Wands:

 

Wands:

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

Two of Wands:

This card indicates Fire of Fire and ecstasy, hence pertaining to Atzituth it represents pure inspiration and is called Dominion, the Will, symbolized in this card is in every way ecstatic, and it demands that the magician be lost in the rapture thereof. After the burning up of all he was, he is made anew, to manifest this divine inspiration. Thus, the card is symbolic of the ecstatic experience of true inspiration, which via its nature and character is transcendent in every way. Below is a quote concerning the Wand from Magick in Theory and Practice to illustrate this point.

“Hence to will anything but the supreme thing, is to wander still further from it –any will but that to give up self to the Beloved is Black Magick – yet the surrender is so simple an act that to our complex minds it is the most difficult of all acts; and hence training is necessary.”  

Crowley writes about the nature of this surrender in his explanation of the card in The Book of Thoth.

“For destruction may be regarded as the first step in the creative process. The virgin ovum must be broken in order to fertilize it. Fear and repulsion are therefore the primary reaction to the assault. Then, with understanding of the complete plan willing surrender rejoices to co-operate.”

Three of Wands:

This card symbolizes the first step after what was ecstatic experience and inspiration, to be crystalized and expressed as creativity. This card is attributed to Briah, which is Water of Wands and called Virtue. Inspiration perceived as no more than ecstatic rapture is here becoming visible to understanding as it is united with Binah.  Thus, accordingly one may think about the card as, pure creativity having found a vehicle for its expression in Binah, the nurturing mother. Without the influence of Binah, the inspiration will lack a foothold for proper expression, this foothold is found as relating to the nature of the Mother, being the source of creativity as it is brought down into the world of Briah. This vehicle may also be interpreted as any vehicle which may ground the Will and aid its final materialization in Assiah, thus the Two and the Three of Wands present us with the first steps in the creative process.

Crowley writes in the Book of Thoth:

“This card refers to Binah in the suit of Fire, and so represents the establishment of primevil Energy. The Will has been transmitted to the Mother, who conceives, prepares and gives birth to its manifestation.”

Four of Wands:

This card is attributed to Chesed, which is Air - Swords and Fire - Wands  - Atziluth. It is the birth of the child, it is revolving consciousness, or the perfection of life. The child is born into the world of Aether, where it experiences and perfects itself in accordance with its nature. The idea is made perfect, and the creative expression of the Supernals is working in harmony with the Ruach, to foster its expression into the lower worlds, and towards its final materialization.

Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth:

“The original Will of the Two has been transmitted through the Three, and is now built up into a solid system: - Order, Law, Government.”

Five of Wands:

This card is called Strife, which indicates that for the first time the Wands are feeling the limiting influence from Yetzirah on the pure inspiration of Atziluth, which was cradled in Chesed . It is the struggle to maintain perfection, although it is impossible for perfection to be rendered into such a changing environment, limited by the world of formation, thus there is conflict and struggle in order to maintain the initial integrity of the idea. The aim is perfection, logically an impossible task and if this was the only consideration, the notion is burnt up and lost. Re-establishing force is crucial for a successful outcome, although, the auspicious influence of the Mother is present, and from one’s dealings with Binah, the Fire is cooled, and the ship may be steered towards progress. However, without her influence, there is no avenue for this expression to be made manifest and will be corrupted and lose its essential characteristics of perfection.

“The symbol represents the Wand of the Chief Adept, showing that the authority is derived from the superiors, were it not so, this card would be thoroughly disastrous.”

“In this card there is the mitigating influence of the Mother. One of the most difficult doctrines with regard to Geburah is that, while it represents all the tameless irrational energy and disturbance, yet it derives from the benign and gentle influence of the feminine.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth:

Six of Wands:

The Logos of Chokmah has been completely integrated into Briah, through this union the Will is ready for its manifestation into the lower worlds. The idea is perfectly perceived via Tiphareth, forming the link between the Four Worlds, all complications have been overcome and the subject may from here proceed to express the perfection of his creativity.

“This shows Energy in completely balanced manifestation. The Five have broken up the closed forces of the Four with revolutionary ardour, but a marriage has taken place between them; and the result is the Son, and the Sun.”

Seven Of Wands:

The initial perfection attained in Yetzirah is now experiencing the corruption of contending forces, it comes as a shock and the card is called Valour. The card suggests a state similar to that of Geburah, although there is no way to prevent the loss of initial perfection and balance, that was marked by Tiphareth. The card accordingly presents to the mind the notion of defense, whereas Geburah's position on the Tree, as attributed to Wands, is likened to conquest. The card is associated to Netzach and thus it is Fire of Fire, however within this there is the limiting force of Assiah, which causes conflict upon the Will of the subject. The card symbolizes a loss of balance and the battle of maintaining a firm grip on the Will’s prior perfection found in Briah.

“But the Seven is a weak, earthly, feminine number as regards the Tree of Life, and represents a departure from the balance so low down on the Tree that this implies a loss of confidence.”

“The army has been thrown into disorder; if victory is to be won, it will be by dint of individual valour-a “soldiers’  battle”.

Crowley, The Book of Thoth:

Eight of Wands:

The Eight of Wands symbolizes the final realization of the creative impulse, it is the Will that was broken up in Netzach, being re-equilibrated by the influence of Hod. It indicates the crystallization of the initial Will of Chokmah, that is here manifesting as form. The limiting influence on Netzach is now working in accordance with the creative faculty towards its final manifestation. Although Hod is attributed to Water, the sphere is also attributed to Mercury and so is the card. The strong Mercurial energy indicates the nature of its connection to Yetzirah, as the Logos is reestablished in the lower part of the Tree, before materialization. Thus, the last three cards are represented by Sagittarius, and suggestive of union and birth. However, coordinated effort is necessary, for successful manifestation to occur and is symbolized by Mercury’s influence upon the Wands. Hence the name of the card is Swiftness, as to suggest the nature of the struggle in order to reflect the purity of Tiphareth.

“The pictorial representation of the card shows the Light-wands turned into electrical rays, sustaining or even constituting Matter, by their vibrating energy. Above this restored universe shines the rainbow; the division of pure light, which deals with maxima, into the seven colours of the spectrum, which exhibit interplay and correlation.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth:

Nine of Wands:

Yesod of Wands, Yesod’s element is Air and the perfect compliment to Fire, it is the same type of stability found in the Four of Wands, but at a lower level, hence, the character of the card is balance. The Will’s materialization does not require effort, it is what it is, thus the card symbolizes the balance which was struggled for in Nezach and Hod. It is the final reflection of the perfection of Tiphareth. In divination, one might say that this is the best possible outcome which could be hoped for.

"The Nine represents always the fullest development of the Force in its relation to the Forces above it. The Nine may be considered as the best that can be obtained from the type involved, regarded from a practical and material standpoint."

Crowley, The Book of Thoth:

Ten of Wands:

The card is called Oppression and is attributed to Malkuth. The Will is smothered by the constraints put on it by the material world, it struggles helplessly to regain its initial perfection. The subject is frustrated by the confining circumstances of life, and cannot find a means of self-expression. It is useless to struggle against the limiting factors presented in this card, as they symbolize the final result. The Will is manifested on Earth, and the only pursuit that may “bring fresh fever from the skies”, is to start anew, or change direction. To get lost in the play of creation again, and become the architect of yet another creation, equally beautiful and satisfying as this.

“The whole picture suggests Oppression and repression. It is a stupid and obstinate cruelty from which there is no escape. It is a will that has not understood anything beyond its dull purpose, its “lust of result”, and will devour itself in the conflagrations it has evoked.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth:

“Love is the law, love under will.”