Any thoughts on "Virtue"

Thanks, Aeon418, for the quote, now I see I also have to brush up my latin for understanding beasty boy, LOL.

Thoughts on the 3 of Wands, Virtue, and the New Age movement from The Truth about the Tarot by Gerald Suster. (a very good book by the way) Some people may think that Suster wanders from the point a little, when in actual fact I think he is spot on with his remarks which reveal why so many find Crowley's use of the word Virtue a little odd in connection with the 3 of Wands.

The Three of Wands is called Virtue. This is a word which has been grossly debased. It is a word exalted by a very popular but very feeble movement called The New Age. One sighs in despair over its fatuity.

This movement is essentially well-intentioned. However, in the critical times in which we live, good intentions alone are definitely not enough; actions must match words and there are few things more contemptible than fine words followed by shabby actions. The present writer is aware that he may have many New Age readers. He regards them as being honestly misguided at best. There is certainly no disgrace in being honestly misguided: it can happen to the best of us. However there is no excuse for not trying to do things better than before.

'Virtue' is a very New Age word. Where does it come from? It comes from the Latin Vir - a Man. The Roman Virtus therefore expresses healthy, natural male qualities. In these current, degenerate times - which the Hindus rightly call the Kali Yuga, the Dark Age - we find a feeble flop in the present comprehension of 'virtue'. Would you rather meet a virtuous man or a virile man? The answer is obvious to all who have not been bemused, abused and confused by ludicrous notions of what it means to be 'spiritual', another New Age buzz word.

The word 'spiritual', which used to mean something important, has like 'virtue' degenerated into meaning something feeble, like a cup of scummy, lukewarm milk. Would you rather meet someone who is spiritual or someone who is spirited? Again, the question is as easy as the answer is obvious.

New Age readers are strongly urged to consider the following propositions, prompted by Virtue - the 3 of Wands in Binah (Understanding) - and certainly not inspired by the sordid motives which enable those with a little but not much occult knowledge or understanding to make money from pandering to the prejudices of said readers. The present writer hopes and trusts that the present reader is not a gullible dupe.

a - New Age is merely softened down and tarted up Christianity; an outmoded religion once adhered to by primitive mammalian primates based upon ludicrous notions of sin and guilt. Under Christianity, perfectly natural desires were called 'sinful'. Under New Age, you still have to be guilty as sin for the same, for the words and phrases are 'unspiritual' - whatever that may mean - or 'not virtuous'. Whatever words are used, people still end up feeling guilty over perfectly natural and honourable feelings like love, hate, lust, anger et al.

b - New Age is intellectually sloppy. If you are New Age, you can believe anything you like - as long as it doesn't work.

c - New Age is horribly middle class. In common with any sensible individual, the present writer does not care if you are upper class, middle class or working class: it's just that if you're middle class, you should do something about it. In England , at any rate, the upper classes and the working classes share the same code of honour: observers are confused too often because the same code is expressed in different forms of the English language. Although there are - thank heavens! - exceptions, the average middle class individual has no code of honour. Anyone with no code of honour is a slave. It doesn't matter if your chains are of gold or of plastic - you are still a slave. This is why one can all too often see crass examples such as those who bleat about changing the world, then freak out like a shell-shocked invalid on account of a cigarette being smoked with joy in a Glastonbury tea-room. This is why one can hear whingeing nonsense whenever there is a serious meditation practice from some New Age twits who whine to be excused on the quicksands of: 'Oh - but we're professional meditators.' How is a 'professional' meditator to be distinguished from one who meditates? - apart from the obvious fact that they're probably conning the gullible for money? No. This won't do at all and it's high time someone said so.

d - New Age is dishonest. The beliefs its adherents hold contradict one another. If you are New Age, you can be a Hindu and a Buddhist. Hindus believe there is a soul (atman). Buddhists believe there isn't (annata). You can't believe both at the same time. Yes, of course, it is said that above the Abyss, all contradictions resolve themselves. This is true - as the Tarot shows us - but the present writer doubts if there are currently more than 93 individuals on the globe capable of mating the contradictions in self-annihilation. Below the Abyss, Reason is King. Facts must be accurate and Logic must be coherent. Unless you get that right, you will get nothing right at all - and New Age doesn't.

e - New Age consists of sentimental slop, catering to half-witted, panic stricken, middle class prejudice. The Universe is not like that. Let us remember, therefore, that the Master has spirit and vir - and vir applies exactly to an acknowledged female Master like Madame Blavatsky.

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The 3 of wands keeps coming up in my readings in relation to what's holding someone back in a relationship situation. The 6 of cups is what both of them seem to desire but the 3 of wands is holding one of them back.

The idea of wanting 'to do the right thing' as was suggested in one post applies here I think, which is a nice thought - someone who doesn't just jump in for fun. Also being new to this kind of relationship - the Virgin/First Time aspect.

Any other thoughts?

Virtue

What if we use the phrase "the highest integrity" for virtue? What if they are to work through issues of emotional honesty? The major challenge would be finding out what they feel opposed to how they think they should feel. Accepting how one truly feels allows them to be honest with others and with themselves.

Perhaps what's holding them back is they aren't sure of their own Self or identity - maybe up to now they've been living to please others. Now they have a need to reconnect to their own needs and desires.

Just a thought.

tink

BrightEye said:

The 3 of wands keeps coming up in my readings in relation to what's holding someone back in a relationship situation. The 6 of cups is what both of them seem to desire but the 3 of wands is holding one of them back.

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The Six of Cups is Sun in Scorpio. Scorpio is a passionate, jealous, long term sign typically concerned with rebirth, evolution and sex/power. Since the Thoth refers to this card as Pleasure, it is easy to desire those things, and hard to give any one of them up for most people. Scorpio is a fixed sign, so this fits. Typically, I would assume for most people, it would take awhile to reach this level of contentment in a relationship.

Virtue, the 3 of Wands is the Sun in Aries. As wands as an action suit, I would venture that Virtue refers to the actual process of puting Words into Action. Aries is a very direct, implusive sign. It likes to start projects, and may not finsih them as it only works on things for as long as they are interested.

So it could very well be that both people want to enjoy the Six of Cups, but the person who has the 3 of Wands might want it *now* possiably by skipping all the work nessercary to reach the other point.

How I am reading this, is the 3 of Wands person wants to be sucessful and reach that level, but wants to do it quickly and may be attempting to skip various phases a relationship may have to go through to get there.

-Fenier

The two people in question are not together (yet). 3 of Wands is holding one of them back in getting together. That's how I see it at least.

Both responses make a lot of sense. I have a niggling feeling that 'Virtue' may also mean that one of them has reservations because of religion. I'm not sure but that's the vibes I get. And perhaps not enough energy or stayingpower to overcome these kind of obstacles?

BrightEye said:

Both responses make a lot of sense. I have a niggling feeling that 'Virtue' may also mean that one of them has reservations because of religion. I'm not sure but that's the vibes I get. And perhaps not enough energy or stayingpower to overcome these kind of obstacles?

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That could be. It could also be that this person does not interest them enough that can see a long term relationship coming from it. If it was more relgious based, personally I would think other cards would show up, but I've been wrong before!

As I didn't do the spread, I am just guessing, but I am hope I am being helpful.

-Fenier

Lillie said:

There is a way of using the word 'virtue' that has nothing to do with morals.

ie.
I am in charge of this situation by virtue of my greater knowledge.

You can beat the crap out of me by virtue of your black belt in karate.

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I got the swedish translations for the card titles a while ago, virtue is translated as "förmåga", which as in Lillie's examples above, has nothing to do with morality. It means "ability" and/or "virility".

From the little I know of Crowley (just pre-ordered the new bibliography today!) it makes more sense that he would see the the 3 of wands as "ability" rather than "morality": Ability means you have the focus and force to walk your own path and follow the morality of your heart.

Aeon418 said:

I'm still convinced that Crowley's use of the word 'Virtue' points toward action. The astrological attribution of Sol in Aries practically shouts action. Spring time !!!

If there had been room on the card I reckon it would have said, "Do what thou wilt", with the emphasis on the 'Do'.

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Interesting thread. The lead entry in my dictionary for "virtuous" is "potent, efficacious;" moral excellence is secondary. The exaltation of Sol in Aries implies "right action," possibly moral and inherently just but at its root simply a true and necessary expression of the Will without hair-splitting over the niceties of ethics and propriety. There is an inexorable singularity of purpose ("established force and strength") about the harmonious completion of the (solar) circle via the unfolding of the "Three energy" and the primal purity of the elemental Fire (Wands) that invests that circle. Nobody, I think, would argue that the Sun is not "potent and efficacious" in this setting. "Virtue" would also seem to derive from the fact that the Three is yet high on the Tree, so the emanation is still potent and pure; no "taint" is possible.

@ Aeon418 -- thank you for the Suster recommendation. His writing is highly appealing. I was able to secure a used copy through Barnes&Noble.com

cheers