the symbolon deck--OVERVIEW

merri

For the sake of the thread, I'll start out at least trying to stay within the structure of the overview post ...relating to the major archetypes.

Having already explored the idea of combining the sun sign and ascendant archetypes to find out the combined influences at play in the birth chart, ..as well as the title & interpretation of the resulting combination card, (to see if it checked out as a significant life path issue or innate personality trait) ..I wanted to see how that applied also to the idea of relationships and their resulting influences. Keeping in mind that ALL cards/archetypes have their potential positive/negative interpretations ...I wasn't thinking so much along the lines of personality compatibility with this excercise ..but more the question of potential qualities or issues which are likely to result from the interaction of any two archetypes in a relationship together ..and also insight as to the way through any difficulties that may arise. (I tried all different methods for choosing the two archetype cards ie. sun sign of the 2 people involved ..........known dominant characteristics of the 2 people ............or simply from a shuffle)
Any other suggestions?
...haven't reached any conclusions with these excercises though! ..just lots more questions! :D

I was also thinking about how it wouldn't always be appropriate to read interpretation A. on a one card reading ..but would depend on the way the question had been phrased. If I asked what the problem was with regards to an issue ..or what the issue itself was ..then yes, I'd read A. But If I was aware of the problem and was asking the best way to resolve it, wouldn't it make more sense just to go right to interpretation B ? ..and if I wanted to know what helpful qualities I could bring to the situation ..then yes, I'd go straight to C. even though the book says never to be tempted to do that }) :D What do other people think on this one?

I also tried a 3 card reading based on Mental, Physical, Emotional, ...like a what needs attention on these respective levels reading ..and only read A ..but then that would just make 3 single card readings done simultaneously I suppose. Whether I read A, B, or C, though I always also read the keywords for a more intuitive or subjective understanding of the card's meaning. I did a very successful 9 card relationship spread using the A, B, C, readings respectively on each 3 card row. Top row representing issues I bring to the relationship/ what I need to work on /outcome ...2nd row what the other brings to the relationship etc. and 3rd row representing the relationship itself ...problem or difficulty /resolution /outcome.

I guess up to now I'd just been trying to figure out how adaptable the system could be with regards readings ..and yes I suppose the post is pretty boring ..but bear with me here, cos I just had a brain wave of a spread idea earlier :D

I was thinking about the conflict caused by the persona/shadow aspects of the psyche ..and about how the symbolon is all about integration. So following along the same lines as the sun sign/ascendant idea ..but expanding it to include the moon sign - symbolising the unconscious/ shadow /problem aspects,
here is a reading idea for how to harmonise and integrate the conficting light/shadow aspects of the psyche ( based on your personal birth chart).

Astro/Psyche

1. The shadow / issues causing conflict (personal moon sign e.g. moon in Virgo ..servitor) - interpretation A. in the lwb
2. The resolution of the conflict of opposites (personal ascendant / rising sign e.g. Pisces ..the angel) - interpretation B ?
3. The persona / helpful qualities & attributes (personal sun sign e.g. Gemini ...the mediator) interpretation - C.
4. Harmonising advice card ( made from building a triad with cards 1+2 e.g. Virgo & Pisces ..Deception) - interpretation B.
5. Harmonising advice card (made from building a triad with cards 2+3 e.g. Pisces & Gemini ..Silence) - interpretation B.
6. Integration/outcome (made from building a triad with cards 1+3 personal moon/sun sign archetypes e.g. Virgo & Gemini) - interpretation C.

I just inserted my own personal signs as examples ..note that both triads (harmonising advice cards; 4+5 ) arise out of a combination made with the resolution/ascendant card.

card 6 here is meant to bring the whole reading full circle and is read as the outcome of the integration process at interpretation level C.

Any thoughts on this spread? ..Can you try it with your own signs and see what you think?
 

Ravenswing

merri said:
[.

I was also thinking about how it wouldn't always be appropriate to read interpretation A. on a one card reading ..but would depend on the way the question had been phrased. If I asked what the problem was with regards to an issue ..or what the issue itself was ..then yes, I'd read A. But If I was aware of the problem and was asking the best way to resolve it, wouldn't it make more sense just to go right to interpretation B ? ..and if I wanted to know what helpful qualities I could bring to the situation ..then yes, I'd go straight to C. even though the book says never to be tempted to do that }) :D What do other people think on this one?

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sounds good here. if you are aware of the problem, in a way you've already read A, so going to B makes sense. in the case of looking for helpful qualities, i think i might draw at least two cards and interprete the last one under C. if youknew what qualities you were bringing then, yes, i'd go straight to C with one card.

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Astro/Psyche

1. The shadow / issues causing conflict (personal moon sign e.g. moon in Virgo ..servitor) - interpretation A. in the lwb
2. The resolution of the conflict of opposites (personal ascendant / rising sign e.g. Pisces ..the angel) - interpretation B ?
3. The persona / helpful qualities & attributes (personal sun sign e.g. Gemini ...the mediator) interpretation - C.
4. Harmonising advice card ( made from building a triad with cards 1+2 e.g. Virgo & Pisces ..Deception) - interpretation B.
5. Harmonising advice card (made from building a triad with cards 2+3 e.g. Pisces & Gemini ..Silence) - interpretation B.
6. Integration/outcome (made from building a triad with cards 1+3 personal moon/sun sign archetypes e.g. Virgo & Gemini) - interpretation C.

I just inserted my own personal signs as examples ..note that both triads (harmonising advice cards; 4+5 ) arise out of a combination made with the resolution/ascendant card.

card 6 here is meant to bring the whole reading full circle and is read as the outcome of the integration process at interpretation level C.

Any thoughts on this spread? .. [/B]


It sounds absolute awesome. thanks merri, i'll have to play with this one for a while...

LVX
steve
 

Kaz

ow, when i read all this i soooo wish i could pick up my deck......
i hope end of the week, when the postoffice is still open if i get back from work, i need to sign for it and show passport :-(

kaz
 

merri

...on 2nd thoughts

I think maybe the no.3 (persona) card shouldn't be interpreted in such a positive light afterall ..as it is actually part of the conflict. I'd probably interpret the persona card in the light of the B interpretation instead, and the no.2 (ascendant) card as C.
I had initially saw the two opposing sides (moon/sun) as being cards 1 + 2 anyway ..and the middle card as being the 3rd.


LOL! Kaz ..hopefully when you finally get it, you'll find your new arrival to be worth the wait.
 

Ravenswing

thoughts...

merri--

i've been playing around with your astro/psyche spread. as i tend to see things in terms of triad and triangles-- which is what makes the symbolon so appealing to me-- the following layout for this reading occurred to me. (you make mention of six cards, but no pattern...)

triangle apex up--
left bottom-- the moon sign
right bottom-- the sun sign
apex-- the ascendent

triangle apex down--
left top-- card 4
right top-- card 5
apex-- card 6

make a star of solomon with these two.

merri-- notice the beauty of the pattern...

card 4 lies just outside the line between 1 & 2; card 4 is the synthesis of 1 & 2

card 5 lies just outside the line between 2 & 3; card 5 is the synthesis of 2 & 3

card 6 lies just outside the line between 1 & 3; card 6 is the synthesis of... yes, you guessed it!!... 1 & 3

as to reading the meaning of the cards:

you eventually put the book away for tarot; why should this be any different??

this is a fabulous spread you've discovered (or perhaps it's been re-membered?? :D)

LVX (and there seems to be a lot shining)
steve
 

merri

The Rising Star!!!

I Love it!!! ..you're a GENIUS Steve!!!

Oh Wow! Yes, I can definitely see the beauty of this layout ..and how it really really works. It's like it was meant to be! (and it makes sense of me feeling the middle card really should have been card no.3 instead of no.2).

Oh Wow! ..I've been thinking of "The Star" all day aswell, ..ever since reading Diana's star card thread ...I've been thinking about what it means to me ..and then I come here and find you've turned my spread into a "Rising Star!" ..much better than Astro/Psyche! WOW! LOL!!! See now I'm all high again ..and have to go calm down ..again!!! LOL!!!

This is how I'd number and interpret it now, (*GIVE ME BACK MY BOOK* LOL!) in light of this new layout and my 2nd thoughts ..ahem OK 3rd thoughts then. :D

1. moon sign / shadow (conflict of opposites) - A.
2. sun sign / persona (conflict of opposites) - A.
3. ascendant / Higher Truth (Transcendence of opposites) - C.
4. harmonising - (remembrance of truth) - B.
5. harmonising - (remembrance of truth) - B.
6. integration - (outcome of integration process) - C.
 

Ravenswing

Re: The Rising Star!!!

merri said:
1. moon sign / shadow (conflict of opposites) - A.
2. sun sign / persona (conflict of opposites) - A.
3. ascendant / Higher Truth (Transcendence of opposites) - C.
4. harmonising - (remembrance of truth) - B.
5. harmonising - (remembrance of truth) - B.
6. integration - (outcome of integration process) - C. [/B]



wonderful spread here merri :D. and it goes to show that the symbolon deck is much concerned with re-membering LOL

LVX
steve
 

Ravenswing

tarot vs symbolon

By now, we should have taken a good long look at each archetype card. If you’re keeping a journal, it’s got a fair amount of insight and general notes by now. (Every person who writes about any self-development work suggests a journal. I’ve never done this until I started working with this deck… )

When we are starting work in a new system, it is a great help to relate members of the new system to members of the old system. You may have done this at one time or another when studying a new Tarot deck; comparing the image of the new deck to the image of a familiar one helps to reinforce the meanings of the new image. So you may have tried to equate a Symbolon Archetype to a Tarot card. What comparisons have you come up with??

First, you may have compared the Archetypes with certain of the Court cards. Since both are associated with zodiacal signs, this seems a valid consideration. The cards match up as follows (correspondences from ‘The Golden Dawn’ by Israel Regardie):

The Warrior Queen of Wands
The Lover Knight of Pentacles
The Mediator King of Swords
The Mother Queen of Cups
The Ego Knight of Wands
The Servitor King of Pentacles
The Partner Queen of Swords
The Seducer Knight of Cups
The Preacher King of Wands
The Master Queen of Pentacles
The Jester Knight of Swords
The Angel King of Cups



Then again, you may have tried the Major Arcana.

Dealing only with visual impressions, I make the following comparisons:

The Warrior--I’m not really sure about this one.
The Lover—this is an obvious Empress
The Mediator—the Magician, if anything
The Mother—the High Priestess
The Ego—the Emperor
The Servitor—I’m not sure about this one either
The Partner—the Lovers
The Seducer—the Devil
The Preacher—the Hierophant
The Master—the Hermit
The Jester—the Fool
The Angel—Temperance, the Star



I used another way to compare the Archetypes with the Majors. Along with visual impressions, there are the sign and planet each card is associated with—a mental impression so to say. According to the Golden Dawn System, each Major Arcana Card is associated with either a constellation or a planet. So I can assign TWO Major cards to each Archetype. Here’s the result:

The Warrior—the Emperor and the Tower
The Lover—the Hierophant and the Empress
The Mediator—the Lovers and the Magician
The Mother—the Chariot and the High Priestess
The Ego—Strength and the Sun
The Servitor—the Hermit and the Magician
The Partners—Justice and the Empress
The Seducer—Death and Judgment
The Preacher—Temperence and the Wheel
The Master—the Devil and the World
The Jester—the Star and the Fool
The Angel—the Moon and the Hanged Man

But it does not appear that there is a direct one-to-one corrosponce to the tarot cards… what do you think of all this?? Any insights ??

LVX
steve
 

Kaz

yea i got the deck, it's with a german book, no lwb. lots of reading in it, which i haven't started on. i will do a post of the toc, that might be of interest to structuring these threads.
i will need your help with the names of the cards, as german not always translates literally in english.

kaz
 

Kaz

toc

the book that came with the set is this one:
symbolon - das spiel der erinnerungen (the game of memories)
written by: orban, zinnel and weller.
isbn 3896313657
what's in it:
- foreword
- about the game and playing it
- the cards (persons)
- the major arcana 1-12
- the middle arcana 13-33
- the minor arcana 34-78
- spreads (12 of them)

i notice in this book they divide the deck in 3 arcana's, and steve you mentioned 2, how is this in your lwb?

can one of you please provide me with a list of the names of the english cards? yep, that's typing up 78 titles of cards :D

kaz