In the book of Thoth, Crowley states that the Emperor's power is derived from Chokmah and brought to Tipareth, yet on his diagram in the back of the very same book, he fills in the Star on this path. He gives the path from Sephiroth 7 to 9 as the path of the Emperor, which is in conformity with Crowley's switching of the star, and attributing of Tzaddi to the Emperor.
My question is why did Crowley make the statement about the power derived from Chokmah? Surely he is aware of the path he himself has given the Emperor, so what is his reasoning of writing this? Is there a mystery contained within, or is it to confuse readers, or possibly test them?? Any thoughts?
This thread is old, as is this question, but I am thinking about the same thing, and wanting to add some comments about it for the record. This seems the most apt place...
The question is not put quite properly, if it is to ask why the "cards" are switched. The right question is "why would the 28th Path (from Netzach and Yesod) be Heh, when it should be the 15th Path (from Chokmah to Tiphareth)?" The nature of this question is not a Tarot question. It's a Tree of Life/Paths of Wisdom question. The Tree of Life and the Paths were not set forth for the purpose of describing Tarot. If we are to use them as such, then the question is, how is that best done. There are 22 Paths between Sephiroth and thus, one for each Tarot Trump.
The fact of the matter is that the Trumps may not always perfectly fit the Path.
I think what happened here is that the Tzaddi is the Stabilizing intelligence, and so in Tarot form, it seems appropriate to assign The Star, as the woman's foot traditionally rests on the stabilized water. In the Western Mystery Tradition this represents meditiation. Tzaddi, the fish-hook, draws in meditation, the "water" of the Higher truth, reels it in, crystallizes it...that which was not "thought" of but "drawn down". This is known as "The dweller between waters". The Emperor on the other hand, represents Reason: that which is consciously "thought of". The Path from Netzach to Yesod is that which would connect the Desire of the Individual to its Astral form, which will form the basis for that to become reality. In a way, it is a stabilization process. Crystallization of one's desire in the inner world, in preparation for it to manifest in the outer world, Malkuth. It means that Tzaddi works very well in this path. Indeed: this is the dweller between waters.
However, what if one wants to emphasize the point that this is a conscious process? That the personal mind in doing this? And it is not being drawn down from above? But rather: a reflection of that which is above? That personal mind is represented by the Emperor...Reason...conscious thought. Then, one might think of putting Heh here "The Emperor".
We have to remember that, The Emperor, while representing "Reason" and conscious thought, is not, from a Qabbalistic point of view, connected with our individual minds. The letter Heh which it is connected with, is spelled HH. The One Higher mind, is the only mind. Our individual minds are a reflection of it. Heh means "Window" and the glass through which the Looking Out is done is the same glass through which the Looking In is done...and so, perhaps to Crowley, Heh was a better attribution for the "dweller between waters".
Conceivably an issue arises concerning the Triangles in the Tree of Life, because the personal mind only operates on the lowest one, known as "the Astral Triangle". These are discussed indepth and beautifully, by by Dion Fortune in the "Mystical Qabbalah". Heh is normally ascribed to the Fifteenth Path, which connects Chokmah - a Sphere in the Supernal Triangle beyond which the human mind exists and can operate - to Tiphareth, a Sphere of the Ethical Triangle, at the very edge of human consciousness. Therefore, IF we are thinking of a Tarot card, that is to represent the personal mind, consciousness and Reason, it becomes an issue, to place that card in the Supernal Realm. I think that Crowley may have been trying to rectify this point. Perhaps he thought that it all worked much better, if the Emperor - Reason; he who brings personal Will/Desire (Netzach) to bear in the inner realm (Yesod) in order to manifest reality (Malkuth) would be the Emperor, Heh.
After all, this is where the crystalizing, stabilizing influence operates...and furthemore, in the Thoth Tarot, "The Universe", where the manifestation has been brought to bear, there is a distinct parallel to the Star. They mirror each other. He is making a point there.
Now, it must be remembered that in the lower Triangle, the Astral Triangle, where the personal Will operates (and which Crowley was so concerned with), we already have the Sphere Hod, the mind, operating. So it is not necessary really, to put the Emperor there. It is understood. However, the Hermetic principles apply here...All is Mind (the conscious mind/Will is not separate). That which is above is below and that which is below is above, for the purposes of the One Thing. Is Crowley trying to emphasize this through the use of Heh...the Window? That the "dweller between the waters" that appears to be the personal Will, is "that which is above?" - However, the Star, as the fish hook, makes that same point, but in a different way.
The best I can arrive it is maybe. Just some thoughts. Thanks for reading. LVX