Owl Tarot
Using the above motto, and following the advice of some members who I contacted and whose opinions I respect and value, I decided to start weekly threads about some of the thoughts and interpretations, as they come to me, of the Trump I am currently studying. It is the third time I undergo this process because in the previous two I gained further insight about the cards so I decided to follow this process yet again, but with a slightly different tone! So, anyone willing and available to provide some thoughts and opinions for me to work and contemplate about would be appreciated! I also hope my thoughts as of today help you!
VIII- Adjustment
Trump associated to Libra- Ruled by Venus
22th Path, connecting Geburah to Tiphareth. Hebrew letter: Lamed
I am totally into the use of the word "Adjustment" instead of "Justice", and this part contains the explanation I, too, feel to be correct. The Equilibrium is here, and Equilibrium is not the purpose of Justice in the traditional sense of the word. As Crowley says, Adjustment is a matter of calculation and precise action. The concept has no moral background or rightness in the traditional sense of those words, it is I would say, a morally grey zone (as far as human morality goes) in which the opposing forces cancel each other out. Unlike the traditional depiction of Justice, who is immobile, our figure is in constant motion to complete her Work and she particulary likes to dance, but more on that later!
He final, the Earth Element, is depicted here married the Son in Tiphareth, and is currently on the throne of her Mother. Thrones are symbols traditionally associated with Binah, The Great Mother, the He primal, and further presents this fact.
The throne is composed of 4 Spheres and Pyramids, the number of Law and Limitation, Crowley suggests. These three symbols, along with the colors of the Trump and particulary Blue (Chesed in Briah), reveal the organising aspect of Chesed which is presented in this card. The Virtue assosiated with Chesed is obedience, so our Harlequinn is obedient to the Law as well, she is obedient to her True Will, if you want. She in fact makes sure the Law is fullfilled, but it is the nature of the Law that make her satisfied by dominating every element of dis-equibrium in existence.
Being now married to the Son and connecting him to Geburah, she knows her True Will and applies the Virtue assosiated with Tiphareth, being devoted to the Great Work and doing what is "right" with the Fiery energy of Geburah, who enforces that which is "right".
Her devotion to her Great Work, which is to maintain the Equilibrium in all things, is made manifest by using the Phallic Sword of the Magus and the chains which connect her crown, the ostrict feathers of the Godess Maat, to the balances with chains. The chains and the sword are both symbols assosiated with Geburah who holds the title Din, Justice, in it's Universal sense. The chains are black which is the color referring to Saturn, the God of Time, because Adjustment needs time to take place.
Ma'at is the Egyptian Godess assosiated with Truth, Justice, Order, Balance etc. She was the Godess associated with weightening the Heart. Both the Crown and the balances relate the two.
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and it's Hebrew equivalent is Aleph. Omega is the last and it's Hebrew equivalent is Tau. Their equilibrium is her function, and she demands by the Sword to make sure it is done. Aleph and Tau together mean Essence, so that could mean she oversees and corrects any possible straying of the Truth of this Essense.
Lamed means an ox-goad and Aleph means an ox. An ox-goad is used to keep the ox moving in the correct direction. Their Paths on the Tree are parallel, and the combination of those letters results in AL, which means God, and LA, which means nothing. This further illustrates how opposing forces cancel each other out to reach unity when equilibrium is exercised. It is also a suggestion I think to the 0=2 formula. The Fool is as fertile as it goes, and his dancing partner, The Harlequinn who is a female Fool in comedies, makes sure his fertility remains within the context of the previously mentioned formula.
All things are real, because the cancel out. Their True Will, thereoff, is a pretty relative thing, could be anything and is also unavoidable because our Harlequinn here makes sure it is done and seen through. Each action is subject to her law of casuality, meaning an equal and opposite reaction will take place through time. This is what makes them all true and right to her eyes, because from her dance they will balance each other out. This is a probable reason explaining why her Truth is Two-fold.
In the corners of the card, the spheres are harmoniously balanced. Blue and Green are this card's Path colours in Atziluth and Briah, and they could represent the feminine and masculine energies in balance.
The Harlequinn is inside the shape of a diamond, which connects her to Kether and her partner, the Fool, and Crowley suggests there is a Vesica Piscis which is it's cause.
To more sexual images, she holds the long and firm (that's what she said!) Sword of the Magician, the Sword of True Will, an image of the Son, her husband. She seems to be glad having this long thing between her legs (that's what he said!), and it satifies her to have it that way. The Sword is also happy to be there, being Phallic, and she became the Queen when the long thingy broke her own "Vesica Piscis"!
The surrounding interplays of light and darkness form patterns which I could relate to chess, making stronger the importance of her precise calculations. They also seem to remind me of a dancing room, in which she enjoys her partner's company!
Libra is a masculine (further implying the union of male and female energies) and Cardinal sign, the onrush of the Air element (the Fool is the Trump of Air). It is exalted in Saturn and it's dominant keyword is "I balance". It is considered the sign of partnership and marriage as well, because it enjoys union. In our case, she does seem to enjoy union with the long... Sword of the Son!
It was long, I know, but it was a good exercise in itself for me, and I hope it both helps you and motivates you to give me some food for thought! That's some of the things I could say about this card as I view it today, and I hope you liked it!
VIII- Adjustment
Trump associated to Libra- Ruled by Venus
22th Path, connecting Geburah to Tiphareth. Hebrew letter: Lamed
The Book of ThothAleister Crowley said:This card in the old pack was called Justice. This word has none but a purely human and therefore relative sense; so it is not to be considered as one of the facts of Nature. Nature is not just, according to any theological or ethical idea; but Nature is exact.
I am totally into the use of the word "Adjustment" instead of "Justice", and this part contains the explanation I, too, feel to be correct. The Equilibrium is here, and Equilibrium is not the purpose of Justice in the traditional sense of the word. As Crowley says, Adjustment is a matter of calculation and precise action. The concept has no moral background or rightness in the traditional sense of those words, it is I would say, a morally grey zone (as far as human morality goes) in which the opposing forces cancel each other out. Unlike the traditional depiction of Justice, who is immobile, our figure is in constant motion to complete her Work and she particulary likes to dance, but more on that later!
Aleister Crowley said:It is the final adjustment in the formula of Tetragrammaton, when the daughter, redeemed by her marriage with the Son, is thereby set up on the throne of the mother; thus, finally, she “awakens the Eld of the All-Father.”
He final, the Earth Element, is depicted here married the Son in Tiphareth, and is currently on the throne of her Mother. Thrones are symbols traditionally associated with Binah, The Great Mother, the He primal, and further presents this fact.
The throne is composed of 4 Spheres and Pyramids, the number of Law and Limitation, Crowley suggests. These three symbols, along with the colors of the Trump and particulary Blue (Chesed in Briah), reveal the organising aspect of Chesed which is presented in this card. The Virtue assosiated with Chesed is obedience, so our Harlequinn is obedient to the Law as well, she is obedient to her True Will, if you want. She in fact makes sure the Law is fullfilled, but it is the nature of the Law that make her satisfied by dominating every element of dis-equibrium in existence.
Being now married to the Son and connecting him to Geburah, she knows her True Will and applies the Virtue assosiated with Tiphareth, being devoted to the Great Work and doing what is "right" with the Fiery energy of Geburah, who enforces that which is "right".
Her devotion to her Great Work, which is to maintain the Equilibrium in all things, is made manifest by using the Phallic Sword of the Magus and the chains which connect her crown, the ostrict feathers of the Godess Maat, to the balances with chains. The chains and the sword are both symbols assosiated with Geburah who holds the title Din, Justice, in it's Universal sense. The chains are black which is the color referring to Saturn, the God of Time, because Adjustment needs time to take place.
Ma'at is the Egyptian Godess assosiated with Truth, Justice, Order, Balance etc. She was the Godess associated with weightening the Heart. Both the Crown and the balances relate the two.
Book of ThothAleister Crowley said:From this Crown, so delicate that the most faintest breath of thought must stir it, depend, by chains of Cause, the Scales wherein Alpha, the first, is poised in perfect equilibrium with Omega, the last. The scales of the balance are the Two Witnesses in whom shall every word be established. She is therefore to be understood as assessing the virtue of every act and demanding exact and precise satisfaction
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and it's Hebrew equivalent is Aleph. Omega is the last and it's Hebrew equivalent is Tau. Their equilibrium is her function, and she demands by the Sword to make sure it is done. Aleph and Tau together mean Essence, so that could mean she oversees and corrects any possible straying of the Truth of this Essense.
Book of ThothAleister Crowley said:This woman-goddess is Harlequin; she is the partner and fulfillment of The Fool. She is the ultimate illusion which is manifestation; she is the dance, many-coloured, many-wiled, of Life itself. Constantly whirling, all possibilities are enjoyed, under the phantom show of Space and Time: all things are real, the soul is the surface, precisely because they are instantly compensated by this Adjustment. All things are harmony and beauty; all things are Truth: because they cancel out.
Lamed means an ox-goad and Aleph means an ox. An ox-goad is used to keep the ox moving in the correct direction. Their Paths on the Tree are parallel, and the combination of those letters results in AL, which means God, and LA, which means nothing. This further illustrates how opposing forces cancel each other out to reach unity when equilibrium is exercised. It is also a suggestion I think to the 0=2 formula. The Fool is as fertile as it goes, and his dancing partner, The Harlequinn who is a female Fool in comedies, makes sure his fertility remains within the context of the previously mentioned formula.
All things are real, because the cancel out. Their True Will, thereoff, is a pretty relative thing, could be anything and is also unavoidable because our Harlequinn here makes sure it is done and seen through. Each action is subject to her law of casuality, meaning an equal and opposite reaction will take place through time. This is what makes them all true and right to her eyes, because from her dance they will balance each other out. This is a probable reason explaining why her Truth is Two-fold.
In the corners of the card, the spheres are harmoniously balanced. Blue and Green are this card's Path colours in Atziluth and Briah, and they could represent the feminine and masculine energies in balance.
The Harlequinn is inside the shape of a diamond, which connects her to Kether and her partner, the Fool, and Crowley suggests there is a Vesica Piscis which is it's cause.
To more sexual images, she holds the long and firm (that's what she said!) Sword of the Magician, the Sword of True Will, an image of the Son, her husband. She seems to be glad having this long thing between her legs (that's what he said!), and it satifies her to have it that way. The Sword is also happy to be there, being Phallic, and she became the Queen when the long thingy broke her own "Vesica Piscis"!
The surrounding interplays of light and darkness form patterns which I could relate to chess, making stronger the importance of her precise calculations. They also seem to remind me of a dancing room, in which she enjoys her partner's company!
Libra is a masculine (further implying the union of male and female energies) and Cardinal sign, the onrush of the Air element (the Fool is the Trump of Air). It is exalted in Saturn and it's dominant keyword is "I balance". It is considered the sign of partnership and marriage as well, because it enjoys union. In our case, she does seem to enjoy union with the long... Sword of the Son!
It was long, I know, but it was a good exercise in itself for me, and I hope it both helps you and motivates you to give me some food for thought! That's some of the things I could say about this card as I view it today, and I hope you liked it!