Review of Jason Miller's Sorcery of Hekate Course

The Sorcery of Hekate course has been an experience of positive change for me, although I admit that I had no idea what I was getting into. While considering whether to enroll, I found that information about the course was scarce. People uphold the ‘vow of secrecy’ regarding these lessons. During the course, I found that the unfolding of the teaching is a marvelous journey that follows a particular path that shouldn’t be revealed in advance. In retrospect, I realize that Nathan provides the best summary available in his In Depth Review.

Despite my initial hesitation due to the cost, my intuition prompted me so strongly that I signed up a week late and I’m grateful for that belated decision. The course has brought positive changes to my life, fostering resilience, fearlessness, and self-understanding.

I confess that I had failed to realize that this course delves deeply into the practice of magic. As Jason explained in a Q&A recording, “This class exists to make you better at magic.”

The course’s progression is well structured, introducing additional rituals and beings each week. The unfolding of the course allows us to explore magical practice while building a connection with Hekate.

From the beginning of the course, I found myself taking charge of my life in ways I had not before, leading to a more positive outlook on life. The daily minimum of mantra recitation and the ritual have enriched my connection with other deities and has even improved my focus when reciting prayers from the siddur.

Jason's teachings are artfully imparted. He is a master of effective analogies that are helpful to everyone, even those who, like me, are unfamiliar with either Western Magick or Tibetan Buddhism. He and Hekate have created a valuable system for honing both magical and practical skills, with the Mandala serving as a vital mechanism in that system.

There are thirteen lessons consisting of 15-year-old recordings, 5 year-old PDF study guides, and ritual scripts sent every two weeks. A week after each lesson, Jason records answers to the questions posted to the Facebook group by current students. Occasional discrepancies arise between the MP3 lessons, the PDF study guides, and Jason’s current answers, but these are usually minor and we can flexibly adapt our practices based on the Q&A recordings. (It is a little surprising that he is unaware of the small changes to the system that have developed over time and I found it frustrating hearing him tell my fellow students, “I never said that,” when I, too, recalled him saying just that.)

The course involved a few additional expenses, but Jason advised us (strongly!) not to inquire about the items until they are needed. You will never need an altar or shrine space, although a string of beads or counting app is useful for keeping track of mantras. (As an aside, I recommend that, if you want to copy rituals by hand, you use loose paper as additional scripts are added each week and changes are made to earlier scripts.)

Beyond learning from books, I value the fellowship of other students, which in this 15th cycle of the course has been inspiring and supportive. Although Jason is “investigating platforms to use for this class that would eliminate any kind of student group entirely,” I hope he chooses to maintain the current arrangement, especially since contact with him is limited to the bimonthly Q&As.

Sorcery of Hekate 1 is a complete system of magic that does not exclude prayer or worship, but focuses on what Jason refers to as “enhanced developmental practices.” The Mandala you will create with your mind serves as both an astral temple and a machine, aligning the practitioner with Hekate and other beings.

Jason encourages a dedicated practice, starting with the daily recitation of 100 mantras, which he considers the bare minimum commitment. Additionally, you can perform about 20 minutes of ritual daily or weekly, depending on your preference and schedule. Each Dark Moon is an opportunity for a more extended ritual.

Jason does not provide “a recipe book of spells;” he is giving us the tools to create spells ourselves. For instance, the Hekate Oil recipe includes the ingredients but not their proportions, enabling herbalists to tailor the mixture to suit their needs.

Since I had no prior experience in magic, initially I sometimes had to “fake it to make it,” but I soon found my connection to Hekate’s magic flourishing.

The course is immediately effective, but no one could master it in seven months. I am grateful for that, as I wish to continue this practice for a long time. (For $700, it had better last a lifetime!)

Jason's spelling, punctuation, and occasionally his word choices are less than perfect, which sometimes caused me frustration. However, I recognized that his focus lies in other details of this system. For scholars of ancient Greek or speakers of modern Greek, Jason’s pronunciations may be disappointing, but he does provide recordings of some of the ritual texts read by a person more fluent than he is.

On a few occasions early in the course, I found Jason's expressions of frustration with student questions to be inappropriate. Using prior students' comprehension as a benchmark for comparison is not, to put it mildly, a sound pedagogical approach. Setting aside these details, he's a good teacher.

While the course has been highly beneficial, I nonetheless think it somewhat overpriced, especially considering the outdated recordings and study guides that have not been updated based on student feedback. Furthermore, only seven of the nine triads are introduced in Hekate 1. On the other hand, Jason dutifully answered all but two questions in the Q&As for Hut 15.

So, if your intuition demands you take the course, as mine did, I would recommend you do so. I can't imagine any other way I could have acquired this knowledge.

One student eloquently summed up the experience: “A number of the places where I experienced the most growth weren’t directly related to the sorcery of Hekate, but I had success leveraging my deepening relationship with Her for those ends.”

In conclusion, I must emphasize the usefulness of the system Jason has transmitted. While maintaining confidentiality, I will share a comprehensive list of everything he has provided us during cycle 15 of the Sorcery of Hekate, so you will have some idea of what you'll be getting if you register for the course.

NOTE: During the final Q&A of the course, I began reconsidering my assessment of the course and eventually shared my thoughts on Jason's teaching style in this post. 

 
THE COURSE MATERIALS:

First Month (Lessons 1 and 2)

Lesson 1
MP3 Teaching (1 hr 15 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
PDF Ritual Script PDF Visualization Points
MP3 FAQ (1 hr)
PDF FAQ Time Stamps

Q&A 1 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (50 min)
MP3 Part 2 (41 min)
MP3 Part 3 (45 min)
MP3 Part 4 (47 min)
MP3 Part 5 (41 min)

Lesson 0
MP3 Origin of the Arcana (13 min)

Lesson 2
MP3 Teaching (49 min)
MP3 Recording of Ritual (3 min)
MP3 Recording of Ritual (1 min)
MP3 Recording of Ritual (3 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
Video of Mudra (4 min)
PDF Ritual Script
PDF Condensed Ritual
Video Explaining the Ritual (10 min)
MP3 FAQ
PDF FAQ Time Stamps

Q&A 2 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (43 min)
MP3 Part 2 (46 min)
MP3 Part 3 (46 min)
MP3 Part 4 (51 min)
MP3 Part 5 (47 min)
MP3 Part 6 (42 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Second Month (Lessons 3 and 4)

Lesson 3
MP3 Teaching (32 min)
PDF Study Guide

Q&A 3 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (48 min)
MP3 Part 2 (47 min)
MP3 Part 3 (46 min)
MP3 Part 4 (33 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Lesson 4
MP3 Teaching (43 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
PDF Condensed Ritual

Q&A 4 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (49 min)
MP3 Part 2 (49 min)
MP3 Part 3 (27 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Third Month (Lessons 5 and 6)

Lesson 5
MP3 Teaching (56 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script

Q&A 5 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (45 min)
MP3 Part 2 (53 min)
MP3 Part 3 (48 min)
MP3 Part 4 (37 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Lesson 6
MP3 Teaching (46 min)
PDF Ritual Script
PDF Ritual Script
PDF Study Guide
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Q&A 6 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (45 min)
MP3 Part 2 (47 min)
MP3 Part 3 (57 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Fourth Month (Lessons 7 and 8)

Lesson 7
MP3 Teaching (52 min)
PDF Study Guide

Q&A 7 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
Part 1 (45 min)
Part 2 (41 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Lesson 8
MP3 Teaching (50 min)
PDF Study Guide
Ritual Script

Q&A 8 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (47 min)
MP3 Part 2 (40 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Fifth Month (Lesson 9 and 10)

Lesson 9
MP3 Teaching (45 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
PDF Visualization Points
PDF Ritual Script

Q&A 9 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (47 min)
MP3 Part 2 (37 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Lesson 10
MP3 Teaching (35 minutes)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
MP3 Teaching (16 minutes)
PDF Ritual Script

Q&A 10 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (46 min)
MP3 Part 2 (37 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Sixth Month (Lesson 11 and 12)

Lesson 11
MP3 Teaching (51 min)
MP3 Teaching (45 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
Images of Seals
Image of Table of Practice
Examples for Using Seals and Table

Q&A 11 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Part 1 (45 min)
MP3 Part 2 (45 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Lesson 12 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 Teaching (1 hour)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Visualization Points

Q&A 12
MP3 Part 1 (43 min)
MP3 Part 2 (34 min)
Time Stamps for Q&A in the email

Seventh Month (Lesson 13 and Preview of Hekate 2)

Lesson 13
MP3 Teaching (51 min)
PDF Study Guide
PDF Ritual Script
Diagram of the Mandala

Q&A 13 (Your class will have its own questions and answers)
MP3 recording (55 minutes)

Bonus
Sample of the first lesson of Hekate 2

Q&A 14
MP3 recording

The Jewish Tarot That Isn’t-- Yet

For years, I daydreamed about finding a Jewish tarot deck. Then, I started dreaming about making one. Betzalel Arieli's Tarot Yehudi almost convinced me I’d found one! Eugene Vinitski's Tarot of Magical Correspondeces came so close! And it gave me the idea of making a collage deck rather than a unimaginative combinaton of PCS image and Tree of Life glyph.

Here are my attempts to brainstorm two of the cards. They’re nowhere near finished and definitely not collages. They've been gathering dust on a shelf, but this project keeps tugging at me.

Maybe it will remain a daydream forever.

But I really want to make it real!

Egipcios Kier * 63 Communion

Card 63 depicts a husband and wife seated beside one another on ornate chairs. Their feet rest firmly on the ground, suggesting stability. The woman embraces her husband, her arm wrapped gently around his shoulder, while he holds a lotus fan. Both wear elaborate necklaces and lotus flowers, symbols of beauty, prosperity, and shared life.

Although Egyptian profile drawing can make the couple appear distant, the woman's gesture reveals intimacy. They are distinct individuals, yet they face the world together.

Above them appear several symbolic figures, including the Hebrew letter Alef, the silent breath from which speech begins. Below them stands an incense burner. Kaplan explains that it represents fragrant offerings rising toward the gods. Together these symbols suggest that communion involves both spoken and unspoken forms of presence.

Kaplan associates this card with peace, joy, love, contentment, and harmonious family life.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira, however, pairs it with the traditional Two of Swords. At first that correspondence seems surprising. The couple appears united rather than divided. Yet the Two of Swords reminds us that lasting harmony is not merely the absence of conflict. Healthy relationships require honesty, attentive listening, and the courage to face difficult conversations together.

The incense rises even when no one speaks. The silent Alef reminds us that every conversation begins with quiet attention before words are formed.

Communion is more than living beside another person. It is learning to share both silence and truth.

Egipcios Kier - 68 Speculation and 51 Advice

As I shuffled the Egipcios Kier Tarot after my morning ritual, two cards fell from the deck: 68 Speculation and 51 Advice. Together they seemed to ask a single question: How do we make wise decisions?

Card 68 depicts a man carefully weighing a stack of coins against a statue of an ox. The image immediately reminded me of the biblical command to use honest weights and measures. Sound judgment begins with honesty.

Above the scene appear a snail, a serpent, and the Hebrew letter Vav (ו), meaning "hook." Below rests a bee. Kaplan corrected several of my first impressions of these symbols. I had mistaken the bee for a fly and assumed the ox represented a single animal rather than an entire herd. The card itself became a reminder that our first impressions are not always our best ones.

Kaplan notes that cattle played a central role in Egypt's economy, while bees, believed to have sprung from the tears of Ra, symbolized industry and abundance. Wealth, however, is never simply a matter of possessions. It also depends on wisdom, patience, and honest labor.

The image brought to mind Joseph serving Pharaoh during the years of famine. His foresight saved countless lives, yet it also resulted in the Egyptian people surrendering both their land and eventually themselves to Pharaoh in exchange for grain. Joseph's solution was brilliant, but its long-term consequences remind us that wise decisions can still carry a human cost.

Kaplan associates this card with ingenuity, diligence, successful enterprise, and prosperity. Reversed, it suggests impatience, anxiety, and poor judgment.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira pairs Speculation with the traditional Page of Pentacles, the student who approaches the world with curiosity and a willingness to learn. That correspondence feels fitting. Good judgment begins with humility. Before weighing the world, we must be willing to admit that our own understanding may need correcting.

The second card, Advice, completes the lesson. We all seek guidance from others, but no counselor can replace our own responsibility to think carefully, weigh evidence honestly, and live with the consequences of our choices.

Speculation, then, is not merely about money. It is the patient work of learning how to judge well.

Egipcios Kier * 10 Wheel of Fortune

My best friend's cat, Pascal, explains this card far better than I could:

Further commentary from me:

The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that life never stands still. This version resembles the older Marseilles tradition, emphasizing the turning of fate rather than the Christian imagery found in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

At the center, Horus grasps the wheel while the monstrous Ammut clings to its opposite side. Whether Horus is setting the wheel in motion or trying to stop it, the lesson is the same: the wheel keeps turning. Joy and sorrow, success and failure, beginnings and endings all belong to the same movement.

Norma Cowie beautifully describes this card as the moment when "it is time once more to test your knowledge in your daily life." Wisdom isn't proven by what we understand in comfort, but by how we respond when the wheel turns unexpectedly.

Pascal reminds us of something else. Cats delight in batting things across the floor simply because they can. Sometimes life feels much the same. The universe toys with our carefully laid plans, leaving us to wonder what happened. Yet every turn of the wheel also presents an invitation. We can cling to what is passing away, or we can move with the change.

The wheel will keep turning. Our task is not to stop it, but to meet each season with courage, curiosity, and gratitude.

Contemplative Tarot - Bootstraps!

A proud stance hides wounds.
A dreaming queen avoids the truth.
But high above, the wise one waits,
his lantern lit for those who dare to seek.

This morning, I turned to the tarot to examine my state of mind. Before shuffling, I asked for guidance. Am I seeing things clearly? Am I grounded in reality, or drifting into delusion?

As I drew the cards, a message emerged: the dangers of illusion and the need to confront life as it truly is.

The first card, the Five of Pentacles, portrays an alley behind a church, where two homeless people struggle to keep warm on a gray and snowy afternoon. One figure is huddled under a patched blanked, her hand out in forlorn hope for charity from a passerby. Nearby, a veteran who has lost a leg and an eye stands proudly, his once-grand uniform now in tatters. He maintains a fashionable mustache while relying on a makeshift crutch. Although injured and alone, he appears ready to move on.

There are no passersby to offer comfort. There is no aid in sight. Can this man find meaning in his pain? Can he humble himself to seek shelter and warmth, or will he vanish into the snow, holding onto pride?

The second card is altogether different. The Queen of Cups is lost in fantasy. Crowned with an ornate tiara and enthroned upon a majestic shell that echoes Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. The pink glow inside the shell mirrors the ethereal hue of the setting sun. The scene is alive with bright clouds, crashing waves, a sandy beach strewn with starfish and other treasures, ghostly seals singing with longing, and the cry of seagulls. Wrapped in luxurious robes, one hand touching her own heart, the queen is absorbed in gazing at a veiled cup that glows with untold visions.

Yet she does not the veil from the cup. She gazes at the cup dreamily, choosing hopeful anticipation over the potential disappointment of reality. The queen of this card is the mirror image of the hopeless woman in the Five of Pentacles, neither one able to take action. Hope remains suspended, hidden beneath the veil of illusion.

Lastly, The Hermit appears. A gray-cloaked figure stands atop the Mountain of Knowledge, his long white beard flowing in the moonlight. The sky is dark and silent. A red feather dangles from his staff and his feet are wrapped in crimson. Holding his lantern aloft, he looks down at the city he left behind. Is this the man from the Five of Pentacles?

What do the red feather and red shoes mean? Do they mark a transformation forged by determination? Does he now carry wisdom shaped by experience, truths earned through struggle and solitude?

These cards deliver a clear message: See clearly. Step forward. Let go of illusion, and face your life with courage and truth. We are not meant to remain huddled in despair or gazing at veiled dreams. We are meant to rise, to question, to endure.

May the Holy One of Blessing walk beside me as I make this journey, offering insight, strength, and grace along the way.

Egipcios Kier * 43 Delusion

This card frustrated me for several days. Its title seemed to dictate how I should interpret the image, making it difficult to see anything beyond the obvious. Only after sitting with it for a while did I begin to wonder whether delusion and awakening might sometimes stand surprisingly close together.

The central figure is a nearly naked woman dancing--or perhaps running--with her arms raised. At first she appears intoxicated or unbalanced. Yet the sistrum hanging behind her, an instrument associated with the goddess Hathor, suggests that she may instead be participating in a sacred ritual. Is she caught in confusion, or is she reaching toward the divine? The card refuses to answer.

Stuart Kaplan emphasizes the darker possibilities. He associates the card with delusion, addiction, irrationality, and emotional disorder. He even suggests that the creature at the bottom of the card may represent Seth, whose later mythology came to symbolize chaos and disorder.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira, however, connects the card with the traditional Eight of Cups, a card of walking away from what no longer nourishes the soul. That correspondence offers another way of seeing the image. Perhaps the woman's frantic movement is not the problem itself. Perhaps it is the last moment before she leaves an illusion behind.

The line between spiritual ecstasy and self-deception can be surprisingly thin. We can mistake wishful thinking for revelation, fear for intuition, or excitement for wisdom. Yet we can also become so afraid of being deceived that we refuse genuine moments of inspiration.

Perhaps the invitation of this card is neither to embrace every vision nor to reject every mystery. It is to cultivate discernment.

Sometimes the first step out of delusion is simply the willingness to ask, "What if I have misunderstood?"

Egipcios Kier * 40 Premonition

A premonition is not certainty. It is the quiet feeling that something deserves our attention before we can explain why.

The central image shows a man reaching out to stop a woman just as she recoils in alarm. Whether he is warning her of danger or simply sharing her sudden realization, the card captures the mysterious moment when intuition arrives before conscious understanding.

Stuart Kaplan interprets the scene differently, suggesting the couple is approaching a temple oracle in search of guidance. He notes that the Egyptians looked to dreams, visions, and sacred places for insight into the future. However we understand the image, it reminds us that human beings have always sought wisdom beyond ordinary reasoning.

The symbols reinforce this theme. The Hebrew letter Tav, the final letter of the alef-bet, hints at completion. Kaplan identifies the hieroglyph below the scene as meaning "to be wise." Premonition, then, is not merely about glimpsing the future. It is about recognizing truth in time to respond wisely.

The Bible offers a striking example in Josef. His gift was not simply interpreting Pharaoh's dreams but acting upon them. Insight alone would not have saved Egypt. Wisdom required practical action.

I've come to think that intuition often begins below the level of conscious thought. Sometimes we notice subtle details before we realize we've noticed them. At other times, our hearts resist what we already know to be true. In either case, intuition becomes meaningful only when we are willing to listen.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira associates this card with the Page of Cups, a figure of openness, imagination, and receptivity. That correspondence feels fitting. Intuition cannot be forced, but it can be cultivated by paying closer attention to the world, to other people, and to ourselves.

Premonition is not about predicting the future.

It is about recognizing the next right step before we can fully explain why it is right.

Josef's Cup

Egipcios Kier * 67 Veneration

Card 67 depicts a woman standing in an attitude of reverence. She bends forward, one hand raised toward her face and the other extended toward an unseen altar. Her posture expresses trust, gratitude, and wholehearted attention.

Above her appear an incense burner, a stylized wave, and the Hebrew letter Heh (ה). Incense has long symbolized sanctification. Its fragrance transforms ordinary space into sacred space, while the rising smoke suggests prayers ascending beyond words.

Below her rests the black jackal of Anubis. Kaplan identifies it as the guardian of the dead, whose black color symbolized regeneration rather than evil. The image quietly reminds us that every act of devotion shapes the person we are becoming.

Egyptian fleets sailed from the Gulf of Aqaba in search of incense and other precious goods from the distant Kingdom of Punt, probably in present-day Eritrea. Incense was among the most treasured substances of the ancient world. It purified the air, masked the smell of sacrifice, and marked a place as holy. Even today, many religious traditions burn incense because its fragrance helps quiet the mind and turn the heart toward prayer.

Kaplan associates this card with purification, ritual, harmony between spiritual and physical life, beauty, and religious devotion. Reversed, he suggests conflict between worldly concerns and spiritual ideals or the pursuit of unattainable perfection.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira associates this card with the traditional Knight of Pentacles. Both figures express devotion through steady practice rather than dramatic action. Their faithfulness is shown in what they do every day.

The card leaves me with a simple question: What deserves our reverence?

Whatever we honor day after day gradually shapes us. We become like what we continually admire, whether that is wealth, success, power, beauty, or God.

(This card also reminds me of Nadav and Avihu bringing "alien fire" into the Tabernacle. Not every act of devotion is accepted. Reverence also calls for discernment and wisdom.)

To venerate something is to let it teach us who we are becoming.

Egipcios Kier * 69 The Unforeseen

Card 69 is dominated by the image of the sky goddess Nut, arching protectively over a solitary man. Her body forms a living shelter, reminding us that the heavens above us can be understood as a shelter.

Above the scene appear a circular hieroglyph, a branch-like magical letter, and the Hebrew letter Zayin (ז). Below rests a scorpion preserved within amber. Kaplan identifies Nut's pale pink complexion with dawn, the daily rebirth of the sun and the continual renewal of life.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira associates this card with the traditional Ten of Pentacles, a card of inheritance, belonging, family, and enduring foundations. Through that lens, Nut becomes more than a goddess of the sky. She becomes the shelter that one generation offers the next.

The solitary man beneath her covers his eyes as he walks forward. At first glance he appears blind, but the gesture reminds me of Jewish practice. When reciting the Sh'ma, many Jews cover their eyes to set aside distraction and focus entirely upon the unity of God. Sight is temporarily surrendered so that deeper awareness may emerge.

Perhaps the man beneath Nut walks in that same spirit. He does not advance because everything is visible. He advances because he trusts the shelter above him.

The scorpion preserved below adds another layer. Amber does not erase what it encloses; it preserves it. Every family inherits both blessings and wounds. Every tradition carries memories of suffering alongside wisdom, courage, and hope. Legacy is never simple.

Kaplan interprets this card as unexpected events, hidden influences, and unforeseen circumstances. Reversed, it suggests uncertainty, instability, and disrupted expectations.

Yet the image leaves me with a quieter impression. Much of what sustains us is unseen. We inherit language, customs, stories, and examples of endurance long before we recognize their value. Like the man beneath Nut, we often discover only later that we have been walking under a shelter we did not know was there.

Perhaps that is the true unforeseen gift. Not every unseen presence is a hidden danger. Sometimes it is the protection we have carried with us all along.

Egipcios Kier * 8 Justice

Justice is not simply about judging others. It begins with the quiet work of examining ourselves.

The central figure kneels before a set of scales, holding a dagger rather than Ma'at's traditional feather. The image suggests that justice requires more than weighing our actions. It also asks us to cut away habits, resentments, and self-deceptions that keep us from living truthfully.

Kaplan identifies the woman as a follower of Ma'at, the Egyptian goddess who embodies truth, balance, and the harmony that sustains creation. In Egyptian thought, Ma'at is not merely an ethical ideal but a principle woven into the fabric of the universe. To live justly is to live in harmony with that order.

One detail especially speaks to me. The Hebrew verb for "to pray" (hitpallel) can also mean to judge oneself. Prayer is not only asking God for help. It is honestly weighing our own lives, recognizing where we have wandered, and choosing a better path.

Justice is not cold or distant. It is the quiet courage to seek balance, speak truthfully, and become the kind of person who helps restore harmony in the world.

Egipcios Kier Tarot - 44 Expressiveness and 51 Advice

Card 44 shows an artisan patiently carving the image of a pharaoh from stone. The scene reminds me of Michelangelo's famous observation that the statue already exists within the marble; the sculptor simply removes what does not belong.

That image beautifully captures creative expression. We do not become ourselves by trying every possibility. We become ourselves by gradually uncovering what has always been waiting within us.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira associates this card with the Seven of Cups, a card of imagination, discernment, and choice. Faced with countless possibilities, the sculptor commits to one vision. Creativity requires not only inspiration, but the discipline to choose.

Stuart Kaplan notes that Egyptian sculptors were called "masters of life." Their work was believed to preserve memory and even participate in immortality. Whether or not we share that belief, the image reminds us that what we create leaves its mark on the world.

Expressiveness is more than speaking freely. It is discovering what is true enough to shape with our own hands.

Card 51 presents a different kind of craftsmanship.

A figure kneels before a wise teacher, seeking counsel. Kaplan identifies the standing figure as Imhotep, the legendary architect, healer, and advisor to Pharaoh. Whether priest, scholar, or mentor, he represents wisdom joined to experience.

Vieira associates this card with the King of Swords, whose strength lies in clarity, discernment, and integrity. Good advice is not merely comforting. It helps us see reality more clearly and choose wisely.

Seeking advice, however, requires humility. We must recognize that others sometimes see what we cannot. At the same time, even the wisest counsel must eventually become our own. No teacher can live our life for us.

The goal of good advice is not dependence. It is freedom.

These two cards belong together.

The sculptor teaches us to discover our own voice. The teacher helps us refine it.

Looking back, I realize how much my own life has depended on both. I spent years searching for teachers whose wisdom I could trust, while slowly recovering the confidence to express myself after it had been discouraged in childhood.

Learning and self-expression are not opposites. The best teachers do not replace our voice. They help us find it.

Egipcios Kier * 28 Uncertainty

The Egipcios Kier Tarot names this card Uncertainty, an experience every one of us knows. We all reach moments when no path is obvious and we must continue without the reassurance of certainty.

The central image shows two men standing back to back while turning to look toward one another. They may represent two aspects of a single person. One leans on a staff, suggesting the practical supports that help us endure difficult times. The other raises his hands toward the Eye of Horus, seeking guidance beyond himself. Between them lies the tension familiar to anyone facing an uncertain future: Should we rely on our own strength, or place our trust in something greater?

Stuart Kaplan explains that the two figures represent the pharaoh's dual role as both ruler and worshiper. The Eye of Horus symbolizes hope for a new dawn, while the Knot of Isis beneath them served as a protective charm for those journeying through the Underworld. Together these symbols suggest that uncertainty is not simply confusion. It is also a passage.

Kaplan summarizes the upright meanings as indecision, conflicting inner forces, and the absence of a clear path. Reversed, the card suggests that these opposing forces begin to work together, allowing clarity and decisive action to emerge.

Nelise Carbonare Vieira associates this card with the traditional Nine of Wands, a card of endurance and vigilance. The connection is persuasive. Like the Nine of Wands, these figures have not given up. One remains alert, leaning on his staff. The other remains open to the divine. The card suggests that wisdom lies neither in self-reliance alone nor in passive faith, but in holding both together.

An old Jewish saying captures that balance well: Pray as though everything depends on God. Act as though everything depends on you.

Perhaps uncertainty is not a problem to be solved as quickly as possible. Sometimes it is the place where faith and responsibility meet.

Vieira closes her discussion with a quotation attributed to Iglesias January that beautifully echoes the imagery of the card: "Let the eyes of youth be your eyes; and your speech, the prudence of old age."

Wonder and wisdom rarely arrive together. Yet this card suggests that our task is to cultivate both.

Encomium Veneficis, In Praise of the Sorcerer

This lighthearted limerick is intended to honor a teacher while playfully poking fun at my inner editor.

There once was a sorcerer named Jason,
Whose teachings were truly amazin'.
His analogies grand,
Guided students by hand,
Yet his spelling left some quite shaken.

Students adored his magical art,
Absorbing his every impart.
But oh, what a blight,
His misspellings in plain sight,
Made some students howl and depart.

Yet Jason, undeterred, pressed on,
Correcting the errors that shone.
With each squiggly red line,
He aimed to refine,
And soon his writing had gone 'far beyond.'

So though his spelling brought some dismay,
Jason's wisdom still won the day.
His students, in thrall,
Saw beyond this small flaw,
For his magic enchanted their way.

Hymn to Veiled Wisdom

                         Ζηρυνθία
Hyékati Zirinthía, guide me through veils untold,
Show me my path, time’s tapestries unfold.

                         Βριμοῖ
Hyékati Vrímo, shake perception’s core,
Reveal my desires and the purpose to explore.

                         Φωσφόρος
Hyékati Fósfore, kindle fires of art’s creation,
Ignite in me purpose and inspired dedication.

                         σωτηρία
Hyékati Sotería, wisdom you bestow,
Take me beyond, bound'ries I’ll let go.

                         Ορίζοντα
Hyékati Urízoda, knower of the unknown,
Teacher and friend, grant me wisdom to be sown.

                         πολύτιμος μου
Precious One, stand by me, embrace me tight,
Unveil the world’s secrets in your sacred light.