THE TAROT

MYSTICISM
PROCESS
By Joe Monteleone

2023 Joe Monteleone All Rights Reserved

 3 PLANES OF TAROT
Level 1: Mechanical
Personal
The body/mechanical plane of tarot practice focuses
"Mechanical" means it looks at
on what a person's body will be doing, where, with
who, and when. It is oftentimes predictive. It answers what is knocking into what to
questions like, “When will I get married? What is my make the physical
next job? Will my health improve?” The general mode circumstances
of questioning is, “What will happen to me?” These Includes predictive readings
types of readings focus on detail and can be very Oftentimes, concerns action,
impressive to answer. Many clients expect something physical events and the body
like this from tarot at first. Mode of questioning: "What
will happen to me?"

Level 2: Subtle/Causal
Personal Relating
This level of tarot reading gives information on what to Transpersonal
is causing the results that materialize around us.
Here, the cards show us patterns in our life, whether This level is "subtle" or "causal"
that's energetic, karmic, psychological or otherwise. because it shows what is causing
It answers questions like, "who am I?" This is the the physical circumstances to
backstage of our reality, the subtle plane, and the show up
realm of symbol and archetype. Many tarot readers
This can be viewed as a
are familiar with this level of work, and it has
psychological or energetic layer.
become more popular over recent decades.
Mode of questioning: "Who am I?"

Level 3: Mystical
Transpersonal
The highest level of tarot reading isn't so much
reading as it is direct knowledge. At this level, we This level is concerned with
stop asking "who am I?" and start asking "what am mysteries that transcend the
I?" The tarot becomes a holographic system of individual.
mystical insight that leads to the highest revelations Mode of questioning: "What
and the deepest peace. It is holographic because, am I?"
at this level, every symbol starts expressing the
whole system, just as you, the seeker, start to
express the whole universe. It is mystical because,
at this level, the tarot starts to point to an
apprehension of absolute unity. This is less
commonly understood than the first two.
 . . . COME OUT OF NOTHING?
USE OF TAROT TANTRA NOTES AND TAITIRYA MANDUKYA TAROT + QABALISTIC
PLOTINUS
MANTRAS UPANISHAD UPANISHAD TREE OF LIFE
MYSTICAL Cit: "Consciousness" (as above)
The Absolute BRAHMAN
Anandamaya
Existence, Consciousness, Bliss
Negative theology lives here.
AIN SOPH the infinite
No Thing Atman: Self THE ONE

Atziluth Transcendence
Kosha To Hen
"I=am" TURIYA

Emanation
(Negative Theology)
Shunya: "Void" 0
MAYA w
Cro n
Seeds of Duality: CAUSAL 1
Birth of Creation and
Vijñanamaya BODY
Causation THE INTELLECT erstan isdom

BEING
W
Kosha

din
Und
God the Creator PRAJNA + IŚVARA Nous 3 2

g
BRIAH
The Possibility of Things DEEP SLEEP
Prana: "Life Force" "I am"
SUBTLE/CAUSAL SUBTLE

Emanation through
contemplation of The One
everit Mercy
BODY

y
S
5 4
au
Be ty

YETZIRAH
Duality of the Inner 6
Manomaya TAIJASA + THE SOUL
World
Citta: "Mind" Kosha HIRANYAGARBAH Psyché ctor
Glory Vi y
8 7
Jnana Shakti: Know Cria Shakti: Act
Inner World Icha Shakti: Will
da
un ti
9

on
Fo
"I am not the mind" DREAMING
MECHANICAL Deha: "Body"
Pranamaya GROSS

ASSIYAH
Kosha BODY ingdo

m
K
NATURE 10
Duality of the External World VIŚVA + VIRAT
All of the physical universe, perceived
Outer World by Arjuna in Gita
Anamaya WAKING the finite
Vastu: "Stuff" "I am not the body" Kosha
(so below)
HOW DOES SOMETHING . . .
 TAROT DIVINATION IS ABOUT THINGS

Divination is about becoming aware of "THINGS"

(which, for our purposes, include people and
places).

THINGS are done, made, different, or changeable.

They are "here or there", and "coming or going" and
always arise in consciousness.

Consciousness is not done, made, different, or

changeable. It is both "here and there" and neither
"coming" nor "going". It simply is.

oh look!
"Things" being done,
made, different, or
changeable.
 MORE ON "THINGS"
In tarot divination, we identify with some"THING": anything done, made, different, or
changeable, in time or space, here or there, coming or going.

Doing, making, differentiating and changing often happen simultaneously. From a mystical
perspective, they are all the same thing. From a divinatory/manifestation perspective, they are
different.

DOING
When you do something, you happen to the world.
Element: Fire
Example: doing your job, "doing your thing", doing good, doing bad, "just do it!"

MAKING
When you make something, you combine parts of reality into a new form.
Element: Water
Example: making love, making art, making people happy, "making a fuss"

DIFFERENTIATING
When you differentiate, you make one thing different from another thing, like a
sword cleaving something in two.
Element: Air
Example: "I am not like those people, but I am like these people". "I'm different."

CHANGING
When you change something, you turn one combination of reality into another.
Element: Earth
Example: changing time and effort into money (working a job), growth, seasons
 IF TAROT DIVINATION IS ABOUT "THINGS"
TAROT MYSTICISM IS ABOUT "NO THING"
In Tarot Mysticism, there is no THING after the I. There just IS. Tarot Mysticism is the art of
affirming real existence without conditions. It is simply being.

I AM . . .

If it's not about a THING . . .

It's about NO THING.

TAROT DIVINATION TAROT MYSTICISM AND

AND "THINGS": "NO THING":

DOING BEING
"I am doing my job." "I am."

MAKING BEING
"I am making love." "I am."

DIFFERENTIATING BEING
"I am different than those people." "I am."

CHANGING BEING
"I am changing my life." "I am."
 BUT . . .

I AM . . . WHAT?

I AM THAT I AM
 The Tarot Reading Process

Reading for Yourself:

A subject (reader) becomes aware of

"THINGS" (divination) within itself
2
(reader) through symbolic medium
(cards). "THINGS" are anything done,
1
made, different, or changeable, here or
there, coming or going.

Reading for Others: 3

A subject (reader) becomes aware of
"THINGS" (divination) within another
subject (querent) through symbolic 2
medium (cards). 1
 The Tarot Mysticism Process

Instead of using the cards to become aware of a "Thing"

(something the questioner might do, make,
differentiate, or change, here or there, coming or
going), it becomes aware of its own being directly.

In this approach, the questioner does not look for an

idea of itself in the future or past, but approaches itself
directly.

The self beholding itself creates a paradox and infinite

loop (an ouroboros). The tarot, especially the major
arcana, is an expression of this infinite loop. It shows
how the universe becomes you through knowing itself
(manifestation). The other side of this loop is you
recognizing you are the universe (mysticism). This
infinite loop one of the most sought after secrets of so
many mystics, philosophers, and sages.

When we identify with "THINGS" (what we do, make,

differentiate, or change, here or there, coming or
going), we manifest or divine. When we remove our
identifications with "THINGS", we are doing mysticism
(eg. "I am not my body, I am not my mind).

Manifestation and divination lead to "THINGS".

Mysticism leads to divine "NO THING".

MANIFESTATION/DIVINATION MYSTICISM
 EXAMPLES OF "NO THING" IN
VARIOUS TRADITIONS

If Everything is that from which

nothing can be removed or added
And Nothing is that from which
nothing can be removed or added "Oh Nuit, continuous one
Then everything IS nothing If there is one thing I know . . . it is nothing. of Heaven, let it be ever
(Hegel) thus; that men speak not
of Thee as One but as
None; and let them
speak not of thee at all,
since thou art
AIN SOPH continuous!"
Nirviculpa Samadhi --Book of the Law

The infinite nothing

Abstract infinity, eternity

That which remains, when every

Nirguna Brahman
knowable thing has been removed

That which is without condition

To define it is to defile it
"The All"
--The Kybalion Symbolized by a circle and a closed eye. Beli-mah
(Hebrew for "without anything")
Ten Sephiroth of Nothingness: Their end is
imbedded in their beginning, and their
beginning in their end, like a flame in a burning "Sunyata" (Zen)
coal. For the Master is singular, He has no
second. And before One, what do you count?
(Sepher Yetzirah 1:7)

Mūlamadhyamakakārikā of
Nagarjuna
"Neti Neti"
--Brhadaranyaka Upanishad

"God: an infinite sphere whose centre is

everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere" "Nothingness which twinkles. . . but what twinkles!"
--Book of 24 Philosophers --Aleister Crowley
TAROT MYSTICISM IS ABOUT "NO THING"

"NO THING" can be expressed in an apophatic way,

through negation. In this mode, mystics point out the
ultimate reality by discerning what it is not. Some
examples of this include:
Sunyata, the doctrine of the void/emptiness as
seen in the Zen or Mulamadhyamaka tradition of
Buddhism (See the Mulamadhyamakakarika by
Nagarjuna)
Neti Neti, "not that, not that", (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad 2.3. 6)
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, a Christian
Neoplatonist
Ain Soph of the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism)

"NO THING" can be expressed in a cataphatic way,

through RADICAL ONTOLOGICAL AFFIRMATION. In
this mode, the mystic attempts to point at the
ultimate reality, instead of describing what it is NOT.
But the ultimate reality includes all things. How
does one point at something that includes the one
pointing? This very paradox has inspired the most
profound writings of mystics, sages, and
philosophers, from the Upanishads to the Enneads
and now tarot. The next page includes the
mahavakyas and other ontological affirmations (or
"mystical mic-drops"). They are affirmations of the
absolute.
 Ontological Affirmations, Mahavakyas and other Slightly
Isomorphic Mystical Mic-Drops
Tatvamasi (Thou Art That)
-Chandogya Upanishad

Aham brahmasmi (I am Brahman)

--Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Ehieh Asher Ehieh (I am that I am)

--Exodus

Prajnana is Brahman. (Wisdom is the Self)

-The Aitareya Upanishad

Ayam Atma Brahma (This Self is Brahman)

-The Mandukya Upanishad

Tathata ("thatness/suchness" of Buddhism)

Come now, I will tell thee . . . the only two ways of search that can be thought of. The first, namely, that It is, and
that it is impossible for anything not to be, is the way of conviction, for truth is its companion.
-Parmenides, On Nature

Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.
-A Course in Miracles

Ana al-Haqq (I am the Truth)

-Mansur al-Hallaj

I, oh Arguna! am that which is and that which is not.

--Bhagavad Gita

This All is universal power, of infinite extent and infinite in potency, a god so great that all his parts are
infinite. Name any place, and he is already there.
― Plotinus
 These ontological affirmations, mahavakyas,
and mystical mic-drops and are expressions
of Self-Knowledge. Self-knowledge is a
paradox. How can a self know itself without
being something other than itself?

2 In 2 ways:

1 1) By becoming a "THING" other than itself

(Manifestation)

2) By un-becoming a "THING" and returning to

itself as "NO THING" (Mysticism).

In Tarot Divination, a self knows itself by

looking into its own creation or idea of itself.
Tarot Divination looks at "THINGS": things are
done, made, different, changeable, here or
there, coming or going, in time or space.

This can easily be communicated verbally,

because LANGUAGE is LINEAR. It leads one
"THING" to different "THING".

In Tarot Mysticism, the Self knows itself

directly. There is "NO THING" outside of that
which observes it. This is gnosis.

This cannot be communicated verbally,

because LANGUAGE is LINEAR. When there is
"NO THING", there is nothing for a line to lead
to, and no line can be made for linear
language.
 "THIS IS WHERE I DRAW THE LINE!"
DUALITY AND THE TREE OF LIFE

Since language is linear, it always draws a line from one "THING" to another
"THING" (something done, made, different, or changeable, here or there,
coming or going). This makes language dual.

Mystics have attempted to express ineffable unity through LINEAR

language, DUALITY. The Kabbalists literally drew lines from unity/God to
duality/our world when they invented the Tree of Life.

The tarot perfectly expresses the Tree of Life. They both detail the cosmic
process of creation.

It shows how God does, makes, differentiates, and changes, how God does
its "THING"!

GOD
CREATION

3
YOU
ARE
HERE
US
 CROSSING THE LINE
NON DUALITY

However, from the top of the tree of life, at the peak of spiritual
awareness, the sages, mystics, and philosophers can only speak in
contradictions. At that level, there is "NO THING". There is "NO
THING" done, made, different, or changable, here or there, coming or
going. There is NO DUALITY.

All this duality that is

nothing but Maya, is but
non-duality in reality.
--Gaudapada, Mandukya
Karika I.18
 In the Hermetic tradition, this non duality is expressed in
the following excerpt of the Corpus Hermeticum (Book 17 in
John Everard's translation):

3. All things that appear, were made, and are made.

4. Those things that are made, are not made by themselves, but by another.
5. And there are many things made, but especially all things that appear, and which are different, and not like.
6. If the things that be made and done, be made and done by another, there must be one that must make, and do them; and
he unmade, and more ancient than the things that are made.
7. For I affirm the things that are made, to be made by another; and it is impossible, that of the things that are made any
should be more ancient than all, but only that which is not made.
8. He is stronger, and One, and only knowing all things indeed, as not having any thing more ancient than himself.
10. Moreover, the things that are made, are visible, but he is invisible; and for this cause, he maketh them, that he may be
visible; and therefore he makes them always.
16. Wherefore, letting go all much and vain talking, we must understand these two things, That Which is Made, and Him
Which is the Maker; for there is nothing in the middle, between these Two, nor is there any third.
18. For All things, are but two Things, That which Maketh, and that which is Made, and the One of them cannot depart, or
be divided from the Other.
19. For neither is it possible that the maker should be without the thing made, for either of them is the self-same thing;
therefore cannot the One of them be separated from the other, no more than a thing can be separated from itself.
20. For if he that makes be nothing else, but that which makes alone, Simple, Uncompounded, it is of necessity, that he
makes the same thing to himself, to whom it is the Generation of him that maketh to be also All that is made.
21. For that which is generated or made, must necessarily be generated or made by another, but without the Maker that
which is made, neither is made, nor is; for the one of them without the other, hath lost his proper Nature by the privation of
the other.
22. So if these Two be confessed, That which maketh, and that which is made, then they are One in Union, this going
before, and that following.
23. And that which goeth before, is, God the Maker, and that which follows is, that which is made, be it what it will.
24. And let no man be afraid because of the variety of things that are made or done, lest he should cast an aspersion of
baseness, or infamy upon God, for it is the only Glory of him to do, or make All things.
25. And this making, or facture is as it were the Body of God, and to him that maketh or doth, there is nothing evil, or filthy
to be imputed, or There is Nothing thought Evil or Filthy.
26. For these are Passions that follow Generation as Rust doth Copper, or as Excrements do the Body.
27. But neither did the Copper-smith make the Rust, nor the Maker the Filth, nor God the Evilness.
30. For men that think so, suffer that which is most ridiculous of all; for professing to bless and praise God yet in not
ascribing to him the making or doing of All things, they know him not.
31. And besides their not knowing him, they are extremely impious against him, attributing unto him Passions, as Pride, or
Oversight, or Weakness, or Ignorance, or Envy.
 TLDR:
There is no separation from
"made" and "maker"

MAKER NOTE: The dyad is called

"tolma" by Plotinus, a word
that can describe the
motive for differentiation
and the soul's decent. The
biggest mystery, how some
"thing" (duality) comes out
of "No thing" (unity) can be
conceptualized as a nerve
of the universe to "be". The
irony is that there is no
"thing" te be but itself. In
the 17th and last book of
the Corpus Hermeticum,
Hermes gives his final
teaching on this very topic:
the unity of the made with
the maker. At this level,
there is no separation.

MADE
This lack of separation is (partially)
symbolized by the ouroboros.
 MYSTICISM

"NO THING"

MADE
MAKER

MANIFESTATION/
"THINGS" DIVINATION
 THE TAROT MYSTICISM PROCESS

The Tarot Mysticism Process uses the cards to help understand this
"NO THING" or non duality.

Each tarot card and its corresponding path on the tree of life (among
other attributions) is used as a radical ontological affirmation similar
to the great sayings and isomorphic "mystical mic-drops" of various
mystical traditions.

Each card, and path, connects two sephirot. These sephirot have
contemporary titles. The new titles help the student bridge one
experience with another. This connects every level of experience with
every other level to reach the top.

After enough contemplation, the separation between levels of

experience (in this case, sephirot) will dissolve. This achieves a non
dual understanding that cannot be put into words. It creates the
conditions for a mystical experience.

These are NOT personal affirmations where you identify with an

aspect of you (eg. "I am powerful", "I am strong", "I am healthy").
These are existential affirmations of your full being, various forms of
"I am."

All of the majors together create a bridge from the absolute to your
current experience as "you".

The most effective mode of this practice is "I am." This takes the form
"IS".

However, if that feels too abstract, you can use "CREATES" or

"BECOMES", which would make the process dualistic.
 The Holographic Tree of Life for Ontological Affirmation
Each PART contains the pattern of the WHOLE.
Each PART and the WHOLE IS "BEING".
Each PART and the WHOLE expresses these great ontological affirmations.

I AM
0
PURE CONSCIOUSNESS
w
Cro n
1
erstan W
isdom
din
Und

3 2
g

THE OBSERVED DA'AT: THE INFINITE REGRESS THE OBSERVER

OF OBSERVATION

everit Mercy THE SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE

y
S

OBJECTS: 5 4 OF OBJECTS: that which is

THAT as the activity of experience aware of all your experiences
au
Be ty
6
PERSONAL
CONSIOUSNESS/ ctor
Glory Vi y
MIND
THE WAY 8 7 THE WILL
AND THE HOW AND THE WHAT
da
un ti
9
on
Fo

AUTOMATION/
SUBCONSCIOUS

ingdo
m
K

I AM 10
EMBODIMENT
 w
Cro n
I PURE CONSCIOUSNESS PM 1 The fool IS pure consciousness in
search of experience. In becoming
Self-aware, it "becomes" the observer.
This sets off a series of mutually
arising revelations illustrated in the
21 major arcana cards that follow. The
fool is complete, but perhaps without
knowledge. The following cards
represent expressions of the fool (and
us) that lead to the knowledge of
completeness and our divine nature.
Each card expresses the same mystery
in a different way. By contemplating
each card, we gain further insight into
the mystery of the fool to resolve the
isdom paradox of self-knowledge.
W

AM THE OBSERVER 2

w
Cro n
I PURE CONSCIOUSNESS PM 1
Pure consciousness is observed by
becoming an object of its own
awareness (Plotinus's nous). This
creates the world of duality. The
dualistic trickery of mercury, as a
messenger, separates "here" from
"there", "coming" from "going", and
divides the absolute into "self-
knowledge". This allows for the idea of
limitation and form, represented by
Saturn, as opposed to the unformed
nature of the primum mobile (first
mover). From the Vedic perspective, this
might be Maya, the world of illusion
erstan
(name, form, and function).
din
Und

AM THE OBSERVED 3
g
 w
Cro n
I PURE CONSCIOUSNESS PM 1
Pure consciousness IS personal
consciousness through the path of the
moon. Like the moon, our personal
consciousness reflects the absolute
consciousness. Also like the moon, our
personal consciousness/mind moves
through phases and rhythms, which
themselves are movements of the
absolute. These rhythms mutually
arise from the duality introduced by
the magus. She is the subconscious
answer to conscious magus. In the
high priestess, we recognize there is
no difference between our mind and
au the absolute.
Be ty
AM PERSONAL
CONSCIOUSNESS
6

isdom
W
I THE OBSERVER 2
The observer IS the observed
through the path of Venus. This
path has 2 meanings. First, that
which is observed exists due to
an observer. The "mind"
vibrates the form of what it
apprehends (see the
Yogasutras of Patanjali).
Second, the observer itself is
observed through pure
consciousness. The empress
exemplifies the relationship of
observer and observed. It
follows that she is attributed to
Venus, planet of love,
erstan
attraction, value, and
din
Und

AM THE OBSERVED 3
g

relationships.
 isdom
W
I THE OBSERVER 2

The observer IS the personal

consciousness through the path
of Aries, cardinal fire. This is the
creation of self illumined by the
silent witness. The motto of
Aries is "I am". The self is finite
as opposed to the infinite Self.
The "personal consciousness"
can be interpreted as "mind"
that arises to the observer.

au
Be ty
6
AM PERSONAL
CONSCIOUSNESS

isdom
W
The observer IS/BECOMES the
I THE OBSERVER 2 subjective experience through
the path of
Taurus, fixed earth. The
difference between the two is
that the observer is untouched
and still while the subjective
experience has variation and
causality. From a non-dual
perspective, the subjective
experience owes its existence
to the observer. The observer,
becoming/appering as
experience, is symbolized by
Taurus, the sign of sensation.
The bull is related to stories of
Mercy divine conception (Pasiphae,

AM THE SUBJECTIVE 4 Jesus, etc.) One might compare

EXPERIENCE this to "the word made flesh".
 erstan

din
Und
I THE OBSERVED 3

g
The observed IS/BECOMES the
personal consciousness
through the path of Gemini,
mutable air. The personal
consciousness, a separate self,
is a result of something outside
of it being observed. This is the
creative capacity of the
absolute appearing as (Advaita
Vedanta's interpretation) or
emanating into (Plotinus'
interpretation) multiplicity.
This can be experienced in the
later steps of the Meta-
au
Be ty Meditation.
AM PERSONAL
6
CONSCIOUSNESS

erstan
din
Und

I 3
g

THE OBSERVED
The observed (you) IS the
activity of your experience. This
activity is the path of Cancer,
cardinal water, which
symbolizes the commencement
of life through incubation and
form. The chariot separates
itself from the world as a
vehicle of its own activity,
which can symbolize life,
incarnation, and the body-mind
complex. The self (the body-
mind vehicle) is now
(seemingly) apart but still a
part of the Self. The observed
everit
pieces of the whole are
y
S

AM THE ACTIVITY OF MY 5 rendered by their own activity.

EXPERIENCE
 Mercy
I SUBJECTIVE
EXPERIENCE 4
One of the most common occurrences
in mystical experience is the
destruction between subject and
object. This can be done in various
ways. Some examples include deep
meditation, creative fervor, orgasm,
intense devotional experiences, and
so on. Strength/Lust represents the
destruction of that barrier between
subject and object, especially in the
creative flow state where the inner
and outer world work in a natural
harmony. This is symbolized by Leo.
Consider this and the relationship
everit between Jupiter and Mars.
y
S

AM THE ACTIVITY OF MY
EXPERIENCE
5

eMrsetracny
din
Und

SUBJECTIVE
I 3
4
g

EXPERIENCE
The subjective experience, (born
from the apparent separation of
subject and object, observer and
observed) IS/BECOMES the personal
consciousness (mind) through the
path of virgo, mutable earth. Virgo
represents personal growth and
self-perfection. The subjective
experience, symbolized by the lone
hermit, becomes "mind" which
illumines the world, symbolized by
the sun. This is the microcosm. In
Tarot Mysticism, this is not separate
from the macrocosm.
au
Be ty
PERSONAL 6
AM CONSCIOUSNESS
 Mercy
THE SUBJECTIVE
I EXPERIENCE 4
The wheel of fortune provide us
with a look at our subjective
experience. Traditionally, this
card is about external
revolution, but all experience is
internal. The self-perfecting
goal of the hermit manifests as
our subjective experience of a
revolving YOUniverse in
Fortune. Our subjective
experience is our will and the
"what" of our life. What do we
want? What will we do? Jupiter
is the greater benefic giving us
ctor
Vi y what we want.

AM THE WILL AND

THE WHAT
7

everit
y
S

I THE ACTIVITY OF MY 5
EXPERIENCE
You (personal consciousness) are
a result of your experience.
Experience is a balancing act. It
teaches and adjusts us. This is the
constant feedback loop between
outer circumstance and inner
sovereignty, karma. This
balanced feedback system is
ruled by Libra. The "mind" and
"ego" can be interpreted as the
illusion of stasis (personal
consciousness) arising from
constant activity (balancing).
Here, the mind is like the eye of a
au hurricane. In reality, it is only the
Be ty
space at the center of the rushing
AM
PERSONAL 6 wind of thoughts.
CONSCIOUSNESS
 everit

y
S
I
THE
THE ACTIVITY
OBSERVED OF MY 5
EXPERIENCE This main idea of the hanged man is
that the activity of your experience is
the means of this whole tarot
process. In this card, we are
surrendering to our own experience
as a means to continue. Compare this
idea to earlier cards and notice the
similarity. This card corresponds to
the element of water and Neptune,
further suggesting its passive
quality. One could say the whole
tarot and mystical path to self-
knowledge is surrendering to
experience itself. That experience is
the way and the how.
Glory

AM THE WAY AND 8

THE HOW

au
Be ty
I PERSONAL
6
CONSCIOUSNESS
The "will" and the "what" are objects
of the individual personal
consciousness, which exists through
birth and death. The idea behind
"will and what" is to desire
something or choose something you
don't already have. This is the result
of the arising of personal
consciousness within absolute
consciousness. The personal
consciousness has the illusion of
lack. The result of such desire is birth
and death (the authorities on this
topic are the Upanishads). Scorpio is
ctor
Vi y the sign of death.
AM THE WILL AND
THE WHAT
7
 au This is the first time we realize ourselves
Be ty
PERSONAL 6 as "automatic". This is to suggest our
I CONSCIOUSNESS subconscious processes. Our body-mind
complexes run automatically as a result
of our "will and what" and our "way and
how". This card expresses the dance
between personal consciousness as
personal subconsciousness. The
integration of opposite forces like the
conscious and the subconscious is
symbolized by Sagittarius and its
symbols. An example is the autonomic
nervous system. The idea is that all
processes happens naturally, without our
effort. Compare this to the Chinese idea
of wu-wei. Combine this with the High
Priestess and the message becomes:
da
un ti "absolute consciousness becomes
9
on
Fo

AM AUTOMATIC personal consciousness which becomes

me automatically".

au The devil represents physical generation

Be ty
as the "way and the how" of personal
PERSONAL 6
I CONSCIOUSNESS
consciousness. From a Vedantic
perspective, we can look at our physical
experience as an illusion that arises
within consciousness. From another
perspective, matter is just the projection
of measurement (meter) from the mind.
This expresses hod, "the way and the
how", of personal consciousness: to
measure. The body can be measured
finitely but the awareness is infinite.
Capricorn, as the mountain-climbing sea-
goat, symbolizes these material
endeavors of matter and meter. This card
is the outpouring of personal
consciousness into all means and
Glory methods of being. Procreation is the most
AM THE WAY AND 8 obvious example, but it doesn't stop
THE HOW there.
 ercsttoarn
Vi y

din
Und
I THE OBSERVED
THE WILL AND 37

g
THE WHAT
The will (and the what) is its
own method (the way and the
how). This card expresses how
creation is destruction. It
follows that destructive Mars is
attributed to the path that
leads from desirous Venus to
methodical and creative
Hermes. This is the third
horizontal path on the tree of
life. Each of these three both
describe a creative and
destructive act simultaneously.
One way to approach this card
Glory is to know that "what" is in front
AM THE WAY AND 8 of us is the right "way".
THE HOW

ctor
Vi y
I THE WILL AND
THE WHAT
7
The star symbolizes the Self-
generated will as the
automatic processes driving us
forward. This is further
suggested by the Aquarius
attribution, a sign of
individuality, progress, and
forward-thinking. As divine
will, you happen automatically.
The "will" and the "what" of
consciousness run naturally
through all of your organic
processes.
da
un ti
9
on
Fo

AM AUTOMATIC
 ercsttoarn
Vi y

din
Und
I THE WILL AND 37

g
THE WHAT

The Moon represents the will of

the universe and nature to
embody in every way possible. This
is the developing subconscious
mind throughout various past
species and past lives. Pisces
represents these goings-on that
transcend the individual life.
Consider this card alongside
Plotinus' ideas on the
contemplation of nature (Ennead
III.8[4]).

ingdo
m
K

10
AM EMBODIED

Glory

I THE WAY AND 8

THE HOW

The sun is used metaphorically

in the same way by various
mystics and philosophers
(Upanishads, Plato, Plotinus,
among many others) to
describe the effortless way that
consciousness illumines
everything. In this way,
Mercury, the methodology and
intelligence of the universe, the
logos, is automatic (the moon).
The sun represents this ease.

9
AM AUTOMATIC
 Glory

I THE WAY AND 8

THE HOW

In Judgement/The Aeon, you

realize your embodiment as the
way and the how of
consciousness/the absolute.
The earth (malkuth) is
illuminated (fire) by intelligent
design (mercury, the logos).

ingdo
m
K

10
AM EMBODIED

da
un ti
9
on
Fo

I AUTOMATIC

At the end, consciousness is

automatically embodied. Self-
knowledge is both the end of a
process of creation, AND the
end to the mystical quest. It is
both the reward and what
starts the journey. Because of
this, the major arcana describe
both the creation of the
universe down the tree of life,
and in the same order, the
climb back up.
ingdo
m
K

10
AM EMBODIED
 This guide is a small portion of an
online textbook from the Tarot
Mysticism Academy.

For the full textbook, or to take the full

course, visit
www.tarotmysticismacademy.com
 ABOUT JOE
Joe Monteleone, a "one-man-band of magical-thinking-
made reality" (Huffington Post), is a Tarot master teacher,
coach, healer, and modern mystic. He has over two
decades of experience in tarot. He has read, taught, and
performed tarot and mystical philosophy all around the
physical and virtual worlds. After a life-changing mystical
experience, he created the Tarot Mysticism Academy,
where he now connects hundreds of mystical misfits all
over the globe to explore the edges of reality through
tarot's perennial philosophy.

For free classes and resources

on tarot and mysticism, visit:

www.tarotmysticismacademy.com