The eighth, the tenth and the thirteenth Arcanum enunciated the truth of the great law of cause and effect as clearly and explicitly as does the Bible when it states, "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." In the ninth Arcanum we have seen the light of Wisdom beginning to shine within.
In the eleventh Arcanum still greater progress was noted, as the force of the desire nature is transferred into the power of Spirit.
In the fourteenth Arcanum we observe the beginning of the preparatory work incidental to the building of the house (body) not made with hands but eternal in the heavens.
The fifteenth Arcanum places before the aspirant the reminder that "the higher we climb, the harder we fall." It pictures the spirit of evil which has been known by many names throughout world literature. Here he is represented with the body of a hippopotamus, head of a crocodile, great bat wings and the feet of a goat. A serpent is seen emerging from the lower part of the body, indicative of the fact that all of his works are dedicated to evil.
In one hand he holds aloft the scepter of destruction, in the other the scepter of division, confusion and hatred. Bound by chains to his feet are two human figures with goats' heads, suggesting the depravity into which man may descend when he allies himself consciously with the forces of destruction.
The hideous figure shown in this Arcanum typifies the spirit behind the dark forces which have sought to control and subjugate our planet since the beginning of human evolution and which are tremendously accelerated as the Age draws to its close, for with the end of the Piscean Age the spirits of evil is finished. Hebrew mystics spoke of the Piscean Age as the time of the "Agonies of the Messiah."
"If thou canst grasp it, that liberation consisteth in the breaking down and utter destruction of the hedge of protection which now encircleth thee and guardeth thee from the terror of the darkness which is without. Then shall the dreadful darkness be revealed to thy perfected vision as the flashing radiance of the Light Limitless, and from the field of sin and punishment thou shalt pass into the boundless freedom of my divine protection."
As we study contemporary history it is easy to see the dark forces seeking to perpetuate outmoded conditions, struggling against the armies of the light. Hatred, strife, wars and rumors of wars are characteristic of their influence. The dominant evil force is popularly given the name Devil. Sometimes he is called Lucifer, who is said to be the cause of the Fall of Angels and men; or again, Satan. In Hebrew mythology he is identified with the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and he is the world-engirdling serpent of many mythologies. (The Hebrew myths are actually far older than the Hebrew race; they contain elements belonging to the aboriginal post-Atlantean race, which includes the Original Semites.)
It is this same serpent who appears once again in the Christian symbolism of the Book of Revelation as the great beast who will be bound for a thousand years. By whatever name he is known, however, he is the master who directs the work of the dark forces throughout the entire world, and it has been his aim to subjugate the earth and its humanity since the beginning of human evolution.
The sixteenth Arcanum portrays a great tower whose pinnacle has been destroyed by a stroke of lightning. In its fall it carries down with it two men, one of whom is wearing a crown. This tells us that the working of Cosmic Law is no respecter of position or rank. Every action is followed by its own reaction in which justice will eventually prevail. (Note that the concept of Justice is balance and harmony, not revenge.)
The thunderstruck tower represents a certain era in human evolution in which division, confusion and hatred prevail. This time is aptly described in the Book of Genesis in the story of the Tower of Babel.
The story of the Tower of Babel tells us in allegory of humanity's original state of unity, when all spoke a common language, and shows that as man journeyed "from the East" he gradually lost his perception of the Universal Light, descended to a lower "plain" of consciousness, of division and egoism, where such confusion of tongues ensued that people could no longer "understand one another's speech." They were beginning to live in terms of self-will instead of the divine will. Thus divided in interests and purposes, the Lord (Law) "did scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."
In the earlier stages of human development before the race consciousness had extended beyond the subjective state into the objective, it was easily amenable, as a unit, to a single directing will. That One Will operated through the twelve zodiacal Hierarchies in directing the destiny of the entire human race.
Later, embryonic humanity reached the stage of individualization. It acquired mind and developed self-will. Humanity divided into separate races and nations. Consciousness was directed more and more to the external world. The many individualized minds and separated races were now no longer unitedly receptive to a synthesized hierarchical guidance In the divine order of things this was henceforth delegated to a number of lesser beings chosen from among the Archangels, working under the direction of the Lord Jehovah. Each race and nation received its immediate divine guidance from an archangelic Race Spirit. This is still the chief source of inner guidance in the life of nearly all the races and nations of the earth. The exceptions are the new pioneering peoples who are an amalgam of many races. These are emancipating themselves increasingly from such control, their destinies being directed more and more by the awakening god within themselves.
The Race Spirit broods over its people like a psychic cloud, impregnating them with the consciousness of the large racial ends they are intended to serve, and controlling them by means of the breath and the spoken word. Language and music are the principal mediums by which one may come into touch with the Race Spirit of a people.
The celestial language which was used by humanity before the division known biblically as the Tower of Babel, we are told, is still the language by which the angelic hosts communicate with one another.
It was only after man had lost the right to use this language that he became divided into tribes, races and nations. After this division came fear, suspicion, dread, animosity and, finally, the terrible scourge of war.
Literature holds many references to the power of the Lost Word. Each human being has within his throat a certain latent center which in ages to come will be awakened. Then it is that he will regain the use of this celestial language which he lost so long ago, and he will come to understand anew the meaning of the divine creative Word.
In that glad day the dream which has lived down through the ages in humanity's heart will have become a reality,,and the glorious golden light of an eternal peace will lie upon the land and the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man will be like a tangible benediction upon all the earth.
Here we see a young maiden kneeling with one foot on the sea and one on land. In each hand she holds an urn from which she is pouring upon land and sea simultaneously the precious fluid of love and kindness. She typifies the New Age in which mercy and loving kindness will prevail in all the earth. Beside her stands a plant having three lotus blossoms, which represent three plane's — physical, mental and spiritual-and also man's threefold personality wherein the physical and mental are being lifted and united with the spirit. Above the flowers hovers a beautiful butterfly — a perfect symbol of transmutation. Over the girl's head shines a great eight-pointed star, in the center of which is a double triangle, the upper one White, pointing toward heaven, the lower Black, pointing toward earth. The message of this double triangle is expressed in the occult maxim, "As above, so below," a promise that earth will one day reflect the glories of heaven.
The Wise Men of all ages have followed the Star of the Magi, the Star of the light of the golden Christ which suffuses heaven and earth. Previous to the Baptism, at which time He became the indwelling Planetary Spirit, this great Being worked with the earth from the outside. His was the glorious Star that guided the Wise Men to the little town of Bethlehem where they paid allegiance to the Holy Child and to his saintly Mother.
This Arcanum shows us two pyramids — one white, the other black — standing beside a road. Before them are seated two dogs, one black the other white, both baying at the moon which is partially concealed by clouds. The white and black pyramids represent the teachings of that wisdom which leads to the light and the subtle force of evil which turns the teaching into darkness. The white pyramid shows an open door leading into its interior, above which is the symbol of Aquarius and of Venus, indicative of the fact that true wisdom will lead men into the New Age of the Son of Man, the keynote of which is Love, which is also the keynote of the planet Venus.
The dark pyramid shows no opening, indicating that its knowledge must be gained in devious ways.
The position of these two pyramids teaches in symbol that the aspirant must be prepared to encounter the temptations of the dark forces which follow him even to the very doorway of the Temple of Light. At the same time there is no place, no state of consciousness, exclusively dark; Light penetrates the darkness and is always at hand to lead the penitent one upward and outward. "Though I make my bed in hell, Thou art there," is the biblical statement of this truth.
We have observed in an earlier Arcanum that one of the first lessons given to the aspirant is that of Discrimination, the ability to distinguish between the True and the False in all their subtle phases. Temptation should never be feared by the disciple, for it is one of the greatest helps in spiritual development.
We have here a youth and maiden standing hand in hand within a circle of everblooming flowers. In Arcanum XIV we saw the picture of a youth who typifies a pioneer of the New or Aquarian Age.
In Arcanum XVII we found a representation of a maiden who typifies a pioneer of the Aquarian Age also. In Arcanum XIX we see the the youth and maiden united in the glory of the bright day when all sorrow, poverty, pain and death have passed away, and life eternal prevails. Here man and woman — the new Adam and the new Eve — stand triumphant, hand in hand, knowing perfect equality and perfect spiritual equilibrium on every plane of manifestation. Above their heads shines a vast luminous sun that bears within its heart the symbol of universal regeneration. As we meditate upon this glorious golden Light we hear the voice of the supreme Master saying, "I am the Light of the World"; and the voices of the youth and the maiden respond in the words of St. John, "If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another."
The twentieth Arcanum depicts a celestial being blowing a great trumpet, whereupon a sarcophagus opens and the mummies of a man, woman and child emerge. In Christian tradition it is the Angel Gabriel who is the Angel with the Trumpet who calls the dead from the grave in the day of the Great Judgment. The time is the end of this world when all must stand before the Judgment Seat of God. To the esotericist, however, this Arcanum has a far more wonderful meaning. It is concerned with a marvelous expansion of consciousness with which the pioneer will be endowed. For him there will be no interval of unconsciousness between sleeping and waking. He will be able to pass easily from inner-plane awareness in his work as an Invisible Helper during the hours of sleep to outer-plane awareness in which he is a Helper Visible to all. He will know from first-hand knowledge that there is no death and that that which is mistakenly termed death is but a passing into larger and wider spheres of service and creative activity. It has been truly said that "the dead help us to live."
John the Beloved tells us that we shall not die but that we shall be changed, and St. Paul told his disciples to put off the old man and put on the new. As these truths became his own, Paul gave to the world his song of triumph:
At the top of this picture a wreath of lotus blossoms encloses an occult symbol. Both the symbol and the wreath represent the great spirit of oneness, of unification, which draws together all created beings-persons, places, things — all nations, races, castes, creeds and cults.
In the lower part of the Arcanum is the figure of a girl, seated and playing upon a three-stringed harp. The three-stringed harp typifies the drawing together of physical body and mind and their linking up with spirit. Each human spirit sounds forth a unique keynote, which together add to the music of the spheres. When man learns to bring the physical body into harmony with the mind and both with the individual keynote of the ego itself, which is the human spirit, he will be able to cast out all disease, poverty and old age, and even death will be no more.
Grouped about the lotus wreath are the Four Beasts of Ezekiel's vision, the Bull, the Lion, the Eagle and the Man. The work of the Old Testament prophets may be divided mainly into two classes: first, the terrible prophecies enunciated which concerns all men who refuse to walk in the Path of Light; and second, the glorious prophecies of the incoming New Age, the Christ Age, which foreseen more than two thousand years ago, is now dawning over our planet.
Isaiah writes of the time when man shall beat his swords into plowshares, his spears into pruning-hooks, and when he shall not learn war anymore, when every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall make him afraid. Of that glad new day he adds that the knowledge of the Lord (spiritual Law) shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. He also wrote of the coming of the World Redeemer, "A virgin shall bring forth a son and shall call His name Immanuel." Malachi foresaw the rising of the Winged Sun, and John revealed the ultimate fulfillment of the ancient prophecies.
Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear my Name shall the sun of
righteousness arise with healing in his wings.
Revelation 14:16
And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand,
having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of
many waters and as the voice of a great thunder: and I
heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
And they sung as it were a new song before the
throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and
no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty
and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
These are they which were not defiled with women;
for they are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever
he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being
the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb.
And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are
without fault before the throne of God.
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people.
144,000 digits 9, which is the number of humanity. This beautiful vision refers to the glorious destiny awaiting all mankind when they have made themselves worthy to receive it. The mark of God upon the forehead refers to the awakening of the spiritual organs in the head.
When awake and functioning, these organs, by reason of their luminosity, cast a golden halo about the head of one so illumined. This is the crown of the Magi as described in the ancient Wisdom Books, and it is the mark of the Lord in the Revelation of St. John.
Summing up: In the fifteenth and sixteenth Arcana are to be noted the terrible power of evil and the frightful destruction and devastation it causes.
In the eighteenth Arcanum the aspirant is subjected to his final subtle temptation and when this is successfully passed, then, clothed in all the glory of his New Race body, he is ready to enter into the New Heaven and the New Earth which are described in Arcana twenty and twenty-one.
— Corinne Heline
