Book T Minors: Capricorn

Grigori

Continuing with our Cardinal signs to start the suit cards, we have the Earth suit of Pentacles/Coins/Disks. The related cards are the 2 of Pentacles (Jupiter in the first decan of Capricorn), 3 of Pentacles (Mars in the second decan of Capricorn) and 4 of Pentacles (Sun in last decan of Capricorn).

Any thought on these cards?

Always Wondering

Capricorn
Ambitious, serious, businesslike, conservative, responsible; can be stubborn and unforgiving. I know there are more, but these traits I see clearly in my Capricorn daughter.
The sun In Capricorn makes perfect sense to me for 4 of Disks. I am understanding 3 of Disks a little more. 2 of Disks seems more complicated. It broke 100 degrees in my part of the world and my brain took a breather. It will take me a day or two to adjust. :cool4:

AW

Scion

Well.. now y'all are gonna think I'm crazy. But I've been playing with a sort fo complicated idea for this book thing. And its a theory that applies here in Capricorn.

In the second decan (Mars in Capricorn) we have to factor in dignity... and the first as well. Dignity represents the power of a planet to act.

In Capricorn II, Mars is in his Exaltation... that is to say VERY strengthened. Lilly says that in exaltation a planet indicates a "haughty condition arrogant, affirming more unto him then his due; for it's observed, the Planets in some part of the Zodiack doe more evidently declare their effects then in others; and I conceive this to be in those Signs and degrees where fixed Starres of the same nature with the Planet, are more in number, and neerer the Ecliptick." So it seems like Mars is more arrogantly Mars-ish than he would be even in Scorpio (his sign of Rulership). in a very literal sense this is a "get shit done" decan... force and energy applied with aggression: WORKS!

Additionally, Jupiter is in his Fall in the 1st Decan of Capricorn... which presumably supplies the mediating force of Change. A planets Fall directly opposes the sign of its Exaltation. Lilly says "any planet in his Fall or Detriment, may properly be called Destroyer or Obstructor, or Planet impediting."

There's more material in this about the relationship of the malefics to each other and their conflict with the benefics... but I need to think through it before I post. If anyone can help me sort through these thoughts I'd love it!

Scion

Aeon418

Always Wondering said:
Capricorn
Ambitious, serious, businesslike, conservative, responsible; can be stubborn and unforgiving.

That's me. :laugh:

Always Wondering said:
The sun In Capricorn makes perfect sense to me for 4 of Disks.

That's the easy one. Sun in Capricorn- Earthy, grounded, four-square, stable, rigid, self-contained, self-reliant, constraints, systems, laws, order.

Always Wondering said:
I am understanding 3 of Disks a little more.

Mars is raw energy and power. Capricorn (ruled by Saturn) is the restrictive and guiding principle that can channel this energy in a specific direction. An analogy might be how the explosive force of Petrol (Gasoline) is harnessed and regulated by the intentional restrictions of an internal combustion engine. Cars use this principle to convert an explosive chemical into forward motion - Work.

It's also instructive to compare the 3 of Disks to the Devil. It ties into that whole chain of ideas like drive, ambition, hard work, and self assertion.

Always Wondering said:
2 of Disks seems more complicated.

We're back to your old favourite here, 0=2. Untwist the loop in the snake.

Under normal circumstances Jupiter and Capricorn tend to bring out the worst in each other. But this card is a 2, so we are still within the Supernal Triad where contradiction is Unity. These apparently opposing forces actually work together here instead of fighting each other.

One way of looking at it is to see Jupiter (IU Pater) as the expansive Father-Force principle. And Capricorn (Saturn - Binah) as the receptive, restrictive Mother-Form principle. They are the eternal pairs of opposites that manifest in the universe. Their interplay creates constant change, but this change is what creates the stability of the universe.

It's an example of the economy of the universe. Nothing is ever destroyed, nothing can be lost. Everything merely changes from one state to another state. As soon as you reach the top of the snake you are heading down (Capricorn). But once you reach the bottom, you are on your way back up to the top.(Jupiter). Energy = Matter. Harmonious Change.

The Universe is Change; every Change is the
effect of an Act of Love; all Acts of Love contain
Pure Joy. Die daily.
Death is the appex of one curve of the snake Life:
behold all opposites as necessary complements,
and rejoice.

Myrrha

Scion said:
Additionally, Jupiter is in his Fall in the 1st Decan of Capricorn... which presumably supplies the mediating force of Change. A planets Fall directly opposes the sign of its Exaltation. Lilly says "any planet in his Fall or Detriment, may properly be called Destroyer or Obstructor, or Planet impediting."

I would have thought the Greater Beneficent would still have a beneficent effect, just not as strong an effect because of being in his fall. Rats. I've been trying to make sense of this very card (Two of Pentacles) in the Cosmic Tarot (with reference to the Thoth) and this could be where I've been not getting it.

Wouldn't this sort of drive you mad if you are also working in a spread with elemental dignities? You could have a beneficent planet in its fall but well dignified in the spread... :bugeyed:

--Myrrha

Teheuti

Jupiter, Mars, and Sun in Capricorn could be related to the triad of Chesed (Jupiter), Geburah (Mars) and Tiphareth (Sun) in the Kabbalistic World of Assiah (Earth). As mentioned earlier, the Chesed part is in its "fall," while the Geburah is exalted. [This doesn't replace the numerological correspondences to the sephiroth that must also be taken into account.] It does suggest that the Pillar of Mercy qualities of the 2 of Pentacles might be unreliable or unstable, especially in relationship to a Pillar of Severity strength in the 3 of Pentacles. The 4 of Pentacles with its Sun/Tiphareth/Middle Pillar quality could be seen as holding or grounding the pull between the two contraries (= power). Just musing.

elvenstar

I've been thinking about this Capricorn business. Capricorn has always been a bit of a puzzle to me, earthy and grounded, yet capricious and with a mysterious depth. This seems to explain something that these three cards have in common for me, I've always had difficulty grasping where all this creative energy comes from and now it makes more sense. Capricorn seems to me the most energetic and agile of all the earth signs, drawing from hidden depths.

Looking at the Hermetic, the Two is the darkest of the three and the hand seems to be constricting the snake. Could that reflect the somewhat uncomfortable positioning of Jupiter there?

The Three and Four are lighter in shade overall. In the Three a sturdy plant is growing rapidly between the hand's fingers. Fuelled by the energy of Mars? In the Four there is a flower in the middle, but also thorns on the branch. Thorns for protection of the 'earthly power' maybe.

Don't know. I like this deck, but most of the time it seems to be mocking my lack of knowledge

Always Wondering

Aeon418 said:
But this card is a 2, so we are still within the Supernal Triad where contradiction is Unity. These apparently opposing forces actually work together here instead of fighting each other.

Ahh. I haven't read this yet, or missed it. Book of Thoth?
ETA Took a look at the tree of life again.

I just never looked at it this way.

Aeon418 said:
It's an example of the economy of the universe. Nothing is ever destroyed, nothing can be lost. Everything merely changes from one state to another state. As soon as you reach the top of the snake you are heading down (Capricorn). But once you reach the bottom, you are on your way back up to the top.(Jupiter). Energy = Matter. Harmonious Change.

Now I understand why Crowley says one may consider this card as the picture of the complete manifested Universe.

Scion said:
There's more material in this about the relationship of the malefics to each other and their conflict with the benefics... but I need to think through it before I post. If anyone can help me sort through these thoughts I'd love it!

I've looked up Lilly but fear I will be no help to you until I read more of him, though I am looking forward to your thoughts.

Elvenstar said:
Capricorn seems to me the most energetic and agile of all the earth signs, drawing from hidden depths.

Very well put. I often look at my daughter, with her physical poise and grace and wonder where she got it from. Sadly, not me.

Still trying to grasp the elements and Kabbala, Myraha and Teheuti, but I hope to learn from you.

AW

Grigori

elvenstar said:
I've been thinking about this Capricorn business. Capricorn has always been a bit of a puzzle to me, earthy and grounded, yet capricious and with a mysterious depth. This seems to explain something that these three cards have in common for me, I've always had difficulty grasping where all this creative energy comes from and now it makes more sense. Capricorn seems to me the most energetic and agile of all the earth signs, drawing from hidden depths.

Getting a handle on these aspects of Capricorn, is I think made easier by reading Crowley's treatment of The Devil, which is also attributed to Capricorn. I find these minors relate to the major stronger with the Capricorn cards than with some of the other signs.

Myrrha

Always Wondering said:
Still trying to grasp the elements and Kabbala, Myraha and Teheuti, but I hope to learn from you.

AW

Yikes, I hope you don't mean me! I don't know about Kabbalah yet. I hope to learn about it but it will take time.

I'm interested in the astrological elements of tarot and very excited to learn about it but it is new to me. I've read only a couple of books on astrology so far. Hope I'm not coming across like I know very much about it, here hoping to learn from the others.

--Myrrha

Book T Minors: Capricorn

Grigori

Always Wondering

Scion

Aeon418

Myrrha

Teheuti

elvenstar

Always Wondering

Grigori

Myrrha