Above all things, know thyself!

#4. From the exhaustless riches of its limitless substance, I draw all things needful both spiritual and material.

4 OF DISKS=Power .…condition of assured material gain, and earthly power completed but nothing beyond (Waite).

The 4 of Disks -Power, is also called the Lord of Earthly Power. The Angels of the Decan are Keveqiah and Mendial. The planet is the Sun and here it is in Capricorn. Depicted on the Thoth Card, is a fortress made by the grounding of Chesed (mercy) in Assiah, the Material world. Held by constant authority and vigilance, a type of Law and order holds the 4 Alchemical Elements in balance. Fire (Spirit/Will), Air (mind/Intellect), Water (emotions), and Earth, are all centered on material security. Material security, once established and horded, often means "nothing ventured nothing gained" and becomes a problem of stasis that will be removed by the Greater Spiritual Self (A Tower Moment) to keep things moving. However, for now things look under control and sitting back and enjoying material security seems justified. Here we also have gift, legacy and inheritance. With this card, there is also a caveat that is to keep things moving in our favor: we must show gratitude for what we have now, as gratitude opens more doors of opportunity and new abilities.

Astrologically we have the Sun in Capricorn which assures the light and warmth of success but nothing beyond the moment. With Sol in Capricorn, the ancients believed this is the greatest display of solar power that occurred each year as the Sun seemed to conquer death by reversing the southward plunge into darkness.

(The God Molecule)

"Chessed shows the establishment of the Universe in 3 dimensions, that is , below the Abyss."[Book of Thoth-pg. 213]. Crowley calls this card, "In the Rite of Saturn" and "The Fortress that is upon the Frontier of the Abyss."[See "The Rites of Eleusis, The Equinox (6), Supplement-p.10 ]

The Sun in Capricorn, is also representative of the Rational part of our Psyche now being in total control of creative energy for material wealth; boundaries against change are erected and the illusion of security is enjoyed. Now this feeling of benevolent strength, is indeed wonderful but we must also invest in the motion of wealth into prosperity---so being flexible with your wealth is recommended. The 4 of Disks card reminds us that damming a river can secure water, but if we don't leave room for overflow, we stifle the prosperity all around us for a false sense of security. This easily becomes avarice- blockages of thought and action which naturally follow from excessive devotion to materialistic rewards. However, if the drawbridge of mind is open for "outside" traffic we can make something tangible and take concrete steps towards creating security in the physical world that actually enhances that security for others as well.

So when all is examined, this card represents a positive with a caution; a kind of “good for you", that can only keep being good if you expand it to "good for others" as well. That is why the draw bridge is down and the gate open on this illustration of the 4-of Disks, we must allow flowing change in order to really stay Secure in our power.

The 4 square disks each contain one of the symbols for the four elements and the walls are strong and seemingly immobile. Yet we have the Sun reborn in Capricorn and therefore, a promise of new powerful activity is present, and is best shown as the Dancing Skeleton of key 13 ( 1 +3=4). What hints at underlying power in the 4 of disks Tarot Card; a power depicted as the orange-yellow color of the card.

Like the eye of a hurricane, The 4 of Disks is the "Dead Center" of the Engineer of all manifestation-Chessed. Here at the center, everything looks quite and stable, but violent activity is making it so and soon, that stability will "fly to the winds". Capricorn is the center "where the Sun turns Northward." So the turning is happening in what looks to be stable.

The Spiral Tarot-Four of Pentacles, illustrates a wealth of 4 golden pentacles; 1 above the figures head, 1 in his lap and 2 beneath his feet. Does this wealth bring a sense of security, of liberty, and achievement or does it bring the thoughts of losing it, to theft or even inflation? This is something all of us must learn. Here is a test of what the true values of life are. Is it about s/he who possesses the most or is the true value of life that the wisdom learned by in-form-action can only bring; knowing that nothing is permanent. Security is not earned, it is an inheritance of the Powerful intellect. "Above all things, know thyself". Hence, "Your presence is enough". But few are truly present as they hide behind a mask of words and false identity while believing that money has value. The Truth is money needs us to use it to trade for food, vehicles, houses, and the daily "stuff" of life. Otherwise, money is of no value at all, unless we all cooperate in the illusion. So instead of the poverty thinking of a weak personality, who thinks it "needs money", one should use the powerful intellect given them by the Creatrix and know that "I AM Wealth"! Those who know that I Am, declares their presence and know that "money needs me to have value". Hence, to seek it is to declare lack, while declaring it as "I AM Wealth", is to enact the Law of Attraction. Therefore, "I AM the Power of Creation"!

In a nutshell, this card represents obsession with material wealth, and self importance. One who is ridged, unyielding, closed off from life. 

When the 4 of Disks/Pentacles, is thrown during a reading:

• The querent is owning their own personal energy, physical potency and vitality. The very act of which proceeds change.
• There may be a feeling of holding on tightly to what one has, emotionally or physically.
• The enfoldment of Power, here the Ability to Do Work (Power) is unfettered and the engineer is active.
• The querent is taking solid steps towards creating material security in the physical world.
• Here, "nothing ventured nothing gain" is the axiom of the 4.
• Imperturbability. 
• Creativity and new ideas. 

If ill defined by the surrounding cards (Thoth) or reversed (Dark Santa Muerte), it implies :

• Holding too tightly to what you have, and not taking risks of change.
• Blockage of creative thought due to avarice, or excessive devotion to material things.
• Compulsivity. 
• Stubbornness.
• Stagnation.

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