SignsOfZodiac

Story and the Zodiac

Through the correlation of the Tarot Keys to the Twelve signs of the Zodiac, we can gain valuable insight into both the esoteric meaning of these Zodiacal signs, and into the Hero's Journey. The Twelve stages of the Hero's Journey can be correlated to these Twelve signs and Keys.

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Ordinary World

The Existing Order: Aries / Tarot Key 4: The Emperor / Reason and Order

Aries is the sign of initiation, of new beginnings, and of starting things, so it is appropriate that the story begins with the sign of Aries. Our Hero's Journey begins where we are - in our current situation. Aries rules the head and the attribution of sight. Thus the Journey also begins in our "head", where the story's current world-view, boundary conditions and orderly (or disorderly) existence is shown.

Key 4 (The Emperor) symbolizes Reason and Order, and it is in this stage of the Journey, where the currently existing Order of the "Ordinary World" is shown. Reason operates according to the existing set of rules in force, and the Order of the Ordinary World represents those "rules", "rules of the game", "governing laws", or "constitution" of our current predicament. This predicament may appear orderly, chaotic, despotic, or hopeless depending upon how close the rules of our Ordinary World adhere to the sought after Ideal. It is this disharmony between the bondage of our current "order" and the Ideal, which provides the motive power for the Hero's Journey to take place.

Basically, the Emperor or ego of our current world is in some way unjust and needs to be overthrown. There is an imposter on the throne and it is our Hero who must overthrow the old order to establish a new more harmonious world. Note that this order can be an external social/political/cultural order, or it can be an internal psychological order or state of mind which needs to be changed. But either way, "those who would remake worlds must begin by smashing them to bits."

So, just as Reason and governance alone is a sterile thing, insufficient to live a fulfilled and happy life, so too is the "Ordinary World" flawed. There is an underlying dissatisfaction. There is something about the way things are currently working which is amiss and incomplete, although the Hero may not be consciously aware of it, yet.

Call to Adventure

The Inner Voice: Taurus / Tarot Key 5: The Hierophant / Intuition

Tarot Key 5 symbolizes intuition, that inner voice of conscience which, if we are listening, calls us to a better way. In the Hero's Journey, this "voice" can be an intuition, or take the form of an actual voice, or it can be a circumstance which in no uncertain terms shows the necessity for making a change. Tarot Key 5 shows us symbolically what is required for us to "heed the call". We need to release attachment to what we "think" we already want, and to what we "think" we already know in order to be open to the truth of what is before us. Often we are too caught up in our own pursuits and personal truths and beliefs to heed the call.

Refusal of the Call

In Need of Discrimination: Gemini / Tarot Key 6: The Lovers / Discrimination

When the Call to Adventure does come, we often do not properly heed it. Why is this so? It is either because we are too caught up in our own melodrama to truly listen, or once having "gotten the message", we are not able to figure out what it is that is being said to us. Lacking true discrimination, we either gullibly interpret the message at face value and rush off to adventure like a fool, or we don't trust what our own eyes and ears are telling us.

Why is discrimination a problem? It is usually because there is an inner conflict between competing parts of ourselves. We are not thinking, feeling, and willing, in harmony with what IS. In a way, we are at war with ourselves. In a story, this inner conflict is often represented symbolically by an external conflict between our Hero (protagonist) and the nemesis, villain, or Shadow. In stories with more complex and developed characters, their inner conflicts is made more apparent. It is our inner conflicts (lack of inner harmony and thus discrimination) which interfere with our ability to properly interpret and act on our intuitions, and thus we do not heed the call.

So, how do we learn discrimination? Tarot Key 6 shows us how. The Lovers shows the means of achieving true discrimination - Love. Love here being interpreted as harmonious reciprocity between opposites. In other words, inner harmony between those primary aspects of our personality. It is the resolving of this inner conflict into inner harmony which is the primary task of the Hero's Journey. At this stage of the Journey, however, our Hero needs some help in getting started on this Heroic task.

Often it is a temptation which gets us moving, for it is "the serpent of sensation which tempts us into actions from which we learn discrimination." In other words, we often learn discrimination by exercising poor discrimination, and then learning from the results. But, ready or not, the Hero needs to act, else he/she will be acted upon.

Once we hear the call, there is no avoiding the responsibility for action.

Meeting with the Mentor

Outfitting for the Journey: Cancer / Tarot Key 7: The Chariot / Receptivity-Will

So, our Hero, conflicted and unsure of what to do, needs to find some help so he/she can see more clearly what needs to be done, and/or acquire some skills and tools to help accomplish the task.

So, at this point in our Journey, our Hero is preparing to descend into the Special World and engage in the struggle to overthrow the ego (the unjust Emperor/Ruler of the Ordinary World), restore balance to the psyche (Special World), and thus restore harmony and balance to the Ordinary World as well.

Tarot Key 7, The Chariot, and the sign of Cancer represent the concept of a protective vehicle (the chariot car, the crab's shell, etc..) and of a driver or indwelling essence which controls and experiences through that vehicle. Psychologically and spiritually, this also symbolizes the concept of the personality as the vehicle for the higher Self. On the Hero's Journey, the Hero plays the symbolic role of the human personality - our personality. Thus the importance of being able to identify with and see the story from the point of view of the Hero. His/Her story is our story.

Now we can see the role of the Hero on the Journey. Just as the personality is a vehicle for the Self, the Hero is the vehicle which carries the audience into the Special World of the psyche to engage in the task of restoring harmony to the inner and outer worlds.

So, what role does the Meeting with the Mentor play in all this? At this stage in the Journey, the Hero is like a ship which needs to be properly outfitted for the Journey into the Special World. The Mentor symbolically represents that superior Wisdom and Will which for a time guides the vehicle (Hero) into experiences where it can gather knowledge and skills to prepare it for the upcoming Journey.

The Meeting with the Mentor is thus a time for the Self to prepare and outfit it's vehicle for the upcoming tasks, trials, and Journey. The Self performs this task, through its representative, the Mentor.

Crossing the Threshold

The Courageous Act: Leo / Tarot Key 8: Strength / Suggestion

Having finally responded to the call and been made ready, the Hero now must descend into the Special World. To do so, the Hero must also possess the Leonine qualities of strength and courage to overcome the Threshold Guardian at the gateway and enter the Special World. This may require the Hero to penetrate some domain, overcome some obstacle, or to cut off his ties with the Ordinary World.

To be successful in the Journey, then, the Hero must first acquire or possess enough ego strength to cut his ties to the Ordinary World. However, this very ego strength which served him, now becomes, in the Special World, his enemy. Thus, making the crossing also activates the nemesis, that shadow force which will work to oppose the Hero's egoic and self-centered approach to completing the task.

What is the Shadow? In a story, the Shadow is often represented by some external antagonist or villain who must be vanquished. But this is only an external representation of an inner force. The defeating of an external enemy is symbolic of the Hero having first achieved an inner victory over the shadow aspect in his/herself.

In reality, the Shadow is that vital animal soul part of ourselves which we've either repressed, or have allowed to run wild and unconstrained. In other words, the Shadow is our own inner lion which has not yet come under the control of the Self. In the Ordinary World, we may have been able to keep this force in check, but now in the Special World, this Wild Lion (The Shadow) must be controlled. Not killed. Not vanquished. But Controlled.

The reason we can never really "kill" the Shadow is because the Shadow is a vital part of ourselves which we need in order to truly live. The only way to emerge victorious over the Shadow is to make it our ally. And the only way to do this is to tame our own Wild Lion via loving discipline.   In other words, the Hero must learn to control his powers by placing them in the service of a higher authority - to a cause larger than his own self-interests. Only then will he/she be ready to confront the external representation of the Shadow force and defeat it. Before one can conquer evil, one must conquer it in themselves.

He learns how to do this in the next phase of the Hero's Journey: Tests, Allies, Enemies.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

Developing Mastery: Virgo / Tarot Key 9: The Hermit / Response

The Hermit of Tarot Key 9, depicts a wise and experienced man, standing atop a mountain. He is one who has climbed up the mountain and attained mastery. This too is the task of the Hero, for before he/she can confront the Adversary, the Hero must develop a degree of mastery over his or her environment including themselves.

Key 9 also stands for the Law of Response, which states that all personal action is really but a response to the super-conscious influence of the Higher Self. In this stage of the Journey, the Hero is developing his ability to Respond to the inner direction of his higher conscience, and act in the service of a higher cause. The successful Hero learns what it means to Serve while the tragic hero is self-serving.

As he develops this capacity to respond, his inner light begins to shine ever brighter and, like the Hermit who shines his lamp from the mountain top, the Hero draws the attention of both potential allies and enemies. Some come to join his cause, while some come to test his ability to truly carry the lamp of Truth, Beauty, and the Ideal.

Approach to the Inmost Cave

Acting on Faith: Libra / Tarot Key 11: Justice / Equilibration

The hero, not quite ready for the ordeal to come, must make a leap of faith.

Ordeal

Dissolution of the Old Self: Scorpio / Tarot Key 13: Death / Transformation

All ordeals are ordeals of either perseverance or of discrimination. During the ordeal something must be sacrificed in order to endure, survive, and emerge with the prize. The hero must let go of limiting beliefs, old outworn patterns, and give themselves up to the quest. There must be a death to the old self.
The tragic hero will likely sacrifice others to attain his goal, but the ultimately victorious hero will make the sacrifice his / her self or be helped by an ally whose loyalty he has earned.

Reward

Fruits of Verification: Sagittarius / Tarot Key 14: Temperance / Verification

The reward is the ultimate test for the hero, for it is the test of wealth, power, and success. Will the hero try to selfishly keep the reward for his/her self, or will he/she seek to share with others? This is the test of which the Bible speaks when it says that Jesus was taken by spirit into the desert to be tempted. This temptation is the most important test.

The Hero's intention, revealed at this crucial stage, will largely determine whether or not he/she will successfully overcome the guardian on the road back.

The Road Back

Guardian at the Threshold: Capricorn / Tarot Key 15: The Devil / Bondage

This is the inevitable showdown with the shadow. Believe it or not, this showdown is a forgone conclusion. It is not so much a test for the Hero, as it is a task which must be accomplished. The world of matter (Capricorn) must be penetrated with the Hero's new vibratory force. The Hero, at this stage, is a tool for the One Will to infuse and shatter the old patterns of manifestation. The Death Star must be destroyed.

Key in the hero's final encounter with the Shadow will be his/her ability to discriminate the true nature of the foe. For behind the mask of the adversary lies the face of the beloved. [to be continued ...]

Even if the Hero gives his or her life at this stage, he/she can still be victorious in the mythic and esoteric sense, for they have accomplished their task of shattering the old patterns of bondage which have held sway, leaving it then for others to learn from his example (receive the revelation), and build upon this new pattern.

Resurrection

Revelation: Aquarius / Tarot Key 17: The Star / Revelation

Having dueled with the Shadow, there remains the question of the fate of the Hero. Salvation comes from within and from above.

Having endured the ordeal of relinquishing the old self, reaped the reward and passed its temptations, and having rendered service in a task of redemption, our hero receives the elixir: knowledge, wisdom, experience, beauty, truth, love, or some other thing which can be put to use in the establishment of a new order in the ordinary (physical) world.

Return with the Elixir

Establishing the New Order: Pisces / Tarot Key 18: The Moon / Organization

A summary of the entire Journey.