Atu IX - Orpheus

[Aeon418]

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Following him is Cerberus, the three-headed Hound of Hell whom he has tamed.

 

In the legend of Orpheus his wife Eurydice is bitten by a viper and dies. Orpheus travels to the underworld, where he puts Cerberus to sleep with the music of his lyre. Subsequently Orpheus makes a bargain with Hades and Persephone in which he will be allowed to take Eurydice out the underworld, provided he leads the way and does not look back. Unfortunately, as Orpheus exits the underworld and steps into the light he forgets the bargain and looks back. Eurydice, who is walking behind him, is still in the underworld and instantly vanishes.

 

Looking at the Hermit card we see that that he is turned away from us, focusing intently on the Orphic egg. Instead of looking back into Hell and dividing his attention, his unity of purpose remains intact. Despite the fact that Cerberus seems to have awoken behind him, it does not matter as long as he keeps his attention where it should be.

 

In Liber Jugorum, Crowley tells us:

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1. Three are the Beasts wherewith thou must plough the Field; the Unicorn, the Horse, and the Ox. And these shalt thou yoke in a triple yoke that is governed by One Whip.

2. Now these Beasts run wildly upon the earths and are not easily obedient to the Man.

3. Nothing shall be said here of Cerberus, the great Beast of Hell that is every one of these and all of these, even as Athanasius hath foreshadowed. For this matter is not of Tiphereth without, but Tiphereth within.

 

These three beasts are different modes of the mind. The Unicorn is Speech, the Horse is Action, and the Ox is Thought. Cerberus is all of these. If the Hermit were to look back his focus would be diverted from his duty of the Psychopomp - guide of the dead - and he would be distracted by the diverse tendencies of his own mind. His wife Eurydice, symbolic of the earth-soul, becomes forever lost in the world of material existence. But if he remains true to his purpose, he would increasingly manifest the "light which pervades all parts of the Universe equally," even the Underworld of exclusively material life, in which Eurydice the soul walks in fields of light with Cerberus as her tame companion.

 

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Wander alone; bearing the Light and thy Staff.
And be the Light so bright that no man seeth thee.
Be not moved by aught without or within:
keep Silence in all ways.

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by Aeon418

[Aeon418]

An interesting symbolic link related to the taming of Cerberus is that he was said to vomit bile or spew poison as he was dragged out of the underworld and into the light. Supposedly the ground on which this poison fell bloomed with Aconitum flowers. These flowers, also called Aconite, Monks-hood, or Wolfsbane, are said to resemble the shape of the Hebrew letter Yod, which corresponds to the Hermit card. The hood-like shape of the flower is also said to represent the hood of the Hermit's cloak. Obviously this is different from the Thoth Tarot card, where the entire cloak of the Hermit is drawn in the shape of the letter Yod. But Case's BOTA card, which is a tweaked RWS design, made the link explicit by placing a Yod-hood on the Hermit.

[Aeon418]

In Liber Jugorum, Crowley corresponds each of the three heads of Cerberus to one the three paths that emanate from the sphere of Kether on the Tree of Life.

• The Fool is Action.
• The Magus is Speech.
• The Priestess is Thought.

These three modes are reflected into individual human consciousness as habitual tendencies of the mind. It's almost as if the God-head, through reflection, has become the doG-head. Like Orpheus, these tendencies of mind are what cause us to habitually "look back" and trap ourselves in the underworld of exclusively material existence.   

[Aeon418]

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Illumination from within, secret impulse from within; practical plans derived accordingly. Retirement from participation in current events.

 

Crowley's interpretation of the Hermit suggests inner light or guidance that can act like a 'seed' that has the potential to fertilize our lives in a practical way. However, our habitual tendencies, symbolised by Cerberus, can act against this potential and keep us stuck in place. A period of withdrawal and introspection may be needed. Within this cloak of silence one's own inner Cerberus may be perceived and pacified in a way similar to how Orpheus and his lyre put him to sleep. This in turn can facilitate the cultivation of the inner light and work against the habitual tendency to turn away and look back.      

Edited October 17, 2023 by Aeon418

[Aeon418]

Liber 418 -27th Aethyr, suggests a link between Hecate and the Hermit. The vision is described by Crowley as the initiation of Hecate and the redemption of the woman of witchcraft by Love. In this specific context "witchcraft" is defined as an exclusively lunar formula and an "artifice of rearrangement" that excludes a masculine correlative necessary for creation. That would be the Hermit.  

 

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I am the daughter of Nuit, the lady of the stars. And I am the Bride of them that are vowed unto loneliness. And I am the mother of the Dog Cerberus. One person am I, and three gods.

 

The daughter of Nuit (Heh-final?) and the mother of Cerberus is also the bride of "them that are vowed unto loneliness." The latter is a reference to the Hermit.

[smw]

Thanks, I had a quick read of the Aethyr without comments last night -  so I’ll need to have a look at those. What a quote & riddle - Crowley is at his finest in the Vision & the Voice. 
 

I feel this might be relevant, somewhere in the pot and a little deja vu
 

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She points downward to the cauldron; and now in it there is the head of a most cruel dragon27, black and corrupted. I watch, and watch; and nothing happens. 

And now the dragon rises out of the cauldron, very long and slim (like Japanese Dragons, but infinitely more terrible), and he blots out the whole sphere of the stone28. 

Then suddenly all is gone, and there is nothing in the stone save brilliant white light and flecks like sparks of golden fire; 

Edited October 26, 2023 by smw

[Aeon418]

6 hours ago, smw said:

I feel this might be relevant, somewhere in the pot and a little deja vu

 

Possibly. Although it seems more relevant to the Art card, I suppose you could make a link with the increasing illumination of the "field of night" by the lamp of the Hermit.

 

But there is a union of opposites theme in the Hermit card itself. In his role as guide he is related to Hermes and Orpheus. But the Hermit's face is turned away from us and hidden, which suggests he is also Hades himself - the Hidden One. However, Kether - the Concealed of the Concealed - is said to be in Malkuth after another manner.

 

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Liber Tzaddi.

15. I have hidden myself beneath a mask: I am a black and terrible God.

16.  With courage conquering fear shall ye approach me: ye shall lay down your heads upon mine altar, expecting the sweep of the sword.

17. But the first kiss of love shall be radiant on your lips; and all my darkness and terror shall turn to light and joy.

 

Then there is also the related verses from Liber LXV.

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47. There was a maiden that strayed among the corn, and sighed; then grew a new birth, a narcissus, and therein she forgot her sighing and her loneliness.

48. Even instantly rode Hades heavily upon her, and ravished her away.

 

The 'maiden' is the earth soul - Persephone - who has become dissatisfied with material existence. She strays into the corn (wheat), the domain of her mother - Demeter. This sighing-desire to transform from Daughter to Mother (Heh-final to Heh or Malkuth to Binah) is simultaneously the cause of her capture by Hades. But Hades is a symbol of the Holy Guardian Angel, who's job it is to lead the soul from Malkuth to Binah/Demeter. This flips the symbolism on its head. But even then it is not resolved because Persephone can't remain with Demeter and must return to Hades as Bride and Queen of Hell. (The Hermit/Virgo is directly opposite the Moon/Pisces)

 

Even though the Daughter is raised to the Throne of the Mother/Binah (Atu VIII - Adjustment), this simultaneously triggers the Awakening of the Eld of the All-Father (Atu IX - The Hermit). This "pomegranate seed" is the sleeping Yod that bursts into life and light in the field of action - Malkuth/Daughter/Heh-final.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Aeon418

[smw]

On 10/25/2023 at 6:46 PM, Aeon418 said:

Liber 418 -27th Aethyr, suggests a link between Hecate and the Hermit. The vision is described by Crowley as the initiation of Hecate and the redemption of the woman of witchcraft by Love. In this specific context "witchcraft" is defined as an exclusively lunar formula and an "artifice of rearrangement" that excludes a masculine correlative necessary for creation. That would be the Hermit.  

 

 

The daughter of Nuit (Heh-final?) and the mother of Cerberus is also the bride of "them that are vowed unto loneliness." The latter is a reference to the Hermit.

Well 😲

 

I just had a powerful first reading of the 27th Aeythyr alongside with the foot note commentary. Plus a background whirlwind ride through the triple Goddess, Artemis, (Diana)  Selene (Luna) & Hekate.

 

Although  Crowley  verses ‘one person  am I, and three Gods’ he seems to have re -positioned the triple Goddess  as two - Artemis the higher feminine Moon aspect & Hekate the lower.
 

The missing Selene or Luna, interestingly, has two bull horns 🤘in the shade of the crescent moon and  carries a torch. Reminds me of the depiction of the Devil…

 

As you point out, Crowley considers that witchcraft of the Hecate or ALIM formula is only ever illusion, a re-arrangement, not creation. So in   in this context she  is ‘aloneness’ and sterility. Until, she aspires & surrenders to Binah, the Mother, through the formula of Love, Unity, finding  Chockmah, and the new word. i.e union of opposites, as you mention as the theme of the card. 
 

Two headed Janus appears towards the end of the vision, showing this masculine (feminine) axis of the Gods/ess threshold of the underworld and likewise keeper of the keys and gate.

 

Hecate I think perhaps, is the bride of the Hermit,  in her lower aspect of Artemis, the High Priestess, the HGA, which would complement the Hermit’s role of his psycopomp of the underworld.  

 

I think possibly  an interpretation could be that the loneliness of the Hermit might also be a dual back and forth projection onto & from Hecate, as both are divided and solitary - not united as one together. 
 

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by smw

[smw]

On 10/26/2023 at 6:27 PM, Aeon418 said:

 

Possibly. Although it seems more relevant to the Art card, I suppose you could make a link with the increasing illumination of the "field of night" by the lamp of the Hermit.

 

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“She points downward to the cauldron; and now in it there is the head of a most cruel dragon27, black and corrupted. I watch, and watch; and nothing happens. 

And now the dragon rises out of the cauldron, very long and slim (like Japanese Dragons, but infinitely more terrible), and he blots out the whole sphere of the stone28. 

Then suddenly all is gone, and there is nothing in the stone save brilliant white light and flecks like sparks of golden fire;

 

Ah, yes, the relevance is to Art, which here depicts Hecate in her higher Moon 🌙 aspect, as Sagittarius, the Huntress, Artemis, the High Priestess. 
 

I didn’t realise that the whole of the 27th Aethyr is about the key  mystery of the Moon Atu XVIII. Diana’s cauldron is also Hekates, and the flames need alchemical stoking. 
 

I understood  from the extract above that at this point in the Aethyr, the Hermit (MT) & Hecate are in battle because she can not understand his attainment, & so the black dragon appears who blots  out the whole sphere (para 2) 

 

The brilliant white light of the last paragraph shows manifest attainment, the colour of  Kether, one, unity. That might run with the lamp of the Hermit increasing in brilliance  into the night - the Moonlight perspective of Hekate. White & Black. 
 

On another note -she does seem a tricky reflector…

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And thou who blasphemed me shalt suffer knowing me. For I am cold as thou art cold, and burn with thy fire 🔥 

 

“ For the Moon is Sensorium; she reflects Man’s spiritual state in terms of sensuous experiences” 

Edited October 28, 2023 by smw

[Aeon418]

20 hours ago, smw said:

As you point out, Crowley considers that witchcraft of the Hecate or ALIM formula is only ever illusion, a re-arrangement, not creation. So in   in this context she  is ‘aloneness’ and sterility. Until, she aspires & surrenders to Binah, the Mother, through the formula of Love, Unity, finding  Chockmah, and the new word. i.e union of opposites, as you mention as the theme of the card. 

 

Yes, I agree with this. But just so we don't get lost in the symbolism it is important to remember that Hecate represents an aspect of ourselves that emerges as part of our experience as seemingly separate beings. Towards the end of the vision there is a unification as Hecate surrenders. But does this resolve the problem of Cerberus? He, as the child of Hecate, is also an aspect of ourselves that was birthed during the original 'descent' into individuality. The Book of Thoth says that he has been tamed. This suggests that Cerberus is symbolic of an aspect of ourselves that we must come to terms with. 

 

In the book, Secrets of the Thoth Tarot, Marcus Katz puts forward an idea of how this taming could occur.

 

"So, perhaps, Crowley is telling us, in a succinct manner, that on the other side of the Abyss, these three aspects of ourselves are lost in their unification and the dissociation of the self. We cannot control our speech, action and thought as we have no "self" in which such control could take place - nor is there even the awareness of differentiation so that any one thing is separate from any other thing to 'control' it.

 

The Hermit can only then recognise how such habit binds him to the underworld and the poison of Cerberus. He must adore "in a certain sense", the mystery of the Orphic egg and the snake of Mercury; and contemplate the ultimate dogma, that there "is a light which pervades all parts of the Universe equally ...""

 

In this context the 'mistake' of Orpheus takes on added significance. Incidentally, Katz mentions a frontispiece illustration in Athanasius Kircher's, Musurgia Universalis (1650), that shows Cerberus subdued at the feet of Orpheus. It would appear that this is what Crowley was referring to in Liber Jugorum.     

Edited October 29, 2023 by Aeon418

[Aeon418]

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Wikipedia "The frontispiece for volume two was designed by Pierre Miotte. It depicts Orpheus with his lyre and the three-headed guardian of the underworld, Cerberus. The motto around his pedestal reads 'Apollo's right hand holds the lyre of the world, his left fits high to low; thus good things are mingled with ill."

 

The shape of the lyre is highly suggestive as is the mention of connecting "high to low", which is a feature of the Moon. And "hand" is Yod, the letter of the Hermit card.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Aeon418

[smw]

On 10/29/2023 at 5:44 PM, Aeon418 said:

 

But does this resolve the problem of Cerberus? He, as the child of Hecate, is also an aspect of ourselves that was birthed during the original 'descent' into individuality. The Book of Thoth says that he has been tamed. This suggests that Cerberus is symbolic of an aspect of ourselves that we must come to terms with. 

 

In the book, Secrets of the Thoth Tarot, Marcus Katz puts forward an idea of how this taming could occur.

 

"So, perhaps, Crowley is telling us, in a succinct manner, that on the other side of the Abyss, these three aspects of ourselves are lost in their unification and the dissociation of the self. We cannot control our speech, action and thought as we have no "self" in which such control could take place - nor is there even the awareness of differentiation so that any one thing is separate from any other thing to 'control' it.

 

The Hermit can only then recognise how such habit binds him to the underworld and the poison of Cerberus. He must adore "in a certain sense", the mystery of the Orphic egg and the snake of Mercury; and contemplate the ultimate dogma, that there "is a light which pervades all parts of the Universe equally ...", the Horse, and the Ox. And these shalt thou yoke in a triple yoke that is governed by One Whip.

2. Now these Beasts run wildly upon the earths and are not easily obedient to the Man.

3. Nothing shall be said here of Cerberus, the great Beast of Hell that is every one of these and all of these, even as Athanasius hath foreshadowed. For this matter is not of Tiphereth without, but Tiphereth within.

 

My phone has a life of its own 🙄it just wiped out what I wrote and inserted  the triple yoke bit up onto the end of your post
 

I am not really understanding  how in Liber Jugorum, Thought, Speech  and Action  are associated with Cerberus the guardian of the underworld. Or in relation to being unneccesary qualities above the abyss. Surely all are…though I do see it as a necessary discipline of out of control thoughts and speech. If I practised, I would have no arms left and would be starting on my legs 😐
 

AC mentions Athanasius who controversially  viewed the Holy Trinity as 3 being one with the divine father. The son - humanity even are Divine too. This  seems to echo the triple yoke of discipline with one whip. Or  the Hermit’s light that pervades all parts of the universe equally.

Edited October 30, 2023 by smw

[smw]

I think I am getting a bit confused as the the 3 qualities of thought, speech (logos) and action are traditionally seen as masculine principles  and ‘solar’ in nature, whereas the opposite, feelings, silence and passivity or catalyst qualities are feminine and lunar. AC describes Hecate as the Mother of the dog Cerberus, who himself is guardian of the Underworld, the unseen, unconscious even. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by smw

[smw]

On 10/29/2023 at 6:17 PM, Aeon418 said:

 

The shape of the lyre is highly suggestive as is the mention of connecting "high to low", which is a feature of the Moon. And "hand" is Yod, the letter of the Hermit card.

Apollo inscribed on the pedestal is a sun God so might represent the higher and Orpheus going to the underworld (moon) and taming Cerberus, the lower.

 

The joining of Sun & Moon, might be indicated likewise by the ovary shape of the lyre.
 

Apollo kills the python (dragon) at the centre of the earth - taming of Cerberus?

Edited October 31, 2023 by smw

[Aeon418]

14 hours ago, smw said:

I am not really understanding  how in Liber Jugorum, Thought, Speech  and Action  are associated with Cerberus the guardian of the underworld. Or in relation to being unneccesary qualities above the abyss. Surely all are…though I do see it as a necessary discipline of out of control thoughts and speech. If I practised, I would have no arms left and would be starting on my legs 😐

 

The Unicorn, the Horse and the Ox are speech, action and thought expressed outwardly. (Tiphareth without) To a certain extent it is possible to gain control of these three 'beasts' and inhibit their action through increased awareness, constant vigilance and discipline. But the root cause of our thoughts, speech and action is not so easily tamed. In fact it can be quite alarming when you realise you have far less control over inner impulses than you might imagine. They just seem to rise up from nowhere and have a life all of their own. This is Cerberus. To the extent we identify ourselves with these unconscious impulses we are trapped by our very own Hound of Hell. The world Hell itself means the "hidden place," which suggests the influence of the unconscious. This is why Crowley mentions Cerberus in the context of Tiphareth within.

 

But as Marcus Katz points out, upon crossing the Abyss there is no self to identify with anymore. No self that could possibly be bound by unconscious impulses. Transcending the self necessarily transforms the relationship the new Master has with Cerberus when he/she re-enters the world and dons the veil of self-hood once again to bring their light into the world. The newly minted Master is now in a position to consciously recognise how ingrained self-habit has the potential to bind him to the underworld. So while the Master's descent into selfhood and self consciousness necessarily gives birth to Cerberus once again, the fearsome Hound of Hell is now a tame pet.

[smw]

6 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

 

The Unicorn, the Horse and the Ox are speech, action and thought expressed outwardly. (Tiphareth without) To a certain extent it is possible to gain control of these three 'beasts' and inhibit their action through increased awareness, constant vigilance and discipline. But the root cause of our thoughts, speech and action is not so easily tamed. In fact it can be quite alarming when you realise you have far less control over inner impulses than you might imagine. They just seem to rise up from nowhere and have a life all of their own. This is Cerberus. To the extent we identify ourselves with these unconscious impulses we are trapped by our very own Hound of Hell. The world Hell itself means the "hidden place," which suggests the influence of the unconscious. This is why Crowley mentions Cerberus in the context of Tiphareth within.

 

But as Marcus Katz points out, upon crossing the Abyss there is no self to identify with anymore. No self that could possibly be bound by unconscious impulses. Transcending the self necessarily transforms the relationship the new Master has with Cerberus when he/she re-enters the world and dons the veil of self-hood once again to bring their light into the world. The newly minted Master is now in a position to consciously recognise how ingrained self-habit has the potential to bind him to the underworld. So while the Master's descent into selfhood and self consciousness necessarily gives birth to Cerberus once again, the fearsome Hound of Hell is now a tame pet.

Thank you 😊 

Ok, now I think I do get it. I was wondering about unconscious feelings and complexes in relation to Cerberus,  which as you say influence our thinking processes (without) and are much harder to grapple with.
 

Liber Jugorum actually reminds me of CBT, a useful way of dealing with such unhelpful thinking processes - but not so good if feelings arise impulsively without being dressed in words yet. 

 

Not wanting to muddy the waters further, I’ll not get lost (at least not yet😏) with where the underworld might sit in the tree. Yesod (9) the Hermit seems the obvious choice…

Edited October 31, 2023 by smw
Got muddled again

[Aeon418]

17 hours ago, smw said:

Not wanting to muddy the waters further, I’ll not get lost (at least not yet😏) with where the underworld might sit in the tree. Yesod (9) the Hermit seems the obvious choice…

 

There are lots of candidates and I think it benefits from a degree of flexibility. The path of Qoph and XVIII-The Moon are a good fit, with Virgo and Pisces sitting opposite each other on the wheel of the zodiac. (And those two signs are the one's around which the two Tarot loops revolve.)

 

But my mind is drawn back to the final paragraph in the Hermit chapter in the Book of Thoth (p.89) and the "light which pervades all parts of the Universe equally." While this unifying light shines throughout all parts of the Tree of Life, that does not necessarily mean we are able to perceive it. Particularly when our minds are held captive by Cerberus. 

 

On page 257 we read: "Be not moved by aught without or within; keep Silence in all ways." It is the cultivation of this Silence that acts like the lyre of Orpheus and brings harmony to the chattering, analytical mind. The same mind that blinds us to the Lamp of guidance that was illuminating the dark underworld all along.

[Aeon418]

On 10/31/2023 at 8:27 PM, smw said:

Yesod (9) the Hermit seems the obvious choice…

 

Running with this suggestion draws me towards the Hermit's Lamp that has a blazing Sun within it. Atu XIX - The Sun sits between Lunar Yesod and Hod, corresponding to Mercury, who carries the Light to the underworld. (Hermes rescue of Persephone etc.) The Sun card is symbolic of the freedom and liberation that is realized when the light of conscious awareness is shone into the darkness of the subconscious mind.

 

In her book, The Thoth Tarot, Astrology, & Other Selected Writings (p.75), Phyllis Seckler comments on this from a different angle. She sees the Hermit in the context of Carl Jung's theory of 'individuation'. The Hermit, having achieved individuation, is able to shine the liberating light on the mass of humanity, who are literally possessed by unconscious archetypes, that cause them band together in group identities which breed conflict and strife.

 

If I have time later I will quote a relevant section.       

[Aeon418]

Quotes from The Thoth Tarot, Astrology, & Other Selected Writings by Phyllis Seckler a.k.a. Soror Meral.

 

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Solitude is an art, and in solitude and silence we are enabled to grow to our full stature. It is an intensely personal experience to achieve what Jung called individuation, and which we call the attainment of the Light within.

 

The justification for the Path of the Hermit. The thraldom of humanity to the atavistic archetypes of the collective unconscious. Cerberus?

 

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The is a very necessary step for humanity, as too many persons in the vast bulk of humanity are swayed by primitive archetypes of the unconscious world, which they fail to understand, to control and to assimilate. Whole large groups act in unison when one of these archetypes is activated. Thus, one would do in a crowd those things that would horrify one when alone. This misunderstanding of the archetypes that rule all humanity leads to wars and other horrors.

 

The taming of Cerberus.

 

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The work of the Hermit is to know his own archetypes and his own unconscious forces. He withdraws his projections from other people and claims them as his own. He faces up to himself.

 

The work of the true Hermit is not renunciation of the world. The significance of the myth of Persephone who is reunited with Demeter (Binah), but must return to the underworld as willing bride of Hades and Queen of Hell.

 

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This work does not cut him off from the world as the old idea of a Hermit would suggest. He benefits all humanity and himself by staying in the world, and letting the inner sun of his understanding and of his inner being shine on all the earth about him, striking every which way in its splendour. The solitary work of individuation leads to knowledge and power above the bulk of mankind. But this new gain in insight must be used to rule and aid the masses. In Liber Legis we find something on this subject: "Let my servants be few & secret: they shall rule the many and the known."

        

Edited November 4, 2023 by Aeon418

[smw]

On 11/3/2023 at 6:26 PM, Aeon418 said:

 

Running with this suggestion draws me towards the Hermit's Lamp that has a blazing Sun within it. Atu XIX - The Sun sits between Lunar Yesod and Hod, corresponding to Mercury, who carries the Light to the underworld. (Hermes rescue of Persephone etc.) The Sun card is symbolic of the freedom and liberation that is realized when the light of conscious awareness is shone into the darkness of the subconscious mind. 

 

 

 

This seems to work well.

 

The Hermit's secret fire and will, focusing on the creative fertility of the egg and snake for the new Aeon as shown in the Sun card. The association of Mercury repeated with the  many coloured iridescent snake, which includes a hint of the rainbow effect of alchemical Art. The Sun card also echoes this with a golden egg shaped sun, edged with rainbow colours.

 

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In his hand he holds a Lamp whose centre is the Sun, portrayed in the likeness of the Sigil of the great King of Fire (Yod is the secret fire). It seems that he is contemplating - in a certain sense, adoring- the Universe, while the snake surrounds it is many-coloured to signify the iridescence of Mercury. 

(BoTH)

 

 

The Hermit's actual path on the Tree is placed between  Tipareth and Chesed.

 

Soror Meral refers to Yod, the letter of the Hermit, the father, as associated with Chokmah & Kether as one of  'intelligence', the 'perfected' light of Mercury - (fixed Christ) rather than the 'intellect' of Hod, which has created misery in the world through things like the creation of the atom bomb. Tipareth then, might suggest the light of the father as represented by his son - with a trinitarian view.

 

However, there does seem to be a possible reference to both inner and outer  'Suns' in regard to the central sun light of the Hermit,  almost like two paths, one concealed. Soror Meral describes  the concealed 'secret' light, the Hermit's inner fertile attainment and  the other a  reflection of the light at Tipareth, over the outer world as a guide for others.

 

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The reddish cast of the robe itself suggests a light that illuminates it from within. Actually, the robe conceals the most secret light and the most secret will, and all that has been the Hermit's attainment. This concealment occurs in speech and in silence.......A symbol of this Light is carried in the Hermit's hand as a figure of the Sun upon his lantern, which sheds light through all the dark spaces of the earth. Though his real inner truth is concealed by his robe, the reflected lights of Tipareth and of Chesed may shine all about to aid in leading humanity to the true light of their inner selves.

(Phyllis Seckler)

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by smw

[smw]

23 hours ago, Aeon418 said:

Quotes from The Thoth Tarot, Astrology, & Other Selected Writings by Phyllis Seckler a.k.a. Soror Meral.

 

The work of the true Hermit is not renunciation of the world. The significance of the myth of Persephone who is reunited with Demeter (Binah), but must return to the underworld as willing bride of Hades and Queen of Hell.

 

     

Quote

This work does not cut him off from the world as the old idea of a Hermit would suggest. He benefits all humanity and himself by staying in the world, and letting the inner sun of his understanding and of his inner being shine on all the earth about him, striking every which way in its splendour. The solitary work of individuation leads to knowledge and power above the bulk of mankind. But this new gain in insight must be used to rule and aid the masses. In Liber Legis we find something on this subject: "Let my servants be few & secret: they shall rule the many and the known."

        

 

 

Shining light from example and own inner work illumination is one thing,  and makes sense  with Jung's individuation, corresponding to the Hermit in Crowley's system. However, it 's a stretch for me  to  resonate with the Hermit  or  his bride, Persephone the Queen of hell - as  'ruling' the masses.

 

*Well, just thinking that might work in the ancient Greek pantheon , lots of archetypal forces  personified as gods,  or like an archetypal pattern of feudalism repeating itself - the few ruling the many, i.e  the Gods in secret Olympia ruling the mass of humanity😋

Edited November 5, 2023 by smw

[Aeon418]

1 hour ago, smw said:

Shining light from example and own inner work illumination is one thing,  and makes sense  with Jung's individuation, corresponding to the Hermit in Crowley's system. However, it 's a stretch for me  to  resonate with the Hermit  or  his bride, Persephone the Queen of hell - as  'ruling' the masses.

 

I don't see the Hermit's ruling power in the same light as the mundane, temporal authority wielded by the Emperor. To borrow a phrase from Adam Smith, it's more like the "Invisible Hand." Quite appropriate considering Yod = Hand. The Hermit is the hidden Master or an illuminati, although not necessarily associated with any particular 'outer' organisation. It's closer to the Inner Order described in Liber 33: An Account of A∴A∴ (oto-usa.org). The seat of this authority is the Invisible Throne of Binah.

 

Quote

Wander alone; bearing the Light and thy Staff.
And be the Light so bright that no man seeth thee.

 

Whenever I see the phrase "no man" in Crowley's writings, it's usually a reference to NEMO, the Master of the Temple. To the extent that the Hermit is Nemo, he is able to manifest the "Light of the World." On the Hermit card there are 5 rays of light above the central horizontal beam. Are these rays (Λ.Λ.Λ.Λ.Λ.) emanating from the lamp? Or is the lamp merely a focus for the invisible light from the City of the Pyramids that the Hermit reveals during his Wandering in the underworld?

 

Quote

Liber 33: "This society is in the communion of those who have most capacity for light; they are united in truth, and their Chief is the Light of the World himself, V.V.V.V.V., the One Anointed in Light, the single teacher for the human race, the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

 

[smw]

1 hour ago, Aeon418 said:

 

I don't see the Hermit's ruling power in the same light as the mundane, temporal authority wielded by the Emperor. To borrow a phrase from Adam Smith, it's more like the "Invisible Hand." Quite appropriate considering Yod = Hand. The Hermit is the hidden Master or an illuminati, although not necessarily associated with any particular 'outer' organisation. It's closer to the Inner Order described in Liber 33: An Account of A∴A∴ (oto-usa.org). The seat of this authority is the Invisible Throne of Binah.

Adam Smith the economist for free markets? 
 

[smw]

On 11/3/2023 at 6:26 PM, Aeon418 said:

In her book, The Thoth Tarot, Astrology, & Other Selected Writings (p.75), Phyllis Seckler comments on this from a different angle. She sees the Hermit in the context of Carl Jung's theory of 'individuation'. The Hermit, having achieved individuation, is able to shine the liberating light on the mass of humanity, who are literally possessed by unconscious archetypes, that cause them band together in group identities which breed conflict and strife.

 

If I have time later I will quote a relevant section.       

Thanks, for that. I did read her section on the hermit. She made a very interesting 

reference to the meaning of the Hermit, from Jung - the context was a dream of a white magician in black & a black magician in white. The latter told the story of the King whose burial tomb contained the bones of his anima - but when opened turned into a black horse and ran off across the desert to the kingdom beyond, symbolising the key. 
 

possibly Cerberus again - but won’t detour further…although Cerberus does keep popping up in different guises. I just remembered that she also mentioned Cerberus’s three heads as past, present, future. This suggests divination looking at the past to overcome, the present crossroads and the path to follow. 

Edited November 5, 2023 by smw

[smw]

On 11/5/2023 at 6:33 PM, Aeon418 said:

I don't see the Hermit's ruling power in the same light as the mundane, temporal authority wielded by the Emperor. To borrow a phrase from Adam Smith, it's more like the "Invisible Hand."

 

Perhaps the invisible hand of the Hermit matches the ‘dark red’ of his cloak hiding the inner light in the darkness of the underworld, in contrast to the Emperor’s bright red martial colours - Aries, with the Sun exalted.  
 

The Emperors path from Yesod to Netzach suggests the ‘fiery’ raising of sexual energies (or kundalini) from the unconscious to the fertile ‘green’ of passionate Netzach/Venus. The green hint of colour of the Orphic egg being adored by the Hermit…

 

“Sulphur is the male fiery energy of the Universe…This is the swift creative energy, the initiative of all being”

 

Or similarly for the Hermit - 

“ The letter Yod…symbolises the Father…he is the highest form of Mercury, and the Logos, creator of all worlds…his representative in physical life is spermatozoon”

 

tbc