The Tarot of Eli, LLC-Minor Arcana: Thoth Tarot- 5 of Wands-Strife & The Dark Santa Muerte-Five of Candles

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Above all things, know yourself!

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

The Thoth 5 of Wands is titled-STRIFE, which, if you ask me Strife is well shown in this card, as consolation and focus is definitely required in this scene of frantic and volcanic activity of reds and yellows. Artfully Lady Frieda Harris displaying her knowledge of the Tantric Arts in the composition of the 5 of Wands-Strife. Here is a scene of 3 wands that could be called the Chakra Puja or Pancharmakara, or the Choli Marg Tantric rituals. You can look these rituals up in the Book: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EROTIC WISDOM by the author, Rufus C. Camphausen. The Angels of the Decan are Vahaviah and Yelayel.

The objective of Tantric and Taoist sexual practices is to harmonize, balance, exchange and utilize the life energies (Vital Fire) set free during erotic play and sexual union. The Sexual-Self is Spirit---it is the Adorable Fire of Life. In the instance of the 5 of Wands, the male electric-Fire is being heavily invoked by the Female Magnetic Water. Achieving an Electromagnetic surge of energy-in-motion that may cause a great deal of physical/emotional strife and rebalancing. After balance is once again achieve it causes a great deal of bliss and an elevation and/or higher vibratory nature of the body’s vital energy which is known as the Adorable Fire. To surge energy, is to cause an imbalance that shakes loose habitual emotional reactions. This is the Adorable Fire of Tantric, Gnostic, and Magick ritual….often called the Strife filled Ecstasy, which is always invoked by the communion of male electric and female magnetic. To the well-studied student of Qaballah, the Central Wand shown on the Thoth Card, is the Master Adept's Wand of Geburah/Severity, that ultimately represents the Masters Body. The Master Adept's Wand is shown in the color of lead, for it is Saturn and the heaviness of Time (Saturn is the Old God Cronos-Time) is the cause of Strife. In modern society, trying to "beat the clock" is a strife ridden endeavor. Yet Strife also shows us that we are "up against" boundaries and must either back off or reestablish new ones.

 However, any surge of energy causes a noticeable, often severe,  imbalance in the neophyte and to the Elements; therefore, the  5's can bring serious problems of unbalance:

1. The 5 of Wands-Strife, brings quarrel and strife in the Vital energy:
2. The 5 of Cups, brings disappointment to relationships;
3. The 5 of Swords, brings defeat to health and mind;
4. The 5 of Disks, brings strangulation to income and business. Hence all 5's all seem very gloomy; However, the other cards in the divination will show how long the difficulty as well as, how serious the 5's are to be taken. Really, these nasty old 5's just announce that a difficulty exists and often the solution to the problem is at hand and is in shown in the other cards of the Tarot reading.

There is significance and meaning to Saturn being in the house of Leo. The Saturn in Leo people are more often good leaders who have the right level of control and discipline to get the work done, be they of evil or good intent. Saturn in Leo is Fire & Fixed. There are many celebrities With Saturn In Leo, such as, Adolf Hitler, Nelson Mandela, Freddie Mercury, Charlie Chaplin, Beethoven. Those whose who have Saturn in Leo, are notable cautious, controlled, focused, intense, and disciplined, yet they may also show a sense of good-humor, all characteristics of self -mastery. However, if the person favor's the shadow side of this fixed fire combination, they are usually egocentric, bossy, ridged, cruel and often very strict, such as Adolf Hitler and become prone to suicide.

As stated: the Lord of Strife astrologically is Saturn in Leo, which is the influence of Geburah (The 5th Sephiroth) in the World of Pure Spirit; Atziluth of the Four Qabalistic Worlds. Here the powerful heavy effects of Saturn, shown as the central Master Adepts Wand made of lead, united with a Fire sign like Leo, brings quarreling and Strife in energy. In other words, volatility and struggle. This sounds contradictory as Leo, the Sun, Loves the fiery nature of Geburah and Geburah implies severe motion while offering environmental strength and activity. However, Saturn, whose metal is Lead, presents a heavy and constant resistance to motion as Time itself often seems to resists movement. What we often are unaware of, is that we get used to "imbalance", thinking it "normal". Therefore, the 5 of Wands comes by, to show us otherwise.

Wands are a continual outpouring of force and with Saturn influence, this flow of force is agitated and disturbed, not unlike water flow is disturbed by rocks, causing rapids. Or more likely, as volcanic magma is disturbed by the tons of rock that is the mountain it’s pushing through. Thus in the 5 of Wands there is contest unresolved. Crowley/Harris's Thoth Card, shows the nature of the energy rather than its natural conflict as displayed by the Golden Dawn or Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Decks, or the many other traditional Tarot Decks.

The Dark Santa Muerte-Five of Candles, a decorated altar, complete with Santa Muerte Skull and a bead decorated brass candelabra, none of which actually reveal the message of the card. According to the author-Daria Mos, this card is about the strife filled moment when one is facing changes that are not easy and necessarily the choice of the aspirant. Effort must be applied in overcoming yourself (small ego) and life's difficulties. What few of us understand, is that everything is a failure...until it isn't.

In the Thoth 5 of Wands, are shown the Lotus wand of the Golden Dawn Adeptus Minor of Tiphareth, the Phoenix Wand of the Adeptus, all crossing the central wand of the Major Adept. The fact that the Major Adept Wand is central is because its position implies this severity is directed by Geburah-Severity rather than happenstance and therefore, a necessary conquest that must be reached to create a Major Adept. The Phoenix wand implies resurrection from the purgation of Fire, while the Lotus Wand is of the Mother-Water.

Many people find Geburah a difficult Intelligence to understand because she is a volcanic as Pelé (Hawaiian Volcano Goddess), all seemingly irrational disturbance, yet these disasters are derived from the benign and gentle influence of the Feminine that is Great Mother Binah. To me, this just shows the Divine Feminine's "tough love" for her "children". The Trinity Goddess, knows you are the best built I AM- Image yet on Earth (created out of the Universal Archetype for Divine Creative), and have the internal strength necessary to handle anything this Universe can throw at you. Yet, because we often believe the definitions of those who "rule definition" (outside authority) we see ourselves as a weakness, trying to become strong by indoctrination, as well as, the abuse of false authority to attain superiority. These contrived misconceptions are often corrected by strife. However, we are also taught to believe that mortality is a weakness, rather than the only way to experience the natural balance of the transformations of energy and matter, thereby turning information into knowledge by the intimate experience of in-form-action. Besides, as immortal Souls the necessary wisdom comes from learning discernment through sensation and/or in-form-action which is something we call "experience". Experience turns information into knowledge. We are Beings of Light, (Celestial) who have "descended" into Matter. We are not Matter seeking to become Light! Matter is just coagulated/condensed light!

The Immortal Solar Self (Soul) has no physical senses, hence no discomfort or comfort is ever felt nor is there a  need for courage...they don't die. Hence there is no fear of death, and therefore,  without  fear and sensation there is no empathy.  The solution to this problem is to "become manifest". Thus Strife is a loving corrective not a punishment.   Sensuality requires a "beginning and an end" (time), to exist.  The very fact that Soul of you is seeking sensuality by building an incarnate persona out of Time/Space also requires severity/friction just to make boundaries and a fearlessness to transform them!  For example, a certain amount of friction is required to form energy into creations or even to move, for that matter. Without the severity of friction/magnetic force/gravity/Time/Space, etc.., form could not become form nor could the adorable fire that is life animate a form and thereby KNOW ITSELF! The Soul has chosen to sacrifice senselessness for sensation through manifesting an "image of Self"  in a world of measurement. Therefore, without the friction of severity in one’s life, intelligent accomplishment, progress and evolution would not happen! 

In Western Hermetic Qabalah, this card is also often called :The Master's Journey card (for to Master Time/Space is a master's journey). In numerology, the number 5 usually indicates someone who is full of fiery energy but often is unable to channel it responsibly. This number brings adaptability, independence of thought and action, and often an unwillingness to conform all of which eventually contributes to leadership. Therefore, the number 5-Strife can be used to increase versatility and independence. However, 5 carries a caveat, which is that such people must guard against an overwhelming desire for change by being consumed by variation to such an extent that they are unable to maintain happiness without it. Again, Adolf Hitler is a good example of that failure. 

When the 5 of Wands/Candles  is thrown during a divination It implies:

• That the querent is involve in a spiritual conflict. 
• This frustrating conflict can ensue for 5 weeks or 5  months because of this confusion of ideas.  
• The solution of which depends on the diligence of the querent.
• Here, the querent is adjusting the identity, struggling with self-doubt while striving to move forward.
• There may be a struggle or  strenuous warfare- like competition for riches and success, a kind of      battle in life, but without bitterness.
• The querent might also feel  like they are in an impasse, powerless in a time of trial and difficulty.
• Proving one's own abilities ( like in a sporting competition).
• Gain clarity around your intent.

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

• Recklessness as in rash actions.
• Impulsiveness.
• Bitterness towards others.

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