Trump II or 2:

The High Priestess
The Moon as Astral Sphere
Evokation
Yin

The High Priestess has since time immemorial been associated with the "female trinity" of Isis, Nephtys and Hathor (later: Horus).Trump 2 is the female pupil and adept. Multiplicity arising from Unity, through the creative "female" aspect - Yin - , the creative elements are put into motion. Trump 2 is concerned with the Moon-Belt-Zone, symbolic of the Astral Sphere as such. Here we have the dynamics of the interreaction of Earth and Moon, from the gross elements to the spirits and ethereal entities inhabiting the double Earth-Moon sphere. So Trump 2 is also symbolic of Polarity as such. The interplay of Yin and Yang, which can only occur after Yin has been "added" to the primal Yang. The High Priestess is not impersonal though, as Isis she speaks: "I, Isis, am all that has been, is and will be. No mortal has ever seen me unveiled." Therefore Isis is a double-personage, with Nephtys as her "twin sister", for "all" is both the loving, caring, "motherly" aspect of nurturing and bringing to life (she gives birth to Horus, the new God) and, in her utterly unfathomable aspect, the dynamic forces put in motion to achieve transformation, the "coagula et dissolve" of the alchemists, through the receptive qualities of absorbing, coagulating and dissolving into a changed, new substance. As the pupils' next task, after mainly contemplating Fire, here he is confronted with Water. The marriage of Fire and Water, of the electric with the magnetic permits creation to manifest, in the endless diversity of electromagnetic forms. These two elements are the basic "building blocks" of the Chymic Ether, the densest manifestation of Akasha. Both are fluid and their blending leads to what alchemists have called the "alchemical wedding". It is at this point that legend and myth speaks of the "fall of the angels", for it is purported that Lucifer and his angel-legions would not willingly participate in the sublime synthesis of Fire and Water, and so "fell back" or remained in the realm of Fire, where this metamorphosis has not yet taken place. In Man, this metamorphosis consists of totally balancing all aspects of mind, spirit and body, "perfecting the soul", stepping beyond duality and polarity.

Trump 2, as reflecting the psychic-astral or vital-emotional body, is associated with the primal rank or station an individual occupies. By the inner qualities of the individuals' station, he or she either stands below, within or above other human beings (see Appendix 11: Might, Rank & Step). As the second chapter of the Buddhist Dhammapada, recording the words of the Buddha, is called "Watchfulness", so also the individual of Trump 2 should now carefully search within, try to discover the functions and interplay of the emotions, coupled with the vital bodies' flux. In fact, as Trump 2 itself stands for the vital-emotional body, whereby the vital element is stressed, the inner composition and equilibrium is of primal concern. The Buddha says: "Watchfulness is the path of immortality; unwatchfulness is the path of death." And: "Who has the joy of watchfulness and who looks with fear on thoughtlessness, he goes on his path like a fire, burning all obstacles both great and small."

Although Man within Trump 2 is seen at a primal, formative station, thus reflecting an integration of primal forces, of "2 in 1", the nature of the second Sino-Tibetan Skandha will already be explored, though Trumps 1 and 2 blend into the first Skandha only. The second Skandha of Sino-Tibetan philosophy is called Vedhana-Skandha. It comprises all groups of feeling derived from the sense-impressions, as well as from the emotions arising from inner causes, thus pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, indifference and equanimity. Again, Man is called upon to closely inspect the qualities of outside influences, for they will decide on the next, future psychological state the individual will find itself involved in. Another analogy is given below.

The allegory of Venus, which is the second planet outward from the Sun, as also the second or Khafre pyramid (symbolic of Venus), all these aspects are related to Trumps 4 and 11.

As is to be expected, Trump 2, reflecting polarity, also symbolises the light and dark side of manifestation. Suffice it to say at this point, for later Trumps go more into detail in this sense, that as "God's , only in Egypt does Isis stand alone, and there also as Isis/Nephtys, but both are positive. As Roman Goddess, it is not Venus alone but also Diana and others, for the Romans did not ascribe to any female god such extensive powers, living already well into the dark age of patriarchic materialism. The Greeks ascribed to Trump 2 Artemis, Aphrodite and Persephone, the whole female trinity, including the "Goddess of the underworld". In India we have Shiva as a hermaphrodite and , to reflect Trump 2, he/she must be associated with Kali, who "presides over the dead" and largely is death and negativity herself. This is not entirely satisfying, for the Tarot in this case cannot align with the deities of other countries.

In another sense, The High Priestess is the active participator of the actions of The Magus, without her he encounters many obstacles on the path, she is the magic helper, the "Master of Ceremonies" who guards over the ritual. This implies absolute innocence, and so Trump 2 is also associated with purity and virginity. While The Magus proceeds in his invokation of the heavenly powers, The High Priestess guards over the correct steps to follow and by her simple presence protects from any intrusion by disturbing or unwelcome forces or spirits. Therefore, she is shown to hold a book, and she should correctly be placed (or imagined) in a temple, where she participates in a sacred ritual. She holds her proper magic instruments, which are mainly cup and wand (Water and Air), yet also the sign of life, the Egyptian Ankh-cross. If she is crowned with the Hathor-crown and magic disc (of Taurus inspiration) is not important, though correctly - if crowned at all - she should wear the magic disc with the two wings of "universal protection". Another crown possible is simply the upturned Moon-sickle. It is correct also to symbolise Trump 2 with the two sickles of the 3rd-day Moon. Trump 18, The Moon, is symbolised by Full and New Moon, Trump 2 is "developing", either in the first or last stages, yet in either case "moving towards" an aim. Therefore The High Priestess is associated with the magic ritual of Evokation. Here we find already a developing, or even highly evolved "will", an aspiration, a goal and "movement". It is only by having explored and thoroughly comprehended the mental/noëtic and astral/psychic Earth-Moon Sphere in its integrality, that Man may "evoke" any spirits, ethereal entities or "intelligences", genii, etc. He/she should not undertake any evokation alone, so we have Magus and High Priestess together. Evokation should only concern constructive, peaceful, beneficent, i.e. positive entities, though Man has the free will to evoke their opposites or negative entities as well. So the choice of "which way to follow", when reading the Book of Wisdom from 0 to 21, is already put right at the start, the act of "sifting the chaff from the wheat" begins right here, though the follower of any "illicit" way has been warned: he knows that after Trump 18, The Moon, arrives Trump 20, The Judgment.

For various reasons the notion that Trump 2 should be associated with the Hebrew 3rd letter, Gimel, is rejected. This stems from numbering 0 and 1 as Aleph and Beth, which is not entirely correct. Also, although Aleister Crowley sings the praises of the "hidden meaning of the camel", the Camel (a meaning of Gimel) is not representative, if any earthly symbol should be used, it is the Sea, as a harmonious co-existent agent of the Earth of Trump 1. The Hebrew letter Beth, whose numeric values are 2 and 12, and whose symbol is a house or temple, may be ascribed to Trump 2. Of the animals, it is the female Lion, to which The Magus can relate in his possible aspect of the male Lion. These "two lions" are at the base of all practical work of Alchemy, as is shown in Appendix 7: Alchemy. The Moon does not shine by itself but only reflects the Suns' light, as also the Earth is given light by the Sun - both associated with Leo, the lion.

On the Tree of Life, Trump 2, or better the unity of cards 1 and 2, is on the "middle pillar", the lower opposite of Da'ath, the "hidden" Sephirah. By the Isis-Nephtys association, Trump 2 is as much "hidden" as Da'ath, the way there passes over the central Tipheret, the Sun. As Da'ath appears in association with Trump 3, we should bear in mind the total aspect of this Sephirah, which places it in the ideal, "reflecting God in His whole scope" place that is best associated not with number 3 but symbolised by number 7. Thus, as already remarked upon within various mystery-schools, there is a strong relation between 2 and 7, and "evokation" by itself means a familiarity with all 7 planets, spheres or planes.

As the 2nd Chakra, the Svadhistana Chakra, Trump 2 is associated with all processes of digestion, with the bodily secretions and all processes of digestive assimilation. This also includes all sexual fluids and male and female sexual organs. But the sexual aspect is only one among the others, so there is no special reason to emphasise this aspect beyond all others (except in sexual magic, but this practice should come from the heart, the realm of the fourth Chakra, Anahata Chakra, associated with Love and Compassion). The 1st and 2nd Chakras form one unity, called the generative system. The Chymic Ether unites them. They cannot be separated (but through a "ripping" open of the astral sphere, which is damaging). In Sino-Tibetan philosophy, where Man is seen as divided between five or six "Skandhas", Trumps 1 and 2 form the first Skandha. This, Rupa-Skandha, encompasses corporeality as seat of the senses, the sensuous, the sense-objects, and their mutual relationships and psychological consequences.

The invokation or evokation of the Moon-Sphere is said to call upon 28 "Principalities" or intelligences, each of which is also related to the Earth through the shared Earth-Moon binary system. The 28 principalities are said to have 28 "negative" aspects, as their reflection, and so the Moon-Sphere consists of 56 intelligences in all. For an invokation or evokation of the Moon-Sphere a circle of 9 candles or petroleum lamps is adequate, the wand and cup, the colors associated vary from silvery white to bluish white, with orange or light yellow as emblematic of the Suns' reflected rays and of the Fire - Water "alchemy". As incense, Aloe is preferred, maybe mixed with ground white poppy seeds.

The High Priestess may be used as "significator" by a female wishing to place her whole potential, "all she is" at the centre of a spread of Tarot cards. The appearance of this card in a spread of the Tarot cards carries the same meaning as the appearance of The Magus, if the questioner is a female. Generally though, the appearance of The High Priestess will be associated with "a gentle turn of events", not easy at all but foreboding a positive outcome. If viewed as duality or choice of options, the Trump 2 signifies an absolute choice to be made, no other way out, "now a decision has to be reached" - the aspects are good, the outcome, when all possibilities have been carefully weighed and correctly understood, will tend to be positive. Psychologically, the subconscious or the depth-consciousness has made its appearance, it will influence the further trend of events. A change of life-style or even of diet may be indicated. Affection and love are the powers to be invoked, so that any obstacles posed by duality may be safely overcome. Thus an invokation of the gentle aspect of the Moon-sphere is proposed, of any gentle and kind aspect whatsoever, as maybe Isis-Nephtys in their modern form of Venus or the strong "leonine" love of the Sun.

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