KEYWORDS: Inner journey, immersion, incubation.
After evolving to the point where souls were preparing to incarnate into denser forms, beings required a gestation period to prepare for the trials of their earth walk. This is the initiation period between death and life represented by the Hanged Man in traditional decks.
The process of birth was perhaps the first and most significant miracle witnessed by our ancestors. For this reason, most (if not all) female initiatory rites of passage involve a type of simulated womb-to-birth experience. They also include a more spiritualized concept of eternal rebirth, exemplified by the changing phases of the moon.
The mysteries of the lunar Goddesses were all very simple. The three phases of the lunar cycle remind us of the constant waxing, blossoming and waning process of life. We observe the rhythm as She pulls the tides to and fro while they ebb and flow; we know that one follows the other as day follows night, so life follows death.
Grasping these simple natural manifestations breeds a religion or spiritual philosophy full of hope, serenity and ecstasy.
Assignment of paternity was inconsequential in matriarchal time. All children were “legitimate,” as all children knew their mothers. In addition, all people were considered children of the Goddess. This belief instilled a more universal concern for one another.
In his Book of Runes – Rune 12, Joy (Reversed), Ralph Blum states, “The process of birth is long and arduous and fears arise for the safety of the child within. A crisis, a difficult passage – even if brief – is at hand.”
Attunement to Neptune, the ruling planet of this card, opens one to an Initiation into a universal spirituality. Neptune’s energy can be quite convoluted when we try to mentally approach her in a linear way. Our mind dissolves into an endless boggle of “what ifs.” Our egos become eclipsed.
When we can face and accept death or even the death and dissolution of our individual egos, fear loosens its death-grip; we can truly, for the first time, be reborn to a world of joy and hope.
In Anne Kent Rush’s book Moon Moon, she describes an initiation ritual: “The Initiation began in the sacred lake with a journey in a moon-boat through the waters to a region where one went through rituals of warmth and emotion. After secret and awesome events, the sacred vessel was presented for the initiate to see with a spear and blood in it carried by attendants. The initiate is supposed to know at this point to ask, ‘What do these holy vessels mean and whom do they serve?’ If the initiate has passed through the trials well, a celebration follows and she is awarded the Roses of Isis to become a Daughter of the Moon. She is also thought to have become married to the moon and therefore, a whole and independent person, knowledgeable in the highest secrets of the natural order. The following chant is the initiate’s confession sung in recognition and rejoicing of the event:
I have eaten from the timbrel
I have drunk from the cymbal
I have borne the sacred vessel
I have entered the bridal chamber”
In this inspiring card, we see three initiates guided by a priestess in a moon-shaped vessel. They scarcely ripple the midnight-blue waters as their ancient ship glides effortlessly to its destination. The only audible sound is a low melodic chant like the one above, as they enter the sacred lake. A lunar crescent hangs in the dark night sky and is reflected in even darker waters.
In the center of the card an initiate emerges from a turbulent whirlpool of fears, doubts, and emotions. She is far from the comfort and safety of the warm dark womb waters.
Before her looms the sphinx in Neptunian shades of purple and lavender. As well as being a guardian of the underworld, the sphinx is a symbol of our essence which never changes from lifetime to lifetime. Between her huge paws an open chamber beckons the initiate to walk through the gate of death. To allay her fears, a golden light emanates from within a huge inverted triangle; this triangle is the most ancient symbol of womanhood. Behind this gateway awaits the prize for her efforts and bravery, the Rose of Isis –enter the chamber and experience your own initiation!
When receiving this card, you may feel as though you are in a limbo-like fog, unable to “make things happen” in the material world, everything seemingly on hold. The “light’s on and somebody’s home” but this is not the time for outer action. There is much internal action and introspection taking place. Nothing external matters here except as it clarifies your inner world.
Events in the outer world may keep you spinning and feeling thwarted, but help is on the way. Ask your guides and ancestors for help too. As you break through the shell of your outmoded patterns, the roadblocks in your path seem to disintegrate before you.
Trying to push the river will leave you spinning your wheels at best, and at worst drowning in a sea of frenetic thoughts and emotions. Be patient, your metamorphosis is in progress. The eclipse of the caterpillar gives birth to the butterfly.
