Here we are, on the cusp of a New Year and with it the ages-old wishes and hopes that a New Year's Eve brings to bear. The possibilities are endless.

I drew 3 cards to give me an idea of what 2001 will bring, today going to a deck I have only recently acquired, Lon DuQuette's Tarot of Ceremonial Magick. The images on the cards are clean and simple. Reminiscent of the Marseilles, but more "refined" if you will. The striking difference in this deck is the incorporation of what DuQuette calls "Qabalah-based magick", i.e. Enochian magic as described by Dr. John Dee (Queen Elizabeth I court astrologer and a man of great imagination and emotion...) and Goetia (go figure). The bottom section of each card is given to "...a wealth of additional occult information including Astrological details, Tattwa meditation symbols and even I Ching hexagrams". Now, is that both eclectic and esoteric or what?

In spite of the juxtaposition of (to my thinking) far too many curriculums and joining schools that would most likely best be left asunder I find the symbology and the simplicity of the cards to be appealing. Most of the elemental associations and the astrological associations parallel the Thoth.

The cards and their positions:
Prince of Wands - The High Priestess - Ace of Cups

Prince of Wands, a young man in a bright red tunic stands in an attitude of well-being, good health and attention. He holds, rather than grasps, a baton in his right hand and has a heraldic shield upon his left shoulder. He stands in a chariot with a further heraldic shield emblazoned upon the fronts piece. The astrological significance is 20 degrees of Cancer to 20 degrees of Leo. These weeks of the year are going to be high energy, but not truly connected with any outcome. There should and could be a time of creating the groundwork for a long-delayed or oft-postponed project. There is a great deal of motion and backing and forthing that accompanies this card in this position. It will take a great and firm determination to witness an outcome of worth. The correspondent hexagram is number 42, Increase.

The High Priestess Card is associated with the moon and unconscious will. In this deck she is depicted as a full-figured woman seated between the ubiquitous two pillars of other secret society decks, here however she is nude and behind her are three crescent moons. The creator does not tell us so, but it is a logical assumption to make the connection with virgin, mother and crone, the triple goddess of far more ancient times and places.

The glyphs and sigils depicted upon this trump card are said to represent the magic seals of the house of Mercury and of the Prison of Shells. I did not comprehend this in Crowley's books and admit to still being puzzled by these Geniis just as I am by Enochian angels.

To me the High Priestess speaks of early summer and in this draw rightly so as there will be a solar eclipse come the Summer Solstice 2001. When the numerous other cosmic conditions surrounding that June date are factored in---Mars and Mercury going retrograde, Jupiter exiting Gemini---there certainly will be a great deal of flux and alterations taking place both in the heavens and right here! This will be a perfect time to venture off on one's own to retreat and for a shift from the intellectual endeavours of the winter and early spring to a more self-directed and emotional focus for the mid-year. Solitude and gathering the ideas behind the form are apparent from the position of the card.

Ace of Cups. The powers of water are associated with this card here represented by an emerald green chalice back lighted by a full moon. There is a further association with inspiration and receptivity. I find a connection with Cancer and Jupiter to be seen here. Some significant change in status and determination will be in play. While this card can (and often is) associated with female reproduction of import is to understand that the "root of the Powers of Water" are as often birthing an idea, an ideal or an activity as they are related to the physical birth of a child.

I am enchanted and bemused by all these references to the Moon! Especially so after the time we recently spend looking at the Moon card from various decks. I think the cards are trying to tell us something of importance---perhaps tomorrow I will go The Goddess Tarot and pull the Moon card for a further comparison.

As the circle of the calendar year returns to the beginning, I bid you serenity, good health and joy in all you do.

Remember, it's in the cards!

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