"Knight of Swords" and "8 of Wands Swiftness" THOTH TAROT CARD: READING/s. 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 "Night of Swords" is another Proto-Fascist inspired card of the Thoth Tarot, as discussed with my study and readings of Aleister Crowley's (d1947) Far Right inclinations of the Thoth Tarot cards.  The blatant militarism and 'Peace Through Strength' ethos is evident throughout the more aggressive cards and his own interpretations.  And it has to be reminded that Crowley was very much a representation of his era, and so was Lady Frieda Harris (d1962), who was influenced by the Italian Futurist art movements.  Considering the Thoth Tarot cards were derived in 1937, when Benito Mussolini was wooing everyone with his branded Fascist politics, which was more or less a modernised version of Colonialism, as a way of preserving Western cultural idealism that was seen as being under threat by 'foreigners'.  1920s and 1930s Fascism attracted artists/writers/poets, including early manifestations of New Age 'health' proponents, through to Jewish Zionists, with occultism also viewing Fascism as a renewed perspective by utilizing militarist structure within their secret societies.  Crowley offers this balant clue to the Night of Swords dramatic imagery, "The Knight of Swords represents the fiery part of Air; he is the wind, the storm. He represents the violent power of motion applied to an apparently manageable element. He rules from the 21st degree of Taurus to the 20th degree of Gemini. He is a warrior helmed, and for his crest he bears a revolving wing. Mounted upon a maddened steed, he drives down the Heavens, the Spirit of the Tempest. In one hand is a sword, in the other a poniard. He represents the idea of attack. The moral qualities of a person thus indicated are activity and skill, subtlety and cleverness. He is fierce, delicate and courageous, but altogether the prey of his idea, which comes to him as an inspiration without reflection. If ill-dignified, the vigour in all these qualities being absent, he is incapable of decision or purpose. Any action that he takes is easily brushed aside by opposition. Inadequate violence spells futility. “Chimaera bombinans in vacuo”.   With the last part of Crowley obvious interest in modern warfare, which would be pre-World War Two aerial dive bombers is written in latin, which translates to "A Chimera buzzing in a vacuum".  Very Fascist propaganda batting of; do you have the strength to attack?  Sounds like the populist political rhetoric of today, does it not?  Yes, once again, I will redefine this card.

Reading:

Do you want war?  So be it, yet no war in history has been of a great achievement, to kill the other, as you believe that you will be killed is delusional.  The birds of prey return to the battlefield and pick at the flesh of all that have perished, from foe and ally, death is all the same to them.  The skeleton shows no difference, when the skin and organs dissipate.  Frantic annihilation to purge, in search of the truth cannot be of the external.  It must be internal.  The true warrior, wars with the self to achieve ego death and then makes peace with the self.  They look at the edge of destruction to heal.  They do not look for healing through destruction outside from themselves.  Be wary of the leader that says, 'We must kill them, before they kill us.  Destroy to rebuild', he does not speak with rationale.  How do you internalise war? Reverse the card, now see the knight moving upward, towards the heavens, into the self, as you are born from the elements, and if one is to face the natural construct, one does that in defiance. Yet, one does that alone.  To cleanse yourself of hatred, aggression and destruction, if you survive, you may become anew.  Powerful, focused.  A warrior.

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8 of Wands "Swiftness" Thoth Tarot card, is one Aleister Crowley's (d1947) less rambling and more logical Thoth cards, offering his interest, mixed with mythology, of science and physics.    And from the Book of Thoth, he offers a concise and direct meaning to the card.

Reading:  

Title the card sideways, just for a moment, see the number 8 become the symbol of infinity.  The universe is infinite, you are not, but your spirit, it will travel for eternity as photons.  As light.   8 of Wands represents fire, under the sign of Sagittarius.  The advantageous spirit, whose boundless energy, is to explore.  For they are the light bearers.   Free to travel in all cardinal points, yet centred at the middle of the polyhedron, fused as two.  Meditate on its centre.  This will ground the wandering thoughts, the chaos that surrounds.  You cannot be affected, unless you wish to be swept up in turmoil of the existence.  Do you?  Mercury rules the card, but is not blunt in its impression, as the 'Chokmah' (חָכְמָה), the rainbow above, embraces all cultures, beliefs, creeds, desires and all needs.  Be what you want, be free.  Enjoy the wisdom of life, and let it flow through.  But, do not grip onto it.  As energy is never static, it must pass through.  Use this to motivate, to become all and to become nothing.

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(A.Glass 2023, 2024, 2025)

All Thoth Tarot card analysis and readings to date: chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/search?q=thoth