"IX. The Hermit" and "5 of disks. Worry" THOTH TAROT CARD: READING/s. These cards were pulled as a double reading. The Order of the reading is from left to right.

 

"IX.  The Hermit" is one of Aleister Crowley's better Thoth Tarot cards, and one of the most intriguing, obviously devised by the superior 'Rider–Waite Tarot' cards, Cowley's esoterical mishmash has added extra layers to the card, with Lady Frieda Harris (d1962) geometric art, offering the card's cryptic meaning a beautifully aligned presence.  That being of the Hermit, as a guide within the Universe, obviously of the mind, settling confusion with meditation and holding the lamp as a light bearer in the darkness.  The hebrew letter Yod, is the primary letter attributed to the card, representing 'hand', note the middle of the card of the Hermit's hand holding the lamp and it geometric shards of light, yet Crowley has also infused his desire for female virgins and fertility (also note the wheat in the background), probably attuned to his more Gnostic Christian beliefs, of female purity, and the male's conquest to impregnate.  As on the left corner is a single sperm, to which he decreed from his own interpretation as "poison" that comes up from the lower depths, which is to corrupt 'Crowley's' virgin (?).  In the upper right is the cosmic egg, the snake wrapped around an greenish colored egg, apparently representing Mercury.  One of the redeeming aspects of the "The Hermit" is Cerberus, the Three Headed hound of Hell, which has been tamed by the Hermit, following him behind.   Most likely meaning, that you must tame your fears.

Reading:

Hold in your Left Hand, light.  Even in metaphor, yet the Left Hand Path is the path of darkness, as it shows the darkness of nature, is to tame the human fear, otherwise it becomes a folly.  To know fear, is clearing confusion.  Tibetan Tantric yogis call this meditation, 'the fear that destroys fear'.  Can you meditate alone in the dark?  Within a graveyard?  A charnel ground?  Can you endure?  The Hermit, is the master of all that is solidary, for he is in all of us, both the male and the female, it teaches you that you are indeed your own light bearer.  Master the Hound of Hell, know Hell.  And it will protect you.  Live for life, but know death.  Justice, and peace are born of awareness of the self, tread where no person goes, be in places know person dares to go.  Redeem oneself with no thoughts, allow the memories to dissipated, yet you will know this place by instincts alone, as I have forged my own footsteps, I have empowered my being.  When the Hermit disappears back into the darkness, let it be known, that all must fade too.

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The Minor Arcana card of the Thoth Tarot, is the 'Five of Disks, titled "Worry".  One of the more simplified cards, as far as its cryptic artwork and Aleister Crowley's merging of East and West esoterica.  However, their is coded astrological symbolism throughout the card, beginning with Mercury above, and Taurus, the sign of the Earth, below.  The inverted pentagram which looks like it sits atop of an alter, with outlets of possible molten rock/lava, offer clues to the precarious imbalance the card may represent.   Within the Five points of the pentagram are, from left to right, the 5 Tantric (Tattva) elements.  They are: Akasha (Spirit) - black egg, Vayu (Air)  - blue circle, Tejas (Fire)  - red triangle, Prithvi (Earth)  - yellow square, Apas (Water) - silver crescent.  To which, Crowley acknowledges his 'Golden Dawn' roots, where the Hindu Tantric Tattva colors and meanings were fused onto the Golden Dawn ceremonial Qabalah cross.  Except the Tattva has been chosen by Crowley in a particular order over the inversion of a Pentagram shape, that many now equate as a symbol of the devil.  For Crowley, it was symbolic of the spirit becoming matter.  Which may indicate a ceremonial conjuring

Reading:

You lie on the altar of balance, a mind filled with worry.  The inverted Pentagram faces South, where the Taurus resides under the fallen star of Venus.  This is the restless Spirit that yearns to become matter again, the black egg, from clockwise, it becomes air, blue circle, crafted in fire, red triangle.  To manifest onto the Earth, yellow square.  It is then purified by water, silver crescent.  Yet, be aware that Mercury lays above, the ruler of the curious and destination of wandering thoughts in the night.   To allow a spirit to return, to manifest it into matter may not offer you any reprieve or relay the worry you feel.  The conjuring of past spirits from the Earth can be perilous.  I would treat this card as a warning, not to disturb or try to manifest Spirits into Matter.  They may not help you.

To reverse the conjuring, you may look down on the alter via the antithetical or Left Hand path, from left to right.  In the counterclockwise order of the Tattva, you'll return the phantasm back to its Spirit form, and release it.

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(A.Glass 2023, 2024, 2025)

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