Over the last month, I have had success with aligning myself with Marbas’ will re: Never Climax Alone. Now, the Blood Moon has passed and the NCA working has been solidfied and made reality, so I ponder what waits down the line in my dedication to Marbas. I seek to deepen my connection with Marbas, learning from him, and tangibly serve him as a path toward enlightenment and spiritual fulfillment. In the background, developments with my Magus’ coming out as non-binary has forced me to regard my own gender identify as masculine male, to confront the male toxicity programmed into me by my father’s treatment of my child self, and to consider venerating female demonic patron and through this to develop an awareness of my own feminine energies.

The Spread

I chose the tarot to my go-to divination method; no surprise there. So, trying to find the path forward with Marbas, I chose two decks to use: The Sabbath Tarot, a Satanic/Witch oriented standard tarot deck for the main question, and the newly published Sabbath LeNormand, a different, more casual deck I would use to clarify questions I might have. I issue the caveat using this method because I have almost no experience with the LeNormand deck, which has imagery very unlike the standard tarot, so I may not have the experience necessary to really interpret what I pulled from it.

I chose the “Heavenly Stairs” Spread that I learned about from The Tarot Compendium, by Lo Scarabeo. This book and it’s two companion books (Tarot Fundamentals, Tarot Experience) are gorgeous books with a wealth of information in them about all aspects of Tarot.

The Heavenly Stairs spread means to show a starting point (the Querent card) and the ending point (the Outcome card), with three steps between. The unusual feature of this spread is that the querent himself chooses cards from the deck for both the best representations of the Querent and Outcome, and the tarot practitioner deals the three steps between them to show the progression.

I chose as my Querent card: XII-Marked Man, which depicts a representative of Hell (or, I suppose, the charismatic Devil himself) standing before a kneeling occult practitioner, erasing the baptismal mark on his forehead in order that the witch might be free from his past indoctrinations and can begin anew, able to gain greater knowledge, able to travel further along his path.

I chose as my Outcome card: V The High Priest, which depicts an empowered occult practitioner in his cathedral and in his regalia, using his grimoire of magick to cast, to teach his ministry in the name of his greater Patron. Given I seek greater alignment with Marbas, becoming his High Priest (or whatever equivalent title or honorific) remains my goal.

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With these cards chosen, I prayed to Lucifer and recited his enn, invoking his command of sorcery to guide my divination casting. I prayed to Marbas and recited his enn, invoking his will for me and how I might align with him. As I did this, I shuffled the decks minus the two cards.

Once done, I pulled the three “step” cards, meditated on them, researched their symbolic meaning, and took notes. After this was done, I pulled three “clarification” cards, one for each of the steps, from the Sabbath LeNormad deck, and did the same meditation and research into their symbols.

I not sure how relevant this two phase approach was to the actual meaning of the reading, but I want to be candid regarding my practice in case it helps anyone else who might be learning from my example.

Step 1 / Card 3

The card VII of Staffs represents the first step in the next phase. A horned god stands on the edge of his forest domain, holding his staff of power and fighting off the croziers of the Abrahamic religious orders. By holding his cock, the god is marked as quintessentially male, a symbol of masculine virility. The staff his his right hand is no less important than the cock in his left, or the stag horns on his head.

Upright, this card speaks of victory over oppression, especially attempts at spiritual or religious orthodoxy as they wave their symbols at him. It’s interesting that the croziers are ornate representations of the classic bishop’s sheep hook staff used to corral wayward livestock, but that waving them at a primal god is next to useless.

The image speaks of masculine virility and lust, foundational notions to my spiritual path. It speaks of Cernuous, a deity I exalted back in my Wiccan days and which still lurks in my consciousness. It speaks of my fight against Abrahamic programming from my Roman Catholic upbringing and the notions that I have been “radicalized” against religious conservatism based on living through their constant attacks on LGBTIA+ individuals for my entire life.

Have I won? Am I victorious, as the card suggests? If not 100% victorious, I do feel like I’ve turned a corner in my awareness over my own toxicity and the extent to which I have been programmed. I work every day to root out the programs and confront my own thinking; that in itself is a victory.

Note also that the card is a 7 card, which connects it to The Chariot card, that suggests reaching a desired goal through self-control, habit, and discipline. Given the literal habits I confront to break, I think this resonance applies.

I drew the card XXIX-Person card from the Sabbath LeNormand as the clarifying card to the VII of Staffs. This card refers to a person with feminine energy, either literally female or of female gender identity, but who exhibits th classic feminine traits for intuitive spirituality, a nuturing nature, and someone with strong seductive or psychic abilities.

This card spoke to me as my Magus, Jack Drago, who has recently come out as Non-Binary and thus, sparked my own exploration into my own definitions of masculinity and maleness.

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Step 2 / Card 4

A dire warning has been drawn in the form of XVI The Pyre, wherein a witch or occult practitioner burns at the stake, his material world being obliterated in fire even as the opportunity for spiritual growth arrives. The Pyre offers upheaval and catastrophe. Whereas the suit of Staffs are associated with the Fires of passion and will, the fire here is destructive and painful.

The Pyre cannot be escaped; it’s a test of character. How does one respond? Can one keep one’s courage and dignity as the fire consumes his material world?

This speaks to a great upheaval that comes for me. The result will test my ability to keep my spiritual center and to become what I need to become, as a classic crucible might. The dross will be burned away, but what will remain? The answer belongs to me to create.

I drew from the Sabbath LeNormad deck, the card IX-Bouquet. Literally a bouquet of flowers, speaking of delight, gifts, and appreciation, as one might receive a bouquet in thanks for an action or to celebrate an event. It speaks of a flourishing of happiness, life and kindness.

My inexperience with the LeNormand deck obviously applies here, because I can find no viable interpretation for this card juxtaposed against The Pyre. As a learning experience to those tarot practitioners, this happens. Sometimes the connections are just not there; sometimes they won’t become apparent until later when The Pyre manifests. 

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Step 3 / Card 5

A great betrayal pierces the querent in the X of Blades, where a naked magical practitioner kneels reeling inside a sacred circle, with ten swords impaling his back. Even so, he has not died, but struggles still revealing his perseverance and his willpower. 

The card speaks of great despair and ruin, with plans destroyed, goals thwarted and abandoned, all due to the betrayal of one’s allies and enemies alike. Previous good fortune has no bearing on the ruin that befalls the querent; the betrayal stands and he reels into darkness. He takes that darkness within him as a new source of strength.

As a 10 card, the betrayal feels encompassing and complete; a whole. The 10 connects with the Wheel of Fortune and the Judgement cards in the major arcana, lending to the resonance of totality and decision. Yes, the betrayal of the querent was harsh and, in its way, total. But, the betrayal is not over and it’s consequences can not be processed.

As the clarifying card from the Sabbath LeNormad, the IV-House card represents home, security, protection, property and ownership. The betrayal from the X of Blades cuts at the comfort and safety, the privacy, the physical place of routine and tradition.

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Overview

As a chain of events, steps, or goals, the cards hold together. Battling with orthodoxy (new or past) with the assistance of a feminine energy (my own or some else’s sparking my own) leads to a great upheaval that must be faced with courage and conviction. The upheaval cannot be avoided and will lead to a ruination of my current situation or lifestyle, possibly fueled by a betrayal of those I trust, but leading me to a position where I can fully confront my shadow energies and become more aligned with Marbas.

I feel like this single reading cannot encompass the total journey between my current state and becoming a “Magister” of Marbas, but it’s the next arc of the journey.