Deepak Chopra & The Number 4 (First Posted June 26, 2011)

Dear Reader,

I recently took advantage of the opportunity to attend a lecture given by Deepak Chopra at the unlikely venue of the K-Rock Centre in Kingston.  If you have not heard of Chopra (which is somewhat unlikely given this man’s enormous presence in the realms of medicine, spirituality, writing and lecturing), and would like to know more about him, may I kindly refer you to:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepak_Chopra

Without going into the details of the very interesting material Chopra shared with his audience of keen and like-minded individuals, I would like to bring to light the aspect of the evening which was most provocative for me (as a student of astrology and tarot).

At the beginning of the evening Chopra announced that part way through his presentation he would be leading the audience in a group meditation which he considered to be the true jewel of that which he had come to share.  And, of course, he was true to his word.

He began the meditation by guiding us down, down, down to the ground of our being.  From here, he led us to experience the distinct sensations of our feelings of love, joy and compassion.  Following this, he led us into a period of mental reflection.  Lastly, he led the audience to move our focused energy into various parts of our body.

My experience of this 4 part meditation coincided with my on-going focus on the elemental aspect of both astrology and the tarot.  Specifically:

Meditation Part One
Element = Earth
Tarot = Suit of Pentacles
Astrology = Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Meditation Part Two
Element = Water
Tarot = Suit of Cups
Astrology = Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Meditation Part Three
Element = Air
Tarot = Suit of Swords
Astrology = Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Meditation Part Four
Element = Fire
Tarot = Suit of Wands
Astrology = Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

What I found particularly interesting was the order of the four parts of the meditation compared with the order of study of the four suits of the tarot I learned from The Tarot School in New York City, founded by Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone.   This order is:  Suit of Swords (Air, Thought), Suit of Cups (Water, Feeling), Suit of Wands (Fire, Action) and Suit of Pentacles (Earth, Manifesting).

While for the purpose of a meditation it makes sense one would work up/out from the "ground" of one's being, I also see sense in the above ordering of the 4 suits which constitute the minor arcana of the tarot.  I understand this order to reveal: "(Rightly ordered) thought leads to (rightly ordered) feelings leads to (rightly ordered) action leads to (rightly ordered) manifestation".

Further to this, each of these 4 suits (4 worlds, 4 realms) reveals yet another order which is also very interesting because it goes from top to bottom instead of the other way around (with the latter direction being what one might expect in a "spiritual" discipline).  And, exactly how the energy of each suit fountains down from the top/ace/crown of each suit to the bottom/ten/kingdom - following the design of the Tree of Life in the Qabalah- is a whole other point of interest and one I will share at another time (complete with diagram, I hope).

Happy Summer,

Ava

NOTE:  I am discovering that the  personal interpretation of the minor cards of the tarot I am slowly working on (which is, first and foremost, a study grounded in the four elements) has both a specific and a general focus. Seeing the four elements appear outside the tarot, as in this particular meditation, is an example of a general focus.  Writing (blogging, sharing) helps me to order in my mind what I am learning and/or observing.   I trust the sharing of my general, and my specific, focus vis a vis the four elements is not taking advantage of your good nature as a reader.

FURTHER NOTE: 

Four: 

Four is the 4th dimension = time which is illusion.
Four is seen as the first solid number. Spatial in scheme or order in manifestation.
Static as opposed to the circular and the dynamic
Wholeness; totality; completion; solid
Earth; order
Rational - relativity and justice
Symbol of measurement
Foundation

Four: The symbolic meaning of number Four deals with stability and invokes the grounded nature of all things. Consider the four seasons, four directions, four elements all these amazingly powerful essences wrapped up in the nice square package of Four. Fours represent solidity, calmness, and home. A recurrence of Four in your life may signify the need to get back to your roots, center yourself, or even "plant" yourself. Fours also indicate a need for persistence and endurance.

Four:  The Pythagoreans believed the number four, the Tetrad, was a perfect number.  They taught that the Tetrad symbolized God.  In Pythagorean philosophy there are four parts to the soul: mind – opinion – science – sense.

Four:  Holds the key to all arrangement and interpretation of form, plans, dreams, ideas, and patterns from the material, mechanical, and rational to the artistic, esthetic and spiritual levels of thought and feeling. It provides the foundation upon which all things stand to sustain life and entity.

“It is the number of rational exposition of principles and ideas. It explains, arranges, constructs, builds, maintains, carries out, and makes exact the system and formulas which provide the matrix for lasting and tangible results.”

It turns raw material into particular forms, phases, and moulds them into harmony with each other. It demonstrates the cosmic order of growth and attainment, and with a powerful and firm hand brings time and space down to earth. It arranges that which has been imagined and dreamed of and makes it concrete and applicable to human living.