#tarotthothqabalahelitarotstrickingly.com
Above all things, know thyself!
Thoth- ATU-Adjustment
The Astromatric Tarot-Key 8-Strength
Thoth- atu -8-Adjustment
In many Tarot Decks, the common way to present this State of Energy Conscious is as the Judgment Card but Crowley hit the nail on the head with the Title of: Adjustment. Because in our world of patriarchal rule, Justice is merely revenge and a show of state power to destroy the life of dissenters, which then keeps the populace in line. Plus, Nature is not, morally, or ethically, just. As Jesus is quoted as saying, "...rain falls on the just and unjust alike."[ Mark, 5-45]
Geburah
The Supreme Spirit Identity, in this case, the Conscious State of "Will-to-Form", and/or Geburah, although martial she doesn't deal in revenge----She deals in freedom of choice. She Trusts your Psyche, to know that if you think a thought, and supply life-force to it (often called emotion) that you know what you are doing. This is often why we know this aspect of the Divine Feminine as Severity, for you get what you "think you are" and she judges not nor cares if it is a thought of folly or wellness. Freedom to choose our own thoughts, makes us a Psychosomatic creative, that is, our Psyche (Soul) runs and describes our Soma (Physical body). The repercussions of cause-and-effect manifest as balance or imbalance in your body, and the law of attraction produces "like attracts like" which many calls luck, good or bad. Thus, the thoughts of an individual justly manifest their life journey.
If you followed the Gnostic Qabalah axiom of "Above all things, know thyself!" you wouldn't have any difficulty with "freedom of Choice", which is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle of the Quantum World from which we as Spirit, come from. By applying energy-in-motion (e-motions) to idea we are Free to be anything we choose to be. For the Me is the idea of the I AM. The I AM..., denotes existence, not what exists! Me is the chosen identity of I Am. We are always uncertain of what we are, for we are of the "Spooky-magical side" of the Universe. Because of infinite possibilities one is never certain. So, to act because you desire is to create without need of certainty. In other words, enjoy the journey, the destination is unimportant as you are the God (dess) in charge of your Life motion.
It is Cool to be You!
However, due to belief in the divisions of the Patriarchal "good/bad" thought process, the union of your will and self-identity has been corrupted by the axiom of the Patriarch, "Divide and Conquer"; here our souls are divided from our bodies by being a belief system and/or by worshiping a religion or state, or a title and/or falling prey to the word hypnosis of the Media controlled "Me". These are the false prophets and false idols, most theologies and governments warn us against, which is very clever, for by warning us, we are focused elsewhere and can't see that they are the very ones we must not follow or worship! So, most people have forgotten their Divine Power of creating their own Limitations, boundaries, self-identity, and wholeness, becoming powerless and scattered and lost in the forest of Ruler-identity-propaganda used to design "slaves of the state" and/or of the Military Industrial Complex.
The "Me" is not you.... you are the "I AM"!
The Adjustment card is the Path of Lamed, between Geburah (Severity) and Tiphareth (Beauty) on the Tree of Life. Adjustment represents the Faithful Intelligence of the Great Mother, who has faith in you as Her Divine Children...who may wander off and forget themselves, but with the proper "goading" (Lamed means--ox goad) they will find themselves again.
Adjustment is the Ruler of Balance (operates from Binah- through Geburah, both aspects of The Great Mother) and maintains the outpouring of energy so that the "innocent child" (The Fool card which has been called the "Holy Ghost") will operate within the confines of a natural pattern: The Pattern of, I AM ME. Not what others identify Me as----but as "I Am" identifies Me as. You see that is Free -doom, the Anglo-Saxon word that the English freedom is derived from. To the Anglo Saxon, Free-doom, was a declaration against slavery. For "Free-doom" means, "I choose my own death" and therefore is the meaning of freedom. Freedom of choice is "my choice", and if I choose to react to the identity enforced on me by "others" (or the enemies of freedom) then I am doomed to the dysfunction of that thinking. If I Know Myself as I was identified to be by the Divine Collective as a Self-Image....which is also process of "I think--therefore, I am", then I am functioning in the Natural State of our Divine inheritance!
I AM Free-Doom!
With the knowledge of the natural flow of Adjustment we know that balance will be made so that energy will always flow to the living Spirit (Spiral Energy-Entity) through the balance of Spirit-Mind, -Body union. If that union is interrupted by incongruous thought patterns of fear such as "I lack" ...the lowest denominator---the body, is doomed to unbalance (disease) mentally, emotionally, and physically; for "I AM", the Creator of "Me", and Me is now "I AM Lack". Because of the Soul's freedom to identify "self" any way it wants, even if the Psyche is an ignorant servant of another "master"; thoughts of emotion are what that identity will produce in form.
I Am the Cosmic Will-to-Be!
The Will is Spirit, and for it to operate Life in an expansive and liberated way, it must be willed Love of Mind and Body to keep the balance between the Loving Mother of Form, and form's operational self-conscious. For, to seek love, is to deny you are it, a statement of "I lack" and this places you in "impoverished love", a state of low self-identity that builds the consumer who is in the "pursuit of happiness"; a pursuit of unequaled proportions, for the love sought, is always "just over the next hill", or "just the next expensive thing" and the stress this constant seeking, builds in the self-conscious will doom the self to futility and disease (dis-ease).
Self-Love is the balanced flow of Creation, throughout the Tree of Life, because it is the pattern of The Supreme Spirit Identity recreating its Self-Images to expand and liberate Self-Awareness as "The intimacy of being Alive". Life is existence, being alive is intimacy with existence. One can say that being Alive, is the Life simulating itself amongst its created selves. Life is the Divine Creative. I AM Life!
I AM Life!
Because of this Faithful Love of Her Children, those of us who contact the Anima (Divine Feminine) by mentally journeying on the Path of Lamed, may decide to bring ourselves in to balance, but if we do not, it will be done for us as an act of "Tough love"! Like driving a vehicle that has an automated correction system on board, if the driver won't adjust the steering wheel to stay on the road, the Natural Automated system will!
I AM the Powerful Trinity of Self-Spirit-Mind-Body!
Being constructed of the Psycho-dynamic principle of Spirit-Soul-mind- body this trinity of Self must be united in a balance of communion, an Understanding of Impeccable Being that is continual up and down the Tree of Life. As above so below, is not a far-off metaphysical concept; for it is the conception of YOU as if the Qabalistic Tree of Life is a birth canal of Psyche! So being Faithful Intelligence, The Divine Mother of You will always make the adjustments necessary to get Psyche, and body on the right track, whether you like it or not! Once one understands this Universal Law of Freedom of Choice, one will always "Treat others as one wishes to be treated" for they now know to think ill is to be ill....and by thinking ill of those who think ill of us, just transmits the disease into a plague of illness where no one is well.
Again, there are no enemies, only another way to be us. Let each other Be...is a particularly good motion! You cannot escape your thoughts for they are "how your Life Forms" so let's make them the best they can be, we'll then find our lives to be balanced and smooth flowing no matter how many rocks and "shit storms" are out there!
The Gateway to Hell is the same Gateway that leads to Heaven----it is our Mind!
As the Tao states, " If it isn't here---It isn't there. If it is there, it is here. For what is here is there and what is there is here." Remember, our thought project ourselves on the Mirror of Life, and to create Monsters outside of us (There) creates Monsters inside of us (Here) and the Great Mother of Life...will supply the necessary surgery to remove them, so that her children can expand and liberate themselves from self-condemnation. Knowing thyself---helps us avoid the discomfort of this surgical-severity.
Adjustment-THE PATH OF LAMED: Adjustment-key 8 (Justice-Key 11 in many other traditional Tarot Decks):
- Primary Path Color: Emerald Green
- Related Sound: F#
- Astrological sign: Libra (Cardinal Air)
- Word Meaning: of Lamed is Ox Goad
- Hebrew Letter-Simple Letter: Work
Esoteric Title: The Daughter of the Lords of Truth; The Ruler of Balance.
Paul Foster Case wrote in the: Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom: The Twenty-second Path is the Faithful Intelligence and is so called because by its spiritual virtues are increased, and all dwellers on earth are under its shadow.
Between Tiphareth (6-Beauty) and Geburah (5-Severity) lies the Emerald Green Path of Lamed. Lamed-The Ox Goad- is the spear like prod which keeps the ox moving down the path which points to the letter's special relationship with Aleph (0x) on the Path of The Fool. Although complex, their relationship can be stated: Adjustment (Justice on some cards) maintains the balance of the Tree of Life, so that the outpouring energy of The Fool (often called the Holy Ghost) will operate within the confines of a natural pattern. Adjustment is the administrator of the laws of Binah (Mother of Form), written by The Heirophant. Key-8 is therefore, the "Ruler of Balance".
The Daughter of the Lords of Truth.
Adjustment-is the Intelligence faithful to that symbolized by The Fool; the alignment of forces of the Twenty Second Path is an amalgam of all the Paths and is described as within the essential life force symbolized by The Fool.
Lamed can be a Severe Path, as it is continual activity "in the above and the below" and will do whatever is necessary to bring the physical, mental and Soul/Psyche into equilibrium. Sometimes a "cutting away" process is represented by the Sword, which is not always pleasant. The Sword of Geburah, that is shown in the center of the personage on the Thoth Adjustment card, represents the part of our Psyche that cuts away all that which is unnecessary. Often, this surgical adjustment is less dramatic and much like driving a car, Adjustment/Justice is constantly correcting direction through slight corrects of the steering wheel, while traveling down the road of life (the "steering wheel" for driving an ox is an ox goad- the meaning of Lamed). This car analogy continues, when one understands that the Sephira (God Forms) are aspects of the soul itself who is the driver of the body-vehicle and not the external agencies that self-conscious likes to blame for its own folly. Thus, this "driving" process is to be considered psychologically as a condition of self-assessment.
In this Card-key 8-Adjustment/Justice, on many traditional tarot cards, the soul weighs itself on the scales in the left hand and then makes necessary adjustments wielding the sword in the right hand. However, In the Thoth Tarot, she balances the Scales on Her head, symbolizing a psychological balancing, of both the Alpha and Omega (Beginning and the end).
Adam Khadmon-The Heavenly Human.
By placing the Sephiroth on the body that is facing the Tree, it can be seen that Geburah (Severity) is on the left and Chesed (Mercy) is on the right. This placement is the proper way to view the "Adam Khadmon" as "facing inward" rather than some artistic formats that place Him, the Soul, facing outward on the tree. For only in the "inward" traveling of our Psyche, can we find the inner Tree of Life and its many paths to wholeness.
Also in palmistry, if one's right hand is considered the primary hand, the left hand is seen as one's "receiving" feminine hand, while the right is considered their "giving hand" or masculine expressive hand.
Often this card is said to represent Karma-an often-misunderstood Sanskrit word. Instead of meaning that a soul is reaping what is sown from past lives; Karma means to myself and Paul Foster Case, an action of continual adjustment. It is related to education; Lamed-The Ox goad, means to teach, and though many of us lament the maintenance of balance, this balancing is a learning process. Slowly and sometimes, painfully, we learn how to analyze and re-balance ourselves as necessary for different situations.
The Goddess Karma
The Hindu concept of Karma is a fundamental aspect of Hindu philosophy and spirituality. Karma, derived from the Sanskrit word meaning "action" or "deed," refers to the principle that every action has consequences. It is a concept deeply rooted in the belief in cause and effect.
According to Hinduism, every action a person performs, whether physical, mental, or verbal, leaves an imprint on their soul, known as the "karma." These accumulated karma shapes an individual's present circumstances and future experiences. The quality of one's actions, intentions, and the context in which they are performed determine the nature of the karma generated.
There are three main types of karma in Hinduism:
Sanchita Karma: This represents the accumulated sum of past karma from previous lifetimes. It forms a reservoir of actions that influence the current life and future reincarnations.
Prarabdha Karma: This is the portion of sanchita karma that is chosen for a particular lifetime. It is the set of karmas that an individual is destined to experience in their current life.
Kriyamana or Agami Karma: These are the actions performed in the present, shaping the future consequences and adding to the overall karmic account. It emphasizes the importance of mindful and intentional actions.
The goal in Hinduism is to achieve liberation or moksha, breaking the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara). This is believed to be possible by understanding and transcending the effects of karma through self-realization, righteous living, and spiritual practices.
It's essential to note that the concept of karma is not solely punitive; it also provides opportunities for growth, learning, and spiritual evolution. The idea is to act selflessly, with pure intentions, to accumulate positive karma and move closer to spiritual enlightenment.
Maat
In the Hermetic Qabalah, it is understood that the principles of the Path of Adjustment maintain Tiphareth-Beauty; beauty being a harmony. On the Thoth Deck Card, the Principle of Balance is depicted as the figure of Maat, The Egyptian Daughter of Ra, The Queen of Heaven. The Egyptian texts suggest that that it is through Maat the Sun subsists, for Ra is said to "rest upon Maat," and to "live by Maat"---in other words, she maintains Tiphareth (The Sun/ Son of Goddess/God). This is the Path that regulates Divine Life Force (Sex force which is vital cosmic fire). Aleister Crowley called Maat a Harlequin, " the partner and fulfillment of THE FOOL." On the Thoth Tarot, she stands in the Vessica Piscis (the diamond shape). Behind her is the throne of spheres and pyramids, in groups of four which means "Law and limitation", which sums up the Qabalistic Tree of Life.
The Astromatrix Tarot-Key 8- Strength.
The Astromatrix Tarot-Key 8-Strength imitates the art of the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot of this key. However, the wreath of roses is around the neck of the lion and the lady strength is caressing the Lion who represents the internal strength of Spirit and the animal mind of the Subconscious as a friend rather than an antagonist that is the "media programed" ego that exists in the survival mind that is the subconscious. The lemniscate (Symbol representing infinity and the 2 that equal 1.) and/or the horizonal figure eight, which is a powerful symbol of infinite divine unity that is shown with the key 1-Magician card hovers overhead.
The red roses represent passion and desire while the white rose represents purity. This card suggests that one must have the courage to feel compassionate and overcome self-doubt. We must transform raw emotions with wisdom. Mental discipline is a spiritual endeavor. We must realize that raw emotions are based on sub-conscious animal survival thinking which is not a representative of our True Self. We are the Spirit who rules the mind that rules the body.
In astrology, the Sun sign represents the core essence of an individual's personality. Leo, the fifth sign of the zodiac, is ruled by the Sun. People born under the Sun sign Leo, typically between July 23 and August 22, are believed to share certain characteristics:
Confidence and Charisma: Leos are known for their natural confidence and charisma. They often possess a magnetic presence and love being in the spotlight. Their self-assuredness can make them natural leaders and performers.
Generosity: Leos are generous individuals who enjoy sharing their resources, time, and affection with others. They have a big heart and take pride in supporting those they care about.
Creativity: Creativity flows through Leos, and they often have a flair for the dramatic. Whether it's in the arts, entertainment, or other creative endeavors, Leos can excel and enjoy expressing themselves in unique and vibrant ways.
Loyalty: Loyalty is a strong trait in Leo individuals. They are dedicated to their friends, family, and loved ones, and they expect the same level of loyalty in return. Betrayal or disloyalty can be particularly hurtful to them.
Passion: Leos are passionate and enthusiastic individuals. Whether it's pursuing personal goals, relationships, or interests, they put their whole heart into what they do. This passion can be infectious and inspiring to those around them.
Determination: Leos are determined and ambitious, often setting high goals for themselves. They have the drive to achieve success and are willing to work hard to make their dreams a reality.
Playfulness: There is a playful and childlike quality to Leos. They enjoy having fun, being spontaneous, and engaging in activities that bring joy and excitement.
Leadership Qualities: Leos have natural leadership qualities. They can take charge in a group, inspire others, and handle responsibilities with confidence. They thrive in roles where they can lead and guide others.
While these characteristics are associated with the Sun sign Leo, it's important to consider the influence of other astrological factors, such as the Moon sign, rising sign, and planetary placements, which contribute to the complexity of an individual's astrological profile.
Rider-Waite-Smith-Key 8-Strength
According to Crowley, this Lovely Lady of Thoth standing on her toes, is the feminine compliment to the Fool. The Letters Aleph (The Fool) and Lamed (Adjustment) constitute the secret key of the Book of Law, which is the basis for a Western Hermetic Qabalistic system that is deep and sublime in meaning. I recommend investing some time and money in obtaining Crowley's- The Book of Law! Because she is the partner of the Fool, she is shown dancing on her toes, with a hint of Harlequin.
In 777, Crowley described the "completion of the feminine" as "The Woman Justified by equilibrium, and Self-sacrifice is the Gate." Her Scale weighs the Alpha and Omega (The All) and as Crowley pointed out," She is the ultimate illusion which is manifestation; she is the dance, many-colored, man-wiled, of Life itself. Constantly whirling, all possibilities are enjoyed, under the phantom show of Space and Time: all things are real, the soul is surface, precisely because they are instantly compensated by this Adjustment. All things harmony and beauty; all things are truth; because they cancel out." This Path takes some study.
As stated, Adjustment is at work continuously in the above, The Greater Universe, and below, our individual soul/personality. In other decks this is Key 8 Justice; However, it is named, this powerful, natural equilibrating function occurs in our bodies, as they balance nutrition continuously to maintain proper operation as power tools for Spirit. And Adjustment is also an equilibrating function that occurs in our personalities, making sure there are no constant extremes of behavior that keep us from operating effectively in our environments. In the Personality Adjustment is done by natural force and reason.
To go forward, the Soul is measured when it "stands" in the Divine Light of the Solar Logos, shown as the golden All-Seeing Eye of many "I"s, that is, Tiphareth, the sixth Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, often called the "Christ Light". Only in this Light (bright and warm intelligence) does the dual- edged Sword of Geburah, do its work; pruning away the perspectives which are not worthy of Her Divine Child. Here the Sword's pommel is in the shape of the zodiacal sign of Libra, signifying that it is the Sword of Geburah and/or Goddess of Justice. Pythagoras taught that the Justicia and aequitas (justice and equity) are "innate attributes of the feminine nature principle". [Rose,116]
The image of Maat as presented on the Thoth card, is a suggestion of the Maat legend as the "Daughter of Ra", relating her to the Sun God (6th Sephiroth-Tiphareth-Solar Logos). Her Qabalistic name is "Daughter of the Lords of Truth" while the Egyptians also called her the "Queen of Heaven"; The Divine Feminine of 10,000 names; all these names pointing to the fact that this Severe Faithful Intelligence is the regulator of the Path of the Sun/Son and/or the Christ-Buddha consciousness that is our Soul. Hence, the Egyptian texts suggested, through Maat the Sun subsists, for Ra is said to "rest upon Maat" and/or to "live by Maat". In Qabalistic terms, this means that the principles of the Path of Adjustment maintain Tiphareth---The Bright and Warm intelligence of the Solar Logos, The Real Person, and/or our Psyche. In the Whirling dance of space-time, we often forget that the Mirror of darkness which reflects this illusion of Life, making all things real, is the Soul which is a microcosmic collective of "living" experiences. All things are beauty and harmony; all things are Truth because they cancel out. That is why the head dress of Maat bears the Ostrich feathers of the Twofold Truth and the personality is weighed by the Soul with its first and last act as counterbalances!
To reiterate: Since Ra is known to the ancient Egyptians, as the source of all Light, the Qabalists know Ra as the Fool or the Path of Aleph, who is the Source of All Light and the People of Ra who are the Bright and Shinning ones of the Archetypal Plane of Atziluth. This makes it possible to say that Aleph rests upon the Path of Lamed, making Lamed the regulator of the Path of the Divine Life Force. That is also why I teach that "The Solar Husband is invoked by the Great Womb'". This may startle some men who objectify women as an object of sexual desire for dominance and control, for it is well known to both Tantric and practicing Qabalists that the Life Force, and/or "Sex Energy" is invoked by the Great Female, to regulate and establish balanced expansion and liberation (Tantra) of her Life- Forms. The Form of Him came from the Womb of Her, i.e. "Ra is said to live by Maat." The Lord of Lightning serves the Great Magnetic-Ocean Mother. To put this simply, The Great One (Kether) became Two, by the process of adjusting/balancing Knowledge (Chokma) and Understanding (Binah), thereby, realizing He/She as "One who is Two" and thereby established the equilibrium that produces and maintains all things. We know this as the symbol of infinity and/or the Mobius loop.
the four worlds of Qabalah
The downward pointing Phallus and testes headdress on the female figure of this card attests to this understanding of Kether, as Ra who lives by Maat. This is the Judex and the Testes of Final Judgment, symbolic of the secret course of judgment whereby all current experience is absorbed, transmuted, and passed on, by virtue of the operation of the sword, to further manifestation. Those who Skry this card will not be unhappy that they did so, even if Geburah/Justice wields her sword in quick bright strokes, the discomfort of emotional burdens, the burdens of perspectives, just fall away and the skryer feels all "Warm and bright". Because she balances the First act and the Last act, she is to understand as assessing the virtue of every act and demanding exact and precise satisfaction. She is the very image of "Love is the law, love under will". Every form of energy must be applied with impeccable integrity, to the full satisfaction of its destiny. That is why I counsel my emotional reactive "Me" with, "Get over yourself and get on with You, impeccability is what we do!", whenever it forgets the Soul's demand for impeccability in loving thought and action, for these are the action's that drive life forward, ever expanding and ever liberating itself from past error.
There is a large compliment of Planets involved in the Adjustment/Justice card.
- First is Venus, which rules Libra.
- Mars is related because of the purging forces of Geburah.
- The Sun, as stated above, is involved not only because the Path of Lamed runs from the Sun to Mars, but also because Adjustment (Justice) must take place in the clear bright light of Truth.
- Saturn is exalted in Libra and finally:
- Jupiter which is the planet of Chesed (Mercy). By acknowledging that Libra is ruled by Venus, is also to acknowledge that behind Adjustment stands the Empress, the primary path of Venus, which is the perfect equilibrium between the forces of Chokma (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding). It is interesting to note that the planet Venus refers to all the Sephiroth and encompasses every single Sephira in the Tree of Life. The implications being that Love is the Ultimate Power of the Universe: Love is the Law of Attraction.
The imagery on the Thoth card (and the Dream Tarot-Adjustment card) is all about "law and limitation". This is symbolized by the throne of spheres and pyramids in groups of four, behind the Female figure of Maat. Crowley understood that the Soul is the Mirror that our image is reflected in, and it is by the Adjustment of perspectives, that our healing comes from. This may be why when the medical journals state, "83% of all healing is by placebo". I AM Psychosomatic Life, i.e., Me.
Geburah.
Geburah knows that we are beasts of our own passion. Here Tiphareth, the Sun of God, is Christened in the Homo Sapien Sapien by the inheritance of Greater Self as vigorous Life throughout the Cosmos. Our aggressive nature is not to be errantly oppressed, chained by shame, or caged in religious embarrassment, becoming a "false ego" of fear and oppression, which lies hidden in the subconscious and yet influencing our false identity of self and preparing us for a false judgment. For it began as an innocent (just look into the eyes of your dog or cat) that is also created by Spirit.
The eyes of innocence.
Within all of us is the Sun, Leo the Lion. It is to be gently controlled by respect and love of its very nature. Without this inner lion of integrity, none of us would have the instincts necessary to "climb the next mountain" or take the next risk necessary to move forward. We must tame it with Wisdom, respect, and love, knowing that its animal experiences have been honed to "purr-fection" by 3.6 million years of evolution.
The Human body as the Solar and earth child of Mother Nature.
Only our imagined fear and devaluation of the "animal-within" (profaning the body) profaned it in our "I's" produces the animal instinct then goes ferial, becoming a parasite known as the "False Ego" or Shadow Self. It really is the inner-earth child, innocent and lover of play and joyful motion... it is pure in its activities but when abused by our ignorance and oppressive indoctrination, it will fight back and try to take control. However, this instinctual ability to survive can also come to your rescue when "shit hits the fan", for it will defend the body as it is the Subconsciousness mind which is the body's instinctual intelligence. The awake Self-Conscious is the messenger of the Soul's/Psyche's intelligence, and the Universal Collective Unconscious is the Mind of Spirit. Our consciousness must observe the "false ego", making the subconscious more consciously aware and our Spiritual mind must observe both. Hence, our whole -self, is a trinity of Spirit (Will)-Mind (Imagination/intuition)-Body (Soma). We know this trinity as "mind over matter". The Self-Conscious must adopt this wonderful instinctual-self and change its outlook of fear-based survival thinking, and show it love-based creative thinking. When you are loving and gentle towards your body, you will find that the Subconscious wishes to please you as well. This makes sense as you are the Life-Energy of Spirit that makes it live! You are the True Ego of Light who must look upon the Dark ego of the animal fear----light vanquishes the dark just by appearing and brings the beautiful animal into understanding and love.
0=2
Since the Rider-Waite-Smith Traditional Tarot makes Key 8-Strength, I will also compare it to Crowley's Key 11 Lust, as this is the Thoth replacement for the Strength card. In most of us, the Divine-frenzy of "To Be" (Lust of the Divine to be) when it is Profaned an/or when we are divided against ourselves and devote the creative power of lust to the faux reality of good and bad emotional-Patriarchy-indoctrinated-worded identity or lacking identity at all and trying to find it in the outside world. Such as "seeking to be spiritual", a foolishness since we are already Spirit! To seek spirit is to deny you are Spirit! This seeking of identity results in division of mental forces and makes one unable to call upon the inner power that cleaves us from our chains of fear-based reactions, which create our indoctrinated manmade-identity of imposed slavery. This creates maddened animals that strike out at each other, leaving us in a world of depression, slavery, violence, and "seeking" what we already have.... Divinity.
The Lust of the Divine Creative is "I Will BE"! I Am the Divine's Lust to be personified.
We are born to be the Children of Divinity, dancing in matter as the active images of Goddess and God and/or the Divine Creative, whose self-expression is "Being"-I AM Life! To Crowley (and myself), the Lust card replaces Strength, for it is more about the Love of Vigor and/or vigorous life motion. So, rather than suppressing the vigorous courage of the predator to move forward as a motion stopped by mentally chained programed false passivity and the mental/emotional abuse of your passionate nature profaned by the "false ego" we must "kiss our lion-self" and make friends with it. Here passion is the Love of Being...I AM Divinity, not to be confused with " I am trying to be a me", a "wanna be" in a world of words and illusion.
Adam Khadmon-Supreme Being (Divine hermaphrodite)
When this card falls in a reading, it means that you are in union with or you should be listening to, the passionate roar of I Am Divine that resides in your very essence of soul to find the bliss within that radiates you as it’s highly creative and unashamed Self. We live now! We are not to be "Wanna-Be's "who are the faux life of the past, still running around in yesterdays', hoping for a pretend future, and therefore, not living the truth of today's passionate expression of I Am Life! Our definition belongs to no one, not our environment, not our parents, not our rulers, and not our theologians, not our countries, not our words; our definition belongs only to our passionate Creative- Self as the Divine grant of “freedom of choice”. Divinity, not a mask of "Words", gave you the right to define yourself as an image of the Supreme Being (Qabalah tree of life). Peer pressure, culture, and language deny your freedom to choose and are not your definition!
Spirit defines you as Itself! You are the Justice in your Life!
Above all things, Know thyself!
We must also remember, that the word Power, means "the ability to do work" and our body, if loved as a master Craftsman loves and adores one's favorite-tools, forges us into the Soul's- Will- to-Power- and/or to be Absolutely Present, without reservation in this dimension of crystallized and/or coagulated energy; a power to weave our very own Vital Life Force into our own masterpieces of movement and repose! So let us all ride the “Lion Serpent” or Inner Dragon/Sun of our Solar presence, with the powerful wisdom of loving control, fearless, and shameless presence!
With this "fire within" we can resurrect our Divine Identity from the ashes of slavery and profaned mind and fly in the solar glory of the Phoenix as opposed to crawling on our bellies like some fear-soaked reptile.
The Phoenix/Solar Self/Soul
Lemniscate-0=2 and 2=1
To be Whole requires a focused willful spiritual intelligence, and not some "Mad Hatter" type of personality, which can't even control its own thought as its sight is blocked by those who control worded identity. Scry the Lust card only after you can hold one thought or image focus during an entire meditation! Any Psyche that Touches the Lust of The Great Father/Mother, will be profoundly charged, changed, and expanded beyond comfortable perspectives; all of which can be dangerous to our delicate denial based false egos. In other words, one must be diligently trained in channeling higher and higher vibratory levels of Vital Life Force, before they "Ride the Lion-Serpent". That is why A. Crowley calls the Traditional Strength card Lust. For even the "little lust" of the manifested (Microcosm) seems to be beyond the cultural-false ego's control, as every politician, and most theologians, "secret life" of greed and profaned sexual conquest will show. It is hard to imagine, what the Macrocosmic Lust "to be vigorous" would do to such a weak psyche... but then again, we have examples in Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc., where lust becomes a violent form of masturbation.
Lust/Strength represents an especially important initiatory formula dealing with Serpent/Vital Solar Power and self-judgment. This Spiraling Power is the Force that opens, stimulates, or spools up all the Chakras (energy centers) in the Human body. The principles embedded in the Lust Card tell us how to use this power. This is a "Divine Frenzy" which when stated alchemically becomes; “the heat of the furnace makes the Stone" or if religious; “inflame thyself with Prayer". The Heat applied, is the Great Passion at friction in the confines of a condensed magnetic field that is the human. This Heat or burning is experienced often in Tantric and Taoist exercises, or the exercise of the Middle Pillar (Aleister Crowley's book, 777), all which study is recommended to the interested party who wish to "Above all things, Know thyself".
"Give me the Burning!"----Rumi.
The Red Goddess directs the vigorous force of which we can direct and control our lives. "Lust" as Crowley calls this force. This energy allows us to fully realize ourselves and vanquish the "mind virus" of evil ("live" spelled backwards) that has infected humankind. If you haven't seen this "evil" world of the Military Industrial Complex, just look, open your eyes, and read our history! In the name of religion's god, we have annihilated entire cultures and peoples. and have learned to lack respect for all life even our own self-absorbed self, who destroys itself by addiction (smoking, drugs, alcohol, water pollution etc.) and fear. Only the ignorant whose denial has become their mind refuse to see this profaned shadow self in our selves. It helps to remember that the Divine Creative/ God created "Peoples", not religion. Religions, no matter how beautiful they began, have been overcome by the "false ego" parasite, the "internal darkness" that leeches our mental- energy away and becomes fear, greed, bigotry, ignorance, mental enslavement, depression, indolence, and soon indoctrinated and dogmatized into plain "stupid". The inner-will aids us in the inoculation of the Divine Will, which nullifies this mental parasite as our inner light grows brighter and we begin to remember our Divinity. We must each know ourselves as the "light bearer" who vanquished darkness by observation and/or showing the light of observation.
When the Thoth Adjustment or The Astromatix Key 8- card is thrown during a reading, the querent is experiencing or will experience:
- The making of a final decision.
- Judgment and sentencing by a determination of an issue without appeal on this plane.
- The querent is experiencing "What you put out, you get back".
- The Law of action- reaction, where the natural forces of nature reach a balance within the individual, setting things right.
- The balancing of opposites.
- Karma.
- It is eternal justice and balance.
- Strength and Force are being applied to create a balance, but this is arrested as in the act of Judgment.
- Depending on the combination of other cards, this could also mean the more mundane reality of legal proceedings, a court of law, a trial at law etc.
- The Adjustment card promotes the "Butterfly effect", as all equilibrium must and will be obtained. Any disturbance will be balanced by an equal and opposite reaction.
- What you put out; you will get back.
- If ill defined by the surrounding cards, it implies:
- Feeling blocked from one's power.
- Weak.
- Overwhelmed.
- You need some form of meditation or relaxation which may help restore strength.
Thank you for your interest, comments, and supportive donations. Your generosity blesses you with prosperity. May you live long and prosper.
For information concerning Thoth Tarot Readings and/or Western Hermetic Thoth Tarot Master Classes, log onto-elitarotstrickingly.com- and click on Tarot Pricing Page. Thank you.
Helping people become more magic and less tragic since 2010.
Home page, Tarot Store, and layouts- Master Tarot classes, and nontraditional tarot card comparisons blog.
Traditional Tarot Card Comparisons blog.