The Tarot of Eli 2: Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- Key 6-The Lovers & The Manara Erotic Tarot -Key 6-The Lovers.

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On the Rider-Waite-Smith Card, - Key 6-THE LOVERS, the Sun is the man, the Moon is the Woman, and the Divine Fire that is above the Abyss, is represented as Cupid or the Solar Angel. On the Rider-Waite card copy of the Gold Foil Tarot, both forms symbolize the Divine uniting force. Dr. Paul Foster Case of B.O.T.A. Tarot has stated that the Sun is self-consciousness and that the Moon is subconsciousness. Dr. Paul Foster Case considered that these are both aspects of the One Life Breath, each working half of the body. Mundanely we know them personified as the Male half and the Female half of the human brain.

As Dr. Paul Foster Case has stated, "When the Solar and Lunar currents of the Life-Power are rightly perceived, rightly discriminated, and when their operation is kept in proper order, the personality of the man (Woman) engaged in this practice becomes a free, unobstructed channel for the outpouring of the cosmic life force." Case considered THE LOVERS card to represent one of the dualities united by the Spiritual Self. Just as most Tantric, Western Sex magick, and Gnostic practitioner's do.

On the RWS Lovers Card, the Sun that is behind the Solar Angel is bright yellow signifying the Sun in our sky. It is the dynamo of energy that all flora and fauna of earth derive energy from. It also symbolizes the ageless wisdom of potential consciousness. Therefore, the Sun is seen as the body of a Being; a Being in Qabalah, is an infinite and eternal Presence (The Sun will die, but not the energy). The angel is Raphael, angel of Air (Intelligence) the element also that is attributed to Gemini, the astrological sign given to this card. Raphael is also considered to be the great archangel of the eastern quarter of the heavens. On the Gold Foil card, he represents the subconscious and is therefore related to the Fool. Yellow indicates its airy nature, and the violet robes carry out the same idea, because violet is the color-complement to yellow. Clouds also imply his airy nature. Raphael is the Life-Breath, pranic force of the Super consciousness (Supernal Triangle). His influence is shown streaming from his hands to the lovers below.

"The foundation of all life, of the whole universe, is the subtle life force energy that yogis call prana. You can’t see it, or touch it or taste it, but most yogis have had an experience of prana, the subtle energy that flows through our bodies. This mystical energy moves through our bodies and animates our every action–from gross physical movements to minute biochemical processes. Creating an understanding and awareness of prana is important for yogis to understand the purpose of many hatha yoga exercises.

The Sanskrit word prana was first referenced in the 3,000-year-old Chandogya Upanishad text and was further refined and described in later Upanishads. The traditional texts of Ayurveda, Tantra Yoga, and Hatha Yoga further developed and elaborated on prana and the energetic anatomy that supports it."

The mountain below the Angel has several meanings: as the abode of the Gods (Sinai, Mt Olympus, Meru, Fujiyama). They also suggest climbing, aspiration and attainment. We all have peaks to climb and the inner incentive to action, the disposing element in our mind that leads to violation, has always been in the background becomes the idea of climbing above our present position. Hence, it also symbolizes what the Alchemist calls the Great Work. Then there is the fact that the Mountain is often used to represent the phallic symbol of pregnancy and/or gestation, suggesting preparation, organization and like ideas. The man at right, is Adam, made to till the soil and is considered the "Namer" of things. He is also the Magician of Tarot. Behind him is a tree bearing the 12 flaming fruits-The Zodiac. Each flame is tripled because astrologers subdivide each sign into 3 parts and/or decanoates. Hence, this is seen as the Tree of Human Life and its fruits represent the 12 types and the 36 subtypes of personality and/or self-conscious expression.

The woman represents Eve (to the Western Hermetic Qabalist she is Lilith), the High Priestess, and the Empress. Behind her is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The 5 circular fruits on this tree represent the 5 senses. According to Waite, up the tree climbs the serpent of sensation, because temptation arises from the memory of sensation in the Subconscious. However, the serpent is also the symbol for wisdom and of redemption. This is because wisdom and liberation result from the right adaptation of the very forces, which at first tempt us into mistaken action. Thus Dr. Waite says, "The suggestion in respect of the woman is that she signifies the attraction towards the sensitive life which carries with it the idea of the "Fall of Man", but she is the working of a secret law of Providence, rather than a willing and conscious temptress. it is through her so-called lapse that man shall rise ultimately, and only by her can he complete himself."

The woman looks towards the Angel and the man towards the Woman. This is because the self-conscious intellectual mind is the determining factor in personal consciousness but does not directly become aware of the Super consciousness (Greater Self). Self-consciousness does receive and transmit the powers of the Super consciousness; However, conscious awareness of the nature of those powers comes careful observation of the activities of the subconscious and the mind virus of the False Ego. Powers and/or Divya Siddhis (Magic abilities) are developed from within, and the subconscious within is "the woman". Development comes by response of the "inner" to the "outer". Hence, the relationship of the subconscious to the self-conscious should be one of loving intimacy and not fear, nightmares and evil. Therefore, the 2 lovers are shown nude., as in hiding nothing and pure. Therefore, this image warns us against attempts to bully or coerce the subconscious. Persuade the subconscious by focused understanding and it will do anything for you. By endeavoring to drive it harshly will enact the law of reverse effort giving the parasitic mind virus of the false ego with more power to resist, so that you get the result of the opposite of that which you wished to gain. Again, discernment is the key to a happy harmony between subconscious and awake self-consciousness. The framer of suggestion, and/or identity is the self-conscious and therefore it carries the burden of observation and discernment.

The Erotic Tarot-Key 6- The Lovers is attributed to Gemini in the suit of Air.

The Milo Manara Erotic Tarot Card-Key 6-The Lover's seems to display a confused pattern of bondage and sadism, as the woman posing for the artist is showing signs of flagellation and a rope around her wrist. One may think that the artist must be mad, to call this the lovers. However, what he is displaying is the shocking truth of this card that is the Path of Zain on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, Zain, means-Sword or Armor and this path leads from the 3rd Sephiroth Binah, on the Pillar of Severity down to the 6th Sephiroth-Tiphareth on the "middle pillar" of mildness. This is called Disposing Intelligence, as it gives control of oneself to another. One will note that the artist is dressed in early 17th century clothing. So, Milo Manara, must have read the Text: The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenceutz, as well as a student of the Marquis de Sade. The image of the Woman is of a woman profaned, just what the Catholic Church was accused of doing by the Marquis. Besides the path of Zain means sword, a weapon of war. This implies that self-annihilation is practiced when one is "in love". Love requires self-sacrifice as shown in the concept of Unconditional love- as 2=1.

Marquis de Sade, a French aristocrat, philosopher, and writer of explicit sexual works, was born in Paris in 1740. His writings depict violence, criminality, and blasphemy against the Catholic Church. During the French Revolution he was an elected delegate to the National Convention.

Marquis de Sade - Author, Philosopher, Criminal - Biography

THE LOVERS card also relates to the Hermetic Marriage, or "Chemical Wedding", as written in the 17th century in a text called: The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenceutz which is one of the key documents of Hermetic-Qabalist. I've found this alchemical text very readable, much like a fairy tale, and yet one of the most profound pieces of esoteric or Gnostic symbolism ever written. The fact that the word Sword or Armor (Zain) is the word meaning of this path and that blood is spilled on this path, are all reconciled and/ or reinforced in this text and is artistically shown in the Manara Lovers card. This understanding requires some meditation on the Alchemical text. However, true love is the annihilation of the individuals involved. For they become a composite self rather than an individual self. For instance, and simply put, let's say a red crayon-ego becomes the lover of a blue crayon-ego, each in union, annihilates the other, as they now become purple. In the act of physical sex, blood is spilled as well, either in the first penetration, or the Semen of the Male, which is made from his blood. Love requires sacrifice and here that sacrifice is seen. For a Woman in a true marriage of lovers, gives up her ego to the man, and vise-verse.

The -Lovers card, is full of Angelic blessings, wishes, hopes, and beauty (6th Sephirot-Beauty and/or the Solar Self). Seen here, the Lovers create a special place, a paradise of mutual respect and adoration. All pretense and/or protective walls are removed, leaving both naked and perfectly themselves. When 2 become 1, eyes become unclouded and the couple can do things they never thought possible and make each other stronger through active trust. In Western Hermetic Qabalistic Tarot, (Thoth) the Lovers represent the marriage of the inner-Anima (Female-) and Inner-Animus (Male), and/or the reunion of the divine couple (Chokma-Wisdom and Binah-Understanding) that makes the stars sing, with unlimited possibilities and potentials.

Meditations with The Lovers may have some difficulty because they may involve the direction of the awake self-consciousness towards the possibility of resolution with the unconsciousness, a condition of perception that has variously been called the "Atman", "the Higher Self", "Buddha or Christ within". Regardless of the way in which we address this figure, it is important to look beyond gender,

This is an active path, for the self-control and will be attributed to Mercury, which directs the movement and integration of opposites and is not passive; in fact, it is the fiery force or the Serpent Force known as the Kundalini which is celestial masculine fiery force, united with the celestial Feminine Watery force (flowing in waves as "serpentine:) both in equal measure and full of fiery dynamic, and inspirational qualities. This is a red-hot marriage, complete with Honeymoon and resulting "little death". There is a type of death here, as the process of crossing the Abyss between sexes means even the death of one's own identity of self. It's a willful and total personality self-destruction and immersion into the Divine. Thus, the Path of Zain, (the Hebrew letter for this card)- The Sword, is apropos. This type of self-annihilation is well described with a quote from the Gnostic Text, The Gospel of Didymos Judas Thomas where it is written that Jesus answered his disciple's question of "when shall we enter the Kingdom of Heaven", with:

(22) "When you make the Two One, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then you will enter the kingdom." Jesus obviously knew of the principles attributed to THE LOVERS/LOVER card, but then he was a Nazarene Gnostic Master which is a Qabalist and was against organized religion; the Word Christos is Greek and refers to the Sun and since there never was a "j "in the alphabet until the 13th century, Zeus was the name used! . Hence, Zeus Christos which means "The Sun/Son of Zeus". Also, "The Kingdom" is the "Garden of Eden" in the esoteric sense of the Supernal Triangle (Super consciousness). 0=2 - "a fall from paradise" until 2=1 which is a return to paradise.

Therefore, we know this all to be symbolic, and the male is not superior to the female in anyway. They represent simultaneous "aspects of intelligent energy". The symbolism of male is energy in a state of electric activity, outgoing (ejaculated) the catalyst of the creative principle. The female is considered the magnetic-creative principle of energy, enclosing, and acting on the male principle to produce a third principle of "manifestation" and/or Law of Attraction.

There are many approaches to the inner self: emotional, intellectual and devotion and/or all the above. Optionally, The Lovers can be seen as an abstract symbol or as an earthier Animus and Anima reunion. But in any event, the Lovers/The Whole Self must be addressed at the individual level before it is possible to approach the more universal qualities of the Magician/Primal Will of I Am.

When THE LOVERS is thrown during a reading:

• The Lovers represent all kinds of Love.
• It is stating a principle of Art and Craft of Relationship.
• What is also suggested is the magical image of the power of surrender in which one form is given up attaining another form.
• Being involved in a process of cooperation. ---combining energies for a common goal.
• Yin Yang attraction of polarities, or universal forces for one another.
• The power of sexual surrender to the Goddess within.
•  This card can also mean a love affair with some sort of trial or choice involved... be it marriage or profane love.
• Embrace your desires and trust your heart.
• True Love.
• Feeling lucky in love, a little crazy in love.
• There is the Tantric Philosophy here also, only through physical union with a female can either a man or a god, achieve true reality and the power to deal with it; A Spiritual/ sexual union, is required for shamans, priests, and holy men with the female is required before they gain full possession of their powers. This is also a process for Priestesses, who must be able to invoke the "Divine Phallus" through the Male forces before they can gain their Powers inherited from the Divine Hermetic Marriage.

when reversed and/or surrounded with negative cards, it implies:

• Childishness.
• Frivolity.
• Thoughtfulness divorced from practical consideration.
• Indecision.
• Self-contradiction.
• Sexual hangups.
• Self-consciousness and subconsciousness as antagonists.

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