Dulcimer
I'd like to begin by saying that I'm sure I'm not the only person to have noticed this. But I've looked through all the threads on every page (phew!) and can't find a reference. I've also looked at a few books and found nothing about this either, but obviously I've not read them all. So, if someone out there has come across it before then please let me know. I am not trying to plagurize anyone's work. And if I am just repeating an old thread then I'm sorry about that too.
OK, here goes.
Lay the Major cards out in the pattern of the Tree of Life, starting with card 0, The Fool, at Kether followed by the rest of the cards in order through the other sephirah, INCLUDING Daath, to arrive at Malkuth with card X, Fortune. Now go back up the tree again, but in reverse order, starting with XI, Lust, alongside Fortune at Malkuth and finishing with XXI, The World alongside The Fool at Kether. You will have eleven pairs of cards in each sephiroth.
OK. Now take a look at the designs on the cards. Particularly those on the following:
The two cards at Malkuth, cards X and XI. Do you notice that on both cards there is a line drawn across them? As though there is a marked division on the cards themselves? For example, on The Wheel the division is behind the head of the sphinx and separates the lower wheel and the upper "firmament of stars"; on Lust the division is at the top of the card above the cup and separates Babalon and the Beast from the ten horns/serpents of the Beast.
I see these as separating the lower world of Malkuth from the worlds above it.
[I use the words "separates" and "division" advisedly. They can, of course, be seen as thresholds]
The two cards at Yesod are The Hermit (descending) and the Hanged Man (ascending). The division lines are plain to see so I'll leave those to you. I believe they serve the same purpose as those on the cards below them.
Now then, move your gaze up the Tree to the position at Daath. The cards there are The Empress (descending) and The Moon (ascending). Ignoring The Empress for the moment, you should be able ro clearly see the division on The Moon between the base of the towers and the rising sun. Note that unlike the previous cards refered to this line is at the bottom of the card. Turning now to The Empress it should be quite clear that this time there is NO lateral division that separates one half of the card from another.
If my theory is correct then there should be a division on this card. But there isn't. So does all this come crashing down like a, well, like a house of cards?
Actually there is one other card - and ONLY one other card - that has a lateral division on it. That card is card XVII, The Star. It sits, incongruously, alongside The Emperor at Chesed. Take a good look at it. You should be able to see it. It is the horizon of the "Great Sea" she is pouring the Amrita into with the celestial globe and abyss above it. Significantly it is at the bottom of the card. There is nothing forced in seeing this division I hope you'll agree.
OK, if you haven't done so already, change the positions of these two cards. Look at the arrangement now. What do you think? Is there not a natural division, drawn on the cards, of the supernals above and the Kingdom below the microcosmic "body" comprising sephirah 4 to 9?
As a piece of supporting evidence I submit the following; both the cards in Netzach contain Cups, those in Hod contain swords (Death's sword has become a scythe), those in Geburah contain the serpent and the dove (yeah, only the Hierophant has the wand, but read the relevent chapters in The Book Of Thoth to fully appreciate the significance of serpent and dove in both these cards), and those in Chesed now both contain shields.
The evidence in those, and other, cards is that Crowley meant his cards to be viewed in this arrangement.
Of course it throws the door wide open to that old chesnut about tzaddi is not The Star. Well maybe it aint The Emperor either!
OK, here goes.
Lay the Major cards out in the pattern of the Tree of Life, starting with card 0, The Fool, at Kether followed by the rest of the cards in order through the other sephirah, INCLUDING Daath, to arrive at Malkuth with card X, Fortune. Now go back up the tree again, but in reverse order, starting with XI, Lust, alongside Fortune at Malkuth and finishing with XXI, The World alongside The Fool at Kether. You will have eleven pairs of cards in each sephiroth.
OK. Now take a look at the designs on the cards. Particularly those on the following:
The two cards at Malkuth, cards X and XI. Do you notice that on both cards there is a line drawn across them? As though there is a marked division on the cards themselves? For example, on The Wheel the division is behind the head of the sphinx and separates the lower wheel and the upper "firmament of stars"; on Lust the division is at the top of the card above the cup and separates Babalon and the Beast from the ten horns/serpents of the Beast.
I see these as separating the lower world of Malkuth from the worlds above it.
[I use the words "separates" and "division" advisedly. They can, of course, be seen as thresholds]
The two cards at Yesod are The Hermit (descending) and the Hanged Man (ascending). The division lines are plain to see so I'll leave those to you. I believe they serve the same purpose as those on the cards below them.
Now then, move your gaze up the Tree to the position at Daath. The cards there are The Empress (descending) and The Moon (ascending). Ignoring The Empress for the moment, you should be able ro clearly see the division on The Moon between the base of the towers and the rising sun. Note that unlike the previous cards refered to this line is at the bottom of the card. Turning now to The Empress it should be quite clear that this time there is NO lateral division that separates one half of the card from another.
If my theory is correct then there should be a division on this card. But there isn't. So does all this come crashing down like a, well, like a house of cards?
Actually there is one other card - and ONLY one other card - that has a lateral division on it. That card is card XVII, The Star. It sits, incongruously, alongside The Emperor at Chesed. Take a good look at it. You should be able to see it. It is the horizon of the "Great Sea" she is pouring the Amrita into with the celestial globe and abyss above it. Significantly it is at the bottom of the card. There is nothing forced in seeing this division I hope you'll agree.
OK, if you haven't done so already, change the positions of these two cards. Look at the arrangement now. What do you think? Is there not a natural division, drawn on the cards, of the supernals above and the Kingdom below the microcosmic "body" comprising sephirah 4 to 9?
As a piece of supporting evidence I submit the following; both the cards in Netzach contain Cups, those in Hod contain swords (Death's sword has become a scythe), those in Geburah contain the serpent and the dove (yeah, only the Hierophant has the wand, but read the relevent chapters in The Book Of Thoth to fully appreciate the significance of serpent and dove in both these cards), and those in Chesed now both contain shields.
The evidence in those, and other, cards is that Crowley meant his cards to be viewed in this arrangement.
Of course it throws the door wide open to that old chesnut about tzaddi is not The Star. Well maybe it aint The Emperor either!