The Great Way of the Body

[ricdaw]

on a personal note, this is an Archetype that still eludes me in terms of how it contributes to my consciousness. For eg, Ra said there is a system of archetypes based on 5's (one example being the same system as ours, but sans the Transformation and the Great Way). I don't see how the Alchemist 'caps' or 'informs' my understanding of the previous 6 Body archetypes ... I have a much firmer grasp of the other Great Ways ... the chariot and the cosmos.

the Alchemist ... I have not yet become this.

I call this card, "carpe diem!"

The magnificent body of Card 8 (Justice) has been put to use, learned the street smarts of Card 9 (Hermit/Wisdom). During the Body's activities and learnings, it has been confronted by the many kinds of Catalyst seemingly thrown off at random from the Wheel of Fortune. But the student in this particular Body has recognized a Pattern using the Observation and Intellect of the Emperor. Those random life challenges seem too . . . perfectly timed. . . . too exactly targeted, to be truly random. They often caused strange epiphanies which actually left the student stronger than before the catalyst arrived (Strength). Indeed, every physical catalyst challenge either did, or had the potential (looking in hindsight) of great growth. It's almost as if that catalyst was designed and planned. But that would suggest that the Wheel of Fate is actually a Wheel of Destiny. And that the student's body is not a victim of the universe, but is instead an object of the universe's deliberate (and loving) attention. Could the body and its experiences have a higher purpose? Could the body be an instrument? (Hanged Man) And in particular, could the body be an instrument to achieve some larger goal? One not visible now, but perhaps only seen and understood after Death (Card 13)?

If the student started to see the Body in this way, if the student could connect to spirit consciously (Card 14 see flame at the top of the head) then what could such a student do with this knowledge? What if all that catalyst from the Wheel and all those trials and tribulations was affecting the student in an invisible way? What if the Soul was being honed and shined by all that happened here in the Earth Life School? Should the student take up the challenge? Should the student walk the spiritual path that appears before him/herself? (Card 14 and the winged feet.) What would such a spiritual path look like? Well, if the path was a pure devotion in Service to Other, the student would be completely vulnerable (see naked right side of the body in Card 14) but with the potential to soar (as soon as that lowered wing is raised high). To walk the path in pure devotion to Self is slightly less vulnerable (see left-side covering) but with enormous potential to manifest the STS path into physicality (see left wing activated and pointing ahead). Why, a student of the Service to Self path could Manifest in the waking reality the riches and aggrandizement of self beyond compare!

Regardless of the path chosen (STS/STO) the action of walking the Path of Destiny and choosing to actively apply the fundamental knowledge of the preceeding cards (catalyst is not random, we are spiritual creatures, life is a process of spiritual evolution) then we could transmute our spirit (water poured from one chalice to another), turn Base Metal into Gold by forging our own spirit within our very body by the actions we take in it for the remainder of this incarnation.

Be the spiritual creature you know yourself to be. Call down from the heavens all the lessons that could be learned and only learned while in a Body and consciously Choose To Live Those Lessons Now. Walk the trials. Transmute the invisible Soul into diamonds with the shine and luster of the advanced Soul.

Carpe diem!