Come forth, o children, under the stars, & take your fill of love! (AL I, 12)

Chapter 5 — Disks

Ace of Disks

The final element is earth, and it is the second of the passive elements. Like air, it is a secondary element, and derives from fire and water. Earth is the element in which the other three operate, and from where they draw their substance.

The final hé of Tetragrammaton is a product of the mother and father, but in a different way than the son is; the daughter is held to be a “by-product” of the creation of the son, much as light and heat are the by-products of certain types of chemical reaction. The metaphysical theory mirrors that of our Qabalistic framework, where the creation of ideals precedes the creation of actuals. In this sense, the physical world is created as a place for the ideals to manifest, as opposed to ideals arising out of the physical world which is the actual order. As far as the four elements are concerned, the metaphysical theory holds that the element of earth is “derived from” the elements of fire and water in order to provide them with a medium in which to manifest.

As the element of air formed a triangle when combined with the two primary elements of fire and water, so the element of earth forms the apex of a pyramid with that triangle as its base, this three-dimensional shape suggesting the solidity of matter and the actuality of physical manifestation, the third dimension arising upwards out of the triangle suggesting the creation of a physical world from the creation of the son through the union of the mother and the father.

As a “dry” element, earth resists the imposition of form; it is dull, heavy and inert. Being a “cold” element, it is passive, and is easily collected and hoarded.

The element of earth is most commonly associated with material wealth, but also with material power. Magick is defined as “the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will,”[1] and this definition shows clearly that will by itself is impotent without a medium in which to cause change, with is the element of earth. Not only is this change manifested through earth, but it is through the manipulation of earth that this change is brought about; “magical power” is ultimately both power over the material world, and power derived from the material world. These two are essentially equivalent, since the essence of successful magick is a question of positioning the self optimally within the environment and being sufficiently sensitive to the physical world as to be able to harness the power already latent in that element, rather than to attempt to create it, as the water wheel harnesses the power of the river.

Thus, in the small cards of the tarot, the suit of disks shows the progression of the individual's ability to manipulate his environment, and to harmonise his being with it; for indeed, he himself is a part of it. It represents the culmination of his efforts, and the results of his development.

Two of Disks

The “purpose” of the element of earth is, as we have said, to provide a medium in which the other elements can manifest, and accordingly its ideal manifestation is change. It would make no sense for such a medium to be static; it has to be dynamic, a flexible and malleable medium through which the other elements can move and express themselves. Simplistically, we can say that the nature of will is to move from one point to another, and the nature of love is to move to one point from another, and both of these things not only require a change in the environment, but depend on such a change in order to have any meaning. If the aim of magick is “to cause Change in conformity with Will,” then it follows that the ultimate “purpose” of the physical world is to allow for the manifestation of such Change.

The sign of Capricorn is associated with ambition, discipline and hard work, all of which are directed at causing some kind of change, and these associations are strongest in its ascendant decan, uninfluenced as it is by the other signs. The rulership of Jupiter provides a solid framework against which that change can be directed, providing a basis for expansion, and this framework links the change of the Two of Disks specifically to that which is in accordance with will. The attribution to the first decan of Capricorn also provides this card with the suggestion of Pan.

Three of Disks

The change in the Two of Disks was directed — by the will — but was isolated from other changes; it was pure impulse. Binah being the stability sephirah of the archetypal triad, the Three of Disks brings the idea of structure to a pattern of changes, and the idea of coordination. The internal combustion engine regulates the firing of multiple pistons through a rigid mechanism and through the cam shaft transforms the explosive chemical energy into the desired rotational kinetic energy; the harnessing of any physical force through structure enables energy in one system to be transferred to another system in the desired way, and this is the definition of work. The rate at which work is performed is power, so the idea of structure in the Three of Disks enables the change of the Two of Disks to be harnessed in order that the power which will appear in the Four of Disks can be generated.

Work and discipline are the main characteristics of Capricorn, and in its succedent decan these characteristics are at their strongest, given energy by the rulership of Mars. Unlike some of the other signs, Mars has no detrimental effect on the element of earth, since it is so inert, and beyond corruption. The succedent decan of Capricorn is also influenced by Taurus, which is associated primarily with stability and progress, the latter being something that can only be measured against a background of structure.

Four of Disks

As we foretold in the previous card, the Four of Disks is power. This side of the Abyss, power is the manifest result of structuring the element of earth, the focused transmission of energy for the accomplishment of will. Power — the rate at which work is performed — is the actual structuring and direction of physical energy, and as the first sephirah across the Abyss this card illustrates the ideal functioning of the element of earth on the actual plane.

As with all the Fours, the transition from ideal to actual which occurs in Chesed coincides with the cadent (fading) decan of the cardinal sign of each respective element. In this case, that “fading away” has a direct physical connotation, since work consumes energy in the source system, and it is this consumption which is the fading away. The rulership of the Sun, its position squarely in the centre of the Solar System, represents the harmony in this physical action, and the directorship which allows for the work performed to be efficient, which leads to an increase in power. Virgo — which influences Capricorn's cadent decan — is associated with this efficiency, as well as with the perfectionism and attention to detail which are conducive to such. The combination of this influence with that of the Sun tempers the ambition of Capricorn, and harnesses that energy into a stable and regular structure. There is a suggestion of the humming of a well-oiled machine, here.

Again, each of the Fours, being actual rather than ideal, contain the seeds of their own downfall, and here the source of that downfall is plain to see; energy is consumed in this process, and that energy has only a limited supply. Moreover, all machines and engines wear out with use, as — again, being actual rather than ideal — no process is 100% efficient. Echoing what we saw in the other three suits, the essential problem with the Fours is that their qualities arise from a structure which, being actual, can be broken.

Five of Disks

Geburah is the change sephirah of the actual triad, and the Five of Disks signifies a movement in, or change to, the power-generating structure of the Four. As the saying goes, “power corrupts,” and it is commonly said that what powerful people fear the most is losing their power, this prospect being manifested as worry. Yet again, the Five represents a disturbance in the stability of the Four.

Taurus, in its positive aspect, signifies determination, stability, and steadiness, but in its negative aspect signifies lethargy, indulgence, and — most importantly, here — resistance to change. The ruler of Taurus is Venus, suggesting attraction, union, and balance, but the ruler of the ascendant decan of Taurus is Mercury, which brings analysis and division. Again, the rulership of Mercury shows the effect of the intellect, creating worry at the prospect of its power structure being disturbed, but this is a futile emotion, since we are inevitably faced with a world which changes.

Six of Disks

The error in the worry of the Five, of course, is that the universe has an inexhaustible supply of energy, and there really is no need to be attached to any particular mechanism of generating power. The development of “magical power” conveys an ability to put to effective use any energy which happens to be at hand. The worry of the Five is misplaced, since when faced with a changing environment and changing objectives any fixed power structure will ultimately be found deficient, since its very stability signifies a lack of flexibility; even if the adept could generate power indefinitely with such a structure, it would not help him very much it if didn't generate the particular kind of power that he needed in a given situation. An equilibrated dynamic structure is required to enable him to generate any kind of power that he may reasonably need in a given situation, so, as is always the case in the middle pillar, structure and force must be brought into balance and harmony. The ability to do this, to generate power from the circumstances at hand which is appropriate to the circumstances at hand, will lead to success. In the previous suits, we have associated the Sixes with the best practical manifestation of the element on the actual plane, and the best practical manifestation of the element of earth is one which is conducive to success, and one which can be manipulated in such a way.

The succedent decan of Taurus represents the sign in its strength, being mainly associated with progress, the positive development of a material position in a (dynamically) stable way. The influence of Virgo on this decan brings with it an attention to detail, craftsmanship and a delight in working with material things rather than simply possessing them that ameliorates the resistance to change in Taurus, and allows its positive elements to shine through further. The rulership of the Moon signifies that this process is being conducted in the reflected light of the Sun, enabling the element of earth to be kept in its proper perspective, which prevents the kind of attachment inherent in the Five from distracting the individual and inhibiting his success.

Seven of Disks

Descending across the Veil of Paroketh and into the individual triad, the success of the Six is disturbed by the change sephirah of Netzach; the disturbance of success is naturally failure. The light of Tiphareth being veiled, and the individual triad being in the plane of reflection, we can easily see the error inherent in this idea of “failure.” Failure is a purely interpretative or imaginary quality, arising as it does from a comparison of the actual state of affairs with some previously desired state of affairs.[2] There is nothing inherent in the state of affairs itself which constitutes it as a “failure”; one man's failed project is another man's inspiration and starting point. Past desires can be likened to the economic concept of “sunk costs,” a historic expenditure which cannot be recovered or “undone” and is therefore irrelevant to future decision making. The “proper” objective of the individual is to optimise his position starting from where he is now; where he wanted to be last week is wholly irrelevant to that objective. This is not to deny the reality of the fact that a previous objective was not achieved, but to demonstrate that the failure in question has no bearing on what the individual does now, except insofar as his experience has taught him something of the nature of the universe which may be of use to him.

The attribution to the cadent decan of Taurus — influenced by Capricorn, which here brings an element of attachment to power itself, rather than to the fruits of exercising that power, and to a need to exercise some kind of influence over the environment, regardless of whether or not that influence is “beneficial” — shows the result of trying to stubbornly maintain a “fixed” material position; it soon outlives its purpose, and becomes unsuited to current conditions. The engine may well still work perfectly, and generate precisely the kind of power it was intended to, but if that power is not what is currently required then the individual's objectives will be frustrated, and he will encounter failure. The heavy and retardant influence of the rulership of Saturn prolongs this aversion to change.

This card is a useful illustration of the “true” purpose of the element of earth to the adept; if his aim is to “cause Change to occur in conformity with Will” then what he should be interested in is power over the element of earth, not simply power from the element of earth. Earth is from where his power must ultimately arise, of course, but the important point is that his objective should be to use that power rather than to aimlessly accumulate it. To become attached to a material position is one kind of error, but to become attached to a material position which isn't even helpful to your objectives is of another order entirely. Crowley said in Magick in Theory and Practice of the “postulate of magick” that:

Any required change may be effected by the application of the proper kind and degree of Force in the proper manner, through the proper medium to the proper object … Every failure proves that one or more requirements of the postulate have not been fulfilled.

showing that every failure is the result of either the adept not fully grasping either the nature of the individual situation or the nature of his own being (i.e. his approach is not suited to his objective, as we have just described, or his objective is itself ill-conceived) or not being able to generate the “kind and degree of Force” required, which ultimately amounts to the same thing, since “a Man who is doing his True Will has the inertia of the Universe to assist him.”[3]

Eight of Disks

The Eight of Disks is referred to Hod, the stability sephirah of the individual triad, and like the Eight of Wands[4] (fire being the other “dry” element)[5] the imposition of structure inherent in Hod does not have such a negative effect as it does with the “moist” elements of water and air, and a comparison with this card will be instructive. The Eight of Disks is prudence, and refers to the accumulation of material advantage. The appears to contradict the admonition against an attachment to power that we gave in the previous section, but closer examination reveals that this is not so. Prudence is the acquisition of useful and relevant advantages, even if the ultimate purpose of those advantages may not be immediately clear.

We can draw an analogy with the concept of “positional play” in the game of chess, where a player accumulates a number of small but useful advantages in their own right, in the (often realised) hope that over time these advantages will combine to bring about the possibility of a decisive winning combination, even though the nature of that combination may not be currently known. On a mundane level, even though “a Man who is doing his True Will has the inertia of the Universe to assist him,” the practical fact is that this inertia will not help him unless he is actually able to bring about the desired change. The prudence of the Eight can refer to the acquisition of skills, knowledge and resources which may come in handy later. This far down the Tree, we cannot expect a full knowledge of the will, and in such a case an approach of “looking after the pennies so that the pounds will look after themselves” can be a good one. Moreover, it is overly late to start building a stockpile of weapons and food when siege and war are already upon you.

Virgo is associated with skill, practicality and enterprise, all good qualities for steadily constructing a base of power which can always be useful, and the influence of the rulership of the Sun keeps that construction centred in reality, ensuring that the acquired advantages are relevant, and avoiding the error of acquiring power for power's sake.

Nine of Disks

The Nine of Disks is gain, and represents the element of earth fully developed in the individual. This gain is of the nature of an extension of influence rather than a question of possession; the ultimate objective of the aspirant is to learn to turn the material world to his advantage, and if he can accomplish this without ownership then ownership becomes irrelevant. The gain of the Nine of Disks is an increase in the ability of the aspirant to influence his environment, and every such increase brings him closer to the success of the Six, directly above him on the middle pillar. Yesod in the world of Assiah is really where the study of magick belongs, when considered as a means of development rather than as a description of action.

The attribution to Virgo again brings with it concepts of enterprise and skill, and in full force in the succedent decan — reinforced and directed by the discipline and ambition from the influence of Capricorn — is well suited to the production of gain. The rulership of Venus again gives direction to this growth, as it represents balance and harmony.

Ten of Disks

Finally we come to the last of the small cards, the Ten of Disks. This is wealth, the complete physical manifestation of the element of earth, to the exclusion of the others. As Crowley says in The Book of Thoth:

When wealth accumulates beyond a certain point, it must either become completely inert and cease to be wealth, or call in the aid of intelligence to use it rightly … this may imply that the acquired wealth, being inert, will be dissipated unless put to further use by devoting its power to objects other than mere accumulation.

We may define “wealth” in an economic sense as “anything that has utility and is capable of being appropriated or exchanged,” the important point being that material possessions have no value in and of themselves, but that it is what can be done with them that give them value. As the old saying goes, “you cannot eat money.” If the accumulation of material objects or powers is undertaken for its own sake, the resulting stockpile may hardly be deserving of the title “wealth” if it is divorced from all practical application. This illustrates clearly the nature of the error we described in relation to the Seven of Disks.[6]

Conversely, this card can illustrate the position of the beginning aspirant; he has a surfeit of wealth at his disposal — the entire universe, in fact — but he is ignorant of the possibilities of pressing it into his service, so he is unable to perceive it as wealth. Moving up the Tree, it is not until he starts to gain material influence in the Nine of Disks that he will begin to convert some of this inert material into genuine wealth. This can only be done with the intervention of the other three elements, and down here in Malkuth, the element of earth is cut off from those. This is the last card in the sequence, the Malkuth of the world of Assiah, and represents complete physical manifestation. We described the metaphysical theory of the physical world being derived from the other three elements,[7] and the lesson we learn in the Ten of Disks is that the physical world, cut off from these other elements, is perfectly useless, being dead and inert matter without the vivification of spirit.

The final and cadent decan of Virgo is suggestive of the craftsman who does not know when to stop working on his masterpiece, and resignedly continues chipping away at it, to its detriment; the stubborn influence of Taurus on this decan exacerbates that tendency, as does the influence of Mercury, the natural ruler of Virgo. Sooner or later, he must begin a new task, and begin to convert some new material into wealth, but down here in the Ten he does not have the imagination to see this.

Footnotes

1. Magick in Theory and Practice.
2. Netzach is associated with the individual's desires.
3. Magick in Theory and Practice.
4. See page 39.
5. See page 30.
6. See page 79.
7. See page 71.

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