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Excerpted from Tarot Awareness: Exploring the Spiritual Path by Stephen Sterling. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Part One An Introduction to the Lay of the Land

Chapter 1 Tarot and Consciousness

Although Spirit is One and omnipresent, the great "All in All," in another sense we can think of It as the personal unfoldment of Consciousness through the four Planes of Existence: from the Spiritual, to the Emotional, to the Mental, and to the Physical. Down through the ages, through both oral tradition and the written word, certain ancient sages explored these four Planes and portrayed their understanding of mystical wisdom into a master plan, a conception of the universe which has come to be known as Tarot. Their metaphysics examined the meaning and application of the Universal Principles and the nature of Reality, of Consciousness Itself.

From Biblical Israel to the early Christians and beyond, to spiritual knowledge from India, Egypt, Persia, China, Tibet, and Japan-to all the other continents of the Earth, Tarot draws from a wealth of inspired thoughts from many sources.

In addition, certain disciplines and philosophies contribute to the treasures found in Tarot's Temple of Ageless Wisdom: The study of the movement of the seasons, the planets, the Sun and the Moon, for example, prompted astrologers from all ages to apprehend the mysteries of Nature; then the alchemists (mystics from medieval times) performed their magic to transmute the dross of ignorance into the gold of enlightenment.

But who invented Tarot, and why? There is much controversy surrounding the origin of Tarot, and opinions range from the mystery schools in ancient Egypt or Greece to the temples of Atlantis. Somehow, somewhere, we know that ancient adepts created a pictorial diagram that reaches beyond language and cultural barriers; Tarot is nothing less than a symbology devised to convey Truth to the subconscious of all humans for ages to come.

According to one tradition, in order to save the Ageless Wisdom from total obliteration by the intolerant Church of the Dark Ages, about eight hundred years ago adepts from all over the known world came together for a three-year conference in Fez, Morocco. It was during this time that the city of Alexandria in Egypt, the center of human thought at the time, was destroyed. Since the Church burned both books and those they considered heretics, these sages of many lands and cultures disguised the Ageless Wisdom in a series of pictures that eventually took on the outer form of a deck of playing cards,1 thereby throwing the suspicious, book-burning inquisitors off the track. In reality, however, the Tarot deck is a powerful, personal 78-page guidebook to the Holy of Holies, the Divine presence within and without.

Many forms of enlightened writings have come down to us in order to contribute to our spiritual advancement. Pythagoras, Plato, the Bible, the Upanishads of ancient India, the Tao, St. John of the Cross, Emerson . . . but in Tarot, the Ageless Wisdom is profoundly portrayed in pictures-all without comment. The seeker's own subconscious must shade in the meanings.

Mystical scriptures from the Hebrew Zohar of the Qabalists to the inspired writings of the Sufis, Spirit imparts Wisdom through the prism of the human mind.

To begin our study of Tarot Awareness, we will look at the Four Planes of Existence that make up Tarot's dimensions:

In the first Plane, the realm of Spirit, we are in the rarified atmosphere of Idea and pure Awareness. Some of the ancient sages identified the Spiritual Plane with the Element Fire. In Tarot, the Spiritual Plane is illustrated by the Suit of Wands.

Then in the second Plane, Awareness "moves" into the realm of the heart and pure feeling and the Element Water. In Tarot, this Emotional Plane is called Cups.

In the third Plane, Awareness operates as pure intellect and enters the thinking mode and the Element Air. Tarot calls this Mental Plane Swords.

Finally, in the fourth Plane, we reach the realm of manifestation, the planet we live on, and pure matter. This is the Element Earth, and in Tarot the Physical Plane is called the Suit of Pentacles.

To illustrate Awareness moving through the four Planes of Existence from Idea to manifestation, think of the process an artist might go through. First, he or she becomes inspired and is filled with the burning desire to paint something worthwhile (Fire-Spiritual Plane-Tarot Suit of Wands); secondly, the artist experiences flights of imagination, and the pictures and the patterns begin to unfold (Water-Emotional Plane-Cups); thirdly, the artist begins to hone in on a visualized picture. Materials, colors, approach, subject and other nuances round out the thinking (Air-Mental Plane-Swords); and, lastly, as the artist enters the world of manifestation, the charcoal and brush touch the canvas. A period of time passes where the artist sketches, paints ,and shades until the canvas is finally filled with a completed picture (Earth-the Physical Plane-the Suit of Pentacles). Filled with inspiration (Fire) and imagination (Water), Consciousness thinks (Air) and toils until reaching the result: the finished product (Earth).

The study of Tarot along with meditation and good works can help the seeker stay aware in the Spiritual Plane, calm in the Emotional Plane, wise in the Mental Plane, and productive in the Physical Plane. Examining our experiences and looking at ourselves within leads to a free flow of energies through these Planes. And the seeker can rediscover the lost treasures from Ageless Wisdom, the Holy Laws behind all existence (in chapters 11-17 we will study them in depth). Adherence to the Law will allow the energies operating in the seeker's life to flow unimpeded: Talents, aspirations, desires, and problem-solving abilities will stand out in bold relief.

In the world of manifestation, we generally allow blockages and obstacles to interfere with the natural flow of Consciousness through the Planes. Then as we continue our...(Continues)

Stephen Walter Sterling (California) received a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University. He has applied this academic training in his work as a Certified Hypnotherapist. Teaching and providing spiritual counseling form the core of his professional activities, but he has also had over 20 years of practice in reading the Tarot for clients. Currently, Sterling teaches Metaphysics and Tarot at the Mandala Labyrinth Center in Carmichael, California, as well as regularly giving workshops and lectures on Tarot and its use in psychological well-being.Drawing on his years of study of Christian, Jewish, and Eastern mysticism, as well as psychology and astrology, Sterling wrote Tarot Awareness: Exploring the Spiritual Path. He felt there was a need for a textbook that both teachers and students could use to facilitate classes and a tool that provides a practical guide for enhancing spiritual awareness, self-help and meditation.