Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The I Ching, Tarot and RUNES

RUNES, I CHING and The TAROT


Life is the same in many ways today as it was for the people who lived thousands of years ago. Just as the ancient folk of the Norse used the Runes for guidance, the Eastern hemisphere has used the I Ching, or Book of Change (amongst other names) when pondering the best course of action to take in certain situations. Eastern countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam have relied upon the Book of Change, from remote antiquity until the present day, to help them make decisions.


While the I Ching, which originated in China, evolved separately from the Runes and the Tarot, it can be cross-referenced to the Western disciplines to help us align ourselves harmoniously with worldwide philosophies. 


The Nordic Runes give us a grounded and earth-based spirituality, and can be directly aligned to a specific Tarot card and I Ching hexagram.  The philosophies and laws of transformation illustrating the cycles of existence that humans normally encounter during their lives, were recorded in written/book form as the Book of Change, about 3,000 years ago.


As with the Runes, prior to this, the I Ching was handed down from generation to generation as oral parables, for not less than 3,000 years. It was reputed to have first been written down in book form at around 1123 BC, by King Wen and his son, the Duke of Chou. At a later date, the great sage Confucius added his own commentaries. 


The I Ching was created by the Chinese to help us (humanity) point ourselves in the right direction in our daily lives, in the present moment. Based on the principle that everything changes constantly, the I Ching teaches us how, when and where to act. The I Ching deals with the situations in life that we meet everyday. These 'situations' are regarded as 'fields of energy' in which various forces are at work, creating a particular state of affairs. If your want or desire is to change the situation you must first do whatever is needed within in order to change the underlying energy flow. This approach benefits the situation in a positive manner, on an energetic level. 
 

Like the Runes, the I Ching identifies the forces at work and recommends the most appropriate action or attitude under the circumstances. Parallel to both the Tarot and the Runes, the I Ching tells you what needs to happen in order for things to change for the better in your life.


In the Chinese culture, as with that of the Norse, change was always regarded as an intrinsic part of the flow of life. In today's society, we can learn a great deal from this approach.  We, in the Western world, tend to experience change as 'threatening', rather than 'challenging'. As a result, we often fail to see the possibilities and opportunities that may present themselves in the new and changed situation. The I Ching, again much like the Runes, indicates and informs us of how we can cope with change in the most honest, intelligent and harmonious way.


To grasp the concept of the I Ching it is imperative to understand that in Chinese thought and belief, there are two basic principles in life;  the masculine or Yang force and the feminine Yin. 


The I Ching contains 64 hexagrams, or figures of six lines in different combinations. There are two types of lines, broken and unbroken, representing the Yin and Yang principles. The hexagrams, each of which has a name, are said to depict every possible type of situation one may meet in life. 


In other words, any situation you may encounter in this lifetime, will be made up of a particular combination of Yin and Yang forces  -  the resulting hexagram reflecting the wisdom which already exists in your subconscious mind, but is hidden from view. 


In theory, the forming of the hexagrams is similar to the Runic concept of the strands of the Web of Wyrd coming together to create and form the everyday situations in life.


Just like the Runes, the I Ching has its own methods and traditions involved when consulting the Oracle. One ancient method requires the throwing of yarrow sticks - the way the sticks fall determines the appropriate answer.




Another method is to toss three (3) I Ching coins, then decipher and interpret the ones that fall face up, to obtain an answer.


Yet another valid and simple method is to open the Book of Change at any random page to find the appropriate answer to your question displayed before you.


I Ching cards (and Rune cards) which can be randomly drawn to receive an answer, have been developed for those who feel more comfortable with a Tarot-like system.


The Tarot is an ancient divinatory, predictive and meditation tool and guidance channel. It can be used similarly to the Runes and the I Ching, and it's basic themes and theories run parallel with both. Like the Runes, the Tarot's original author is unknown. It is also uncertain as to exactly where and when the Tarot came into existence, but some believe that it originated in Ancient Egypt about 3,500 years ago and was brought to Europe by the Rom, or Gypsies, as they travelled to Europe from India. 


The actual word Tarot is made up of the two Egyptian words, 'Tar' meaning 'royal' and 'ot' meaning 'road'    the Royal Road (Destiny or Spiritual Pathway). The oracle's first appearance in Europe seems to have been in the late fourteenth century, most likely in Italy.


The Tarot was devised using the principles of the Cabala (the Tree of Life – Yggdrasil is displayed prominently within the deck), Astrology, the Elements and Numerology. The Tarot also incorporates and co-relates to the I Ching, colour and it's influence, the Chakras, the Runes and many other oracles of old. Symbolism plays an intricate part and is synonymous amongst all the oracles.


The increasing religious intolerance of the early Christians, and their attempts to suppress esoteric knowledge, wisdom and sacred truths from humanity, in order to instil and enforce their own 'Man's Law', forced the philosophers of the day to encrypt the esoteric secrets into the Tarot cards to keep the ancient wisdom, mysteries and truths hidden and safe from manipulation and persecution.


The Tarot consists of a deck of seventy eight (78) cards in total. This is made up of 22 Major Arcana cards numbered from 0 to 21 and the Minor Arcana of 56 cards.


The Major Arcana has direct relevance to the Hebrew Cabala because not only does the number of cards correspond to the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, but many of the cards suggest symbolism for the Tree of Life, that forms the basis of much of the Cabalistic wisdom. 
 

The Major Arcana depicts the different stages of life we must go through until our 'soul journey 'is complete. Throughout the nature of our existence on this planet as humans, we will encounter several beginnings and endings throughout our lifetime, that are represented by the archetypes portrayed on the cards. The Major Arcana depicts matters relating to the soul, spirit or destiny of our lives that often indicate Karmic lessons and themes that we must experience in this lifetime. They point out issues that are occurring within our psyche, rather than external, everyday events, as depicted in the Minor Arcana.


The Minor Arcana consists of the remaining 56 cards, and depict the more ordinary details that form a meaningful pattern in our lives. They portray the day-to-day events in our daily lives. These events are not cataclysmic or life-changing situations, but rather the daily routines of family, home, work and survival.


The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana are divided into four sets of fourteen cards;  each suit consisting of 10 numbered cards and 4 Court cards. 
The suits, Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands, co-relate to the four basic elements of life:
Water - Cups;   Earth – Swords;
Air – Pentacles;   and Water - Wands


Again, similarities can be drawn with the Elderfuthark Runes with it's 3 tiered Aetts, each of which has it's own concept or theme.


Like the Runes and the I Ching, the Tarot when consulted, may sometimes give an answer which seems to have no relation to the question or query made. In these instances, the Higher Self may be trying to bring to light a situation that needs attention. For this reason, any response given, regardless of how unrelated it may seem, needs to be given careful consideration.



While the I Ching is considered to be fluid and changing, giving advice in much the same way as a wise friend or mentor would, and there are many close relations between the I Ching, the Tarot and the Ancient Elderfuthark Runes, that link their messages. All three modalities describe the different facets of a person’s life, and detail the various stages of transformation through the life cycle. All three oracles can help delve into the more subtle nuances of human behaviour and interaction. 


The Nordic Runes offer us a grounded approach to our spirituality and are able to be aligned to a specific card in the Tarot, just like the I Ching, to give us a greater understanding of the oracles.  Although all three oracles are separate entities of themselves, they are all intricately linked and carry the same spiritual values and solutions. 



The Tarot and the Runes, the I Ching, when studied and used over time, will have the effect of increasing your intuitive abilities. All that is required to unravel the mysteries is your intuition and trust in your own interpretation.


*
Joanne Walmsley

Sacred Scribes






2 comments:

  1. Joanne thank you for your guidance on my path. I figured most of what I know I my own but you infinite wisdom has been a helpful guide and reassurance that all I know and all I have learned is in fact for a purpose and the purpose is the greater truth in all of everything. I figured out who I am and who I come from at the age of 40 (certainly not 40 days and 40 nights). I am a female, I have more true Native American lineage (royal lineage / pontifex maximus type lineage that anyone that remains in the US). My ancestral roots include Austrian, French, Prussian, Egyptian, Spanish, Turkish, Native American, Chinese, Roman (Brittany) Royalty; and possible more. I come from those with "the divine right to rule" but I care only about making this world better for you and for me and all those within it. I want to see my 6 children grow up and enjoy a life of their own, I want to help raise my grandchildren, I want to teach the world my field of expertise; Quantum Cryptology; the real truth and not just a theory about EVERYTHING! Stephen Hawkings was as big as a fraud as Einstein, and don't even get me started on Donald Trump or Elon Musk; those men need to be put in their place and the world needs to know the truth. I am busy and greatly to have you as a tool when I need to make some sense of numeric sequences.... I also have the stars, the sand, the clouds, the wind, and so many animals that serve as my guide. Your message was posted at 935, that was the numerics of my childhood address. I am passing along my research of COVID-19 because I solved that dilemma several months ago but since I do not have M.D. or PhD after my name am I not worthy of being heard, so I have passed the baton and have to let fate take care of the rest. I have uncovered one of the largest sex trafficking rings in the US, and I am trying to get some lawyers and investigation to take that off my plate, because I just find it, solve it, and enjoy my anonymity. I want to be a hidden super hero, it is more fun that way.

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  2. Thanks for the assistance on the clouds, I have been studying those and taking pictures for years, and the drone here in California are absolutely out of control. We are the mecca of the worlds biggest and worst secrets, we are the location of the most egregious crimes against humanity - we built the atomics bombs here we simply tested models elsewhere. We launched them right here from Los Angeles; and I know exactly who was involved in the entire process; 2000 years of ancestors talk to me... Joan of Arc, all the Kings of France, Empress Mariana Severa who was the wife of Emperor Valentinian I (Emperor Valentinian I was an evil man and exiled Mariana and kept her from her son Gratian - the last Emperor to receive the title Pontifex Maximus; the moview Gladiator was good but it is wrong). People thought Valentinian was the one with the ancestral right to rule, but the Severan Dynasty came almost 200 years earlier; and that in and of itself lead to the fall of the Roman Empire. My ancestor who came to the US nearly 400 years ago was the illegitimate son of one the King Louis' with a mother whose family founded the Jesuits; a family directly related to John the Baptist, among many others. My ancestors wife was the great, great, great, great grandmother of Sacajawea.... and the list goes on! I fire the book Enoch is mine to tell because only I hold the truth because at 41 years old I have made the choice upon my own free will to always do good no matter how many wrongs have been done. I have traveled the world, the country, I have lived, loved, lost and lost and lost; but I always get back up and never retaliate. I teach lessons and I know what the wrath of God means, and I know who God was and what he did.... it is not a pretty story, it is a great tragedy. But he was smart enough to duplicate himself (taking a piece of the rib - no Adam ever existed) and from him, an X chtromosome, he made a duplication an XX or a female, with twice the power he possessed, the power to create life, the power to show that love can conqueror all. Hence the mitochondrial eve and the mitochondrial Y (Adam = atom, Eve = mitochondrial Eve) and archaeologists have proven we all come from one woman; that woman was my MOM (my original mother).

    I have faith like no other and hope that is endless. my life has been a painful and scary microcosm of all that is going on all over the world, but I have no fear because I know I have divine protection and I know I will spared until which time I can do what is necessary to save this planet and the people on it. My mother does not want to see all her children perish, so as long ad I am safe so is the planet...but it is hurting life never before in history. I will set things straight and I will not be martyr because there is not time for my daughter to solve this dilemma, the next ice age will come long before they could even begin to conceptualize what I already know. Frozen II explains what needs to be done. The Ocean is out heart, the lakes, river, and stream are the veins and arteries; but don't go chasing waterfalls.... the damns, reservoirs, and any other body of water sectioned off from making it's way to the ocean is the death of our planet and the death of mankind. That simple.... the rest is for me to know and me to solve.

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