About the Eight Immortal Orders (SKT Revelation)

On By benebellIn Spirit Keeper's Tarot

7/30/2023 UPDATE: There was a typo in the previous download. If you downloaded prior to 7/30, please re-download the below-linked handout.

Profiles of the Eight Orders & Their Attributes

Every deck from the second print run of SKT Revelation is initiated into one of eight lineaged orders, based on a synthesis of the Egyptian Ogdoad, the Taoist Eight Immortals, and the eight trigrams of East Asian metaphysics, though the cycle of eight is significant in Western occult and mystery traditions as well.

The docx file format is provided in addition to the pdf in case you want to cut and paste the text to integrate into your personal journaling or record-keeping.

I wanted to Craft through the premise that by assigning each deck to one of the eight Orders, whereby the grouping of all decks in the print run in that Order would become a lineage, the deck would be imbued with a specific character and attributes profile.

Then by you making the conscious decision to order one of these decks, that act of intention itself emits a magnetic attractive force to draw toward you the deck of the Order that will most empower you to achieve your Great Work and to be most prosperous and protected.

I hope these profile page spreads will help you to better understand the range of each Order’s attributes and potential, because sometimes the name of the Order can inadvertently limit what you think it is capable of. The Order of Warriors, for instance, isn’t just about fighting the good fight, or being capable of fighting your fights. It’s all aspects of exchange (the key trait of the trigram Lake), the way hand to hand combat is but one form of exchange.

This is exchange determinative by the alchemical phase Metal. And of course there’s some cross-over, where decks from the Order of Healers are most attuned for healing, but aren’t the only healers. The essence of exchange in the Warriors is why it’s also associated with Key 17 in the SKT deck, The Healer.

Please note that for the table titled “Elemental Correspondence” on the first page of each Order entry, there is some overlap because the correspondences follow the Wu Xing five alchemical movements correspondence for the trigram, and there are eight trigrams. Both the trigrams Heaven and Lake (Virtuoso and Warrior respectively) correspond with Metal; only the Fire trigram (Philosopher) corresponds with Fire (the elemental), however; both Thunder and Wind (Warrior and Shaman) correspond with Wind; only Water (Healer) corresponds with Water (the elemental); and both Mountain and Earth (Alchemist and Enchanter) correspond with Earth. The Wu Xing Five Movements reconciliation with the four Aristotelian elements of Western occult philosophy is explained in The Book of Maps and I Ching, The Oracle.

For the section titled “Egyptian Ogdoad,” the first row features the Hermopolis ogdoad as four male-female pairs. Each pairing corresponds with the Golden Dawn elemental association, i.e., Kuk and Kauket to the two trigrams corresponding with Fire; Nun and Naunet to the two trigrams corresponding with Water; Amun and Amunet to the two trigrams corresponding with Air; Heh and Hauhet corresponding with the trigram Earth. The male counterpart of the male-female pairs is assigned to the yang trigram of the elemental pairs and the female counterpart is assigned to the yin trigram of the elemental pairs.

Then the Taoist Eight Immortals and the Buddhist Eight Bodhisattvas are the classical correspondences to the eight trigrams. Other core attributes of each Order are derived from the Wu Xing alchemical essence along with the Golden Dawn elemental correspondences, all in an effort to reconcile diverse mystery traditions.

To share my own experiences in hopes that it might offer context or help to inform, through a random sorting and drawing process, the deck that became my working deck came from the Order of Spellcasters, which upon first impression my gut was to say this did not resonate.

And yet the more I reflected on the full spectrum of correspondences and attributes associated with the Spellcasters and self-reflected on my own journey and where I was on that path, this connection started to make more sense. At this point I feel deeply bonded to my workhorse copy of the deck.

I did want to clarify that although I use a lot of culture- and tradition-specific references, they are provided in the hopes that the personification aspect is helpful, that it will inspire you to better understand the spectrum of attributes associated with your deck’s Order. These specific references are not determinative.

In the same way that you are both that three-paragraph summary of your biography and so much more beyond what could be said in words, and thus multifaceted, the Orders cover a varied scope of attributes, though sure, arising from some root archetypes.

I also realize that in rare cases, part of the journey is re-assignment, and to know thyself is to work through that uncomfortable growth process, to realize that a self-affirmative re-assignment is what’s needed to set you on the course of achieving your Great Work. So yes, we do have a process in place for re-assignments into another Order of your choosing.

We only ask that you take some time to really think about it. It may very well be a necessary part of your journey. Or it may very well be like what I went through– not fully understanding myself in my current situation, or the connection, or the deck’s lineage before realizing yes, in fact, this is exactly the guide I need at this time.

If and when you realize this is a necessary part of your work with the deck, please feel free to reach out to us at abelldelivers (at) gmail (dot) com, the same e-mail address you used for ordering the SKT.

As I was numbering the certificate cards, it was so interesting to see the numerological correlations. So the sequence of Orders go as follows: Virtuoso (Heaven), Warrior (Lake), Philosopher (Fire), Spellcaster (Thunder), Shaman (Wind), Healer (Water), Alchemist (Mountain), and Enchanter (Earth). I number in sequence, and so it was a lot of fun seeing which numbers end up in which archetypes. For instance, 9, 777, and 999 are associated with the trigram Heaven; 666 is a Warrior, 333 with Shaman, 888 an Enchanter.

And then as we got into the four-digit numbers that remind us of calendar years, seeing which years are associated with which archetypes, like 2020 was a Spellcaster year, corresponding with the trigram Thunder. 2021 was the Shaman, so then 2022 was the Healer, this year 2023 is the Alchemist, and next year 2024 will be the Enchanter. The numerology “works” because of the methodology– following the classical sequence of creation of the trigrams and then numbering per the total number of trigrams (eight).

By the way, I have really enjoyed reading what you’ve been sharing both on social media and in your e-mail communications to me about your relationship with the Order your deck was assigned to. Whether it resonated or it did not, whether it was immediate or there was a struggle, I value the insights your experience provides me with. If you share on social media, please be sure to tag me! 🙂

Hearing about how you work with the SKT is, without comparison, the most rewarding part of all of this. So thank you. ❤

21 thoughts on “About the Eight Immortal Orders (SKT Revelation)”

  1. tabithaweber

    I was just thinking about this the other day. I originally ordered this deck the same day you sent out emails saying it was available for preorder I think back in November maybe. And so I would have gotten a different immortal order than what I’m getting because I had to cancel that first order because I moved. So part of me am curious what I would have gotten. But I guess it was meant to be. Interesting to think about. My deck will be here Tuesday and I can’t wait to see what I got.

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    1. Julie

      I had hashed out this when I received my deck. I found your previous posts on how to assign your prior decks using trigrams. I must say any of the 8 orders and their corresponding attributes are a blessing. In my minds eye I can envision the hope and desires (including the labels they convey), but I beat down the flesh, lust, and ego and embrace the initiation my deck received. My deck happens to resonate with me. It adds layers to my craft.

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  2. Jaime O'Leary

    Hi Benebell! I was excited to read about the Orders and being very artsy and a musician, I was delighted that my deck belonged to the Virtuoso lineage.
    Question: as I was reading the pdf, specifically about The Creator, I noticed that its element, Metal, is the same as The Warrior and that a paragraph in the description is identical to one in the description of The Warrior. Is this because of overlap, that you mentioned the Orders may have? Perhaps where the Warrior and the Creator have the same elemental correspondence?

    Also, a silly aside sort of comment and a few curious questions about the Holy Anointing oil: as someone who was delighted in watching your process with the deck’s creation back in 2018 and associated posts and videos, like the making of the Holy Anointing Oil, I just wanted to mention that I noticed the noticed how the oil’s scent has matured over time. I have a copy of the first edition SKT and I remember the scent of the oil at that time being lemongrass dominant – very bright, green and fresh. I remember because my reaction to it’s very strong but pleasant scent led me to include lemongrass essential oil more in my own oil blends and to include lemongrass insence in my spiritual practice. Upon receiving my copy of SKT Revelation, I noticed the scent had changed significantly. I didn’t get the lemongrass notes at all rather upon maturation the oil smells much more pungent and earthy, the patchouli and sandalwood now being most prominent to me. What are your thoughts on how the Oil has matured over time. I realize the expense, but would you attempt at making it again? Would you now tweak it to create your own version using the original recipe as a base, or stick to the holy texts recipe because.of its spiritual significance?

    I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of cook that follows directions to the letter initially, but once I do, then I like to tweak and experiment with any subsequent attempts.

    It’s truly been a joy to watch your progress with this endeavour. 🙂

    From a fan across the continent, all the best!

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    1. Hi Jaime:

      Please note that for the table titled “Elemental Correspondence” on the first page of each Order entry, there is some overlap because the correspondences follow the Wu Xing five alchemical movements correspondence for the trigram, and there are eight trigrams. Both the trigrams Heaven and Lake (Virtuoso and Warrior respectively) correspond with Metal; only the Fire trigram (Philosopher) corresponds with Fire (the elemental), however; both Thunder and Wind (Warrior and Shaman) correspond with Wind; only Water (Healer) corresponds with Water (the elemental); and both Mountain and Earth (Alchemist and Enchanter) correspond with Earth. The Wu Xing Five Movements reconciliation with the four Aristotelian elements of Western occult philosophy is explained in The Book of Maps and I Ching, The Oracle.

      Re: the scent of the holy anointing oil, no at this point I don’t follow a fixed recipe. I make a new batch for each edition/print run. It’s the same recipe but yes, like a cook, each time you make the same dish, it may come out just a little differently, depending on the ingredients themselves. Lemongrass from the 2019 harvest is very different from the 2022 harvest, etc. Source of my myrrh resin back in 2018 isn’t the same source of my myrrh resin today. ❤

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      1. Oh, okay. I questioned it because the paragraph on Metal dominance in the Virtuoso Order is specific to The Warrior and not to Virtuoso’s The Creator so I was just a little confused. I understand that they are both Metal dominant and will study it further for my own clarification. Thanks for your response. 🙂

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        1. Re: Holy anointing oil: very cool.
          Yes, I see how differently sourced materials would affect each batch. I appreciate the research and work you put into the creation of the oils and the deck. I am in awe of how you are able to bring all of the information together, not just with the oil, but your research into ancient texts and religions, reconciling and integrating this information with sacred maths and sciences.

          As someone with learning disabilities who has great difficulty with certain subjects but tries to study them anyway, I really appreciate and value your interpretations and explanations of all of the things. ❤

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  3. Sm E

    I completely resonate with the Order of the deck I received, The Order of the Spellcasters! Astrologically, Jupiter is a very important planet in our household and I am a Wood Tiger so those correspondences are a couple of ways this card links up with me on a personal level. Also, last year I adopted a senior cat named Thor (he came with that name). I was tickled pink to see that The Order of the Spellcasters corresponds to the Norse god Thor!

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  4. I also completely resonate with the Order (Philosopher) of the deck I received. It really came to life when I did the exercises in the Book of Readings. Perhaps you could highlight the pages or provide a digital of these exercises for everyone who has purchased the deck. I really love working through the Book of Readings…I am learning so much. Thank you for all the hard work and detail you put in all you do.
    It is much appreciated.

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  5. tabithaweber

    I got my deck today! Order of the alchemist of course. I really feel this one and look forward to working with it. I’ve been putting off meditation even though I know it’s a key for me. I’m also A double Taurus and I have an overwhelming amount of earth in my birth chart. My favorite card is always the hermit and I love nothing more than to be elbow deep in dirt gardening. Idk if you did an article and I missed it or if maybe you did a video specific to the orders and how to use them practically in our practice and with our deck? But it would be super amazing if you did/would. I’d loved to really get deep here and be able to apply my order to my readings and life. Thanks so much! I love my deck. It’s beautiful. 💜

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  6. William Ballweber

    Hi Bell! I wanted to let you know that everything about this deck resonates deeply with me, my immortal order is exactly perfect, the artwork is immaculate, the cultural histories entrenched in each card… and on and on. I’ve never imagined so much could be packed into a deck of cards. One question though, do you have any advice on reversals? They aren’t mentioned in the LWB or the book of maps? In any event, thank you for your hard work and will to create!

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  7. Sean

    I am thrilled about the deck that you chose for me. The Spellcaster Deck. I so very much so resonate with this path, being a Wicca, Witch, Reiki Master. I connect with the elemental forces to cast spells to clear spaces of lower vibrating, harmful, darker energies. Transmuting those energies to a higher vibration and healing those affected by those energies. I also resonate with Zeus, Thor, Shango THUNDERERS. It’s funny when I saw Spellcaster i was excited, but going through each one of the cards i felt the same way you felt that i didn’t resonate with the cards. But i cleared the uck thoughts and feelings and told myself no, im going to work with the cards and attune and intune myself with the system, give myself to read what the system is all about.
    I’m wondering if you could answer this question if you are aware of it or not but, is the energy of this year vibrating in the spectrum of tarot/oracle cards, our is this normal because towards the beginning of this year I felt strongly drawn to learn tarot. I should have learned it 20+ years ago but I was too lazy to learn the meanings of each of the cards, then I found oracle cards, Doreens specifically and they were so easy to read starting with her angel card deck and almost every deck after that until they really started to get ridiculous. But anyways it just seems I’ve been seeing tarot this tarot that, learn tarot here and there, free tarot classes online etc or is this normal every year?
    I’m wondering about the smell of the anointing oil, which I love the idea, and reading from a previous comment that the aroma is patchouli and myrrh, I was wondering if it is very faint because I am not sure if that is what I smell or that the smell is of new cards or the ink. I love the magnet also. I forgot was that for the intention to clear it repel negative energies from the cards? I hope you get chance to answer the questions. Thanks again. I also got the Virtuoso deck but I’m feeling the Spellcaster Deck right now so that will a collection piece or until it calls to me. I also love that you signed your name and a specific number. Do you know what else is really MAGICKAL about my Spellcaster Deck? My certified official number is
    #962. 9+6+2=17, 1+7=8. Not only that the 8 Immortal pdf starts on page 7. When i scrolled to Spellcaster it said 7 of 16 pages. 716 is my birthday. I just love to see the synchronicities of this deck. Thank you.

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  8. Dawn

    Unlike many of the other posters so far I do not resonate with the order of my deck. Mine is the Warrior and this is not the work I’m meant for in this lifetime. I’ve taken a different approach to the deck because of this and so far everything is going quite well!
    I love the deck and am very much enjoying working with it.

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  9. I ordered two decks, I always need a backup just in case! I decided before opening the package, which ever I took out first, that was to be the primary deck. I received Warrior and Alchemist, Warrior is the primary deck. Both, of course in very different ways are correct for me and I couldn’t be more pleased.

    On another note, it only took about an hour of shuffling and manipulating the deck to have all the cards move quite freely. I am an over hand shuffler, never a riffle but that’s my issue 😀, and I am not experiencing any difficulties.

    The colors on this edition – this is a much richer, more vibrant deck and with the new depth of color I see much more detail than I did with the first release. Bravo!!

    I looked forward to working through the Book of Readings, I did have it printed out in color and that was excellent advice as for me it will make the process much easier.

    Thank you Benebell, this is quite a spectacular body of both work and art.

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  11. Stephanie M.

    Mine is Order of the Enchanters as I think I’ve mentioned before, and it fits. I’ve got strong water signs and do I ever have the emotions and personality traits of a watery nature. One of my main focuses is to offset all that water and become more grounded. Boom. Earth deck. Perfect 🥰 then when I saw Hekate, who I’ve felt called to this year on top of that? I mean, you can’t make this stuff up.

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  15. Anonymous

    Hi! As I read about the numbers and their correspondence with the archetypes, I got curious. Could you tell me which archetype is 444 associated with? It’s a special number for me, as for the last year’s I’m seeing it (as well as 4444 and 44) almost everywhere.

    Thanks

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