Tzabaoth said:
The rainbow in alchemy also represents a false sense of completion or attainment. With the cards great mercurial speed, it instills the idea of impatience to the point that as soon as you get even the slightest positive result from your endeavors you declare it a total victory despite how incomplete the result is.
Like "Mission accomplished"? Sorry for the politics, but this description fit it so well, I couldn't resist. Hopefully, the mission will soon be accomplished for real.
In the meantime, here's my IDS on the 8 of Wands.
8 = Thoughts
Wands = Energy
“Swift as thought.” Brainstorm. Changing your mind.
A beautiful rainbow, with the colors well defined, arches across the top. Eight lightning flashes/electrical shocks zip out in front of two interpenetrated octahedra with each surface colored a different rainbow color. It’s all very geometric, with the arrows/flashes going straight to the points of the octahedra. Mercury and Sagittarius are prominent on the top in red.
Once more we have a rainbow connected to Sagittarius. It is the bow of the archer. But maybe it is also the bridge of promise between God and humans—a way of God communicating with people. That would related it to Mercury, too, the messenger of the gods. And the lightning flashes are the arrows. Red is a very energetic color, but Crowley points out that there is no fire here. It is all ethereal because of Mercury and Sagittarius is mutable fire, almost an air sign itself! The airiest of the Wands cards, as is suitable for an 8/Mercury. We should compare it with Prince of Swords, air of fire.
DuQuette helpfully points out Crowley’s reference to energy becoming matter, e=mc2.
I’ve been in a cosmological state of mind recently, and have been thinking about the idea that everything is made up of space-time and matter-energy. (Spurred by the Mantegna cards “Cosmico,” “Chronico,” and “Iliaco” (light or energy). It was bugging me that there was no “Matter” card, too, but then either all the other cards were matter, or matter is included in “Iliaco.” Anyway, back to 8 of Wands.) Could the 2 octahedra be symbolic of these two interpenetrating categories of existence?
Mercury in Sagittarius: “Candid thinking, open with a wide range of interests, strong convictions, seeks further education, strong optimism, missionary know-it-all attitude, condescending, hypocritical moralist.”
I think the important thing here is interested in learning and communication.
In a reading: Be prepared for things to happen fast! Perhaps before you’re ready for them. You will be getting lots of messages and lots of ideas from within, too. And maybe some from above, your higher self or spirit. Keep your eyes open for opportunities--and rainbows!
