The Syzygy Oracle
Syzygy?
Astronomically, ‘syzygy’ (pronounced scissor-gee) refers to a specific conjunction of the sun, moon and earth at a certain time in the cosmic cycle. Jung used this term to describe the balancing of the opposites. On Mother Earth, our ego development is profoundly influenced by the the radiance of the sun and the luminescence of the moon as we journey between light and darkness, physically and metaphorically. In The Syzygy Oracle we consider how solar energy effects ego development as the lunar glow influences the evolution of our essence. We learn to balance the two as we travel the twenty-two pathways of Kabbalah’s Tree of Life (Eitz Chaim.) Offered as a daily spiritual practice rather than a tool of prognostication, the hero’s journey offers this fresh interpretation of the Tarot’s ‘Major Arcana as an introduction to the mysteries of kabbalah. The Tree of Life (Eitz Chaim) is the map of the journey just as the Tarot becomes a tool for understanding the Tree of Life. Irrespective of your knowledge or personal association with Hebrew or the cards of the Tarot deck, The Syzygy Oracle provides and accessible entry point for everyone.
Honoring The Sacred or Divine Feminine, the spiritual practice offered here is an invitation to recognize and welcome intuitive wisdom more definitively into everyday awareness. A fresh interpretation of the traditional Major Arcana for women, the patriarchal layering of the cards is lifted to reveal a timeless and timely revelation of intuitive wisdom in a sequence of insightful, profound, and empowering teachings for any woman who wishes to read her own life story as more substantive than superficial.
Twenty-two of these cards reinterpret the Tarot’s Major Arcana. Aligning the cards with the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, we access three levels of soul consciousness, in Hebrew known as nefesh, ruach and neshamah through the specific letter, number and story of each card. Meet inspirational archetypes from world culture to light the way. Through meditations and mantras, discover your personal hero’s journey that is a crucial part of evolving consciousness. Ten additional cards representing the ‘sefirot’ or energy centers, offer the Tree of Life as an experiential introduction to Kabbalah.
Coincidence and kabbalah, symbols and synchronicities, metaphors and mantras enrich and deepen life’s experience. This mythic and metaphoric interpretation liberates these cards solely from the realm of prognostication and presents a meditative and inspirational tool for a daily personal practice. Heather Mendel’s elegant, powerful images, full of mystery and complexity, will forever change the way you view the wisdom of the ancient Tarot.
See what others are saying
Thomas Moore, author of Care of The Soul, and A Religion of One’s Own:
“The Syzygy Oracle is a fresh, imaginative resource for spiritual practice. Connecting the Kabbalah with the Tarot brings out hidden richness in each. The images and suggestions for practice point us in new directions for meditation and personal ritual. This is what we should be doing with the traditions: keeping them alive, imagining them forward, making them our own. There’s a genius in this work of Heather Mendel.”
Barbara Marx Hubbard, Foundation For Conscious Evolution:
“With exquisite artistry and spiritual depth Heather Mendel offers a new classic in spiritual literature and artistic expression. ‘The Syzygy Oracle’ combines ancient wisdom, a modern feminine spirituality and a deep Jewish soul quality for accessing the mystery of this revelation in our daily lives. It is truly an original work of spiritual art.”
Rachel Pollack, author of Tarot Wisdom
“With images that are both striking and subtly complex, Heather Mendel brings together Tarot with the Otiot (the Hebrew letters) and the pathways on the Tree of Life. There is a long tradition of such links, but usually from the standpoint of “Western,” or occult, Kabbalah. Heather Mendel has wisely gone to the source, the deep and rich Jewish teachings going back hundreds of years. In our time many have understood Jewish Kabbalah to point the way to restoring the feminine aspect of God (in Hebrew, Yihud, or “union”). The Syzygy Oracle illuminates these Sacred Feminine pathways along the Tree.”
Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Amazing Chesed: Living a Grace-filled Judaism
“The deepest wisdom lies within, and it is the work of religious, mythic, and spiritual symbols to mirror that inner wisdom and bring it to consciousness. Heather Mendel’s masterful investigation into both Kabbalah and Tarot, and her graphically magical rendition of these cards, provide a powerful mirror with which to excavate the interior treasure house and thereby allow the wisdom contained within to transform the lives we live.”
Rabbi Jerry Steinberg, author of Rogue Rabbi – From Seminary to Ashram and Beyond
“In The Syzygy Oracle, Heather Mendel, creatively and with insight, brings together the worlds of Kabbalah and mainstream Jewish thought. The cards she beautifully crafted interpret the Tarot in the context of Jewish mysticism, each incorporating one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. To this she adds an additional ten cards reflecting the realms of mystical consciousness as perceived by Kabbalists over the centuries. One can only stand in awe of this work which will allow the reader to touch the soul of Judaism in a deep and profound way. For those already familiar with the standard Tarot, The Syzygy Oracle will add a new and exciting dimension that will guide and nourish the soul.”
Robert Sachs, author of Becoming Buddha: Awakening the Wisdom and Compassion to Change Your World
“Heather Mendel has given herself a noble task that few are willing to embark upon, let alone complete. Staying true to her kabbalistic roots and commitment to a modern feminist vision of where the feminine and masculine engage in a mutual dance of creation, she takes the wisdom of Kabbalah and the practicality of the Tarot, both rooted in the our innate primordial intuition, and creates a tool that will give each person who uses it greater clarity and empowerment in moving forward in their lives. The Syzygy Oracle is a both new and ancient, taking what is effective and making it accessible today. Quite a gift to all.”
Eve Baumol Neuhaus, author of The Crazy Wisdom of Ganesh Baba
“What a wonderful concept. Heather’s exquisite intuitively-drawn cards and beautifully layered interpretations are deep and wise, rich, and intriguing.”
Ernest Lawrence Rossi and Kathryn Lane Rossi, authors of Creating New Consciousness in Everyday Life: The Psycho-Social Genomics of Self Creation
“Plato, Euclid and Jung’s teachings are reflected in Heather Mendel’s work. The Syzygy Oracle is a practical guide for daily archetypical meditation and creating new consciousness in our time.”