"Queen of Cups" THOTH TAROT CARD and "4 of Swords. Truce" THOTH TAROT CARD analysis/reading. These cards were pulled as a double reading, as a single card has been read in past tarot readings on chiasmus. The Order of the reading is from left to right.
The Queen of Cups is by definition, one of Aleister Crowley's more serene and peaceful cards from the Thoth Tarot. As I have noted in my recent readings of the Thoth Tarot cards, I will refrain from a detailed analysis of the background of Crowley's explanation of his own Tarot, as in all honesty it has to be said that his ramblings have been equated from 1800s ritualized occultism, which was connected to Freemason obsession and Age of Enlightenment curiosity with Egyptology. One must also note the influences of early alchemy via Hermetism, thus was the mediaeval alchemists reworking of Jewish mysticism of the Qabalah. Mixing it all together, to which Crowley's drug induced manifestations, created his own religion of Thelema. Crowley passed away in 1947 at the dawn of the Beatnigs that later evolved into the Hippies. So, the undercurrent to the Thoth Tarot regardless, is that appeal of the Counterculture. To which, in our 21st Century overindulgence, and overconfidence of rapid pace information, remains an elusive novelty.
However this card is special, and I adore the art by Lady Frieda Harris (d1962) for the "Queen of Cups", as you can just make out the image of a woman behind her watery veil.
Reading:
Of all the great meditations, it would be of looking onto the surface or water, but may it not offer you any reflection. As the ripples should be of a continuum. Not for vanity. Let there be subtleness in all of its obscurity. Is nature the observer or are you? Time is very much a distortion, yet It is perfect, within its imperfection. View the watery abyss, as that void between worlds. Allow the weight of centuries to past, as they will always continue to flow. It is, an unstoppable force. You cannot hold back the oceans. So, focus on the Water Bird, it does not move against the current, but drifts along with the tides. Not as an aimless being, but with instinctive awareness.
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At this point with my analysis and readings of Aleister Crowley (d1947) Thoth Tarot cards, apart from the obvious ebb and flows of what you would expect from an amphetamine user, with manic highs and a mishmash of meaning and symbolism, that despite Crowley who was a knowledgeable person in reference to his understating of Western esoteric and the occult, which was very much influenced by Eastern religious Left Hand path practises and Gnostic antinomianism. Crowley's own fervent interest in Fascism appears to resurface time and time again with the Thoth tarot cards, in an almost obsessive way of structure, control and rule and as discussed with previous analysis of the Thoth tarot, keeping in mind that the tarot was created in 1937 when Benito Mussolini redefined Marxist socialism into National Socialism, be it that he believed Peace Through Strength would solve the ills of Italian society and bring stability to Europe and the world. Even though Fascism was the foundation for German Nazism under Adolf Hitler, Crowley's Thoth tarot was created Three years before Hitler's ambition to claim all of Europe, thus leading to World War Two . Mussolini inspired Caesarism and Napolism during the 1920s and 1930s, mixed with a militarist society was appealing to many Age of Enlightenment contributors (including Crowley), as way of progressing a technological superior society away from any Left Wing/Marxist dissent. European occultism was very much, even though it may have reflected elements of aversion, within the context of convention and traditionalism. It was only in the late 1940s and1950s, when the rocket engineer Jack Parsons (d1952) who took over Crowley's revamped Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.C) in California, and upon the arrival in the late 40s of L. Ron Hubbard (d1986) of Scientology fame (who stole money from Parsons and was inspired by the O.T.C structure, leading him to create the Fascist inspired 'version' that would be Scientology), revealed that the rigidity of the 100 year old esoteric societies, via Crowley's O.T.C, when it began to show its issues with overt drug use and sexual practices (for secret Sex Magick rituals). That Rigidity and aversion do not hand and hand, a decade before the 1960s counter cultures were more open and relaxed.
Crowley passing away in 1947, was the beginning of the end of structured occult societies.
The "4 of Swords. Truce", as opposed to other Proto-Fascist Thoth Tarot cards, encapsulates Crowley's Mussolini-esque 1930s 'Peace Through Strength' with gusto to bring about "Truce", please refer to this quote from the Book of Thoth, re: 4 of Cards, "...the card proclaims the idea of authority in the intellectual world. It is the establishment of dogma, and law concerning it. It represents a refuge from mental chaos, chosen in an arbitrary manner. It argues for convention...Here, too, is compromise. Minds too indolent or too cowardly to think out their own problems hail joyfully this policy of appeasement. As always, the Four is the term; as in this case there is no true justification for repose, its disturbance by the Five holds no promise of advance; its static shams go pell-mell into the melting-pot; the issue is mere mess, usually signalized by foetid stench. But it has to be done!"
Yes, once again, I will save the card from its Proto-Fascism and make it my own.
Reading:
Be warned, "The Four of Swords, Truce" is a curse, nothing more, nothing less. The great warrior who proclaims that obliteration of the opposing side, will being about peace from destruction, is weakness personified who should have never risen to power, and stole the title of Warrior from the true rebellious fixture. The one who was cast from the Light into Darkness, yet found contentedness in the chaos, be in the light bearer sees through deception. But I ask you. Is deception a cue for realization? May you deceive yourself, to learn what it is to be deceived. A meditation of the Left Hand Path. Aware that there is fallacy in this card and a curse, the Four is a lower number and meaningless, as it is just a composite, yet arranged as Swords that are instruments of the ill omen. Thus, it should not be displayed with pride. The leader, who needed to create enemies, to justify progression from its feigned superiority saying that it will lead to a "truce", always falls upon the sword. So, the Four inward swords must be meditated to be seen as one, pointing upwards, impaling the destructive nature of man and his gods. With a flower pointing downward, representing peace be to the fallen, the antithetical. Since "The Four of Swords. Truce" is a cursed and a deceptive card, if read as a single reading it must be flipped over immediately or read with another card to balance its aggressive, destructive and deceptive nature. No war and destruction was ever orchestrated in the name of the Light Bearer. This is the truth.
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(A.Glass 2023, 2024, 2025)
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