The Catalyst of the Mind

[JustLikeYou]

The Empress



The Empress, the unconscious mind revealed, is the information called for by the Magician, now revealed to the Magician [within the illusion. If the Matrix describes the part of the Significator of the Mind which lacks knowledge, and the Potentiator is the part of the Significator of the Mind which has knowledge, then the Catalyst is that part which gives knowledge and the Experience is that part which receives knowledge. C.C. Zain names the Empress card “Isis Unveiled”, which is very significant. Here we have a mother goddess revealing herself to you. I imagine that the unconscious mind has removed all of her clothing and has invited the conscious mind (the Emperor) to take her into his arms and do with her what he wills. As we find out in the Transformation of the Mind, this will takes two shapes: either the Emperor will subjugate her as an inferior or will shower praise and affection as an equal (this same notion of the choice of polarity is suggested by the crescent moon upon which the Empress rests her feet). The words of Christ come to mind here: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This card depicts the self that you have the option to love. [font=Verdana]How you love the self (as an equal or an inferior) will determine how you treat others.

The box she sits upon has open eyes within it, indicating the awareness of the conscious mind within the physical illusion (i.e. space/time). The key here is that the conscious mind must have the eyes to see the catalyst when she presents herself. She has a Sun shining behind her which should make her fairly easy to spot, but we are so good at fooling ourselves that we often miss her. Unless your eyes are open, even the Sun will not render anything visible. She is a moment of discovery in consideration of the archetypes, the stray doubt about yourself that scares you to think, the weakness or strength that you see reflected in another person, She is everything you think about everyone you know. For, as Ra says, the other-self is a mirror. Every time you have an opportunity to practice the disciplines of the mind as explicated in Session 5 (http://lawofone.info/results.php?session_id=5&ss=1), the Empress reveals herself to you, for as catalyst, she is that opportunity.

Never forget that the consensus reality which we experience everyday is made of agreements between every entity that each will reflect to each other that which the other that which is true about the other: this is the 1st distortion in effect, the Law of Free Will. The Empress stands always before your, her clothes removed, waiting for you to take her into your arms, and you need only see her, you need only recognize that whatever situation you find yourself in, there is an opportunity to learn something about yourself that you did not know before and to love this part of yourself as equal and not as inferior to some other part. In this sense, the protection that the Sun offers is to blind you when you are not yet ready to see what is there to be seen.

[nwthomas]

"The box she sits upon has open eyes within it, indicating the awareness of the conscious mind within the physical illusion (i.e. space/time). The key here is that the conscious mind must have the eyes to see the catalyst when she presents herself. She has a Sun shining behind her which should make her fairly easy to spot, but we are so good at fooling ourselves that we often miss her. "

I agree, if we interpret the idea of missing catalyst in the following way. It seems to me like it would be a contradiction in terms not to experience catalyst. Catalyst, by definition, is something that has come to light. What is possible, it seems to me, is to experience catalyst without learning from it -- without transmuting it into Experience.

"The cat is white, suggesting purity. If we consider what it is that the Emperor does, we may infer that the role of purity in the act of accepting what lies within you, knowing that the mind contains all, and balancing every concept with its opposite, is in “knowing that the mind contains all”. There is a constant temptation, when you are examining that which is within you but hidden from your conscious mind, a constant temptation to feel guilty. Guilt hides the unconscious mind from the conscious mind, guilt is often what causes the eyes of the conscious mind to be blinded by the protective sun in the Empress card. But for the informed conscious mind, there is a growing awareness that one can learn to be innocent again. This feeling of innocence is highly protective for those on the STO path because it teaches you that you can trust yourself, that whatever the unconscious mind wants you to see, it is good and it is worth loving."

I like this paragraph. In general, I'm finding that I agree with most of your comments in this thread. The general focus, in the previous threads as well as this one, seems to be the process by which existence presents lessons to us through our experience. It's interesting because I've had a lot of these thoughts before, but hadn't considered connecting them to the archetypes. So thanks for making that connection.

[JustLikeYou]

Yes, Nick, your interpretation is what I intended.

[Plenum]

if I could just add this quote to the Empress/Catalyst of the Mind:

93.18 Questioner: The third card also shows the wand, I am assuming it is, in the right hand. The ball atop the wand is the round magical shape. Am I in any way correct in guessing that the Catalyst of the Mind suggests the possible eventual use of the magic depicted by this wand?

Ra: I am Ra. The wand is astrological in its origin and as an image may be released from its stricture. The sphere of spiritual power is an indication indeed that each opportunity is pregnant with the most extravagant magical possibilities for the far-seeing adept.

ie. the use of catalyst can open ways of viewing/experiencing reality that were heretofore unimaginable. Think of the effect of catalyst like winning the lottery ... the possibilities and transformations, the understandings that are in potential would just rock your world.

empress = one awesome card.