Epictetus said that “wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
I think most people cannot discern between wants and needs. We want things we don’t need, and we need things we don’t want.
For instance, people want enlightenment but are rarely willing to make the effort to get there. Instant gratification is an illusion generated by consumerism and the New Age type of misinterpretation of ancient teachings.
Some people are naive enough to believe that they can pay for enlightenment, respectively they can receive enlightenment. Well, the role of a spiritual guide is offering guidance, not solving personal or any other kind of issues.
Living in the now means being aware of the effects of the past and consciously building the tomorrow.
Likewise, the final stage of the transmutation, the alchemical Opus Magnum, is about bringing things into being.
I cannot stress enough the importance of the final stage, which is materialisation.
Mandatory recap: the desire (Fire) turns into emotion (Water) which grows into thought (Air) and materialises (Earth). This is the process of creation.
On the other hand, human evolution goes backwards: Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Therefore, lead and gold are virtually interchangeable. It could not have been any other way, otherwise, transmutation would not be possible.
Philosophically speaking, gold – wealth – can turn into a burden. Most people desire to become rich but are not emotionally, mentally, spiritually and practically prepared to handle wealth.
Once again, the backwards-oriented human development is perfectly showcased in the sequence of the winter cards.
It begins with the Ace, Two, Three and Four of Disks, continues with the Five, Six and Seven of Swords, and culminates in the Eight, Nine and Ten of Cups. On the level of Court Cards, the sequence is Knight of Disks, Queen of Swords and Page of Cups.
It proves that one has to be prepared to handle wealth, and it is a process.
First, one needs a sensory experience of touching and holding money. The physical connection with it is crucial.
The Two of Disks is about the opportunity of grabbing money. The Three of Disks is about holding to the money, and the Four of Disks is about developing a balanced relationship with the money.
However, with the recent trends of virtualising money, we risk losing this essential sensorial experience.
Moving to the second stage, the Sword cards provide the experience of understanding money.
The Five of Swords is about learning and discovering ways of manipulating money. The Six of Swords teach us to let it go, while the Seven of Swords is about speculations.
The third stage is about learning to handle wealth emotionally. And while one may argue that wealth refers not exclusively to money and physical possessions, the unconditional love of money is equally important as the unconditional love of our sisters and brothers. Someone cannot have one without the other.
The Eight of Cups is pure joy, the Nine of Cups is about awareness, and the Ten of Wands is the expression of happiness and harmony, fulfilling the entire journey.
Part 9 out of 9 from a series dedicated to the Suits and seasons throughout the Tarot Minor Arcana.
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