RWS - Lovers - the 12 flames = ?

What, does anyone know, is the significance of the 12 flames please? Does it represent the 12 months/apostles or what?

Many thanks for al input x Cara

Interesting question. The tree behind the man is the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, which is thought to prefigure the Cross (Christianity), so the flames may indeed represent the twelve apostles, as representatives of the Christian faith and it's promise of eternal life, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

I have also heard that they represent the 12 signs of the zodiac.

Thanks Bodhran & L Richard

Much what I thought x

They represent the pillars of Hermes and Solomon as found in the Neophyte Ritual of the Golden Dawn duality in greatest severity. The two pillars of six flames are each 60, for the flame is a yod. These total 120, which is the value of Samekh Mem Kaph - the full spelling of SMK, or Samekh.

Hermes is the Magician, Mercury. Solomon is the Hermit, or Magician in exile.

This image is based on one that the Adept would use to meditate upon to establish equilibrium in the paths of Mem, the central path on the pillar of Severity, and Kaph in the center on the pillar of Mercy = invoking both the forces of The Hanged Man, and Fortune.

Mem Kaph is the value of 60, which is the value of Samekh. So the letters added to Samekh to spell sameh equal the value of Samkeh. ALSO:

In the Adept model called the Cube of Space, the Path of Samekh connected the Western Face of the Cube which correlated to Kaph, or Jupiter/Fortune to the Top of the Cube, which is Mercury/Magus, ruler of Gemini/Lovers. It is by the East-West axis of the path of the mother letter Mem that the western wall was established in the astral images the chiefs used to maintain the Temple as a magical force.

The Pillars were representative of many things, and the Beth and Yod on the pillars of the Luna/Priestess (Who forms the floor of this astral imagery) is also in front of the same pillars. The letters of them B and J add in Hebrew to 12 as well. She is more fit to represent those, zodiacally, for she extends down the middle pillar from Kether directly, while the path of the Gemini/Lovers/ Zain extends from Binah (represented by the 3's of the Small cards) to Tiphareth (represented by the 6's of the small cards), creating a bit of the turbulence you see in the smal cards dealing with Leo, (5,6,7 of wands.)

Waite says they're "twelve fruits." He also says, "In a very high sense, the card is a mystery of the Covenant and Sabbath."

The twelve fruits could be the twelve tribes of Israel, but that's just speculation.

Ahh...found something of interest.

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, through the middle of the street of the city. Also, visible from both sides of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." -Revelation 22:1,2. (Emphasis added)

Thanks for your help . . can you lend your expertise . ..

. . to my other threads for Emrpress and emperor and Chariot (all RW of course!)

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=153173

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=153176

Cant find Chariot thread, any one pls advise me (the newcomer) how to re-find ones thread once you have posted it? ta

Cara

It's here. Try (until you have too many) clicking on "find posts"under your sig

Also - assuming you set your preferences that way (see User CP) if you go for watched threads (under Quick Links) any thread you have posted in should come up in the list.