Predicting The Present

by Daniel Kelley

  This, it's been said, is how shoes were created.

  But it's important to know that The Fool isn't clever in a cunning or practiced way. As Dionysus, The Fool's discoveries are the result of being plugged into something larger than himself (the Sky of infinite possibilities). Imagine a drunkard who falls from a high cliff. It's a scientific fact that many drunkards survive such falls because they're so relaxed that, much like water, their bodies allow for a softer landing by becoming suppler upon impact. Or we might recall the many great discoveries made in moments of intoxication, such as dreams or psychedelic states. The cluster of grapes, the Asclepius staff, and the rainbow halo around The Fool's head, all symbolize such fertile intoxication. The potential downside of this intoxication hardly requires elaboration! Suffice it to say that there's a fine line between inspiration and inebriation.

  The ultimate message of The Fool is that the moment we become empty of our small “I” the whole existence rushes toward us and we become more capable of embodying our big “I”. It’s as if a rock has been put in the way of a rushing river, the rock of the ego and the rock of self-contraction. Remove the rock and the river again starts flowing through new channels. In Tarot, The Star represents this river. The Star is The Priestess unveiled and represents one's inner longing to merge with The Universe. She's the messenger of the Great Beyond expressed frequently in poetic, spiritual, and artistic vision. She's also the divine homesickness that fuels such vision. We see this process of merging one's life with the universal life symbolized by the water flowing from The Fool's pierced breast (on his right side).

  I mention The Star at this point because I wish to emphasize one interpretation of that trump in connection with The Fool, and that’s the process of renewal which comes with realization of the continuity of consciousness (Nuith). I bring this to your attention now because it's The Fool with whom we're dealing, in twenty-two different manifestations, when we meditate upon any card in the Major Arcana. In fact, The Fool contains the entire deck of cards! We see this fact represented in the card by the bag of coins bearing astrological symbols, which The Fool holds in his left hand.

  The twenty-two trumps of Tarot have rightfully been called The Fool's Journey.

  The Fool remains pure so long as he's able to walk through the water without getting wet. By remaining natural we're baptized in our innocence and no longer feel as though we've been thrown against our will into a loveless universe. We become once again capable of seeing life with fresh, childlike eyes. Knowing how to skillfully navigate the tortuous spiral of life, all the while retaining the capacity for wonder, is how we grow from a fool into a master! Speaking of masters, let's introduce ourselves to the next key-player in the story of the Thoth Tarot: The Magus.

  The Magus:

  The Magus of Power

  Trump #1

  Planetary and alchemical Trump of Mercury

  Letter: Beth (house) (numerical value: 2)

  Path: #12 (from Kether to Binah)

  Helpful Quotes

  "The True Self is the meaning of the True Will:

  Know thyself through Thy Way!

  Calculate well the Formula of Thy Way!

  Create freely; absorb joyously; divide intently;

  Consolidate completely.

  Work thou, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent,

  In and for eternity."

  -Aleister Crowley

  “The Master of an art reveals it in his every action.”

  -Taoist Saying

  "When we begin to seriously work to understand the link between something apparent and something obscure in our lives, our inner Magician is alive."

  -Sandra A. Thomson

  Contemplation

  So it seems The Fool has found his way home. Well, at least at home in his own skin. But it wouldn't be accurate to call it a home, really; it's more like an amusement park! The Fool has discovered his talents, his True Will, and although he doesn't yet know where that True Will is leading him, this nonchalance with regards to destiny is the very thing which makes his Work (play) so efficient. The aimless air has heard the call of the boundless sky (Nuith) and has now become a tornado.

  Says Nuith:

  “For true Will, unassuaged of purpose, and delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.” -Liber Al Vel Legis 1:44

  The Magus has learned how to play with paradox and skillfully harness the power of polarity (Yin/Yang). In the card, we see this dance of polarities symbolized by the four “weapons” of ceremonial magick. These are the Wand (Fire), Cup (Water), Disk (Earth), and Sword (Air). Expressed as polarities, we must ask ourselves which elements give rise to each other and which one's cancel each other out. For example, Air (Sword) can both fuel the creation of Fire (Wand) but it can also blow it out; Water (Cup) can fertilize Earth but it can also flood it. You might think of it as an advanced version of the Paper, Rock, and Scissors game! In the Western magickal tradition, these elements are represented as the four Weapons. In Tarot, they're symbolized by the four Aces of the Minor Arcana.

  The truly harmonious cooperation and balanced expression of each of the four Aces occurs in the sixth card of each suit (Tiphareth), wherein The Magus has worked out the correct balance of these Elements. Besides representing the actual four Elements of the material world, the Aces also represent karmic forces of thought and action; and an example of how The Magus juggles each of them is as follows. Readers unfamiliar with Kabbalah may refer to the Glossary in the Appendix for clarification of unfamiliar words and concepts:

  The Magus/Ace of Wands: The Ace of Wands/Magus polarity shows us the self-transcended level of Selfhood which is one with Spirit. The Ace of Wands is located on the World of Spirit-without-Form (Atziluth). Here, consciousness has unlimited energy, as the World of Atziluth is the very Will of Spirit. In terms of human psychology, this energetic economy is the result of energies no longer being squandered in regressive thought patterns. The mind is “plugged into God” and seeks to communicate this in a creative way. Its enemies are impetuousness (excessive Fire) laziness (excessive Earth), fantasy (excessive Water), second-guessing himself and any other form of distraction (excessive Air).

  The Magus/Ace of Cups: The Ace of Cups is located on the World of Spirit-with-Information (Olam Ha Briah). Here, The Magus is primarily engaged in contemplative absorption, awaiting the vision or voice of Spirit. When operating on this level of our lives, The Magus is admonishing us to listen to our hearts in the passive trust of reverential silence, and to listen to others in the same way. This is the Weapon of Elemental Water and can symbolize either deep or shallow water depending upon whose Cup it is. This gathering of information can eventually be put to task, and aids in the expression of The Magus’s True Will. Its enemies are moodiness (excessive Water), impulsive and premature action (excessive Fire), lack of viability (diminished Earth), and improper planning (diminished Air).

  The Magus/Ace of Swords: Elemental Air is one out of two wherein The Magus shines brightest (as Mercury). The pen, it has been said, is mightier than the sword; and, in this case, the pen is the sword! This is the weapon of the mathematician and philosopher, the professor, the entrepreneur, accountant, and the lawyer. The art of communication is by no means foreign to cerebral Mercury, and to risk an argument with him without first doing your homework would be foolish indeed. In developmental terms, this card-combo shows the stage of conventional thought (as The Fool is pre-conventional), wherein the self begins its process of cohesion and autonomy in the physical sense begins to give way to autonomy in the psychological sense. Kabballistically speaking, the Ace of Swords in located on the World of Creation (Olam Ha Yetzirah). This is the realm of Spirit-with-Purpose. Here, thoughts are things, and a man becomes what he thinks about most. Its primary enemies are miscalculation (diminished Air), moodiness and reverie (excessive Water), impracticality (diminished Earth), and lack of willpower (diminished Fire).

  The Magus/Ace of Disks: The Ace of Disks is the consolidation of all
the tasks and skills represented by each of the Aces. Kabbalistically speaking, it's located on the World of Action (Olam Ha Assiah) or Spirit-in-Action. When paired with The Magus, the Ace of Disks represents integrity-in-action. What you reap is what you sow. If your actions are aligned with the highest in you, then you're using the Ace of Disks at its highest level of interpretation. If not, then your actions will betray your level of maturity. Examples of how the other elements can usurp this creative stability are lack of solidarity (diminished Earth), not putting one's heart into the Work (diminished Water), idealism (excessive Air), and lack of tenacity (diminished Fire).

  Aleister Crowley, in "Liber B Vel Magi," says this of the Magus:

  "With the Wand createth He. (Wands)

  With the Cup preserveth He. (Cups)

  With the Dagger destroyeth He. (Swords)

  With the Coin redeemeth He." (Disks)

  To understand what Crowley meant by the above axiom, we must turn to the philosophical concepts of Eros, Agape, and Thanatos. These three Greek words represent the entire pulse of personal development. Whether or not they accurately describe evolution, I can't say, but they do much to illustrate the magickal formula of the Thoth Tarot.

  Eros and Agape can be thought of as the Yang and Yin of all things capable of growth. They represent the will to live and love. Thanatos, on the other hand, represents the will to die and separate; and this death is a prerequisite for life and love. These three impulses (let's call them that) are really the Holy Trinity of the evolving universe, and their relationship is a symbiotic one. That is, you can't take any of them away and expect life or love to go on. Just as Eros unfolds, Agape enfolds. For example, when a sperm races toward the egg with the goal of fertilizing it, that's Eros. When the egg enfolds the sperm with the goal of gestating new life, that's Agape. As each successive stage of conception unfolds, there's a “death” of the previous stage of development. Consider, for example, the growing chick (Eros) safely ensconced within the egg (Agape). When the egg finally cracks, and the chick emerges from it to greet the world for the first time, the cracking of that egg is Thanatos, but that death is simultaneously the emergence of new life (Eros).

  And round’ and round’ we go!

  Eros is, in our Tarot deck, attributed to the Ace of Wands (create); Agape is attributed to the Ace of Cups (preserve); and Thanatos is attributed to the Ace of Swords (destroy). But what about the Ace of Disks (redeem)? How does our Holy Trinity of Eros, Agape, and Thanatos remain a Trinity when there's a fourth weapon here?

  The answer’s simple:

  Putting aside the rather bloated Kabbalistic explanation (we'll get to that later), Eros, Agape, and Thanatos, are best thought of as a wheel rather than a ladder. We'll delve into this more when discussing the tenth trump, Fortune; for now, though, just think of these three concepts as the spiraling pulse of self-discovery. For this dance to continue, you must put more coins in the machine or else the game is over! The suit of Disks is traditionally called the suit of Coins (or Talents), and it's an appropriate (and ironic) label; for to continue developing your life you must also pay with your life. In one sense this “death” is allegorical, and in another sense it's literal, for the creation of anything whatsoever must involve the preservation of what works and a cutting away of what doesn't. This holds true for everything, from creating art to creating a cosmos. If this sacrifice is made, then the dance continues. If not, then the dance ends. Of course, the dance never truly ends; it simply changes from a Waltz to a Tango, a Magus to a Fool or a Fool to a Magus, and so on. This dying of one form in favor of creating a new form is the “redemption” symbolized by the Disk. It's a return to Eros on a new level so that the dance might carry on.

  This can be explained in several ways, but the following is most fitting for our purposes:

  Consider for a moment the plight of the human child. No child on the face of creation is more helpless than a human child, and it’s partially due to this helplessness that mankind has learned to become so clever. The child quickly learns that his situation's no longer as convenient as it was in the womb. While the fetus was one with the mother, every need was instantly satisfied and there wasn't any gap between need and supply. Consequently, there wasn't any room for demand. The womb was eternally warm, and nourishment was continually being fed to the fetus via the umbilical cord. Aside from the emotional and biological impulses transmitted from mother to fetus, the situation of the unborn child is perhaps the closest to the ideal of comfort to which humans can aspire.

  The situation of the newborn is somewhat different. Temperatures fluctuate. There’s this strange optical disturbance called light. Disorientation and a vague but terrifying sense of having been thrown out of paradise is the dominant mood. More importantly, there’s now a gap between need and supply. When the child's hungry, she now has no means by which to communicate it to either the mother or those other strange figures towering over her; but the child soon learns the tricks that will ensure her survival. She finds that crying works best to bring the necessary attention. Smiling and cooing also work exceptionally well, and the more she learns how to stand on her own two feet the more people applaud and reward her. The growing tot soon begins to develop a sense of self wherein her own desires and curiosities are of primary importance:

  This is the transition of The Fool to The Magus. The Fool dies to his innocence and is redeemed by his new talents (The Magus).

  The Magus also enjoys a symbiotic relationship with The Priestess. They are the Yang and Yin, respectively, of the Supernal Triad of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life (more on this later). The primary difference between them is The Magus reveals what the Priestess conceals: the spiritual unity of the first Sephira, Kether (Nondual Spirit). Of course, The Magus is attempting to reveal that which cannot be revealed. His job is to put into words the inexpressible, whereas The Priestess makes no attempt to express it; she camouflages it instead! The Magus then uses the camouflage of The Priestess in a creative way that paints a picture of nondual Spirit.

  A few examples of the work of The Magus include the parables of Aesop and Jesus of Nazareth. When the apostle Peter heard Jesus speaking to the multitudes in parables and anecdotes, he asked Jesus why he didn't just speak plainly to them. Jesus responded by telling Peter that the masses aren't mature enough to understand a direct pointing to Truth. Like children, they require stories with a moral theme to ponder and digest before those seeds can flower into insight.

  The Magus doesn't always use words to convey that which can't be conveyed. He or she may use music, drama, dance, painting, or spiritual methods to achieve the desired effect. In the card, this dexterity of expression is symbolized by the four magickal Weapons. Regardless the method chosen, The Magus must create a Form, a Word, a Logos, a Vision to express his realization. This being accomplished, The Magus must then glamour and charm the world with it, all the while knowing that he's creating an illusion.

  In Aleister Crowley's poem, “Aha!”, Marsyas’ confused disciple, Olympas (The Fool) exclaims to his Master, “You told me the Path is joy.” To which Marsyas (The Magus) responds, “A lie to lure thee!”.

  Such a dialogue is characteristic of The Magus.

  But it must be remembered that The Magus has a dark side. He's often been called The Trickster. Like his higher octave, The Magus, The Trickster also uses glamour to seduce the world around him. The big difference between them is that The Trickster employs his charms in the service of his own ego. The Magus, however, uses his skills in the service of a higher Truth. That he can never use these illusions to point directly to Truth is illustrated by the Ape of Thoth located at the Magus’s feet.

  The take-home message of The Magus is this:

  By skillfully clearing a new path to the Tree of Life you can discover what Spirit is trying to manifest through you. You can then learn, through trial and error, how to operate from that higher center in increasingly skillful ways. The Ape of Thoth seen stalking The Magus also represents your
Shadow and the regressive pull of prior developmental levels. Like the comfort of putting on an old pair of shoes, The Magus in you is in danger of choosing the comfort of the familiar over the progressive challenges of the unknown. But those old shoes are comfy! Still, those shoes have holes in them. What possible use could they be to you when you’re attempting to walk on water? There are miracles within you just waiting to be born, but miracles rarely happen in a comfort zone.

  The Magus in you has been given the task of juggling the entire Tree of Life. In fact, you juggle both the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge (the Forbidden Fruit). Don't let the knowledge of your shortcomings be the demise of your creative vitality. We're each walking a tightrope, and we can either be above our limitations or below them in any given moment. The ancient adage, “Know Thyself”, is easier said than done; but if we can't figure out how to do it then we'll never solve the riddle of the Sphinx. What exactly is this riddle? Well, it just so happens that I know a High Priestess who can answer this question for you.

  The Priestess:

  The Priestess of the Silver Star

  Trump #2

  Planetary Trump of the Moon

  Letter: Gimel (camel) (numerical value: 3.)

  Path: #13 (from Kether to Tiphareth)

  Helpful Quotes

  “Purity is to live only to the Highest; and the highest is all: