Connolly: Transition

[MoonMaiden]

A royal figure in green, draped in purple, stands on the white and black checkered floor of the castle. His weight is upon his left foot as he leans with right hand pointing to the sun, rising between two towers in the distance. His crown is on the floor behind him. His sword leans against the wall, point down. The inside castle wall is in shadow. He appears to be under a portico, as the wall is open to the outside. Before and below him, an angel-like figure offers a white basin of clear blue water. The angel gazes up at him, waiting patiently for him to cleanse himself. To the right of the basin, full white roses stream down to the floor. The sky is blue and cloudless.

Transition, Connolly's substitute card for Death, is another metaphysical translation of her view of life. "The one constant in life is change". "I die daily". The king is still clothed in the royal robes of his earthly identity, yet he has removed and discarded the symbols of his office. He looks to the promise of a new day. The angel offers the water that will cleanse him of the emotional energy of his present life, to ease his transition into a "new day". As king, he serves, rules and leads. But there is another life awaiting him - a life of light, solitude and inner searching. He waits on the edge between the old and the new, between the known and the unknown. How will he be known, without his crown and sword? What is waiting for him in the light of day? He leans toward the change, yet surveys it from the safe, familiar past. The future is bright, the spiritual assistance is there for him and the roses speak of the peace that can be his as he assimilates the unknown, and makes it known.

The LWB (I didn't look at it before I did the commentary and thought it might be good to add) says "Transition . . . is complete transformation, representing a total change on one's life path. . . . the man in the center of his mystical experience, emerging from darkness into light. His spiritual master has protected his transition . . . Under his feet we see the vibratory power of transition."

 

[Sophie-David]

Hi MoonMaiden

Thank you for pointing out the sword, it is clear that's what it is now - I hadn't figured it out before. So the king has passed through transition and has left behind his sword - as in the intellectual suit of swords- and his crown of gold - his ego self.

The castle is a ruin, its walls have fallen away and most of the doorway has gone. Since a house or castle often represents one's psyche in dreams, this is another reminder that the king has undergone radical change: his castle has been blown away, his old sense of self is shattered. I also think of this king as emerging from his crypt after it has been broken open.

In the introduction to Tarot: A New Handbook for the Apprentice, page xv, Douglas Menville notes that the king "points with wonder toward two beautiful towers in the distance illuminated by the golden sun of his Higher Consciousness". I would interpret the sun in this card as foreshadowing the meaning of the Sun card itself, the celebration of the wholesome joy of life.

I also see that the tiles he stands on are imbued with a spiral, a dynamic symbol of life and change. The white roses are not only a symbol of innocence and purity, but of the feminine element in alchemical transformation, and the angel standing beside them makes me think that she/he is offering the king a drink of rose water, or it could be a place to wash or be baptized into new life. It would seem that this transformation involves his Beloved.

From Tarot: A New Handbook for the Apprentice, page 191, Eileen Connolly leads a meditation on this card:

You must understand that death is non-existent. This beautiful symbol of the Major Arcana helps to unfold the mysteries of transition. Death as we fear it does not exist; life is continually changing from one level of consciousness to another.

This is an inspiring statement that fits quite a diverse spectrum of spiritual beliefs.

After considering this card again I think I have a bit more respect for it. I remember that when I was going through my meditational sequence on the Majors and went through quite a difficult journey from The Hanged Man to Death/Transition, I was a bit upset when I came to and saw this relaxed figure. I thought, "Well, it looks like it was easy for him, but I've been to hell and back while he's been admiring the view". I still think its a bit too cheery, that it makes Death/Transition look too easy.

On the other hand, this first time I ever received a Tarot reading it was with the Connolly and this was the first card I turned up, for the current situation. Since I had just gone through the dreams of ego death and then union with the Inner Beloved, it seemed very appropriate at the time and did not seem to trivialize the experience.

Blessings
David

 

[MoonMaiden]

The castle is a ruin, its walls have fallen away and most of the doorway has gone.

Yes, exactly. As I was writing the commentary I was seeing the castle but then thought it must be a garden wall, but you are right. This is the construct of his former identity. It just reminded me of the metaphysical explanation of the true self emerging from one's own skull (I think it was Neville Goddard's teaching).

After considering this card again I think I have a bit more respect for it. I remember that when I was going through my meditational sequence on the Majors and went through quite a difficult journey from The Hanged Man to Death/Transition, I was a bit upset when I came to and saw this relaxed figure. I thought, "Well, it looks like it was easy for him, but I've been to hell and back while he's been admiring the view". I still think its a bit too cheery, that it makes Death/Transition look too easy.

Yes it does in fact look as if we've skipped the dark night of the soul bit here, and I wonder why Connolly is emphasizing the emerging new life, instead of letting us partake in his struggle/release? Perhaps it is because each breath is a transition -- each moment holds another choice to be, or not to be. I remember in learning energy healing methods, it is pointed out that if we just embrace a difficult feeling and flow with it, maybe realizing that it is not the energy that is difficult, but the fact that we have put ourselves in victim mode in relation to it. In that moment we take back our power and learn to love. It is we ourselves who have believed that the power resides elsewhere. Perhaps our king believed that temporal power was the way, only to find out that the human desire was the true death experience. It has taken him alot of courage to put away his crown and the demands that the people made on him. In his mind, his mum probably gave him the old "it's our lot" speech, and dad is glowering furiously, shouting "traitor"! The people may feel lost without him, and also echo his father's sentiment.

I am glad that we are studying this deck. It's all in the details, and sometime the details are not obvious. Sometimes we have to make them up.

 

[Sophie-David]

Yes, exactly. As I was writing the commentary I was seeing the castle but then thought it must be a garden wall, but you are right. This is the construct of his former identity. It just reminded me of the metaphysical explanation of the true self emerging from one's own skull (I think it was Neville Goddard's teaching).

Well, I didn't look too closely before either and thought it was a tomb. But only a castle or house would have the black and white tiles, not a tomb, and the way the tiles raggedly merge with the outdoor path looks like the interior scene has been wrenched away.

Yes it does in fact look as if we've skipped the dark night of the soul bit here, and I wonder why Connolly is emphasizing the emerging new life, instead of letting us partake in his struggle/release? Perhaps it is because each breath is a transition -- each moment holds another choice to be, or not to be. I remember in learning energy healing methods, it is pointed out that if we just embrace a difficult feeling and flow with it, maybe realizing that it is not the energy that is difficult, but the fact that we have put ourselves in victim mode in relation to it. In that moment we take back our power and learn to love. It is we ourselves who have believed that the power resides elsewhere.

We've just been discussing the "dark night of the soul" in the subscriber Spirituality section - its a great term but I don't really like to associate darkness with something undesireable so I'm calling it "time of trial", "depths of despair" or "ego death". I think your letting it flow suggestion is a good one - we make things a lot more difficult when we entertain our fears and feelings of powerlessness (victimhood). But in my meditation I actually needed to return to victimhood in order to conduct a healing through the Hanged Man and Death - so it was a choice to allow a "time of trial" as a method of healing.

Perhaps our king believed that temporal power was the way, only to find out that the human desire was the true death experience. It has taken him alot of courage to put away his crown and the demands that the people made on him. In his mind, his mum probably gave him the old "it's our lot" speech, and dad is glowering furiously, shouting "traitor"! The people may feel lost without him, and also echo his father's sentiment.

Well, that sounds all too familiar! I can't help but notice that although you are from California you use the English spelling of "Mum" - my daughter always teases me about that because I do the same - my first five years of schooling were in England.

I am glad that we are studying this deck. It's all in the details, and sometime the details are not obvious. Sometimes we have to make them up.

Creativity is good!

 

[MoonMaiden]

It was probably the years I spent on another forum (not remotely metaphysically oriented) with a bunch of brits! I kept wondering why my soul was never satisfied with the subject matter (which shall remain nameless ) -- and now I have found AT! Ok, and I am also a Harry Potter nut!

At first I thought that with all the old-timers here everything had been covered and the answer to everything would be "look in the archives". I am glad that no one had done Connolly. Thanks for sharing!

 

[tarobones]

What a wonder!

****The LWB (I didn't look at it before I did the commentary and thought it might be good to add) says "Transition . . . is complete transformation, representing a total change on one's life path. . . . the man in the center of his mystical experience, emerging from darkness into light. His spiritual master has protected his transition . . . Under his feet we see the vibratory power of transition."****

I have been studying the Connolly deck only for a short while, along with a parallel study of the Fey Tarot. Both decks are fascinating! I love the XIII Transition card. I noticed right off two “thresholds”, first threshold where he is standing, and the other farther off, with the light of the sun illuminating it. The journey is not yet complete, but he is about to step through the first Threshold. Notice the ripple effect of his steps……..it has an eerie quality, like he is already “on the way” and so things have different effects than they normally would have for us. The purple robe symbolizes for me spirituality and the green color the earth. He has roots in earth, and in this life, but is wrapped in the mantle of the Spirit as he moves toward the Light. The crown (earthly power) and the miter (spiritual power) are left behind, as of no use. I also love the white roses, which I know are laden with meaning, but for me have always meant the beautiful clarity of the Spirit, and they are in full bloom as he makes his first steps in Transition. The water always symbolizes the depths of the human soul for me, the unconscious realms, and so here too they will form a part of his journey. What a lovely card. I plan to meditate on it for a while yet. I also like his gesture with his right hand, as if he is noticing the second Threshold and Light. “Come to the Light,” the Elven Queen said to Frodo as part of his healing in Lord of the Rings. “Turn to the Light.” So should we all, it seems………….Peace and blessings to all, and forgive my bit of rambling. . . .Michael

 

[MoonMaiden]

It was wonderful "rambling", Michael. Yes, it is truly a beautiful card, worthy of more meditation.

 

[Sophie-David]

I have been studying the Connolly deck only for a short while, along with a parallel study of the Fey Tarot. Both decks are fascinating! I love the XIII Transition card. I noticed right off two “thresholds”, first threshold where he is standing, and the other farther off, with the light of the sun illuminating it. The journey is not yet complete, but he is about to step through the first Threshold. Notice the ripple effect of his steps……..it has an eerie quality, like he is already “on the way” and so things have different effects than they normally would have for us...The crown (earthly power) and the miter (spiritual power) are left behind, as of no use.

Yes, the "two thresholds", that is well said. And is not a sword by a mitre, yes I can see that now - thank you.