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Above all things, know thyself!

#5. I recognize the manifestation of the undeviating justice in all the circumstances of my life.

The 5 of Swords-Defeat occupies the position of Geburah, the 5^th Sephiroth on the Tree of Life named SEVERITY. Although Geburah is an aspect of the All Mother Binah, albeit lower down the Tree, this Severity is easily explained as cutting away the unworthy bits so that you are the one she has known into existence; the Original You-Her Golden Child. What many fail to understand, is that all the definitions given you, by your society, belief systems and cultures are not you, because YOU HAVE TO BE KNOWN INTO EXISTENCE AS SELF-INFORMATION BY YOUR DIVINE CREATIVE! In other words, you have been already made to be you and have become complete in manifestation. Wholeness is Spirit-Mind-Body as One Being, not a personal ego looking for approval.

Since, truth is made manifest, you never came seeking your truth, nor did you come to find out who you are, the Soul already Knows that and built you, the Golden Aware- Consciousness, as its representative in the material world. By turning "Understanding" into information, the Divine Creatrix made you manifest! Therefore, You are already Defined into being, not a being who seeks definition; for this planet and this cosmos are not a courtroom. Rather they are a workplace whereby the use of in-form-action turns information into knowledge by experience! You are an image of Goddess/God who proves definition by making it manifest! You also give definition to things, so that they may be cataloged and used as communicated information. Ideas, are what you build into things by in-form-action, thereby allowing the ideas, to be experienced and proven or disproven as Knowledge. Knowledge is different than information, as it must be intimately experienced by what is commonly called a "life motion".

Therefore, Geburah, helps us remember who we really are, and not what we pretend or believe ourselves to be. This is necessary as we all wear a mask created of words and are unable to see our true reflection in the mirror of the Unconscious. The Thoth 5 of Swords, is known as Defeat, or Lord of Defeat. Being that Venus is in Aquarius here, the normal disruption of Geburah's strength, is not the cause of disaster! This is because weakness is the cause of the 5 of Swords disaster! A weakness brought on by pacifism, and enfeebling sentiment; maybe even treachery. However, it is also a weakness a child feels when he or she isn't allowed to be themselves, but must reject themselves to fulfill a doctrine or dogma as identity. This begins by rejecting the very body, that they have come to claim in their name. In our society, the body is "bad" and Unclean when naked, and must be an object of shame. This defeats the whole purpose of being!

The hilts of the swords form the sinister image of the inverted pentagram symbolic of the body's fears having conquered the Will of Spirit by the treachery of sensation/shame and embarrassment. Many of us know that feeling fearful, is often more sensual than feeling willful. This is because of the ever present self-doubt brought into belief by indoctrination, propaganda, and dogma, keeps the will from collecting into force. Knowing, is replaced by "belief systems"; systems made by "the few who wish to rule the many".  Notice: that none of the sword hilts are the same, implying many different weak thoughts assaulting the blue Rose of Wisdom, that was at once whole in the 4, is now all cut to pieces in the 5, implying that Wisdom is scattered to the winds of emotional/mental defeat. To emphasize this defeat of will, blood of self-torture and the poison of shame drips from the thoughts/swords.

The 5 of Swords is Geburah in Yetzirah, a severe Mars influence, is now in the Astral-Formative World. Yet, Mars is the consort of Venus in mythology, whereby, mythology is not a story telling a lie, but rather a story relating a truth, so there is also a vulnerability of capitulation here as warlike Mars, ravages the charms of Venus.

The The Golden Tarot-5 of Swords, illustrates a defeated image of balance, as the central sword has pierced the precarious balance achieved by the 4 downward pointing swords. The French motto of the Visconti, à bon droyt-meaning-"with good [there is] right". There is implied a defeat by deception, gain at the expense of others; betrayal and misplaced trust. This is better shown in the Rider-Waite-Smith 5 of Swords (shown below) as a thief betrays the trust of the 2 in the background.

It is also implied in this image, as to know when to walk away from a bad situation.

When the 5 of Swords card is thrown during a reading, the querent is:

• Usually caught in the fears of the past.
• They are experiencing a self-defined prison of negative, self-defeating beliefs.
• Here is defeat on a mental level, bringing humiliation and weakness.
• The suggestion here is to give up fighting, swallow your pride and acknowledge your limitations, and then proceed in a new direction. 
• We are only defeated when we stop seeking another way. 
• So there is no 5 week or 5-month period here, since it is the querent's own mental negativity that is involved here, and they could change perspective at any time.
• An overwhelming situation. 
• Needing to hold onto principles until the time comes to make a  change.

If the cards are ill defined by the surrounding cards, it implies:

• Situation growing better with courage and persistence.
• Winning against the odds with all that one has.
• Testing one's prowess. 

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