Sub-Consciousness

Consider the symbolism of Key 2, the High Priestess, before you read this lesson.

Among the meanings of the number 2, as given to you on in lesson 2, is SUBORDINATION. This word gives you the clue to the relationship existing between sub-consciousness, represented Key 2, and self-consciousness, represented by the Magician. The figure in Key 1 is engaged in controlling the powers of sub-consciousness, and these powers are always amenable to his suggestive influence. It is because of this fact that you are able to use these Keys to bring into vigorous manifestation the latent forces of your inner life. The principle involved here may be formulated as follows: SUB-CONSIOUSNESS IS PERFECTLY AMENABLE TO CONTROL BY SUGGESTION.

This psychological law makes obvious the fact that the important thing is to be careful about the kind of suggestions which you formulate in your self-conscious mind, since that is the main source of the suggestions received by sub-consciousness. This phase of consciousness, you will recall, is represented by the garden in Key 1. The fertile soil of this garden will grow any seed planted in it by the Magician. Thus if you plant careless observations and incorrect reasoning, which are symbolic tares or weeds, sub-consciousness will develop theses seeds of error a thousand fold, with all sorts of uncomfortable consequences. On the other hand if you learn to concentrate, to make your mental imagery clear and definite, if you make accurate observations from which you draw correct inferences, the seeds that will be thus planted in sub-consciousness will be reflected in processes that lead to the renewal, revivification, and regeneration of your personality.

The ability of sub-consciousness to develop seed ideas in this manner can be formulated thus: SUB-CONSCIOUSNESS IS POSSESSED OF PERFECT POWERS OF DEDUCTIVE REASONING. If you are not certain of the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning, be sure to consult a good dictionary before you proceed further. Always, when you study, have a dictionary at hand, for you will need it frequently in the course of this instruction. You will find this practice alone to be of immeasurable benefit to you in the orderly organization of your mental processes.

Geometrically the number 2 is the line, which is the extension of the point (number 1). This suggests the sub-conscious power just mentioned of developing the consequences of conscious thought and observation. You will not fail to note that the extension of the central point of a circle into a diameter (an extension in two directions) divides the circle into two parts, each the exact duplicate of the other. In this faculty of sub-conscious, duplications can be perceived the basic function of sub-consciousness – MEMORY. This brings us to the third psychological principle, SUB-CONSCIOUSNESS KEEPS A PERFECT RECORD OF ALL EXPERIENCE, AND THEREFORE HAS PERFECT MEMORY. Not only does it retain all of the experience of the individual, but contains also a summary of the Race Experience, which is the source of the greater part of our intuitions and scientific discoveries.

Much of the symbolism in the High Priestess is directly connected with Memory. Her scroll contains the complete record of experience, but two things are requisite if you are to read it. First you must practice concentration. By careful observation and vivid awareness of what goes on around you, you focus your mental camera, and the resulting images are sharp and clear. Secondly you must understand and apply the law of recall. Let us examine these laws in the terms of the symbolism of the Key.

The pillars represent two of the laws by their form and color, and another law by their position. You can easily recall ideas or things that are LIKE each other; ideas or things in sharp CONTRAST to each other; ideas or things NEAR each other in space or time. Here are three rules in practical mnemonics. If you use these identification tags consciously when you file your experiences you can make a mental index that will give you the ability to recall any phase of your experience at will. Link the think you want to recollect with something like it. Contrast it with something decidedly different. Notice what things are near it in time and space.

Now examine the symbols on the veil behind the High Priestess. The members of the pattern are repetitions of the two symbols used (pomegranates and palm leaves which symbolize opposite forces and consequently the law of contrast). The fourth law of recall is frequency. In the first lesson of this instruction you had the opportunity to put this law into practice when you learned the Pattern of the Trestle Board. Along with frequency goes recency, since we tend to recall recent experiences more readily than others.

All of these laws of memory are various processes of association. The Hebrew Letter assigned to Key 2 is Gimel. It means camel. The camel is called the “ship of the desert” because it is used to connect distant points for purposes of commerce and transportation. In this meaning can be read the fourth great power of sub-consciousness, which can be stated thus: SUB-CONSCIOUSNESS HAS PERFECT CONNECTION WITH ALL POINTS IN SPACE. This law is the basis of the phenomenon of mental telepathy. It is also the law that puts you into touch with your true Teacher when you have developed to the point where you are ready for higher instruction.

In this connection it will be well to dwell for a moment upon a very important fact. If you understand this fact you will have a clue to the tremendous powers of consciousness which are within your reach provided you make the necessary effort that will bring you to the knowledge of the principles which underlie them. Your personal sub-consciousness contains the record of your personal experience. But your personal sub-consciousness is comparable to a small bay in an inconceivably vast ocean. The ocean is the UNIVERSAL SUB-CONSCIOUSNESS. Hence, when you have learned how, you can gain access to the records of all of the experience of the universe through tapping the cosmic or universal MEMORY. This is the ability to read the “Akashic Records”, which is the name occultists give to the Universal Memory. If you are versed in the occult teachings with regard to these records you will find many clues in Key 2 that will lead you to the knowledge of the true nature of Akasha.

There is one law which operates to enable such universal association and intercommunication. That law is closely bound up with all of the meanings of the number 2 and is graphically symbolized by the robe of the High Priestess. The robe represents Water, which is in turn a symbol of ROOT MATTER, or Prakriti as the Hindus call it. Its wavy form represents VIBRATION. This is one of the most important words in all occultism. We live in a vibratory universe, and it is vibratory activity in the ROOT MATTER that brings us into touch with other points in the universe, just as such vibration brings us into touch with the source of life in our solar system, the Sun.

The ROOT MATTER is identical with SUBCONSCIOUSNESS, of which water is also a symbol. Water was the first mirror, and because mirroring is duplication, or reflection it is closely related to all of the meanings of number 2. It is conscious energy of the ONE FORCE, acting upon itself in its subconscious aspect of ROOT MATTER that brings into being all physical structures, INCLUDING THE CELLS OF YOUR BODY.

The function of every cell is the result of the LIFE POWER flowing through that cell. From this it follows that SUBCONSCIOUSNESS KNOWS ALL ABOUT, AND CONTROLS EVERY BODILY ACTIVITY. This is the secret of all mental healing. It explains why thoughts have such an important bearing upon health. Since subconsciousness is perfectly amenable to control by suggestion, it transforms your conscious ideas about the state of your health into actual physical conditions.

Be sure that you understand what has been said in this lesson about the powers of sub-consciousness. Copy the definitions, which are written in capital letters, into your notebook and commit them to memory. Watch your daily experience closely and will soon be able to detect the operation of these principles in your own life. As you become increasingly familiar with them and the way the work you will put them more and more into conscious operation, with the result that you will gain ever greater control over the forces of your personality. Persistent practice in directing your personal forces involves the eventual attainment of extraordinary control over physical forces and conditions by purely mental means.

The predominant color of Key 2 is blue, which is that attributed to the letter Gimel. This color is always associated in occultism with Water and Sub-consciousness.

The veil behind the High Priestess is a symbol of virginity. It also symbolizes the associative powers of subconsciousness. Pomegranates and palm leaves are embroidered upon it which are respectively feminine and masculine symbols. Note, however, that the pomegranates are red, color of Mars, which is a masculine color, while the palms are green, representing the feminine Venus vibration. This is only one of the many places in Key 2 which represents graphically the UNION OF OPPOSITE FORCES. The veil itself, because it joins the two pillars, is such a symbol.

The pillars, which are alike in form but opposite in color, symbolize all pairs of opposites, such as light and darkness, attraction and repulsion, affirmation and negation, active and passive, manifest and unmanifest. In each of the foregoing pairs the first is represented by the white pillar and the other by the black one. The letters upon them are Yod on the white and Beth on the black. These have Masonic significance.

The lotus buds at the top of the pillars refer to the subconscious activity which is the cause of all growth and development in organic life. They are buds, because this Key represents the potencies or possibilities of subconsciousness apart from their actual manifestation in response to conscious stimulation.

The cubic stone upon which the High Priestess sits is important in symbolism. Its meanings are too extended to go into here at length. STONE is an esoteric word meaning union, life, and wisdom. It is a symbol of the material world, and its shape suggests Salt, because salt always crystallizes in cubes, and Salt is an age-old symbol of Sub-consciousness and Matter.

The robe symbolizes flowing and fluidity and represents the ever changing forms of life expression. This robe is the source of all of the streams in Tarot.

The crown is of silver, and represents by its form the waxing and waning lunar crescents with the full moon between. These suggest periodicity and alternation, as well as the reflecting and reproductive power of subconsciousness. The Moon actually polarizes sunlight, so here is another reference to the polarity symbolized by the number 2.

The cross on her breast is white to represent Light. It symbolizes the union of the four elements represented by the four implements upon the table of the magician.

The scroll represents memory, history, and the record of experience. The word TORA signifies LAW, and is a rearrangement of the letters of the word ROTA, the Latin for 'Wheel'. This is the reference to the Law of Cycles, or Rotation, which will be more extensively dealt with later on. This Law of Cycles is closely connected with the Law of Spiral Activity, represented by the rolled-up scroll. Both these laws are aspects of the great Law of Rhythm.

Contemplate Key 2 for five minutes each day before reading this lesson. When you have studied the lesson place Keys 1 and 2 side by side. See how many contrasts you can find in the two pictures. Write those which you notice into your notebook. This practice is valuable both to improve your powers of observation and to establish in your consciousness the reciprocal relationship existing between these two Keys.

THE EMPRESS

Green / F#

Astrological Chart

Section FIRST