The Tarot of Eli, LLC-Major Arcana: Thoth-ATU V-The Hierophant & The Declarative Tarot -Path 5-The Gatekeeper.

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Above all things, know thyself!

The Magus of the Eternal. The Oracle of the Gods is the Child-Voice of Love in Thine Own Soul; hear thou it. Heed not the Siren-Voice of Sense, or the Phantom-Voice of Reason: rest in Simplicity and listen to the Silence.

-Crowley

The Tarot Hierophant, called "the Magus of the Eternal" by Crowley, is the Qabalistic Path of Vau. The Hebrew letter Vau means Nail or Hook, and is the 16th path, on the Tree of Life. Leading from the 2nd Sephiroth Chokmah (wisdom) down to the 4th Sephiroth- Chesed (mercy) and is known as the Eternal Intelligence, a name assigned to this ATU by Dr. Case. The Path of Vau is the uppermost path on the Pillar of Mercy (Right hand Path). In the Golden Dawn texts, this path is described as, “The Zodiac acting through Taurus upon Jupiter". Here, Chokma is Jupiter, and his action is the spermatic potential of the Manifested Universe-(4 the Sephiroth- Chesed) the Yod of Microcosm (Microprosopus), is the Father in Manifestation, while the 2nd Sephiroth-Chokmah the Yod of the Macrocosm (Macroprosopus) is the Supernal Father. The Path of Vau is therefore, the Wisdom Path of the Holy Guardian Angel and/or Higher Soul, the lower Soul is the Rauch which is responsible for your awake consciousness.

Although the Path of the Hierophant is a powerfully masculine one (Electric Force), to which the Bull-Taurus is applied and image definitively applied to this card, he is supported by the Dark Isis figure. Being "Fixed Earth"; therefore, s/he is a stable foundation for knowledge; a stabilizing extreme. This is the absolute foundation of the process of revelation where the inherited Knowing of the Creator, THE DIVINE CREATIVE (often called the Great Father but is an androgyny), is expressing Its experience through the Supreme Spiritual Self to the Psyche of Tiphareth (The Sun/Son of Beauty). Therefore, memory is involved and the solid foundation of "Above all things, know thyself" is established as a Universal Inheritance for the Divine Golden Child-(Horus the Solar Self and/or Soul) shown in a pentagram on the Thoth Hierophant's chest.

As stated, the meaning of the Hebrew word Vau, is nail or hook, implying a nailing together, or binding, and links the Macrocosm (The Great Universe) and Microcosm (Manifestation), and/or The Greater Self to the lesser Self of Matter, forever linking us to the Divine Spirit. Above the Thoth HIEROPHANT are shown 9 nails, representing the letter Vau, as well as displaying the relationship to the teachings, which relate Higher ideas into Lower organisms that is often called, "As above so below". Here the fabric of Time/Space is nailed to the Abyss and/or Abyssal Womb, which can be entered/seen through the Oriel behind his head.

The Hierophant is a state of conscious energy that is the only source for our understanding of the inner Spirit/Spiral energy conscious. This "Magus of the Eternal" is stated by Dr. Paul Foster Case in his text," THE THIRTY-TWO PATHS OF WISDOM, as being the," .... Pontifex, the 'bridge maker' who provides a connecting link between outer experience and interior illumination." Therefore, the Hierophant gets the discriminating experience of the Body-operating-Consciousness, while teaching that very same awake consciousness its inherited Divinity. Hence, The Hierophant can be said to "Learn by Teaching" and the Eternal Intelligence can be called "Life" and/or the Reasoning behind manifestation, implying that a teacher who learns from his students, is a great teacher. However, take a hard look at this card, for the Great Teacher here is not the Age-of -Osiris or Pope of Traditional Tarot, like the Golden Tarot, Rider-Waite-Smith, or many traditional Cards but a Sumerian/ Babylonian High- Priest-King. A Bold, confident, and sexually active Osiris for he is not supported by a couple of pale and celibate acolytes which is often shown in traditional tarot, but rather by the sword bearing Scarlet Woman/Dark Isis. The union of the 2 creates the Child Horus shown in the Pentagram on his chest. Hence, this implies a family "snapshot" of the 3 Aeons of Isis-Osiris-Horus.

Crowley's main concept was the "grounding" of the 5th- ATU/Key-, using the corner symbols of the 4 Cherubim (Guiding intelligences of the Four Elements) as the tentative expressions of the primordial Elements of Kether (Crown) that are passed down to the 2nd Sephiroth- Chokmah as the Sphere of the Zodiac. Interestingly, we think of the Zodiac as 12 signs, but it is really four ternaries, where each element is broken down to three signs. To the Qabalist, this relates to Yod (hand) Heh/He' (Window) and Vau (Nail).

The Administrator to the emerging duality that is the 2nd Sephirotic Intelligence- Chokmah (Phallus -Womb, male-female, electric-magnetic) is the Hierophant and it's given form or structure by Binah (Great Mother) which begins as manifestation below the Abyss (from Dark Energy and Dark Máter) in Chesed (Mercy). Thus, relating to Tiphareth (Beauty-Synchronicity), the midway point of manifestation and the Sun/Son of the Divine Creative. This relationship is shown in 2 ways, first as the letter Vau, which is related to "The Sun/ Son" (Child of the Divine Creative), and Tetragrammaton (YHVH) and the second is the image of Horus, itself related to the 6th Sephiroth-Tiphareth and the Sun and/or Solar Self. Crowley shows this by the Pentagram on the chest of the Hierophant as the four elements are combined under the fifth Element-Spirit, thus forming the 5-pointed star and in that star rises Horus (Hawk-headed sun god of the Egyptians), this also implies Horus as Human manifestation, since the Pentagram is the symbol of humankind. The Pentagram image confirms the Great Work known as "As above, so below", a process in which the symbolic Moon always is a key part. For the Moon is both above and below the Sun on the Tree of Life, as it is both implied as Yesod (Foundation) and is the Path of the High Priestess and is exalted in Taurus and therefore, the Dark Isis/Dark Moon supporting him.

The Astrological sign, Taurus, is also ruled by Venus, referring us to the Empress, the Path of Daleth, between Chokmah and Binah. THE EMPRESS is Mother Nature, and/or the fertilized Universal Consciousness that is the foundation of the HIEROPHANT'S teaching. The Militant Venus of the Age of Horus, and the embodiment of the Heavenly Venus that rules Taurus, is shown as the Sword bearing Scarlet Woman figure and/or Isis that supports the Hierophant. In his Book of Law [Equinox IV] Crowley commands, " This Woman, represents Venus as she now is in this new Aeon; no longer the mere vehicle of her male counterpart, but armed and militant." This is also true of this new Aeon of Horus, as the Matriarch is now clearing the way for the New Age. She also carries the Moon, which is exalted in Taurus, as a crescent shaped sickle in her hand. More evidence of this new initiatory love relationship between Venus and the Hierophant is shown in the Oriel (the ornate window) with a serpent boundary, behind the Hierophants phallic head gear. The Sexual and/or Vital Energy of the Serpent force represents the first masculine microwave of energy in the Universe and the Oriel represents the Virgin Mary (Venus), as found behind and over the altars in Churches. Crowley describes this as:" This symbolism is further carried out in the oriel where behind the Phallic headdress, the rose of 5 petals in blossom. The symbol of the snake and dove refers to this verse of the Book of Law-chap. 1, verse 57;' There are love and love. There is the dove and there is the serpent". [Book of Thoth, Pg. 79]

The Declarative Tarot - Path 5-The Gatekeeper, uses one of the titles of the Hierophant which is "Gatekeeper" as he stands before the oriel and/or the Gateway into the Abyssal Womb. Just as students learn from their past and from others, it is the Hierophant that calls us to unlock our psyche and hidden potential through diligent study. Therefore, the Hierophant/Gatekeeper represents the wise guide assisting us in discovering new things that we could never find on our own. There are no disciples kneeling at the Gatekeepers feet, just as they do on the Rider-Waite-Smith card; However, there are 2 - whimsical and mystical beings standing by the gateway reminding us that we are not our bodies, but rather celestial beings of light and the key to our mystery.

The river that flows through this Gatekeeper imagery is the river that flows through spirit and the material world. On the left side of the card, there is a reminder of our hardiness and deeper mental connection, symbolized as a rosemary bush. One of the gifts of the rosemary bush is an essential oil used to brighten our brain while helping us to think clearly. In the foreground stands the Ibis by a bridge reminding us to engage in the light and shadow of self. In ancient Egypt, the ibis was one manifestation of Thoth, the god associated with divine knowledge and writing. The breed of ibis specifically sacred to Thoth is the African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) which became extinct in Egypt in the mid-19th century. However, there is a species of Australian Ibis.

Trees of presence, shown as the two woody sentinels standing by the gateway remind us that we must go into the heartwood of our forest of self-identity, and know ourselves tree/identity by tree/identity. For our brains are full of the distractions called worded identity, making sure we can't "see the forest for the trees". Rising to the demanding challenge of higher elevations of thought and mind, is implied by the Edelweiss flower on the Gateway, which is known for existing only at high elevations requiring great stamina and determination. The alien looking being at the top sports an "all seeing eye", which reminds us that we are always seen by our Solar Self and/or Soul. Then there is the serpent at the foot of the right-side guardian who also wears a key as an amulet, and the crystal and/or "philosophers stone" worn as an amulet by the left side guardian, hinting at the fact that problem solving is not always one item. Hence, the 78 cards of the Tarot. In Grace Sequoia's own words, " The Gatekeeper knows if we are being authentic or not, but always plays along until we realize the game, we created in ourselves, and then begins to hand us the keys to open the doors, cross inner thresholds, and shed the false ideas, concepts, and rules form our inner sense of self." {Page 24 of The Declarative Tarot book-The Gatekeeper]

The teaching of the Hierophant/Gatekeeper opens our minds to the hidden genesis of the Great Work that exists in our higher minds. The Hierophant brings back peace, wisdom, counsel, and the ability to learn and understand; thereby allowing us to realize the highest projects. There is no domination here, only faith. However, only excessive blind faith can turn these teachings into fanaticism, intolerance, and backstabbing, until it completely blocks our actions in the realm of Malkuth/the material realm. Therefore, it behooves us to analyze everything we learn from the Hierophant.

To repeat: The Oriel (window) behind the Thoth Hierophants head, is held in place by 9 nails, hooking the Microcosm to the Dark Abyss of the Macrocosm; 9- is the number of the Sephiroth of the Moon, Yesod. The 4-Cherubicc Beasts guard this shine of the Hierophant, but there seems to be an error in their placement, according to the traditional placement of Tarot (Wheel of Fortune). Although the bull of Taurus and the Lion of Leo seem to be in their proper traditional placement, the Angel (human face) and Eagle have switched places. However, in the new Aeon of Horus, it is not the position of the cherubs (seraphim) that has changed but the symbols of the cherubs have changed. In Crowley's version of the 23rd Enochian Aether, it is revealed that the emblem for fixed air is now the eagle, and the emblem for fixed-water, Scorpio is now the angel: The Beast and Scarlet Woman are attributed to Leo and Scorpio. They are the 2-in-one Chief Officers of the Temple of the New Aeon of Heru-Ra-Ha. (Note the Eagle Kerub in 23 Aire is Aquarius. Scorpio is the Woman-Serpent. This is important for the old attribution of the Eagle to Scorpio).

[Crowley-The Vision and the Voice, Pg. 67]

*(Heru-Ra-Ha is both Horus and the Angel over the Tarot. Heru Ra Ha means "Horus, Sun- Flesh".

THE HIEROPHANT'S teaching is intuitive, as it is on the "feeling" side of the Tree of Life (Venus-Netzach side), applying intuition to concepts collected by reason, and built up by memory. I would recommend you meditate on the Thoth ATU 5 card to open the ego (lesser mind) to Higher Thought.

However, the teachings of the Hierophant are based on memory; yes, it is the memories of the Soul/Psyche and yet we know that memory is not to be trusted. We must remember that the Hierophant is the "inner librarian", who is both our inner selves and employed by our awake consciousness, who is the Soul's appointed primary observer of the material world. When it comes to memory, one often confuses timelines and remembers only the things that they find most important and often embellishes the past when told as a story. Hence, the Hierophant's teaching must be taken with a "grain of salt". A discerning student will find this Path towards greater Self-Awareness both enlightening and entertaining if they analyze the Hierophant's teachings. For, just like *Oracle of Delphi, there are trickster-type lines of information that require deep analysis to be understood.

*Pythia (/ˈpɪθiə/; Ancient Greek: Πυθία [pyːˈtʰíaː]) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness.

The dark Isis, shown at the feet of the Hierophant, could easily be compared to Pythia/Pythoness.

When the HIEROPHANT or GATEKEEPER card is thrown during a reading:

• The querent is experiencing the principle of learning and teaching which is a desire for making things tangible.
• The querent may be seeking guidance from a counselor who has knowledge and authority or wishes to.
• There is a choice here, of aligning oneself to a philosophy, religion and/or set of beliefs to which one feels a sense of loyalty.
• Being free to disentangle oneself from any belief system, the querent still chooses to be involved.
• There is an espousing of moral, ethical, and spiritual values which may attribute to oppressing others, especially when espousing orthodoxy.
• There can be an inner sense of obedience to authority, imagined or otherwise, contributing to gullibility.
• Life is the teacher here, as the querent experiences growth through a meditative process of Buddha like philosophy that views every experience as a lesson-learning opportunity.
• Search for the Truth.
• Tradition, community, and teachings.
• Conformity.
• Marriage, or any social commitment.
• Teaching by way of discovery. 
• Connecting to your divine source.

If ill defined by the surrounding cards of the layout (there is no reverse meaning for both cards):

• Intolerance.
• Presumption.
• Esoteric arrogance.
• Social pressure.
• Doctrines or ideas that have lost meaning.
• Gullibility.

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