air."

The nierika may also be understood as a shield which we interpret as a metaphorical
protective device shielding against temptations or distractions along the ritual and spiritual
path. Nierika is also referred to as a mirror with two faces; often both sides are covered with
yarn designs and the hole in the middle of some forms of nierika is considered a mirror or
often a small glass mirror is evident. The nierika is a reciprocal magical conduit or path: the
eye, 'hole' or 'mirror' is the magical portal through which humanity and deity perceive each
other.

The nierika, in ritual use, is a face; of the sun, of the earth, of a deer, the wind, the peyote,
and the face of the person making the offering. The nierika is also a portalling device that
facilitates entry into other states of consciousness or the "spiritual world". For the Huichol
there are five directions, each of the cardinal points and the fifth, the central point or eye is
the spiritual, source of visions, power and enlightenment.

Beginning about thirty years ago the yarn painting evolved to its high state today from the
"nierika'. A small square or round tablet with a hole in the center is a nierika (nearika) or
sacred magical offering. These tablets are covered on one or both sides with a mixture of
beeswax and pine resin into which threads of yarn are pressed. Nierikas are found in all
Huichol sacred places such as temples, springs and caves.

The first large yarn paintings were exhibited in Guadalajara in 1962, a direct outgrowth of the
nierika - simple and uncomplicated. At present with the availability of a larger spectrum of
commercial dyed and synthetic yarn, more finely spun yarn paintings have evolved into high
quality works of art. Realism, based on mythology, is the basis of yarn paintings. Peyote
cactus is much revered by the Huichol, a veritable gift from the Gods. Through the use of
peyote, the Huichol create the elaborate designs used in their artwork. It symbolizes the
essence, the very life, sustenance, health, accomplishment, good fortune of the Huichol. Plus
through peyote's hallucinogenic effects, enlightenment and shamanic powers can be achieved.
Annual pilgrimages are taken to Wirikuta to collect the peyote. Only the 'purified ones' can
participate in the harvest or the peyote will not be found. Peyote mandalas or neakilas
(nierika) symbolize the entrance to the spiritual world. As important power objects they are
often found at the center of yarn paintings. Each mandala is individual, Utilizing many of the
same sacred designs and patterns as seen in yarn painting and weaving, the Huichol create
anklets, bags, belts, bracelets, chokers, earrings and rings with the seed beads. "Life is a
constant object of prayer for the Huichol, it is, in the conception, hanging somewhere above
them, and must be reached out for," explains Lumholtz, "thus all phases of their lives are
prayer - the planting, harvesting, peyote pilgrimages - all art, weaving, bead work, face
painting and yarn paintings, embody prayer within symbols. With this introduction one can
better understand the Huichol, their art and their constant communication with the spiritual
realm. Ramon Mara Torres sums it all up by observing, "This ancient art, modernized as a
result of circumstances entirely outside Huichol culture itself, has become like an exotic flower,
eagerly sought after by the cognoscenti." The following information on sikuli has been
reworked from the sales spiel included on the site by Zelaya as background material for the
sale of the sikuli. A specific type of nierika namma or Huichol Cross is called sikuli by the
Huichol and is specifically crafted to protect children and is constructed in several periods. The
central woven design, or eye, is made at the childs birth, and four more are added, one each
upon each consecutive birthday. The weavings are connected by two perpendicular sticks
which are actually used to support the first eye when it is crafted in this format. This Sikuli
was bought from a Shamanistic family from the Highlands of Jalisco that travels to the central
part of the state.

The four points that result represent the elemental processes of Earth, Fire, Water and Air.
Zelaya states that: the 'Eye of God' design is sometimes included in larger flat weavings as a
reminder of the power of holistic unity that is central to Huichol beliefs, but this is not the
same as the actual Cross made for each child. The sikuli is well guarded through the person's
life as a talisman of spiritual protection, health and well being and may be used by the
individual or by shamans in healing or other rituals.

Hung in a child's hair or on the walls of homes, or tied to the ends of arrows, the sikuli's main
purpose is to ensure children a long and healthy life. When a child is born, the central eye is
woven by the father. Then one eye is added for every year of the child's life until the
youngster reaches the age of five. The resulting design in the shape of a cross symbolizes the
four elements of earth, air, fire and water. The Ojo de Dios is the most well known symbol.
The Indians believe the design of the eye has the power to heal and to protect. The Ojo de
Dios is hung on the wall and used in ceremonies and prayer. The colours used have different
meanings: red - life itself; yellow - sun moon and stars; blue - sky and water; brown - soil;
green - vegetation; black - death.

Incantation Bowls
The Encyclopedia of Angels
By Rosemary Ellen Guiley

In early Jewish and Babylonian MAGIC, bowls inscribed with charms for capturing DEMONS or
invoking angelic powers for protection. The bowls, about the size of soup tureens, were placed
upside down at the four corners of houses and in cemeteries. Presumably the bowls caught or
overturned demons who caused a variety of ills and problems. The bowls are inscribed in ink
in a spiral from the inside out; some centers contain drawings of chained demons. The charms
specify protection of homes, families, and possessions against witchcraft, diseases, and
demons. They call upon powerful angels or SOLOMON and the power of the seal of his magical
ring. Dating of incantation bowls is uncertain; they were in use in the fourth and fifth centuries
C.E. and as late as the seventh century.

Metatrons name appears often on incantation bowls in invocations for angelic help. Various
titles given him are the Great Prince of the Whole World, PRINCE OF THE WORLD, and Great
Prince of Gods Throne.

Some bowls inscribed in Jewish Aramaic seem to refer to the ANGEL OF THE LORD with this or
similar inscriptions: YYY the Great, the angel who has eleven names.



FURTHER READING

Barker, Margaret. The Great Angel: A Study of Israels Second God. Louisville, Ky.:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992.
Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Vols. 1 and 2. New
York: Doubleday, 1983, 1985.

Ouija Board
http://www.paranormality.com


Ouija Board is an instrument which allegedly can be
used to contact or channel spirits of the deceased. A
modern day ouija board is usually a wooden or
cardboard device, inscribed with the alphabet, the
words 'yes', 'no', 'hello', 'goodbye' and the numbers
0 to 9. There is usually a slideable piece of apparatus
on rotating castors or wheels with a pointer. The
operators of the board lightly place their fingers on
the slideable device and wait for it to move. When
the pointer comes into contact with, or moves over
one of the letters, numbers or words printed on the
board, a record of this is kept and later used to see if
an intelligible message can be obtained.

A simplified version of the board can easily be produced in the home, by tearing up and
arranging the numbers, words and letters of the alphabet in a circle. The letters form the
outer circle and the numbers and words are arranged within. The sliding pointer of the ouija
board is replaced by an upturned glass or tumbler upon which the operators place their
fingers, and it is this that acts as the message indicator.

The theory behind the practice of using the board, and the placing of fingers on a glass or
slidable message indicator, is to facilitate communication with the spirits of the dead. Once
fingers are lightly placed upon the apparatus of choice, a question is asked out loud and the
spirits are said to reply when the tumbler or 'planchette' (slideable apparatus), appears to
move of its own free will. It is sometimes thought that the spirits are invoked or channeled
and work through the fingers of the operator(s) by moving the planchette towards letters,
words or numbers. From these letters and numbers it is hoped that intelligent messages will
build up to answer any given questions put to the board. Many ouija board users claim that
often information is imparted that no one present could possibly have known. Such claims
over the years has helped to add to the whole aura of danger and mystery which still
surrounds the ouija board today.

The ouija board has undergone a variety of developmental stages since early reports of its
existence which date as far back as 540 BC in the days of Pythagoras. Indeed the board has
assumed a number of guises and names, but undoubtedly the birth of the modern day ouija
board began as a response to the growing fascianation with spiritualism popularised by the
Fox sisters in the 1840's.

The whole idea of contacting spirits of the deceased, by the standards of the 1800's was by no
means unusual or an unheard of phenomenon. The old and new testaments have many
reports of discarnate entities communicating in a variety of ways. Jesus himself was said to
have appeared no less that eleven times after his death. The Virgin Mary too has reportedly
appeared all over the world throughout the last 2000 years.

Other famous episodes of spirit communication include the alleged correspondence of the 16th
century astrologer Dr John Dee. He apparently spoke with the deceased on a regular basis
with the aid of his medium and friend Edward Kelly. Indeed throughout the ages and across a
wide variety of cultures, ghosts, spirits and discarnate entities are said to remain ever present
and ready to impart wisdom to those seeking that type of information.

Spiritualism was not unheard of, nor was it uncommon throughout time, however it did not
gain its noteworthiness as a serious religion until an unusual turn of events at Hydesville near
Rochester in New York in the 1800's. It was here that the Fox sisters first embarked upon a
deliberate spirit communication on March 31st 1848. The spirit communications began when
Catherine (Kate) Fox aged 12 and Margaretta (Maggie) Fox aged 14, moved into
Hydesville near Rochester, New York State with their family and parents John and Margaret
Fox. Their house was reputedly haunted and it was only 3 months into their occupancy around
the middle of March, that the family were increasingly disturbed by banging and rapping that
shook the house.

Eventually on March 31st 1848, Kate Fox 'challenged' the ghost and asked it to repeat 'the
snaps of her fingers'. The ghost obliged, duly stopping when Kate did. Maggie continued with
the communication asking the ghost to copy her counting as she clapped her hands. Again the
ghost obliged. Mrs. Fox even managed to get the ghost to rap out the successive ages of all of
her children, including the age of a younger child who had since died. The credibility of the
whole story was increased when a sceptical neighbour called William Duesler was able to
ascertain from the raps that the spirit was that of a murdered peddler called Charles B Rosa.
Apparently he had been murdered five years earlier for $500 and his body and his tin box
buried in the cellar. In 1904, after the collapse of the cellar wall, a skeleton, believed to be
that of the peddler was unearthed together with his tin box. This turn of events added
considerable weight to the affair. Even after the Fox children were moved out, their spirit
communications both followed and intensified. However this was offset by the children's
increased ability to control the activity. Tables were said to move, causing a rapping with their
legs, unseen fingers played musical instruments and objects allegedly moved around the
room. The Fox sisters with their public demonstrations of physical mediumship opened the
door to a wave of spiritualist writings and demonstrations. The way had been paved for;
"ordinary people who had not understood or developed their innate spiritual and mediumistic
abilities, to find a place - and for some women, a new career - in a religion that promised
eternal life in a comprehensible form."

Of course it soon become patently clear that in order to converse with spirits, then suitable
equipment was required. Isaac Post a family friend recalled that the girls' brother David Fox;
"had used an alphabet system to communicate with the Hydesville ghost."

It was this same alphabet system that was possibly one of the earliest fore runners to the
ouija board. By using this alphabet system, the spirits allegedly told David Fox:

"Dear friends, you must proclaim this truth to the world, this is the dawning of a new
era; you must not try to conceal it any longer. When you do your duty God will protect
you and good spirits will watch over you."

Eventually, the pressures of "sustaining their gifts", alcoholism and a denial by Maggie of her
original talents, led to the whole affair being denounced as a hoax. However the time was just
right and on 14 November 1849 the first small group of Spiritualists gathered in the Corinthian
Hall in Rochester.

By 1852, Spiritualism had arrived in England, brought by the Boston medium Mrs. Hayden,
who 'shockingly' charged for her sances. By 1855 'Spiritualism had more than two million
followers' worldwide. Soon 'home circles' became popular with small groups running their own
little sances. However, possibly the two main events which helped to drive the popularity of
the movement were the American Civil War and the First World War. These two dramatic
historical events and their subsequent carnage on a scale never witnessed before; drove some
desperate families towards Spiritualism and the 'home circles'. In an age of poor
communications it was an attempt to tap into the great unknown, for news of their serving
loved ones, both living and dead. It has even been alleged that Queen Victoria and Albert
experimented at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where they saw a table move on its
own. Rumours also abound that Queen Victoria's 'ghillie' John Brown exerted a hold on Victoria
because of his mediumistic abilities.
The consequence of all of this was that suddenly a large gap had appeared in the market for a
device which could help with spirit communication. Between 1890 and 1950, numerous
manufacturers whose names included: Kennard, Fuld, Haskerlite and Lee, stepped forward to
fill it. As a result the original, noisy rapping or table tilting methods employed by the Fox
Sisters gave way to a small basket with a pencil attached. The medium placed his or her hand
on the basket and writing was said to be produced. Unfortunately these methods were either
quite slow, unintelligible or noisy, and this then gave rise to a heart shaped device. This device
was named the 'planchette' or in English 'little plank'. There are some rumours that suggest
the apparatus was the invention of a medium called Mme Planchette, but this has not been
substantiated.

The planchette was a heart shaped moveable board suspended upon two castors, with a pencil
at the tip of the heart. Again as a device for spirit communication it was by far not ideal. It
was very time consuming and, in their boredom, sitters would look to alternative methods of
communication. These methods often involved dispensing with apparatus entirely. Sitters
would instead go into a trance or use a pencil to generate automatic writing. Many others
began to fashion their own quite unique and elaborate devices called 'dial plates' or
'psychographs'.

However according to the online resource 'The Museum of Talking Boards', a new type of
board hit the headlines in 1886, when details about it emerged in a 'Sunday supplement of the
New York Tribune'. The newspaper article dated March 28th 1886 and titled "The New
Planchette", heralded the arrival of a new "Talking Board". The article also contained a
description of the apparatus, namely; a rectangular board of about '18 x 20 inches', containing
'yes and no', 'good evening' and 'good night' and the letters of the alphabet. On top of this
stood a little table 3 or 4 inches high on four legs. Participants would rest their fingers upon
this little table and duly ask questions. According to an extract from the newspaper report the
little table was:

"to be grasped with the thumb and forefinger at each corner next to you. Then the
question is asked 'Are there any communications?' Pretty soon you think the other
person is pushing the table. He thinks you are doing the same. But the table moves
around to 'yes' or 'no'. Then you go on asking questions, and the answers are spelled
out by the legs of the table resting on the letters one after the other. Sometimes the
table will cover two letters one after the other. Sometimes the table will cover two
letters with its feet, and then you hang on and ask that the table will be moved from
the wrong letter which is done. Some remarkable conversations have been carried on
until men have become in a measure superstitious about it."

The 'New Planchette' appeared to require no formal training or psychic ability to operate it,
this certainly helped increase its universal appeal. According to an article from the online
resource 'The Museum of Talking Boards', the first patent for a similar device to the 'New
Planchette' was filed on '28 May 1890 and granted on 10 February 1891.' The inventors were
listed as: 'Elijah J Bond', with 'Charles W Kennard and William H A Maupin' as assignees, all
from Baltimore in Maryland. The article goes on to credit these persons as the 'first to market
the boards as a novelty.'

The new device was named Ouija, by Charles Kennard and not by William Fuld as appears to
be commonly thought. However there is some speculation as to the name's origins. Some
believe that Kennard was told on using the board that Ouija was the Egyptian name for good
luck. Apparently it is not, but anecdotal evidence suggests that this is how the name
originated. Possibly one of the most likely ways the board came by its name was from the
Moroccan City spelled Ouida, Oujda or Oudjda. Soon Charles Kennard and 'The Kennard
Novelty Company' began producing the 'first ever commercial line of Ouija or Egyptian Luck
Boards'.

After ten years of trading as the 'Ouija Novelty Company', William Fuld, often remembered as
the 'father' of the Ouija Board became a senior employee. Charles Kennard had long since
departed, lasting only fourteen months into the original venture. He continued to work in the
toy industry and although he went on to patent other versions of the board, it is normally
William Fuld's name that is synonymous with the Ouija Board.

He earned his inextricable link to the board as a result of a successful business venture, which
he commenced with his business partner and brother Isaac in 1901. Although record numbers
of Ouija boards were manufactured and sold, Isaac was sacked for 'accounting misconduct',
which caused a great family rift. Isaac continued from his workshop at home to make Ouija-
like reproductions, which he named 'Oriole Talking Boards'. However it was William who
became the master of the market, helped along by a series of highly successful public
relations stunts. These included his re-invention of the Ouija Board's history. Not only did he
take credit for its invention, he went on to suggest that the name Ouija was a combination of
the French word for yes 'oui' and the German word for yes 'ja'. After running his company
through its ups and downs for twenty five years, he fell to his death in 1927 from 'the roof of
his Harford Street factory in Baltimore'. He was supervising the replacement of a flagpole.

His children continued on in the family tradition and continued to market a variety of boards
including the Art Deco 'Electrifying Mystifying Oracle'. Eventually the children retired and sold
the business to the Parker Brothers (now part of Hasbro), who continue to hold all of the
patents and trademarks. It is still possible to acquire variations of the original Ouija Board.
Indeed Parker Brothers (now part of Hasbro), only as late as early 1999 ceased the production
of Fuld's Classic Ouija Board. It has been replaced by a smaller less detailed 'glow in the dark
version' and is still available today.

So what might the future hold for the Ouija Board? It would appear that even in the fast pace
of the twenty first century the board has managed to keep up. It now has a computerised
counterpart! David Kelly from the Department of Mathematics at New Hampshire University
was looking for 'a natural application of the CGI image map' and felt that a virtual ouija board
fitted the bill. He was curious to see how difficult it would be to program. The result was a
computerised version or 'virtual ouija board'. It consists of a screen image that has the
required words, numbers and letters of the alphabet printed on it, and the electronic mouse
pointer acts as the message indicator. To operate the board, the user moves the mouse and
when the electronic pointer comes to rest over one of the letters, numbers etc. that character
is clicked and the same character is reproduced at the top of the screen. This makes it easy to
record and keep track of the chosen letters and decipher any messages. David Kelly notes his
surprise at the popularity of the board. Unfortunately he had to change the name of his
original concept from the 'World Wide Web Ouija' to the 'World Wide Web Talking Board',
because as he states in his own words:

"The previous name, the World Wide Web Ouija, made use of a trademark, ouija,
which is owned by Hasbro Inc. Their lawyers did not like the use of the word and
asked me to change the name of these pages."

Whether or not it is advisable to purchase or fashion a version of the Ouija Board in order to
try it is a matter of great debate. The Ouija Board has its history firmly rooted among the
popularisation of spirit communications and conversations with the dead. As a result, it could
hardly fail to become shrouded in mystery and superstition. Some of the more popular myths
and superstitions surrounding the board include:

Never play the board alone.
Should the planchette move to the four corners of the board then an evil spirit has
been invoked.
Should the planchette fall from the board a spirit will get loose.
A Ouija Board will scream on attempts to burn it, and if it is heard the unfortunate
listener will have a mere thirty six hours to live.
Never ask about the following: potential death dates (when might I die?), God or
buried gold and treasure.

These are to name only a few. However even though the board has quite a formidable
reputation as a tool to be avoided, it would appear that two distinct camps have arisen over
the years. There are those who vehemently oppose and warn against the use of the Ouija
Board and those that are arch sceptics. The latter, or more sceptical tend to cite a variety of
wholly interesting but very down to earth phenomena to explain away the seemingly
inexplicable movements of the planchette. The former and more superstitious camp tend to
use words like, demon, possession, evil spirits etc. Some even go as far as to quote passages
from the bible. Regardless of opinion, passions about this subject tend to run exceptionally
high.

During the 1930's an American researcher called J B Rhine took the whole area of psychical
research into the laboratory. On doing this he managed to ascertain the existence of psychic
ability, but this served only to widen the growing split between Spiritualism and the scientific
study of psychic phenomena. This meant that for the sceptics the spirits were beginning to
lose their grip. Demons, evil spirits and communication from beyond the grave, were now
being replaced by terms like Ideomotor Effect or action, automatism theory, autosuggestion,
facilitated communication, self delusion, telekinesis and telepathy.

The ideomotor action was a phrase coined by William Carpenter in 1882 and it was an
umbrella term for a variety of 'involuntary or unconscious motor behaviour' which he used to
explain away a wide variety of paranormal phenomena. This included the seemingly
involuntary movements of dowsing rods, pendulums, pointers on ouija boards and tilting
tables. Carpenter believed that muscular movement could in fact be initiated by the mind,
independently of 'volition or emotions'. In other words a person may in fact be moving
something, but even though it is them doing it, they are not actually consciously aware of the
fact, thus giving rise to a feeling of paranormality. Automatism theory, autosuggestion,
facilitated communication and self delusion are all variations of this theme, i.e. the individual
is responsible for board movements, but for whatever reason is not aware of the fact.
Telepathy and telekinesis have also been cited as possible candidates to help explain the ouija
board, but conclusive proof of their existence also remains debatable.

Despite the apparently mundane psychological explanations for the workings of the ouija
board, a recent poll conducted by the www.about.paranormal.com website revealed some
interesting results. It was shown that sixty five percent of respondents still believed that the
ouija board was a dangerous tool. Only forty one percent believed that the board was
controlled by the users' subconscious, a staggering thirty seven percent believed that it was
controlled by spirits and fourteen percent 'feared that it was under the influence of demonic
spirits.' It is certainly hard to take a wholly sceptical approach when so many stories abound
of previously unknown or unheard of information being revealed to users, that is verified at a
later date. It is at this point that the ideomotor response falls somewhat short and once again
the ouija board moves from the hands of the sceptics back into the realms of the unknown;
and for many into the to the darker side of the paranormal.

One person who takes the warning of others about the dangers of the Ouija Board very
seriously is Dr Jimmy Lowery. He has even gone as far as to publish a copyright free article
proclaiming the dangers of opening up what he perceives as 'the playground of Satan'. In his
article he provides biblical quotes from the New International Version. Some of the examples
given include:

"Leviticus 19:31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spirits, for you will be defiled by
them. I am the Lord your God"

"Leviticus 20:6 I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spirits
to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people."

"Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of
idolatry."

Despite all of the warnings either biblical or superstitious there remain advocates of the Ouija
Board. The author Keith Morgan argues in his book titled "How to Use a Ouija Board", that the
Ouija Board:

"like the use of the Tarot for a method of divination that has been used for millennia,
has been seen by many people to be a gateway to danger, this is an inaccurate
superstition."

He goes on to suggest that the much maligned Ouija Board:

"Does not bring bad luck or harm, it is just an object with letters and numbers printed
upon it, it is just an object with no power of its own, its use and any effect that occurs
comes directly from you and our use of it, no spirits flow into the board, or the glass.
No bogeyman sits on your shoulder to deceive you as regards any answers you get."

Morgan's account of the board is interesting in so far that his theory about the how the board
works is a combination of both the ideomotor effect and a communication between the spirit
world. Instead of the board's movements coming from the subconscious of the sitter he
suggests that:

"The board acts as an indicator for your subconscious linking your physical body in
with the world of spirit."

Using the board is a relatively simple affair, although its use is certainly not recommended if
you are of a superstitious or nervous disposition. In order to use the board it is recommended
that you find someone who is willing to sit with you, usually at night. A quiet candlelit,
atmospheric room can be conducive to a session. It is also thought useful to remove any
distractions such as clicks, watches, radios, televisions etc. Arrange all of the persons present
around a table within easy reach of the board or glass. Everyone should place their fingers
lightly on the pointer or glass. One person who was previously selected to act as the medium
for the session should then issue a simple question requiring only a yes or no answer. A
frequently used question popularised by the movies is: "Is there anybody there?" It may be
necessary to repeat the question a number of times before receiving any response. However
once the glass or pointer moves ensure that someone is present to take notes. Should any
vulgar, rude or obscene comments arise simply end the session by closing the board. It is not
advisable to ask silly questions such as "When will I die?" if an answer of three months is
indicated then this is highly likely to be false and cause a great deal of unnecessary anxiety.
When the session is drawing to a close, slide the planchette to goodbye and remove all hands
from the apparatus. Some literature advocates the use of elaborate cleansing rituals, both
before and after a session, although this will have very little bearing upon whether or not the
board actually works. These rituals are possibly more useful as reassurance to nervous sitters
and those that are susceptible to greater levels of superstition. However it is still prudent to
add a cautionary note. Quotations from the online Sceptic Dictionary, by a sceptical Robert T
Caroll, point out that:

"Susy Smith in 'Confessions of a Psychic' in 1971 claims that using a Ouija Board
caused her to become mentally disturbed. In 'Thirty Years Among the Dead' (1924),
American psychiatrist Dr Carl Wickland claims that using the Ouija Board 'resulted in
such wild insanity that commitment to asylums was necessitated."

Indeed ghost researcher Dale Kaczmarek of the Ghost Research Society in his article 'Ouija,
Not a Game' cites Rev Morris Cerullo, president of World Evangelism and author. 'The Black
Side of Satan', Illinois, 1973:

"Many people have related to me weird tales of answers given by the Ouija Board. This
and other occult games may seem intriguing but the implications are serious and not
to be tampered with, it can lead to dangerous waters indeed".

The latest serious study of the Ouija, as an attempt to help solve some of the mystery
surrounding the board, was documented in the Daily Mail, Friday 15th Aug 2003, and written
by the medical correspondent Jenny Hope. The report found that suggestible men and women
were much more likely to believe paranormal events had occurred even when they had not.
The article stated that:

"Researchers found that one in three of those taking part in fake sances claimed to
have seen a table levitate - even when it remained still. Around one in five believed
they were witnessing paranormal phenomena when they saw candlesticks moved by
trickery and balls lifted up into the air using hidden pales. The experiments by Dr
Richard Wiseman, a leading investigator of the paranormal - confirmed that
suggestible men and women were more likely to be fooled.

He found that believers in the paranormal had a greater tendency to report strange
happenings than sceptics, who assumed they were being hoaxed. 'Suggestible people
remained convinced even after they were told it was a fake sance,' he added. Dr
Wiseman went on to say of his experiments, 'It shows eyewitness accounts are
unreliable and we need better evidence."

As a final note about this enigmatic subject; the Ouija Board, whether it be deemed apparatus
to communicate with the dead or simply something to help demonstrate harmless
psychological behaviour, it is probably best avoided.

Sources:

Cassandra Eason - Encyclopedia of Magic and Ancient Wisdom - Judy Piatkus
(Publishers Ltd) 2000 - ISBN 07499 22400
Keith Morgan - How to Use a Ouija Board - Mandrake Press Ltd - ISBN 1872189717
Jenny Hope - article - Daily Mail, Friday 15th Aug 2003

Online resources:

The Museum of Talking Boards - www.themuseumoftalkingboards.com
The Sceptics Dictionary - www.skepdic.com



Notable users
Wikipedia.org


G. K. Chesterton used an Ouija board. Around 1893 he had gone through a crisis of
skepticism and depression, and during this period Chesterton experimented with the Ouija
board and grew fascinated with the occult.

Poet James Merrill used an Ouija board for years, and even encouraged entrance of spirits
into his body. He wrote the poem "The Changing Light at Sandover" with the help of a Ouija
board. Before he died, he recommended that people not use Ouija boards.

Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi claimed under oath that, in a sance held in
1978 with other professors at the University of Bologna, the "ghost" of Giorgio La Pira spelled
the name of the street where Aldo Moro was being held by the Red Brigades in an Ouija.
According to Peter Popham of The Independent: "Everybody here has long believed that
Prodi's ouija board tale was no more than an ill-advised and bizarre way to conceal the
identity of his true source, probably a person from Bologna's seething far-left underground
whom he was pledged to protect."

In London in 1994, convicted murderer Stephen Young was granted a retrial after it was
learned that four of the jurors had conducted an Ouija board seance and had "contacted"
the murdered man, who had named Young as his killer. Young was convicted for a second
time at his retrial and jailed for life.

Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, used a Ouija board and conducted
seances in attempts to contact the dead.

On the July 25, 2007 edition of the paranormal radio show Coast to Coast AM, host George
Noory attempted to carry out a live Ouija board experiment on national radio despite the
strong objections of one of his guests, Jordan Maxwell, and with the encouragement of his
other guests, Dr. Bruce Goldberg, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, and Jerry Edward Cornelius. In the
days and hours leading up to the show, unfortunate events kept occurring to Noory's friends
and family as well as some of his guests, but these events would likely be considered
coincidences. After recounting a near-death experience in 2000 and noting bizarre events
taking place, Noory canceled the experiment.

Dick Brooks of the Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, uses an Ouija board as part of
a paranormal and seance presentation.

The Mars Volta wrote their album Bedlam in Goliath based on their alleged experiences with
an Ouija board. According to their story (written for them by a fiction author, Jeremy Robert
Johnson), Omar Rodriguez Lopez purchased a Ouija board while traveling in Jerusalem. At first
the board provided a story which became the theme for the album. Strange events allegedly
related to this activity occurred during the recording of the album: the studio flooded, one of
the album's main engineers had a nervous breakdown, equipment began to malfunction, and
Cedric Bixler-Zavala's foot was injured. Following these bad experiences the band buried the
Ouija board.

Die Antwoord vocalist Yo-landi Vi$$er writes her raps with a Ouija board.

Other musically related uses:

Early press releases stated that Vincent Furnier's stage and band name "Alice Cooper" was
agreed upon after a session with a Ouija board, during which it was revealed that Furnier was
the reincarnation of a 17th century witch with that name. Alice Cooper later revealed that he
just thought of the first name that came to his head while discussing a new band name with
his band.

Brandon Flowers, the lead singer of The Killers, believes his death will be associated with
the number 621 (which is also his birthday, June 21) from having used an Ouija board.

Painted Stones
Wikipedia.org


Painted pebbles are a class of Pictish artifact unique to
northern Scotland in the first millennium AD.

Appearance

They are small rounded beach pebbles made of
quartzite, which have been painted with simple
designs in a dye which is now dark brown in colour.
The size varies from 18 mm by 22 mm to 65 mm by
51mm. It has not proven possible to analyse the dye
itself from the stains that remain.

The motifs are carefully executed and the most
common are dots and wavy lines. Other motifs are
small circles, pentacles, crescents and triangles,
showing strong relationships with the Pictish symbol stone motifs.

Distribution

Over the last ninety years nineteen painted pebbles have been found in sites in the Northern
Isles and in Caithness. Most have come from broch sites which have been shown to have had
an extensive post-broch occupation. An ogham - inscribed spindle-whorl was associated with
one find at Buckquoy in Orkney. Several have been associated with wheelhouses or their
outbuildings. An example was found at a Pictish site at Buckquoy in Orkney as reported in
1976. It had the 'small ring' type decoration.

Cultural significance

Painted pebbles have been dated to the period 200 AD to the eighth century AD, the Pictish
period. They may have been sling-stones that were thought to be of magical nature by the
picts, however local traditions suggest that they were 'charm-stones', often known as 'Cold-
stones'. Such stones were used within living memory (1971) to cure sickness in animals and
humans.

In the Life of St. Columba it is recorded that he visited King Bridei in Pictland in around the
year 565 AD and taking a white stone pebble from the River Ness he blessed it and any water
it came into contact with would cure sick people. It floated in water and cured the king from a
terminal illness. It remained as one of the great treasures of the king and cured many others.

The belief in charm-stones is well documented in medieval Iceland (Proc Soc Antiq Scot).

Examples of 'charm-stones' or 'cold-stones' are held at National Museum of Rural Life,
Kittochside, near East Kilbride.

*Sigils
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Sigil of Baphomet