The Tarot of Eli, LLC-Minor Arcana: Thoth Tarot- 8 of Swords-Interference & The Declarative Tarot - Layers of Mind-No.8-Disruption.

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Above all things, know thyself!

#8. I look forward with confidence to the perfect realization of the eternal splendor of limitless light.

The Thoth 8 of Swords-Interference is in the 8th Sephira -Hod on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, which is called Splendor. Splendor signifies lack of persistence in intellectual and matters of contest. Splendor is cosmetic and has little depth of character. However, astrologically this card is Jupiter in Gemini, thus good fortune may have attended even weakened efforts. However, Gemini has its own contest, which is constantly interfering with the Will. "The will is constantly thwarted by accidental interference."[Crowley-Book of Thoth, pg., 207]. THE THOTH- 8 OF SWORDS- Interference, is also called The Lord of Shortened Force. As stated, this card is attributed to Jupiter in Gemini, and Jupiter's natural expansiveness is in detriment in Gemini, as the duality of Gemini affects Jupiter's positive energy scattering half one way and half the other.

Here, Hod is in Yetzirah, the Astral World. The angels of the Decan are Vemibael and Yehohel.

This lack of focus, requires us to add correctional software to our brain's programing; one such correctional software package is the study of the Western Hermetic Qabalistic Tarot- where "above all things, know thyself" is the foundational focus of the I AM. Rather than, "thyself is made by the acquiring of more things and titles"... which only produces impoverished thoughts based on " I don't have so I must acquire..." (In the study of Yoga, the Sanskrit word for this impoverished thinking is Neti-Neti, which means “not this-not that”.) The solution to this mental fuzz is focusing on one thing at a time and to stop seeking happiness as if the accumulation of things or worded accolades will cure this identity dysfunction. This may sound easy but requires intense sensual intimacy in Spirit-Mind-Body and/or love of being yourself without the splendor of words while also being in love with what you are doing. Happiness is an inner-self and outer-self harmony and not a dependency on the clutter and/or accumulation of, people, places, things, or titles.

Because of Gemini's desire to go one way and then the other, the benevolent forces of Jupiter are shortened and scattered, becoming erratic and unstable. This is indeed an interference when trying to focus one's consciousness on a goal. Yes, it can be an intense and positive beginning, as the forces of Jupiter are most fortunate, but it soon loses momentum in misdirection. Crowley/Harris illustrates this in the 8 of Swords, as 2 strong and long main swords, (unconscious and waking consciousness) being crossed (as in Crossed-up) by 6 short swords of assorted designs (scattered thoughts). The shorter swords also imply shortened force, narrowness, and restriction. There is a definite lack of persistence in intellectual matters and of contest.

As stated, Jupiter's natural good fortune still attends even the weakest of efforts, yet the will is constantly thwarted by accidental interference from the subconscious. One must learn patience and persistence to thwart the influence of this interference, which is mostly caused by one's reaction to the outside environment and words. Expectations are also an interference to unobstructed vision, especially when they are not met. Spirit is action and while the brain/body is reaction. Hence Spirit's fiery association with Will and focused meditation are known functions that ignore interference and clarify the self-consciousness. When will is exercised over the false ego and applied with focused meditation (or Scrying Tarot Cards), spirit brings with it a certain perspicacity unknown to the brain that is clear-seeing and active in changing and often, ignoring environmental influences especially the interference called "peer pressure".

The Thoth 8 of Swords does not show us much patience or persistence. If its influence is to be overcome, one must develop the positive traits of will and focus. Otherwise, everything in one's environment will severely interfere with one's motion as we spend so much time overthinking everything, we just "spin our wheels" in the mental- mud of our own making.

The Declarative Tarot-Layers of Mind (swords)-No. 8- Disruption concentrates its art on our own ability to interfere and/or disrupt our clarity with choices that interrupt and misdirect our balanced flow of potency.

Here along our journey, we must stop, look, listen, and then adjust along the way as needed, not as expected.

In the upper left is an image of someone who is overwhelmed with ideas. The brain is a shot gun of thoughts, associated concepts, and contradictive ideas, that scatter intellect to the winds. Hence, creating an environment that is chaos and unsupportive without balance between the Macro-mind (Psyche)and the Micro-mind (Brain). Time to turn off the brain and go fishing! Take deep slow breaths and observe the natural environment, leave the manmade environment for a while.

Standing tall on the upper right of the card, is an Oak tree. For humans, the Mighty Oak has an extraordinarily strong symbolic image and has become associated with longevity, strength, stability, endurance, fertility, power, justice, and honesty. However, in the forefront is shown an acorn that has been infested with a larva from an oak wasp creating an awkward growth called a gall on the Oak tree's fruit.

The gall represents the action of disruption of our life process by stabbing our situation with ideas that grow the situation out of proportion to its real value, and thereby, creating a parasitic viral program that drains our energy and drags us down.

On the bottom of the card are images of seeds blowing in the wind, along with a moth or butterfly personage who has lost its footing and is a passenger on the winds of change, rather than one who is able to administer change and/or be flexible enough to weather the storm and build anew. The blowing seeds represent thoughts that we expected to create success, and like the dandelion, are trying to hang on to these thoughts that are unsuccessful in creating the security we envisioned. Tradition is sacrificed to the winds of change. However, all is not lost, as the seeds may scatter to the winds for now, but they will land, and some of them will find fertile ground. Which means, to let go and let things fall as they may, with a discerning eye that is uncluttered by "wanna be" thoughts and "ya buts", you will see the fruitful ideas necessary to launch a more successful life.

It takes time to remove all the thoughts and ideas that keep us from thinking forward. However, patience is also passive and static, but it is essential for calm and lucid problem solving and solution thinking. The feelings of helplessness, capriciousness, limitations, a stressful path to your goals, or being driven into a dead-end are paramount here. There is also a warning of unforeseen circumstances that are coming that you can't avoid. This card illustrates an obstructed and restricted state of consciousness.

Here the cards imply that you are stuck, bound, and blinded by a mental feeling of hopelessness. Yet, you are unaware that these binding emotional ropes, are loose, and easily wiggled out of. The card implies that one shouldn't surrender to hopelessness and negativity. Sure, you may have gotten yourself into this dilemma; However, you have the skills necessary to get out of it. Wisdom comes from making mistakes, as it is 50% error and 50% correction of that error. Come on! You can do this! Everything is a failure until it isn't!

The 8 of Swords or The Declarative Tarot-No. 8-Disruption imply:

•  A certain amount of fear of change, of moving out of a binding or restricting situation.
• The Positive side of this is that change, no matter how resisted, will soon come anyway. 
• The Good Fortune of Jupiter will show up. 
• Stop wasting time and proceed with change, your scattered efforts to stop it only interfere with your wholesome transition.
• Experiencing confusion, and a feeling of being trapped, isolated by oppressive ideas. 
• Feeling trapped or ashamed are the beginnings of recognizing the need for change and moving on ward with your life.
• The mental dissolution or loss of faith in situations or ideas is a sure sign one sees progress beyond the old way of thinking.
•  For 8 weeks 8 months or since they were 8 years old, narrow, and restrictive thought.
• Shortened Force and petty thinking.
• Too much force applied to trivial things, too much attention to detail, at expense of principal and/or more important points of thought.
• There is a tenancy to admire wisdom yet applies it to small and unworthy objects. 
• The querent may experience great ease in some things, counterbalanced by equal disorder in others and is often impulsive.
• There is a fondness for giving or receiving money or presents promoting generosity without a strong feeling of affection.

When ill-dignified by the accompanying cards, the above qualities produce:

• Malice, pettiness, and domineering qualities.
• Confusion. 
• Mental blocks. 
• Rigid thinking. 
• Avoiding responsibility.

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