Strife

mooiedragon

I know there is already a fairly good discussion on this card with respect to the wands themselves, but I'm having a little trouble decipehering how to relate to this card on a realistic level.

Assuming the central wand is cadaceus (given the winged feet at the bottom), what's with all that stuff on the top of it? The mark of the beast and the other set of wings and the serpent or worm-like things with little red hats - what's that all about? I apologize if this question is pretty basic - I do plant to get a proper book to study from, but for now all I have is the itty-bitty booklet the cards came with and this wonderful forum. One thread mentioned ribbons around the wand that later became a snake - could the pale squiggles outlined in red represent those ribbons and is it significant that they have become untied? Or are those supposed to be flames?

I understand there is an underlying message of authority playing a role in this card. I sense that from Saturn (kind of like Karma) in Leo (Leadership, but also affection). Visually, I also see pressure - perhaps challenge. A test of sorts, competition, anger, conflict, etc. Is the negative energy coming from the higher authoritative force? How do we combat this when it appears in a spread?

Sorry for the disorganization of questions - it was my daily card and I just don't get it yet.
 

ravenest

mooiedragon said:
Assuming the central wand is cadaceus (given the winged feet at the bottom), what's with all that stuff on the top of it? The mark of the beast and the other set of wings and the serpent or worm-like things with little red hats - what's that all about?

A book of pictures of Golden dawn wands will help. many of them are in the wand cards. One can then see what type of wand it is an the ritual it is used in (or the Officer that uses it) and from that one can discern its 'falvour'or usage. The serpents with red hats are usually realted to the caduceus with one of these either side, their hats are the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt (although in fact one is red and one white) -

Its a form of caduseus Crowley used as an emblem for his M.M.M. society.

[I'd ignore most of the comments about them in the devil card thread (where they are positioned near the goats ... erm, ... undercarriage)].

mooiedragon said:
I apologize if this question is pretty basic - I do plant to get a proper book to study from, but for now all I have is the itty-bitty booklet the cards came with and this wonderful forum. One thread mentioned ribbons around the wand that later became a snake - could the pale squiggles outlined in red represent those ribbons and is it significant that they have become untied? Or are those supposed to be flames?

Yes ,... ie, I'd say, both.
mooiedragon said:
I understand there is an underlying message of authority playing a role in this card. I sense that from Saturn (kind of like Karma) in Leo (Leadership, but also affection). Visually, I also see pressure - perhaps challenge. A test of sorts, competition, anger, conflict, etc.
yup
mooiedragon said:
Is the negative energy coming from the higher authoritative force? How do we combat this when it appears in a spread?

I'd say a deffinate yes to the first sentance with a qualification that it is coming from a higher, perhaps even, archtypal plane. But in my experience, by the time this 'spiritual' strife filters down to us 'down here'it is something else (ie. not strife as we know it on the physical)

It's nearly like a lower plane reversal (if you know what I mean) Absolute strife on the 'spiritual'plane can create quiet good conditions on the physical.