The title of this blog, “Our Magical Universe,” was chosen to distinguish our universe from what’s known as a “deterministic” universe, which is the universe most hardcore materialists and atheists believe they live in. These people deny that we possess freewill and further assert the universe is driven entirely by the cosmic Law of Cause and Effect: every cause has an effect and every effect becomes the cause of something else. In other words, they describe a dead, computational universe not a spiritually vibrant living universe.

Scientific arguments support the atheistic thesis simply because science cannot (yet) account for consciousness, hence freewill. Around the time of Copernicus and Galileo the Church wisely decided it was best to leave science to scientists and in return scientists would then leave spirituality (and consciousness) to the Church. Since then, science has done a splendid job in its domain; the Church, not so much. Sadly, the Church, particularly the Western Church, stresses dogma and “correct beliefs” rather than individual spiritual growth. The Protestant Reformation was the result of the imposition of rigid dogma (and Vatican corruption, which is worse today than ever).

A few thoughts about fate and destiny. Fate is consistent with a deterministic universe; destiny is consistent with a living universe. Chrysalis does not believe in fate, which is a fixed, deterministic construct. We do, however, believe in destiny. Look at it this way: fate is a “done deal” and cannot be influenced at all, while destiny can be. Indeed, destiny is influenced constantly by human choices (freewill) and human agency – the freedom and ability to think and act for one’s self. Fate, by definition, is controlled by a Divine puppetmaster or by no God at all; Destiny, on the other hand, is controlled by humanity in both concert and cooperation with the Divine.

Today marks the anniversary of the Third Apparition of Fatima, which occurred on July 13, 1917, in a series of six apparitions made famous both by the “Miracle of the Sun,” witnessed by a crowd of 70,000 believers and non-believers alike, and by its terrifying prophecies and visions of Hell. During those 1917 apparitions, Mary predicted World War II – “a new and greater war,” just as Europe began to recover from the devastation of World War I. She also shared another prophetic vision with the three young seers: A vision of the Pope, along with other bishops, priests, religious and lay people, being killed by soldiers.

It would be incorrect to interpret this prophecy fatalistically. Pope Benedict XVI himself noted that the prophecy “is meant to mobilize the forces of change in the right direction.” Forewarned should be forearmed but it is abundantly clear that today the “forces of change” are not moving in the right direction. In fact, the apocalyptical path we are now on will destroy civilization as we know it.

This is our editor’s favorite card – the Two of Spirals, which emphasizes the freedom of choice. Most tarot decks promote the ideals of individual choice and freewill, but not all have upheld the spiritual dignity of tarot. The informed exercise of free choice is likely our only salvation.

We sense an impoverishment of spirituality in today’s world; a foreboding of hopelessness amidst insipid vapors of evil as humanity blithely charges head first and helter skelter in the wrong direction.

I encourage Chrysalids to take out their decks and seek authentic direction – spiritual direction – from your Higher Self and the Divine. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to email me directly at: toney@chrysalistarot.com

“Our society today, which is fully enmeshed in the snares of relativism, demands we tolerate — and even affirm — that which we know is evil, all in the name of individual autonomy. Warnings of eternal punishment are no longer in vogue. Yet how can we claim the notion of Hell makes us too uncomfortable to discuss? Are we more cowardly than three small children who saw its horrors and were filled with resolution rather than terror?” ~ This is a quote from Kelly Marcum, who studied International Politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and received her M.A. from the War Studies Department at King’s College London.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” ~ Ephesians 6:12

© Toney Brooks, 2022