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| Mara, the holy fool Card 0 Major Arcana Sacred Mysteries of Mary tarot deck |
Drink the poison and find the cure
Mara is the archetypal woman representing the self
on the inner journey of Self-Realization.
She is the holy fool who sets out on an unknown
journey towards an unknown destination, leaving
behind a limited understanding and perception
of the inner life and its manifestation into this world.
The Holy Fool has the number zero (0) in the deck.
Zero is the number of potential. It stands outside the
numbers of the major arcana which runs to
card 21, the culmination of the journey.
But as the journey is circular, card zero is both the
beginning and the end of the journey -
like the Tenth card in the Major Arcana, the Wheel
of Time depicts, the journey is infinite.
Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go
Here she is accompanied by the rabbit,
symbol of the goddess and the fertile nature
of the divine and nature as well as the
vulnerability and tenderness of all life
and all living beings.
Mara carries the Lamb, symbol of the Soul,
as well as the soul's purity, enduring innocence
and its incorruptibility.
She also wears the garland of the virgin
symbolizing a potent truth of
the true metaphysical meaning of the virgin :
'one unto herself'.
Behind her are the trees of the forest
that she is leaving behind as steps out on her journey.
On the tree top sits a dove, the Holy Spirit, or
messenger of the heavens, accompanying her on
this journey.
The tree represents the archetypal Tree of Life and the
Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This theme
is more fully explored in the Suit of the Holy Rood.
Here we see the fir tree for the first time and
we are reminded that this is the shape of the pineal gland, the seat of consciousness and enlightenment in the human brain.
.
She is surrounded by the elements of the
Sacred Mysteries of Mary :
the white hawthorn blossoms,
the red berries, the black seeds
and the green branches.
Read here more about the symbolism of the hawthorn
in this deck.
Mara's story unfolds through the journey of Maryam,
the Jewish prophetess and the hidden Hebrew goddess;
through the wisdom of Maria-Sophia,
the three Marys, Mary Magdalene, the handless maiden
and finally, through the initiations of
Mary.
The name 'Mara' forms part of the word 'amara',
a medicinal plant called bitter-ash or bitter-wood;
the most bitter plant known to us with a characteristic black elixer which is known to aid digestion and healing
for stomach disorders. It is also known for its blood purification properties and cleansing of the gallbladder and liver.
'Mara' from the Hebrew means 'bitter' or 'strong' in taste.
This first card introduces us to the sacred understanding that our journey will lead us through the purification of fire and flame. And most importantly, Mara teaches that we have the 'cure' for our malaise within ourselves, accessible by and through the self.
'Drink the poison and find the cure"
As we set out on our life journey, we are faced with many bitter and painful experiences. The temptation
are strong to at times just give in, to feel that one
just cannot overcome the painful disappointment,
loss or emotional wounding. But Mara and her
message of 'drink the poison and find the cure'
remind us of the homeopathic philosophy that
the body has the power and ability to heal itself
by creating the cure for the symptoms which
have been invoked by self-action.
She teaches that if you are facing a challenge,
you have the ability to overcome it and you
will discover the alchemical abilities of mind,
body and spirit and the mystical ability of the Soul
or Self to ingest and transform your life experiences
and to birth a new understanding and perception.
As she sets out on her journey she will move through
the lower and also the higher mysteries of initiation
towards self-realization.
Another important message that Mara delivers
is the unity and oneness of divine and nature,
as well as the sacred knowledge that all
paths lead to the same mountain. It does not
matter which culture you belong to and which
myths guide your story, there is the One and the Many.
One Divine Being and many different names and traditions.
The Holy Fool has the number zero (0) in the deck.
Zero is the number of potential. It stands outside the
numbers of the major arcana which runs to
card 21, the culmination of the journey.
But as the journey is circular, card zero is both the
beginning and the end of the journey -
like the Tenth card in the Major Arcana, the Wheel
of Time depicts, the journey is infinite.
The Higher Mysteries of Mary is currently
being printed and published by myself.
It will be available in my online shop
The French Madonna
at www.etsy.com/shop/thefrenchmadonna
blessings
Hettienne
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