Invocation of The Orchard

 Here's a photo of my alter in my art studio.

  The old antique Buddha has been in my family before I was born. The story is, my father won it from a Chinese man he was playing poker with, many years ago. The Buddha was I expect, part of my father's cache from the game. He was a good poker player.When I look at this Buddha it always sparks the memory of my father and family. They have all left this earthly coil now, and I miss them very much every day.

Ganesh, the Hindu elephant God, of new beginnings, he is the destroyer vanity, selfishness, and removes obstacles, and he symbolizes abundance. I picked this up from a friend at our local market, and it has a small sandalwood candle, my favourite scent. I have a deep love of elephants. I have a vivid memory of going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and how in absolute awe I was, when seeing an ancient statue of Gamesh. I left him a few coins like everyone does.

 The singing bowl, that invokes meditation, 'Singing bowls (also known as Himalayan or Tibetan singing bowls) are widely used form of bells.' In Buddhist practice, singing bowls are used as a support for meditation, when you tap it with the small stick. It was a gift from a friend who picked it up at a Buddhist retreat in Arizona. She gave it to me when she left, returning to Colorado.

 The box covered in silk, holds my Tarot cards, and was also given to me by a childhood friend. It is very special to me, as is my friend. 


The copper angel candle holder I picked up from somewhere I don't remember, from a second hand store I think. I love and believe strongly in angels in our lives.

My alter reflects my eclectic interests in different paths to spirituality.

 When I first began to learn and study the Tarot, I was very drawn and interested in Kabbalah, Jewish Mysticism. I've always loved learning about mysticism and different Mystics, like Rumi, Julian of Norwich, Saint John of The Cross etc. Because of my family name being  Jewish Germanic, which I knew very little about, as my great grandfather came for Poland before WW11 and was an orphan, and so I felt a strong connection to Judaism.

 I spent a long time learning about Kabbalah and how it was related to Tarot. I became very absorbed, and it became a part of my artwork, particularly when I was exploring different sacred trees that represented The Tree of Life, and I was fascinated to learn as much as I could. All of this study brought me to where I am now with the Tarot, and it has opened up the world to me in so many ways.

Kabbalah Tree of Life - Catherine Meyers

 I found this prayer which I often say before I begin my readings. It helps to focus my heart on the God of my understanding. I find it comforting, in that I imagine walking through this great forest, The Orchard.

Invocation of The Orchard

     
 "I pass through this orchard remembering that what I may learn, and what may pass before my 
eyes will be for the purpose of healing the world, and bringing Unity into this dimension, into the plane of human awareness. This orchard is the transition point between the transcendant and the imminent - the abstract and the concrete.
My personal path can adapt and absorb this forest slowly, and as it sees fit. My basic personhood remains intact, while sampling the myriad forms and concepts in the grove. Drinking from the river of delights of the Creator's house, my own specific root into the infinite is a path of emanation along which I can safely and respectfully traverse.

"All the world is a very narrow bridge - but the point is to be fearless."

Sepher Malchus is the grounding point, where I am centered, and where I will return after contemplating the trees, springs, fragrances, and many-faceted gems in the enclosure. Sepher Malchus is the point of connection and return to my personal concrete reality and viewpoint, to my ideal stability."

*  Sepher Malchhus relates to the Earth.

Tree of Life - Catherine Meyers

Tree of Life - Invocation of The Orchard

Kabbalah Tree of Life

 I thought I'd take a break from the discussion of the Major Arcana cards today and share a bit about when I first became interested in the Tarot. I learned how directly related Kabbalah was to understanding the cards. I found the explanation of Kabbalah  to be very complex and full of deep meaning that can be very overwhelming, because there is so much information to be learned. I have been very drawn to Judaism and Mysticism from a young age, and so I was keen to find out as much as I could. I do not pretend to begin to understand the Kabbalah, as it is a life long study. It has been described as being a system of thought, and the Tree of Life is a map of personal energies and thought. It is a way to describe or a way of describing God.

It has been long held, and believed, that the Tarot has it's origins in Kabbalah. I take what I have learned, and adapt this information when I am doing readings or studying the Tarot cards.

A particular invocation and prayer I like to say prior to my readings is the Invocation of The Orchard. It makes me feel grounded and connected to the earth and connected in ancient tradition.

INVOCATION OF THE ORCHARD

"I pass through this orchard remembering that what I may learn, and what may pass before my eyes will be for the purpose of healing the world, and bringing Unity into this dimension, into the plane of human awareness. This orchard is the transition point between the transcendent and the imminent - the abstract and the concrete.
My personal path can adapt and absorb this forest slowly, and as it sees fit. My basic person hood remains intact, while sampling the myriad forms and concepts in the grove. Drinking from the river of delights of the Creator's house, my own specific root into the infinite is a path of emanation along which I can safely and respectfully traverse.

"All the world is a very narrow bridge - but the point is to be fearless."

"Sepher Malchus is also called "Kingdom," and is the realm of the earth, of the body, and immediate physical sensations."

Sepher Malchus is the grounding point, where I am centered, and where I will return after contemplating the trees, springs, fragrances, and many-faceted gems in the enclosure. Sepher Malchus is the point of connection and return to my personal concrete reality and viewpoint, to my ideal stability."

The Kabbalah Tree of Life