Playing the Tarot Game with Lucifer in Venice

 

In the end of my satirical ebook, The Godgame, I wrote that I made a pact with Lucifer that if I played the Tarot game with his guidelines, I would be rewarded with the ability of vagabonding the world. The game was about self-transformation.

Since I was in Venice when my first game with Lucifer occurred, I chose The Venetian Tarot. Also because of a remembrance of Robert Anton Wilson´s book: Masks of the Illuminati.

Lucifer said that we in the game would work with my whole self, and see The Major Arcana as archetypes of the soul and their influence upon me; the Court Cards as aspects of my personality, and the Numbered/Pip cards of the Minor Arcana as the ground for interaction between my soul and my personality – where and how I express myself.

Lucifer asked: “Who are you?” – and then he gave me four statements: “Which of them fits you the most closely?”

I chose this: “I feel young and innocent most of the time. Sometimes this makes me feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when I´m in the company of other adults who seem so ‘grown-up’. I feel as if I have so much potential that I´m only beginning to explore”.

“Well”, Lucifer said, “then your personality will be best described by the Page card, or Knave, as he is called in this Tarot deck”

And then he smiled: “or the Princess card”.

Here Lucifer clearly referred to Aleister Crowley. Crowley was regarded as a Black Magician by many and as the Magus of the New Aeon by some, and had a contradictory reputation as heroic mountain climber, poet, bisexual pioneer Hippy, alchemist, sadistic prankster, worker of wonders and charlatan who titulated himself: The Great Beast 666.

I remember what Timothy Leary said about the Tarot in The Game of Life (following Crowley):

"The current version of the the European-Hive 52-card deck contains a Jack but no Jill. This elimination of the nubile, sexually alive female from the Western deck reflects the sexual asymmetry of the hive-culture." (page 52).

Leary continued:

"This gay Tarot currently in vogue is sexually chauvinistic and magnetically imbalanced. King, Queen, Knight and Page. The Knight is paired with a young boy! The Tarot court cards of the heterosexual out-cast Aleister Crowley reflect sexual balance. Knight, Queen, Prince, Princess!"

Lucifer continued:

”And now you have to determine your suit. Once you know which suit you belong to, you will know your court card. So, now ask yourself which of the following four descriptions best fits you.”

I chose: “I´m a sensitive, emotional person. I feel very deeply, and can cry easily. My heart goes out to people and animals who are suffering, and I feel drawn to the arts and the healing professions”.

“Well”, Lucifer said, “then your suit is cups”.

"Understood”, I said, “my Court Card is Knave of…, or… Princess of Cups”.

 

But now Lucifer tricked me: “Now we will explore aspects of you which may be as yet unexpressed or unknown to you. By becoming aware of these ‘hidden’ or ‘shadow’ aspects of your personality you greatly assist the process of your self-transformation”.

“So”, he said, “we need to determine your Shadow Card. And remember, in this game we consider the Knave as a Princess. So, since your Court Card is female, your Shadow Card is male. Since your Court Card is young, your Shadow Card is old (ie King). And, since your Court Card is Cups, your Shadow Card is Swords”.

“Ok”, I said, as the final remark in this round of the game, “my Shadow Card is King of Swords”.

 

Location: Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy.