The Lovers

The Lovers


This is the card everyone thinks they want. (Or at least me.... )

The sixth card of the major arcana. Numbers are significant in Tarot. Think about the Sixties (the decade). Doesn't this look like a couple at the Woodstock festival that found a place under some apple trees to enjoy each other? And then, the windowpane they dropped made everything get all crazy? And the mountain turned violet? And the tree caught fire....and...then they began to see angels? At least the chick. The dude is looking at her. She's his angel.... But then, this snake started talking to her, and it got to be bummer! (Man....)


OK, one version. But it does speak to more than two hetrosexual people living happily ever after. Here I go on Dante again. But...the woman, (like Dante's Beatrice, when he finally caught up with her in heaven) is looking at God...or God's emissary. She gets to do that without frying or melting or something. Because she is pure - and maybe because, like Beatrice, the naked lady is (that's right) intuitive! And the dude is catching her rush. Like Dante, who could only gaze upon God through the reflection in Beatrice's upturned eyeballs. It's like he's having a three-way with God and his lady friend. Or like, she gets to grok with God, but he has to do it through a surrogate. Beatrice, or the Virgin. (Otherwise, his masculinity would be threatened otherwise, right?)
Well, maybe...

This card is about what we thought we wanted, and what comes in to wreck it for our own good. It's about The Garden, and being cast out of it. And longing for it, but not knowing where to find it. It's about becoming realized - brought closer to the divine within each one of us. Even if we have to get bitten or burnt or shamed in the process. It's about seeking communion - wanting that deep bonding, but with the tough work of love done for us already, leaving only Disneyland. And finding Disneyland wanting....

The Hierophant

The Hierophant.

He's ready to excommunicate me for being away from the one, goofy, and apostolic blog for so long.
(Did ya miss me?)

Hier...archy. That's what he's about. Orthodoxy as opposed to mysticism. The hat is about hierarchy, look at the tiers one must run through to get to heaven - get a promotion - get shagged...whatever that thing that is worth prostrating oneself for. Yes, look down at the downward cast ones. On either side. One to kiss each foot.

OK, that's the frankly cynical take on Mr. My-Hat-to-God's-Ear... Let's face it, sometimes we can't tesseract to where we feel we SHOULD be RIGHT NOW! Sometimes we have to make ourselves humble, shuttup and listen already to someone who's been around the block. What did Virgil say to Dante, stumbling down the mountain after trying to get to Paradisio by going straight up - and he done got run down by 3 scarey growley sorts? "You have to go another way!" (or close to that.) And did Dante suck it up? Yes he did, and got paid off in the end by learning lots of stuff and seeing Lady Beatrice and god reflected in her eyes and all manner of trippiness.

Is Hierophant delusional? Mislead? Has he listened his entire life to his parents tell him they would not forgive him if he didn't grow up to be Pope? Is he in it for the gold?

He's got crosses on his feet. Not very grounded, going around channeling God's word all day. But he has the keys to the kingdom, see? down at the base of the alter. And look at his monks: one is wearing red roses - passion - and the other is wearing lilies - purity. This humorless fellow's red robes and white garments echo the theme that passion for the lord is the one just passion. Note that you don't see much of his skin - his flesh. (Wassup with that?) Just go back to La Commedia. Ulysses was trapped somewhere for his passion for going where he had no business - which was everywere! Paolo and Francesca are doomed, for their infidelity, to chase each other on the wind, and to never, ever kiss. Ha, ha, very funny!!

The danger here is thinking such severe lessons are always the way - or are the only way. This guy is but one prostration on the fool's journey.