The World card marks the culmination of the spiritual journey,
Signifying a moment of profound completion and unity.
It represents the successful completion of all phases and cycles,
Where spirit has traversed through the myriad experiences of life,
Integrating the four modalities of consciousness,
That's will,
Emotion,
Intellect and sensation.
This card embodies the wholeness of being that comes from having fully engaged with every aspect of existence,
Standing as a testament to personal evolution and the unity of all things.
In this active imagination exercise,
We will engage with the world and the four modalities of consciousness,
Aiming to better understand our current relationship to each and what still needs to happen to bring them into harmony.
So first just making sure you're seated or lying down comfortably,
Closing your eyes,
Just taking a couple of deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth,
Just allowing the mind and the body to relax naturally.
And as the breath just returns to a natural rhythm,
We're going to begin the exercise by just giving the mind some space,
Allowing any unfinished thoughts or inclinations just to come to the surface,
So they can be seen clearly,
Let go of.
We do this just by bringing the attention to the sensation of the breath,
Whether it's the rise and fall of the chest or abdomen,
Or the sensation of the air moving through the nostrils.
So any time the mind wanders during this exercise,
Just bring the attention back to whatever it is you're doing.
And now imagine yourself floating far above the earth beneath you.
And below you,
The world is divided into four distinct regions,
Each one representing one of the four modalities of consciousness.
That is will,
Also associated with the element of fire,
Emotion associated with water,
Intellect associated with air,
And sensation associated with earth.
Take some time just to examine the earth below you,
And notice any salient features of these four territories.
This scenario is an invitation for you to examine and interact with these four aspects of yourself.
You're now going to travel to each of these areas one by one,
Examine them more closely,
And engage in a kind of symbolic interaction with each as a way to both experience and deepen your relationship with these four modalities.
So first,
Travel down to the area representing will or fire.
What is it you see here?
Is the symbolism quite literal?
Is it something more abstract,
Representing energy,
Will,
And passion?
Engage with this landscape somehow.
Perhaps if there are beings here,
You can converse with them or interact with them.
Or you may just wish to enter the landscape and experience it more closely.
Pay particular attention to how you feel in this place.
So having spent some time in this land of will,
Take leave,
Float back above the earth,
And direct your attention to the next territory.
This is the land of emotion.
The elements of water.
Again,
Travel down to this territory and experience it more closely.
What is it about this place that speaks to feeling,
Emotion,
Perhaps compassion,
Even intuition,
Unseen realities?
And in a similar way,
Interact with this place.
Whether it's the beings you encounter here,
The land itself,
Or any objects,
Artifacts,
Or symbols you may encounter.
Having spent some time in this land of emotion and water,
Again,
Leave this place,
Travel back far above the earth,
And turn your attention now to the next territory.
This is a place that represents intellect and the elements of air.
Air is also associated with communication and logic and clarity and honesty.
Travel closer to this territory of air and see what you find here.
Take a look around.
What do you find in this place?
Do you meet other beings here?
Or uncover any interesting objects or symbols?
Keep paying attention to your thoughts,
As well as your feelings in this place.
And again,
Take some time to interact,
Both to understand your relationship with this aspect of yourself,
As well as deepen your relationship with this part of you.
As this interaction draws to a close,
Leave this place,
And again,
Travel back far above the earth.
And so finally,
Turn your attention now to the fourth territory beneath you.
This is the area of sensation,
Or the elements of air.
Earth.
So make your way down to this fourth territory.
Bearing in mind the earth is also associated with the material,
And the situation in this territory may well represent your relationship with finances and the physical world.
Natural skills.
Endurance.
As well as your day-to-day existence and work life.
So examine this territory more closely.
What is it that you find here?
Pay particular attention to what you can sense.
Are there any notable physical sensations that you experience in this place?
Again,
Interact with the space around you,
Whether it's other beings,
That you meet here,
Or objects,
Or symbols.
So take the next minute or two to engage in a two-way interaction with the space around you,
And to explore your relationship with sensation and the elements of earth.
So as this interaction draws to a close,
Again rise up above the earth,
And again gaze down at the four territories beneath you.
Now reflecting on your experience and interaction with these four territories,
You're now going to ask yourself a series of questions.
And as you do,
Just state each question in your mind,
And see what arises from your unconscious mind.
How does the element of fire relate to my ambitions or challenges?
How does the element of water shape my emotional responses or relationships?
In what ways does air affect my thought processes or decision making?
How does earth manifest in my daily life,
Through physical activity,
Or in my connection to the world around me?
Considering these elements,
Where do they blend smoothly or clash in my experiences?
Now having asked each of these questions,
And from this vantage point,
Reflect on in what ways these four modalities,
These four territories,
May not have been in harmony,
Either within themselves,
Or with you,
Or with each other.
And having recognized these conflicts,
You're now going to engage in a symbolic acts of harmonization.
If you aim to reconcile these conflicting elements,
Deepen your relationship with and your conscious awareness of these elements.
So when you feel ready,
Engage in this act of harmonization.
How you do this is entirely up to you.
With the right intention,
You will find the right act.
It may involve traveling down once again to one or more of these territories,
Perhaps sharing something with the space down here,
Whether it's the beings you encounter,
Or making certain changes to the landscape.
Imagine that you can make any change that you need to make.
There are no physical limits here.
This is all part of your own mind.
You may choose to make some kind of reconciliatory gesture or statements,
Or perhaps completely transform elements of the landscape.
So having taken this action to harmonize these elements,
Take a moment just to observe the results of your decisions.
Don't worry if everything isn't completely resolved.
There's no rush with any of this.
And remember that everything you experience in this exercise is a product of your own mind.
And you can always come back to this exercise or this place and continue the work of engaging with and harmonizing and deepening a relationship with your unconscious mind.
Any areas of conflict are not really best thought of as problems,
But just as indications and even opportunities where there is still work to be done.
So just allowing the scene to fade now.
And remember you may wish to journal this experience after the exercise and continue to reflect on it over the coming days and weeks,
As it's likely insights may continue to arise.
So just noticing the space around you now.
Perhaps any physical sensations or sounds.
Taking a deep breath and opening your eyes again in your own time.
