The Hero's Journey

The Hero’s Journey
by
Jack J. Gerber, Ph.D.

drjackgerber@gmail.com
This is an overview of a series of lessons, currently in preparation, so that interested

people can get a taste of what they are about and to see the art that accompanies them.
The Traveler’s Journey Tarot deck is actually a set of scenes which are designed so
that the user can mentally enter the scene, look around and even talk to the people. This booklet
primarily covers the Major Arcana but the Minor Arcana that are completed are included at the
end without further explanation. (It is regularly updated.) It also includes a description of the
journey which the hero, the symbol for the virgin sprits (as the spirits or souls of humanity),
takes as he moves through the cycle of initiation. Little, if any, explanation is provided here but
it will be discussed in full detail in the lessons.
The deck is called The Traveler’s Journey Tarot because you, the viewer, are taken
along as you observe the hero’s trials. You accompany him as his wagon takes you to each
scene. The assumption is
that, for the most part, the
people in the scenes cannot
see or interact with you.
When you do your own
visualization, this does not
apply.
In each of the
scenes of the Major
Arcana, therefore, you will
see the Traveler or his red
wagon somewhere in the
background.
He reaches out a
hand to welcome you so
climb aboard and you will
begin your journey.
A Tarot Toolbox – Jack J. Gerber, Ph.D.
You get into the wagon and start on toward your first stop. It is a building that you know,
inwardly, is a temple.
The Traveler stops and tells you to go on in. You walk up a bit nervous but you are only
an observer and you are welcome to travel where you will.
You go inside and see a

busy place. Preparations are
underway for a ceremony. The
Traveler goes in behind you and
has a seat where he can observe.
The ritual begins and you can
feel the power being
summoned.
The Hierophant is the

hero’s father and the story
begins when he meets the High
Priestess, the hero’s mother.
The Harmonic Tarot allows the
“meeting” of any two cards to
be calculated and the outcome
to be determined in terms of a
third card. There are actually
two ways of doing this calculation and one determines the outcome and the other determines the
emotional reactions involved in the meeting. Understand that this is not arbitrary, it is
mathematically calculated and
can be used to determine if the
arrangement presented here
makes sense.
The outcome of the

meeting between the
Hierophant and the High
Priestess is symbolized by The
World for that is what the
Hierophant offers her. But this
is love, not in the purely
romantic sense but with a
power that will overcome
every obstacle. The Chariot
symbolizes their reactions to
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each other. This is the classic image of the gallant knight coming in on his white charger and
sweeping the beautiful princess off her feet. The Chariot is what carries the sun across the sky
and it is the meeting of the Master and the Mother that starts the entire process of creation.
He meets The High Priestess who will be the hero’s mother. Their outcome of their
meeting is symbolized by The World for that is what the Hierophant offers her. But this is love,
not in the purely romantic sense but with a power that will overcome every obstacle. The
Chariot symbolizes their reactions to each other. This of the classic image of the gallant knight
coming in on his white charger and sweeping the beautiful princess off her feet. The Chariot is
what carries the sun across the sky and it is the meeting of the Master and the Mother that starts
the entire process of creation.
You get back into the

wagon and the wheels begin to
roll. Time and distance mean
nothing on the astral so when
you roll up to another temple, it
is nighttime and the full moon
shines clear in the sky. As you
climb down, you can hear the
bumble of the waves in the
background and smell the salt
air.
Once more you are

invited to enter and look around.
The Traveler, himself, goes for a
walk to stretch his legs. You are
again entering a working temple
but this one is quite different
from that of the Hierophant. It is
open to the elements and has a
different feel to it. You can take
a closer look at her altar and see
the familiar arrangement of the
elemental weapons.
Looking around some more, you peek at the table where all the lotions and potions are
found but there is no clue as to what is being done with them. If you are a woman then you
know how mysterious men find the many strange items that women use to care for themselves
and if you are a man, then the presence of such mysterious items will be no surprise for you.
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Step closer now and go

behind the veil. To do so here
and now is permitted but the
actual experience is not so
benign. You see the Dark One
Herself in tears as she
contemplates what she must
do. She is the Mother of All
and she has no wish to hurt
her children nor see them hurt
themselves.
The High Priestess,

now married and virgin no
longer meets the hero, her
son, The Magician. (This is
the next card in the sequence.) His parents see in him not a baby but the Prince he is to become
and the Tarot card is, therefore, the Prince of Pentacles. He is a wanted and treasured child and
they are prepared to give him all their attention and resources. The underlying dynamics are
symbolized by the Knave of Swords, the Magician as a baby. Think of our infant hero clutching
a heavy and dangerous sword in his little hands and waving it as his father does. He is destined
to be a hero. At the same time, he is a baby, however high his parents hopes for the future are
and their lives have been irrevocably changed by his arrival. His mother, in particular is
sometimes tired and even wishes she could occasionally get some relief. There is a hint here of
the sadness that will be her burden later.
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You bid farewell to the Dark

One and move on. Your next stop is a
more congenial one. You get out of the
wagon in a busy, medieval town to see a
street entertainer. But this is no
ordinary entertainer. This is the beloved
older brother of the hero, the one he
looks up to and respects for he has
become a Master already. He is much
like his father and will guide his
younger brother to avoid the mistakes
that he made. He is The Magician.
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People move about in the market, seemingly paying little heed to the glittering knives of
death that are under the precise control of the Magician’s will. The girl feigns a look of fear but
you realize she is used to this. Even as you are looking, you hear the thunk of another knife as it
sticks in the wheel and shudders.
You turn back to The Magician himself to

get a better look. You see the intent focus on the
target, the concentration that is required so that no
one is harmed by the powerful forces which he
has mastered.
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Curiously you take a closer look at the trunk where his instruments are laid out and, to
your surprise, you see a familiar arrangement. It is subtle but clear. The trunk is his altar and the
four elemental weapons are laid out in their places.
Although as a symbol, The Magician represents the older brother, the Trump is also the
hero as he grows and aspires to be like his
admired older sibling. In the sequence, The
Magician next encounters Justice, the first and
most important of the virtues that he must master.
His mother and father set standards for him and
dole out justice in his life. The product of this
meeting is the Wheel of Fortune, time. Living can
be a shattering experience and even more so for a
young prince. He must grow wise and strong for
so many will depend on him. At the same time,
he must remain vulnerable and sensitive to them.
Such contradictions! It is the principle of Justice
that becomes his guide and savior. But how does
he react to this challenge? His reaction is
symbolized by The World. This is certainly no
ordinary child. He is confident, self-assured and
has a precocious awareness of what is going on in
the world. Time passes.
You are ready to enter the

chamber of Justice. This is MOST
unusual. You are supposed to be able
to enter the scene and not be noticed
but here, Justice herself welcomes you.
She is the overriding principle that
everything rests on. She measures the
weight of the matters against the scarlet
feather of truth. Nothing hides from
her, not even you.
Justice meets the next card, The

Emperor who is what the hero will
become become. Up to this point he
has learned what he needed to prepare
but now it is time to implement what he
has planned. He faces the reality of
what he must face.
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The product is The Queen of Wands. He rules over his people but he does so gently,
according them freedom. His underlying reaction to this is once again The World. He loves his
people and wants to give them the world just as his parents did for him.
Having mastered Justice, the hero is ready to take over and rule as The Emperor. He is a
man now with his own responsibilities. He has
become a father in his own right, of both his son
and his people.
He is about to meet the next virtue he is to

learn, Strength. The product of this meeting is
the King of Mirrors which is what he becomes.
He must constantly look into himself, to
understand and analyze his own emotions so that
he is in control. It is not the raw domination of a
Knight but the wisdom of he who is a Master of
himself. He is much more than just a temporal
ruler. He is the ruler of the spiritual realm also.
His reaction is symbolized by The Fool. The
suggestion here is that it is too much. Even a
hero makes mistakes. He is fallible and finally
here he stumbles. It is because he is not yet
complete.
You watch the Emperor with the boy. He

is so clearly a father and he exhibits the qualities that everyone wants most to see in a father. He
is strong and patient and pays close attention to the boy he is instructing. This is a man who is so
confident that he does not have to prove anything. You know he is capable and confident and
just exudes power.
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You get back into the wagon and it rumbles off into the woods. You can hear the sounds
of wildlife and then the crash of a waterfall. Suddenly there is the ear-shattering roar of a big
cat. The wagon stops and you get out to be greeted by a remarkable scene.
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A woman is lifting a lion out of a patch of brambles. Both she and the lion are scratched
and bleeding. But how did the lion get into such a fix in the first place? We soar up and see that
there is a small island at the base of a waterfall. We can use our enhanced senses to see that in
the past, the lion was chasing its prey and
managed to inadvertently leap off the cliff only
to land in the thorns. Apparently hearing the
animal’s cries, the woman rowed across to lift
the animal out and will take it back with her.
You can see her rowboat drawn up on the

shore. It will be a difficult task but her strength
seems to be limitless.
Strength then meets the Empress, a case

of the irresistible force meeting the immovable
object. But really it is the strength of the union
between the Emperor and the Empress. Strength
is what is required for the Emperor, the hero, to
rule the land. It is a virtue he must master. The
outcome of the meeting of Strength with the
Empress is the King of Cups. The ruler who
rules not by force but by love and compassion.
There is a powerful love and acceptance because she wants and values him as he wants and
values her. This only comes from inner strength. And the hero’s reaction to this is symbolized
by the Chariot, the dynamic energy of love. He is recapitulating the interaction of his own
parents.
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What will complete a man? What else but

a woman, his partner. Let us go and meet her.
The Traveler’s wagon rolls again and leaves us
off at a rich estate. The woman has a glow about
her and she relaxes as the party swirls around her.
You can see the Emperor talking with his son.
Look closely at the Empress and you will see
what makes her so happy.
As you enter the garden when the

Empress is entertaining, you know you are
welcome. The feeling here is different from the
stark sadness of the High Priestess. Here there is
love as well but joy and peace rather than sorrow.
The Empress is co-ruler of the land but

she is also kind and generous. The hero protects
the land but she nourishes it. The Empress meets
the next card, Charity. The result is the King of
Mirrors. It is the Emperor’s relationship with her that is what allows her to do her work and it is
on him that her attention is placed, not on his temporal and earthly qualities but on his spiritual
ones. He reacts appropriately as the Emperor for as her concern is the spirit of the land and its
people, including her husband, where his concern is the day to day management of the land.
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You leave the rich domain of the Empress to travel on to your next destination.
Remember the challenge of the Empress is to care for her people and they are not always as well
off as she is. If they were, there would be no challenge.
The weather is bad

and it is dusk with night
falling soon. A man is
walking down the street,
hunched against the ravages
of the storm. The man is
richly dressed. He sees a
beggar and his heart goes out
to him. The man is cold and
the rich man wants to help.
He gives of himself and
offers the beggar his own
cloak, knowing that he will
soon be indoors where he
will be safe. This is an act of
charity.
The Traveler
observes this with approval
even though no one there but you can see him.
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Now it is time to get back in the wagon

and move on to your next stop. Charity makes
the land prosper but time moves on. Charity
meets The Wheel of Fortune. The result is The
World. The land is eternal and goes on
regardless, whether in sickness or in health, in
prosperity or in a time of poverty. The Hero, in
the person of the Empress, reacts as the Valkyrie
of Wands. She understands that it is necessary to
allow the process to unfold even when she might
like to intervene so she stands back.
You are with the Traveler now, seeing

not a scene but a vision. You are seeing the
march of time like a great wheel. Even though it
is a vision, you borrow the power of the Traveler
to look closer.
You start with the child just being drawn

out of the water, newly born into the stream of time. His karma has brought him to experience
this world and he has laid out the challenges and trials that he will face.
As the wheel turns, he grows older and becomes a child. But childhood is yet another
stage and the wheel of time continues to turn.
The child grows older and become a man with
the problems and responsibilities of an adult.
And, as an adult, he is very much aware that he
will not live forever, at least in the physical. The
wheel continues it’s inexorable turn until the cold
hand of death reaches out and draws him back to
his true home from when he came, to rest and
prepare for yet another sojourn in the physical.
As you watch this, you are aware that this

is the turning of the wheel of time and life.
Quick as a wink here on the astral where time has
a different meaning but with the passage of long
years in the physical.
The hero still has lessons to learn. The

heated time of his youth is now behind him and
he has another virtue to master. The Wheel of
Fortune now meets Temperance. The result is
The Fool. Time is the most powerful force in the universe. It is like water which eventually
levels everything. Nothing, no matter how powerful, can stand against time. There is a pause.
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The hero’s reactions are represented by The

World. He is unchanging, patient. He is now a
Master himself.
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You get back in the red wagon and travel to your next stop. Here you will meet
Temperence. The wagon travels into the woods and stops. You look around puzzled. There is
nothing to see here but a peaceful wood. The Traveler smiles at you and tells you to go for a
walk and relax. You hear the sound of falling waters and are drawn toward the stream. The
woods bloom with wildflowers and their scents are on the breeze. Your guide walks into the
woods and leaves you alone. Puzzled, you follow and soon you come upon the sight you are
here to see. The angel is pouring water from one cup into another. The steam seems
inexhaustible. There is a sense of peace here, of a time to rest.
The Empress, the mother, is looking to the future and wants her son to have the joy that
she has had. Instead the hero, her son, must begin his journey with the first of the Trials, The
Hanged Man. He must die that the land can be reborn. Temperance meets The Hanged Man.
The result is The Tower, Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty. The Tower is one of the two unnamed
virtues, faith. The first Trial is a test of faith, of the sure and certain knowledge that the Light
will guide the hero no matter what. The hero has been very successful in his work but now he
must leave the land behind and move out. He reacts to this as the Valkyrie of Swords. He is no
longer withdrawing but now seeking to actively dominate himself. This is not going to be
successful.
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You could settle down and remain here for a long time but you have more places to visit.
The Traveler bids you back into the wagon and it is time to travel on.
The Empress is now looking to the future and wants her son to have the joy that she has
had. Instead the hero, her son, must begin his journey with the first of the Trials, The Hanged
Man. He must die that the land can be reborn. Temperance meets The Hanged Man. The result
is The Tower, Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty. The Tower is one of the two unnamed virtues,
faith. The first Trial is a test of faith, of the sure and certain knowledge that the Light will guide
the hero no matter what. The hero has been very successful in his work but now he must leave
the land behind and move out. He reacts to this as the Valkyrie of Swords. He is no longer
withdrawing but now seeking to actively dominate himself. This is not going to be successful.
The scene now is in stark contrast to the peace of Temperance. You want to look away
but you cannot. The sun is setting and soon it will be night. This is an awful scene and you will
be glad when it is over.
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The Hanged Man meets Prudence, the next virtue to be mastered. The result is the
Valkyrie of Wands. Having failed to dominate himself, he is disgusted and seeks again to
withdraw. He is beginning his initiation and he needs to exercise dynamic balance. She is a
female warrior who carries two cudgels with her. She is ferocious with them but though they
have great power, they are not swords. They are the power of air and he has not yet been reborn.
In the hero’s journey, he is always given some magical talisman to take with him. Here it is the
power of life.
This is a mysterious and disturbing scene. The Traveler’s wagon pulls along the open
field as the day begins to grow late. It has been a long and busy day and you are getting tired
and want to stop to eat and rest. The Traveler smiles at your weakness and tells you to be
patient. You might be tempted to tell him that Patience is not in the Majors but you refrain. He
pulls over and gets out. You follow him of course and he walks over toward an unfinished
church. There is scaffolding around it and he tells you that it is being rebuilt. He lets you
wander as you please as he walks in closer. He stands beside a ladder as a woman walks towards
him with a firm step. You know she cannot see him, you and he are only observers.
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There is something of a rustle

and then an awesome sight greets both
you and her. From behind her, a
strange and terrifying creature is
approaching. The front half is a woman
but from the waist down, she turns into
a giant serpent. Her human half is clad
in armor and she is reaching out to grab
the woman.
The woman glances in the

reflection of the scene in one of the
windows of the church and sees what
follows her. Because time is
meaningless here, you are able to walk
over to see what is going on. When you
get in front of her and look back, you
are almost as started as she is. The
head and face of the serpent creature is
almost identical to that of the woman. What kind of sorcery is this?
You see her turn and look and then make a dash for the ladder. She is carrying
something in her hand. What is it? Is it some sort of weapon? No, on closer examination, it is a
pair of calipers, a device for precise measuring.
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She runs past you, glancing

over her shoulder as she does so but as
she climbs the ladder, the monster
disappears. Another noise catches your
attention and you see a small creature,
a squirrel, holding his acorn as he
scampers off.
Prudence then meets the next

trial, Death. This is when the hero
finally passes into the Underworld.
The result is The Devil. The hero has
moved into the Underworld. His
reaction is symbolized by the Chariot.
He does not just enter the underworld.
As the Tower will show, he storms in
and blows it up. Yet he has learned
prudence now and will exercise it.
You know it is time. You are halfway through your journey. The hero has made his
sacrifice, learned his lessons for this life and now must face Death.
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The Final Harvester rides in

quietly to gather his harvest. It doesn’t
really matter to him how he is received
and those who greet him do so, each in
his or her own way but all must fall. A
mother tries to protect her baby for he is
too young to die. A warrior tries to
defeat the rider, angry and defiant. The
rich man even tries to offer the only
thing he truly values, gold, but the
result is invariable. All will be gathered
up to return to the embrace of the Dark
One who gave their spirits birth and
will be happy to embrace them on their
return.
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But once all is said and done,

their consciousness changes and they
are finally free. They leave their
physical forms behind and return to
their true home.
Death now meets The Tower

with the result being The High
Priestess. The hero has achieved
understanding. His reaction is
symbolized by the Princess of Wands.
The Valkyrie who gave him the
talisman has mastered it but it is her
younger sister who is represented here.
Now, in the Underworld, it is the hero
who must use it for the first time. He
withdraws but it is a more accepting
way of withdrawing. He is learning to accept himself as he is.
Death now meets The Tower with the result being The High Priestess. He has achieved
understanding. His reaction is symbolized by the Princess of Wands. The Valkyrie who gave
him the talisman has mastered it but it is her younger sister who is represented here. Now, in the
Underworld, it is the hero who must use it for the first time. He withdraws but it is a more
accepting way of withdrawing. He is
learning to accept himself as he is.
At peace again, you climb

back into the wagon and continue the
journey. Your next stop is the place
of greatest conflict, the meeting of the
forces.
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Though The Traveler stays on the ground, you want to see what is going on so you take
to the air to look at the scene. It is a huge and complex scene with much happening and you are
glad you will have a chance to go in and explore it.
As you look, you see something strange reflected in the pool. How many towers are
there? You float over to take a closer look. There is a middle tower but it is only in the pool.
Look at the paths. There are two of
them and they split so that you must
choose which one to follow. How often
that kind of choice occurs in your life.
But there is always a third choice. It
may be hidden but it is there.
You move in to look at the left

tower and see the people who are
fleeing.
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Then you float over to the right

tower and still they are falling. This is
a place of death and sadness for people
who have made the wrong choices.
This is their realization of what they
have done.
You have had enough. The

Traveler beckons you and you go to
join him. You are ready to leave this
sad place and go on with your journey.
As the story moves on, The

Tower, the dwelling that is the
underworld in the Tarot, meets the Last
Judgment. The result is the Queen of
Swords, the master of life. The hero
has matured as a result of the trials and
is ready to now assert control over
himself but with the acceptance that comes with maturity as well. His reaction to this is
symbolized by the Knight of Wands. He has enough confidence now to live and let live. He has
matured and is ready to embrace life once again.
We climb back into the wagon again and are ready to move along to our next stop. We
get out on a road running by an open building and follow The Traveler inside.
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There are so many people we

are expecting a great clamor but instead
there is only silence until the mournful
sound of a trumpet cuts through the air.
It is a wakeup call for now is the time
of Judgement.
We look closer and then realize

that most of those we see are ghosts.
There is only the hero and the angel.
The man stands by the pool, looking at
his own reflection. He is to judge
himself. But against what? Then you
see the man who is sleeping lazily
under the table. It is sloth. And above
him is the man reaching over him,
snatching at the food. Gluttony. Now
you understand. Sitting on the edge of
the wall is another figure reaching for
his precious gold. Greed! Next to him a young boy reaches out for a woman. Lust. Look at the
man showing off his fish as if it were the largest ever caught. Pride. And next to him is the one
who would make out that it was nothing. Envy. And the man with his fists raised. Wrath. The
seven cardinal sins. Yet the Tarot is timeless and we have our modern sins as well. The hookah
is drugs, the woman is timeless. too, for she is still a sin but today we call it sex, and the lute is
music, rock and roll. The modern day sins.
Go on, look closer.
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Before the hero may move on,

he must face the final judge, himself in
the person of the Dweller on the
Threshold, the personification of all his
unabsorbed karma. This is The Last
Judgment meeting The Devil. The
outcome is the Knave of Cups. The
hero is about to be reborn, to move on
to a new life. His reaction to this is
The Wheel of Fortune. The great
wheel of birth and death turns and he
moves on to the rebirth.
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This seems strange. Didn’t we say that the Underworld was represented by The Tower?
Yet here we are with the Devil. These are the experiences that occur between death and rebirth.
One of them is where all falsehood is burned away and only truth remains. Did you notice
something unusual about The Traveler? Take a closer look.
Here, with The Devil, all falsehood is burned away and for the one and only time, we are
permitted to see him as he really is or, at least, as close as our human minds can comprehend this
being who takes us on the journey.
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The people who are here, what

did they do? Look closer at them as
well. Look at the chains which bind
them. They are certainly loose enough
to take them off. All they would have
to do is drop their baggage and lift
them off. It is not The Devil who
keeps them here but themselves.
The Devil now meets The

Lovers. The hero is reunified with his
bride. The result is the Valkyrie of
Swords . He goes to her now as a man,
a master of himself. His reaction to
this is symbolized by Justice, the right
thing is being done and he knows she is
his reward.
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The hero and his beloved cannot see you but they wouldn’t notice if they could for they
are totally absorbed in each other. She is his reward for his sacrifice and his Trials.
Now together again, they move on as The Lovers meets The Chariot which was the result
of their parents’ meeting. The result here is the Princess of Cups signifying that not only does
the hero grow and mature but he brings his closest companion with him as they come to each
other, drawn strongly together. His reaction is symbolized by the Queen of Wands. This is a
gentle acceptance, a warm understanding of the other. There is no need to conquer her or
himself, that has been achieved.
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You can hear the ratle of the wheels on the stones as the chariot races across the land,
striking sparks and leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The young woman warrior yells at her
horse to keep going, she is charging on. You can move in to take a closer look at her.
It is clear nothing and no one will stop her. The hero is represented classically as a man
but the hero may be either sex.
The Chariot takes the lovers out into the light and meets with The Sun. The result is the
Queen of Wands, the beginnings of a new life. What they want with each other is to be. He
reacts with the Prince of Cups. He is incorporating the love into himself and drawing her in.
Their relationship has grown to a new level.
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The hero is home at last. But

this is a big scene so let us go in closer
and look around.
Perhaps this is the hero or

perhaps the child is coming to greet
him but whichever it is, this is a scene
of joy and welcome. But there are still
responsibilities and the child’s mother
does not look happy about her boy
riding out. You can hear her calling
him back, trying to protect him so that
he doesn’t get hurt.
The Sun meets The Star next as

hope begins to blossom and comes to
be realized. The result is the Valkyrie
of Pentacles, the hero is now rich and
satisfied but still restless. He is
wanting more of himself, reaching higher. His reaction is totally consistent as it is also
symbolized by the Valkyrie of Pentacles. the only place in the story where both product and
reaction are symbolized by the same
card.
You get back in the wagon and travel. This time it is a long way but time really has no
meaning for you here. Still by the time you arrive, night has fallen.
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As you look around, you wonder where The Traveler is. If you look closely at the base
of the lighthouse, you can just make out the wagon or, if you wish, you can just step in and take a
closer look.
You can hear the waves lapping at

the shore and smell the salt air again. The
water from the shells pours endless out on
the earth and the sea for the love that it
represents is limitless.
Now the Star meets The Moon as

night falls. The result is the Queen of
Cups and the hero joins his counterpart
with longing and deep love. His reaction
is symbolized by The Last Judgment.
This seems strange as he has met the
Dweller and paid his karmic debt. Yet we
are close to the end of only this portion of
the story. The end of one chapter means
only the beginning of the next. Death
does not send us to the Fields of Elysium
where we lie about relaxing and having a wonderful time doing nothing. It is not in the way of
the universe. Evolution is to proceed.
Back in the wagon and now to move on to another stop. You do not go far from the sea
and, in fact, you are moving only from the maiden to the mother.
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The one you knew as the Empress smiles

down at you again for she is the All Mother and
this is just her Light aspect.
You step into the scene and approach the

arch of the moon. |Then you can walk through it
and see the temple.
The Traveler waits for you there. It is a

place of peace. The water reflects the light of the
moon through the open roof. Perhaps this is a
place you would like to stay and rest but you have
more stops.
The Moon meets The Hermit, the solitary

wanderer and searcher and the result is
symbolized by The World once again. It is time
for the hero to again journey out into the world to
gain experience in another life and continue to
evolve. His reaction is the Queen of Cups, again love and acceptance for The Hermit is not an
initiate.
Back into the wagon and this time you can feel the wagon climbing and the horse
laboring as it pulls you both up.
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55
The old man greets you and bids you welcome. He is off, bound to go down the
mountain and to seek for what he is searching for.
The Hermit meets with The Fool to give him wisdom and the result is the Knave of
Wands. He is reborn into a new life. His reaction is symbolized by the Queen of Pentacles, his
desire to incarnate again.
Your next stop is with The Fool as he is about to descend into his own journey. But we
are almost at the end of ours, what is going on? We are on the path of Initiation and we are
going UP the Tree. This is customary and proper but the Fool is on the path of evolution and he
is going DOWN the Tree.
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The wagon rumbles up to your next stop. You get out and then you fly up to see. You
are looking at a scene in which an elegantly dressed young man is walking high in the
mountains, about to step off a cliff. His dog is trying desperately to pull him back but he seems
merely annoyed. The dog has jumped up to pull on the hem of his tunic and he is turning around
to shoo the dog off. The act will make him fall because he is too close to the edge and doesn’t
realize it.
It is a mild, spring day and the sun is just beginning to dawn behind the mountains.
There is the faintest nip of cold in the air because you are very high. The traveler is driving his
lone horse down a steep path, seemingly carved in the side of the mountain. He leans forward
and looks up at the Fool, about to take his terminal step.
You decide to take a closer look to see what is going on. He seems a bit uncertain. It is a
long way down. The strange image on his bag
attracts your attention. You look closer and
you can just make it out. It’s a tree. Then The
Traveler calls you. It is time for you to travel
on.
The Fool, the innocent journeyer now meets The Labyrinth, the path of initiation. It is
time for him to take over and instead of being blindly brought along by the forces of the
universe, he can begin to cooperate with them and push his own evolution ahead. The result is
The World, his kingdom returned to him. His reaction is Justice because now he understands in
a way that he never has before.
You stop at the end of a long road and pull off to one side where The Traveler rests the
horse. You rise high to look down.
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It is very confusing and you are not sure

what you are seeing. The Traveler tells you to go
with the Hero as he follows the path.
He is greeted immediately by the figure

of Death for this is a path that is followed after
there is death to the outer world.
You follow him in and enter the path. There are

no wrong turns allowed and only one path to
follow; this is a labyrinth, not a maze.
It represents the four great Trails that an
Initiate must face. First is the Trial of Earth

called such because when you go though it, the
earth is to your back and to pass, you must feel it
and not be able to turn away. The way is
blocked, there is no way around yet turning back
is not allowed. He MUST go forward.
Somehow he passes it and then he faces a
roaring fire. Once more he is required to

somehow find his way past this obstacle. This is
the Trial of Fire, called such because it sears the
soul.
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He moves on and faces the Trail of

Water, called such because while there is some
support, it is not enough to rely on.
Finally he faces a chasm, too wide to

jump across and this is the Trial of Air, when all
support is removed and the Initiate is deemed
ready to proceed on his own.
At last he is past the Trials and faces the

way into the middle Tower that we say in the
reflecting pool. But there is one final being to
face, the Devil, the symbol of the Dweller on the
Threshold, the embodiment of all the unabsorbed

karma that must be released to exit the wheel of
samsara.
Finally the story closes as The Labyrinth,

the path of Initiation, meets The World, the real
place where this all plays out. His reaction is to
turn inwardly and begin to explore the greatest
mystery of all, himself. His reaction is the

Princess of Swords, a mastery of the self.
Youy get back into the Traveler’s wagon

for your final stop, The World.
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Once more you climb out to have a look. You can see the world far below you, there for
your taking, but there is a final vision of a beautiful woman dancing and the four Holy Living
Creatures around her in the wreath of victory. Then you see The Traveler’s wagon leaving. He
is headed away, leaving you behind. You have completed your journey and you no longer need
him. The world is yours.
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The Harmonic Tarot

Because this material is about the Harmonic Tarot, originally developed by Christina
Warren, a brief explanation of the cards of the Harmonic Tarot is in order. Unlike the traditional
Tarot with its 78 cards, the Harmonic Tarot is a superset which 42 extra cards that are required
for the math to work. It includes all of the traditional cards and the only change is that there is
no page but you can choose a Prince or a Princess as the equivalent.
In addition to the 22 traditional Major Arcana, all of which are named as in the Rider-
Waite deck, there are three more major arcana, The Labyrinth, Prudence and Charity.
There is also an extra suit in the minor arcana, the suit of scrolls to go with the traditional
wands, swords, cups and pentacles. Furthermore, in the pip cards, there are now two more in
each suit, the Alpha preceding the Ace and the Omega, following the Ten.
There are also seven Court cards in each suit, the traditional King, Queen and Knight
along with a female Knight, the Valkyrie as well as a Prince and Princess instead of the Page and
one more, the Knave, a child, making the seven Court cards in each suit.
Thus there is a total of 120 cards with the number of pips, Court cards and Major Arcana
all being determined by the underlying mathematics. There is just a taste of how it works in the
presentation of the hero’s journey in terms of what each encounter is with the next card in the
sequence.
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Final Note: The graphics and text here are public domain. Permission is granted to
reproduce the graphics and text in this publication, in whole or in part, freely, for any purpose
whatsoever.
This is the 8/3/10 edition. This is periodically updated.
90

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The Hero’s Journey

Jack J. Gerber, Ph.D.

This is an overview of a series of lessons, currently in preparation, so that interested

You go inside and see a

The Hierophant is the

The outcome of the

You get back into the

Once more you are

Step closer now and go

The High Priestess,

You bid farewell to the Dark

You turn back to The Magician himself to

You are ready to enter the

Justice meets the next card, The

He is about to meet the next virtue he is to

You watch the Emperor with the boy. He

You can see her rowboat drawn up on the

Strength then meets the Empress, a case

What will complete a man? What else but

As you enter the garden when the

The Empress is co-ruler of the land but

The weather is bad

Now it is time to get back in the wagon

You are with the Traveler now, seeing

You start with the child just being drawn

As you watch this, you are aware that this

The hero still has lessons to learn. The

The hero’s reactions are represented by The

There is something of a rustle

The woman glances in the

She runs past you, glancing

Prudence then meets the next

The Final Harvester rides in

But once all is said and done,

Death now meets The Tower

At peace again, you climb

You move in to look at the left

Then you float over to the right

You have had enough. The

As the story moves on, The

There are so many people we

We look closer and then realize

Go on, look closer.

Before the hero may move on,

The people who are here, what

The Devil now meets The

The hero is home at last. But

Perhaps this is the hero or

The Sun meets The Star next as

You can hear the waves lapping at

Now the Star meets The Moon as

The one you knew as the Empress smiles

You step into the scene and approach the

The Traveler waits for you there. It is a

The Moon meets The Hermit, the solitary

It is very confusing and you are not sure

He is greeted immediately by the figure

You follow him in and enter the path. There are

It represents the four great Trails that an

Initiate must face. First is the Trial of Earth

Somehow he passes it and then he faces a

roaring fire. Once more he is required to

He moves on and faces the Trail of

The Hero's Journey

The Hero's Journey