“Elemental Forces of the Major Arcana” Air (The Fool ) + Water (Hanged Man) + Fire (Aeon) Universe (Earth/Saturn)

THE FOOL (AIR): The all encompassing energy of the Fool as the “Spirit of Aether”. Temporarily moving through a void of non-existence to existence. The motion of space and time within the cosmos is infinite. There are no walls and nothing to control. This is the flux that can not be seen or felt. In a sense, The Fool is “Ain (nothing that is not), Ain Soph (nothing without limit), Ain Soph Aur (limitless light)” above Kether. A mantra like statement that I could imagine the Fool using to activate the sephira to Kether. In the Tree of Life, Path 11 is the Fool placed between Kether (Awakening) and Chokmah (Wisdom). Thus begins the journey of the reincarnated soul of Aether.

Surrounded by the primal energies of the tiger and the crocodile, there seems to be a drawing in of the feminine and masculine sides of these supportive energies through strength and protection. I feel the butterflies are the Fool’s metamorphosed souls, while the counter and clockwise movement of the serpents is the protective Kundalini life force that will be the Fool’s guide through the Tree of Life. The tattoos are the rites of passage that have been key markings of influence from previous travels. These symbols (Mercury, Sulfur, Salt, Sun and Moon) are the essence of the Fool’s Aether. The bag that is carried holds the resource of knowledge that perhaps could be beginnings the Orphic egg that is seen throughout the Tabula Mundi deck. The cosmic vortex “Wormhole” (time travel) is flowing inward with the joining of fire and water. This is part of the alchemical process of the Fool’s spirit (Aether) willingly to delve into the portal of a new existence. The Fool has experienced this portal travel infinitely and has reincarnated into a new entity of its own Self each moment. The Fool represents our Soul life force connected to ALL and yet changing at the same moment.

THE HANGED MAN (WATER): This part of the Fool’s journey is the experience of surrendering the conscious Self to the deeper realms of the hidden psyche. The Fool has entered a water portal and has transformed into the Hanged Man. The Hanged Man and the masked sea serpent both have one eye missing on opposite sides. The Hanged Man gave up his right eye (ego logic) to experience the deeper recesses of his subconscious while the sea serpent reveals the hidden nature of the Hanged Man’s soul. The orphic egg is the creation suspended on a tree branch and looks to be in the sephira of Chesed (Realization) while the sea serpent looks to be in the sephira of Geburah (Force). Possibly separating the perfected form from forced illusion.

Inverted on the Tree of Life, his head is now positioned at the base root of Malkuth (Universe) while his nailed foot is at the place of Kether. I liked how Seleste (TMT participant) stated that “the nailed foot is fastening the soul to the physical realm”. This connection keeps the Hanged Man secured to the physical realm without fully slipping into the abyss of his own psyche. His arms are open to receive and is drawing up knowledge within the well of wisdom that is a revelation of his deepest Self. Water is both revealing and purifying, and knowing these aspects the Hanged Man is able to gain clarity of the intuitive Self. The environment of the Hanged Man is nurtured by the “spirit of the mighty waters” which feeds into the Tree of Life. Path 23 is the Hanged Man (Mem/Water) placed between the sephiras of Geburah (Force) and Hod (Truth). Surrender is needed to reveal the true essence of the Soul. For the Hanged Man, divine wisdom comes from the roots of the Tree of Life then emanating upward toward Kether.

THE AEON (FIRE): This is the ending of the Aeon of Osiris and the rising of Horus through fire. Here the fire of the Will is fully active and manifesting the culmination of the initiated Spirit. Also known as “Judgement” in the RWS system, I view both interpretations as the awakening and celebration of the individual’s highest force. A reincarnation of the True ‘Self. Pluto is the fiery planet assigned to Aeon. Known for its destructive and regenerative forces, the result of Aeon shows the plutonian force of the transformed Self rising as a infinitive spiritual soul. From Air to Water to Fire, we have seen the Spirit initiated through these primal elements of force to become the form of the Universe.

The environment of the Aeon archetype is filled with activations of solar and lunar energies. The amplification and union of these forces is shaping the age of the Aeons; hence “the dawning of the new day”. Horus (solar force) is the Ouroboros that is seen within its fiery vessel awaiting to arise. The small keyhole placed at Stonehenge shows the diminishing age of Osiris moving into the dawning age of Horus. The larger keyhole is the window entry for us to witness this great scene of transformation with the High Priest officiating momentous event.The goddess Nut represents the infinity of the cosmos and Meleen cleverly depicted this using the symbol of Shin (Tooth) as a comb and the starry canopy as her hair. She is the mother of Iris, Osiris, and Horus. She is the lunar force that is part of the Aeon union. At the bottom, the signs of Pisces and Aries are at opposites sides of the keyhole entry. The serpent wrapped orphic egg is placed on the Pisces glyph to indicate the culmination of the astrological forces and the sprouted seed placed on the Aries glyph ushers in a new beginning. The Aeon is a celebration of the great transformation of the Spirit through self illumination and the revealing of one’s unlimited potential.

On the Tree of Life, Aeon (Judgement) is on Path 31 between Hod (8) and Malkuth (10). The activating path of the intellect (Hod) is part of the fiery decimating force of Aeon moving toward the finality of matter (Malkuth). Along the descent, the Sun on Path 30 is between Hod and Yesod (9). The solar and lunar forces that ignites the emotional heart and fiery will of the Soul creates the Aeon of transformation that is the unity of Air (Hod) Water (Yesod), and Fire (Aeon).

THE UNIVERSE (EARTH): Here is the finality and culmination of the elements of fire, water, and air coming to Form. In Aeon, we saw the dragon serpent (the incubating fiery Spirit) awaiting to be released outward to the physical realm. The Universe as and in Malkuth, completes this transformative process. The awakened force of Spirit awareness in Kether has travelled through the Tree of Life vacillating, manifesting and descending between force and form until its final completion of the great work of the universal rebirth. The conscious collective of the Great Mother of Binah, who is of reception and activation, opens the pathway back up the Tree of Life. Saturn’s influence in Binah is of time and structure. The arrival to Malkuth is not an immediate ending, but one of attained self discipline, (self built) structure, and maturity. From here, the seat of the Princess is placed upon the throne of the Great Mother. This is now Kether in Malkuth and the Spirit begins its cyclical ascension from Malkuth to Kether.

Before reaching Malkuth, the 9th sephira of Yesod represents the underlying current of the energies (“astral light”) shaping the Great Work of the Spirit. Yesod is Air, while Binah is Water. Yesod is the current stabilizing the movement of these energies within the vast waters of Binah. It is Yesod representing the reflection of the Sun in Tiphareth and the “astral lights” that the Spirit encounters through the Moon’s reflection on the vast waters of Binah.

The unraveling DNA like spiral that envelops the cosmic dancer is the Fool’s initial portal entry dissolving and revealing the “great work” of the Spirit. For me, the gender of the Spirit is neutral and is comprised of both the male and female form as One. The “great work” of the Spirit” is encased within a thinning Ouroboros that could indicate the tail end and (soon to be) beginning of this serpent’s Kundalini rebirth. The “Four Royal Stars of the Heavens” Leo/Lust, Scorpio/Death, Aquarius/Star, and Taurus/Hierophant, are seen on the four corners indicating their fixed celestial positions. They are the intersecting arms that form the Cross (Tau) that at times is placed at the base of Malkuth. These fixed signs represent the accomplishment of the “Four Virtues: To Will, To Dare, To Know, and to Keep Silent”. A quick side note, if you look closely at the four fixed signs their tails seems to be trying to interlock in a Ouroboros manner. Perhaps, forming the infinite connection these energies have to breakdown and recreate the Spirit as the Fool. The Universe is the end and beginning of the cyclical journey of the Spirit’s evolution. Each personal journey is unique and reveals something new and greater to evolve from.