Owl Tarot
And welcome folks, welcome- to The Devil! I am Owl Tarot, and here we enter one of the more misunderstood cards of the Tarot in general, but in the case of the particular interpretation of the Devil in Thoth, it couldn't be more wrong As some of you already know, I decided to start weekly threads about some of the thoughts and interpretations, as they come to me the moment I am writing, of the Trump I am currently studying. It is the third time I undergo this process (of weekly Trump study I mean) because in the previous two I gained further insight about the cards so I decided to follow this process yet again, but with a slightly different twist in it, which is to create weekly threads about the Trump of the week! So, anyone willing and available to provide some thoughts and opinions for me to work and contemplate about would be appreciated! It is one of those cards that have offered me personally wonderful meditative experiences, as have Death, The Hanged Man, The Tower and all the rest "bad" cards. So, let's move out!
XV-The Devil
Zodiacal Trump of Capricorn. Ruled by Saturn and exalted in Mars
26th Path, connecting Hod to Tiphareth. Hebrew letter: Ayin (Eye)
Some of you (who actually read my not-so-popular threads) might remember about what I said about Osiris and his balls with his big black... thingy having the position of his male reproductive organs before he was left with his bones (lulz)? Well, balls are back, but in this case they are 2 and are at the bottom of our Trump. Also, a really long phallic pole is penetrating the "body of Nuit" represented by the rings of the planet Saturn, who rules Capricorn. Ahh, Devil, you little Goaty womanizer!
So, what the early Christians worshipped, the Ass-headed figure, was a depiction of Christ. Right off the bat, Crowley screams "This card is Jesus (among other things)". We celebrate Christmas at 25th December. If we are correct, Astrologically speaking, this makes Jesus a Capricorn. In The Death card, we saw Osiris-Jesus-Hoor as the eternal Life givers through the process of different form giving to force. In both cases, we have Spirit affecting matter. The principle of Spirit exists in both cards, as both are Going.
The number 26 is the numeration of IHVH. Spirit enters matter (IHVH) and he is thereoff IHShVH, Jesus-Hoor, God the Son made flesh. In fact, his esoteric title "Lord of the Gates of Matter" may describe his Divine influence on matter pretty good already.
So, the Divine creative energy, at it's most material form, is depicted in this particular Trump. Liber 777- Table XXII presents Lingam and Yoni as the Hindu Deities assinged to this particular Path. The union of those two is said to be responsible for all life. Pan is, among other things, the God of flocks and is a Satyr, in Greek mythology presented as half man and half goat. He is also connected to the season of Spring, interestingly enough, which Crowley insists on himself. He creates without any reservation, because reason doesn't apply in his case.
Pan is also, in some myths, said to be the son of Hermes. Hermes, especially as the Magus, represents -among other things- the Word-Will of God. He is the Word of God made flesh, and this makes him the Lord of the Gates of Matter. In Christian terms, Jesus speaks with authority about the Law because he is the Word of God on earth, and his authority is given by Spirit. He is the Law in flesh, and this is why he doesn't always agree with the formality of the Law, because he knows the essence of the Law (the word Law here is used as a reference to True Will).
Sap is the juice of the Tree behind Pan. It's roots are the two balls. The Tree is apparently a phallic symbol in this case. The phallus was used to represent Pan, since he was a God related with sexuality. As Crowley said, he is creative energy in it's most material form. In those balls, the "roots" of the Tree, we can see figures. Biology tells us that sperm carries in it X or Y chromosomes, which determines a baby's gender. In one ball we get women adoring Pan, and in the other ball we have men figures, one of which is horned.
What do horns mean for Crowley?
Also, we have the formula of Pan as depicted in this card here, in pretty clear terms:
Nothing can stop his all penetrating energy. His endless creative drive is represented by his horns as well. I quoted what horns mean for Crowley, but those horns are spiral as well. Zoroaster said that God's force is spiral, and it is pretty clear in our case as well.
I also think of this card as the scapegoat. Jesus was (and is) a scapegoat for his average (probably false) religious believers and religious organizations who didn't and don't want to work (according to their True Will of course, which was what I think Christ was getting at) and enjoyed the idea of the Divine paying every mistake they did and saving them, The Devil was made a scapegoat for humans who wanted to blame something else for their actions when things went wrong, and humans also like to blame others for their issues.
Kabbalistically speaking, he connects Hod to Tiphareth. Hod is the sphere of the Mind, the sphere in which human intellect operates. Tiphareth is God the Son's-Christ's-Hoor's-Bacchus center, the Sun. The Sun turns northwards when it enters Capricorn, Crowley said, thus I think that the light of Tiphareth illuminates the Mind of Man and all being, all the work of God, is appreciated without the judgment of reason for the totality of Existence.
About sexual stuff, I think I told so many up to now that I don't need to add more here. You know, Pan, the God of Sexual powers, the long Phallic Tree, those two balls in front of it, the sap of the Tree, the chromosomes inside them, insert your very own sexual jokes here!
I would like to say something about N.O.X., the Night of Pan, but since this post is so long already, I'll let Crowley say it:
As most of the time, I went on and created a really long (and possibly boring) post which was yet another good exercise in itself for me and I hope it both helps you and motivates you to give me some food for thought! That's some of the things I could say about this card as I see it today of course, I hope you found it nice and not too boring and I'm looking forward to hear some your thoughts as well!
XV-The Devil
Zodiacal Trump of Capricorn. Ruled by Saturn and exalted in Mars
26th Path, connecting Hod to Tiphareth. Hebrew letter: Ayin (Eye)
Some of you (who actually read my not-so-popular threads) might remember about what I said about Osiris and his balls with his big black... thingy having the position of his male reproductive organs before he was left with his bones (lulz)? Well, balls are back, but in this case they are 2 and are at the bottom of our Trump. Also, a really long phallic pole is penetrating the "body of Nuit" represented by the rings of the planet Saturn, who rules Capricorn. Ahh, Devil, you little Goaty womanizer!
Book of Thoth said:Eliphaz Levi studied it very deeply because of its connection with ceremonial magic, his 4 favourite subject; and he re-drew it, identifying it with Baphomet, the ass-headed idol of the Knights of the Temple. [The Early Christians also were accused of worshipping an Ass, or ass-headed god. See Browning, The Ring and the Book (The Pope).]
So, what the early Christians worshipped, the Ass-headed figure, was a depiction of Christ. Right off the bat, Crowley screams "This card is Jesus (among other things)". We celebrate Christmas at 25th December. If we are correct, Astrologically speaking, this makes Jesus a Capricorn. In The Death card, we saw Osiris-Jesus-Hoor as the eternal Life givers through the process of different form giving to force. In both cases, we have Spirit affecting matter. The principle of Spirit exists in both cards, as both are Going.
The number 26 is the numeration of IHVH. Spirit enters matter (IHVH) and he is thereoff IHShVH, Jesus-Hoor, God the Son made flesh. In fact, his esoteric title "Lord of the Gates of Matter" may describe his Divine influence on matter pretty good already.
Book of Thoth said:This card represents creative energy in its most material form;
In this sign, Mars is exalted, showing in its best form the fiery, material energy of creation. The card represents Pan Pangenetor, the All-Begetter. It is the Tree of Life as seen against a background of the exquisitely tenuous, complex, and fantastic forms of madness, the divine madness of spring, already foreseen in the meditative madness of winter; for the Sun turns northwards on entering this sign.
The sign of Capricornus is rough, harsh, dark, even blind; the impulse to create takes no account of reason, custom, or foresight. It is divinely unscrupulous, sublimely careless of result.
So, the Divine creative energy, at it's most material form, is depicted in this particular Trump. Liber 777- Table XXII presents Lingam and Yoni as the Hindu Deities assinged to this particular Path. The union of those two is said to be responsible for all life. Pan is, among other things, the God of flocks and is a Satyr, in Greek mythology presented as half man and half goat. He is also connected to the season of Spring, interestingly enough, which Crowley insists on himself. He creates without any reservation, because reason doesn't apply in his case.
Pan is also, in some myths, said to be the son of Hermes. Hermes, especially as the Magus, represents -among other things- the Word-Will of God. He is the Word of God made flesh, and this makes him the Lord of the Gates of Matter. In Christian terms, Jesus speaks with authority about the Law because he is the Word of God on earth, and his authority is given by Spirit. He is the Law in flesh, and this is why he doesn't always agree with the formality of the Law, because he knows the essence of the Law (the word Law here is used as a reference to True Will).
Book of Thoth said:The roots of the Tree are made transparent, in order to show the innumerable leapings of the sap; before it stands the Himalayan goat, with an eye in the centre of his forehead, representing the god Pan upon the highest and most secret mountains of the earth. His creative energy is veiled in the symbol of the Wand of the Chief Adept, crowned with the winged globe and the twin serpents of Horus and Osiris.
Sap is the juice of the Tree behind Pan. It's roots are the two balls. The Tree is apparently a phallic symbol in this case. The phallus was used to represent Pan, since he was a God related with sexuality. As Crowley said, he is creative energy in it's most material form. In those balls, the "roots" of the Tree, we can see figures. Biology tells us that sperm carries in it X or Y chromosomes, which determines a baby's gender. In one ball we get women adoring Pan, and in the other ball we have men figures, one of which is horned.
What do horns mean for Crowley?
Liber 333 said:Horns are the universal hieroglyph of energy, particularly of Phallic energy.
Also, we have the formula of Pan as depicted in this card here, in pretty clear terms:
Book of Thoth said:The formula of this card is then the complete appreciation of all existing things. He rejoices in the rugged and the barren no less than in the smooth and the fertile. All things equally exalt him. He represents the finding of ecstasy in every phenomenon, however naturally repugnant; he transcends all limitations; he is Pan; he is All.
Nothing can stop his all penetrating energy. His endless creative drive is represented by his horns as well. I quoted what horns mean for Crowley, but those horns are spiral as well. Zoroaster said that God's force is spiral, and it is pretty clear in our case as well.
I also think of this card as the scapegoat. Jesus was (and is) a scapegoat for his average (probably false) religious believers and religious organizations who didn't and don't want to work (according to their True Will of course, which was what I think Christ was getting at) and enjoyed the idea of the Divine paying every mistake they did and saving them, The Devil was made a scapegoat for humans who wanted to blame something else for their actions when things went wrong, and humans also like to blame others for their issues.
Kabbalistically speaking, he connects Hod to Tiphareth. Hod is the sphere of the Mind, the sphere in which human intellect operates. Tiphareth is God the Son's-Christ's-Hoor's-Bacchus center, the Sun. The Sun turns northwards when it enters Capricorn, Crowley said, thus I think that the light of Tiphareth illuminates the Mind of Man and all being, all the work of God, is appreciated without the judgment of reason for the totality of Existence.
About sexual stuff, I think I told so many up to now that I don't need to add more here. You know, Pan, the God of Sexual powers, the long Phallic Tree, those two balls in front of it, the sap of the Tree, the chromosomes inside them, insert your very own sexual jokes here!
I would like to say something about N.O.X., the Night of Pan, but since this post is so long already, I'll let Crowley say it:
Liber 333 said:O! the heart of N.O.X. the Night of Pan.
PAN: Duality: Energy: Death.
To beget is to die; to die is to beget.
Cast the Seed into the Field of Night.
Life and Death are two names of A.
Kill thyself.
Neither of these alone is enough.
COMMENTARY (A)
The shape of the figure I suggests the Phallus; this chapter is therefore called the Sabbath of the Goat, the Witches’ Sabbath, in which the Phallus is adored.
The chapter begins with a repetition of O! referred to in the previous chapter. It is explained that this triad lives in Night, the Night of Pan, which is mystically called N.O.X., and this O is identified with the O in this word. N is the Tarot symbol,
Death; and the X or Cross is the sign of the Phallus. For a fuller commentary on Nox, see Liber VII, Chapter I. Nox adds to 210, which symbolises the reduction of duality
to unity, and thence to negativity, and is thus a hieroglyph of the Great Work.
The word Pan is then explained, P, the letter of Mars, is a hieroglyph of two pillars, and therefore suggest duality; A, by its shape, is the pentagram, energy, and N, by its Tarot attribution, is death.
Nox is then further explained, and it is shown that the ultimate Trinity, O!, is supported, or fed, by the process of death and begetting, which are the laws of the universe.
The identity of these two is then explained. The Student is then charged to understand the spiritual importance of this physical procession in line 5.
It is then asserted that the ultimate letter A has two names, or phases, Life and Death.
Line 7 balances line 5. It will be notice that the phraseology of these two lines is so conceived that the one contains the other more than itself.
Line 8 emphasises the importance of performing both.
As most of the time, I went on and created a really long (and possibly boring) post which was yet another good exercise in itself for me and I hope it both helps you and motivates you to give me some food for thought! That's some of the things I could say about this card as I see it today of course, I hope you found it nice and not too boring and I'm looking forward to hear some your thoughts as well!