TheCrossofCards

by

AlanWatts
Itissaidthatplayingcardsweredevisedbytheancientstohideasecretwherethosenot'intheknow'
wouldneverthinkoflookingforit.Forheresyhuntersareseriousmindedpeoplewhowouldneverthink
oflookingforreligioninagame.Itiscurioustothinkhowmenhavegambled,foughtandslainone
anotherovertheseunknownsymbols,anditisinterestingtowonderwhetherthemostaccomplished
'pokerface'wouldfallalittleondiscoveringthathewasplayingforlucrewithemblemsjustasholyas
thecross,thechaliceandthecrownofthorns.Probablynot,formenhavedonethingsjustasterriblein
thenameofsymbolswhoseholinesstheyrecognized.However,itisnolessstrangethatthepuritanic
mindshouldseeindiamonds,spades,heartsandclubsthesignsofvice,tobeavoidedatalltimesand
moreespeciallyonSundays.

TodaytheformsofplayingcardsareverydifferentfromtheoriginalTarot,butanordinarymodernpack
isnotwithoutsignificance,eventhoughitmaynotbequitethesamesignificancethatwasoriginally
intended.WhatthatwasIdonotknow,butthelivingmeaningofasymboliswhatitmeansforeachman
personally.Thereforemyinterpretationofthisparticularsymbolisnottheresultofresearchbutmyown
intuitionandhasnoclaimtobe\the\interpretation.LiketheoftenquotedTopsy,theidea'justgrowed'
whenIlaidoutthefoursuitsofthepackandbegantowonderwhatitwasallabout.Itissaidthat'the
waysoftheOneareasmanyasthelivesofmen,'andasIworkedatthesymbolitselfbutalsofromthe
manypossibleinterpretationsthatmightbegivenit.However,webeginbylayingoutthecardsinthe
formofacross,thus:

DIAMONDS
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Knave
Queen
King
CAceH
LKQKAAKQKE
U2345678910nuic?ciun1098765432A
BaeneeneaR
SvegAcegevT
enKingneS
Queen
Knave
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
SPADES

TotheNorthareDiamonds,totheSouthSpades,totheEastHeartsandtotheWestClubs,running
inwardstothecentrefromthetwototheAce.Thefirstquestionwastodecidethemeaningofthefour
suits,andatoncethefourelementsofFire,Earth,WaterandAirsuggestedthemselvestogetherwiththe
fourfacultiesofthehumanmind,Intuition,Sensation,FeelingandIntellect.Butwhichbelongedto
which?ItwasatonceobviousthatSpadesbelongedtoEarthandHeartstoFeeling.Sensationisthe
avenuewherebywereceiveourimpressionsofmaterialthings,andsothiswasaccordedtoEarthand
Spades.Feelingisapassive,femininefaculty,notusuallywelldevelopedinmenwetalkabout
'feminineintuition'butasarulewegenerallymeanfemininefeelingacertainsensitivitytoemotional
values,topsychological'atmospheres'andfeelingsituationswheremenareapttobe'slowintheuptake.'
ItwasthusdecidedtoplaceHeartsandFeelingunderthefeminineelementofWaterthatpassive
substancethatalwaysyieldsbutcanneverbedefeated.OppositeHeartswehaveClubs,anditwasnotat
onceeasytodecidewhetherFireorAirshouldbecalledtheoppositeofWater.FireandWaterare
hostile,butAirandWaterarecreative,forinthebeginning'thespiritofGodmoveduponthefaceofthe
waters,'and,'exceptamanbebornofwaterandofthespirit,hecannotenterintothekingdomofGod.'It
wasthereforedecidedtomakethefigureharmoniousinsteadofhostile,regardingthefoursuitsas
complimentsratherthanopposites.ThusasAircomplementsWaterbeingtheactiveagentwhichshaped
thepassivesubstanceintotheformsofwaves.ThoughtorIntellect,asAir,wasputoppositeFeeling,as
Water.FeelingispassivebutIntellectamasculinequalityisactiveandoftenaggressive,andso
belongsappropriatelytolubs.IntuitionandFireremaintobeclassedwithDiamonds,forintuitionisthe
spiritualfacultywhichcomplimentsSensation,thesensualormaterialfaculty.FireisnothostiletoEarth,
butit'slightness(inbothsenses)complimentsthesoil'sdarknessandheaviness.ToBuddhist
philosophersthediamond(vajra)isthesymbolofspiritualconsciousnessbecauseofitsstrengthand
luminousclarity.Ithasbeensaidthat'adiamondisapieceofcoalwhichhasstucktoitsjob,'beingthat
whichresultsfromintensefireworkinguponblackcarbon.Thereforethefoursuitsareunderstoodas
follows:

Diamonds(Fire&Intuition)Spades(Earth&Sensation)
Hearts(Water&Feeling)Clubs(Air&Intellect)

Butwhatabouttherestofthefigure?Weseethatthereisaprogressionofnumbersandcourtcardsfrom
theextremityofeacharmofthecrosstothecentrefourwaysofapproachtotheDivinityaspresent
representedbyaquestionmarkasHeisunknown.Correspondingtothefourfaculties,theHindus
devisedfourkindsofyogaforawakeningman'sunderstandingofhisunionwithBrahman,theSelfofthe
Universe:karmayoga,thewayofAction,Bbaktiyoga,thewayofDevotion,gnanayoga,thewayof
Intellect,andrajayoga,thewayofdevelopingthehigherfacultiesofIntuition.Butitwillbeseenthatin
ourfigureeachpathisofalikepattern,running:

2345678910KnaveQueenKingAce

TheProgressionshows,amongotherthings,eachstageofman'spathtosupremeEnlightenmentfromthe
childandtheprimitivetothesage.From2to10thepathseemstobegoingbackwards,aswillshortlybe
apparent,becauseitoftenseemsthatcivilizedmanisfurtherfromspiritualitythanthechildandthe
primitive.Actuallythisisnottrue,forintheparableoftheProdigalSonitistheprodigalforwhomthe
fattedcalfisslainandnotthefaithfulson,foronehastobedividedfromunionwiththeFatherbefore
onecantrulyappreciateit.ToadaptalineofKipling's,'HedoesnotknowUnionwhoonlyUnion
knows.'
Webeginwiththe2,forwitheveryoneofthefourfacultiesthefirstthingofwhichweareaware,the
veryfoundationofourexperience,isthedifferencebetweenthatwhichwecallourselfandthatwhichis
nottheself,betweenthethingwhichwecall'I'andtheouteruniverse.Thisisthefirstofallthepairsof
oppositesofwhichlifeiscomposed,thesubjectiveandtheobjective.Butthesetwothingsdonotexistin
ourconsciousnesswithoutathirdfactor,namelytherelationshipbetweenthem,whichisshownbythe3.
Thatrelationshipmaybeattractionorrepulsion,ofloveorfear,orofbalancebetweenthetwowhichis
calledindifference.Withouttrinity,dualityhasnomoremeaningthanmanandwomanwithoutchild,
andunlessthereisarelationshipbetweenourselvesandtheuniversewecanhavenoconsciousnessof
ourexistenceindeed,wecouldnotevenexist.Tosomethingsintheuniversewereactwithloveor
attraction,andtootherswithfearorrepulsion,andthisisasnaturalasthatfireshouldmakeuswarmand
icemakeuscold.

Butherethedifficultiesbegin,becausemandoesnotstopwiththatbasicreactiontolife.Itisnotjustthat
helikessomethingsanddislikesothershahasalsodecidedfeelingsaboutthestateoflikingand
disliking,andsofrom3weproceedto4.Thisstagemarksthebeginningofselfconsciousnessand
civilization,formanbecomesattachedtolovingorlikingandwishestohaveabouthimonlythosethings
intheuniversewhicharouseattraction.Atthesametimehebecomesafraidoffearbecauseitmakeshim
ashamed,beingamenacetohisprideandselfesteem.Butthisdoesnotgetridofhisfearitonlyadds
onefearontopofanother.Thusassoonasmanbecomesselfconsciousandselfesteemingandfully
awareofhisreactionstothings,hestartstryingtointerferewiththeprocessesofhissoul.Andthisis
calledcivilization.Heisnotcontenttobetheprimitivewhojustlovesandfearsthingswithoutshame,
thinkingnomoreaboutit.Hemustnowcontrolhisreactionsandshapetheminaccordancewithsome
preconceivedpatternofcharacterdevelopment.Fearmustnotexistinhisvocabularyandsocalled'love'
mustbecultivatedundersuchnamesasambitionandhappiness.Butthisinterferencewiththenatural
processesofthesoul(psychologistscallitrepression)removesusfurtherandfurtherfrombasicrealities,
precipitatingusintoasortoftailchasingprocedure.Likedogstryingtocatchtheirtails,catsrunnign
aftertheirownshadowsandlunaticstryingtoliftthemselvesupbytheirownbelts,mentrytomake
themselveswhattheythinktheyoughttobeaformofselfdeceptionwhichreceivesrudeshockswhen
thesurfaceofcivilizationisremoved.Thisregressionfrombasicrealitiesisrepresentedbythecards
from4to10,thelatterbeingthepointwheremanhascompletelyforgottenhisunionwithlife,wherehis
selfconsciousnesshasreachedthestageofutterisolationandwhereheishopelesslybewilderedbywhat
theChinesecall'thetenthousandthings'orthemanifoldandapparentlyseparateandchaoticobjects
andeventsoftheuniverse.

Thisisthemomentofcrisisinhumanevolution.Manbecomesacutelyawareofhisunhappinessand
insufficiency,andrealises,appropriatelyenough,thatheisaKnave.Whatishetodoaboutit?Lookat
thenextcard,theQueenthefeminine,passiveprincipleandifyoulookcarefullyatthecardyouwill
seethateachofthefourQueensholdsanopenflower.TheKnavesholdswords,spearsanddaggers,
emblemsoftheirhostilitytothelifefromwhichtheyhavesoestrangedthemselves,buttheflowerwhich
isopentosunandrainalikeisthesymbolofacceptance.TheKnavehasestrangedhimselffromlifeby
hisprideandfalsemorality,byfightingthenaturalprocessesofthesoulandtryingtomakeoutthatheis
greaterthanheis.('Whichofyoubytakingthoughtcanaddonecubittohisstature!')ButtheQueen
acceptsthoseprocesses,boththeloveandthefearandalltheotheroppositesbywhichthosefeelingsare
arousedlifeanddeath,pleasureandpain,goodandevil.Sheknowsthatmanmustacceptalltheaspects
oflifeifheistobehappy,andthatifhewouldseethegodinhimselfhemustnotdenythedemon.
'Demon'runstheHermeticaphorism,'estdeusinversus'thedemonisagodupsidedown.Thereforethe
Queenstandsforthatacceptanceandspirituallovewhich,likeHissun,God'makethtoshineuponboth
thejustandtheunjust.'Asyet,however,thisacceptanceisincomplete,fortheQueenisonlythefemale
orpassiveaspectofacceptance.Thecompleteunionandharmonywithlifewhichisthegoalofallthese
fourpathsisnotsimplyaquietisticstateofspirituallaisserfaireinwhichmanjustallowslifetolive
him.Thatis,indeed,astepontheway,buttheveryideaofallowinglifetoliveyou,ofsubmittingto
yourdestiny,tothewillofGod,orwhateveritmaybecalled,stillimpliesadistinctionbetweenyourself
andlife,natureorGod.

Whenthisdistinctionisovercomethereisnolongeranyquestionofyourselfbeingruledbylifeand
destinyorofyourselfrulingyourlifeanddestinytheproblemoffateorfreewillthendisappears,forthe
rulerandtheruledareunited,andyoudonotknowwhetheryouarelivinglifeorwhetherlifeisliving
you.Itisasiftwodancersweredancingtogetherinsuchperfectaccordthattheleadofoneandthe
responseoftheotherwereoneandthesamemovement,asifactionandpassivitybecameasingleact.In
ourfigurethisissymbolizedbytheKing.IntheirhandstheKingsholdswordsandaxesliketheKnaves
infact,theKingsareKnavesbutwiththisdifference:thattheKnavesarecompelledtobeKnavesand
cannothelpthemselves,whereastheKingsarefreetobeKnaves.Thisisthedifferencebetweentheman
whoismoral(whofightsthedarksideoflife)becausehefearsevil,andthemanwhoismoralbecause
heknowsheisperfectlyfreetobeimmoral.InthestageoftheQueenwediscoverourfreedomtobe
moralinsteadofourcompulsion.Forwhenyoufeelthatyouarefreetobeasevilasyoulikeyouwill
findtheidearathertedious.

ThusintheQueenandtheKingwehavethefree,royalpair,symbolsofspirituallibertylibertytolove
andtofear,tofightandtheyield,toresistandtoacceptandyestobefreeandtobecompelled,for
freedomisnotabsolutelyfreeunlessitisalsofreetobebound!Thereforethecombinationofthesetwo
isrepresentedintheAce,symboloftheunionbetweenoneselfandlifewhicharisesfromthiscomplete
acceptanceoflife.Herethefourpathsmeet,butanuncomfortableemptyspaceisleftinthemiddleofthe
crossandsomethingseemstobeneededtotiethewholefiguretogethershallwesaytomakeitholy?
Wehavereducedthemany,representedbythe2,totheOne,representedbytheAce,buttheBuddhist
problemasks,'WhenthemanyarereducedtotheOne,towhatshalltheOnebereduced?'Forasthe
figurestandsitwouldseemthatthereisadifferencebetweenthemanyandtheOne,thatingoingalong
thepathfromthe2totheAceyouhaveactuallyacquiredsomethingwhichyoudidnothavebefore.
Spirituality,however,isnotacquireditisonlyrealized,becauseunionwithlifeissomethingwehaveall
thetimeeventhoughwedonotknowit.Ourseeminglossofunioninthecivilized,selfconsciousworld
isonlyapparent,onlysomethingwhichoccursinTimebutnotinEternity.Fromthestandpointof
Eternity,everystageinthepathisbothbeginningandendandmiddlethereisneithercomingnorgoing,
gainnorloss,ignorancenorenlightenment.

Whatshallweputinthemiddle?Ithinkwehaveforgottenacardtheoneweusuallyleaveinthebox.
WhatabouttheJoker?

Aprofanesymbol?Notatall.Forthejokeaboutthewholethingisthat,whereverwestandonthepaths,
wearereallyattheGoalonlywedonotknowit.Itislikelookingalloverthehouseforyourkeysonly
tofindthatyouarecarryingthaminyourhand,whereatyousitdownandlaughatyourself.

ButtheJokermakesanappropriatecentreforanotherreason:ingamesheisallowedtorepresentany
othercardinthepack.Soalsointhisfigureheisthe2andtheAceandallthatliesinbetweenAlpha
andOmega,thebeginningandtheending...thefirstandthelast.

Indeed,asChestertonsaid,thereisacloserconnectionbetween'cosmic'and'comic'thanthemere
similarityofthewords!

AlanWattsasarchivedat
DigitalPolytheism
www.deoxy.org

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