“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” –AL I:40
These eight specific Major Arcana of Thoth cards appear in ESSAYS No.3. Over the years I’ve tried to explain how I received the images and what they have meant to me but with little luck. Then one day I read a profound statement made by Carl Jung (1875-1961). He writes – “The years, of which I have spoken to you, when I pursued the inner images, were the most important time of my life. Everything else is to be derived from this. It began at that time, and the later details hardly matter anymore. My entire life consisted in elaborating what had burst forth from the unconscious and flooded me like an enigmatic stream and threatened to break me. That was the stuff and material for more than only one life. Everything later was merely the outer classification, the scientific elaboration, and the integration into life.”
Like Jung I too have been driven to understand the images which often surfaced in my dreams and I found no better example than my own personal Tarot cards. Each was a dream, a lesson, appearing in random order over a period of eight years. I have diligently explored and researched them from a Qabalistic, magickal and psychological point-of-view for the better part of my life. The latest issue of ESSAYS No.3 is what I learned of certain things emerging as archetypal imagery from deep within my collective unconscious, which is why the cards are referred to as “the Laws of my Universe, NOT yours.” However, if the eight chapters in the book hold sparks of Divine Fire, to light the way for others to explore their own psyche, then it was worthy a quest to be put down onto paper. These specific paths relate to OTO Minerval and First degrees as well as the Eight Limbs of Yoga. We initially thought of including color plates in the book but it was too expensive for our budget. In the end we decided to included color copies of the cards on our website and then simply advise the readers where they might be found.
Thoth Images Appearing in Essays No. 4
In Chapter XIII of Magick Without Tears titled “System of the O.T.O.” it states that in Second Degree – “The Man experiences Life.” Whereas Minerval & First Degree O.T.O. represented Birth or the Seed of the Father (Chokmah) being transferred out of the Tent (i.e. phallus) into the Well (i.e. womb) of the Mother (Binah), the Second Degree hold the keys as to how the Son incarnates below the Abyss in quest of Life. In other words, that which transpired Above the Abyss is now being birthed Below. The mysteries of Life are portrayed in only three paths; those of Lust (ט), The Hermit (י) and Justice (ל). These paths unite the three Sephiroth of Chesed-4 (חסד), Geburah-5 (גבורה) and Tiphereth-6 (תפארת). Together they form a ‘Descending Red Triangle,’ which refers to the Anahata or Heart Chakra.
“I am bound to explain to you that it would have been better had you never approached us should you imagine that we can teach you the secrets of the Mysteries. The real secrets are incommunicable. The Secret of the Royal Art grows like a flower within the heart of man. All that we can do is to aid this flower by supplying it with food, air, water, and sunlight. Candidate! will the assurance of such aid satisfy you?”
– Saladin
FUTURE CARDS in ESSAYS No. 5 : In Chapter XIII of Magick Without Tears titled “System of the O.T.O.” it states that an initiate in Third Degree – “experiences Death.” In other words, that which an initiate laid as the Foundation Stones of their Life inevitably leads to their death. The mysteries of Death are portrayed in only two paths; that of The Hanged Man (מ) and The Devil (ע). These paths unite the three Sephiroth of Geburah-5 (גבורה), Hod-8 (הוד) and Tiphereth-6 (תפארת). In this degree an initiate’s psyche descends into the lower Ruach where they must learn to control their Personality as it relates to their persona or especially their ego in order that they can learn how to die properly.
Love is the law, love under will. –AL I:57