The Court Cards:

 

The Court Cards:

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

Knight of Wands:

“The moral qualities appropriate to this figure are activity, generosity, fierceness, impetuosity, pride impulsiveness, swiftness in unpredictable actions. If wrongly energized, he is evil-minded, cruel, bigoted and brutal. He is in either way ill-fitted to carry out his action; he has no means of modifying it according to circumstances. If he fails in his first effort, he has no recourse.”

These people are obsessive and proud, they skip planning their actions precisely, which is the reason for their inability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. They have one track minds as is the nature of their element, they are extremely passionate and willful. These people have their inclinations and anyone who is not in accord with their aims are not really welcome, therefore they may express their contempt for such people as cruelty, which is offered dispassionately. Although they are honorable to a fault, and may be exceedingly charitable, but only as it is in accordance with what they perceive as virtue, and honor. Thus, bigotry is also a virtue for the lesser Knights of Wands, hence even brutality may be carried out by such people without concern for the victim, as they feel it is the righteous thing to do. Their swiftness in unpredictable circumstances comes from the fact that although they plan, their reasoning is often overwhelmed by excitement, as they have a tendency to work themselves up into a frenzy over the aim and therefore tend to overlook the journey towards achieving it.

Queen of Wands:

“The characteristics of the Queen are adaptability, persistent energy, calm authority, which she knows how to use to enhance her attractiveness. She is kindly and generous, but impatient of opposition. She has immense capacity for friendship and for love, but always on her own initiative. There is as much pride in this card as in the Knight, but it lacks the spontaneous nobility which excuses that error. It is not true pride, but self-complacent vanity and even snobbery. The other side of her character is that she may have a tendency to brood, come to a wrong decision thereon, and react with great savagery. She may be easily deceived; then she is likely to show herself stupid, obstinate, tyrannical. She may be quick to take offence, and harbour revenge without cause. She might turn and snap at her best friends without intelligible excuse. Also, when she misses her bite she breaks her jaw!”

Passionate and emotional, these people love to be around other people. They are prone to getting their feelings hurt on account of their need for love and affection from others. They are extremely lovable, gracious and strong, but are also willing at times to be vulnerable. They give all to the ones they care about and thus, when hurt, they take it personally, sometimes jumping to wrong conclusions by placing the blame, instead of seeing the truth behind what has hurt them. Prone to disappointment by others, their rational faculty becomes overwhelmed under such emotional stimulus and then they repress their feelings unable to acknowledge the cause of their uncomfortableness, from which they may explode into fits of rage culminating in savagery. They are in other words too proud to confront their feelings, and this leads to wrong actions wherefrom only more emotional discomfort follows, they are indeed stormy people, although they are utterly lovable and beautiful.

Prince of Wands:

“The moral qualities appropriate to this figure are swiftness and strength. But he is sometimes inclined to act on impulse; sometimes easily led by external influences; sometimes; especially in trifles, a prey to indecision. He is often violent, especially in the expression of an opinion, but he does not necessarily hold the opinion about which he is so emphatic. He states a vigorous proposition for the sake of stating it.”

Here we have an intellect that is incapable of expressing itself, he is often misunderstood on account of the fact that he moves from one interest to another unable to fully integrate any one idea. Although he is remarkably intelligent, his will is scattered and he is not taken seriously, which leads to frustration, this along with his fiery temperament is the cause for his penchant for violence. Similar to a two-year old that hasn’t yet developed the ability to speak and as a result is prone to having a tantrum about the slightest discomfort.

“He is intensely just but does not feel that justice is to be attained in the intellectual world. His character is intensely noble and generous. He may be an extravagant boaster, while slyly laughing both at his boast and at himself for making it. He is romantic, especially in matters of history and tradition, to the point of folly, and may engineer “stunts” or play elaborate practical jokes.”

Obviously, these people being misunderstood live in their own worlds, therefore they are prone to obsess themselves with things like history, perhaps unconsciously they feel like they are living in the wrong era. They do not fit in and they know it, thus, the reasoning for their sense of justice hinging not on compromise, but rather violence, as confronting the issue intellectually will only lead to more frustration.

“He is always fighting against odds, and always wins in the-long very long-run. This is principally due to his enormous capacity for work, which he exercises for its own sake, “without the lust of result”; perhaps his haughty contempt for the world at large-which however coexists with profound and ecstatic respect for “every man and every woman” as “a star” is responsible for this.”

He may have come to realize this as a result of his own unfortunate disposition and his romantic inclination. Thus, he views himself as a bearer of this truth, which in his own life has been experienced as discomforting.

“Each of the qualities mentioned above is found in its antithesis. There is great cruelty in him, partly sadistic and partly due to callousness arising from indifference-and, in a sense, laziness! So too he may be intolerant, prejudiced and idle-principally because it saves trouble.”

His inability to adapt may be remedied if only he had the fortitude to commit himself and if he willed to be accepted. However, he is incapable, and he would rather play the role that has been allocated to him by society, which is that of the villain.

Princess of Wands:

“The character of the Princess is extremely individual. She is brilliant and daring. She creates her own beauty by her essential vigour and energy. The force of her character imposes the impression of beauty upon the beholder. In anger or love she is sudden, violent and implacable. She consumes all that comes into her sphere. She is ambitious and aspiring, full of enthusiasm which is often irrational. She never forgets an injury, and the only patience to be found in her is the patience in which she lies in ambush to avenge. Such a woman, ill-dignified, shews the defects of these qualities. She is superficial and theatrical, completely shallow and false, yet without suspecting that she is anything of the sort, for she believes entirely in herself, even when it is apparent to the most ordinary observer that she is merely in the spasm of mood. She is cruel, unreliable, faithless and domineering.”

This type of free-spirited person is best presented here, as everyone’s darling, incapable of responsibility to anyone but herself. Often, she is an object of jealousy or lust or both, thus, she is an inspiration for those who are close to her. She is a natural muse in all she does, thus some may see her as lacking any moral qualities, but this is not actually true. Her outgoingness is an expression of herself and is not intended to manipulate or hurt those around her, although some may see it that way. She only becomes vengeful or aggressive once wronged, hence her personality is pure innocence, which adds to her allure. She is always searching for something greater than herself, which is hard to find, so her quest may be seen as insincere. It certainly might be insincere, but this is not on account of her lack of trying to find meaning. She is a performer and every action is theatrical, an encounter with such a person is hard to forget, due to her attractiveness and uniqueness. Her cruelty and domineeringness stems from her individuality, which when restricted, give’s way to hurtful behavior in an attempt to win back control. People like these are often callous and selfish, but for the most part, they are a pleasure to have around.

Knight of Cups:

“He is amiable in a passive way. He is quick to respond to attraction, and easily becomes enthusiastic under such stimulus; but he is not very enduring. He is exceedingly sensitive to external influence, but with no material depth in his character. When the card is ill dignified, he is sensual, idle and untruthful. Yet with all this he possesses an innocence and purity which are the essence of his nature. But he is, on the whole, so superficial that it is hard to reach this depth.”

People like this surround themselves with members of the opposite sex, although they are liked by most people, they need constant emotional reassurance. They may find reassurance for a while until they find themselves again faced with uncertainty and in need of comfort, which may result in a rebalancing of sorts. This stems from them lacking any “material depth”. These people are dreamers, but their need for reassurance keep them occupied with people around them, which enables a certain connection to materiality. They can be promiscuous and may be the reason for them being perceived as superficial, this superficiality stems from their passivity as they seemingly lack any fortitude of will, thus having a tendency to be swept away by the tide. Hence, they are extremely sensitive to external influence, especially concerning sexual attraction, which by its nature fulfills their emotional needs for a time. Of course, with this type of person, there is a natural inkling towards dishonesty and this becomes quite apparent when a relationship of any kind has run its course. Their emotional vulnerability makes it impossible for them to commit to anything that would lead to development.

“He tends to mismanage all his affairs; and unless sheer good fortune attend him, his whole career will be an unbroken record of failure and disaster. Often his mental “civil war” ends in schizophrenia and melancholy madness. The abuse of stimulants and narcotics may precipitate the catastrophe.”

Queen of Cups:

“The characteristics associated with this card are principally dreaminess, illusion and tranquility. She is the perfect agent and patient, able to receive and transmit everything without herself being affected thereby. If ill dignified all these qualities are degraded.”

This card represents someone who perfectly embodies the qualities of maternity. She exhibits patience and loving kindness, always putting others first and having them determine the mood of any given situation. They are passive and perfectly amiable, unless they are in the presence of an unwelcome situation, in which case they act accordingly. Therefore, one may compare their character to the stern and patient aspects of motherhood, or as the quote states, these people may embody the lowest qualities of motherhood also. When in the company of such people one gets the feeling that they are engaged but as passive onlookers only including themselves when called on. 

Prince of Cups:

“The moral characteristics of the person pictured in this card are subtlety, secret violence and craft. He is intensely secret, an artist in all his ways. On the surface he appears calm and imperturbable, but this is a mask of the most intense passion. He is on the surface susceptible to external influences, but he accepts them only to transmute them to the advantage of his secret designs. He is thus completely without conscience in the ordinary sense of the word, and therefore usually distrusted by his neighbors. They feel they do not, and can never, understand him. Thus, he inspires unreasonable fear. He is in fact perfectly ruthless. He cares intensely for power, wisdom and his own aims. He feels no responsibility to others, and although his abilities are so immense, he cannot be relied upon to work in harness.”

These people are chameleons, they are incredibly intelligent and use their knowledge of people and behavior to manipulate others. In these people relationships are viewed intellectually, as a means to an end. They are without empathy and compassion, love for them is just an idea or a word, that has great meaning for others, and to be used as a tool. They do not care about who they trample on to reach their goals, as long as they obtain what they’re after. Interactions with society for such people are but necessary accompaniments, stepping-stones along the road to get what they truly desire, which is power. In a word, these people are “psychopaths”.

Princess of Cups:

“The character of the Princess is infinitely gracious. All sweetness, all voluptuousness, gentleness, kindness and tenderness are in her character. She lives in the world of Romance, in the perpetual dream of rapture. On a superficial examination she might be thought selfish and indolent, but this is quite a false impression; silently and effortlessly she goes about her work.”

The “work” of these people is supportive, they are the perfect caregivers and lovers. She is that man or woman who will make the perfect husband or wife, as always putting her partner at the center of the world. They live their lives seemingly to support the dreams of others, however they don’t do it at their own expense, as it is their nature to love and to give themselves to those they love. Thus, they have no ambition for themselves, as their happiness is entirely reliant on the happiness of those they have chosen to rely upon.

Knight of Swords:

“The moral qualities of a person thus indicated are activity and skill, subtlety and cleverness. He is fierce delicate and courageous, but altogether the prey of his idea, which comes to him as an inspiration without reflection. If ill-dignified, the vigour in all these qualities being absent, he is incapable of decision or purpose. Any action that he takes is easily brushed aside by opposition.”

People like this need structure such as with their work, where they will have to be subordinate to someone else, for them to realize the potential of their creativity. Although extremely creative and passionate about their ideas, the elements that correspond to this card are chaotic when together. The will is unable to realize itself unless it is kept in check by external control. They are, however, not content with mediocrity, and this facet of their characters creates problems for them, as they lack the discipline to reason the efficacy of their ideas. They have great potential. However, if this potential has no aim it tends to explode into all directions.

Queen of Swords:

“The person symbolized by this card should be intensely perceptive, a keen observer, a subtle interpreter, an intense individualist, swift and accurate at recording ideas; in action confident, in spirit gracious and just. Her movements will be graceful, and her ability in dancing and balancing exceptional. If ill-dignified these qualities will all be turned to unworthy purposes. She will be cruel, sly, deceitful and unreliable; in this way, very dangerous, on account of the superficial beauty and attractiveness which distinguish her.”

This card symbolizes a person who is extremely intelligent and emotionally stable, she is master of her emotions and the emotions of others. They are exceptionally intuitive, which they use to strengthen their bonds with other people. This ability, comes from their insight into human nature and their empathy. However, these same people may use the same devices to destroy the lives of those they know to have wronged them, since they have the effortless ability to control the perceptions of those around them, they often use this ability, in service of cruelty towards their victims. In summary: They are skilled at making allies for whatever their intended purpose.

Prince of Swords:

“A person thus symbolized is purely intellectual. He is full of ideas and designs which tumble over each other. He is a mass of fine ideals unrelated to practical effort. He has all the apparatus of Thought in the highest degree, intensely clever, admirably rational, but unstable of purpose, and in reality indifferent even to his own ideas, as knowing that any one of them is as good as any other. He reduces everything to unreality by removing its substance and transmuting it to an ideal world of ratiocination which is purely formal and out of relation to any facts, even those upon which it is based.”

This card represents someone who is purely intellectual to the point of folly. These people have no grounding in the material world and due to their lack of foundation, their wills are scattered. They, as a result of their intelligence, have the ability for glamour, in a sense. Always impressing upon themselves and those around, that those things people value most, are not really important. The will has to be grounded in order for the intellect to realize itself creatively, these people do not have that grounding and tend to drift from one passion to another, without ever establishing themselves as proponents of any.

Princess of Swords:

“The character of the Princess is stern and revengeful. Her logic is destructive. She is firm and aggressive, with great practical wisdom and subtlety in material things. She shews great cleverness and dexterity in the management of practical affairs, especially where they are of a controversial nature. She is very adroit in her settlement of controversies. If ill-dignified, all these qualities are dispersed; she becomes incoherent, and all her gifts tend to combine to form a species of low cunning whose object is unworthy of the means.”

People like these are great entrepreneurs, they tend to do miraculous things with money. Their practical wisdom, dexterity and cleverness can be seen as an ability to turn lead into gold. They are entirely concerned with material affairs, and practice control over these things so joyfully, that it resembles sport, or an art form. They are always looking for their next enterprise, which usually ends in success from whence they will merely start again with something new. This they do out of love and not reward, but this being their character, if they are intellectually incapable, their efforts become little more than a series of comedic errors.

Knight of Disks:

“Those whom he symbolizes tend to be dull, heavy and preoccupied with material things. They are laborious and patient, but would have little intellectual grasp even of matters which concern them most closely. Their success in these is due to instinct, to imitation of Nature. They lack initiative; their fire is the smouldering fire of the process of growth. If ill-dignified these people are hopelessly stupid, slavish, quite incapable of foresight even in their own affairs, or of taking an intelligent interest in anything outside of them. They are churlish, surly, and jealous (in a dull sort of way) of what they instinctively realize is the superior state of others; but they have not the courage or the intelligence to better themselves. Yet they are always irritably meddling about petty matters; they interfere with, and inevitably spoil, whatever comes their way.”

In their minds, people like these mean well and for them that’s enough, but most of the time they are too incompetent to do well. They should never try to pioneer any new insights, they are best suited for things that are structured or regimented, or easily imitated; as creativity and intelligence is not their strong suit. However, they are utterly aware of their incompetence and usually they try to present themselves as highly creative, this failing on account of the fact that they are anything but creative, it is only seen as more idiocy exposing their true natures. Their pettiness is actually dangerous, as if they are always trying to prove to the world around them that they are indeed normal, as if fighting for their place under the sun. They are obsessed with the way other people view them, as if, all that’s needed is the acceptance of people around, as if life is little more than a popularity contest, from which, winning would result in them finally being like the rest of us. They are good at their jobs, but only as it doesn’t demand much more than hard work, such as being a brick layer, or filling up match boxes, for which they are uniquely suited. It is only when you let them out of the house, or the factory, or perhaps they have some idle time after retirement, that they can really become a problem.  

Queen of Disks:

“Persons signified by this card possess the finest of the quieter qualities. They are ambitious, but only in useful directions. They possess immense funds of affection, kindness, and greatness of heart. They are not intellectual, and not particularly intelligent; but instinct and intuition are more than adequate for their needs. These people are quiet, hard-working, practical, sensible, domesticated, often (in a reticent and unassuming fashion) lustful and even debauched. They are inclined to the abuse of alcohol and of drugs. It is as if they could only realize their essential happiness by getting outside of themselves. If ill-dignified they are dull, servile, foolish, they are drudges rather than workers. Life for them is purely mechanical; and they cannot rise, or even seek to rise, above their appointed lot.”

Here we have the quintessential kindergarten teacher, who as fate would have it, is also a single mother. Caring, loving and giving, but highly emotional and extraordinarily unhinged. The world is a playing field for damned souls according to the cat ladies, but they hide the thought so well. They try their best, usually their overwhelming emotional character leads to fits, for which they may be prescribed psychotropic drugs. But it never gets better, their intellects are weighed down by their heightened feelings for people and the world around them. Their promiscuity is in a sense a way for them to experience the purity of their inner beings, without the corruption of the world to spoil it. They tend to take their frustrations out on the kids, opting for jobs like kindergarten teachers, or perhaps pediatric nurses. Although you may find them working as post office clerks, and you will certainly know them, for they are the clerks with the loudest voices, most imposing smiles, and they never forget your name.

Prince of Disks:

“The character denoted by this card is that of great energy brought to bear upon the most solid of practical matters. He is energetic and enduring, a capable manager, a steadfast and persevering worker. He is competent, ingenious, thoughtful, cautious, trustworthy, imperturbable; he constantly seeks new uses for common things, and adapts his circumstances to his purpose in a slow, steady, well-thought out plan. He is lacking almost entirely in emotion. He is somewhat insensitive, and may appear dull, but he is not; it so appears because he makes no effort to understand ideas that are beyond his scope. He may often appear stupid, and is inclined to be resentful of more spiritual types. He is slow to anger, but, if driven, becomes implacable. It is not very practical to distinguish between the good and evil dignities in this card; one can merely say that, in case of his being ill-dignified the quality and the quantity of his characteristics are somewhat degraded.”

The person depicted in this card can be summed up as, the guy who never gets invited for dinner and drinks after work, usually along with the boss, he is the only one left out. He has next to no social skills, and he doesn’t care, his job and his things are his only interests. They can be real bastards at work, and they tend to think they are in charge. He is the cousin nobody wanted to play with, for the simple reason, that he would always get someone in trouble. This is their need for attention raising its ugly head, they don’t have the competence to be noticed in any other way. They are sly and untrustworthy, but somehow, they are able to maintain the mediocrity that the world has bestowed upon them, and with surprisingly little effort. He is the know-it-all simpleton who nobody ever listens to, as these people are usually way too dumb not to be obvious.

Princess of Disks:

“The characteristics of an individual signified by this card are too various to enumerate; one must summarize by saying that she is Womanhood in its ultimate projection. She contains all the characteristics of woman, and it would depend entirely upon the influences to which she is subjected whether one or another becomes manifest. But in every case her attributes will be pure in themselves, and not necessarily connected to any other attributes which in the normal way one regards as symbolic.”

This card symbolizes the Vampire or the Goddess, depending on the nature of the querent. These two archetypes are both aspects of one’s relationship with the Divine Feminine, or what Jung called the Anima, for women this archetype manifests as the Animus and takes on a masculine form. We tend to project our ideal of perfection onto those we fall in love with, so the lady who steals your heart becomes a manifestation of your Anima in the flesh. The image is usually corrupted at the start of one’s journey and as one moves closer to perfection, this image of Beauty becomes clearer and less stained by imperfections. The card must be interpreted in this way, in all cases it represents union and fertility, guidance and motherhood, however, whether this be an actual person or the subject of the reading, would have to be determined in the context of the reading. The Earth is linked to Saturn via its association with the Anima, and which gives the Daughter her power and role within the new formula of Tetragrammaton. As humans we have an inherent striving for perfection and this is understood in the context of Idealism. Although, in the beginning of the journey our ideal of perfection is corrupt, as owing to experience with the world around us. However, it is through this contemplation, that we are attracted to the path of return, or in a sense any ideal of fulfillment and perfection would be associated with this impulse. As such, it is ascribed to the Anima, who according to Jungian analysis serves as a guide towards perfection. In the world she manifests mythologically as Juno, and by the Goddess’ association with her Mother she connects one to Rhea, who is said to reside in the Intellectual Heaven, which in Platonic metaphysics is likened to the world of Ideal Forms. This is then what is significant about this card, and the reading thereof depends entirely upon the subject’s relationship to his Anima, in context of the question.

All quotes were taken from Crowley's Book of Thoth.

‘Love is the law, love under will.”

Disks:

 

Disks:

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law."

Two of Disks:

This card refers to the Will being stable in a world of constant change, this Will refers to inspiration or the True Will. The idea being, that the Will is the inherent drive towards realizing one’s purpose, the latter is a manifestation of the ego. However, for this Will to be realized, one needs to find stability to support it. Stability is found through union, which is a requisite for realizing the potential inherent in the card. This must be done via harmonizing the magician’s inner and outer worlds, as per the suit's association with Assiah. However, this harmonizing is not indicated as having been achieved thus success is not necessarily implied by the symbolism.

“The number Two, Chokmah, here rules in the suit pertaining to Earth. It shows the type of Energy appropriate to Two, in its most fixed form. According to the doctrine that Change is the support of stability, the card is called Change.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Three of Disks:

The card represents life being in harmony with the subject’s aspiration, all is in balance and symbolized by the three disks surrounding the Pyramid. The magician is experiencing congruence between the Will and Understanding, their influence naturally links to the World of Matter, via the aspiration which is here supported by Chokmah. The aspiration has found, through this harmony, a perfect inbreathing that manifests as materialization of his original inspiration. The first two cards in this suit are indicative of union and the need to maintain balance for the work to persist, thus they are symbolic of both the negative and positive aspects of these ideas. These two cards should be read in context of the individual’s relationship with Assiah, as the health of this relationship is determined by the relationship between the Ruach and the Nephesch, which when incongruent Heaven and Earth may not adequately be united. These parts of the Soul wouldn’t necessarily balance the intensity of the inbreathing, in which case, the influence from Binah and Chokmah may cause trouble.

“The influence of Binah on the sphere of Earth shows the material establishment of the idea of the Universe, the determination of its basic form.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Four of Disks:

The inspiration of the union between Binah and Chokmah, is here seen as the perfect manifestation thereof. Since the suit corresponds to Assiah, this card represents a clear plan for action that may be accurately expressed through the relationship between the magician and his creativity. It is a perfect idea that is in harmony with the magician’s environment, thus what is intimated in the card is guarding the citadel of creativity. Hence, the card indicates control and continued work being done, that should result in a positive end.

“The generating idea is exhibited in its full material sense.”

“The disks are very large and solid; the suggestion of the card is that of a fortress. This represents Law and Order, maintained by constant authority and vigilance.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Five of Disks:

The card suggests the world of Assiah and the Nephesh being in complete disharmony, and suggests the need for the issue to be confronted. It is impossible under these types of circumstances to think in any higher sense, thus, the Ruach is overcome with Worry. The querent is unable to find his footing, due to his inability to adapt to and control the elements of his everyday life. This can only be remedied by confronting the elements of his own being with honesty. This is by no means a fleeting situation and a lot of work will need to be done, before the querent will be able to express himself in any higher sense, than merely survival.

“The symbol represents five disks in the form of the inverted Pentagram, instability in the very foundations of Matter. The effect is that of an earthquake.”

“The effect is of intense strain; yet the symbol implies long-continued inaction.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Six of Disks:

This card means perfection, and this indicates the Ruach as the Ego. It suggests someone who is at perfect ease and in perfect control of him or herself and the world around. This perfection naturally tends towards creativity and is able to find this expression within most circumstances. The card suggests control established via the congruence mentioned above, which obviously implies a great ability to adapt to different situations. It symbolizes creativity descending through the Four Worlds, which has now been manifested in Assiah.

The number Six, Tiphareth, as before, represents the full harmonious establishment of the Energy of the Element.

Crowley, The Book Thoth

Seven of Disks:

The card suggests all the aspects of Yetzirah and Assiah having been corrupted. There is no way for positive expression and usually indicates material concerns resulting in an inability to realize goals. Frustration is significant to this card and has a tendency to lead to behavior unconducive to a beneficent outcome. The subject is thus at odds with the world, and this situation keeps getting worse on account of not being able to overcome the strain of his circumstances, that lead to more intense conflict with the outside world, to incumber progress.

The number Seven, Netzach, has its customary enfeebling effect, and this is made worse by the influence of Saturn in Taurus.”

“They suggest bad money.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Eight of Disks:

The last three cards are ruled by Virgo. This card especially presents the idea of work towards the completion of an idea or task. It is loving commitment to that which demands one to stay committed to for its final execution. This commitment is done joyously, and it symbolizes putting thought into action, that is supported by the influence of Mercury as per the card's association with Hod. For example: A question pertaining to finances, would have this card as planning for the final result of perhaps an investment or reallocation of funds. This is done under the auspices of Mercurial influence, which is a symbol of intelligence and problem solving. Therefore, this card may symbolize the need for Prudence as indicated in the card’s title.

“It signifies intelligence lovingly applied to material matters, especially those of the agriculturalist, the artificer, and the engineer. One might suggest that this card marks the turn of the tide.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Nine of Disks:

This card has a similar meaning to the Six of Disks but on a lower level of experience. It means that undertakings have been thought out and are accompanied by good fortune. As with the Six, this card shows a person well received by others, which makes life a lot easier. This is however not as a result of the same type of influence as in the Six of Disks, but rather stems from confidence arising from the certainty of well-planned actions. There is thus no contradiction between action and motivation for the subject represented by this card, there are no obstacles to that which the querent has already set out to accomplish.

“The number Nine, Yesod, inevitably brings back the balance of Force in fulfillment. The card is ruled by Venus in Virgo. It shows good luck attending material affairs, favour and popularity.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Ten of Disks:

This card represents the end. Everything in the card presents one with the idea of completion, which means there is potential for sluggishness. Whatever has been accumulated should serve this process and aid the impulse to create, Wealth is not an end in itself, but should be seen as a means to facilitate the development of the individual. So, as with all the other cards relating to this Sephiroth, the work is done and now it is time to start anew or move on. Wealth may be referring to influence gained, as a result of successful completion of work, thus the below quote could be interpreted as referring to anything that has produced such influence.   

“The force is completely expended and results in death. Mercury rules this card in Virgo; and this may imply that the acquired wealth, being inert, will be dissipated unless put to further use by devoting its power to objects rather than mere accumulation.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth 

"Love is the law, love under will."

  

Swords:

Swords:

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

Two of Swords:

This card represents the Logos and the Intellect working in perfect harmony to transmit the Supernal influence and which creates the Magickal Childe. This creative manifestation results from the Ruach’s role as that which connects the Nephesh to the Supernal influence. So that finally, what was perceived as inspiration, now finds a definite function via the Ruach’s connection to Assiah and the inspiration manifested from the union between the intellect and Atziluth.

“It is subject to change as is no other suit. It represents a general shaking-up, resulting from the conflict of Fire and Water in their marriage; and proceeds, when Earth appears, to crystallizations.”

Three of Swords:

This card symbolizes the Ruach’s inability to properly express itself, the Swords are weighed down by the force of Binah and depression and distempers arise as a result. This card is another representation of the Dark Night of the Soul, although there is creativity, it is unable to be expressed, as the unconscious impulses and emotions are too overpowering. As a result, inspiration in Atziluth is corrupted, or at worse, the subject is paralyzed to express any of the higher characteristics associated with the suit of Swords.

“There is an intense lurking passion to create but their children are monsters. This may mean the supreme transcendence of the natural order. Secrecy is here, and perversion.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Four of Swords:

The card represents the Ego having given up its aspiration to the limiting forces of the world around it. This limitation could be experienced as either comfortable or uncomfortable, perhaps the Will of a coward has been broken and he has forsaken himself for his need of security. The card presents us with the idea of authority having defeated the Will and there is no change in sight, routine and structure are characteristics of the card’s meaning. Therefore, for those who are willing to conform and subject themselves, for those unwilling or unable to fight for their sovereignty, this card is perfectly auspicious. However, the only way forward is through violence and war, thus the notion of “Truce”, is a most foreign idea to Thelema, or anyone aspiring towards progress.

“As always, the Four is the term; as in this case there is no true justification for repose, its disturbance by the Five holds no promise of advance; its static shams go pell-mell into the melting pot; the issue is mere mess, usually signalized by feotid stench, But it has to be done!”

Five of Swords:

This card symbolizes the martial tendency having been defeated, in the previous card complacency was the dominant factor. In this card the ability to adjust to circumstances that may lead the way toward progress has been overwhelmed. There is no desire for change, even when faced with its necessity, the subject lacks the ability to do so. The person represented in this card is incapable of learning from and incorporating his experiences into a new understanding of the world around him. He is an imbecile in an ever-growing world populated by intellects, who have the ability to adapt and overcome. Hence, he sits and waits for his chance to be included, however he lacks the competence for this realization to ever be brought to fruition.

“Geburah, as always, produces disruption; but as Venus here rules Aquarius, weakness rather than excess of strength seems the cause of the disaster. The intellect has been enfeebled by sentiment. The defeat is due to pacifism. Treachery may also be implied.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Six of Swords:

The card is representative of one who has established perfect union and is free to do his Will unhampered by influence. It is Tiphareth in the suit of Swords, both of which are attributed to the same element, there is no conflict either from above or below. He is master of his own creation in every respect, all influences only serve to foster his momentum. Therefore, the card is symbolic of a state in which progress is nurtured and sustained by the Intellect. Although, successes as well as failures are inherent in the card as indicated by its name, “Science”, the subject maintains a steady climb towards higher ground, which is ever joyous, as indicated by the card’s position on the Tree of Life. As Tiphareth forms the link between Heaven and Earth, the card is symbolic of perfect equilibrium having been established between the two, wherefrom, the subject’s Will and the Universal Logos are working in perfect harmony. In other words: the Supernal influence and the Material influence upon the Ruach have been brought under control to become perfect reflections of each-other and expressed as Beauty. Although, this state of perfection is only maintained as long as the magician is able to keep adapting to external circumstances, but in light of the card it represents the subject in his or her element and a vantage point indicating success.

“The perfect balance of all mental and moral faculties, hardly won, and almost impossible to hold in an ever-changing world, declares the idea of Science in its fullest interpretation.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Seven of Swords:

The Seven of Swords indicates the need for receptivity and awareness, any unwarranted self-expression within these types of circumstances may lead to failure. Hence it suggests that there is a need for passivity and agreeableness, this is not a lasting situation per say, however at the present time the subject is confined by his immediate environment. It presents one with the notion of fleeting circumstances wherein a certain level of compromise is demanded for the situation to result in an amiable end. This card is calling on the Ruach to maintain control of the emotions, especially with regards to confounded speech and action. Obviously, one’s inner and outer worlds being what they are, maintaining control may prove to be quite the task, as hinted at by the card. There is a way out of the situation, as the subject is at ease, which creates a willingness to subjugation on part of the subject. Although the situation is not permanent, sooner or later he will need to make a change. Whether the change is forced or willed is up to the subject of the reading.

“There is vacillation, a wish to compromise, a certain toleration. But, in certain circumstances, the results may be more disastrous than ever. This naturally depends upon the success of the policy. This is always in doubt as long as there exist violent, uncompromising forces which take it as a natural prey.”

Eight of Swords:

This card reflects the strong Mercurial influence of Hod, suggesting that circumstances are imposing and difficult to adjust to. These interferences are objective and demands adjustment for the subject to successfully pass through them. The inability to navigate the situation stems from thoughts and inclinations stirring under the surface. These unconscious feelings give way to indecision which results from the Ruach losing control over the Will and emotions, hence the aspiration is unrealized. One is seemingly jumping from one aim to another without finding a proper foundation for the Will and the aspiration to take hold.

“The number eight Hod, here signifies lack of persistence in matters of the intellect and of contest. Good fortune, however, attends even these weakened efforts, thanks to the influence of Jupiter in Gemini, ruling the Decan.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

 

Nine of Swords:

The card’s name is Cruelty and symbolizes the Shadow, which is here at its most imposing. The Shadow, as Jung called it, represents all our behaviors that are repressed so that the Nephesh may function properly. These impulses sometimes rise to the surface, perhaps an ill-fated relationship or ill-fated job prospects are examples of the types of things which could be the cause of such a stirring. The card suggests that these, what some might refer to as evil impulses, are overpowering the intellect. Thus, according to the subject’s inability to reign in the Shadow, the best advice is to change the stimulus, otherwise the situation will end in disaster.  

“The Swords no longer represent pure intellect so much as the automatic stirring of heartless passions. Consciousness has fallen into a realm of unenlightened reason. This is the world of the unconscious primitive instincts, of the psychopath, of the fanatic.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

Ten of Swords:

This card is the exact opposite of the Six of Swords, which was in perfect harmony with Heaven and Earth to materialize the Will in Assiah. But here we have an intellect that is incapable of establishing a clear congruences with the circumstances around it. As a result, self-imposed limitations resulting from a lack of understanding leads to an inability for the intellect to express itself productively in the world.  

“It shows the reason run mad, ramshackle riot of soulless mechanism; it represents the logic of lunatics and (for the most part) of philosophers. It is reason divorced from reality.”

Crowley, The Book of Thoth

“Love is the law, love under will.”