Lust/strength and floating heads

prudence

What is going on with the human body parts beneath the lion? (there are prayerful hands,and at least 2 faces floating around under there. This is my "year card" this year, so i am trying to gain a deeper understanding.
thanks
astrid
 

Grigori

Crowley describes them "In the backgound are the bloodless images of the saints, on whom this image travels, for their whole life has been absorbed into the Holy Grail"

From Duqette the blood of the saints in thelema refers to "the ecstatic dissolution of all we are into the universal godhead (symbolised as a great whore and the Holy Grail she embodies)"

Revelations 17
"3Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus."

I wish this was my soul card. Unfortunately I get Strength in the RWS, and Adjustment in the Thoth. I would much prefer RWS Balance and Thoth Lust!
 

prudence

Thanks similia,
tho, the whole revelations stuff is not terribly pleasant. I liked the image much better before learning this! Do you actually take all of this into account when you read the cards? I don't think this would help me to read for people, it would just confuse me.
 

Grigori

I must admit I have only the most rudimentary understanding of the significance of much of the thoth imagery. I guess I just chalked it up to the "ecstasy" of the image and left it at that. (It's also possible my eyes focus more on the naked lady than the dead bodies of saints ;) )
 

prudence

well, the naked lady is much nicer to look at than the pieces of saints!
 

Fulgour

It is likely that Lady Frieda had at least a momentary sense
of what inspired her to create an image, an artistic impulse.
Artists thrive on spontaneity and the serendipitous results,
so as she filled in her canvas, what came was of a moment.

Art is basically honest, even in deception, and so I think we
are free to interpret each image according to our experience
of it, as it relates to ourselves here and now. This holds true
of all forms of art (who cares what "Picasso" was thinking?).

People who write about other people's art are called critics.
Crowley was roughly as competent at that as a paid typist.
 

prudence

I didn't mean my comment about the saints to be a criticism of Lady Frieda's art, I love her paintings, my main reason for loving the Thoth so much is her vision, her voice. Her depiction of the feminine is especially a favorite for me.
 

Fulgour

Criticism is healthy when discussing art and your comments
were insightful. You expressed your admiration with power,
and I appreciate your enthusiasm. Thank you for your words.
 

Zephyros

In her own essay regarding the paintings, Lady Harris says of them that "are the Martyrs to whom this path towards union is an empty dream..." I always took that to mean, and support my own view of the card, that the woman is in ecstasy at her own power, and the saints represent the old dogmas.
 

prudence

well, now that's a much nicer way to put it! thanks or that! The old dogma, her ecstasy... something about her reminds me of the lady on the Star card.