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The Magician and the Thoth Tarot: Path of Beth — “The House of Spirit”

In the Thoth Tarot, The Magus (or Magician/Maiden) corresponds to the Hebrew letter Beth (ב), meaning House, and is attributed to the planet Mercury (Kokab). On the Tree of Life, Beth is the Path between Kether (Crown) and Binah (Understanding). This path is the first movement of the Primal Light into the Womb of Form — the descent of Divine Will into the domain of Understanding, where it may be shaped into creation.

Beth, the House, is therefore the container of the Spirit, or the Temple-Womb wherein the creative impulse finds its first abode. It is the Phallic channel through which the Word, or Logos, is projected from the Unmanifest (Kether) into the first structure of creation (Binah). In this sense, the Magus is both the Divine Word and the House that speaks it, embodying the mystery of the Logos made manifest.

Mercury: The Divine Messenger and the Logos

The Magus is attributed to Mercury, the swift and mercurial messenger of the gods, symbolizing the fluid intelligence that connects all spheres. Mercury is the psycho-spiritual force of communication and transmission, the vibratory current that conveys the Will of Kether into the Understanding of Binah. Hence, the Magus is the living Word, the Logos, the Will to Be articulating itself as Creation.

Mercury’s alchemical nature is both solid and liquid, male and female, fixed and volatile — thus perfectly representing the androgynous aspect of the Magus as the reconciler of opposites. In Hermetic doctrine, Mercury is not merely a planet but the very spirit of transformation — the medium of all magical operation.

The Egg of Akasha and the Serpent Force

Crowley’s Thoth Magus card depicts the Winged Egg of Akasha, or the Cosmic Egg, suspended in radiant motion. This is the potential of all creation — the seed of Spirit that will gestate within Binah, the Great Mother. The “I Will Be” vibration of Kether awakens the Serpent Force, the first undulation of existence, which then fertilizes the Womb of Binah.

The serpent, coiling through the currents of the Magus, is that same creative vibration — the first stir of the Logos as it seeks expression. It is through Beth, the Path of the Magus, that this vibratory will descends and finds a dwelling place, thus fulfilling the dictum: “And the Word was made Flesh.”

The Magus as the Conscious Creator

In the human microcosm, the Magus represents the conscious Will that speaks creation into being — the power of thought, word, and vibration to shape reality. The Magus is not merely the trickster or stage magician of exoteric decks; rather, he is the Hermetic Word itself, the inner alchemist who transmutes the unseen into the seen through articulate Will.

In this way, the Path of Beth is the First Act of Magic, the alignment of Spirit and Understanding through the medium of vibration and sound. It is through the Magus that the phrase “Let there be Light” first resounds through the Void.

The Orphic Egg, a symbol from Orphic cosmology, represents the origins of the universe and the birth of all life. The serpent coiled around it is a powerful symbol with layered meanings.

1. Union of Male and Female Energies: The egg itself is often seen as a feminine symbol, representing potentiality, creation, and nurturing. The serpent is frequently viewed as a phallic or masculine symbol. Together, they symbolize the unity and balance of masculine and feminine forces, essential for creation and growth.

2. Eternal Cycle of Life and Death: The serpent around the egg represents the Ouroboros, a symbol of cyclicality, infinity, and the interconnectedness of life and death. By encircling the egg, it signifies that all creation (the egg) emerges from, and returns to, the cyclical, self-renewing nature of the cosmos.

3. Protection and Containment of Primordial Power: The serpent serves as a guardian, protecting the egg, which contains the primordial essence of all things. This mirrors themes in other traditions, such as the Cosmic Egg in Hermeticism and the World Egg in various mythologies, where creation is kept dormant until the time of manifestation.

4. Spiritual Awakening and the Evolution of Consciousness: In the context of spiritual ascension, the serpent also symbolizes Kundalini energy, which ascends through the chakras, awakening divine consciousness. The egg represents latent potential, and the serpent coiled around it shows the spiritual force contained and ready for activation. This can also connect to the Orphic Mysteries, which aimed to elevate initiates' consciousness toward a divine, transcendental state.

In sum, the Orphic Egg with the serpent entwined around it encapsulates the ideas of cosmic creation, balance of dual forces, cyclical existence, and the protection of divine potential. This powerful image serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness and eternality of life, as well as the potential for spiritual awakening within each soul.

The Magician as the Builder of the House of Spirit

It is entirely appropriate to call the Magus or Magician that which builds the House. The Hebrew letter Beth, meaning House, defines this Path as the first act of construction upon the Tree of Life. Here, the Magus directs and encloses the One Spirit — the vital spiral of Primal Energy — into a form of ordered expression. What was pure, undirected Will in Kether begins to articulate itself through the Word of the Magus. Thus, the Magus acts as the architect of manifestation, shaping the “I Will Be” of Eheieh into the first vibration of creative speech.

In this role, the Magus/Magician is the interior artisan of the cosmos, the intelligence that builds the temple of being from the living Light. He constructs the House of the Spirit, not as a fixed dwelling, but as a dynamic field of vibration — a living vessel for Divine Will. The vital spiral of the Fool becomes focused into Force, guided by the Magus, who channels that infinite enthusiasm into intelligible creation.

Both the Fool (Aleph) and the Magus/Magician (Beth) act as transmitters of the Divine Will of Eheieh — “I Will Be”. The Fool is the limitless Life-Breath of Kether, the Spirit in motion before form. The Magus/Magician, receiving that current, becomes the organizing Word, transforming pure Spirit into articulate Force. Together they enact the mystery of the Logos: the Fool breathes the Light forth; the Magus speaks it into form.

The Supernal Trinity of Will

As the current of the Divine moves through the Supernal Triangle — Kether (Pure Will) → Chokmah (Will-to-Force) → Binah (Will-to-Form) — we observe the trinitarian structure of all creation. The Magus operates as the intermediary between these states of Will, ensuring the flow from the Unmanifest into manifestation remains continuous and harmonious.

• Kether: The Silent Source — Eheieh, “I Will Be.”

• Chokmah: The dynamic projection — Will-to-Force, the outpouring energy of the Divine Father.

• Binah: The receptive matrix — Will-to-Form, the Womb of the Great Mother.

The Path of Beth bridges Kether and Binah, acting as the first enclosure of that supernal Light. From this channel, the Fool’s infinite motion begins to find expression and rhythm. Later, this creative current descends again through the Path of Daleth (Venus) — the Door between Chokmah and Binah — completing the circulation of love and life between the primal masculine and feminine poles of creation.

Hence, the Magus/Magician is not merely a messenger of Will — he is the constructor of the field through which that Will becomes Force and, ultimately, Form.

The Supernal Triangle and the Near-Unity of the Fool and the Magus/Magician

The Supernal Triangle or Superconscious — Kether (the Crown), Chokmah (Wisdom), and Binah (Understanding) — forms the first trinity of creation, the primordial triune Will from which all emanation descends. Within this radiant triangle, the Fool (Aleph) and the Magus/Magician (Beth) operate as two modes of one continuous current. Their “separation,” if it can even be called that, is only a degree or less — the difference between unspoken breath and articulated word, between pure potential and its first definition.

Thus, the Fool and the Magus/Magician are not distinct personalities but two aspects of one ecstatic process: the Infinite Breath of Spirit (Fool) inhaling itself into Being, and the Word of Power (Magus) exhaling that Being into ordered expression. The Magus/Magician is the vocalization of the Fool’s silent inspiration — the thought made sound, the current condensed into current-carrier.

The Generative Analogy

To understand their near-unity, one may contemplate the analogy of the male generative principle. The relationship between the Testes and the Phallus is one of continuous function, not division — the production and the projection of the same creative essence. So it is with the Fool and the Magus: the Fool is the seed-potential of Spirit, the endless, unformulated current; the Magus is the projective function, the directing of that current toward manifestation.

Yet it must be remembered that the One Great Being is not a person, but an Immortal Intelligent Energy — the very essence of Consciousness unfolding itself through ordered degrees. The “masculine” imagery here, as in all Hermetic and alchemical symbolism, is archetypal rather than biological: it expresses the dynamic of projection, emission, and articulation — the first outward motion of the Will-to-Be.

The Interpenetration of the Fool and the Magus

In the Thoth current, these two archetypes are so intertwined that to meditate upon one is inevitably to invoke the other. The Fool dances on the edge of Kether, radiating the pure vitality of Ain Soph Aur — the limitless Light. The Magus receives that current and shapes it, as Mercury does with the Divine Thought, into intelligible vibration.

This “House” that the Magus builds is thus erected within the very breath of the Fool — for every sound the Magus utters is still filled with the Fool’s infinite air. Their union constitutes the Divine Conversation that sustains the universe: Spirit speaking to itself, and through that speech, becoming all things.

The planetary meaning of the card is Mercury.

The implication of The Magician is that of a Messenger (Mercury) of the Gods, who with focused will is able to concentrate his mental power, thus utilizing his knowledge. Here Knowledge focused, gives birth to action and manifestation. He is the channel through which Divine Will manifests in the physical world.

Although I use the Thoth Tarot in my professional Tarot readings and Teach Master Tarot Classes using the Thoth Tarot (It is the most informative Western Hermetic Qabalah deck). I began my readings using the B.O.T.A. (Builders of the Adytum) tarot cards of Paul Foster Case and the Rider-Waite-Smith Traditional Tarot Decks.

Tarot philosophy is based on the premise that the True Universal Collective Mind doesn't use language to communicate; rather it communicates in image and/or symbolism. Since it is the True Parent of your Soul, it behooves one to use proper communication techniques to make their life more "magic" and less tragic" than the common herd. In other words, Tarot aids one in claiming their Universal Inheritance as a Celestial Being.

The Magician / Magus / Maiden — The Human Director of Divine Force

In both the Rider–Waite–Smith and the Triple Goddess Tarot, the Magician archetype expresses humanity’s sacred function: to direct the currents of Divine Force through conscious will. Though their imagery differs subtly, both reveal the same secret — that the Magician is the conscious mediator between Spirit and Matter, translating the ineffable vibration of the Divine Word into the creative act of manifestation.

The title Magician / Magus / Maiden refers not to gender but to the active principle of conscious creativity. It represents the stage of development which Metaphysicians, Hermeticists, Parapsychologists, and Initiates recognize as the threshold of initiation — the awakening of the inner Will to command the forces of one’s own psyche and environment. Here the human mind becomes a deliberate instrument of the Divine.

The Table of Manifestation

In the traditional Magician of the RWS Tarot, the figure stands before a granite altar, symbol of the element of Earth — the densest condensation of Spirit, the foundation of manifestation. Upon this altar rest the four elemental weapons: Wand (Fire), Cup (Water), Sword (Air), and Pentacle (Earth). Each represents a faculty of the human soul — Intuition, Emotion, Intellect, and Body — awaiting the direction of the awakened Will. The Magician points one hand upward (“As above”) and one downward (“So below”), embodying the ancient Hermetic axiom that all creation flows through correspondence and resonance between higher and lower planes.

The Triple Goddess Magician — The Maiden of Self-Mastery

In the Triple Goddess Tarot, this archetype takes on a distinctly feminine Hermetic tone: the Maiden as conscious creatrix. Instead of the granite altar, stacks of books form the foundation — signifying knowledge, wisdom, and the accumulated Gnosis of the Ages. Leaning against these tomes are the four elemental tools, implying that mastery of the elements arises through the study and internalization of the mysteries.

Above her hands hover orb-like bubbles of luminous light, representing the dynamic emanations of her own Will-to-Live and Will-to-Create. These orbs are Akashic spheres — visualizations of energy coalescing under the power of directed consciousness. They are the living words spoken in silence; each orb is a world in potential.

The Path of Self-Mastery and Manifestation

The Maiden-Magician teaches that initiation is self-directed evolution. Through conscious discipline, study, and alignment with Universal Law, one learns to harness the subtle currents that shape reality. This is not mere “magic” in the theatrical sense, but the Hermetic act of becoming the channel through which Divine Will is made known.

Her message is clear:

“You are the Word made flesh — speak your truth into form.”

Thus, this card signifies the awakening of mastery: the deliberate act of manifesting reality through study, self-control, and the disciplined use of the Four Elements within. It is the first practical step in the Great Work — the realization that Spirit and Mind are co-creators, and that through the alchemy of knowledge and will, the human soul may consciously build its own universe.

The number 1, which is often symbolized as "the point", which means concentration, will, attention, and/or a limiting of the field of activity. Simply put, this is an activity of focus that every aspirant and magician absolutely must learn if they wish to seek the "Truth of Self". Until one learns to concentrate and focus on their Vital Life Force, they cannot perform the Great Work of "As above so below" and thereby turn dreams of unprofaned Self into living reality.

The wise know that desire is the motivation of or for evolution. Willful direction of desire builds all things. This is the central doctrine of Western Hermetic Magic since each of us is the "bridge between" the above and below." That is, a bridge between the Macrocosmic Mind and the Microcosmic mind. A person cannot even begin to use the subtle forces of nature until they realize they can do nothing of themselves but simply act as the Channel of the Primal Will of the One ("I Will Be") through which the "Will to Form" and the "Will to Force", i.e., the Will of Life Force expresses itself as "I AM".

The eternal union the masculine and feminine forces are shown the lemniscate (0=2) on most magician and magus cards and the Maiden is an exception. The symbol of the circle and twin crescents, is a wiccan symbol for the Creatrix.

Above the head of the RWS Magician is a "horizonal figure eight" and/or the lemniscate ---they Hermetic symbol for infinity.

Aleister Crowley's equation 0=20 = 20=2 is a metaphysical concept he presented to explain his understanding of duality, unity, and the nature of existence within the framework of Thelema. While at first it might seem nonsensical mathematically, Crowley’s intention was to convey deep philosophical and mystical insights, particularly through the lens of Qabalistic and Thelemic thought. Let’s break down the essence of this equation:

1. Unity in Duality

• In Crowley's interpretation, the universe emerges from nothingness (0) into a state of duality (2). This mirrors the Qabalistic concept of creation where the boundless, undefined state (Ain, or Nothing) "splits" into duality to create existence. By equating 0 with 2, Crowley illustrates that duality—such as the pairs of opposites (light and dark, male and female, etc.)—all originate from a singular, undivided source.
• Crowley saw the initial act of creation as the manifestation of duality from a unified, undivided state. The "nothingness" or zero becomes "two" by manifesting itself as dual but complementary principles. This explains why he equates nothingness (0) with the emergence of complementary aspects (2).

2. The Illusion of Separation

• The concept also suggests that separation or duality is illusory. In truth, all things remain connected to the original unity (the zero state) despite appearing as distinct entities in the material world. This connects to Crowley’s mystical assertion that all things are one, and any experience of difference is merely a temporary phase or perspective within unity.
• The illusion of duality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Crowley used 0=2 to remind initiates that despite apparent separations or distinctions in the physical world, all things are ultimately facets of a single, indivisible reality.

3. Spiritual Alchemy and the Role of the Magician

• Crowley often described the magician’s path as transcending duality and returning to unity, symbolized by the journey back to zero or the boundless state. The magician, through this perspective, reconciles opposites within themselves to achieve a state of unity.
• In this sense, 0=2 serves as both a formula for creation and an alchemical principle: the adept must recognize and balance the dual aspects of nature and spirit, eventually realizing that they both arise from and return to the same source.

4. Qabalistic Interpretation

• In the Qabalistic Tree of Life, "0" can be seen as Ain Soph, the limitless, formless aspect of existence beyond even Kether, the first emanation. "2" corresponds to Chokmah, the first true separation of force and form into male and female principles. Therefore, by equating 0 and 2, Crowley is aligning with the Qabalistic idea that all manifested existence begins as a duality emerging from the undifferentiated source.

5. Thelemic and Taoist Parallels

• Crowley’s ideas often parallel Eastern mysticism. The equation 0=2 resonates with Taoist principles, where Tao (the formless unity) gives rise to Yin and Yang, the primal duality. This duality in turn fuels all creation while remaining a reflection of the original oneness. In Thelema, 0=2 emphasizes that the duality we perceive in life and the cosmos is ultimately just an expression of the one undivided source—reminiscent of the Hermetic axiom, “As above, so below.”

In sum, Crowley’s equation 0=20 = 20=2 encapsulates his understanding of the mysterious and paradoxical nature of creation. It underscores that from the Void (Nothing), all forms of duality emerge, yet duality itself is an illusion—a dynamic play of opposites rooted in a single, indivisible essence.

The garden and/earth are the subconscious aspect of the personality, which is cultivated by the acts of attention of the self-conscious and/or awake conscious -self. From this ageless garden spring all powers of the subconscious and/or animal survival mind.

In medical science, the concept of human senses goes well beyond the traditional five (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell). Research has identified up to 33 distinct senses, which are specific systems or types of sensory perception, allowing humans to experience and interpret the world in complex ways. These senses include various specialized receptors and processes that help us maintain balance, perceive temperature, sense pain, and more. Here’s a breakdown of these categories:

1. The Traditional Five Senses

• Sight (Vision): Detection of light and color through the eyes.
• Hearing (Audition): Perception of sound through vibrations in the inner ear.
• Taste (Gustation): Detection of chemicals through taste buds on the tongue (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami).
• Smell (Olfaction): Detection of airborne chemicals through olfactory receptors.
• Touch (Tactile): Sensing pressure, vibration, and texture through receptors in the skin.

2. Additional Specialized Senses

Beyond the classic five, there are additional senses focused on different types of perception:

• Temperature Sensing (Thermoception): Specialized receptors that detect temperature changes on the skin.
• Pain Sensing (Nociception): Detection of potential harm or damage to tissues, with receptors for physical, thermal, and chemical pain.
• Balance (Equilibrioception): Managed by the vestibular system in the inner ear, allowing us to detect body position and maintain balance.
• Proprioception (Body Position Awareness): Awareness of where body parts are in relation to each other, enabling movement coordination.
• Chronoception (Time Perception): Our sense of the passage of time, regulated by complex neural processes.
• Interoception: Sensing internal states, including hunger, thirst, and the need to breathe.

3. Internal Sensations (Interoceptive Senses)

These senses keep us aware of various physiological states, often functioning below conscious awareness but critical for homeostasis:

• Hunger and Thirst: Internal cues from hormones and cellular signals.
• Breathing Regulation (Chemoreception): Sensing levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood.
• Bladder Fullness: Detection of bladder distension signaling the need to urinate.
• Stretch Receptors: Detecting stretching in muscles, tendons, and joints.
• Heart Rate Awareness (Cardioception): Subconscious awareness of heartbeat, which can come to conscious attention.

4. Skin and Surface Senses

The skin contains a variety of receptors that detect specific stimuli:

• Vibration Sense: Specialized receptors in the skin for detecting vibrations.
• Itch: Receptors specifically activated by histamines and other itch-inducing chemicals.
• Light Touch (Mechanoreception): Sensitivity to light pressure, often associated with tickling sensations.
• Pressure: Deeper skin receptors sense sustained pressure on the skin.
• Pain (Nociception): Different from touch, this involves specific pain receptors.

5. Chemical Senses

• Taste Beyond the Basic Five: Researchers have found receptors for fat and potentially for carbonation, beyond the traditional taste categories.
• Internal Chemoreception: Detects levels of chemicals in the blood, such as glucose, influencing feelings of energy or lethargy.

6. Other Less-Known Senses

These senses are specialized and may overlap or work in conjunction with the more prominent senses:

• Electroreception: While not fully developed in humans, our nervous system has a minimal response to electrical fields. The Foxes electroreception is more sensitive and allows the fox to sense rodents beneath the surface of the snow.
• Magnetoreception: Some research suggests humans might have a residual ability to sense magnetic fields, although this is still a topic of study.

Each of these senses allows us to gather unique information about our internal and external environments, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of reality and supporting a vast array of biological processes crucial for survival. This extended view of human senses highlights the incredible complexity of sensory systems and helps explain how we can interpret a world that’s rich in varied stimuli.

The Magus/Magician/Maiden knows that their physical body is the greatest magic(k) device every invented. It is the beautiful combination of fire (wands)-air (swords)-water (cups)-earth (disks/pentacles). Hence, the human body is the altar on/in which the Magician places the tools of magic.

When the Magician/Magus is thrown in a divination it implies:

• Assertiveness.
• Self-Realization.
• Activity.
• Strength of Will.
• Vital energy.
• Command over the subconscious and Unconscious.
• Drive.
• Impetuous.
• Energy.
• Bringing lofty dreams down into reality.

If reversed:

• Aggressiveness.
• Egotism.
• Misuse of power.
• Mental disease.
• Disquiet.

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