Tarot and the Medici Patience. Grimoire

Consider, for instance, Christianity. There, the cross serves to symbolize the very architecture of the world.

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Rice I set out alone upon the road. Is it possible, perhaps, that when alone, one encounters far too many enemies?233

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Homework Section No. 9.

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Rice. The nutshell of knowledge is hard. But we—well, we are not accustomed to retreat! To crack this shell shall aid us—an ordinary squared notebook!234

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1. Enumerate the heroes and idols of your childhood, drawn from adventure films, action flicks, books, and so forth. No fewer than ten, if you please.

Compile a list.

Analyze what qualities allowed them to emerge victorious.

Indicate which of the aforementioned properties of the Elements these qualities correspond to.

Through which Element did Domino, from Marvel comics, manifest her superpower?

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2. Find emblems and symbolism that feature the Snake. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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3. Find emblems and symbolism featuring a skull or bones, whether currently or historically used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What do they symbolize?

4. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the Eagle is or has been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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5. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the tiger, lion, or leopard are or have been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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6. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the bear or bull is or has been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

7. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the Dragon is or has been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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8. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where bright light and rays of Light are or have been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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9. Compose a Portrait of the hero you would wish to become.

What qualities ought he to possess?

Which elemental qualities provide the foundation for your hero?

Give reasons for your choice.

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10. Decay, burning, and explosion, from a chemist’s perspective, all produce the same end—dust, and ashes.

In what ways do decay, burning, and explosion differ?

How can decay transform into burning?

Under what circumstances could burning, for one and the same substance, become an explosion?

Offer examples, and justify your selections.

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11. Reframe question 10 of this chapter as an analogy for the process of a student’s learning.

Identify three principal learning trajectories, each with a different pace of student development.

How and why does the pace of a student's learning change?

Justify your conclusions.

Provide historical examples to support your arguments.

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12. In the Cube of Elements, Fire stands opposite Water, Earth opposite Air, Life opposite Death.

The artist charged with drawing the Cube of Elements scarcely understood what he was illustrating and introduced a fair number of errors and inaccuracies.

Identify and correct them.

Why must it look precisely this way?

Substantiate your answer.

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13. What is an absolutely black body?

Give examples of an ABB.

At least five, if you please.

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14. Compose a list of names for the Dragon Schools.

Which areas of martial prowess ought each Dragon School to emphasize?

Which Siddhis should be developed within each School?

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Rice And now, a Kung Fu expert—at the slightest provocation, he'll lay one right across your spine!235

Chapter 10. One matryoshka, two matryoshkas, and a dash of Astral too…

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Rice. The memory of what once was lies forgotten. And instead of Knowledge—what a twist of fate! For the delight of the uninitiated, the matryoshka turned into Khokhlomiziya.236237

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As was brought to light in the previous chapter, all things in The World are composed of the four fundamental Elements—Earth, Water, Fire, and Air.

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Rice Let fairy tales remain fairy tales for some. And for others, everything is a hint. And still they insist Paradise is but a myth! …millennia. Those who have crossed over—they cannot confirm. They are simply not here. Simply not here.238

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The spectrum of these energies is capped above by the plane of the Element of Life. Upon crossing that plane, the object shifts into a ‘+’ quantum state. In other words, it ascends to the realm of Paradise existence.

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Rice But getting to Hell is rather simple. All you have to do is multiply graveyards. Where Life is absent—Hell arrives. That’s the business model, brother.239

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The spectrum of these energies is, in turn, limited below by the plane of the Element of Death. When crossing this plane, the object enters a “minus” quantum state. In other words, it falls to the level of Infernal existence.

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Both ‘Heaven’ and ‘Hell,’ in the first round of selection, are, in essence, curious parallel realities of our Lands.240241

The structure of these worlds is quite accurately portrayed by the Tree of Sephiroth and the Qliphoth, respectively.

Later on, the ‘Heavenly’ and ‘Infernal’ worlds are situated along the Fan of Worlds—a structure reminiscent of the ladder of Sha dan Kar.242

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To understand how these element-energies make their grand entrance into The World, let us examine each one, step by step.

Our entire exploration shall, for the sake of dramatic effect, refer to the noble architecture of the human body:

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Element Earth:

1) At the level of the etheric field (Muladhara chakra), we find the territories of muscles and bones;

2) At the level of the Astral field (Svadhisthana Chakra), there dwell emotions such as confidence, serenity, composure, and so on;

3) At the level of the mental field (Manipura chakras), we take up residence among thoughts like axioms, basic concepts, alphabets, multiplication tables, et cetera;

4) On the level of the soul (Anahata chakras) – sociability, or, in other words, productivity;

5) On the level of Karmas-Fates (Vishuddha chakra) – talent;

6) On the level of the Ajna Chakras – intuition;

7) On the level of the Sahasrara chakras – rationality.

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Element of Waters:

1) On the level of the etheric field (Muladhara chakra) – these are the fields of lymph and blood;