Zephyros
He had nothing to do with it, it was Aiwass 
Tzaddi and Heh swap (split from "Is it really a Pelican")
Grigori
I would suggest that if we're already fired up on the Empress and Pelican, and the last Book of Law thread isn't showing that much life, that Grigori break with tradition and post the next thread right now
But that's easy for me to say, I'm usually too afraid to post in those threads anyway, I'm too stupid
There is no tradition, I just post one when the last one dies off and I'm in the mood to copy and paste. But you shouldn't be shy to talk up, you just corrected Aeon so get a gold star
hahaAeon418
Hiss... hiss...Meeeoooow!!!you just corrected Aeon so get a gold star
Ross G Caldwell
He had nothing to do with it, it was Aiwass
Well, Aiwass actually only said "...but [Tzaddi] is not the Star". Crowley did the rest, so he deserves much of the credit (if you think it is credible, of course).
Aeon418
But if Crowley was the extension of Aiwass into the realm of mind and matter then we're all correct. (if you think it is credible, of course)
Ross G Caldwell
But if Crowley was the extension of Aiwass into the realm of mind and matter then we're all correct. (if you think it is credible, of course)
Indeed.
I find it elegant, like he did. Certainly in terms of the GD correspondences from the Cipher Document. The "double loop" provided perfect balance to the Strength-Justice switch, and also raised the Star and Aquarius to Heh, the Path between Chokhmah and Tiphereth, which is much more aesthetically satisfying.
I'm not sure if Crowley ever spelled it out, but Aries-Emperor and Aquarius-Star "revolving" around Pisces is also an apt symbol for the change of Aeons (as precession).
It works on so many levels (even Atbash, which there is no reason to think Crowley used on this particular problem), I can't qualify it better than "perfect symmetry and elegance", at least in terms of the problem posed to him in AL.
Aeon418
A thought...
The final part of AL I:57 says, "my prophet shall reveal it to the wise." Crowley claimed to have done this in the Book of Thoth. For a long time I've had a thought nagging away at me. How did Crowley reveal it to the wise in a book intended to be read by a general audience?
How can you talk to everyone while at the same time communicating certain information to a select few? Are the "mistakes" in the Book of Thoth really a subtle code? Was the old man a bit smarter than we've given him credit for?
It was when I was recently reading the Art chapter and mulling over the Stone of the Wise that this quote jumped out at me. (p.102)
On pages 255 and 259 it appears that the little verses are attributed to the wrong cards. But is this a mistake or a work of ART whereby "the fire burns up the water; the water extinguishes the fire"?
What do you think, Ross?
The final part of AL I:57 says, "my prophet shall reveal it to the wise." Crowley claimed to have done this in the Book of Thoth. For a long time I've had a thought nagging away at me. How did Crowley reveal it to the wise in a book intended to be read by a general audience?
How can you talk to everyone while at the same time communicating certain information to a select few? Are the "mistakes" in the Book of Thoth really a subtle code? Was the old man a bit smarter than we've given him credit for?
It was when I was recently reading the Art chapter and mulling over the Stone of the Wise that this quote jumped out at me. (p.102)
The identification of the Emperor with the Red Lion is easy. But the Empress is supposed to be the White Eagle. But the Star is one of three cards that crosses the Path of Daleth and therefore partakes of the nature of the Empress. Crowley calls this the "exquisite doctrine of the Three Mothers" on page 203. Could the Star(the Water bearer) be the White Eagle?
On pages 255 and 259 it appears that the little verses are attributed to the wrong cards. But is this a mistake or a work of ART whereby "the fire burns up the water; the water extinguishes the fire"?
What do you think, Ross?
Ross G Caldwell
I'm stepping out for a few minutes but will get back to this.
The verses are indeed mismatched to the divinatory meanings (just as Aquarius is wrongly attributed to the Emperor on page 278)... but are appropriate to the paths (the verses from The Heart of the Master of course, written in 1925 IIRC).
In the "Long" Comment he says he reveals this to "the Wise" now, so I'm not sure he was hiding anything in Book of Thoth...
more later
(later)
In the New Comment (1921?) to I:57, Crowley explains: "I see no harm in revealing the mystery of Tzaddi to 'the wise'; others will hardly understand my explanations. Tzaddi is the letter of the Emperor, the Trump IV, and Heh is the Star, the Trump XVII. Aquarius and Aries are therefore counterchanged, revolving on the pivot of Pisces, just as in the Trumps VIII and XI, Leo and Libra, do about Virgo. This last revelation makes our Tarot attributions sublimely, perfectly, flawlessly symmetrical.
"The fact of its doing so is a most convincing proof of the superhuman wisdom of the author of this Book to those who have laboured for years, in vain, to elucidate the problems of the Tarot."
So I think he took "the Wise" in this context to mean anyone who bothered to make themselves knowledgeable in the initiated (GD) doctrines of the Tarot. He was right that others would hardly understand his explanations - they still don't. I suspect it is mostly due to not knowing the GD material well enough, if at all.
I think your insight about the three paths that partake of Daleth-Empress is very elegant as well
I haven't thought about the rest yet - sorry! Keep going though.
The verses are indeed mismatched to the divinatory meanings (just as Aquarius is wrongly attributed to the Emperor on page 278)... but are appropriate to the paths (the verses from The Heart of the Master of course, written in 1925 IIRC).
In the "Long" Comment he says he reveals this to "the Wise" now, so I'm not sure he was hiding anything in Book of Thoth...
more later
(later)
In the New Comment (1921?) to I:57, Crowley explains: "I see no harm in revealing the mystery of Tzaddi to 'the wise'; others will hardly understand my explanations. Tzaddi is the letter of the Emperor, the Trump IV, and Heh is the Star, the Trump XVII. Aquarius and Aries are therefore counterchanged, revolving on the pivot of Pisces, just as in the Trumps VIII and XI, Leo and Libra, do about Virgo. This last revelation makes our Tarot attributions sublimely, perfectly, flawlessly symmetrical.
"The fact of its doing so is a most convincing proof of the superhuman wisdom of the author of this Book to those who have laboured for years, in vain, to elucidate the problems of the Tarot."
So I think he took "the Wise" in this context to mean anyone who bothered to make themselves knowledgeable in the initiated (GD) doctrines of the Tarot. He was right that others would hardly understand his explanations - they still don't. I suspect it is mostly due to not knowing the GD material well enough, if at all.
I think your insight about the three paths that partake of Daleth-Empress is very elegant as well
I haven't thought about the rest yet - sorry! Keep going though.
Aeon418
But, AFAIK, that commentary was never published during Crowley's lifetime. The Book of Thoth represents Crowley's final published thoughts on the subject.
Just to clarify, I'm not trying to argue that the attributions Crowley gives are wrong. After all I use the damn things all the time without a problem.
I'm just wondering if something else it being communcated on top of the plain meaning. Something more subtle perhaps.Ross G Caldwell
He did intend for it to be published, however - as soon as possible and whatever it took (Magical Record p. 297). He really meant for it to be public.
