THE EMPRESS: MAGIC IS THE SCIENCE OF LOVE

“Yes the miraculous does exist, for life is a series of miracles, if we understand by miracle not the absence of cause, but rather the visible effect of an invisible cause, or the effect on a lower plane due to a higher plane.” - (Meditations on the Tarot, Anonymous)

The Empress wears a crown of abundance, her eyes are the green of growth, the eagle on her shield represents alchemical rebirth, renewal, and resurrection. She sits at number three in the tarot. This number represents synthesis, resolving the tension created by duality through the birth of a third unifying principle - love. The Empress in her boundless acts of regeneration and creativity represents the Tree of Life. To the Ancient Egyptian Alchemists, the Tree of Life symbolizes the hierarchical chain of events that brought everything into existence; its spheres demonstrating the order, process, and method of creation.

Alchemical thinking is essential to the artist as it illuminates the deeper meaning of process. At the Empress gathering, we will dive deep into the meaning of making, learning to co-create in a world that is alive and dynamic, where everything is part of an interconnected whole - an ecosystem. Many of the chemical theorems in Alchemy began to develop when Stoic thought met ancient Egyptian technologies of metallurgy, fabric dying, and perfume making in the 3rd century. An Alchemist is psychically involved with the creation of an object, mutually exchanging life forces with their materials in harmony with the greater psycho-physical unity of all things, unifying themselves with their work through the magic of love.

We are at an interesting moment in the rebirthing story of planet Earth. Our Industrial Growth Society’s economy depends on an ever increasing consumption of resources. Our precious planet’s body is not only dug up and turned into goods to sell, it is also a dumping ground for the poisonous by-products of our industries. It is time for us to consider our process, and to honor all that our Mother has created.

The word ecology comes from the Greek oikos, which means “house”. It is the work of all human beings to attend to the health of our esoteric and exoteric houses, bridging this duality with the magic of love. We will be living communally in a house in Woodstock for a one week session that consists of a series of heart centered art exercises, daily tarot meditations, Tree of Life meditations, medicinal plant workshops, fabric dying workshops, and lectures offered by visiting artists. All Golden Dome gatherings seek to provide our community with expansive methodologies for reconciling our selves and our work to each other and our world. Please see the syllabus for detailed information on faculty and course offerings, and please review our archive and blog for a sense of what the Golden Dome experience embodies.