Topic: Metempsychosis

The worldview expressed in the deck involves the reincarnation of souls, or metempsychosis, with the Milky Way serving as a portal between worlds. This Orphic tradition survived for over 1,200 years despite attempts by the Christian Emperor Justinian to suppress it. The Byzantine civil service remained deeply imbued with Hellenistic pagan values through the study of classical literature and philosophy well into the 15th century.

While Plato's original philosophy envisioned a selfless elite dedicated to justice and devoid of personal wealth, this ideal was corrupted into "dark Platonism." The original Platonic dialogues, such as the Alcibiades, focused on how an elite should govern a society justly through spiritual enlightenment. Over time, the esoteric mechanisms intended to ensure a self-perpetuating just leadership were instead used to maintain family wealth and power.