[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
As to the Disks, the heaviness of the symbol rather outweighs any considerations of
its weakness. The card is called Power. It is the power which dominates and
stabilizes everything, but manages its affairs more by negotiation, by pacific
methods, than by any assertion of itself. It is Law, the Constitution, with no
aggressive element.
THE FOUR FIVES
In the "Naples arrangement", the introduction of the number Five shows the idea of
motion coming to the aid of that of matter. This is quite a revolutionary conception;
the result is a complete upset of the statically stabilized system. Now appear storm
and stress.
This must not be regarded as something "evil". The natural feeling about it is really a
little more than the reluctance of people to get up from lunch and go back to the job.
In the Buddhist doctrine of Sorrow this idea is implicit, that inertia and
insensitiveness must characterize peace. The climate of India is perhaps partly
responsible for this notion. The Adepts of the White School, of which the Tarot is the
sacred book, cannot agree to such a simplification of existence. Every phenomenon
is a sacrament. For all that, a disturbance is a disturbance; the five of Wands is
called Strife.
On the other hand, the Five of Cups is called Disappointment, as is only natural,
because Fire delights in superabundant energy, whereas the water of Pleasure is
naturally placid, and any disturbance of ease can only be regarded as misfortune.
The Five of Swords is similarly troublesome; the card is called Defeat. There has
been insufficient power to maintain the armed peace of the Four. The quarrel has
actually broken out. This must mean defeat, for the original idea of the Sword was a
manifestation of the result of the love between the Wand and the Cup. It is because
the birth had to express itself in the duality of the Sword and the Disk that the
nature of each appears so imperfect.
The Five of Disks is in equally evil case. The soft quiet of the Four has been
completely overthrown; the card is called Worry. [See Skeat, Etymological
Dictionary. The idea is of strangling, as dogs worry sheep. Note the identity with
Sphinx.] The economic system has broken down; there is no more balance between
the social orders. Disks being as they are, stolid and obstinate, as compared with the
other weapons, for their revolution serves t9 stabilize them, there is no action, at
least not in its own ambit, that can affect the issue.
THE FOUR SIXES
These cards are attributed to Tiphareth. This Sephira is in some respects the most
important of all. It is the centre of the whole system; it is the only Sephira below the
Abyss which communicates directly with Kether. It is fed directly from Chokmah and
Binah; also from Chesed and Geburah. It is thus admirably fitted to dominate the
lower Sephiroth; it is balanced both vertically and horizontally. In the planetary
system it represents the Sun; in the system of Tetragrammaton it represents the
Son. The entire geometrical complex of the Ruach may be regarded as an expansion
from Tiphareth. It represents consciousness in its most harmonized and balanced
form; definitely in form, not only in idea, as in the case of the number Two. In other
words, the Son is an interpretation of the Father in terms of the mind.
The four Sixes are thus representative of their respective elements at their practical
best.
The Six of Wands is called Victory. The outburst of energy in the Five of Wands,
which was so sudden and violent that it even gave the idea of strife, has now
completely won success. The rule, or lordship, in the suit of Wands is not quite as
stable as it might have been if there had been less energy displayed. So, from this
point, as soon as the current leaves the middle pillar, the inherent weakness in the
element of Fire (which is this: that, for all its purity, it is not completely balanced)
leads to very undesirable developments.
The Six of Cups is called Pleasure. This pleasure is a kind of pleasure which is
completely harmonized. The zodiacal sign governing the card being Scorpio, pleasure
is here rooted in its most convenient soil. This is pre-eminently a fertile card; it is
one of the best in the pack.
The Six of Swords is called Science. Its ruler is Mercury, so that the element of
success turns away from the idea of division and quarrel; it is intelligence which has
won to the goal.
The Six of Disks is called Success; the ruler is the Moon. This is a card of settling
down; it is very heavy, wholly lacking in imagination, yet somewhat dreamy. Change
is soon coming upon it; the weight of earth will ultimately drag the current down to a
mere eventuation of material things. Yet the Moon, being in Taurus, the sign of her
exaltation, the best of the Lunar qualities are inherent. Moreover, being a Six, the
solar Energy has fertilized her, creating a balanced system for the time being. The
card is worthy of the name Success. Remember only that all success is temporary;
how brief a halt upon the Path of Labour.
THE FOUR SEVENS
These cards are attributed to Netzach. The position is doubly unbalanced; off the
middle pillar, and very low down on the Tree. It is taking a very great risk to
descend so far into illusion, and, above all, to do it by frantic struggle. Netzach
pertains to Venus; Netzach pertains to Earth; and the greatest catastrophe that can
befall Venus is to lose her Heavenly origin. The four Sevens are not capable of
bringing any comfort; each one represents the degeneration of the element. Its
utmost weakness is exposed in every case.
The Seven of Wands is called Valour. Energy feels itself at its last gasp; it struggles
desperately, and may be overcome. This card brings out the defect inherent in the
idea of Mars. Patriotism, so to speak, is not enough.
The Seven of Cups is called Debauch. This is one of the worst ideas that one can
have; its mode is poison, its goal madness. It represents the delusion of Delirium
Tremens and drug addiction; it represents the sinking into the mire of false pleasure.
There is something almost suicidal in this card. It is particularly bad because there is
nothing whatever to balance it-no strong planet to hold it up. Venus goes after
Venus, and Earth is churned into the scorpion morass.
The Seven of Swords is called Futility. This is a yet weaker card than the Seven of
Wands. It has a passive sign instead of an active one, a passive planet instead of an
active one. It is like a rheumatic boxer trying to "come back" after being out of the
ring for years. Its ruler is the Moon. The little energy that it possesses is no more
than dream-work; it is quite incapable of the sustained labour which alone, bar
miracles, can bring any endeavour to fruition. The comparison with the Seven of
Wands is most instructive.
The Seven of Disks is called Failure. This suit gives the extreme of passivity; there is
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]