saneisjus
The situation:
Over the past few weeks I’ve had less and less time to devote to study of the tarot, and Thelema, and this has been the cause of a great stress in my life, as it is very important to me. I work 10+ hours a day with ever growing responsibilities (I’m in the Navy, just picked up E-5, and as I was already qualified at an E5 level, I’m being pressured to pursue E6 level qualifications), I’m going to college as well (just finished my AA), and between just those two I’ve had so little time to do the most basic things like go to the gym, or go to the grocery store, much less sit for an hour or two a day in study of the Great Work. Then all the normal holiday stress just compounds it. I mention to a few friends that I’m feelings spread too thin across all work, and one friend even went so far as to pull me aside to tell me they worry I’m charging too hard and that I’m on the verge of burning myself out, with which I would have to agree. I think the HGA has funny ways of speaking to us when we live below Tiphereth, that are often just written off as coincidence, but should we open our ears we might hear something very relevant to our lives, and as such I was watching Parks and Recreation just a night or two ago, and one character says to another, “Never half ass two things, when you can whole ass one thing”; this was my first ‘Aha!’ moment. I realize I need to throttle back in one place or another if I’m to do any of these things fully. The question in my mind then is of all the work I have before more, which one if any is not in accordance with my will?
Spread:
I began my work by invoking the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, and then shuffled the cards as I contemplated my predicament and the question of what is my will, and what would behoove me in working toward the Great Work.
I drew three cards a follows:
Center: 8 of Disks – Prudence
Left: The Hermit
Right: 7 of Swords – Futility
Analysis:
8 of Disks – Prudence –
Sol in Virgo
Hod of Assiah
Hod is ruled by Mercury, who rules virgo, an earth sign. Earth is in Assiah, and thus disks. The sun energizes all these aspects, and they all mesh nicely. Hod is low on the tree and sits off the middle pillar.
Duquette writes of the card “It is calculating. Plant and wait. Wait and see...” A.C. writes of the card “signifies intelligence loving applied to material matters, especially those of the agriculturists, the artificer and the engineer.” And “There is a strength in doing nothing at all” “sow the seed, sit back, and wait for harvest” “it represents an element of calculation” Again, speaking of Sol, Virgo/Mercury, and Earth, we are referring to the seed of the great work in this context.
The Hermit –
Virgo - Earth
Mercury Rules – Mercury Exalted
Letter: Yod (hand)
Path 20 joining chesed to Tiphareth
The hermit caries the lantern of the sun, and being attributed to Virgo, tells me this card has a special relationship with the 8 of Disks. The spermatozoa and the egg bring to mind the ideas of creation and reproduction, fulfillment of prophecy. If the 8 of disks is sitting back to watch the seed grow, then the hermit is the hand the sow the seeds of the Great Work.
The 7 of Swords – Futility -
Moon in Aquarius
Netzach of Yetzirah
The card illustrates a planetary battle: six planets versus the sun. This card has a passive planet. A.C writes the card embodies a wish to compromise but is in doubt so long as there exists violent uncompromising forces which take it as a natural prey. It is incapable of sustained labor; its energy would run out far too quick. The illustration of the planets aligned against the sun seems speaks to me about the struggle of being spread too thin, the forces opposing the attack are doomed should they not concentrate their forces.
A.C. writes again and again about the “mode of fulfillment of the Great Work” being found in the three keys of Sol, Mercury, and Earth, the three keys prevalent in the first two cards here. The hermit and Prudence complement each other well. They are very well dignified together. Futility on the other hand being a sword does not sit well next to a disk. It is passive. The moon is just the opposite of the sun. This card is very poorly dignified next to other two.
Interpretation:
As I said before if prudence is watching the seed grow, the hermit is the hand that sow the seed of the great work. They reinforce each other, and in my mind refer to the question at hand well. It would seem to say that I’m on the path of attainment, and not to stray, that I’ve sow the seeds thus far, and that if I’m vigilant in the work I’m pursuing as it is, I won’t burn out, that perhaps this is just the steepest part of the road up the mountain, and the summit is close by, or a cliff side for a brief rest before continuing the path. Futility speaks to me about being spread to thin. By itself I would interpret it to mean that I’m half assing too many things, and need to concentrate my forces, pick my battles more wisely; it is the burn out of psychological energy. Ill dignified, I want to say that it means the opposite, that is to say that the division of energy across the different avenues is in balance. The ultimate message of hold fast, the storm will pass. Further, the idea of having 8 (well dignified) next to a 7 (ill dignified) in a 3 card spread seems to correspond to the path of attainment; we move from Hod to Netzach on the Tree, placing us closer in the path to Tiphareth.
Past – the Hermit - the seed of the Great Work is planted
Present – Prudence – watch the seed grow, you are on the right path
Future – Futility (Ill dignified) - Overcome adversity through vigilance and balance.
Any more experienced readers have any input? How would you have interpreted the 3 cards?
Over the past few weeks I’ve had less and less time to devote to study of the tarot, and Thelema, and this has been the cause of a great stress in my life, as it is very important to me. I work 10+ hours a day with ever growing responsibilities (I’m in the Navy, just picked up E-5, and as I was already qualified at an E5 level, I’m being pressured to pursue E6 level qualifications), I’m going to college as well (just finished my AA), and between just those two I’ve had so little time to do the most basic things like go to the gym, or go to the grocery store, much less sit for an hour or two a day in study of the Great Work. Then all the normal holiday stress just compounds it. I mention to a few friends that I’m feelings spread too thin across all work, and one friend even went so far as to pull me aside to tell me they worry I’m charging too hard and that I’m on the verge of burning myself out, with which I would have to agree. I think the HGA has funny ways of speaking to us when we live below Tiphereth, that are often just written off as coincidence, but should we open our ears we might hear something very relevant to our lives, and as such I was watching Parks and Recreation just a night or two ago, and one character says to another, “Never half ass two things, when you can whole ass one thing”; this was my first ‘Aha!’ moment. I realize I need to throttle back in one place or another if I’m to do any of these things fully. The question in my mind then is of all the work I have before more, which one if any is not in accordance with my will?
Spread:
I began my work by invoking the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, and then shuffled the cards as I contemplated my predicament and the question of what is my will, and what would behoove me in working toward the Great Work.
I drew three cards a follows:
Center: 8 of Disks – Prudence
Left: The Hermit
Right: 7 of Swords – Futility
Analysis:
8 of Disks – Prudence –
Sol in Virgo
Hod of Assiah
Hod is ruled by Mercury, who rules virgo, an earth sign. Earth is in Assiah, and thus disks. The sun energizes all these aspects, and they all mesh nicely. Hod is low on the tree and sits off the middle pillar.
Duquette writes of the card “It is calculating. Plant and wait. Wait and see...” A.C. writes of the card “signifies intelligence loving applied to material matters, especially those of the agriculturists, the artificer and the engineer.” And “There is a strength in doing nothing at all” “sow the seed, sit back, and wait for harvest” “it represents an element of calculation” Again, speaking of Sol, Virgo/Mercury, and Earth, we are referring to the seed of the great work in this context.
The Hermit –
Virgo - Earth
Mercury Rules – Mercury Exalted
Letter: Yod (hand)
Path 20 joining chesed to Tiphareth
The hermit caries the lantern of the sun, and being attributed to Virgo, tells me this card has a special relationship with the 8 of Disks. The spermatozoa and the egg bring to mind the ideas of creation and reproduction, fulfillment of prophecy. If the 8 of disks is sitting back to watch the seed grow, then the hermit is the hand the sow the seeds of the Great Work.
The 7 of Swords – Futility -
Moon in Aquarius
Netzach of Yetzirah
The card illustrates a planetary battle: six planets versus the sun. This card has a passive planet. A.C writes the card embodies a wish to compromise but is in doubt so long as there exists violent uncompromising forces which take it as a natural prey. It is incapable of sustained labor; its energy would run out far too quick. The illustration of the planets aligned against the sun seems speaks to me about the struggle of being spread too thin, the forces opposing the attack are doomed should they not concentrate their forces.
A.C. writes again and again about the “mode of fulfillment of the Great Work” being found in the three keys of Sol, Mercury, and Earth, the three keys prevalent in the first two cards here. The hermit and Prudence complement each other well. They are very well dignified together. Futility on the other hand being a sword does not sit well next to a disk. It is passive. The moon is just the opposite of the sun. This card is very poorly dignified next to other two.
Interpretation:
As I said before if prudence is watching the seed grow, the hermit is the hand that sow the seed of the great work. They reinforce each other, and in my mind refer to the question at hand well. It would seem to say that I’m on the path of attainment, and not to stray, that I’ve sow the seeds thus far, and that if I’m vigilant in the work I’m pursuing as it is, I won’t burn out, that perhaps this is just the steepest part of the road up the mountain, and the summit is close by, or a cliff side for a brief rest before continuing the path. Futility speaks to me about being spread to thin. By itself I would interpret it to mean that I’m half assing too many things, and need to concentrate my forces, pick my battles more wisely; it is the burn out of psychological energy. Ill dignified, I want to say that it means the opposite, that is to say that the division of energy across the different avenues is in balance. The ultimate message of hold fast, the storm will pass. Further, the idea of having 8 (well dignified) next to a 7 (ill dignified) in a 3 card spread seems to correspond to the path of attainment; we move from Hod to Netzach on the Tree, placing us closer in the path to Tiphareth.
Past – the Hermit - the seed of the Great Work is planted
Present – Prudence – watch the seed grow, you are on the right path
Future – Futility (Ill dignified) - Overcome adversity through vigilance and balance.
Any more experienced readers have any input? How would you have interpreted the 3 cards?
