Reading: "The star" THOTH TAROT CARD: ANALYSIS AND READING. *from a random shuffling, the first drawn card was "The devil". As the card has already been 'pulled' in recent single card readings. This Friday's reading is now a two card impression.*

 

"The Star" XVII (17) of the Major Arcana Thoth Tarot cards, is one of the main cards that encapsulates Aleister Crowley's Thelema belief system, crossing over from the Golden Dawn and Western esoteric societies of the 1800s, that were heavily influenced by Freemasons and medieval Hermetic alchemy.  With a deep fascination of ancient civilizations such as Egypt, as they marveled at the engineering feats of the Egyptians in their construction of the great Pyramids, which predated Western engineering feats.   In turn, offering at least in philosophical and spiritual jutexpo, that the Egyptians may had also developed a sophisticated belief system, which accompanied their advanced and progressive attributes, to create such structural wonders.  Also, extremely relevant to Crowley's Thoth card's is the fusion of Jewish esoterica, that being the Qabalah.  With its sophisticated numerical and letter system, via the Hebrew alphabet, as a code like representation and its association with the mythical Qabalah Tree of Life.  All served to instil Crowley's vision of a new order of Occult practice under his banner of Thelema.

"The Star" is certainly a powerful symbolic representation, showcasing Crowley's interpretation of an Egyptian goddess (Seen on the card as the Thelema goddess of the Stars Nuith, which came from the Egyptian goddess "Nut"), and Hermetic Qabalah and Astrology.  Undoubtedly, representing his longing to delve more into the ritualized occultism side of Thelema and/or Crowley's Left Hand Path influences, which lie predominantly in esoteric Hinduism and Buddhism.  That digression is also a path to enlightenment.  And after Crowley passed away in the 1947, the Left Hand Path became a centrepoint to late 1950s and 1960s interest in Satanism, as a counter culture trend to offset 50s Christian conservatism.  Yet, the modern day commercialization of Satanism as a societal backlash against rigid monotheistic beliefs, has very little to do with Western and Eastern occultism which dates back over 500 years.

Note the goddess Nuith on the card, utilizing the Left hand pointing towards the Earth and the Right pointing upwards, both are holding vessels with liquid being released, flowing downward.  The left, according to Crowley's ambiguity via 'The Book of theThoth', appears to represent the Hindu tantric path of Matrika Bheda Tantra, combing menstrual blood and semen with wine.  An important alchemy belief of Indian Tantric practitioners.  The right, holding a tipped vessel, which Crowley aligned with the "Sea of Binah" from Jewish Qabalah, that represents light flowing to the lower worlds.  Also, note the upper left hand star of Babalon, from Thelema mysticism, where Crowley advised sex magik to evoke and manifest the 'Scarlet Woman'.  Further pointing to his influence of ancient Tantric sexual rites.

But, one of the most striking and interesting aspects of the "The Star" is the spiral elements within the artwork, and the large Celestial Globe that sits in the background.  With the planet Venus represented with its seven triangular formulations.  Crowley also had a keen interest in science, where he quotes Einstein in 'The Book of the Thoth', in his removing of antiquated astronomical beliefs that the Universe and planets are flat (Eucidian).  That it is gravity that shapes the Universe, hence the spiral shapes within the card.

Bottom symbols of the card, are the Hebrew letter "he" and the astrological symbol for Aquarius. 'He' representing words and actions, and Aquarius "flow".

Reading (as noted, the first card pulled after a random shuffle was "The Devil", this will be a double binded reading.):

"The Star"

Do not fear the Left Hand Path, as she finds balance between the clockwise spiral, which is also the orthodox.  Holder of the Celestial Body, manifester of the Stars to be elevated and free from the self.  The Goddess represents the flow of the Universe, the restriction of the Euclidean has now been cast aside.  We are molded by gravity, but not restricted by it.  Yet, I am the one that does not want to be worshipped, as I have my back slightly turned to you.  I can offer you liberation through the unorthodox action, the powerful rituals of the sexual realm.  The star of Babylon, and its digression, may help you find peace in its flow South of the heavens, in the dark, the light emits from the Right hand, the Left rejoices in the deviation.  Indulge in your practice and exult in its meditation.

"The Devil"

Control and contentment.  The conjuring of worlds and mastery over the feminine and masculine.  The Ayin is of the Devil's middle eye, stands aloft and high like the mountain goat, its spiral horns piece the heavens with Earthy chaos.  Already fallen, it chooses to reign, rather than serve.  Meditating on human folly and nature's disregard.  Use the material world, rather than be used by it.   "The Devil" card can offer liberation, but it comes at a price.  Can you endure all or nothing?

Summary: 

No fear, unorthodox, orthodox, fallen angel, Babylon, enlightenment through digression, indulge, ritual, sexual realm, left hand path, material world, action, words, balance, Venus, elixir, flow, fluid, gravity, control, contentment, no restriction, freedom, liberation, rejoice, at a price, can you endure, all or nothing?   

___

"The Devil" (XV) of the Thoth Tarot card.  Analysis and Reading:  chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-devil-thoth-tarot-card-analysis-and.html

All Thoth Tarot card analysis and readings to date:  chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/search/label/Thoth%20Tarot%20reading

___

(A.Glass 2024)