The Inner Mastery of Self

We all seek the inner mastery of Self, even if we don’t realize we’re doing so. However, when it’s a focused experience the benefits of that level of self-discipline are maximal. Using the Wild Unknown Tarot deck I drew The High Priestess, The Chariot, and the Daughter of Pentacles to explore what influences contribute to inner mastery of Self. It’s an interesting deck, a newer one that I’ve been working with, that uses woodland flora and fauna instead of people as the primary symbols for many of the cards, the Court cards in particular. The deck’s creator, Kim Krans, makes use of lines that either serve as a background for or radiate energy from each card adding a sense of flow to each one. She uses color to draw the eye of the observer to the elemental influences contained within each card and I feel a sense of innocence or purity with the cards. Needless to say, I really like this deck.

A white tiger sits serenely before a multi-colored globe, the crescent moon in her Crone phase visible in the night sky above her head. She is The High Priestess who goes within to listen to her inner voice, her intuitive sense, and represents secret knowledge and inspiration. She aligns in her own Source Presence to access inner wisdom. The High Priestess represents the Feminine Divine and the Triple Goddess and she blesses all with grace and dignity.

The Chariot is represented by a beautiful horse wearing a pentagram around its neck, a crescent moon revealed beneath the front part of its mane. The sun’s rays radiate in all directions as fiery red tips frame the scene. A departure from typical representations, The horse represents movement and mastery, strength and balance. The Chariot suggests knowing when to take control and when to surrender the reins to another. It teaches us to press on irrespective of the challenges that we face.

Krans changes the titles of the Court cards in the Wild Unknown deck from Page/Princess, Knight/Prince, Queen, and King to Daughter, Son, Mother, and Father of their respective suits and I have to say that I like them better that way. Representing the Earthy part of Earth, the Daughter of Pentacles is depicted by a young fawn that hasn’t yet lost its spots. A pentagram appears in the center of a rainbow above the fawn’s head suggesting a balanced spiritual focus. The fawn looks alert as she stands still waiting to see if danger approaches. Traditional interpretations suggest a student or a time of study or reflection as well as an individual who is reliable and dependable. But with this card, it feels more like the fawn is on the precipice of something new. She looks to our left at something that’s hidden from view, typically suggesting the past. But in this case, it could be that she’s ready for her own experiences away from the security of her mother’s protection.

Like the fawn, each of us relies on help from others along the way to achieving our own sense of mastery. But at some point, our attention turns inward and we begin listening to our inner voice to know what makes sense and what doesn’t. The High Priestess tells us that truth is found within, in that secret place of inner wisdom possessed by each one of us. Relying on that inner voice is more than a reflection of instinct but in fact, one that reflects a greater awareness of Self in the universe.

The overall numerology of the reading is 9 or completion. We begin in Spirit and remain so irrespective of the time spent in form. Going within allows us to align with our eternal Spirit, bringing our focus to a still point where truth is revealed. We respond far more than we observe. Inner mastery of Self requires that we reverse the two, observe more and respond less. The tiger embraces her inner stillness while the horse teaches us about balanced polarity. The fawn benefits from both as she takes the next step on her journey. It’s a balance that we strike, not a neutrality exactly, but a balance that keeps us on our sacred path. When we understand that we are Spirit inhabiting form our inner mastery is a given.

Blessed be