The Chariot:

 

The Chariot:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

The Chariot is associated to the 18^th path on the Tree of Life connecting Geburah to Binah and corresponds to the Hebrew letter Cheth and is ruled by Cancer. The numerical value of this letter is 418 and is the number of the Aeon, however it is the number of every Aeon, and currently as things stand, we are entering the Aeon of Horus. The association with the number corresponding to this card is the result of the path leading from Binah to Geburah and represents the Shekinah, which carries the Logos into the World of Formation. It is the mother that connects us to the Aeon via her influence and in this card her influence is symbolic of the manifestation of the True Will. The martial aspect of this card indicates the dedication inherent along this path, as meaning has been realized as something worth dedicating a tremendous amount of energy towards. The dedication here referred to is nothing less than the inherent need of a child to please its mother. It is interesting that the influence of the Great Mother is to a great extent attributable to the sentimental inclinations of an Adept, as being those inclinations that inspire one to wholeness, within a traditional frame of being, thus 418 is the number of every Aeon and is general and not necessarily Thelemic. Although, at this time, this number's propriety is with Thelema, as Thelema is in perfect harmony with the path of Cheth in the Aeon of Horus.  

There is a struggle between self and the universe experienced at this point, wherein balance means the realization of the True Will, so in a sense the Adept is expected to submit to the influence already established by the higher and not just his higher nature, as this integration had already been experienced in Tiphareth. Conversely then, this card refers to divine communion in the literal sense of the word as uniting the will of the magician with something greater than himself and becoming the expression thereof. Only via accomplishing this union is the foundation laid to further the work, which is the task of the Major Adept in Geburah. Although there is certainly a martial aspect inherent in this card via its connection to Mars, wherefrom the focus is on the nurturing nature of the Great Mother, although the stern nature of her is also something that needs to be factored into the interpretation of this card, from which uncertainty or perhaps stubbornness may lead to failure. But this uncertainty would stem from an inability to integrate one’s individual will or inclinations with the presiding current and would result in tremendous conflict. Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth: “He is throned in the chariot rather than conducting it, because the whole system of progression is perfectly balanced. His only function is to bear the Holy Grail.” This quote refers to the passenger having given himself over to the divine and his will is thus perfectly aligned to that of the universe. Hereby he has become the perfect expression of the divine on earth and only needs at this point to follow the guidance of his Angel.

“Love is the law, love under will.”