Predicting The Present

by Daniel Kelley

  Redirect your attention to the opening quote by Crowley. It reads:

  "The Issue of the Vulture, Two-in-One, conveyed; this is the Chariot of Power. TRINC: the last oracle!”

  This is a reference to a mystical satire written by Francois Rabelais, called "Gargantua and Pantagruel”, which sounds like a fancy way of saying Macrocosm and Microcosm. In this story, a man by the name of Panurge is confused about whether he should marry. He therefore makes a pilgrimage to The Temple of the Bottle, the door of which is inscribed with the words “En Oino Aletheia” ("In wine lies truth.") Note the similarity between the Bottle, the Graal, and the Orphic Egg. Panurge then poses his question, "Should I marry," and the Bottle replies with a sound of cracking glass…"TRINC!" Panurge interprets this as "Drink!" Followers of Thelema will recall the eleven-lettered word, "Abrahadabra", which expresses the Great Work, and that the eleventh trump is none other than Lust—BABALON—the "Great Whore" who elevates the Graal. The same sound of cracking glass heard by Panurge is the same as the explosion of the Orphic Egg, the contents of which (ego-stuff) are dissolved and then "sucked up" by the Higher Self. On the physical level, Crowley's quote refers to a certain operation of sexual alchemy known as the creation of the "Elixir Vitae", the Great Work of which is to consecrate the male and female sexual fluids using a specific technique. The newly charged substance is then offered as a Eucharist to participants in the rite. Depending upon certain factors—namely intent and the time of the working---the objective and subjective results of this operation vary: this is the "Two-in-One, conveyed,"

  We must be careful when dealing with The Chariot because to all appearances he represents the inevitability of war. On the other hand, he's the very figurehead of peace itself, for he carries with him the cup of Understanding (Binah). The factor which determines whether you’re dealing with the "light" or "shadow" aspects of this card is the factor of intent; that is, do you intend to fight the war or stop it? The cards pertaining directly to the Orphic Egg are The Magus, The Lovers, The Hermit, Death, and Art. The Aeon portrays the moment of its hatching.

  The Chariot is associated with the four sevens of the Minor Arcana. According to Numerology, the number seven signifies crises and imbalance. This is due to the low and imbalanced position it occupies on the Tree of Life. However, the number seven also represents the unification of the divine Three and earthly Four, which indicates the process by which we structuralize our values. This makes perfect sense because The Chariot is the two-in-one of The Lovers; that is, The Empress (3) and The Emperor (4), "conveyed."

  On another level, the number seven must borrow some of the qualities of the number eight to find balanced expression in the number nine. This isn't always so, as in the case of the Nine of Swords. To be sure, we can say that the proper integration of the force of the Nine can be used by the intelligence of the Six:

  The Chariot/Seven of Wands: This card-couple portrays bravado at its best! The Chariot, seen in this light, recalls images of Joan of Arc fighting in the name of the King of Heaven, outnumbered by hundreds of soldiers but persisting nonetheless, inspired by religious fervor. In one sense, the Seven of Wands—"Valour," is the very watchword of The Chariot, for obvious reasons. Aleister Crowley has this to say about the Seven of Wands: "The army has been thrown into disorder; if victory is to be won, it will be by dint of individual valour—a soldier’s battle." As we've seen, the number seven must borrow some of the traits specific to the number eight to achieve balance. Says Crowley, "Patriotism, so to speak, is not enough." The qualities of the number eight that must be employed are: strategy, focused strength, perseverance, and the swift deployment of all the above. The tour de force of the Seven of Wands must be reserved as a last option, resorted to only if the first plan fails.

  The Chariot/Seven of Cups: Here we must focus our attention on the Graal held by the Charioteer. This card-couple suggests that the Charioteer may have been deceived somehow. Perhaps he was betrayed, and his heart broken. Perhaps she has betrayed herself or otherwise feels that she’s let someone down. In any event, the Charioteer definitely harbors some hard feelings in this card-connection. The Seven of Cups is to The Chariot what Delilah was to Samson! As most athletes know, indulging in sexual activity before the "big game" has the tendency to weaken one's knees. In a way, we can regard the Seven of Cups as self-pity from having failed in attempts at conquest indicated in the Seven of Wands. When the Seven of Cups is not indicating any of the above, perhaps you should just hand the keys over to a designated driver the next time you're out painting the town red. I leave you with these words of Aleister Crowley, regarding the seven chakras:

  "All these lotuses are figured by the Magick Cup. In man they are but partly opened, or only opened to their natural nourishment. In fact it is better to think of them as closed, as secreting that nourishment, which, because of the lack of Sun, turns to poison."

  The Chariot/Seven of Swords: The Seven of Swords is the Charioteer's one-way ticket to the immobilized state of The Hanged Man. When it's not indicating a "stab in the back," the Seven of Swords heralds critical self-doubt, victimhood, and a tendency to talk oneself out of something that demands a great deal of courage. When it comes to The Chariot, this is probably an escape from something that quite simply has to get done, like forcing yourself to get up in the morning for work after a long night of drinking (Seven of Cups). Procrastination, excuses, lying, denial, poor decision-making, blame, and negative self-talk. Conversely, there may be very strong leadership qualities but poor teamwork. The Charioteer may have been given a lackluster army of dimwits to work with. He may therefore be required to fight the battle alone, with all the valour he can muster.

  The Chariot/Seven of Disks: This pair speaks for itself! We can say that the Seven of Disks is the consequence of all the negative traits of the above card connections. The balance acquired through the osmosis of eight-like qualities has been missed; the car has run out of gas (Seven of Wands); which really doesn't matter seeing as we were traveling in the wrong direction anyway (Seven of Disks)! The wife in the passenger seat is spitefully muttering something to her husband about their unfortunate predicament, how it could've been avoided would he have just swallowed his pride and asked for directions (Seven of Cups). The husband retorts by insisting they're not lost, "I know where I'm going (Seven of Swords)!" He insists. This card-couple exhorts us to re-evaluate our mistakes in order to see where we go wrong. Sometimes this is just a question of having overlooked some crucial step, at other times it may be a result of distraction. Or maybe it's because of bad timing. The most painful insight, however, would be to discover that it was just plain cowardice.

  Before I draw this Contemplation of The Chariot to a close, I’d like to discuss the attribution of zodiacal Cancer to this card. The association of The Chariot with the zodiacal Cancer is a mystery pertaining to seven cards. You may wish to place them in their respective order from left to right.

  They are:

  •The Hanged Man

  •The Empress

  •The Fool

  •The Magus

  •The Hierophant

  •The Lovers

  •The Chariot

  (Be sure to insert The Priestess in place of The Magus if you identify yourself as female.)

  The Hanged Man is the fetus floating in the salty amniotic fluid of The Empress' womb. The Fool is the newborn baby, his umbilical cord still connected to the mother. The Magus (Priestess) is the child now free of the Mother, but only physically, not psychologically. The wings on his feet symbolize this freedom. The Hierophant is the adult, now potent (or fertile, if you are female/Blue-Isis.) and capable of repeating this cycle him/herself. The capacity for regeneration is symbolized by the figure of Harpocrates, the Child within the pentagram located on the breast of The Hierophant. This rite-of-passage is contained in the next card, The Lovers, and it's precisely here where zodiacal Cancer comes into the picture.

  A word from Crowley:

  "In order t
o live his own life, the child must leave the Mother, and overcome the temptation to return to her for refuge. Kundry, Armida, Jocasta, Circe, etc., are symbols of this force which tempts the Hero."

  Translated to everyday experience, this is an admonition against immaturity and the tendency to remain with the old for fear of the new, i.e., refusal of the "hero's call." When the wheel of Fortune ceases to spin we find ourselves back in the pusillanimous state of The Hanged Man: lily-livered and lifeless. Cancer is the crab hiding within the safe confines of its hard shell; a perfect analogy of the cowardly escape from life! This return to the womb isn’t unlike the tendency to escape into drugs, alcohol, sex, and fantasy, hoping to escape from the challenges of life. Even spirituality can be used as a clever escape from responsibility. "I'm not running away from life, I'm simply renouncing the world because I'm spiritually inclined," is the attitude of this type of person. Zodiacal Cancer deals with issues of family, loyalty, self-reliance, motherhood, nurturance, and the forces of growth (Cancer is ruled by the Moon):

  When the marriage of The Lovers has been confirmed then the honeymoon of The Chariot can begin: a honeymoon which may bring as much pain as it does pleasure.

  Adjustment:

  The Daughter of the Lords of Truth: Keeper of the Balance

  Trump #8

  Zodiacal Trump of Libra

  Venus Rules—Saturn Exalted

  Path: #22 (Geburah to Tiphareth)

  Letter: Lamed (ox goad, or, horse whip) *(Numerical value: #30)

  Tempus Consilii: Tide of Planning (autumn)

  Helpful Quotes

  "Balance against each thought its exact Opposite! For the Marriage of these is the Annihilation of Illusion."

  -Aleister Crowley

  "Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself."

  -Jesus

  "What is generally called revolution is merely the modification or the continuance of the right according to the ideas of the left. The left, after all, is the continuation of the right in modified form. If the right is based on sensual values, the left is but a continuance of the same sensual values, different only in degree or expression."

  -Krishnaji

  "It is impossible to drop a pin without exciting a corresponding reaction in every Star. The action has disturbed the balance of the Universe."

  -Aleister Crowley

  Contemplation

  Who is this meticulous woman? And why, if she wishes to deliberate prudently, is she wearing a blindfold?

  Aside from being the card known in most traditional decks as "Justice" or "Balance", she's also the Egyptian goddess of truth and order, called Ma'at. Ma'at is the goddess who stands between the two pillars in the Hall of the Two Truths and is responsible for weighing the heart before the soul of the deceased is allowed to pass into the afterlife. It's said that the heart of the deceased is weighed on a scale opposite a feather taken from the plumes of Ma'at. If the feather and the heart were of equal weight the soul was allowed to pass beyond, but if it was found to be heavier or lighter than the feather then the god of Fate consumed it. This is an allegorical reference to the law of Karma, a concept that I'm sure I don't have to explain; but what's interesting about this metaphor is that it speaks of the "heaviness" or "lightness" of the heart:

  Adjustment is the complement of The Fool and his awakening to Purpose and the balanced expression of Purpose.

  You'll recall that The Fool's constant threat is that of the paralyzed state of The Hanged Man. We can see that Karma favors the heart that’s traveled through many experiences but has nonetheless remained unspotted by them. Karma also seems to abhor the heart that leads a life of unfulfilled potential. Of course, Karma doesn’t really have feelings or thoughts---it’s a Law, not a person---but sometimes it’s hard to not take it personally! Be that as it may, The Fool must pass through the thick mud of life and try to remain spotless. He begins to learn this lesson here, in Adjustment.

  I hope that you don't mind getting your hands dirty, because finding your Purpose and how it fits with the world you're in can be a messy affair. There are many ditches on the side of the road filled with an equal amount of mud; whether on the right or left, each is unavoidably mixed with its opposite.

  It helps to bear in mind that the concept of right, as opposed to some ideological wrong, is foreign to natural order. Justice is a purely human invention. Justness, on the other hand, is the result of having faithfully evaluated the depth and value of a thing and responding accordingly. It has nothing to do with right or wrong. Like Justness, Purpose serves the whole and not merely the part. Purpose isn't the same thing as ambition. You can't force yourself to become filled with Purpose. For example:

  When we have a certain task to attend to but keep putting it off "until tomorrow", we’re fragmenting our Will and diluting the energy of Purpose. But tomorrow simply becomes another today and brings with it the same procrastination. We're often surprised to find that when we finally set ourselves to task we've become quite absorbed in doing it. Indeed, we often resist any external attempts at distraction! The same happens in finding Purpose. We can find it in anything, provided we begin spontaneously, gracefully, and authentically. We can find it in small things, from watching the movement of the breath to taking out the garbage.

  Adjustment is about getting into that space which allows Purpose to reveal itself.

  The second trump, The Priestess, represents the psychological space we’re after here; but in order to benefit from this space we must learn to sustain our absorption in it and adjust it to an ever-changing environment. So the shadow aspect of this card is imbalance and confusion. We look and look for a middle ground between subject and object only to find that there’s no such place. Instead, every time our desire moves outward to chase an idea or urge we reflexively take note of this and, in the very act of noticing, we return to the unified state of mind. This card is correlated to the Hebrew letter Lamed, which means "horsewhip" or "ox-goad” and is analogous to the state of mind I’m referencing. On the Tree of Life, this process can be viewed as Malkuth, Netzach, and Hod, swirling broodingly in the ocean of Yesod and finally crystalizing in Tiphareth.

  Let's imagine that you're about to sit down to meditate. You know from experience that you can't approach the nondual state willfully, for an abyss of thought separates you from it (Veil of Paroketh). You also know that the desire to cross this Abyss is just another brick in the wall of this Veil. Therefore you do nothing, you simply be. Thus begins the process of Adjustment and it leads to the integration for which the fourteenth trump, Art, is a symbol. Let's examine, briefly, how this process would look when translated in terms of Kabbalah and Tarot. To do this we must deepen our visualization by imagining Adjustment on its traditional path connecting the fifth Sephira (Geburah) to the sixth Sephira (Tiphareth), sliding all the way down to the path of Samekh, home of the Art trump:

  The work of The Hermit now complete and The Lovers now united, we can assume that The Hermit has moved on (further within) and has been annihilated to a certain degree; no longer a persona but a presence. This presence can be felt in its un-polluted state so long as consciousness remains void of preference, which means that even the compulsion to experience the nondual state has been abolished. In other words:

  Standing behind the figure of Artemis in the Art trump is an invisible Adjustment.

  The inscription behind Artemis reads:

  "Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem."

  (Translation: “Visit the interior parts of the earth, by rectification you will find the hidden stone.”)

  The rectification is performed by Adjustment. When this work becomes crystallized the integrated state of Art reveals itself, which is the birth of The Sun (Tiphareth). If this integrated state of awareness becomes self-sustained, then the state of The Priestess arises---union of sun and moon---which is beyond words.

  Numerologically speaking, Adjustment is the number eight. Looking at The Priestess, we s
ee floating in front of her eyes the Mobius strip or figure eight, suggesting that the above process has been integrated to a rather high degree by the time our meditative consciousness reaches Her shrine. If you imagine Adjustment occupying the path of Samekh, you can ground this contemplation by visualizing the figure eight encompassing Yesod and Tiphareth, with the topmost loop entwining Tiphareth and the bottom one encircling Yesod. Since Yesod imbibes Malkuth, Netzach, and Hod, it follows that the full absorption of these states results in the unwinding of the serpentine figure eight giving us a round, spacious, all-inclusive Zero. Zero is The Fool, the return to which is The Universe and full absorption in overflowing Emptiness. *(See "Liber Al," Ch.2, V.15)