"prince of wands", "9 of swords. cruelty", "VI. The Lovers". THOTH TAROT CARD READING/s. These cards were pulled as a triple reading. The Order of the reading is from left to right.

This has been an interesting study of Aleister Crowley through his Thoth Tarot cards.  More so is the understanding of Crowley's influences, and what drove him to devise an offshoot from the Occult societies of the 1800s and 1900s.  And as mentioned numerous times prior in my analysis of the late occultist, was his use of amphetamines, opiates and psychedelics which one could argue were the precursors to 1960s and 1970s experimentation with drugs as a way of opening the mind, and creating new experiences.  But, this comes as a double edged sword, that a many have fallen prey to.  Be it from addiction, psychosis and death.  Only the most masterful mind can delve into the unconscious through intoxication.  So in that sense, I have found his writings tedious to say the least, but understand the driving force behind the Thoth Tarot concepts, as they flow from depressive lows to manic highs, with an in-between of clarity to which through my own readings of the Thoth Tarot I have made them my own. 

The "Price of Wands", is considered a 'court' card of the Tarot, so it is not numbered and after reading Crowley's definition of the card, it is one of the most concise to date.  In fact, there is very little psychosis derived ramblings in his explanation or reading of the card, as it is written almost like a literarily study of what is known as the personality of psychopathy.  And since so-called psychopathy is not a recognized diagnosis, but a so-called overlapping disorder.  The card itself may have been Crowley analysing himself at some point before passing away in 1947.  Of course, I am speculating, but to give an example of the personality background of the card, please refer to this passage (in its entirety) from the "Price of Wands"  Thoth explanation:

 

"...The moral qualities appropriate to this figure are swiftness and strength. But he is sometimes inclined to act on impulse; sometimes easily led by external influences; sometimes, especially in trifles, a prey to indecision. He is often violent, especially in the expression of an opinion, but he does not necessarily hold the opinion about which he is so emphatic. He states a vigorous proposition for the sake of stating it. He is in fact very slow to make up his mind thoroughly on any subject, but always sees both sides of every question. He is essentially just, but always feels that justice is not to be attained in the intellectual world. His character is intensely noble and generous. He may be an extravagant boaster, while slyly laughing both at the object of his boast and at himself for making it. He is romantic, especially in matters of history and tradition, to the point of folly, and may engineer “stunts” or play elaborate practical jokes. He might select some inoffensive nobody, and pursue him for years with every weapon of ridicule) as Swift tormented the unhappy Partridge, all without the least animus, ready to give the shirt off his back, should his victim be in need. His sense of humour is omnivorous, and may make him a mysterious figure, dreaded without reason by people who actually know nothing about him but his name-as a symbol of Terror. This is due to the influence of the last decan of Cancer upon this card. One of his greatest faults is pride; meanness and pettiness of any kind he holds in infinite scorn. His courage is fanatically strong, and his endurance indefatigable. He is always fighting against odds, and always wins in the long-the very long-run. This is principally due to his enormous capacity for work, which he exercises for its own sake, “without lust of result”; perhaps his haughty contempt for the world at large-which however coexists with profound and ecstatic respect for “every man and every woman” as “a star” — is responsible for this..." 

Sound like anybody you know?  So, there are less Occultist aspects to the card, except for the astrological characteristics, as this card represents Cancer and Leo and these star signs are only mentioned briefly at the beginning of the explanation.

Reading:

Open up your mind, and be honest.  Have you not looked for a short cut, told a lie and boostered your grandeur?  Reveling in your own self completion, your own superiority.  While facing the mirror and not caring about the consequence.  To be free from guilt, and to remove the shackles of empathy and compassion.  Is to be the most free one can be.   It is, the ultimate meditation.  To be completely empty, yet at the end of the day, you'll still strive to be the pinnacle of your own power.  To be fulfilled again.  Surrounding by the flames, sitting on the chariot controlling the untamed lion.  The challenge beacons,  and despite all this, there is a seeking of justice, even though you may not feel it.  In solidarity you side with the underdog, the oppressed, the beaten, the pathetic.  To which you cannot understand why so many have given up.  When life holds a lust, and for the flames that surround, is to conquer that desire, taste it, enjoy it and then discard it.  Aware, but not caring that the instinctive may indeed see the flames, a danger, and stay away.   Seeing that there is, beneath the gaze, a contempt for all of humanity, yet if one does look carefully beyond the stare, they will see also in you an antithesis, be it that abstraction and contradiction of love and care.       

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The "9 of Swords: Cruelty" is one of Crowley's doomsdayism Thoth cards, where he has encouraged, paradoxically, a resistance of the 'stability over change' ethos of Proto-Fascism. Which, in its early manifestation, favoured the extremities derived from the Age of Enlightenment, be it with its renewed imperialism and colonisation of conquering the world through techno-authoritarianism.  Leading to poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's (d1944) 1909 precursor to the Futurism art/writing movement and then later, Italian Fascism; titled the The Manifesto of Futurism. And as history has taught us, Proto-Fascism encourages, war, technological advancement through controlling of resources and conquering of nations, all for the expansion of Western power throughout the word.  Does it sound like it is happening again?  Re: Donald Trump 2.0?

Crowley's "9 of Swords: Cruelty", as mentioned, offers that break of rigidity and control of the individual, when overly structured realms only allow individualism for the greater society.  That the rebellious spirit will always defy, and will view doomsday as a conjuring power, that reminds man and his mortal realm, that nature always has the final word.  And arrogance and visions of grandeur will come undone, thus when cruelty is inflicted, in the name of progress onto the individual, than cruelty, in reflection, will be used in return.  Not as a forever cycle of violence and destruction, but a rebuttal by understanding the nature of the beast.  And its capacity to devour itself.  From the Book of the Thoth:  

The symbol shows nine swords of varying lengths, all striking downwards to a point. They are jagged and rusty. Poison and blood drip from their blades. There is, however, a way of dealing with this card: the way of passive resistance, resignation, the acceptance of martyrdom. 

So, the card could be seen as a reading of resistance under Fascist control, be it the dissident, freedom fighter or martyr. And I do like the wording, "passive resistance",  to which I will base my reading around.

Reading:

When the oppressor offers structure through control, peace through destruction, power through exploitation.  From the obsessive, crazed idealism of the techno-authoritarian.  With his grand ideas of authority, a paranoid vision that they will lose the future, to the dissident, the antithetical, the ones who turn their backs.  This is freedom of the individual, who chooses to not contribute to a society that has not yet learned to care.  And if cruelty is inflicted onto the ones who reject, then cruelty in turn will be conjured from the Left Hand Path, as we shall seek the opposition of man, to teach the controller a lesson.  The fallen, who despises the arrogance of stupor.  The 9, turned upside down becomes a 6, the swords remain at 9, the number that rules Mars, the dead realm.  Where ego will be obliterated.  The Swords point upward, rusted and chipped, but they are weapons of the freedom fighter.  Who offer resistance till the end.  Against the cursed, the rulers using the heavens as their guide.   But, despite this, it is the metaphor of defiance, and its passivity against control.  See this card in its meditation, as a hex against the cruelty of man.  Through the end, from the destruction brought on by the oppressor who uses destruction.  May, we know its nature.

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Here we see Aleister Crowley's more detailed Thoth Tarot card displaying his fondness for gnostic Christianity, of course the card follows, in a more symbolic detail, to the Rider Waite traditional depiction of "The Lovers".  But nevertheless, as the sixth Major Acana of the Thoth Tarot, it is one of the most difficult to read, only because of its double binding and reverse meanings.  The card is filled with a plethora of dichotomy concepts.  Crowley, when he wrote an explanation of The Lovers in "The Book of Thoth", is what can be considered, I mean this respectfully, to be a ramble of the card's actual reading.  Once again, as noted by the difficulty, apparently of the Thoth cards as stand alone meanings, Crowley advised that the card should be read with another Thoth card.  Outlining that his version of "The Lovers" is that type of reading. And I would argue, the greater skill would to read the card as a single reading.  Yet, if you breakdown the gist for the summary of this card, via Crowley's written ambiguity, is that it is about the masculine and the feminine as one, while being separated, they are then reversed under the banner of love and lust.   Thus, the Moorish King marrying the White queen, below the wingless cupids are in reverse of each other, as a black and white duality.  White under the black King, Black under the white Queen.  

The coiled snake wrapped around the egg, which throughout the ages, has represented the sexual power of the feminine (yes, snakes have a clitoris).  Of its rebirth and transformation.  As you can see, the snake's head is pointing at the male King, as above the blindfolded cupid (love) is aiming at the Queen.  Is the cupid really blindfolded?   The representation here is very clear that the variants of love and lust have been reversed, as it is the Queen that holds the seduction through lust, and the King who is aiming for love.  Also interesting to note, is the lion at the bottom of the card beneath the King, and the white eagle under the Queen.  Which is the more strategic animal of prey?  The Eagle with its sharpened eyesight and power of heightened sense.  Has it already plotted fate?   To the upper right of the card is Lilith, the temptress and first wife of Adam (from Judaism and esoteric Qabalah).  Lilith stands over the King, as the innocence and naivety of Eve stands above the Queen.  Has the Moorish King already being tempted by Lilith?  As directed by the Goethe's 1808 famous poem, "Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy", the clever demon Mephistopheles, who works for Satan, warned Faust of the witch Lilith's resounding power,  "Her beauty's one boast is her dangerous hair. When Lilith winds it tight around young men She doesn't soon let go of them again."  In the foreground is Cain or The Hermit, either way, it seems to identify with corruption or a 'curse', as the mark of cain is indeed the wanderer and fugitive from the Judaic faith.   Are the couple ultimately cursed?  The below symbols either side of "The Lovers" are the Hebrew symbol "Zain" (left) meaning "sword", and on the right the astrological symbol for Gemini. 

Reading:   

Do you feel completed with the other?  And does the other feel completed with you?  If templetation was available.  Would you not indulge?   The masculine may indeed wish love and the feminine a moment of lust.  Which do you desire?  So, if we remove the duality.  We are truly one and the same.  Of all the contradictions and the blaming on the biological cue.  To which if one does plot towards a tryst?  Am I guided by the masculine or feminine?  Maybe the curse that we all live under could be broken, if allowed to transpire in a moment of contradiction.  The bond could be strengthened.  

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(A.Glass 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)

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