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The Universe (tarot)

(Revision as of 17:35, 27 Mar 2005)

Categories: Tarot

• Name: The Universe
• Title: The Great One of the Night of Time
• Atu: XXI (21)
• Hebrew Letter: Tau ת
• Planet: Saturn and Earth
• Tree of Life: Path of Tau (joining Yesod and Malkuth)

From A Brief Description of the Cards of the Tarot: "The matter itself. Synthesis, world, kingdom. Usually denotes actual subject of question, and therefore depends entirely on accompanying cards."

Description

From The Book of Thoth:

In the present card she is represented as a dancing figure. In her hands she manipulates the radiant spiral force, the active and passive, each possessing its dual polarity. Her dancing partner is shown as Heru-Ra-Ha of Atu XIX. "The Sun, Strength & Sight, Light; these are for the servants of the Star & the Snake." This final form of the image of the Magical Formula of the God combines and transforms so many symbols that description is difficult, and would be nugatory. The proper method of study of this card—indeed of all, but of this especially—is long-continued meditation. The Universe, so states the theme, is the Celebration of the Great Work accomplished.

In the corners of the card are the four Kerubim showing the established Universe; and about her is an ellipse composed of seventy-two circles for the quinaries of the Zodiac, the Shemhamphorasch.

In the centre of the lower part of the card is represented the skeleton plan of the building of the house of Matter. It shews the ninety-two known chemical elements, arranged according to their rank in the hierarchy.

In the centre, a wheel of Light initiates the form of the Tree of Life, shewing the ten principal bodies of the solar system. But this Tree is not visible except to those of wholly pure heart.

1. The primum mobile, represented by Pluto. (Compare the doctrine of the alpha particles of radium.)

2. The sphere of the Zodiac or fixed stars, represented by Neptune.

3. Saturn.

The Abyss. This is represented by Herschel, the planet of disintegration and explosion.

4. Jupiter

5. Mars.

6. The Sun.

7. Venus.

8. Mercury.

9. The Moon.

10. The Earth. (The Four Elements).

All these symbols swim and dance in a complex but continuous ambience of loops and whorls. The general colour of the traditional card is subfusc¹; it represents the confusion and darkness of the material world. But the New Aeon has brought fullness of Light; in the Minutum Mundum, Earth is no longer black, or of mixed colours, but is pure bright green. Similarly, the indigo of Saturn is derived from the blue velvet of the midnight sky, and the maiden of the dance represents the issue from this, yet through this, to the Eternal. This card is to-day as bright and glowing as any in the Pack.

¹ Any dark, dull or somber color

Interpretation

From The Book of Thoth (p.260):

Treat time and all conditions of Event as Servants of thy Will, appointed to present the Universe to thee in the form of thy Plan. And: blessing and worship to the prophet of the lovely Star.

The matter of the question itself, synthesis, the end of the matter, may mean delay, opposition, obstinacy, inertia, patience, perseverance, persistent stubbornness in difficulty. The crystallization of the whole matter involved.

Reference

• Crowley, Aleister. (1981). The Book of Thoth. New York, S. Weiser.

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