Tarot Yin & Yang - The Magician & The Hanged Man, part 10

The Magician and The Hanged man complement each other like yin and yang. The Magician is a confident man in control of his destiny. His right hand is held high with a white wand in a victory pose. The Magican's left hand is pointing towards the ground as if to claim it as his own. On the flip side The Hanged Man has his hands tied behind his back. With a triple insult - he is hanging upside down.

Although The Hanged Man may seem helpless, his head glows with a halo indicating spiritual enlightenment. The Magician also has a special kind of halo over his head - an infinity sign. By the pose of his hands it seems to echo Buzz Light Years heroic chant, 'to Infinity and Beyond.'


In front of the Magician are all four suits of a Tarot Deck - Cups, Swords, Wands, and Pentacles. This means the Magician like any good student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry has a kind of magical mastery over his emotional, spiritual, ego, and earthly spells.

In another point of view the Magician has a scientific mastery over the four elements via the modern notion of solid, liquid, gas, and plasma or in the ancient way of earth, water, air, and fire.

In stark contrast the Hanged Man has no control over his situation. The world has hung him out to dry. The vegetation of The Magician is abundant above and below but does not control him, but in The Hanged Man he is hung upside down on a living T-shaped tree - showing that the world has total control over the man.

Do we control and dominate our technology or is it the other way around?

In any case The Magician illustrates a mastery and development of outwards control upon the world, while The Hanged Man shows an inward and spiritual development from within, because of the world.

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In the early 1990s two famous magicians were born out of Fantasia - Harry Potter and his fraternal twin - Timothy Hunter. Maybe someday their paths will cross?

Tarot Yin & Yang - The Wheel of Fortune & The Wolrd, part 9

The Wheel of Fortune aligns harmoniously with the Tarot World card. The primary alignment deals with the four winged angels in each corner.

Starting in the upper right there is an eagle, winged lion, winged ox, and finally an angel - all are seated in the clouds. In the four corners of The World the same pattern repeats but it is a close up of their faces. These divine creatures in the four corners are influenced by the mysterious creatures described in the biblical book of Ezekiel.

In the Wheel of Fortune the four angels are each studying a book. But in the The World they have abandoned their books and convey a regal dominance over their studies in their assigned corner.

The Wheel of Fortune is popularly known as a game show hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White. But the concept of a wheel of fortune or wheel of fate goes back thousands of years before the rise of the Roman Empire. This seemingly random fate of ones fortune has been associated with a spinning wheel.

This Tarot Wheel of Fortune interestingly has Hebrew written upon it. Starting from Hebrew Letter Yod and going either clockwise or counterclockwise it spells the Hebrew Word for God. The wheel also has English letters upon it. Starting from the Letter T and going clockwise it spells out TAROT, but from the same starting position and going counterclockwise it spells out TORA. There are also some alchemical symbols that have a coded meaning.


The card for The World conserves the circular shape of the Wheel of Fortune with a green wreath. It is tied with two red ribbon at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions. The mythical red and blue creatures of the Wheel of Fortune are gone. Rather a women suspended in the air apparently by her own will, holds two wands and is wearing a purple sash. She rests at the center of her world - confident, cool, and collected.

In the New Testament the four creatures were often associated with the four Gospels - the winged lion is associated with St. Mark, the winged bull is tied to St. Luke, the Eagle is linked to St. John and finally the angel is represented by St. Matthew. This Gospel-majestic creature association was evident in the 7th century Lindisfarne Gospels - see below.

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(click the picture below for a more clear image)

Tarot Yin & Yang - Emperor & Empress, part 8

The Emperor and Empress make a harmonious pair, obviously they match as male and female rulers over an Empire. The Emperor and Empress sit upon thrones and both carry a golden metal wand in their hands. The wand of the Empress is capped with a golden ball while the Emperor holds a golden ball in his left hand.

Their thrones differ in traditional expectations of men and women. The Empress sits in a relaxed pose on a throne on several pillows. On the other hand the Emperor sits on a hard stone throne while wearing armor. The Emperor is for business and the Empress rules for pleasure.

The backgrounds also differ like Yin and Yang. The Emperor's office has no trees, it is reflective of modern industrial development. The background is desolate, hard, rocky, and lifeless. The Empress's office is the complete opposite. There are trees, grasses, bushes, and healthy crop of wheat in the foreground.


The Empress and Emperor mirror Mars and Venus. There is a heart shaped icon below the Empress and on it is the planetary symbol for Venus - which is also the symbol for woman. The Emperor card does not show us the planetary symbol for Mars which also the symbol for male, but the four ram heads are visible at the far corners of his grey throne.

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Tarot Yin & Yang - Strength & the Star, part 7

In the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, strength is tied to the star. The first yin-yang aspect is of day and night. The woman of Strength is bending over to tame the lion during in the day, while Star woman is kneeling at the waters edge at night.

The woman of Strength is fully clothed but the woman of the star is completely nude. The clothed woman is occupied with a Lion. This imagery not only refers a show of stregth towards external issues, but having the inner strength to tame the passionate Lion within.

The woman of the Star conveys a different message. She is pouring water into a pond and upon the earth. Her nakedness shows that she at ease with her naked self exposing her will and emotions. She no longer has to hold in emotions, but rather let them flow in a calm and serene manner.

The background of these cards reflect a Yin and Yang dynamic. There are trees in the background of the Strenth that lie below a blue hill in the distance. But in the Star card the paradigm has shifted, rather a tree is planted on hill that has higher ground than the purple hills in the background.


Besides women, both cards have animals of opposite temperaments. The lion of Strength in the foreground is tied to the bird perched on a tree in the background of the Star. People need not fear our avian cousins but a lion is the most fearsome of our earthly neighbors. The roar of lion and song of a bird are two dialects that stir our hearts in different ways.

Eight eight pointed stars are visible on the star card. The central star above the nude woman is shining the brightest. Above the clothed woman is an infinity symbol. Just as their is an infinite power in our universe - the stars at night seem to sing of this infinite power.

These two cards show women interacting with their environment. One woman demonstrates her power over the world by dominating the King of Beasts, while the other humbly returns the what she taken back to he earth. She dose not dump it carelessly, but with a keen sense, carefully with one leg on land (logically) and another in the water (emotionally).

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Tarot Yin & Yang - The Hierophant & Justice, part 6

The Hierophant and Justice feature two men dressed in red robes sitting on a grey throne with two solid grey pillars on their left and right. Their crowns are golden - Justice wears a crown with three square helms and the Hierophant wears a triple crown reminscent of the Pope.

In many Tarot Decks the Hierophant is called the Pope, but the term Hierophant is more general of any spiritual doctrine. But no matter, the imagery of the Pope is conserved with the papal cross keys at the Hierophants feet.

These two cards tells of divine law and man made laws or rather the reality that man has discovered and of the higher reality that religious leaders are aware of. Likewise law men and women - police, judges, and lawyers.............(under construction)

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Tarot Yin & Yang - The Fool & The Hermit, part 5

The Fool and the Hermit are linked by the dynamic dichotomy of youth and old age, or rather an immature neophyte and wise elder.

Their cards differ like night and day. The Fool seems to be trotting off a cliff in broad daylight with the shining sun at his back, while the Hermit stands at attention on a dark moonless midnight hour. The Fool wears an elaborate, fancy shirt full of vitality but the Hermit wears a plain grey robe.

Both of these men carry a stick. The Fool uses his wand to carry his material belongings in a manicured purse, while the Hermit uses his golden staff for balance on his high ground.


The Fool holds a white rose in his left hand - that symbolizes his innocence. In stark contrast, the Hermit holds a lantern of enlightenment - to guide those below. The lantern shines as a golden six pointed star.

These Tarot Cards illustrate the common theme of youthful indiscretion versus the wise man of the mountain. Whatever your stage in life or personal endeavor in a martial art, work, life or love - these two cards represent the two extremes of a journey.

The Hermit is a serious card. The man's dress, stature, and imagery convey humble and almost divine calling, while the imagery of the fool is lighthearted, playful, and of course foolish.


Back in 1971 the Hermit gained a note popularity thanks to Led Zeppelin. The design of The Hermit was used on the inside cover art of Led Zeppelin's fourth album. The Hermit is associated with one of their most popular songs - A Stairway to Heaven. You can often find lyrics printed beside the image of The Hermit. In this song the wondering English Minstrels tell us of a foolish stairway to heaven...they combine ancient instruments with modern rock. Perhaps Led Zeppelin will have to write a song that is inspired by the fool?

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Tarot Yin & Yang - The Lovers & the Devil, part 4

The Lovers Tarot Card
the card of love

It is nothing new that the Tarot Lovers Card is considered the complement to the Tarot Devil Card. One card exudes 'Love' white the other shows us 'Hate.'

Both cards feature a nude Man and Woman. The Lovers are reminiscent of the the Garden of Eden. There is even a serpent in a tree behind the woman.

In the Lovers Cards the woman stands in front of a tree that bears an orange fruit, while the man stand in front of a tree that bears a flaming leaf. In the Devil's Card the fruits of the tress have become attached to the naked man and women as tails. At the end of the woman's tail is a purple fruiting body - perhaps a bunch of grapes. She is aware that she is picking at it as if to offer it to the man. The man also has a tail with a flaming leaf but the Devil is flaming his passion by goating him with torch.

When combined the dichotomy of an Angel and Devil are apparent. Their colours are even counter charged. The Angel of the Lovers is wearing a purple robe and has red avian wings, while the Devil has purple bat wings and a red body. The Angel appears at high noon when the sun is directly overhead and clearly shines a loving energy, while the Devil appears in darkness. The light hidden and occulted.

The Angel has golden skin while the devil has horns on his head. The Angel intuitively appears loving, while the Devil is frightening.

The Devil Card
the card Hate

The Angel appears out the clouds and shows the lovers that they are to be united. But the Devil sits on a black monolith that chains the lovers around their necks. The Devil is the less than friendly middle man who keeps the lovers in a wicked bondage.

The Devils hands are in two different positions. The Devil has his right hand over the woman with a tattoo upon it. While his left hand holds a torch that manipulates the flaming tail of the man.

The Devil is manipulating man and woman, or two points of view for his own benefit. One of the Devils most powerful tool is hatred - it is his perfect tool that allows it to control and manipulate lovers, families, and nations.

The Devil has an upside down pentagram on his head. The suit of pentacles also has pentagrams, but they are right side up and surrounded by a circle. This pentacle suit usually deals with earthly issues or advancement - wealth, trade, and life skills. But an upside down pentagram symbolizes a corruption of earth skills or rather greed.

These two tarot cards match in design like yin and yang or rather - love and hate.

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