Meditation on the
First Major Arcanum of the Tarot
THE MAGICIAN
LE BATELEUR
A SYNOPSIS
Concerning the Major Arcana 4a
Concerning Christian Hermeticism 5c
Concerning the First Arcanum 7b
The Formula of Esotericism Examined 8a
Learn at first concentration without effort 8b
The Foundation of all Mysticism 11c
The Magician – unity of the practical and theoretical teaching 19b
Detailed by Paragraph
3
a
John iii 8 the key to comprehension of first Major Arcanum. A verse from St John of the Cross awakens deeper layers of soul. How authentic symbols are approached. One meditates in this "night" and in solitude.
4
a
Nature of Major Arcana described: not allegories/secrets but natural symbols, arcana revealing/concealing sense according to depth of meditation. An arcanum - that which it is necessary to "know" to be fruitful in a given domain of spiritual life; ferments, enzymes making us fertile for creative pursuits.
b
The mystery superior to the arcanum. The mystery a spiritual event. Seven sacraments of the church and the sole Mystery known as the Second Birth – the Great Initiation.
c
The Great Initiation operative from above has value and duration of eternity. (cf. John xiii, 34-35) One sole Mystery, one sole Master – the Initiator above.
5
a
Christian Hermeticists are fellow pupils and each is master of each in some respect. Extract from Life of St Anthony. The art of learning also applicable to knowledge and science.
b
The Major Arcana – a masterly school in the art of learning.
Concerning Christian Hermeticism
c
Christian Hermeticism not a rival religion or science. Christian Hermeticists not masters but servants.
6
a
Christian Hermeticists recognise superiority of men and women of faith, science and art. They possess communal soul of religion, science and art.
b
Mission of conserving
communal soul of religion, science and art. Concerning respective missions of John and Peter. Peter directs body of the Church as its head. John, as guardian of the Master’s heart, vivifies the body of the Church.c
Hermeticists listen to beating of the heart of the spiritual life of humanity and live as guardians of the life and
communal soul of religion, science and art. They live for the mystery of the communal heart that beats within all religions, philosophies, arts and sciences. Inspired by example of John they serve them, infusing into them the breath of life of their communal soul. It is itself an arcanum antecedent to the Mystery of the Second Birth or the Great Initiation.7
a
This is the spirit of Hermeticism.
b
Of what the first Card consists.
c
That series of symbols is opened with image of a player of tricks is astonishing.
d
First Arcanum – rapport of personal effort and spiritual reality. It occupies first place to enable one to know what to do with all the other Arcana. Magician reveals practical method enabling the arcana to be approached; what is necessary to know and to will. The principle of esotericism: Learn at first . . .
The Formula of Esotericism Examined
8
a
The following examination of formula to penetrate the Arcanum of "active relaxation".
Learn at first concentration without effort
b
Concentration described: practical key to success in every domain. Contrasted with automatism. Patanjali - the art of concentration. Concentration requires calm and silence.
c
"To be silent" precedes "to know" and "to will". Prescription of Pythagorean school. Trappist silentium.
d
Two sorts of concentration:
disinterested concentration – will free of enslaving passions, obsessions and attachments
interested concentration – will dominated by passions, obsessions and attachments - not really concentration at all.
9
a
True concentration. Condition of will is determining and decisive factor in concentration. Yama and niyama.
b
St John of the Cross, St Teresa of Avila. Concentration necessary for spiritual prayer is fruit of moral purification of the will. The silenced will.
c
The perfect concentration of tightrope walker. His thoughts,
imagination, powers of reflection, his calculations, attending to plans.
d
He has suppressed "oscillations of the mental substance" to exercise his skill. From the point of view of intellect and imagination it is a miracle analogous to that which happened at death of St Dionysius. To exercise this skill and ability requires transposing centre of directing consciousness from head to chest.
10
a
Concentration without effort – transposition of directing centre of brain to rhythmic centre – from mind/imagination to morality/will. The lemniscate indicates transition, symbol of rhythm. Oscillations of the mental substance reduced to silence.
b
This state of consciousness described. Profound silence.
11
a
The silence becomes fundamental element in the life of the soul. The perpetual service at Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre. A perpetual service of silence established in the soul.
b
Change of work/duty into play effected by presence of "zone of perpetual silence". Contact with the heavenly or spiritual world, which works together with the soul. Those who find silence in the solitude of concentration without effort are never alone.
The Foundation of all Mysticism etc.
c
Make every yoke that you have accepted easy and every burden that you carry light. Silence, the sign of contact with spiritual world, engenders influx of forces.
d
A rule: it is necessary to be one in oneself and one with the spiritual world for spiritual experience to take place. Perfect calm.
12
a
Theoretical teaching of Magician corresponds to practical
teaching. Basic unity of natural, human and divine world enables
knowledge, just as practice of concentration enables achievement.
b
The tenet of unity of all existence precedes and is presupposed by every act of knowledge, all searching for TRUTH. World declared to be an organism whose parts are governed by same principle.
c
The tenet of unity of world engenders a method of knowledge, its first conclusion – THE METHOD OF ANALOGY and it facilitates advance of knowledge. Being neither identical (one) nor heterogeneous (different), but analogous, diversity of phenomena find their unity and root in so far as they manifest their essential kinship.
d
Traditional formula for method of analogy as applied to all that exists in space [A//S]: That which is above is like to that which is below and that which is below is like to that which is above, to accomplish the miracles of (the) one thing. Formula for method of analogy for all that exists in time [A//T] That which was is as that which will be, and that which will be is as that which was, to accomplish miracles of eternity.
13
a
A//S, basis of typological symbolism, symbols expressing correspondences between prototypes above and their manifestations below. A//T basis of mythological symbolism – archetypes in the past and their manifestation in the present. Examples.
b
Quotation from Hans Leisegang on symbolism of time – mythological symbolism confirms definition given above. Quotation from Marc Haven on typological symbolism confirms definition given above.
14
a
Many errors of interpretation arise when typological and mythological symbolism are confused. Examples from Bible.
15
a
Mythological symbolism distinguished further.
b
Vision of Ezekiel distinguished as a typological symbol. Quotation from Zohar. Indian version of Hermetic maxim.
Usefulness of Method of Analogy
c
Method of Analogy universally useful and serves procedure of classification, hypotheses and scientific method.
16
a
Method of Analogy distinguished from pure induction. Pure induction relies on quantity of facts known. Analogy adds qualitative element to argument. Example of an argument by analogy for immortality.
b
Ideal of science, according to Keynes, is to transform its method into pure analogy.
17
a
Role of analogy within speculative philosophy or metaphysics. Aquinas’ doctrine of analogia entis, Bonaventura’s doctrine of signatura rerum (signature of things)
b
These saints proclaimed by Sixtus V and Leo XIII as "two olive trees . . ."
We can declare our faith therefore in analogy as philosophers, scientists and Catholics.
c
The Master has endorsed the method of analogy. The sense and purpose of His parables appeal to the sense of analogy; the strength of His a fortiori arguments lies in the same sense. Example (Matthew vii 9-11)
Weaknesses of Method of Analogy
18
a
Is there an argument against method of analogy, regarding its weaknesses and dangers?
b
Method of analogy is entirely founded on experience. Value of conclusions gained from using method of analogy directly parallels quality of experience being drawn on. An example concerning telescopes and canals on Mars.
c
An example drawn from Rijnberk’s table of astrological correspondences of Tarot confirms relativity of conclusions that can be made using method of analogy. "The Chariot" described as corresponding variously to planets and signs of the Zodiac.
d
But ancient, medieval and modern authors maintain concordance of correspondences between metals and planets using same method. Examples confirming this claim.
19
a
Conclusion that method of analogy is not infallible but is qualified to lead to discovery of essential truths.
The Magician – the practical and theoretical teachings aligned
b
Seen from level of intellect, practice of method of analogy corresponds completely to practice of concentration without effort.
c
This correspondence indicated: Practice of analogy does not demand any effort from the faculty, acquired by long experience and accumulated teachings it requires, of immediate perception. (Mark x.15)
20
a
The attention of those who approach the Kingdom of God becomes again entire and undivided. This is the Arcanum of the geniality of intelligence and heart.
b
Magician represents one whose state of consciousness has synthesised conscious and unconscious. Concentration without effort and intellectual vision without effort becomes possible.
c
Schiller taught synthesis between intellectual consciousness and instinctive nature of man in urge to play.
d
A warning against confusing lack of concentration with concentration without effort. To do so is to become a charlatan.
e
An invitation to follow path leading to geniality. Reiteration of dangers of path. Invocation by author for attainment of real truth. Mirages above and below. You know by agreement of all forms of experience. Academia and Church stipulate methodological and moral conditions for progression.
Copyright Michael J McConville 2002