Transcription
Tarot Card Meanings with BenebellPart XI: The Knights (THOTH: PRINCES)Video Transcripthttps://youtu.be/DPOHNvheW7oThis installment of Tarot Card Meanings with Benebell will be on the Knights, comparing and studyingwhat seminal texts in history have given as the card meaning attributions for the Tarot de Marseille, theRider-Waite-Smith, and the Thoth. We’ll also be looking at the deck I created, the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot.Going forward, we’ll be showcasing the full-color Revelation Edition of the SKT.INTRODUCTION TO THE KNIGHTS& REVIEWING PAST LECTURESWe kicked off the course in the Supernal Triangle, or the Fiery Archetypal World where we’ve alreadycovered the Kings and Queens. We crossed the Abyss, passing through the unseen sephira, Daath*,descending below to Chesad, the tarot Fours, building order from chaos, then the Fives in Gevurah,destabilizing to expand and progress, then the Sixes in Tifereth, arriving at harmony. [*See erratum.]And before crossing the veil, we explored the second Ethical Triangle, the Creative World of the Mind,corresponding with the element Air. Here is successful initiation, where the Ethical Triad designates aunion between the human soul and the divine soul, the ethical reconciliation of God’s Will and the humanwill.We crossed that veil into Netzach, realm of Sevens, the realm in which we hone our reasoning skills, ourdiscernment, and learn how we can choose to exercise our free will and right of choice. Then we exploredthe Eights in Yod.After our descent below The Veil to master discernment and reasoning in Netzach with the Realm ofSevens, we explored the Realm of Eights through Yod. We now return in an ascent up and behind TheVeil into the Mysteries, now fortified with discernment and reasoning skills, to re-explore Tifereth withthe Knights, the Shining Ones in the Empyrean Court that are angels, or aspects of our higher selvesfortified by the discernment and reasoning we acquired during our descent below The Veil.Tifereth is a feminine noun, signifying Harmony and Beauty. This emanation is unconditional maternallove and mercy where the upper sephiroth and lower sephiroth and brought into balance. Tifereth ispersonified by Jacob, who wrestled with an angel and became Israel.This is also the realm of the tarot Knights. In the SKT, the Knights are The Shining Ones, the namesakeafter the corresponding angel hierarchy. The action-oriented energy of the Knights here convey thedynamic symmetry exemplifying Tifereth, creating a center of gravity between the two polarities ofpillars.pg. 1
Boaz is the Feminine or Dark Pillar. Jachim is the MasculinePillar, Lighter, and together, signify a familiar icon from Key 2:The High Priestess card. Mark Horn, author of Tarot and theGates of Light, likens Tifereth to the realm of bodhisattvas in theBuddhist tradition.Here in Tifereth, weremember: God said, Letthere be Light, and therewas Light. And so it wasrevealed in the Book ofIllumination, the Sefer HaBahir. In the Priestesscard, we see the priestess,Sophia, standing in theplace of the Middle Pillar.Tifereth, residence of theKnights, here along theMiddle Pillar, is whereGod’s Will, Let there beLight, reconciles with theMiracles Performed. And there was Light.Let’s also consider how Crowley reconciled the I Ching and theQabalistic Tree of Life. We’re sourcing this from The Equinox,Volume III, Numbers 7 and 8. On screen you’ll be seeing the IChing correspondence symbols or glyphs found on the SKTRevelation, now positioned along the Qabalistic Tree per Crowley’s attributions.Tifereth, the realm of the Knights, would thus correspond with the trigram Fire, per Crowley.Crowley’s I Ching Hexagram Correspondences for the Four Princes42On the Ascent61Faith Within57Use Gentle Force53Slow & SteadyPRINCE OF WANDSPRINCE OF CUPSPRINCE OF SWORDSPRINCE OF DISKSpg. 2
Though in terms of hexagram correspondences, Crowley assigns Hexagram 42 to the Prince of Wands,61 to the Prince of Cups, 57 to the Prince of Swords, and Hexagram 53 to the Prince of Disks. None ofthese four hexagrams assigned to the Realm of Princes actually contain the trigram Fire, in Tifereth.So it’s it’s an intriguing theory but I admit leaves me with more questions than answers.[NOTE: Crowley/OTO’s tarot, Hermetic Qabalah, and I Ching correspondences diagram titled “The Chinese Cosmos” fromThe Equinox was provided in the video transcript for the Tarot Eights.]The Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is designed under a different system of I Ching correspondences.I Ching Trigram Correspondences for the Four PrincesKNIGHT OF WANDSKNIGHT OF CUPSKNIGHT OF SWORDSKNIGHT OF PENTACLESEach card is assigned a trigram, rather than a hexagram, and two by two in combination, the cards buildthe hexagrams. The trigram correspondences are reconciled at the elemental level, so two trigrams of theeight correspond with one of the four Western alchemical elements.Fire, for the Knight of Scepters, Water, for the Knight of Chalices, Heaven, or Sky, for the Knight ofSwords, and Earth, for the Knight of Orbs.Knights, the Shining Ones, are always metaphysical elements in action.The Knight of Wands, Air of Fire, where the Realm of Knights corresponds with the element Air, andthe Wands corresponds with the element Fire, is about launching, take-off from the point of departure.The Knight of Cups, Air of Water, is a spirit guide in soul retrieval and dream visualization. This is thestirring of the waters of creation.The Knight of Swords, Air of Air, is acting on that creativity, exerting courageous, even combativewillpower. This is what Waite describes as the “intellect unchained.”The Knight of Pentacles, in the Thoth, the Disks, Air of Earth, where per elemental dignities, Air andEarth weaken, the rapid, volatile pace of Air is tamed, given some weight and an anchor. This ishorsepower, what moves the engine so things can get done. This is productivity in motion.pg. 3
CROWLEY’S THEORY FOR THE KNIGHTS & PRINCESBefore we jump in to card meanings, let’s talk about the Thoth. We’re sourcing our information from a1912 publication in The Equinox, an occult periodical founded by Aleister Crowley, and the title of thatpublication was “A Description of the Cards of the Tarot.”When you look at the Knights or Cavaliers in the Marseille, those young strapping fellas on horseback,and you look at the Knights from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the logical conclusion might be that theThoth Knights on horseback are their equivalent.But then we read from Crowley himself that the tarot Kings are the “figures mounted on steeds,” ridingswiftly and clothed in armor, a force swift and violent in its action, but whose effect soon passes away,case in point, the cards titled the Knights.So then the Knight equivalents in the Thoth would be the Princes, the Mighty Son of the King (that wasthe Knight) and the Queen. The Princes are seated in chariots. And so in this video on the Knights, weare going to cover the Thoth Princes.pg. 4
Crowley’s origins story for his Princes is kind of interesting. You’ll find this origins story for why thecourt titles are what they are in The Equinox. This story applies to the courts in all four elemental realms,but let’s demonstrate the origins story by focusing on the Suit of Cups.In the old tarot, or the old architectural blueprint of the old Aeon, the old universe, the King of Cups andQueen of Cups from that old universe had a daughter.That daughter is this Queen of Cups. This Queen of Cups and the Knight of Cups from the new Aeon,this revised architectural blueprint of the Universe, presumably more true, more evolved, had a child.That child is the Prince of Cups, this tarot Knight card. Later, we’ll cover his sister, the Princess of Cups,daughter of the Knight and Queen. Though brother and sister, they also marry, but as the prophecy ofthe Aeon of Osiris holds, as told in the Book of Thoth, the Prince shall die, leaving the Princess widowed.See what he did there? And why the Knight is the King and the Prince is the Knight?KNIGHT OF WANDSLet’s start with the Cavalier de Bâtons, or the Knight of Wands. On screen there in black and white foryour coloring pleasure, is the BOTA Tarot. Under the Marseilles system, according to MacGregorMathers, this is fiery action that results in the departure from what had been a stationary point, or aseparation from. Disunion.So, by way of a few examples, if the Two of Cups is drawn immediately after the Knight of Wands, thentogether these cards foretell a separation from a lover, a departure happening in a romance or friendship,disunion among kindred spirits.If the Knight of Wands is paired with the Four of Swords, we now have a double negative, which equalsa positive, so here we see the end of solitude, the end of a retreat, or a reunion of some sort. This issomeone who was in social isolation emerging again, being part of the community once more.pg. 5
The Knight of Wands paired with the Three of Coins bringsa negative meaning to the otherwise positive Three of Coins.By itself, the Three of Coins is an elevation in rank, dignity,or power. Paired with the Knight of Wands, however, whichshows the verb or action of departure, we see a demotion,descent, lowering of rank or power.In the 1881 Belline Tarot, which features handwrittenkeywords, you’ll see that the assigned meaning echoes thisconcept of the Knight of Wands, the Combattant du Sceptre,indicates a departure.There’s a legend of a hwarang knight, pictured here in TheShining Flame, who was young, brave, and took off frombase camp in the middle of the night to attack the enemy. Hewas caught several times, and each time, due to how youngand brave he was, he inspired the mercy of the enemy’sgeneral, so each time he was returned to his masterunharmed. The Shining Flame is the courage and maybeeven a little bit of the recklessness to dare, to depart fromand venture away from your comfort zone.According to Waite, his Knight of Wands is heading out ona journey, but he’s not wearing war-like armor, and he’spassing pyramids. This is a fun adventure, one where thespirits are positive.In the Thoth, the Prince of Wands characterizes a fasttalking, strong, courageous, impulsive, hot-headed, andopinionated young man. This can designate someone whosesun sign or rising sign is a degree in the last decan of Cancer,Moon in Cancer, or the first two decans of Leo, Saturn inLeo or Jupiter in Leo.By the way, the transcripts for every video lecture in this series is provided in tandem, and if you’reserious about using this series to study the tarot, then I would recommend having the lecture transcriptson hand while you listen, because seeing the words reinforces the learning process. Reading the textwhile experiencing my lecture, having the visuals, actively taking notes, handling your cards, all of ittogether will help reinforce and solidify the learning process.In the SKT, the four Knights have as their companions the four mythical elemental creatures. Here inThe Shining Flame, it’s the salamander, which you’ll see embroidered on the golden tunic of the Knightof Wands in the RWS.By the way, not related, or maybe it is, the composition of Key 11: Lust, the Strength card from theThoth is rather similar to the composition of the Knight of Wands here in the RWS, isn’t it? Picturedhere on Lust is Babylon riding the Beast per Revelation 17.pg. 6
And here’s the Prince of Wands, the Knight equivalent, in the Thoth. Notice how the sigil of To MegaTherion, Greek for The Great Beast, or the Mark of the Beast, is on the breast of the Prince of Wands.To Mega Therion, if you recall, was also inscribed into the blade of the Ace of Swords.OFF-TOPIC TANGENTYou’ll also find it embedded into the Ace of Disks, in that center medallion, the same sigil found on thatPrince of Wands, now with the added 666, just in case it wasn’t clear what this is all about. “To MegaTherion” also appears along the outer ring of that Ace of Disks medallion.This relates back to Babalon, the Scarlet Woman, consort to The Great Beast, To Mega Therion. TheDevil, writes Crowley, isn’t just the poison described by Freud and the shadow that Carl Jung talks about,you know, The Devil card, shadow work, blah blah blah, but The Devil is also the lust for knowledge,the thirst for power, which, if tamed by the Holy Guardian Angel, transforms into Divine Wisdom.And if you’re thinking, this is the Satanic devil-worshipping talk of Crowley, well, that devout CatholicEliphas Levi says pretty much the same thing in Transcendental Magic.When Art goes through the experience of The Devil, there will be a dismantling and a purging thatreveals The Star within. Incidentally, the card entry for Lust in the Book of Thoth features a recurringimagery and reference to the stars. Crowley further makes reference to the sign of Capricornus, the whitegoat, as the Lord of the Stars.The (quote) “cruelty, misery and collective insanity” (end quote) descriptive of The Devil asdemonstrated by the error of Christian Mystics is tethered inextricably to Knowledge and Conversationof the Holy Guardian Angel.Let’s take a look at the Tree of Life again. Tifereth is the sphere of the tarot Knights.pg. 7
The path from Gevurah to Tifereth is the path corresponding with Key 11, which in the Thoth is Lust,equivalent to the Strength card. The path from Hod to Tifereth is the path corresponding with Key 15:The Devil, the consort to Babalon, the Scarlet Woman pictured on Key 11.The path from Yesod leading to the sphere of the Knights is the path of Key 14, The Angel, alchemizedfrom the union of The Great Beast and the Scarlet Woman through the Knights. These Knights (theThoth Princes) carry Divine Will through the Path of Art, which is knowledge and conversation with theHoly Guardian Angel, into the realm of Nines, through Key 21: The World, and finally into Malkuth,the realm of the Pages, or Princesses.Yowsers, we are way off topic. Let’s put a pin in this and we’ll circle back to deep-dive into these cardswhen we get to the Major Arcana. But I think this is good. Micro-doses of Hermetic Qabalah and by theway– by the time we’re through, all of this will be solidly encoded in your mind’s memory, andcomprehension.KNIGHT OF WANDS, CONT’D.Upright, in general, the Knight of Wands, Prince of Wands, is telling you to act on your impulse toadvance. Court cards are typically interpreted as people, and for this card, I’ve read everything fromblond haired blue-eyed young man to dark haired and friendly.So let’s just stick with personality traits.Reversed, this is hesitation to do what you are yearning to set out to do. This is rejecting your owncourage, your own True Will. I think of this energy as initially running out toward an adventure but justa few gallops out, you stop, think twice, “Nope, nevermind” and turn back to base camp, back to safetyand familiarity.If the Knight of Wands was about departure, then the Knight of Cups is about arrival and approachingtoward.pg. 8
KNIGHT OF CUPSThe Knight of Cups followed by the Three of Coins, for example, amplifies the positive forecast of thiscard, so it’s quick advancement toward some kind of a promotion with financial gains. The Knight ofCups paired with the Four of Swords could suggest emotion-charged action that results in a retreat, anabandonment of something that results in solitude. And with the Two of Cups, here’s a really good omenfor love and a romantic relationship.The Belline 1881 tarot keywords alsosuggests that this card signifies an arrival ofsomething. The facial expressions of thepeople in some of these historical decks, amI right? Here’s the Soprafino. And here’sthe Knight of Cups in the Visconti.The RWS Knight of Cups has someinteresting juxtapositions. He’s decked outin full protective armor, but Waitedescribes him as graceful, not warlike,riding quietly. The winged helmet, whichyou’ll also find on the Thoth Prince ofCups, refers to the higher graces ofimagination. This is someone who is adreamer.When this card comes up, you might be offered a proposition.Reversed, Waite warns that the Knight of Cups is a duplicitous, twofaced person, saying one thing, but meaning or intending to doanother. I might liken this energy to creativity, romance, orprogressivism, liberalism gone awry.pg. 9
Study the detailed imagery in these cards while I talk.Crowley cautions us that the whole of the symbolism inthe Prince of Cups is “exceedingly complicated.” Forbetter and for worse, this personality is an artist in all hisways.If you think how about the I Ching hexagram, Hexagram61, that Crowley assigns to the Thoth Prince of Cups,this card depicts a wind blowing across a lake,nourishing, bringing joy, but be careful, warns the Bookof Changes, that you are responsive, not reactionary. Toget to the truth, you must show empathy and sympathy,and that is the root wisdom here in the Knight of Cups.The backdrop of The Shining Waters, by the way,Waves of the Undine, which is the magical creatureassociated with Water, is Florence during the height ofthe Italian Renaissance.In esoteric tarot, the Knight or Prince of Cups is the Airypart of Water, or Steam, which is how Crowleydescribes the alchemy of this card. And Steam isproduced when Fire heats Water. There’s Scorpioenergy here, which is a Water sign traditionallyrepresented by an eagle, ruled by Mars, a fiery planetthat also rules over Aries.There is a “secret violence” to this personality, someonewho is going to present as calm, romantic, andcharismatic, but that is but a mask for an intense,passionate zealot who may hold extremist views.Secretly, this personality is ruthless, even when theirintentions are benevolent. And it’s that dark side unseenthat is revealed when this card appears in reverse.Let’s talk about the astrological correspondences for the Knights. The most common zodiac attributionswhen working with the RWS is to follow the elementals. So the Wands court corresponds with the Firesigns. The Cups court corresponds with the Water signs, and so on.Crowley’s zodiac attributions for the courts follow the decanates, or decan rulers. So the Prince of Wandscorresponds with the third decanate of Cancer and the first two decanates of Leo. The Prince of Cupscorresponds with the third decanate of Libra and the first two decanates of Scorpio. And so on. You candownload a JPG image file of that zodiac and tarot courts wheel from my website. I’ll link it in the videodescription box.Instead of the clear categories of elementals, Crowley says that each court card is a little of one elementalsign and a little of the other because, quoting “The reason for this is that in the realm of the Elements allthings are mixed and confused, counter-checked and counter-balanced.”pg. 10
KNIGHT OF SWORDSOkay, moving on to the Knight or Prince of Swords.In the Marseille, this is the quintessential soldier. Everything about this card says “warrior spirit.” Thisperson is highly-skilled, highly-trained, always shows up on time, is prompt and professional. Intraditional fortune-telling, this could represent a spy, a secret operative, someone who might be treatingyou like a pawn, because it’s not about you; it’s about a mission.I also like the implications of a personality who is arrogant, but perhaps that arrogance comes from justbeing inexperienced. The Knight of Swords is not a bad guy. He just doesn’t totally know what he’sdoing but thinks he does. Which, admittedly, is a pretty bad combination.Also, before I continue, notice the side profile face on the knight’s shoulder in all these historicaliterations of the card?You’ll find this motif in Key 7: The Chariot card, this Knight of Swords, and the King of Swords. Thisis a pauldron, part of the plate armor, circa 15th century. Ornately embellished armor was popular inItaly at the time. Only someone of wealth and status would have such a pauldron, so our dear Knight ofSwords here is no ordinary soldier.Reversed, the negative qualities of the Knight of Swords are more pronounced. Per Crowley, this issomeone who cares too much for trends and fashions, the superficial. Perhaps someone who drinks toomuch, who self-medicates, or who is prone to becoming fanatical about music, religion, or social justice.Actually, Crowley’s word for it is “humanitarianism.” They wander from one cult or one vice toanother.”One of my favorite descriptions of the Knight of Swords comes from Crowley, who describes thispersonality as someone “glib to quote Scripture aptly and cunningly to support any thesis whatsoever.”He is impossible to defeat, because he is impossible to pin down. You don’t know what his position is,and you don’t know where he’s going.pg. 11
And for that reason, in The Shining Gale, the setting is obscured by clouds. You’ll see the openingpassage to the Diamond Sutra here, a sacred text about cutting through illusions and sudden flashes ofhigh-level insight. To know what it is, you must know what it is not. What it is not, is also what it is.Waite describes the Knight of Swords as powerful, with the capability of scattering his enemies. He’sheroic and pure of heart. And yet there is a sense of wrath and going on the warpath in this card’sdivinatory meaning. The Knight of Swords is the energy of opposition and resistance.Crowley describes the Prince of Swords as one with a reputation for being highly intellectual. Psst .Notice the diamond that is the Prince’s chariot? Diamond Sutra?The sylph is a fairy-like air spirit, which you’ll find depicted in the Thoth Prince of Swords. I’ve giventhe sylph a culture-specific makeover in The Shining Gale. In the RWS, you’re going to seerepresentations of butterflies throughout the Knight, Queen, and King of this suit.Notice how in the Thoth, the charioteer himself is a sylph, commanding smaller sylphs to pull his chariot.This could be symbolic of manipulation or a domineering influence over others.KNIGHT OF PENTACLES (COINS/DISKS)Finally, almost done, the Knight from the elemental realm of Earth. Coins, Pentacles, Disks, and Orbs,because apparently nobody can agree on what this suit should be called.Here is someone useful, trustworthy, prudent, and cautious. On screen you’ll also see versions of theKnight of Coins from the Aluette deck, published by Grimaud around 1858, and Dame Fortune’s WheelTarot by Paul Huson. The Knight of Coins represents someone who is very competent at what he does,reliable, and gainfully employed. He has his eyes on his money, managing it responsibly, at all times.Reversed, the slowness or lacking in swiftness associated with the Knight of Pentacles hurts more thanit helps.pg. 12
Ill-dignified, the Knight of Coins shows someone brave with swagger, but probably unemployed, lazy,or isn’t going to have the resources to be of service.It can indicate slowness in pacing, resulting in delays. This is a lack of effort.Financially, this can be an indication that you need to think of ways to increase cash flow, profit, orincome. Or, depending on neighboring cards, this can be referring to your physical health. Your body islacking nutrients, and so it’s life force weakened.In the SKT, when The Shining Quarry comes up, the message is this: sometimes the best action is nonaction. Magically, The Shining Quarry as a tarot talisman is a finder’s card. It will help you find orrecover that which is lost.In general, the essential wisdom of the Knight of Pentacles is this: Don’t feel like everything needs to beaccomplished tomorrow. Take your time. The horse you ride is heavier-set for a reason.In the Thoth Prince of Disks, the charioteer looks meditative. The mathematical symbols in the orbrepresent planning in agriculture. Notice the cube of space, In the other hand, the orb mounted on a crosssymbolizes the Great Work accomplished. Crowley says something about this card that I really love:The Prince of Disks “seeks out new uses for common things.”By the way, pause the screen and study the detailing in that Prince of Disks. It’s pretty incredible!NEXT LECTURE: THE NINESAnd that concludes our lecture on the tarot Knights, Thoth Princes.We’ve been studying the Minor Arcana of the tarot patterned after the sephiroth on the Qabalistic Treeof Life, navigating them by way of the paths, though we haven’t yet talked about those paths. We willwhen we get to the Major Arcana. I keep showing you an animated map of where we’ve been and wherewe’re going along the Tree of Life because I hope the more you see this, the more your knowledge andunderstanding of tarot and Kabbalah’s intersection is reinforced. Through repetition, through seeing this,hearing about it, over and over, you’re encoding comprehension of tarot and Hermetic Qabalah into yourmemory.Now on to the Nines.ERRATUMIn the video lecture, Daath (or Da’at) was referred to as an “unseen sephira.” Daath is an emanation bornas the offspring of Chokhma and Binah. Whether Daath is considered a sephira hinges on differences ininterpretation of the Zohar. Most Jewish scholars do not count Daath as a sephira (Rabbi Moses benJacob Cordovero [The Ramak], Pardes Rimonim) though some do, where Daath is the first sephira andKeter is excluded (Rabbi Isaac ben Solomon Luria Ashkenazi [Ha’ARI], Sefer Etz Chaim). Where Keteris excluded as a sephira, it is on the reasoning that Keter is an unknowable state of exaltation moreresonant with the Ein Sof and therefore not part of the sephiroth schema.pg. 13
Tarot Card Meanings with BenebellA Video Lecture SeriesPAST LECTURESThe Aces20:02 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Twos34:41 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Threes22:15 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Kings/Knights42:40 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Queens53:26 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Fours42:22 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Fives31:27 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Sixes38:40 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Sevens30:21 minutesVideoBlog PostThe Eights30:25 minutesVideoBlog PostBENEBELL WEN is the author of Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for PersonalGrowth (North Atlantic Books, 2015). Learn more about her work and access free educational andbusiness downloads at www.benebellwen.com.pg. 14
This installment of Tarot Card Meanings with Benebell will be on the Knights, comparing and studying what seminal texts in history have given as the card meaning attributions for the Tarot de Marseille, the Rider-Waite-Smith, and the Thoth. We’ll also be
