KEY 6 – The Lovers
GEMINI
DISCRIMINATION
TAROT KEY 6, THE LOVERS, is assigned to GEMINI, THE TWINS, with the important key words: I THINK. The symbolism on this KEY depicts ADAM and EVE in the GARDEN OF EDEN, with the ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL above, as a symbol of SUPERCONSCIOUSNESS — HIGHER MIND or the HIGHER SELF. RAPHAEL is the ARCHANGEL OF HEALING, which hints at the healing hands of GEMINI, and yet, alludes to the POWER of MIND, mental healing. Thoughts are things for good or ill. On an esoteric level, the GEMINI Twins represent your Right and Left brain, your feminine or intuitive gray matter on the right side, and your masculine or logical gray matter on the left side. Getting our masculine and feminine aspects of consciousness in harmony is one of our greatest challenges on the planet! And our relationships with the opposite sex are an absolute reflection of this principle on a personal level!
Zain is the Hebrew letter assigned to this Key, which is the SWORD of INTELLECT (the Ace of Swords) that rules GEMINI, the self-conscious mind. This depicts humanity's beta level of consciousness, which is directed toward externals affairs and objects in the physical world. The Sword of the Mental Plane may be used to ennoble, as in the knightly bestowing of a title, blessing or prayer, or to destroy by engaging in irrational worry, mean-spirited blame, or loathing. When Christ cursed the fig tree he was demonstrating the power of negative thought to his disciples. When he healed, he was demonstrating the power of positive thought. Black Magic. White Magic. It is the Power of Mind that heals or destroys, blesses or curses, especially when charged with strong emotion for good or ill. This healing or destroying is something we can do to our selves and/or to others. On the physical plane, the Tarot Sword becomes the surgeon’s knife used to remove a tumor or diseased organ or tissue, or perchance a weapon that defends or destroys. The metaphysical principles of Tarot may be applied on all planes of expression and existence from the highest to the lowest.
SELF-CONSCIOUS AWARENESS is the aspect of consciousness that sets Humanity apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, the ability to make CHOICES and DECISIONS, the same ability that got humankind in trouble in the first place, according to the biblical account. Note the symbolism on KEY 6, THE LOVERS. We see Eve, a symbol of the unconscious aspect of mind, standing in front of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil with the forbidden fruit, and the clever Serpent of Temptation coiled around it. (More on Satan later.) While Adam, the symbol of the self-conscious mind, stands in front of the Tree of Everlasting Life that bears a flame for each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac. In the distance between the lovers (subconsciousness and self-consciousness), we see the mountain of Attainment toward which Humanity strives—the mountaintop of ENLIGHTENMENT and SELF REALIZATION.
And yet, in Tarot symbolism, Adam and Eve have turned their backs to the mountain, which illustrates a lack of awareness of the need to even begin the sacred journey—and so it remains with most. We only have to watch the news or read the newspapers to discover how far humankind still is from full ENLIGHTENMENT, the constant connection with the HIGHER SELF necessary for our greatest good and highest attainment. It is also important to note that on KEY 6, THE LOVERS, Adam (self-consciousness) looks to Eve (sub-consciousness) while Eve looks to the Angel (Super-consciousness) for guidance and direction. Here is an important symbolic message for those with sufficient sensitivity to the learning process.
It is essential for SELF-CONSCIOUS AWARENESS, meaning every living soul, to eventually awaken to his or her true capabilities and divine birthright, and in the process, to make DECISIONS based upon right DISCRIMINATION. DISCRIMINATION is an important word associated with KEY 6. GEMINI is an Air sign and governs breath, the lungs, shoulders, collarbone, arms and hands, plus the nervous system and the sense of smell. Most GEMINIS are blessed with an extraordinary sense of smell. This sense raised to a higher spiritual level involves the Power of Discernment and keen DISCRIMINATION.
When Shakespeare’s Hamlet spoke of “something being rotten in the state of Denmark” he wasn’t talking about a physical odor but the reprehensible character of a close relation. When we say a situation or a person “stinks,” we aren’t using the word in a literal sense, but figuratively, based upon the power of discernment in making a judgment. For this reason, it is always wise to allow the Angel, or Higher Self, to guide us in all our ways. The actual truth of the matter is that, even our seemingly indiscriminate or ill chosen DECISIONS or CHOICES ultimately lead us to a path that will eventually bring about complete SELF REALIZATION. It is just that we can reach the top of the mountain faster and easier by avoiding the potholes and detours caused by an immature ego ignoring direction from the Higher Self. Thoughtless, irresponsible choices and selections definitely set up roadblocks that keep us from reaching one or several goals during our lifetime. This can be true on many levels at every stage along the way. Why not start paying closer attention to the Higher Self today? Why not consciously embark upon the sacred journey? For on the highest level this represents THE MYSTICAL MARRIAGE of consciousness.
THIS IS A GREAT KEY FOR MEDITATION if you have an important decision to make. More later!
