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The Gold Foil Tarot-Key 14-Temperance
The Tarot of the Old Path- Key 14-The Guide
Sylvia Gainsford.
Sagittarius-Fire.
The Key 14-Temperance card is named the Intelligence of probation or trial, by Dr. Paul Foster Case, founder of the Builders of The Adytum (B.O.T.A.). He is referring to the testing through which every aspirant must pass before they can reach the heights of Initiation (the mountains behind the Temperance Image). The object is to determine one's temper and/or strength, much like the act of tempering metal and thereby, creating the right combination of flexibility and strength. There is a distinct quality of equilibration, as the aspirant must be perfectly balanced with reference to all their vehicles (Spirit-Mind-Body).
Adam Khadmon-The Androgynous Heavenly Human
The Angel in the Rider-Waite-Smith/Gold Foil Tarot illustrates a blue sky, free of clouds and a halo of wisdom around the head. Here, the middle path between two extreme courses of action must be chosen.
The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- Key 14-Temperance: Radiant Edition
The Gold Foil Tarot- Key 14-Temperance
The Temperance card, of the Gold Foil Tarot, displays the vital life force shown as water that is poured from one cup to another, implying that one opposite is tempered or mediated by the other. This principle is far reaching and practical, since within the context of any given experience we learn to consciously bring opposites into play.
At the most mundane level, this card implies "counting to ten" when anger flares, helping us avoid doing anything rash. Or it can mean counting our blessings when life is going wrong. At a more subtle level, this is an invocation of another point of view. This inner self-debate helps us to realize and neutralize the emotional or intellectual significance of a situation and to see as an observer. This card points out the realization that there are dualities in everything, and that we function in pendulum swings from happy to sad, from love to hate, and from thoughtful to emotional.
The 3rd level of this card is much more refined as it refers to the wave interaction of those positive and negative sexual energies consciously through Tantric Yoga, or certain little understood Jewish or Christian meditational practices.; a process symbolized in the past by using alchemical and other symbolic terms.
The White Robes of the Gold Foil- Angel and of the Tarot of the Old Path represent purity. At the breast of the Rider-Waite-Smith figure, is shown the displays white square with a red triangle in its center (a "secret" symbol for Tetragrammaton). This also is an example of the underlying meaning of Tempering. On the Gold Foil Angel, the white square is the "symbol for the 4 square world of mankind" and the red triangle is the symbol for the universal element of fire. Temperance is the uniting of the male (animus) and the female (anima) principles.
The Tarot of the Old Path is rife with symbols of male and female and their ultimate union the Divine Androgyny. He we can see the "Male Force", represented as a dark-haired man, lifting, and carrying the exhausted female through the Waters of Life (flowing out of the rocks). The man is gaining strength by gazing at the Guiding Divine Spirit- Androgyny; implying the perfect spiritual balance of male and female forces produces the flow of divine strength in the physical world. The Guide stands with one foot in the Water (Unconsciousness) and the other on dry land (Earth physical). The Red triangle of earth and the Trinity of Maid, Mother and Crone, is on its chest. Holding two goblets, it is pouring a watery fluid from one to the next, which symbolizes the "Gluten" or the rippling, cosmic vibratory fluid of Life, as it is called in Alchemy. Here is also displayed is the life cycle of regeneration and spiritual purification for the "Gluten" is a substance of communion and Resurrection.
The Two Images-of the Old Goddess and Old God (horned one), a Qabalist would call Binah and Chokmah, keep constant watch: or as the Tibetan tantric's would say, are in a continual state of Yab Yum (Goddess, God, face to face), as their constant union and vigilance is required to manifest the Universe....that constant union also produces the Divine Androgyny that is the Divine Creative, as they are inseparable.
The symbol of friendship, in the language of plants, is the ivy intertwined around the borders of this Tarot card of the Old Path. By the waterfall, is seen Lilly-of- the-valley. which promises the return of happiness. The petunia afloat on the water bears the message of "Your presence soothes me."
This card represents the idea that Thrift symbolizes sympathy: that moderation and control are the spiritual path and that overindulgence on any or all levels will result in lack of progress.
On the Gold Foil card, the Angel rests one foot on water, signifying the cosmic mind stuff and the other foot is on land, signifying the "solid" world of physical manifestation. The Gold Foil Angel pours water from the cup in its left hand to the right. The cups are gold, because they represent the golden radiant light that all living creation comes from. The upper cup represents the self-consciousness, corresponding to the man in Key 6-The Lovers. The lower cup represents the Woman in Key 6-the Lovers and Subconsciousness. The stream of mind stuff flows/vibrates between them in equilibrium.
On both cards, the Angel is the I AM and/or the Greater Ego of the Soul-Tiphareth the 6th Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. Therefore, the Temperance figure is shown adapting and modifying the personal stream of psychic energy in the actions and reactions of the self-conscious and subconscious aspects of human personality. The belief here is that the Holy Guardian Angel (Higher-Self), makes all the tests and trials which lead us along the path of attainment. Personalities must be tempered to handle the fiery emotional force of the Inner Sun/Son of God/Horus. The only correction necessary is the intellectual correction of both thought and emotion. Therefore, the wise man acts as if all tests, and tempering of intellectual corrections are his alone. Even though he knows better.
The twin mountain peaks (on both cards) represent Chokma-Wisdom and Binah-Understanding, and the yellow circle with a dot in the center on the angel's forehead in the Gold Foil Tarot and the yellow orb on the Tarot of the Old path, represent the Sun above them both referring to the Primal Will of Kether (God name of Eheieh-I Will Be).
When the Key 14-Temperance card is thrown in a divination. It implies:
- Dissolve and bind.
- Reunification of that which is dissolved (0=2, 2=1)
- The philosopher's stone is the goal.
- The search for the innermost core of being.
- The proper measure.
- Proportionality and harmony.
- Anima and Animus, blending into One.
- Achieving a beautiful balance.
- Moderation in all things of life.
- Harmony between the Spiritual and Physical Aspects.
If reversed:
- Excess (conflicts and dissipation).
- Tendency towards extremes.
- Disharmony towards mind and body.
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