The Tarot of Eli, LLC: The Thoth Tarot-The Magus

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The Thoth Tarot-ATU 1-THE MAGUS, is often called THE MAGICIAN in other decks. It also depicts some of the Arcana of this Tarot. This is a card dedicated to Mercury (Hermes), the Messenger, and instead of carrying the caduceus, as in many Magician cards, the Thoth Magus is the Caduceus.

Here it is Key/ATU-One, The Path of Beth. Beth is a Hebrew letter (shown on the Magus card on the bottom right of the card) meaning House or Temple. The Planet attributed to the Magician or Magus is Mercury, thus the winged heals on the Thoth Magus.

Paul Foster Case, in his text, THE THIRTY-TWO PATHS OF WISDOM, calls the Path of Beth, the Twelfth Path that is the Intelligence of Transparency.

The Path of Beth (The Magus or Magician) is between Kether (Crown) and Binah (Understanding) on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, making it the transition (Phallus/Fecundating) path of the One undefined Energy, and the Great Organizer, Binah. Thus, this relationship establishes the meaning of House, which is the "dwelling place' (Womb) where Spirit resides before coagulating into manifestation.

In this case, it is appropriate to call the Magus/Magician "that which builds the House", in other words, the Magus/Magician directs and encloses the One Spirit (Spiral Energy-Vital Life Force)) which is symbolized by THE FOOL tarot card.

The Supernal Triangle (Kether, Chokmah and Binah), is represented by Tarot Cards whose activities are only separated by a degree or less. Thus, the Aspects of the Magus and the Fool are intricately linked. For those who wish a glaring example of this "degree of Separation" it is about as much as the Testes and Phallus are separated in a human male, albeit the One Great Being can be said to communicate as the Phallus male and the Testes female; The Testes being the womb of spermatozoon and thus making Chokmah (female noun in Hebrew, meaning Wisdom) a testicular womb as the Magus/Magician is all about "expression" and thus ejaculation of information from the Kether to the rest of the Supernal Triangle. Chokmah thus forcefully expresses to Binah, the Womb of "Will to Form". (Note* to a Qabalist a "Being" is an Immortal Intelligent Energy"). It is to be noted that, the God name of Kether is Eheieh ("I Will Be") and the Magus carries that "shout" and/or "Word of God" to the "Will to Form" of the Great Womb-Sea of Mother Binah.

Scholars of the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch) point out that the letter Beth is the first letter, as Genesis begins with "Bereshith," commonly translated as "in the beginning." Interestingly, Fabre d'Olivet translated "Bereshith" to mean "At first, in principle," acknowledging that Beth symbolizes the "Beginning of the Beginning"—the Will of the One. Therefore, it represents the First Matter of the Alchemist, the Philosophic Mercury, or the "First Principle."

To create a beginning, one must also create an end. The Magus, or Magician, embodies the key polarities of creation—Life and Death. This concept is symbolized by the figure-eight, or lemniscus, which often appears as a twisted serpent on the Magus card or as the Uroboros, the serpent eating its own tail. All these symbols represent the closed circle of One Energy, initiated by the number One—Beth—acting upon the Zero—Aleph, represented by The Fool. The lemniscus, or infinity symbol, signifies the act of turning upon oneself, a twisting or spiraling motion that creates the male and female infinite circles of force within the One Energy—from 0 to 8.

There is no action in Kether (the Crown) until Will disturbs it, and the Magician/Magus symbolizes the Will that stirs up the energy of Kether. Hence, the Magus' chant, "I am the will. I am the way. I am the wealth; I own the day," is highly fitting for this card.

[For an entertaining story of the first relationship between the letters Aleph and Beth, I would suggest one reads the Zohar, a Qabalistic text.]

However, even though the Magus/Magician is associated with Mercury, the Messenger of the Gods, it is not all active. In fact, it is both active and passive, as it is both that which Transmits and that which is Transmitted ( A phallus and testes)! The Magus represents both the One Life Energy which when transmitted becomes the Prima Materia (First Matter).

Here an understanding of the fact that the Magus/Magician (Mercury) is the "message bearer" of the Gods, meaning he is not Himself the Creator, only the bearer of his Will. The ejaculator if you will. (The whole Supernal Triangle is the action of the Divine Phallus and Divine Womb.). The Caduceus-Wand in The Tarot Mercury's hand symbolizes this "phallic action", showing that the Magick (High Magic is traditionally spelled with a "K") is merely the Transmitted will of the Greater Being that is the Supernal Triangle or Trinity of "I Will Be", " I Will Force" and "I will Form".

The Roman, Mercury, is the Greek Hermes and the Egyptian- Ibis headed Thoth, all represent the same deity, the amalgamation of their qualities having become inseparable in modern esoteric literature.

Hermes was always associated with words; this makes sense as a messenger must simply state the cause of the one who has sent him.

Then there is the Egyptian- Thoth, who created the Hieroglyphs, developing the necessary means by which a message could be transmitted and recorded. The companion of Thoth/Hermes, was shown as a dog-headed Ape (Cynocephalus), representing words themselves and the trickery of communicating them. Thus, we have Cynocephalus, included in the Thoth Deck card, laying at the feet of the Magus.

Not only do words affect the Will, as cause and effect, but they also transmit ideas from person to person in the same way that the Magus transmits the idea of Self-Creation of the One -Kether. The Transmitted idea, from The Magus/Magician, Fertilizes the ONE Womb, (Understanding) Great Mother Binah. Just as words fertilize Consciousness! Thus, the power of Words, is about stimulating the birthing of unconscious ideas into conscious images of understanding, by the Power of Expression, but not necessarily the Truth of Creation, for that Must Be Made Manifest (THE HIGH PRIESTESS)!

To reiterate, THE MAGUS /MAGICIAN is the Path of Beth (house or temple), and it transmits the idea of Self-Creation of the one from above-known as Kether (Crown). A spoken word is a sound that carries an idea, so the Magus is associated with the "First Vibration" and/or "Word of God".

The First Vibration encloses Spirit, beginning the process of creation, thus encompassing all that is.

In the Golden Dawn papers, this idea was conveyed by relating the Mercury symbol (planetary sign) to all the Sephiroth, apart from Kether.

Consequentially the showing of Mercury on the Caduceus, properly places the Four Worlds, ( Atziluth, Briah, Yetsirah and Assiah), that are transitions of the Wand of the Magus. Kether is the Winged Orb at the top, Chokmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding) are the twin serpent heads. By deeper delving into the Golden Dawn tests, the student will find that the Primum Mobile, Latin for "first motion", is acting through Philosophic Mercury (Magus/Magician) on Saturn-Binah, who is Will to Form. As stated before, she is the mother of Form-The Creatrix, and the Magus is the "Idea of Being" and/or will.

The activity of first motion acting on Saturn-Binah, is words or Vibration and whoever can willfully direct the Vibration of the First Motion, (often referred to as "Pronouncing the word-YHVH") Shall "command the Universal Force". This Mastery of the Universal motion is called the "moves-Moves" among certain Native American nations, and/or the "motion within the movement" of the Mysteries. Quantum physicists would call it the "Dark energy that pushes the Universe", while Qabalists call it the Magus or Magician.

Dr. Paul Foster Case, the creator of B.O.T.A., in his Book of Tokens, stated that, "all created wills are but reflections" of the Will that is the Magus/Magician. This is an essential ideal of the Mysteries and acknowledges the fact that our Superior Nature (Divine I Am) acts through the Magus.

In the Crowley card, THE MAGUS is not holding a Wand, the primary instrument of the MAGICIAN cards; Rather, THE MAGUS is the Wand, He is the Fecundation of the Energy Phallus, without a human body, which Crowley understood. This Subjective Phallus is not an object. All Objects are formed by Binah, who is Will To Form.

Victorian sensibilities have softened the ancient depictions of Hermes as the Herms, which were upright stone slabs featuring a bust and an exaggerated stone phallus attached to the front of the column. This representation of "First Motion" is also reflected in the Lingam worship of the Hindus and the Phallus-god Priapus of the Romans. Without the transmission of Will from the One, an idea cannot take form through Understanding.

This is a complex concept, requiring deep meditation on The Magus card and a release of Victorian sensibilities, as it pertains to the First Sexual Act within Universal Duality. This act gave rise to our Higher Self-Knowledge, known as Daath—meaning Knowledge (symbolized by the High Priestess)—the birther of the Soul, who is the Divine Child born from the union of Willed Force and Understanding. This union brings forth the Self-concept: I AM ME. Here, "I" represents the Will, "Am" is the Mind, and "Me" is the manifestation of their union. This concept might even make your forehead itch!

The purpose of Qabalah, meaning "receiving," is to create a personality that embodies the Magus—one who can receive the Word of the Divine Creative and manifest it as action within and outside the body, symbolized by the Caduceus. Our personality was originally designed to act as an awakened consciousness that operates between the Psyche/Soul and the external world. However, this representative of the Solar Self has been corrupted by the indoctrination and dogma of the Patriarchy. Thus, we must spend considerable time dismantling the false ego produced by the word hypnosis of the media-controlled reality known as "the world of man." Hence, we have enough of his-story and it is time for us to realize her-story.

In Summary:

The Thoth Magus Tarot card, also known as The Magician or The Juggler, holds a prominent place in Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot deck. It is a highly symbolic card, emphasizing the mastery of willpower, creativity, and communication. Here are the key characteristics and symbols found in the Thoth Magus card:

1. Symbolism of Mercury

• The Magus is associated with the planet Mercury, the god of communication, intellect, and magic. Mercury governs the flow of information and ideas, as well as the balance between spiritual and material realms.
• The card represents the alchemical element of Air, symbolizing intellect and mental agility. The figure of the Magus is adept at manipulating energy and matter through the power of thought and intention.

2. Figure of the Magus

• The central figure stands confidently, often portrayed as a youthful man holding a stylus or wand, representing his ability to shape reality. His posture suggests dynamic movement, hinting at his control over the forces of creation.
• His raised hand points upward, symbolizing his connection to divine inspiration, while his lowered hand points downward, indicating his ability to manifest that inspiration into the physical world. This mirrors the Hermetic principle: "As above, so below."

3. Tools of the Magus

• Surrounding the Magus are various magical tools, including a cup, a sword, a wand, and a pentacle—symbols of the four elements (Water, Air, Fire, and Earth) and the Magus' mastery over them.
• These tools represent the ability to control and direct the material and spiritual forces of existence, making the Magus a true alchemist, able to transmute ideas into reality.

4. The Lemniscate (Infinity Symbol)

• The lemniscate, or figure-eight infinity symbol, often appears either above the Magus' head or around his form. This symbolizes infinite potential, eternal life, and the cyclical nature of creation and destruction.
• In the Thoth deck, the lemniscate might also be depicted as a serpent (Uroboros) consuming its tail, representing the unity and self-sustaining nature of the universe.

5. Vibrancy of Colors and Energy

• The card bursts with vibrant, radiant colors, suggesting the energetic power of creation. These hues reflect the dynamic and active energy of the Magus as he manipulates the elements and channels divine will.
• Crowley emphasizes the magickal nature of the Magus by depicting spirals of energy and motion around the figure, illustrating his influence over both seen and unseen forces.

6. Relationship with the Hebrew Letter Beth

• The Magus is associated with the Hebrew letter Beth, which means "house" or "dwelling." This signifies the body as a house or vessel for spiritual energy, aligning with the card's theme of using willpower to channel divine forces into physical manifestation.
• Beth also connects to the concept of the word as a creative force, further tying into Mercury’s role as the god of communication and the Logos—the Word of Creation.

7. Crowley’s Interpretation

• Crowley describes the Magus as the ultimate symbol of the Will, representing the ability to initiate creation through conscious intention. The card speaks to the manifestation of ideas and the mastery of the tools of creation.
• The chant associated with the Magus—"I am the Will. I am the Way. I am the Wealth; I own the Day."—further encapsulates the self-empowerment, control, and mastery that this card embodies.

8. Connection to Daath and Knowledge

• In Qabalistic terms, the Magus card relates to Daath, the Sephira of Knowledge. The Magus acts as a bridge between the higher spiritual realms and material existence, transmitting the knowledge and wisdom of the divine to the physical world. He represents the "bridge" between Kether (the Crown) and the manifest universe.
• This ties into the concept of "The Word" as the creative force that brings forth understanding and form from the formless void.

In essence, the Thoth Magus Tarot card is about the manifestation of Will and intellect through focused intention. It embodies the principle of self-empowerment, the manipulation of reality through mastery of the elements, and the infinite potential of creative force. The Magus reminds us of the power of our thoughts and actions in shaping our world.

When THE MAGICIAN/MAGUS is thrown during a reading, it implies:

• Communication and timing and that all things are possible, with applied Will and understanding. There is an implication of the magic of Universal Vital Force traveling through the human body making one in-tune with the most creative and powerful aspects of your-Self.
•  As above, so below.
• Changing the structure of your living situation by focused action: Will and focused consciousness.
•  An awareness of Power, and possession and communication of the Powers (Focused will that fertilizes creativity in oneself and others) and Gifts of Spirit (Divine senses).

Thank you for your interest and comments and supportive donations. May you live long and prosper!