The Star
The Moon
The Sun
Judgement
The Star
Here, our botanicals may include not only what seem to be violets growing on the grass, but what we can discern of a tree in the distance.
Of the eight stars that circle a great central star, there is a great resemblance to a striking feature of what has been attended of the chemistry of the violet family, the Violaceae, so far: a compound featuring a central molecule of the common class of floral pigment, an anthocyanin, surrounded by eight atoms of Potassium in a ionic bond with the positive charge on the cyclic oxygen.
While we can think of the ordinary herbal uses of the violet, some of whose correspondences are elegantly detailed in Sun Bear's "The Medicine Wheel", the fact that an awareness of this molecule may be implied, may point to icons here which self- contain the theme of how the molecule was known- ie a commentary on the biochemistry of occult chemistry, or clairvoyant seeing of atomic and subatomic matter in the fashion of the renowned Theosophists such as Leadbeater and Besant.
While the correspondences of astrological medicine are on the whole a bit more troubing here than in Sun Bear's system, since we seem to see a representation of Aquarius where we might expect Virgo, Libra, or a representation of both on the cusp or in progression, this too may be a purposeful self-containment, if the appearance of Sodium where Potassium should be is pertainent the biology of, or inherent difficulties of, such clairvoyant macropsy (macropsia), magnifying vision.
Also, the total set of stars that would be in the circle is 11, the atomic number of Sodium.
In the Star Way section, it is presented that what appears to be a typical icon key in myth and folklore alluding to many more details known to the Ancient Wise, since another goal of magnifying vision is the seeing and mapping of distant planets and Stars.
So, too, do the stories of a Star Husband, and countless variations on the motif, frequently involve a willow, which might occur in the fashion it is said to have presented itself via the Doctorine of Signatures as they deal with a plant's habitat, so as to contribute aspirin to the repetoire of modern medicine.
Additionally, there is much overlap between this set of icons and those of the Temperance card which ultimately seem to fuse to touch on a great many issues as the theme sets are combined.
While it is presumptious to attempt to identify the distant tree on this card, nonetheless presuming that the bird which rests in it is somehow a "bird of paradise", and assuming next that such a contrivance indicates that the tree is actually a plant known by that name (genus Strelitzia) is interesting, for this plant has unusual pigment features and is related to the Banana, a plant known for both its virtues of championing Temperance's cause of sobriety, and for a notable content of what has now appeared the second time thereby, Potassium
The Moon
The canines appear to be blank-eyed and howling perhaps madly, as
if they are rabid. They are away from the water as if
hydrophobic.
The plant in the foreground near the water suggests water
plantain, of the genus Alismata. It is often regarded in herbal
as a treatment and even a remedy for rabies. It is nowhere near
alone in this regard in the vast treasures that herbalism has
accumlated. There is no telling what inhumane gestures have been
extended to animals for want of what is insistent knowledge here,
practices easily extended into inhumanity to man.
The creature in the foreground may suggest a scorpion; what would
likely be an incorrect reading here nonetheless conveys that this
plant and indeed its entire class, may be synonymous with
anti-venom botanicals. Likewise, it may also imply a condition
related to crusteaceans, perhaps shellfish poisoning, and perhaps
once again, the remedial agents may possess an appreciable degree
of interchangability.
The Sun
The sunflowers which are depicted are known in ethnobotany to be
of use to fight sunstoke, easily another demonstration of the
Doctorine of Signatures/ Correspondences. Further, the white
horse may avail to indicate Calcium, and other details about its
compound that may be present; indeed, sunflowers are noted for
their content of phosphorus that is in the seed.
Judgement
Perhap as we approach the climax of the trumps, the healing
intentions also rise to a pinnacle. While one may be hard-pressed
to find a botanical referred to here, the card may prove to be a
study in the art of a supreme medical gesture, that of
resurrection or Palingenics.
So we have here taken observations, developed them, and gathered them into an unusual theory, that the Golden Dawn from the time of its very creation, has contained very understated threads, remaining rather obscure, of a strong devotion and deep insight into nature, as well as Signaturism and the applied medical herbalism of "lower magic", and this seems to bear their seal of approval by way of their example.
Likewise, this is not unlike the sometimes seemingly contradictory set of perroguetives that are attended by shamans, at once addressing great mystical forces that alone can accomplish healing, yet at the same time attending the nuances of herbs and natural materials that, while they may make contributions to the magick, also serve the purposes without magick if necessary... and allowing them to serve the needs of those whose beliefs as to what is appropriate disallow to be treated my magick, of their own Will.
Can extentions of this be successfully made, let alone corroboration of the idea of the famous High Magicians functioning as Shamans?
An answer is not far; C.L Zalewski's "Herbs In Magic And Alchemy: Techniques Form Ancient Herbal Lore" devotes an entire chapter (Appendix 4: pp 136-147) to this subject, describing Golden Dawn efforts to make astral contact with plant life, rather resembling the descriptions of Theosophists describing the means of contacting persons of past life acquaintance.
The style is reminsicent of Shamanic communion with nature that we find in modern works such as Michael J. Road's "Talking With Nature" and Eliot Cowan's "Plant Spirit Medicine"; a Golden Dawn manuscript, "The Book Of Wylyn", is described, and the perroguetives of Golden Dawn founder Florence Farr (often neglected completely in reference to the G.'.D.'. founding members outside of such works as "Women of the Golden Dawn") are explored.
Biography of Florence Farr (with links to more Golden Dawn Biographies)
Of the presence of a child, the same botanical is known in
traditional herbalism to promote fertility.
Pamela Coleman-Smith, who illustrated the Ryder Tarot, depicted
in her other artworks a scene made of similar elements, in which
the presence of calcium phosphate seems to be represented by
another source, bone.
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