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Description
This Artwork is dedicated to the birth of Leon Constantine Andersen at 1.35pm on 2nd of Feb 2010. May his Life be enflamed with the energy of the Sun’s virtue.

The Sun Card.
Artwork and Writings by Alexander Dunton.
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

“He is the Lord of Light, Life, Liberty, and Love”. *1

The Sun Card has taken me a long time to create. It was started in 2008 and has
gone through many transformations. Throughout this journey, many meanings from the card have slowly dawned upon me. Like all of the cards, their interpretations are near limitless and its multi-faceted contemplations both a joy and a struggle to understand.

As my understandings of the card developed however, so too did the imagery; and now at least, I feel as though the Artwork can rest awhile. I feel this card could forever be worked on and refined, and maybe I will do this; but with the prospect of never sharing and never moving on from this, I have decided it now to be right to present ‘The Sun Card’ in its current form.

The Sun card is Liberation; Joyous and without resistance; the simplicity and the all encompassing warmth as it shines through the breaking clouds. We feel it upon our skin, we feel it under our eyes, it radiates deep within, and it nourishes us. The Sun card is a spontaneous illumination and an awakening of a grand idea. It is the conquering of darkness and adversity, and the revelation of being present in the moment. The Sun is the movement in all forms from darkness to light.
It is the coming of a new day.

The solar deity stands in a field of swaying wheat that is ready for harvest. The wheat sways in the gentle wind, bringing back long forgotten memories and future dreams through the sublime faculties of smell and sense. It reminds us of simplicity and childhood happiness and also for the hope of a fulfilling life tomorrow…

He stands with his legs forming an upwards-pointing triangle with its apex touching his heart and the magickal Sun talisman. Here, his body has become the climb to the mountain’s summit of his Heart. Surrounding his feet, the four elemental forces, being balanced, flow into his body and imbue the gestating egg with the energy of the beginnings of life. This egg is also our formative world of ‘thought’. It is the energy which gives rise to the birth of the seedling, and the idea. It is not advisable to look at the Sun directly, but if you gently close your eyes and look towards the sun, you can see behind closed eyelids the illuminated red of our own flesh and blood. This colour is perhaps one of our very first memories after being born. It is the moment before opening our eyes for the very first time.

The egg also represents the alchemy of our growth and development. It is akin to our time of reflection and hiatus, of being ‘underground’ before surfacing into the light of day. As we open the shutters and allow the light in, so to does the egg crack, and the Phoenix being resurrected, rise up to the Sun.

The Tibetan Vajna forms the Solar Deities belt buckle and aligns with the horizon. This symbolizes the physiologic center in the lower abdomen as described through many Eastern mystery schools like Aikido and Chi Gung. It reflects the quality of vitality and strength.

‘Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of IHVH.’ *2

At the Solar Deities Heart shines the seventh pentacle of the Sun, as presented in ‘The Key of Solomon’. ‘On the Arms of the Cross are written the Names of Chasan, Angel of Air; Arel, Angel of Fire; Phorlakh , Angel of Earth’ and Taliahad, Angel of Water. Between the four Arms of the Cross are written the names of the four Rulers of the Elements: Ariel, Seraph, Tharshis, and Cherub. The vesicle is from Psalm cxvi. 1,17: - ‘Thou hast broken by bonds in sunder. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of IHVH.’

The magickal Sun pentacle of Solomon reminds us that for every form of imprisonment in our lives, there is always a way to be set free and find liberation from it. For every darkness in our world, there is illumination. And from every shadow, there is a light. Traditionally, many decks present the Sun card with an encircling stone-wall that divides the mountain from its summit, symbolizing the adversity that needs to be conquered and the journey of struggle that must be traveled on the path to achieve fulfillment. In my rendition of the Sun card however, the stone-wall is of lesser force – the stones themselves are translucent and almost disappear; they seem to melt into the light shining from above. This serves to gently remind us that adversity originates in the mind; for does not the Sun’s light shine on both sides of the wall? If you feel the exhaustion of relentlessly fighting with your adversity and getting nowhere, perhaps it requires a different approach. Instead of needing to ‘break-through’ our barriers, perhaps one can gently walk right through them…

“To Receive And To Radiate”

The Solar Deities hands are lifted to the skies and the Sun as he both ‘receives and radiates’ light. When we receive the warmth and love, do we not radiate that warmth and love ourselves? And likewise, when we offer love and warmth, do we not receive it also? Instead of simply experiencing happiness, we ‘become’ happiness. Happiness isn’t a given in this world, especially if we take the passive role of just appreciating it when it occasionally comes along. Rather, consider ‘happiness’ as a choice. It is a limitless energy that is within you right now.

Surrounding the Sun Deities head is the Solar disc. Upon its perimeter, seven small jewels shine. If you trace the construction of a heptagram (seven pointed star) from it rainbow-coloured apex, you will notice the natural progression of the chromatic spectrum. This literally represents the octaves of vibration upon and within the Earth; the Elohim and the seven ‘Sun’s of Light’. Encircling his auburn hair, the motifs for the twelve Zodiac signs are positioned. These archetypes are perpetually moving and rotating; their position is not fixed.

Finally, enflaming the Solar Deities third-eye, shines forth the Hebrew letter ‘Shin’ which represents both Fire and Spirit. Here, I have associated this Hebrew letter with the ‘Fire in the Head’; the ecstatic and blissful rapture of a mystical experience.

References:

• 1. ‘The Book Of Thoth’ by Aleister Crowley: page 13.
Red Wheel / Weiser Books. Copyright 1944 Ordo Templi Orientis.

• 2. ‘The Key of Solomon the King’ (Clavicula Salomonis) page 74.
Samuel Weiser, Inc 2001.

Description
This Artwork is dedicated to the birth of Leon Constantine Andersen at 1.35pm on 2nd of Feb 2010. May his Life be enflamed with the energy of the Sun’s virtue.

The Sun Card.
Artwork and Writings by Alexander Dunton.
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

“He is the Lord of Light, Life, Liberty, and Love”. *1

The Sun Card has taken me a long time to create. It was started in 2008 and has
gone through many transformations. Throughout this journey, many meanings from the card have slowly dawned upon me. Like all of the cards, their interpretations are near limitless and its multi-faceted contemplations both a joy and a struggle to understand.

As my understandings of the card developed however, so too did the imagery; and now at least, I feel as though the Artwork can rest awhile. I feel this card could forever be worked on and refined, and maybe I will do this; but with the prospect of never sharing and never moving on from this, I have decided it now to be right to present ‘The Sun Card’ in its current form.

The Sun card is Liberation; Joyous and without resistance; the simplicity and the all encompassing warmth as it shines through the breaking clouds. We feel it upon our skin, we feel it under our eyes, it radiates deep within, and it nourishes us. The Sun card is a spontaneous illumination and an awakening of a grand idea. It is the conquering of darkness and adversity, and the revelation of being present in the moment. The Sun is the movement in all forms from darkness to light.
It is the coming of a new day.

The solar deity stands in a field of swaying wheat that is ready for harvest. The wheat sways in the gentle wind, bringing back long forgotten memories and future dreams through the sublime faculties of smell and sense. It reminds us of simplicity and childhood happiness and also for the hope of a fulfilling life tomorrow…

He stands with his legs forming an upwards-pointing triangle with its apex touching his heart and the magickal Sun talisman. Here, his body has become the climb to the mountain’s summit of his Heart. Surrounding his feet, the four elemental forces, being balanced, flow into his body and imbue the gestating egg with the energy of the beginnings of life. This egg is also our formative world of ‘thought’. It is the energy which gives rise to the birth of the seedling, and the idea. It is not advisable to look at the Sun directly, but if you gently close your eyes and look towards the sun, you can see behind closed eyelids the illuminated red of our own flesh and blood. This colour is perhaps one of our very first memories after being born. It is the moment before opening our eyes for the very first time.

The egg also represents the alchemy of our growth and development. It is akin to our time of reflection and hiatus, of being ‘underground’ before surfacing into the light of day. As we open the shutters and allow the light in, so to does the egg crack, and the Phoenix being resurrected, rise up to the Sun.

The Tibetan Vajna forms the Solar Deities belt buckle and aligns with the horizon. This symbolizes the physiologic center in the lower abdomen as described through many Eastern mystery schools like Aikido and Chi Gung. It reflects the quality of vitality and strength.

‘Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of IHVH.’ *2

At the Solar Deities Heart shines the seventh pentacle of the Sun, as presented in ‘The Key of Solomon’. ‘On the Arms of the Cross are written the Names of Chasan, Angel of Air; Arel, Angel of Fire; Phorlakh , Angel of Earth’ and Taliahad, Angel of Water. Between the four Arms of the Cross are written the names of the four Rulers of the Elements: Ariel, Seraph, Tharshis, and Cherub. The vesicle is from Psalm cxvi. 1,17: - ‘Thou hast broken by bonds in sunder. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of IHVH.’

The magickal Sun pentacle of Solomon reminds us that for every form of imprisonment in our lives, there is always a way to be set free and find liberation from it. For every darkness in our world, there is illumination. And from every shadow, there is a light. Traditionally, many decks present the Sun card with an encircling stone-wall that divides the mountain from its summit, symbolizing the adversity that needs to be conquered and the journey of struggle that must be traveled on the path to achieve fulfillment. In my rendition of the Sun card however, the stone-wall is of lesser force – the stones themselves are translucent and almost disappear; they seem to melt into the light shining from above. This serves to gently remind us that adversity originates in the mind; for does not the Sun’s light shine on both sides of the wall? If you feel the exhaustion of relentlessly fighting with your adversity and getting nowhere, perhaps it requires a different approach. Instead of needing to ‘break-through’ our barriers, perhaps one can gently walk right through them…

“To Receive And To Radiate”

The Solar Deities hands are lifted to the skies and the Sun as he both ‘receives and radiates’ light. When we receive the warmth and love, do we not radiate that warmth and love ourselves? And likewise, when we offer love and warmth, do we not receive it also? Instead of simply experiencing happiness, we ‘become’ happiness. Happiness isn’t a given in this world, especially if we take the passive role of just appreciating it when it occasionally comes along. Rather, consider ‘happiness’ as a choice. It is a limitless energy that is within you right now.

Surrounding the Sun Deities head is the Solar disc. Upon its perimeter, seven small jewels shine. If you trace the construction of a heptagram (seven pointed star) from it rainbow-coloured apex, you will notice the natural progression of the chromatic spectrum. This literally represents the octaves of vibration upon and within the Earth; the Elohim and the seven ‘Sun’s of Light’. Encircling his auburn hair, the motifs for the twelve Zodiac signs are positioned. These archetypes are perpetually moving and rotating; their position is not fixed.

Finally, enflaming the Solar Deities third-eye, shines forth the Hebrew letter ‘Shin’ which represents both Fire and Spirit. Here, I have associated this Hebrew letter with the ‘Fire in the Head’; the ecstatic and blissful rapture of a mystical experience.

References:

• 1. ‘The Book Of Thoth’ by Aleister Crowley: page 13.
Red Wheel / Weiser Books. Copyright 1944 Ordo Templi Orientis.

• 2. ‘The Key of Solomon the King’ (Clavicula Salomonis) page 74.
Samuel Weiser, Inc 2001.