Arcanum Journey: Zero through Five

Many times I have been told, and I have read, that the Major Arcana tells a story. A story of a spiritual journey through life. I have had interest in Tarot for years and have worked with my starter deck for a long time now, and not once have I ever actually seen any sign that the cards really tell a story.

Then again, not once have I ever actually studied the cards and paid close enough attention to what they were trying to tell me. I have never opened myself up to the true power of the cards, I have never allowed them to speak through me rather than just to me. Now that I've begun studying my personal deck and really getting to know it, I'm beginning to see the bigger picture. I had gotten through the first three cards in October without really understanding the connection, but yesterday I picked them up again--finally having the time to study another card--and found myself having one of those 'A-ha!' moments. The cards just seemed to fall into place, and I was seeing connections to them left and right. I don't know if perhaps I had to get through more cards in order to see it, or maybe I just needed to stand back and see it all, like a map, rather than up close. Either way, I feel like I've formed the first TRUE bond with my cards, and I'm excited to study more.

But first, I'd like to write out this revelation of mine, so I can look back on it later and see how the next cards fit into the story. I feel like I've actually stepped forward on the path of my own personal spiritual journey.

So far, I have studied the first six cards in the Major Arcana.
0--The Fool
1--The Magician
2--The High Priestess
3--The Empress
4--The Emperor
5--The Hierophant
These first cards are what seems to be the beginning and the foundation of the journey.

The Fool is the first step; he is letting go of your fears and your insecurities and your philosophical doubts and taking the proverbial "leap of faith", saying that you are ready for a spiritual path to open up before you. You want it, and you are willing to trust the Universe and go where it leads; not necessarily blindly following, but hopefully trusting. You are clearing your mind, emptying your cup... You are at the start, though you have not yet started. It's like, getting into a vehicle which is about to take you on a long road trip. You haven't pulled out of the driveway yet, but you're in the car. It is the start of a new beginning, the welcoming of a new life.

The Magician is the Universe responding to you. He tells you that now, since you have opened yourself up to the spiritual world and are ready for it, he will begin to reveal answers to the mysteries of your inner Self. The first of these answers is the fact that you hold within yourself all the tools and knowledge and power to change the worlds around you, both your spiritual world and your physical. You can use these tools and knowledge, but only for positive ends. He is the true beginning of the journey, where you have everything you could ever need laid out before you, and you have only to imagine what you truly want or need, and you can make it so. He tells you that your physical world and your spiritual world are one and the same; your reality can be mere illusion, and illusion can solidify into reality.

Now that you have faith in the Universe and are willing to follow where it leads, and now that you know you have the power and tools to change your own life and outlook, you are introduced to the four people who will help guide you and teach you, who make it all possible.

The High Priestess and the Hierophant go together, as opposites working together to create balance and unity. In the same way, the Empress and the Emperor go together as well. The High Priestess and the Hierophant represent the two forms of the spiritual world and their connection to the physical world; the Empress and the Emperor represent the two forms of the physical world and their connection to the spirit realm.
The High Priestess talks about raw intuition. Getting in touch with your most inner Self, letting go of the physical world if need be and focusing on your truth, intuition, understanding, and subconscious. Literally being in the dream world. She states that there is a lot in this dream world, the Otherworld, that you don't understand or that has yet to be revealed to you, and that with meditation and divination and self exploration you can discover the answers you seek. You must want to see the answers though, you must actually seek them out. Once you know and are confident in your spiritual and intuitive beliefs and philosophies, you can begin to alter the physical world around you.
The Hierophant, although being of the spiritual world, is the physical representation of it. He stands for the established order, the named religious group or community in the physical world. He is the bridge between the two worlds, the speaker of the Universe. However he does not have to represent an actual religion; he can just be the philosophy or set of beliefs that you hold close. Either way, he is where you turn to in the real world when you need physical confirmation or support for your spiritual thoughts. A word of warning, however: power is corrupting, especially when one has such a position to be translating the "word of God", where they are in charge of someone elses spirituality. In such an instance, he represents a choice. Do you follow blindly, or do you go off on your own and make your own decision on what to believe? The Hierophant means that once you know and are confident in your belief system that you hold true to in the physical world, including morals, ethics, traditions, and duties, you can begin to alter the spiritual world around you.
The Empress goes back to the High Priestess in her high position and reverence. She is the ultimate mother--Mother Earth, the Virgin Mary, the fertility Goddess. She represents the female aspect of the physical realm, with all her spiritual strength. She is procreation, healing, nurturing, guiding, and life. She has the ability and the want to help and nurture others, and she has the physical strength so as not to deplete herself while doing so. She is the culmination of the Three, in whatever way resonates strongest with you personally. Whether as the mother, father, and child; as the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Destroyer; or as the spiritual world, the physical world, and the Otherworld (the dream world). She also represents the mother in a traditional family as well, as the housewife with her values and her place in the home.
The Emperor goes back to the Hierophant in his position as ruler. He is the authoritative father, literally representing authority, leadership, and strength. He is a passive ruler, guiding the physical world of the here-and-now with a watchful eye and a firm hand. He never goes looking for a fight, but he will not hesitate to defend or protect his morals or those things he feels responsible for. He is straightforward and confident in his traditions and values. He states that there is no rationalizing immoral behavior or saying that the end justifies the means; you do what you know to be right and good, and do not compromise your morals. He is the foundation, the rock to lean on and the mountain to look up to, and he is also the foundation of the traditional family as well. He takes the place of the father (naturally) and the family follows his example and values. He strives to have his physical accomplishments stand through time as a legacy to leave behind. His physical strength is drawn from his spiritual solidarity.

Now that I've gotten through the first few cards and really made the connections between them, I feel confident in my ability to continue on and understand and connect the rest of the Major Arcana as well. This has been an amazing journey already, and even just with these few cards I can almost feel myself opening up to a whole new spiritual world within. I don't know how I've made it this far in life without having this basic understanding, without knowing just how willing the Universe is to teach me. I suppose this is the feeling people get when they truly find God. It's amazing what you see when your eyes are opened.