sweet_intuition
What is Sex?
Card Pulled: The Tower
Deck: Thoth
Other Details:
Esoteric Title: Indolence – Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty – The Conquering Child – Priests of the Divine Fire
Astrological Association: - Mars
Kabalistic Association: - Path 27 – joining Netzach (Victory) to Hod (Splendor) – The Victory of Splendor – The Splendor of Victory.
Hebrew Letter: - Peh (Mouth)
What an interesting card to come as the answer to the question, “What is Sex?”
The Tower is one card many people dread. Whenever it comes in a reading, I’ve witnessed all kinds of reactions, from both, the Querent, and the reader as well; from shock, to fear, to dismay, to disgust, and even curiosity. For is this one card which actually comes with a warning of its own – a kind of a disclaimer which all discussions regarding the subject of sex should also include. After all, the reactions I’ve mentioned above are quite similar to the reactions people have about sex. Hence, the warning that comes with this card seems apt for this discussion about sex as well –
“This is no laughing matter”
It’s interesting to note that the Tarot answered my question regarding love with a minor arcana (lesser mystery) card, and for sex I got a card of the major arcana (greater mystery). Pondering upon this, I realized that almost everyone I’ve come across as some sort of major issue regarding sex; too much of it, too little of it, afraid of it, addicted to it, ashamed of it, proud of it, wounded by it, healed by it, frustrated about it, relieved through it… the list goes on and on. Like the Tower, people tend to have very extreme views about sex, and those who claim that they aren’t really bothered about it are actually wearing a well crafted mask. After all, Sigmund Freud wouldn’t have been able to become the father of psychoanalysis had he not realized the importance human sexuality had on the human psyche (along with mommy and daddy issues).
Not to say that sex is more important than love – no, not at all. However, it’s important for us to try to study and examine them as two separate entities for now. It’s only fair to do so.
The traditional meanings of the Tower range from destruction, chaos, breakdown, shock, so on and so forth. It signifies a strong fatality that awaits us, a danger of accidents, a defeat of one’s plans, and even, a breakthrough to a higher realm. However, let us go beyond a text book definition and discover how the Tower answers our query about Sex.
Looking at the image of the card, the first thing that caught my eye was that the entire card is composed of many shades of the color red, a color that for many centuries has been known to represent among other things, sexual prowess and power. And this card certainly seems to be beaming, or should I say, radiating such powerful essences just upon looking at it.
Red is a color of action and movement, along with danger, alertness, and stimulation. It acts as an animating force, promoting circulation and impetus to the procreative process and creative endeavors. It enhances our appetites and desires, fueling our impulses and drives. Haven’t you noticed, people who love this color and wear it often seem to be so impulsive, outspoken, and even oh-so-sexy? And at times, even when we wear this color, or surround ourselves with it, we feel the same way. Why else do you think temptresses and seduces are always, “ladies in red”, and men whishing to make up for certain physical limitations love to drive around in flashy red sports cars?
The other color in the card is yellow, a color known to strengthen the nerves and cleanse our system by stimulating the intestine; a color known to represent innovation and originality. Blending red and yellow, we find the third dominant color of the card, Orange, a color known to arouse the mind to greater awareness, relieve repressions, and so on.
Perhaps that’s what sex could do for us … open our minds to a greater awareness.
What’s interesting about this card is that unlike the traditional image of the Tower, where a bolt of lightening falls from the sky and “shatters” the tower, here we see a giant “mouth” on the bottom-right corner of the card, breathing out giant flames of fire. The Hebrew letter associated with this card (according to GD correspondences) is Peh (P and F in English) and it is translated as, “a mouth”.
Now why would the letter Peh represent a card like The Tower, when it means, ‘a mouth’? Well, if we think about it, the mouth is first of all, a means through which we nourish ourselves (i.e. we put food in our mouth to eat it…duh!). Without a mouth, how on earth would we be able to survive? Speaking of food, many psychological studies have observed a connection of eating disorders with some form of sex-related impediment (although I don’t have much detail about this). It has also been noticed that chocolates are known to fulfill the pleasure experienced from sex, to such an extent, that people become addicted to chocolates mainly due to an unsatisfactory sex life. Think about this before you indulge yourself with a box of Ferrerro Rocher. Alcohol addictions are also noted in people seeking to rid themselves of sexual inhibition, but we all know that excessive amounts of alcohol only make it harder for people to “perform” well in sex.
Could it be that sex is a form of nourishment, not just to our body, but to our mind, soul, and spirit as well? Hmmm… interesting!
Another function of the mouth is our ability to communicate. Speech is indeed one of the most important gifts we humans have received from divinity. Our speech and our ability to communicate have a profound effect on our view of reality and how our brains will evolve. The most important feature of an independent and democratic country is the freedom of speech and expression. Once this right is revoked, we become mindless drones living in fear (kinda like the dark ages). Perhaps this shows that the more we communicate and talk about sex, the more we can liberate ourselves from the constraints of fear, shame, and inhibition? If knowledge and awareness expands our minds and illuminated darkness, and open and free communication being a vital means of enhancing knowledge, then surely, talking about sex in an open and unrestricted manner can benefit us a whole lot. Knowledge about it can teach us about birth control, STD prevention, sexual hygiene and protection, as well as, an exchange of tips and tricks can help us become better lovers. No wonder some of the most read and circulated magazines in the world are dedicated to sex and sexuality – Playboy and Cosmo!
And the fact that this mouth in the card breathes out flames, for fire is an element that’s always equated to sex (hence we get terms such as “fiery passions”) and we more we talk about it, and increase our awareness about it, the more we are able to expand our mindsets and get out of restrictive and repressive thought patterns, becoming more open and liberated about the world. So to quote an old song that I loved to sing out aloud when I was a first grader, just to “shock” the ‘gown-ups’ around me… “Let’s talk about sex baby!”
The tower structure in this card is quite unique. Traditionally, towers and such edifices are used to represent “establishments” i.e. things that have been established and in operation and existence for a long time, be it empires, traditions, customs, and even belief systems and thought patterns. Thus, when this “tower” is shattered, it’s similar to the breakdown of old “establishments” as well.
Sex can be quite similar. After a person loses their virginity, they are never the same. No wonder they say that we (not just women, but men as well) always remember our “first time”. Based on the first time we have sex, we break out of our old “virginal” state, and depending on how we experience sex, our approach towards it and our feelings and emotions about it are defined by that experience. This is why so many a times we find people holding on to their virginity, waiting for the “right time”. Unfortunately, like the Tower, the right time is never right for us. A funny thing about the Tower is that may a tarot readers and mystics believe that we should always face it head on without any hesitation, because the more we resist it or the more we delay or fear it, it becomes a harder ordeal for us to endure. After watching the movie “The 40 year old virgin” and seeing poor Steve Carrel’s character’s condition, perhaps the same could be said about sex.
Coming back to the structure of the Tower, if you notice, it’s quite “geometric”. Almost everything within the card follows some sort of geometrical precision. Even though the tower is collapsing, we can see traces of geometrical precision that could have been vital to it’s structure, even the people falling from the Tower seem to have bodies made out of perfect geometric shapes, as well as, the flames of the fire that’s emitted from the “mouth”, to the rays of light beaming from the “eye” on top. Perhaps this is a way of seeing “perfection” as a futile dream that man keeps chasing.
Think about it, whenever man has sought to make anything perfect to his own likings, things always turn out to be not-so-perfect. Like a bride planning the perfect wedding, only to have it ruined by a thunderstorm... or a man planning to perfect business presentation, only to realize his client came down with the flu. Even the legendary Tower of Babel from the biblical lore was struck down by a lightening bolt from heaven (which is where traditional tarot imagery got the image for The Tower). Perhaps that’s another thing people need to realize about sex… it doesn’t have to be perfect. The bride could still salvage her wedding by having it indoors and still have a grand old time, dancing all sloshed and all… the business man can still win his client over by sending a CD of his presentation, with a bowl of chicken soup and a get-well-soon card to add a personal touch. Likewise, sex doesn’t have to be the way they show it in movies (or shady DVD’s). People don’t need to be perfect looking with perfect bodies to be sexy, nor do they need to fulfill some idealized prince charming or delicate damsel ideal, nor have every position in the Kama Sutra perfected out… and neither do they need to be of a “perfect size” (men and women both) to enjoy the sheer bliss of sex. They just need to have an open mind and a positive attitude towards it. The more we let go of our preconceived notions about sex, the more we can appreciate for what it truly is.
But what is it?
Well, the Oxford dictionary defines it as the following:
Sexual desires etc; or their manifestation – sexual intercourse – arising from a difference or consciousness of sex.
If the peddlers of language give such a dry and in a way “confusing” definition of sex, surely the gift of speech and communication we humans have been bestowed with is severely being abused.
However, the term intercourse is defined as – communication or dealings with two or more individuals.
Hmmm… so could sexual intercourse mean communication of sex? Hmmm… interesting!
But let’s look beyond a cold and clinical textbook definition and search within the “heavens” for a deeper meaning and purpose of sex. After all, The Tower is a card of the Major Arcana, the fifth suit of the tarot deck that is said to represent the element of the spirit (Akasha).
Astrologically, the Tower is associated with the planet Mars, who among other things rules passion and sexuality. Venus may have been the Goddess of love, but along with war and athletics, Mars was the god of passion and sexual prowess. In a way, many athletes consider it unlucky to have sex before a match as they wouldn’t have the required amount of raw aggression (passion?) required to win their sport. Interesting, don’t you think?
However, many a time’s people often get love confused with sex. Mars shows us that sex is an act that is independent of love or sensuality. How so? Well astrologically, Mars is energy – pure and unmodified. Within our charts (astrological birth charts) Mars shows us where and how we express our energy based on the sign and house, and how the other planets aspect it. So in a way, how we view sex or how we feel about it, or perform at it, is actually colored by own experiences, as well as, the societal views we’ve grown up with, but the act of sex itself is pure vital energy. So sex and love are two different things, however when they are combined… well lets just say… fireworks explode!
Mars is the God (divine male archetype) as symbolized by the phallus (the tower in a way is one giant phallic structure), a primal force for reproduction and fertility. Venus I the Goddess (divine female archetype) who is fertile and revels in her own sensuality. It’s no wonder that in Greco-Roman mythology, Mars and Venus just couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
The Tower is often connected to Shiva in Hindu mythology – The Lord of Destruction, among other things. However, the myths of Shiva tell also about how his sexual union with Shakti created the world (according to some sources, the Himalayas were the result of their orgasm). And come to think about it, Shiva is often symbolized in the form of a lingam (phallus) which rests upon a yoni (vagina), a perfect representation of how the act of sex can lead to both creation and destruction (legend also states that another union of Shiva and Shakti could destroy the world – very “tower-esque” don’t you think?)
Really? Sex can do all that?
Well there is a reason why sex has often been described as a magical experience. It has been observed that during sexual excitation, all aspects of extrasensory perception (ESP) are heightened. One becomes much more sharply attuned to the psychic realms than in our “normal” state. Immediately before, during, and after the climax, the mind is in a state of hypersensitivity, which can be especially useful when working magick. During the orgasm, many people have actually experienced timelessness, accompanied by a subjective sensation of being absorbed by their partner.
According to Swami Anandakapika, “Sex Magic is the art and science of utilizing sexual experience for the concrete materialization of desire and the expansion of the inner life.”
According to Dr. John Mumford, the most important psycho-physiological event in the life of a human being is the orgasm. It is also noted in various yogic texts how sexual power is tightly connected to psychic energy – both run up the central spine (kundalini). So sex utilizes the process of building energy and the orgasm releases it. This is why when we do orgasm, we yell, scream, sigh, cry, sweat, collapse even, and yet feel all the more good!
However, this is not to say that such can only be experienced by the union of only a man and a woman. It is essential to understand that we all have both male and female energies within us. We are all Gods, as well as, Goddesses. And hence, physical gender has absolutely nothing to do with experiencing the pleasure and power of sex. Historically, homosexuals were frequently venerated as instruments of the deities. In Tantric texts, Shiva was depicted as a hermaphroditic God, having divided himself in male and female (Kali/Shakti). In a way, even masturbation can be viewed as a powerful magical act as well. So whenever people claim the immorality of homosexuality, and claim it to be something that is unnatural, it just goes to show how closed minded and sexually repressed they really are as well. In fact, it has been noted that people who are strongly opposed to homosexuality are actually afraid of their own tendencies towards it.
Coming back to Shiva, a very prominent sign of his presence within this card is the big eye that hovers in the top center of the card. Shiva was known to have a third eye, which according to legend, destroyed everything within it’s sight the moment it was open, leaving behind absolutely nothing. Out of this nothingness, Brahma was said to create new life, which was further preserved by Vishnu.
What is interesting is that the Hebrew Letter Ayin, when translated means, “An Eye”. Furthermore, Ayin is associated with the card before the Tower – The Devil. Although eyes are called the windows to our soul, there’s a slight misconception to it. You see, unlike a window that allows light to both enter and exit the room, the eye is more of a one-way proposition. Through our eyes, especially our third eye, our inner being (our soul) looks at the world. Interestingly, Ayin has been known to represent the meatus (the opening at the tip of the phallus where semen passes), and in the Thoth deck, the goat like “Devil” figure stands before a large phallus itself, where two large globules representing testicles, are filled with strands of semen that resemble human figures trapped within. (No wonder when men get aroused but are forced to repress their urges for an extremely long time, they claim to suffer from “blue balls”).
According to Crowley, The Devil is known to represent the masculine energy at its most masculine (which is evident by the imagery). However, The Devil is associated with the sign of Capricorn, a cardinal sign of the element of earth. The funny thing is, Capricorn is a ‘feminine’ sign representing ‘yin’ energies, and earth is a ‘feminine’ element (mother earth – duh!). So therefore, it again supports the statement about masculine and feminine energies being present together within each and everyone. Further proving that the spiritual, magical, and sensual aspect of sex can be experienced by people irrespective of their physical gender and sexual orientation. After all, the clitoris is made up of the same tissues found in the male penis – and the prostate gland also known as a "male G-spot", "P-spot", or "A-spot" can be stimulated during anal intercourse.
Finally, coming back to the card imagery of The Tower, on both sides of the eye, we see a dove flying with an Olive branch, and a Lion-Serpent Xnoubis or Abraxas. What’s interesting is that the dove is traditionally a symbol for the goddess Venus, and the Olive branch is symbolic of Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom (Ares/Mars’s female Archetype) once again, breaking the physical gender barriers regarding sexuality. And the Lion-Serpent, we can look at the Strength Card which represents the sign of Leo, and the Hebrew letter assigned to it is Teth, which means a ‘serpent’. And in the Thoth deck, the card of Strength is renamed as Lust.
Interestingly, if we connect with the previous discussion “What is love”, we found that the card I pulled out for Love was answered with 8 of Cups - Saturn in Pisces. Mars (the Tower) is exalted (most powerful) in the sign of Capricorn (The Devil), which is ruled by Saturn himself. And Venus (our dove) is exalted in Pisces. Hmmm… interesting connection don’t you think?
And to those who still remain skeptical about the universal aspect of sex… well, isn’t it interesting that our planet Earth, is situated between Venus and Mars?
Think about it!
Card Pulled: The Tower
Deck: Thoth
Other Details:
Esoteric Title: Indolence – Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty – The Conquering Child – Priests of the Divine Fire
Astrological Association: - Mars
Kabalistic Association: - Path 27 – joining Netzach (Victory) to Hod (Splendor) – The Victory of Splendor – The Splendor of Victory.
Hebrew Letter: - Peh (Mouth)
What an interesting card to come as the answer to the question, “What is Sex?”
The Tower is one card many people dread. Whenever it comes in a reading, I’ve witnessed all kinds of reactions, from both, the Querent, and the reader as well; from shock, to fear, to dismay, to disgust, and even curiosity. For is this one card which actually comes with a warning of its own – a kind of a disclaimer which all discussions regarding the subject of sex should also include. After all, the reactions I’ve mentioned above are quite similar to the reactions people have about sex. Hence, the warning that comes with this card seems apt for this discussion about sex as well –
“This is no laughing matter”
It’s interesting to note that the Tarot answered my question regarding love with a minor arcana (lesser mystery) card, and for sex I got a card of the major arcana (greater mystery). Pondering upon this, I realized that almost everyone I’ve come across as some sort of major issue regarding sex; too much of it, too little of it, afraid of it, addicted to it, ashamed of it, proud of it, wounded by it, healed by it, frustrated about it, relieved through it… the list goes on and on. Like the Tower, people tend to have very extreme views about sex, and those who claim that they aren’t really bothered about it are actually wearing a well crafted mask. After all, Sigmund Freud wouldn’t have been able to become the father of psychoanalysis had he not realized the importance human sexuality had on the human psyche (along with mommy and daddy issues).
Not to say that sex is more important than love – no, not at all. However, it’s important for us to try to study and examine them as two separate entities for now. It’s only fair to do so.
The traditional meanings of the Tower range from destruction, chaos, breakdown, shock, so on and so forth. It signifies a strong fatality that awaits us, a danger of accidents, a defeat of one’s plans, and even, a breakthrough to a higher realm. However, let us go beyond a text book definition and discover how the Tower answers our query about Sex.
Looking at the image of the card, the first thing that caught my eye was that the entire card is composed of many shades of the color red, a color that for many centuries has been known to represent among other things, sexual prowess and power. And this card certainly seems to be beaming, or should I say, radiating such powerful essences just upon looking at it.
Red is a color of action and movement, along with danger, alertness, and stimulation. It acts as an animating force, promoting circulation and impetus to the procreative process and creative endeavors. It enhances our appetites and desires, fueling our impulses and drives. Haven’t you noticed, people who love this color and wear it often seem to be so impulsive, outspoken, and even oh-so-sexy? And at times, even when we wear this color, or surround ourselves with it, we feel the same way. Why else do you think temptresses and seduces are always, “ladies in red”, and men whishing to make up for certain physical limitations love to drive around in flashy red sports cars?
The other color in the card is yellow, a color known to strengthen the nerves and cleanse our system by stimulating the intestine; a color known to represent innovation and originality. Blending red and yellow, we find the third dominant color of the card, Orange, a color known to arouse the mind to greater awareness, relieve repressions, and so on.
Perhaps that’s what sex could do for us … open our minds to a greater awareness.
What’s interesting about this card is that unlike the traditional image of the Tower, where a bolt of lightening falls from the sky and “shatters” the tower, here we see a giant “mouth” on the bottom-right corner of the card, breathing out giant flames of fire. The Hebrew letter associated with this card (according to GD correspondences) is Peh (P and F in English) and it is translated as, “a mouth”.
Now why would the letter Peh represent a card like The Tower, when it means, ‘a mouth’? Well, if we think about it, the mouth is first of all, a means through which we nourish ourselves (i.e. we put food in our mouth to eat it…duh!). Without a mouth, how on earth would we be able to survive? Speaking of food, many psychological studies have observed a connection of eating disorders with some form of sex-related impediment (although I don’t have much detail about this). It has also been noticed that chocolates are known to fulfill the pleasure experienced from sex, to such an extent, that people become addicted to chocolates mainly due to an unsatisfactory sex life. Think about this before you indulge yourself with a box of Ferrerro Rocher. Alcohol addictions are also noted in people seeking to rid themselves of sexual inhibition, but we all know that excessive amounts of alcohol only make it harder for people to “perform” well in sex.
Could it be that sex is a form of nourishment, not just to our body, but to our mind, soul, and spirit as well? Hmmm… interesting!
Another function of the mouth is our ability to communicate. Speech is indeed one of the most important gifts we humans have received from divinity. Our speech and our ability to communicate have a profound effect on our view of reality and how our brains will evolve. The most important feature of an independent and democratic country is the freedom of speech and expression. Once this right is revoked, we become mindless drones living in fear (kinda like the dark ages). Perhaps this shows that the more we communicate and talk about sex, the more we can liberate ourselves from the constraints of fear, shame, and inhibition? If knowledge and awareness expands our minds and illuminated darkness, and open and free communication being a vital means of enhancing knowledge, then surely, talking about sex in an open and unrestricted manner can benefit us a whole lot. Knowledge about it can teach us about birth control, STD prevention, sexual hygiene and protection, as well as, an exchange of tips and tricks can help us become better lovers. No wonder some of the most read and circulated magazines in the world are dedicated to sex and sexuality – Playboy and Cosmo!
And the fact that this mouth in the card breathes out flames, for fire is an element that’s always equated to sex (hence we get terms such as “fiery passions”) and we more we talk about it, and increase our awareness about it, the more we are able to expand our mindsets and get out of restrictive and repressive thought patterns, becoming more open and liberated about the world. So to quote an old song that I loved to sing out aloud when I was a first grader, just to “shock” the ‘gown-ups’ around me… “Let’s talk about sex baby!”
The tower structure in this card is quite unique. Traditionally, towers and such edifices are used to represent “establishments” i.e. things that have been established and in operation and existence for a long time, be it empires, traditions, customs, and even belief systems and thought patterns. Thus, when this “tower” is shattered, it’s similar to the breakdown of old “establishments” as well.
Sex can be quite similar. After a person loses their virginity, they are never the same. No wonder they say that we (not just women, but men as well) always remember our “first time”. Based on the first time we have sex, we break out of our old “virginal” state, and depending on how we experience sex, our approach towards it and our feelings and emotions about it are defined by that experience. This is why so many a times we find people holding on to their virginity, waiting for the “right time”. Unfortunately, like the Tower, the right time is never right for us. A funny thing about the Tower is that may a tarot readers and mystics believe that we should always face it head on without any hesitation, because the more we resist it or the more we delay or fear it, it becomes a harder ordeal for us to endure. After watching the movie “The 40 year old virgin” and seeing poor Steve Carrel’s character’s condition, perhaps the same could be said about sex.
Coming back to the structure of the Tower, if you notice, it’s quite “geometric”. Almost everything within the card follows some sort of geometrical precision. Even though the tower is collapsing, we can see traces of geometrical precision that could have been vital to it’s structure, even the people falling from the Tower seem to have bodies made out of perfect geometric shapes, as well as, the flames of the fire that’s emitted from the “mouth”, to the rays of light beaming from the “eye” on top. Perhaps this is a way of seeing “perfection” as a futile dream that man keeps chasing.
Think about it, whenever man has sought to make anything perfect to his own likings, things always turn out to be not-so-perfect. Like a bride planning the perfect wedding, only to have it ruined by a thunderstorm... or a man planning to perfect business presentation, only to realize his client came down with the flu. Even the legendary Tower of Babel from the biblical lore was struck down by a lightening bolt from heaven (which is where traditional tarot imagery got the image for The Tower). Perhaps that’s another thing people need to realize about sex… it doesn’t have to be perfect. The bride could still salvage her wedding by having it indoors and still have a grand old time, dancing all sloshed and all… the business man can still win his client over by sending a CD of his presentation, with a bowl of chicken soup and a get-well-soon card to add a personal touch. Likewise, sex doesn’t have to be the way they show it in movies (or shady DVD’s). People don’t need to be perfect looking with perfect bodies to be sexy, nor do they need to fulfill some idealized prince charming or delicate damsel ideal, nor have every position in the Kama Sutra perfected out… and neither do they need to be of a “perfect size” (men and women both) to enjoy the sheer bliss of sex. They just need to have an open mind and a positive attitude towards it. The more we let go of our preconceived notions about sex, the more we can appreciate for what it truly is.
But what is it?
Well, the Oxford dictionary defines it as the following:
Sexual desires etc; or their manifestation – sexual intercourse – arising from a difference or consciousness of sex.
If the peddlers of language give such a dry and in a way “confusing” definition of sex, surely the gift of speech and communication we humans have been bestowed with is severely being abused.
However, the term intercourse is defined as – communication or dealings with two or more individuals.
Hmmm… so could sexual intercourse mean communication of sex? Hmmm… interesting!
But let’s look beyond a cold and clinical textbook definition and search within the “heavens” for a deeper meaning and purpose of sex. After all, The Tower is a card of the Major Arcana, the fifth suit of the tarot deck that is said to represent the element of the spirit (Akasha).
Astrologically, the Tower is associated with the planet Mars, who among other things rules passion and sexuality. Venus may have been the Goddess of love, but along with war and athletics, Mars was the god of passion and sexual prowess. In a way, many athletes consider it unlucky to have sex before a match as they wouldn’t have the required amount of raw aggression (passion?) required to win their sport. Interesting, don’t you think?
However, many a time’s people often get love confused with sex. Mars shows us that sex is an act that is independent of love or sensuality. How so? Well astrologically, Mars is energy – pure and unmodified. Within our charts (astrological birth charts) Mars shows us where and how we express our energy based on the sign and house, and how the other planets aspect it. So in a way, how we view sex or how we feel about it, or perform at it, is actually colored by own experiences, as well as, the societal views we’ve grown up with, but the act of sex itself is pure vital energy. So sex and love are two different things, however when they are combined… well lets just say… fireworks explode!
Mars is the God (divine male archetype) as symbolized by the phallus (the tower in a way is one giant phallic structure), a primal force for reproduction and fertility. Venus I the Goddess (divine female archetype) who is fertile and revels in her own sensuality. It’s no wonder that in Greco-Roman mythology, Mars and Venus just couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
The Tower is often connected to Shiva in Hindu mythology – The Lord of Destruction, among other things. However, the myths of Shiva tell also about how his sexual union with Shakti created the world (according to some sources, the Himalayas were the result of their orgasm). And come to think about it, Shiva is often symbolized in the form of a lingam (phallus) which rests upon a yoni (vagina), a perfect representation of how the act of sex can lead to both creation and destruction (legend also states that another union of Shiva and Shakti could destroy the world – very “tower-esque” don’t you think?)
Really? Sex can do all that?
Well there is a reason why sex has often been described as a magical experience. It has been observed that during sexual excitation, all aspects of extrasensory perception (ESP) are heightened. One becomes much more sharply attuned to the psychic realms than in our “normal” state. Immediately before, during, and after the climax, the mind is in a state of hypersensitivity, which can be especially useful when working magick. During the orgasm, many people have actually experienced timelessness, accompanied by a subjective sensation of being absorbed by their partner.
According to Swami Anandakapika, “Sex Magic is the art and science of utilizing sexual experience for the concrete materialization of desire and the expansion of the inner life.”
According to Dr. John Mumford, the most important psycho-physiological event in the life of a human being is the orgasm. It is also noted in various yogic texts how sexual power is tightly connected to psychic energy – both run up the central spine (kundalini). So sex utilizes the process of building energy and the orgasm releases it. This is why when we do orgasm, we yell, scream, sigh, cry, sweat, collapse even, and yet feel all the more good!
However, this is not to say that such can only be experienced by the union of only a man and a woman. It is essential to understand that we all have both male and female energies within us. We are all Gods, as well as, Goddesses. And hence, physical gender has absolutely nothing to do with experiencing the pleasure and power of sex. Historically, homosexuals were frequently venerated as instruments of the deities. In Tantric texts, Shiva was depicted as a hermaphroditic God, having divided himself in male and female (Kali/Shakti). In a way, even masturbation can be viewed as a powerful magical act as well. So whenever people claim the immorality of homosexuality, and claim it to be something that is unnatural, it just goes to show how closed minded and sexually repressed they really are as well. In fact, it has been noted that people who are strongly opposed to homosexuality are actually afraid of their own tendencies towards it.
Coming back to Shiva, a very prominent sign of his presence within this card is the big eye that hovers in the top center of the card. Shiva was known to have a third eye, which according to legend, destroyed everything within it’s sight the moment it was open, leaving behind absolutely nothing. Out of this nothingness, Brahma was said to create new life, which was further preserved by Vishnu.
What is interesting is that the Hebrew Letter Ayin, when translated means, “An Eye”. Furthermore, Ayin is associated with the card before the Tower – The Devil. Although eyes are called the windows to our soul, there’s a slight misconception to it. You see, unlike a window that allows light to both enter and exit the room, the eye is more of a one-way proposition. Through our eyes, especially our third eye, our inner being (our soul) looks at the world. Interestingly, Ayin has been known to represent the meatus (the opening at the tip of the phallus where semen passes), and in the Thoth deck, the goat like “Devil” figure stands before a large phallus itself, where two large globules representing testicles, are filled with strands of semen that resemble human figures trapped within. (No wonder when men get aroused but are forced to repress their urges for an extremely long time, they claim to suffer from “blue balls”).
According to Crowley, The Devil is known to represent the masculine energy at its most masculine (which is evident by the imagery). However, The Devil is associated with the sign of Capricorn, a cardinal sign of the element of earth. The funny thing is, Capricorn is a ‘feminine’ sign representing ‘yin’ energies, and earth is a ‘feminine’ element (mother earth – duh!). So therefore, it again supports the statement about masculine and feminine energies being present together within each and everyone. Further proving that the spiritual, magical, and sensual aspect of sex can be experienced by people irrespective of their physical gender and sexual orientation. After all, the clitoris is made up of the same tissues found in the male penis – and the prostate gland also known as a "male G-spot", "P-spot", or "A-spot" can be stimulated during anal intercourse.
Finally, coming back to the card imagery of The Tower, on both sides of the eye, we see a dove flying with an Olive branch, and a Lion-Serpent Xnoubis or Abraxas. What’s interesting is that the dove is traditionally a symbol for the goddess Venus, and the Olive branch is symbolic of Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom (Ares/Mars’s female Archetype) once again, breaking the physical gender barriers regarding sexuality. And the Lion-Serpent, we can look at the Strength Card which represents the sign of Leo, and the Hebrew letter assigned to it is Teth, which means a ‘serpent’. And in the Thoth deck, the card of Strength is renamed as Lust.
Interestingly, if we connect with the previous discussion “What is love”, we found that the card I pulled out for Love was answered with 8 of Cups - Saturn in Pisces. Mars (the Tower) is exalted (most powerful) in the sign of Capricorn (The Devil), which is ruled by Saturn himself. And Venus (our dove) is exalted in Pisces. Hmmm… interesting connection don’t you think?
And to those who still remain skeptical about the universal aspect of sex… well, isn’t it interesting that our planet Earth, is situated between Venus and Mars?
Think about it!
