Jupiter:

 

Jupiter:

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

Jupiter is the Demiurge and the progeny of the first cause, being the Creative and Formative worlds. Qabalistically he is Chesed; according to the Tarot this sphere is linked to the paths of Yod and Vau, being the Hermit and the Heirophant who are both aspects of the Fool. Within the Orphic theology Phanes is attributed to the Fool as Protogonus and he Hermit and the Hierophant are aspects of Phanes himself. The intricate nature of Orphic theology paints a very beautiful picture of an adept’s relationship with the Demiurgic Art in light of the Muses, these corresponding to the planets and are only realized and communicated with from an illuminated perspective. "Jupiter, therefore, or the Demiurgus, is, according to Orpheus, all things, as containing in the unfathomable depths of his essence the causes of every thing which the sensible universe contains, these causes infinitely transcending the effects which they produce. Hence, by a causal priority, he is every thing which is contained in the sensible world." Thomas Taylor: They symbolize a personal relationship with the Shekinah and the Gods as attributable to the Astral Light, they are the intelligences of the planetary spheres and correspond to Vau along with Phanes which is the Demiurge manifesting as the soul's inbreathing of the divine. Phanes manifests within this communion as the invisible Apollo, who is associated with Tiphareth. Hadit is seated in the heart and accordingly corresponds to Apollo also, as it is only by subjective interpretation that the divine is manifested on earth, hence Phanes is consciousness as relating to objective reality. These, along with the Bacchusses that are associated with the planets make up the Vau in Tetragrammaton. On a universal level Vau is attributed to Vesta, Jupiter and all the other heavenly gods and goddesses. Aether is LVX but not really Vesta, as the Shekinah is the divine feminine manifested in the creative world and one with the Demiurge, she subsists alongside Jupiter thus giving the Demiurge its creative potential by union with Phanes, as creation emanates entirely from this first progeny. "Thus too, the ineffable principle of things is said to be all things prior to all, not as containing all things multitudinously in itself, but as that from which all things are ineffably unfolded into light." Thomas Taylor

Saturn is attributed to the Forms which accordingly correspond to Phanes' relationship with Rhea. Again, this observation is indicative of the dichotomy of self and the other, or Phanes/Aether and the Demiurge. The Nous is the Intellectual Heaven and attributed to Yod of the ineffable name whereas the Forms correspond to the Great Mother and Heh. Rhea is said to correspond to the Intellectual Earth and presents to us her eternal character as the mother of the gods and establishes our connection to the Intellectual Heaven. The union between Saturn (Cronus) and Rhea gives birth to the Demiurge and congruently the union between the Nous and the Forms is what is responsible for the unfolding of Being via the agencies of Chesed and the Shekinah. So, Saturn is the Father, Rhea the Mother and the Demiurge is the Son. Although Heaven (Uranus) is attributed to Yod, Heh and Vau accordingly correspond to Binah and Chesed on the Tree of Life. Phanes therefore, is Jupiter and Aether is Vesta, but in a different manner than Protogonus and Juno. It is interesting to note, how this relationship between masculine and feminine throughout the worlds, form an integral part of this theology. "But the reason why Protogonus, or Phanes, is said to purge the sight from dark mists, is because the primary causes of things which in the deities prior to him subsist in ineffable union, all being in all, are by him first unfolded into intelligible light. Protogonus, who is intelligible intellect, is very properly called dark-eyed splendour; the intelligible, from its occult subsistence, being indicated by darkness, but intellect by the eye and splendour: for it is the province of intellect to see and unfold into light." Thomas Taylor: The above quote quite clearly illustrates Phanes/Protononus as consciousness and intellect as well as subsisting with Jupiter wherefrom the nature of Being is unfolded and from where he partakes in the divine inbreathing. The Demiurge and Phanes are thus both associated to Jupiter who from being the first after the primordial deities, this connection to Phanes is established in the above quote.

TO HEAVEN.  

Heav'n, whose mighty frame no respite knows, 

 Father of all, from whom the world arose; 

 Hear, bounteous parent, source and end of all, 

 For ever whirling round this earthly ball; 

 Abode of Gods, whose guardian pow'r surrounds 

 Th' eternal world with ever during bounds; 

 Whose ample bosom, and encircling folds 

 The dire necessity of nature holds. 

 Etherial, earthly, whose all-various frame, 

 Azure and full of forms, no power can tame. 

 All-seeing, source of Saturn and of time, 

 For ever blessed, deity sublime, 

 Propitiozds on a novel mystic shine, 

 And crown his wishes with a life divine.  

The Daughter is established on Earth as Juno and Protogonus along with Earth (Gaia) are representative of the Daughter or the He final of Tetragrammaton. Protogonus can be seen as the Fool of the Tarot who is struggling against the elements. In Orphic theology Protogonus is the final embodiment of Phanes, who has been established as in essence being one with the Demiurge. Therefore, this god has all the potential of Jupiter inherent in him but needs to be united with Juno in order to realize this potential. These are attributed to Malkuth on the Tree of Life in their union, and in fact the whole Astral Triad corresponds to Phanes as Protogonus. However, before his relationship with Juno is established The Fool is subject to the will of nature as not having yet brought his lower faculties under control of his will and so he seems to be in the process of looking for something beyond self. It may be by chance or Karma that Protogonus finally finds an avenue of expression that embraces his being and fosters growth. "According to the Orphic theology, Earth is the mother of every thing of which Heaven is the father." This is a profound statement also in light of the position that Earth holds within Thelema, which is expressed in the following quote from the Book of Thoth: "This thesis dovetails perfectly with the new Doctrine of Tetragrammaton, where the Earthly component, He' final, the Daughter, is set upon the Throne of the Mother, to awaken the Eld of the All Father. The NAME itself, accordingly, is no longer a fixed symbol, emblem of extension and limit, but a continuously revolving sphere, in the words of Zaroaster "rebounding, whirling forth, crying aloud." In light of this new formula the relationship between Gaia and Uranus and their correspondences to the Tetragrammaton, as Gaia is Heh final and Uranus the All is Yod, seems a bit more than just coincidental.

TO JUPITER

0 JOVE, much-honour'd, Jove supremely great,

To thee our holy rites we consecrate,

Our pray'rs and expiations, king divine,

For all things to produce with ease thro' mind is thine.

Hence mother Earth and mountains swelling high

Proceed from thee, the deep and all within the sky.

Saturnian king, descending from above,

Magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove;

All-parent, principle and end of all,

Whose pow'r almighty shakes this earthly ball;

Ev'n Nature trembles at thy imighty nod,

Loud-sounding, arm'd with light'ning, thund'ring God.

Source of abundance, purifying king,

0 various-form'd, from whom all natures spring;

Propitious hear my pray'r, give Mameless health,

With peace divine, and necessary wealth.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Priestess:

 

The Priestess:

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

The Priestess is numbered the second card in the Tarot and corresponds to the third path on the Tree of Life, which is attributed to the moon and the Hebrew letter Gimel.

This is the path that links Tiphareth to Kether and so must be where one is first exposed to the nature of Pure Consciousness, or as described by Plotinus, it is from the ‘Vision of Beauty’ that one gets a glimpse at The Unity. What The Unity in this vision entails is debatable, however it seems to have something to do with life and death. Which makes sense as the path is dedicated to Luna, who accordingly symbolizes this gate between life and death through her roles as Diana and Hecate. It is easy to find this as corresponding to the life and death ordeal that childbirth must have presented to the ancients and also reasons for us, the exalted stature by which she was held and characterized by her worship within the ancient Greek pantheon. This reasoning gives a quite satisfactory motive for her twin characters and lends credence, as at least one reason, for her also being associated with fertility and motherhood. It is by no means an accident that she is called the Great Mother and her influence often referred to as the gate, relating to a womb, such as with Yesod. Accordingly, if the above is true, we would have to concede that her characteristics must indeed stem from a mother’s role in the creation of and the fragility of new life, as owing to the archaic precedent of her initial worship. The ‘Vision of Beauty’ is thus associated with The Priestess and Tiphareth is appropriately the sphere of Beauty on the Tree of Life, what this may entail is the loss of subject in the union between Phanes and Aether, with the latter also known as Brightness and Phanes is consciousness. Perhaps, one may ascribe the aforementioned method of contemplating the relationship between consciousness as light (Phanes) and Brightness (Aether L.V.X.), as being similar to contemplating Beauty without any adage of morality and prejudice involved for greasing the wheels to attainment. This contemplation is then comparable to Raja Yoga and in particular Dharana, being the loss of separateness between subject and object, which may be understood as a lesser form of Samadhi and translates to meditation. The vision itself then, according to the above, is the loss of separateness between self and the whole, henceforth being referred to as one’s first glimpse at the Unity, which serves as awakening one to the true nature of the Good. This path is thus attributable to Samadhi, or union with the All, whereby Atman is awakened to expand consciousness and unite with Brahman, wherefrom the New Life becomes conscious, or Hadit unites with the Goddess Nuit, from whence they become lovers.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Hierophant:

 

The Hierophant:

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

The 16^th path on the Tree of Life corresponds to The Hierophant ATU, Taurus and the Hebrew letter Vau. The card depicts a priest holding a wand, at the foot of the card is a maiden holding a sword in her right hand and the moon in her left, around them are the powers of the sphinx symbolized by the four heads in the corners of the card.

The Hierophant ATU is symbolic of initiation, the card’s connection to initiation within the Thelemic framework may be understood by understanding the Orphic idea of Phanes and Protogonus. It is said that Phanes is hidden in Jupiter and Protogonus is associated with Malkuth. Phanes is the god of light, symbolic of pure consciousness and the unfoldment of pure consciousness is indicated in his character. Protogonus is Phanes and thus in Orphic theology these names are sometimes used interchangeably, however the significance of this god having two names, may be understood within the symbolism of the Tree of Life especially the Adam Qadmon, as representing the evolution of consciousness. Phanes is pure light and hints at being’s complete unfoldment, thus he is attributed to Chesed. Phanes via his direct connection to the Demiurge and his connection to Protogonus is the Hierophant depicted in the card. Phanes is also Hadit in Thelemic parlance and so is Protogonus, this god is as a result of his nature as positioned auspiciously, always connected to the Supernal Triad as being that which is most sympathetic to the Spirit and as we understand in Thelema; it is Hadit’s nature to unite with the infinite body of Nuit. This card is an artistic rendering of the Tree of Life and the evolution of consciousness mentioned above. At the bottom of the card, we see a maiden who Crowley calls the Scarlett Woman hence Babalon holding a sword and the moon, the moon symbolizes the unconscious that is illuminated by intellect, which is symbolized by the sword, she is the Shekinah and establishes Protogonus’ connection to the Forms. This initiation is dramatically enacted every-day in the Thelemic Greater Ritual of the Pentagram called Liber H and is given to Neophytes of the A.'.A.'. for the purpose of illuminating the unconscious, thus establishing an intellectual connection between the magician and the sphere of Yesod. The card is symbolic then of Protogonus’ climb toward complete realization in Chesed, this is symbolically depicted by the union between the hexagram and pentagram in front of the hierophant and symbolic of the Ethical Triad, also seen within the card is the light from this union shining down on the maiden, again expressing Tiphareth’s relationship to Yesod. The child dancing at the centre of the pentagram is the Magickal Childe, which results from union between the lower and the higher or joining heaven and earth. This union is symbolized by the number 65 and presents the idea of the five-pointed star uniting with the six-pointed star, thus raising the microcosm (pentagram) to unite with the macrocosm (hexagram). The powers of the sphinx are there to guard a magician and facilitate his journey towards realization.

 I:49. Abrogate are all rituals, all ordeals, all words and signs. Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, who also are one. But they are not of me. Let Asar be the adorant, Isa the sufferer; Hoor in his secret name and splendour is the Lord initiating.

I:50. There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!

Liber AL vel Legis 

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Star:

 

The Star:

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

The Star is attributed to the 15^th path on The Tree of Life and connects Chokmah to Tiphareth and is associated with the letter Heh of the Hebrew alphabet. This path used to be attributed to The Emperor but again, as per the prophesy in The Book of the Law it has changed from corresponding to Aries and the Emperor, to Aquarius and The Star.  

The Star is a path that carries the influence from the Supernal Triad which is what is looked to for the awakening of Hadit. The sephiroth below the abyss on the tree are entirely reliant on Jupiter's influence, although Chesed's influence is most directly experienced at this point, obviously as every lower sephirah on the tree embodies the influence received from the higher, although the influence is masked, as per one’s unique relationship to that which is above. However, Jupiter is the Demiurge and once direct contact with this sphere has been established, being is unveiled, as the Logos. It is along this path that one’s starry nature becomes the object of obsession and its unique dealings with the universal Logos are revealed and sought. Hadit has three notable abstract manifestations along the path of return. The first of these is the acknowledgement of self as having a unique and important part to play within the cosmic unity, the second is the totality of this realization and the unveiling of being itself, the last must then be the realization of the complete unfoldment of being into the eternal body of the goddess Nuit. These are rightly associated with Malkuth, Tiphareth and Kether. The path of The Star is the realization that occurs as the totality of Hadit’s realization and the realization of selfhood’s need for expression. According to the Orphic theology this stage of development is when the invisible Apollo receives direct inspiration from the Muses who are metaphysically conjoined with the Bacchuses which represent the planets described as orbs within said theology and revolve around the sun. The invisible Apollo is a term describing Hadit and it is the awakening of Hadit which through the unveiling of the Logos finds direction to inspire the lower. Hence, The Star in this card refers to this translation from receiving and interpreting that divine message, that via one’s heritage is given a means of expression. The heritage spoken of is that which has been fostered by one’s established connection to the universe, which may be termed the universal Logos or in this case Thelema. This obviously doesn’t refer to the complete unfoldment of being but does give the impression that one at this stage of realization has a unique and important part to play. This part is expressed via the Logos, which is the soul of a magician, and means the entire person working as a single unit towards the goal. The goal then is working in accordance with the universe, being the only medium that may unveil this realization. Hereby, we can also see the confusion and folly of The Emperor once having been attributed to this path, which left little room for expression on part of the magician.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Lovers:

 

The Lovers:

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

This card is associated with Gemini and the Hebrew letter Zain, the card corresponds to the 17^th path on the Tree of Life and connects Binah to Tiphareth, or the sphere of Saturn to the sphere of the Sun. The card depicts a wedding ceremony, at the top of the card above the bride and groom is Eros, descending with the light upon the bride and groom. In the background is the Hermit assuming the sign of the enterer, there are two children standing at the foot of the card, who Crowley writes represent Cane and Abel, the one child is holding the Holy Grail and the other the Sacred Lance, these represent the Yoni and the Lingam and sexual magick. In fact, the whole card is full of masculine and feminine symbolism and suggests a method of sex magick. At the top of the card there are two statues, one of a naked man and the other a naked woman and at the bottom of the card we can see a red lion and white eagle, also symbolic of the dichotomy of male and female, or rather opposites in general. These opposites are all united in love and forms the Orphic Egg at the bottom and shows its relationship to Eros, thus symbolizing Love, as the means to this particular attainment. The swords in the background, forming what looks like a gate, seem to present the idea of entering the Ethical Triad, which is symbolic of the intellect and associated with the Ruach, it is also symbolic of a womb.

The nature of this path is Love or Agape, not merely a sentimental love but universal love, as this path represents the Shekinah’s first influence on an adept and so it reflects the nature of their union. It is along this path that the essence and mode of creation is unveiled, and an adept is raised via his connection to the Supernal Triad, to this realization. Thus, it symbolizes transformation, as it is this step that alters his constitution and raises him to a new level of understanding himself and his relationship with the world around him. Thus, he must cultivate his new perspective, and this may be done by employing the above stated formula. As Liber AL states: "Now, therefore, I am known to ye by my name Nuit, and to him by a secret name which I will give him when at last he knoweth me. Since I am Infinite Space, and the Infinite Stars thereof, do ye also thus. Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.”  Liber AL I,22: This path is one’s first direct experience with the Shekinah, which is an aspect of the Great Mother and therefore also Nuit, the universe itself, the nature of which is Love, wherein all is united in L.V.X. This inbreathing of the Shekinah seems then to be what draws an adept toward Binah through the following grades, as imprinting upon the soul of a magician the significance of such an experience. It is by uniting with the Shekinah that the magician joins Heaven and Earth via Tiphareth, this may be what is indicated by the wedding ceremony depicted in the card. While union with the Shekinah is certainly indicated, the card also speaks of the formula of Agape, that is realized at Tiphareth, which is the nature of union itself and indicated in the formula of 0=2. The above-described method seems to become an imperative for even maintaining balance at this stage of the magician’s development, as indicated by the above quote as well. “Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.” Crowley writes of this principle in The Book of Thoth: One may now consider the Hermetic marriage itself. This part of the Card has been simplified from “the Chymical Marriage of Christian Rosenkreutz”, a masterpiece too lengthy and diffuse to quote usefully in this place. But the essence of the analysis is the continuous see-saw of contradictory ideas. It is a glyph of duality. The attainment symbolized in this card then, seems to show a means to progress and continued development, rather than being an end in itself.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

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.”

Adjustment:

 

Adjustment:

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

Adjustment corresponds to the 19^th path on the Tree of Life and connects the Pillar of Severity to the Pillar of Mercy by joining Geburah to Chesed along this path. The path is associated to Libra and the Hebrew letter Lamed. On the card there is a female figure who represents Maat holding a sword, in front of her hangs the scales of justice and everything in the picture is in perfect balance. She is surrounded by four pyramids, with one half of each pointing up and the other halves all pointing down. These pyramids are symbolic of the elements associated to the four directions, which she has perfect control over. She is surrounded by eight orbs, and she is standing on a big black one, with a small one on her head, these orbs seem to represent the Sephiroth, and probably indicates the marriage of Heaven and Earth. 

The Adjustment card symbolizes integration or re-equilibration, it seems to indicate re-establishing the Kingdom on a higher plateau, which means reconfiguring self and the world around it. This demands honest critical self-analysis, hence the symbolism of judgement, although Adjustment more aptly supports this idea. The old card was Justice, but justice presumes a self-favoring end is implied, however reality demands adaptation and compromise, so that sometimes we do not get our way. Henceforth, the four Powers of the Sphinx's significance is also implied in the symbolism of the card, these powers give the magician the ability to work harmoniously within the world of contending forces. As Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth: “This card in the old Tarot pack was called Justice. This word has none but a purely human and therefore relative sense; so it is not to be considered as one of the facts of Nature. Nature is not just, according to any theological or ethical idea; but Nature is exact.”  This quote indicates the need to harmonize the internal and external circumstances of life, and this is the way the daughter may find herself on the throne of the mother. As Crowley writes: “It is the final adjustment in the formula of Tetragrammaton,…” The card suggests equilibrating the elements on a higher level of awareness, as through transmutation complete transfiguration is necessitated. Along this path, it becomes paramount to harmonize oneself with external circumstances, by accurately evaluating one’s limitations and prejudices in relationship to the world around him or her and to act accordingly, by conforming to such conditions to establish control. The sword that the female figure in the card is holding, is symbolic of the intellect (Ruach) and symbolizes the importance of the Ruach for harmonizing with the objective world. The Ruach is also symbolic of the ego, and as a new self-awareness has been experienced through the act of piercing the Veil of Paroketh, the ego was shattered and now finds itself in need of viewing the world and itself through a new lens of reality. So, all that which has been attained is here united into a functioning whole and symbolized by the daughter taking the place of the mother. Or as Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth: “She is masked, and her expression shows her secret intimate satisfaction in her domination of every element of dis-equilibrium in the Universe. This condition is symbolized by the Magic Sword which she holds in both hands, and the balances of spheres in which she weighs the Universe.” Thus, this card represents the final step in establishing oneself within the conditions that correspond to the enquiry and although the task may seem daunting, it is a beneficent card as all the elements necessary for success are already in place. 

“Love is the law, love under will.”