The Tarot of Eli, LLC-Major Arcana: Thoth Tarot-ATU XIV-Art & The Medieval Feathers Tarot - Key 14-Temperance

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Above all things, know thyself!

"Visit the interior parts of the earth: by rectification thou shalt find the hidden stone."

Pour thine all freely from the Vase in thy

right hand and lose no drop! Hath not thy left

hand a Vase?

Transmute all wholly into the Image of thy

Will, bringing each to its token of

Perfection!

Dissolve the Pearl in the Wine-cup: drink, and

make manifest the Virtue of that Pearl.

- [Book of Thoth, Pg. 253-260]

In many other more Traditional Tarot Decks, ATU/Key 14 is called Temperance rather than Art, which implies the heating and cooling of forged steel to make a keen, flexible blade or the slow cooling down process of tempering glass.

The Alchemical Path of Samekh: The Art of Inner Fusion in the Thoth Tarot

In the Thoth Tarot, ATU XIV is titled “Art”, diverging from the more mundane “Temperance” of traditional decks. This distinction is not merely aesthetic but alchemical—Art in the Hermetic tradition is the sacred science of transformation. It is the process of Solve et Coagula, dissolution and recombination, the harmonizing of opposites through conscious application of Will. This is the card of the Alchemical Magnum Opus—the Great Work—not merely balance, but the creation of something greater through union.

In Western Hermeticism, the ancient discipline of alchemy was referred to as The Art. Not an art of paint and brush, but of Fire and Spirit, governed by the principles of transmutation, purification, and integration. The Thoth Tarot card “Art” masterfully reflects this process, where opposing elements—masculine and feminine, fire and water, red lion and white eagle—are not merely reconciled, but fused into a new third thing: a perfected Self.

At the base of this process lies the Path of Samekh on the Tree of Life, bridging Yesod (Foundation) and Tiphareth (Beauty). This path is the initiatory tunnel through which the ego-bound personality is tempered in the fires of the Soul. The Hebrew letter Samekh (ס), which means “prop” or “support,” is attributed to this path. It represents a stabilizing force, a spiritual scaffolding upholding the aspirant through the initiatory ordeal between the subconscious (Yesod) and the Solar Self (Tiphareth).

Aleister Crowley, in Liber 777, describes Samekh as “the Womb preserving Life,” a profound symbolism that points to the central mystery of gestation within darkness—a metaphor for the alchemical container. Crowley adds: “Self-control and self-sacrifice govern the Wheel.” This is a reference not only to the Orphic wheel of incarnation but to the personal Wheel of transformation: one must hold their inner opposites in tension without premature resolution, until they spontaneously synthesize a higher form.

In the Thoth Art card, the alchemical process is rendered vividly. The androgynous alchemist, a fusion of Sun and Moon, stands between polarities. With one hand, lightning—symbol of Will-to-Force (Chokmah)—is directed downward; with the other, elixirs—Will-to-Form (Binah)—are poured upward. Both are poured into the Graäl at the center, the cauldron of transformation, representing the womb of Samekh: a metaphysical crucible where conscious energy is being sublimated and refined. The figure is surrounded by intricate geometries, representing the sacred structure of the universe, the intelligible pattern upon which Art operates. This is not chaotic mixing but divine proportion—Tiphareth itself is the Sephirah of harmony and beauty through balance.

The Art card is also a formula for ritual and magick. It whispers the secret that true transformation is not about destruction of polarity, but the mastery of it. It requires the strength to hold fire and water together, the patience to distill essence from illusion, and the discipline to endure the heat of internal alchemical fire. This is why the path of Samekh is also associated with the Dark Night of the Soul—a spiritual fermentation, a phase of sacred purification between personality and Higher Self.

In practice, invoking ATU XIV is to affirm:
“I am the reconciler of opposites. I am the Artificer of my Soul. Through Fire and Water, I become the One.”

As the alchemist stands balanced between dualities, so too must the aspirant learn to stand between the inner extremes—neither repressing nor indulging, but fusing through awareness, restraint, and sacred will. This is the true meaning of Temperance—not moderation, but transmutation.

Thus, the Thoth Tarot's Art is not about tempering passions—it is about forging the Philosopher’s Stone within the Temple of the Self.

Your soul is a plasma entity/Psyche much like stars which are primarily composed of plasma, which is one of the four fundamental states of matter (along with solid, liquid, and gas). Plasma is a highly ionized gas where electrons are separated from their parent atoms or molecules, resulting in a soup of charged particles—positive ions and free electrons.

How Plasma Relates to Stars

:High Temperatures: The extreme temperatures in stars cause atoms to collide with enough energy to strip electrons from their nuclei, forming plasma.

1. Energy Source: Stars, including our Sun, generate energy through nuclear fusion. In their cores, hydrogen nuclei (protons) fuse to form helium, releasing tremendous amounts of energy as light and heat. This process occurs in the plasma state.
2. Structure: The plasma in a star is held together by gravity, which creates a balance between the inward pull of gravity and the outward pressure from the energy generated in the core.

In summary, stars are massive, luminous spheres of plasma, powered by nuclear fusion at their cores, and their behavior and structure are deeply influenced by the properties of this unique state of matter.

The human soul, Solar-Self, is also very similar to a Star as it is the sun around the body (plasmic Auric Field) and its energy frequencies enter through spinning vortexes and/or chakras and thereby, operate a coagulated plasmic form (human body) in its name of "I AM".

Aleister Crowley often referred to people as "stars" in his writings, particularly in his magnum opus, The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis). This concept is rooted in his philosophy of Thelema, where he emphasizes the individuality, divinity, and unique purpose of each person.

Key References and Context:

1. The Book of the Law:

   • In Chapter I, Verse 3, he writes: "Every man and every woman is a star."
   • This statement encapsulates the idea that every individual has their own unique orbit or path in life, akin to stars moving through the cosmos. It suggests autonomy, uniqueness, and divine potential.

2. Thelemic Philosophy:

   • Crowley taught that each person is a microcosm of the macrocosm, reflecting the divine in their individuality.
   • This metaphor aligns with his emphasis on True Will, the unique purpose or destiny of each person, comparable to the gravitational trajectory of a star in space.

3. Stars in the Mystical and Astrological Sense:

   • In Western Hermetic Qabalah, stars are often symbolic of divine light and the infinite potential of the universe. Crowley's use of the term builds on these esoteric traditions, blending them with his vision of spiritual self-realization.

Crowley’s poetic and mystical language reinforces the idea that everyone is both connected to and responsible for their own spiritual journey, shining brightly in their own way.

The Path of Samekh: Alchemical Passage from Moon to Sun

In the Western Hermetic Qabalah, the Path of Samekh is the spiritual bridge that leads from Yesod (Foundation) to Tiphareth (Beauty)—a transition from the reflected subconscious of the Moon to the radiant solar center of the Soul. It is the passage from Personality to Higher Self, from the dreams and illusions of the ego to the radiant truth of the Solar Being. On the Thoth Tarot, this initiatory path is symbolized by ATU XIV – Art, the card of alchemical transmutation.

This is not a gentle ascent. It is the passage through the long, dark tunnel of the soul, the crucible where the egoic personality must be tempered, purified, and transformed.

Yesod is the realm of the Moon, the domain of dreams, impressions, astral phantasms, sexual desire, and personal identity. It is our psychic echo chamber, reflecting the higher energies of the Tree of Life through the distortions of emotion, memory, and unconscious reflex. Here, we do not see the Light, we reflect it—like a moonlit lake beneath the stars, shimmering but unstable.

Tiphareth, on the other hand, is the Sun—the Plasmic Solar-Soul Source, the true center of Self. It is the seat of the Higher Genius, the Holy Guardian Angel, and the divine harmony of the human and the divine. It radiates life, love, and purpose—not as a mirror but as an inner fire. The Sun does not reflect—it emanates.

Samekh: The Tunnel of Art

The Hebrew letter Samekh (ס), meaning “prop” or “support,” forms this connecting Path on the Tree of Life. The spiritual significance of a “prop” becomes evident here: this path supports the very structure of the Great Work. Samekh is the stabilizing inner spine upon which the aspirant’s resolve must lean as they face the dissolution of the known Self. It is the very architecture of the initiatory trial.

This journey is often perceived internally as a tunnel through darkness, where one must walk by faith, not by sight. The aspirant may feel utterly alone, severed from comfort and identity, as their lower constructs disintegrate. Yet the hidden alchemy of this passage is encoded in the formula of the Art card: opposites must be mixed in equal proportion—Fire and Water, Will and Form, Male and Female, Spirit and Matter—until they birth a new whole. This is the Androgyne of the Soul, the “Child of the Conjunction.”

This inner Art is not merely about balancing opposites but fusing them through spiritual heat and conscious application. The cauldron in the Thoth Tarot image is the vessel of Samekh—a symbolic womb, the Self as alchemical container, where the elements of psyche undergo sacred fermentation. Lightning from the Will-to-Force is combined with the elixir of Will-to-Form; this is the sexual-spiritual polarity that fuels all creation.

As Above, So Below: Star Above, Star Below

The enormity of this inner Great Work can scarcely be overstated. As the aspirant walks this tunnel, the ancient Hermetic axiom comes alive:
"As Above, So Below."
 

The star above—Tiphareth—is mirrored by the star below—Yesod. The lower personality must align with the Higher Solar Self. In this alignment, a new consciousness is born.

But before this integration, one must face the fear of annihilation. The aspirant may believe there is Light at the end, but they do not know. The tunnel seems endless. The old ego resists dissolution, often creating spiritual doubt, projections, and even perceived regression. However, this stage is necessary. The Self must be unmade to be remade.

This is the Night Sea Journey. This is Inanna’s descent through the gates. This is the passage of Orpheus into the underworld, of the Christ into the tomb. Only when the aspirant surrenders—not in weakness but in conscious stillness—can the inner Sun rise.

Alchemical Triumph: Becoming the Solar Child

When the work of Art is complete, when fire and water no longer repel but dance as one, the Sun rises within. Tiphareth is not a place one arrives at but a state one becomes. The aspirant, now tempered like a sword in the flames of transformation, realizes their identity as a Solar Soul—a Star reborn in the flesh.

The journey from Moon to Sun is not the destruction of the personality, but its transmutation. Yesod is no longer the shadow of the Sun—it becomes its reflection in sacred symmetry. The Self becomes a conscious vessel of Beauty, a living Grail of the Divine.

Ritual Reflection

To walk the Path of Samekh in ritual or meditation, visualize yourself standing between two great columns. One emits silver light (Yesod), the other golden light (Tiphareth). Between them, a dark tunnel beckons. Carry no weapons, only Will. Know that what walks into the tunnel will not emerge unchanged. The one who exits will be the Artificer of their Soul.

This Path of Samekh, the Art card, has been called one of the Paths of "the dark night of the Soul", verifying that this is a Path of trial and temptation.

Samekh: The Intelligence of Probation and the Feminine Womb of Stars

The Path of Samekh, running from Yesod (Foundation) to Tiphareth (Beauty) on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, is more than an initiatory trial—it is the gestational chamber of rebirth, the Great Womb of the Mysteries. According to Dr. Paul Foster Case, in his seminal Hermetic text The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom, Samekh is called the "Intelligence of Probation." This name alone suggests a rite of passage, a crucible wherein the soul is tried, tested, and transformed—not unlike the secret trials of the Mystery Schools where one must prove the purity and readiness of their essence before crossing the threshold of inner gnosis.

In Gnostic literature, this Path is also known as "The Daughter of the Reconcilers, the Bringer-Forth of Life." This evocative title deepens our understanding, linking the Path of Samekh to the sacred feminine—She who reconciles opposites and births new realities from their union. Thus, Samekh serves as both a guardian and a midwife of spiritual transformation, demanding balance and inner synthesis before one may access the Heart-Sun of Tiphareth.

All these layers of meaning circle back to the primeval Great Mother archetype—Binah, the Supernal Womb on the Tree of Life. Binah is the Sanctifying Intelligence, the Great Sea (Marah), the container within which the seed of Chokmah (Wisdom) germinates into Form. She is the cosmic matrix through which all manifestation flows, yet she is also the Abyss, the place of dissolution where the ego dies to be reborn in higher light. The Path of Samekh thus becomes the alchemical distillation of Binah’s essence, brought down to the individual scale. One must pass through Her darkness to be re-formed in Her light.

The Androgynous Figure: Shadow and Light United

On the Thoth Tarot’s Art card (ATU XIV), Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris artistically encapsulate this paradox. The central alchemical figure is a radiant androgyny, possessing both male and female attributes, and strikingly, multiple breasts—a visual reference to the nourishing aspect of the Great Mother. This being is not a binary composite but a transcendent fusion: a divine hermaphrodite. They embody both shadow and light, expressing the Hermetic axiom of equilibrium between all dualities. It is only through this internal union that the aspirant becomes whole—becomes Art.

This fusion figure pours fire and water into a central cauldron, but does not allow either element to dominate. The elixirs meet at the exact point of synthesis—a representation of Samekh’s essential function: to hold opposites in tension long enough for a higher synthesis to be born. This echoes the path’s association with Probation—the testing ground where inner imbalances are corrected through conscious refinement.

Sagittarius and Diana: Archer of the Inner Horizon

Astrologically, Samekh is ruled by Sagittarius, the sign of the Archer—the aspirant whose arrow is aimed at higher truth, spiritual vision, and the solar destiny of the Soul. Yet this figure also has its roots in the mythic Diana, the Roman Moon goddess, Huntress of the wild, and protectress of sacred feminine autonomy. Diana is not merely lunar; she is a liminal archetype—wandering between light and dark, forest and temple, intuition and aim. In this light, Sagittarius expresses not only masculine aspiration but also feminine sovereignty.

The Thoth Tarot reflects this with masterful subtlety. The path of the Archer is inward, targeting not an external goal but the Solar Self—Tiphareth—the Sun within. To hit that target, the aspirant must pass through the veils of illusion (Yesod), endure the heat of the internal cauldron (Samekh), and emerge as a spiritually tempered being. Diana, like Binah, is both huntress and guardian, guiding the soul through shadow toward illumination.

The Abyssal Womb and the Birther of Stars

In the highest metaphysical sense, the Path of Samekh is the Abyssal Womb through which the Star-Self is born. The feminine archetype here is not passive—it is cosmic, creational, and sovereign. Just as the physical womb shields and nurtures a forming child, the Path of Samekh shelters the aspirant in darkness until the new Self is ready to emerge. Here, the feminine is not the opposite of the masculine, but its necessary container and transformer.

This is why the Thoth Art card is so deeply resonant. It does not show a balance scale, but a creative alchemical act, expressing the power of feminine depth to birth the divine through fusion, not opposition. The womb of Binah becomes the chalice in which the solar wine is fermented. She is the Star Mother, the matrix of all paths, and the one who initiates through dissolution.

Except for the FOOL (0), all the figures of the Tarot are Mother Binah (Understanding) and Father Chokmah (Wisdom) in different states of Force and Form. As Diana of the Moon, she governs the tides of Earth, and the fluctuations of the Astral Current (unconsciousness). Therefore, the Creatrix is the Natural framework and support for the waxing and waning of the Energy of Existence.

There is only One Energy (the Eternal He), from which the Universe is constructed and She/Creatrix (The eternal Magnetic) represents the control and manipulation within specific bounds and restrictions and/or measurement of that energy in manifestation; Hence she is the authority over form, and she authorizes the emperor to act as architect and/or measurer.

The Divine Child Within: The Alchemy of Samekh and the Birth of the Solar Self

In their illuminating text Voice of Isis, Hariette and Homer Curtis describe the Universal Mother—the Great Womb of all becoming—as "the power of bringing forth in humanity the Divine Child or the Christ." This is not a reference to a singular religious figure but to the archetypal Solar Self, the Christos, the radiant inner being latent within every soul.

This Divine Child is the authentic Self—the Light-Bearer born not from flesh, but from conscious spiritual fusion. This birth is neither biological nor symbolic—it is alchemical. It is the rebirth of the Solar Psyche, and it occurs through a sacred process: the conquest of the Path of Samekh, known as The Art in the Thoth Tarot.

The Great Work of Samekh: Blending Water and Fire

The Path of Samekh, stretching from Yesod (Moon/Foundation) to Tiphareth (Sun/Beauty), is the crucible in which the alchemical fusion of Water and Fire is achieved. This is the Work of balancing and then blending the two great opposites of inner experience:

• Water represents emotion, imagination, intuition, the subconscious mind. It is the Moon’s realm, reactive, reflective, associated with Yesod and the Nephesh—the primal soul that governs instinct and sensation.

• Fire represents Will, spiritual energy, active consciousness. It is Solar, directive, associated with Tiphareth and the higher aspects of soul—Ruach and Neshamah—the realms of awakened mind and divine intuition.

To walk the Path of Samekh is to bring these polarities into union within the Self, and thereby become something new. This process is not symbolic poetry—it is real, initiatory transformation. The lunar personality, which reflects light from external sources (social roles, programmed beliefs, ego defenses), must be transmuted by the direct fire of the Higher Self. When Water and Fire are blended in the inner cauldron, the result is the birth of the Divine Child of Light—your true Solar identity.

You Are the Divine Child—Not the Adult Fantasy

The so-called “adult you” is a construct. It is a ruler-created persona, a survival mask worn by the Nephesh as it navigates social systems. It is not the real you. It is a phantasm of control, woven from fear, duty, shame, and reward. This false adult self ages, crumbles, and fears death because it is built on illusions.

But you, in truth, are an infinite Plasmic Entity.
You are the Divine Child of Light—not born of man, nor woman, but of the Womb of Stars.
You are the Radiance that enters a vessel in order to awaken it.

The idea of the “inner child” is not a psychological metaphor—it is an esoteric truth. That Child Within is not a past version of yourself—it is your eternal Self, untouched by time, unaging, radiant with the Solar light of Tiphareth. The Divine Child is your Celestial Personality, your Star-Soul, projected through time via the human form but originating in infinity. It does not mature or deteriorate—it simply is.

To awaken this Child, the aspirant must reclaim the power stored in their own subconscious. All that you have suppressed, feared, forgotten, or cast into shadow is not your weakness—it is your raw spiritual material. It is the substance of transmutation. This is why I say:

"Within your shadow is stored all your power."

Just as Binah—the Great Mother—conceals the highest light in Her depths, so too does your shadow conceal your brilliance. To reclaim your Solar Self, you must descend into the Moon’s subconscious chamber (Yesod), gather the Waters, and blend them with Fire. You must become the Artificer of your own Soul.

The Art of Becoming: Tarot as Alchemy, Scrying, and Pathwalking

It must be clearly understood that the Art card—ATU XIV in the Thoth Tarot, traditionally called Temperance—does not depict the birth itself, but instead demonstrates the inner formula by which rebirth is made possible. This distinction is subtle, yet vital. Rebirth, the emergence of the Divine Child or Solar Self, is not something that can be visually rendered or neatly summarized. It is an inner transmutation, a Mystery that cannot be captured by language. Thus, the imagery of the Art card functions not as revelation, but as cipher—a visual glyph of what is unsayable.

The Limits of Language and the Power of Symbol

The Art card’s synthesis of opposites—fire and water, masculine and feminine, red lion and white eagle—is not an answer but an alchemical question posed to the soul. It does not show us the Light itself, but the sacred container in which the Light may be born. The geometric designs and the androgynous alchemist represent the preparation of consciousness, the Great Work of bringing opposites into equilibrium within the vessel of Self.

But what this card ultimately points to is this:

Symbolism exists because language fails to transmit the Real.

In other words, the Western Hermetic Tarot was never designed to be merely “read” like a book of definitions. It was created as a Book of Paths, a living map of the multidimensional Self. To confine it to numbers, keywords, and memorized associations is to turn a living initiatory system into trivia.

This is why the true Western Hermetic Qabalistic Tarot Reader is not one who simply memorizes correspondences between the cards, astrological glyphs, or Hebrew letters. These are scaffolds, yes—but not the Structure. True understanding of the Tarot begins when one engages the cards as doors, not concepts.

Scrying and Walking the Paths: Tarot as Direct Experience

To be a Hermetic Tarot practitioner is to enter a state of gnosis through experience, and this requires a pathwalker’s mindset. Each card is a living glyph, a Path of Light connecting the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. The reader is not a passive interpreter—they are an active traveler. They step onto the card and walk its terrain inwardly.

This is done through:

• Scrying the Cards: Not just looking at them but looking into them. The symbols, colors, and geometries become gateways that stimulate the inner senses (clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience). The Art card, when scryed properly, begins to reveal not knowledge—but sensation of synthesis.

• Turning the Subjective into Objective Sensation: What begins as imagination, if refined and focused, transmutes into visionary experience. This is how the subjective inner world is tempered into real spiritual perception—the same process depicted by the Art card.

This is the Art of the Tarot: the fusion of Will and Form, Imagination and Awareness, until the Light of the Higher Self is no longer abstract—it becomes palpable.

The Inner-Alchemical Space: Creating a Temple of Tarot

Working with the Tarot as a true initiatory tool requires ritual space, both physically and psychically. This is not superstition—it is alignment. One must create a dedicated environment that reflects the sacredness of the Work. Suggestions include:

• A quiet area used only for Tarot, pathworking, or meditation

• An altar aligned with the cardinal directions, with elemental representations

• Placement of relevant cards on the altar, arranged as gates or mandalas

• Candles, incense, and ritual tools to anchor the subtle energy

Most importantly, one should craft and consecrate a scrying mirror. A scrying mirror is a black or obsidian mirror, often circular, that serves as a gateway into the astral and subconscious realms. It is used for:

• Deepening vision during Tarot meditation

• Contacting inner guides or archetypal forces of the cards

• Receiving images or messages from the Higher Self during ritual

This mirror is symbolic of Yesod itself—the reflective Moon—and its surface, when properly activated through trance or intention, allows one to access the astral landscape behind the symbol.

Conclusion: The Tarot is Not a Tool. It is a Temple.

Reading the Tarot is not merely divination—it is a sacred inner technology. The reader becomes the alchemist. The cards become the elixirs. The Temple becomes the crucible.

To engage the Tarot as the ancients did is to walk the Paths with eyes closed, yet soul awake, guided not by certainty, but by resonance.

The Art card teaches us the hidden science of synthesis, not by telling, but by inviting us to embody its Mystery. In this way, the reader becomes the vessel, the Fire and Water converge, and the Divine Child of Light begins to stir.

*To begin making a dark-scrying mirror one just buys an inexpensive small- framed mirror or an obsidian mirror. To make a dark mirror-take the glass out of the frame and paint the back of the mirror glass black (traditionally they used soot) after the paint dries then reframe it. Place it on a table where you can sit and comfortably look into the mirror. Place 2 candles by its sides, and prop the Tarot Card you wish to scry, face forward to mirror so that it reflects in the mirror. Stare at this reflection observing the image as it flickers in the candlelight. Begin imagining yourself as the being in the card. After a time, this image will change, revealing even more arcane secrets to the observer.

(Highly recommended!).

Temperance as the Elixir of Compassion: The Neshamah at Work

In the Medieval Feathers Tarot, Key 14—Temperance—is portrayed not merely as a passive angelic figure, but as a beautiful alchemist, a sacred chemist laboring with grace and intention to mix a healing solution. This is not a distant or detached archetype. She is intimate, compassionate, and deeply human in her divine role. Her purpose is not abstract balance but the direct alleviation of suffering—to ease pain, calm anxious hearts, and offer spiritual salve to those enduring trials of body, mind, and soul.

The pitcher and its streaming liquid are symbolic not just of material concoction, but of inspiration drawn from a higher source. In this deck, that source is represented by the Quail Feather—a symbol of self-resilience, quiet strength, and the sacred power of endurance. The quail, though small, holds fast in adversity, walking paths others fear to tread. It reminds us that true healing flows from the courage to face one's own pain without fleeing, and from the inner resourcefulness cultivated through self-knowledge.

Temperance and the Neshamah: Intuition as Inner Healer

This archetype profoundly reflects the work of the Neshamah, the third and highest soul-aspect on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The Neshamah is the intuitive intelligence, the “Breath of the Divine” within the human microcosm. It is the inner bridge that connects the Ruach (rational mind) to the Supernal realms of Binah, Chokmah, and Kether. This is the aspect of soul that does not reason—it knows in silence.

In this image of the chemist-alchemist, we see the Neshamah in action—working alchemically through subtle channels of the psyche, not to force change, but to gently temper it. The very word temperance is derived from the Latin temperare, meaning “to mix in due proportion.” The Neshamah does not demand or judge; it guides through the soft whisper of insight, helping us see where we have acted in ways that caused harm—and offering us the inner tools to reconcile and restore.

The Elixir of Responsibility and Forgiveness

What elevates this depiction of Temperance beyond a mere scene of comfort is its moral and initiatory dimension. The elixir being prepared is not simply a balm for the wounded—it is also a solution that awakens self-awareness. Through her action, the Temperance figure suggests that we must not only seek healing, but take responsibility for the pain we ourselves have caused.

This is a subtle but profound teaching.

The alchemist’s art is not to escape pain, but to transmute it. This card suggests that true solace begins when one is able to forgive not only those who have transgressed against us, but more challengingly, to forgive ourselves for the ways in which we have wounded others—whether consciously or unconsciously.

This is the alchemical process of internal reconciliation, in which the inner elements of guilt, grief, anger, and remorse are not denied or rejected, but blended, balanced, and transformed into a new state of consciousness. In this sense, Temperance becomes a sacred physician of the soul, showing us that emotional and spiritual healing must walk hand-in-hand with self-responsibility and moral integration.

A Ritual Reflection

When this card arises in meditation or divination, consider the following questions:

• What pain am I holding that still seeks healing?

• Have I made peace with the pain I’ve caused others?

• Where have I failed to forgive myself, and what truth would set me free?

• What parts of myself need to be blended, not battled?

And perhaps say inwardly:

“I call upon the Neshamah, the Breath of the Higher Self within me.
Teach me to mix wisely the waters of emotion and the fire of will.
Help me create an elixir of compassion that restores both my heart
and the hearts I have touched.
May the tempering of spirit begin within.”

The Art Card is not as overly symbolic as some believe, it symbolizes the Alchemical Art where Fire (Plasma) becomes Water and Water becomes Fire-Plasma (…"When the male is no longer male and the female, female.”- Gnostic Gospel of Didymus Judas Thomas-Nag Hamdi Library). This tempering is an androgynous process, describing an actual event/process that happens in the aspirant's material body, i.e., an actual physical transformation where the Anima and Animus become/return to the One and become present in a Personality of Oneness. Thereby returning the original 0=2 back to 2=1. Hence, we have illustrated on this card an androgynous figure, combining the Water (consciousness with Lightning -Fiery- Plasmic Energy) creating in the Golden Cistern (the Human body) what is known as the Living Water and/or consciousness vivified by merging with the Solar Fiery Spirit.

By bringing Spirit (Pranic breath) into the body, Spirit's fiery nature not only tempers the consciousness, (blending left side and right side of the brain) one also tempers the subconscious with consciousness, the plasmic entity with the crystalized plasmic human form and thus forming "something more than the sum of its parts." A union of the Androgynous Master and Masterpiece!

Therefore, overall, the Art Card- ATU/Key14, is the consummation of the Divine Marriage, depicted on the Lovers card ATU/ Key 6, here the " Fiery Orgasm of Spiritual He and She intertwine as one flow" has been reached. There is a perfect interchange of forces, as the Red Lion has become white, and the White lion has become Red. The Art card shows Water being poured on Plasmic Fire; therefore, Plasmic Fire is merged with Water, all within the purified physical vehicle, shown as the Golden Cauldron, i.e. the master's body.

We know that this cauldron is the physical body by the equal armed cross of the 4 Universal elements and the Raven and Skull sign of Caput Mortem, (death) implying the mortal form. Also Get and read the Textbook, The Qabalistic Tarot by Robert Wang, and Thoth Tarot book, The Book of Thoth by Aleister Crowley for further in-depth explanation of this coded process of returning to the Divine Hermaphrodite (combination of Hermes and Aphrodite)/Divine Androgyny. In Alchemy, "the Art", combining water and fire in perfect weight and balance, is considered the most difficult of processes.

The Golden Aura of Art: Alchemical Inscription of Inner Realization

Surrounding the central figure of the Thoth Tarot’s Art card (ATU XIV) is a golden solar aura, subtle yet deliberate, radiating the Solar force of Tiphareth. Etched into this radiant field—admittedly in Crowley’s signature idiosyncratic script—is one of the most sacred mottos of Hermetic Alchemy:

“Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem”
(Visit the interior parts of the earth: by rectification, thou shalt find the hidden stone).

This Latin phrase, often abbreviated as VITRIOL, is one of the most potent symbolic formulas in alchemy, both exoteric and esoteric. It contains the key to the Magnum Opus, the Great Work—not just as an intellectual exercise, but as a transformative inner process.

“Visit the Interior of the Earth” – The Descent Into the Self

In Hermetic Qabalah and Alchemy, “the Earth” is not merely the material world—it is the body, the fleshly vessel, the lower unconscious realms of Malkuth and Yesod. To “visit the interior of the Earth” is to turn inward—to confront the subconscious strata of your own being: your Nephesh, your shadows, your traumas, your primal instincts, and your repressed spiritual fire.

It also suggests entering the alchemical cave, the Womb of Transformation. It is no accident that this parallels the descent of Inanna into the Underworld, or Christ into the tomb. The interior is the psychic earth where the buried gold—the inner Sun—awaits discovery.

This is the first act of the Art card: to prepare the self as a sacred vessel by descending inward, cleansing, confronting, and witnessing the raw material of the soul.

“By Rectification...” – The Alchemical Fire of Correction

Rectificatio means purification, correction, the burning away of dross. It is the phase of Solve et Coagula, in which the psyche is disassembled and reassembled. Through ritual, pathworking, conscious suffering, integration of shadow, emotional healing, and application of Will, the aspirant refines the self into a clearer vessel for spiritual Light.

In the Art card, this is symbolized by the mixing of fire and water—two elements that naturally oppose and annihilate each other unless stabilized through conscious alchemical fusion. The Adept must hold the tension of opposites, blending without collapsing. This temperance is the rectification: not erasing parts of the self but transmuting them into spiritual gold.

This is where the Kundalini concept begins to emerge—the inner fire (Serpent Power) which, once awakened, purifies the spine, ignites the chakras, and leads to illumination. Crowley often referred to it as “inner plasma”—a charged life-current, the alchemical fire that rises through the Tree of Life within the body.

“...Thou Shalt Find the Hidden Stone” – The Philosopher’s Stone as the Embodied Soul

The Occultum Lapidem, or Philosopher’s Stone, is not a literal mineral. In the Western Hermetic current, it is:

• The crystallized Self,

• The fusion of Spirit and Matter,

• The body awakened to its Divine Light,

• The immortal consciousness forged through the fusion of opposites.

It is the solar body, not of flesh alone, but of refined energy—the risen Soul in the body, the awakened Neshamah inhabiting the human temple consciously.

In yogic traditions, this corresponds to Kundalini reaching the Crown, but in Hermeticism, it means the descent of the Supernal Light into the purified vessel of the body. This is the True Gold of the Alchemists: the Light of Kether infused through Tiphareth into Malkuth—the Star-Self incarnated consciously in the Temple of Form.

The Art card, then, is not merely symbolic. It is instructional, showing how the Adept becomes the Philosopher’s Stone:

• by descending within,

• purifying the self through the fire of rectification,

• and integrating the opposites into a permanent fusion of Spirit and Flesh.

Ritual Formula Inspired by the Art Card Inscription:

Mantra for Meditation or Pathworking:

“I enter the earth of my own being.
I purify through sacred fire.
I transmute fear into flame, shadow into light.
Within the vessel of self, I find the Stone.
I am the fusion of opposites.
I am the Light embodied.”

Caution: There is a reason this card is called Art or Temperance.

Premature Kundalini awakening can lead to a range of challenges and difficulties. Kundalini energy is a powerful force, and when it rises unexpectedly or prematurely without proper guidance, it can result in various physical, emotional, and psychological issues called Kriya. Here are some potential problems associated with premature Kundalini awakening:

1. Physical Discomfort: Individuals may experience physical discomfort such as intense heat, vibrations, or electrical sensations along the spine and throughout the body. This can be overwhelming and may lead to health concerns if not managed properly.

2. Emotional Instability: Kundalini awakening can bring up intense and unresolved emotions. Individuals may experience mood swings, anxiety, depression, or other emotional challenges. Unpredictable emotional states can impact personal relationships and daily functioning.

3. Psychological Disturbances: Premature Kundalini awakening may trigger psychological disturbances, including hallucinations, paranoia, or a sense of losing touch with reality. This can be particularly challenging for those who are not prepared for such experiences.

4. Sleep Disruption: Changes in energy flow and heightened awareness can disrupt sleep patterns. Insomnia or vivid and unusual dreams may occur, leading to fatigue and decreased overall well-being.

5. Uncontrolled Psychic Experiences: Some individuals may report heightened psychic abilities or experiences of expanded consciousness. While these can be seen as positive, they can be overwhelming and disorienting when not properly understood or integrated.

6. Lack of Grounding: Kundalini awakening can lead to a sense of being ungrounded or disconnected from everyday reality. This lack of grounding can make it challenging to navigate daily life and responsibilities.

7. Spiritual Crisis: Premature Kundalini awakening can trigger a spiritual crisis, where individuals may question their beliefs, values, and the nature of reality. This can be a profound and unsettling experience that requires careful navigation.

8. Physical and Energetic Imbalances: The sudden release of Kundalini energy can lead to imbalances in the body's energy system. This may manifest as physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive issues, or heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli.

Given the potential challenges associated with premature Kundalini awakening, it's crucial for individuals to approach spiritual/Energy practices with caution and seek guidance from experienced teachers or practitioners. Proper preparation, a gradual approach to spiritual development, and a supportive community can help mitigate the risks associated with Kundalini awakening.

The Thoth- ATU 14- Art Card golden Cauldron is shown, with the Eagle and Lion images shown on both sides. From this heated cauldron rises plasmic energy in the form of an arrow and bow. This implies the sign of Sagittarius that is assigned to this card.

Sagittarius is the ninth astrological sign in the zodiac, symbolized by the Archer. Here are some key attributes and characteristics often associated with Sagittarius:

Positive Traits

1. Adventurous: Sagittarians have a love for exploration and adventure. They are always eager to experience new things and travel to new places.
2. Optimistic: They are known for their positive outlook on life. Even in challenging situations, Sagittarians tend to see the silver lining and remain hopeful.
3. Honest: Sagittarians value truth and honesty. They are straightforward and prefer to speak their minds, sometimes to a fault.
4. Independent: Freedom is crucial for Sagittarians. They thrive when they have the space to pursue their interests and goals.
5. Philosophical: They often have a deep interest in philosophical and spiritual matters. Sagittarians love to ponder the bigger questions in life.

Negative Traits

1. Impatient: Their desire for constant activity and movement can make them impatient and restless, especially when things move too slowly for their liking.
2. Blunt: While their honesty is appreciated, it can sometimes come across as tactlessness. Sagittarians might hurt others' feelings without intending to.
3. Overconfident: Their optimistic nature can sometimes lead to overconfidence and taking unnecessary risks.
4. Irresponsible: Their quest for freedom can sometimes make them appear irresponsible, as they may neglect duties or commitments.
5. Inconsistent: Sagittarians' love for new experiences can make them fickle and inconsistent, often leaving projects unfinished.

Element and Ruling Planet

• Element: Fire. Sagittarius is a fire sign, which contributes to their passionate, enthusiastic, and dynamic nature.
• Ruling Planet: Jupiter. This planet is associated with growth, expansion, and abundance, enhancing Sagittarians' love for adventure and learning.

Symbolism and Mythology

• Symbol: The Archer (centaur with a bow and arrow). This represents the Sagittarian quest for knowledge and truth, as well as their desire to aim high and achieve their goals.
• Mythology: In Greek mythology, Sagittarius is often associated with the centaur Chiron, known for his wisdom, teaching abilities, and healing skills.

Compatibility

Sagittarius is typically considered most compatible with Aries, Leo, and other Sagittarians. They tend to connect well with fellow fire signs who share their enthusiasm and love for adventure.

Career and Interests

Sagittarians excel in careers that offer variety and opportunities for growth, such as travel, teaching, writing, and entrepreneurship. They are often drawn to professions that allow them to explore new ideas and places.

Health

Sagittarians generally have a robust constitution, but their active lifestyle can sometimes lead to accidents or injuries. They need to ensure they balance their energetic pursuits with rest and self-care.

These characteristics make Sagittarians vibrant and engaging individuals, always on the lookout for their next big adventure.

The stylized sacred geometry surrounding the Androgynous Alchemist, who is Two equaling One, implies the fertile success of such an action of water and fire balance. This is not a balance achieved overnight, it requires persistence, diligence, much like the Macrocosmic stirring of energy frequencies in a measure space, in this case a microcosmic golden chalice under the supervision of a macrocosmic alchemist, where alchemical elixirs and a tempering inner plasmic fire is slowly applied to create a golden androgyne that becomes something new, expanded, and wonderous.

The imagery of this vibrant Thoth card describes what it is to be a personal Master of your Alchemy of Life. When Present, we are Life, who builds "lifetimes" under an alchemical process of combining Imagination and Measurement (rationale) in the body cauldron of "light and magnetism", i.e., Plasmic Fire and Water.

Deep within this cauldron or chalice of combined "star and planet stuff", lies a fire that is banked in most people, but is reignited by the enlightened. This fiery source is called the Kundalini. This should only be ignited by the Divine Alchemist, the Sun of God and Goddess, the beauty of Tiphareth-the sixth Sephiroth, and/or the Solar Self. Premature firing without the proper amount of Water (intuitive/emotional consciousness/Neshamah) and Fire (Spiritual Psyche-Rauch) swirling in a combining dance of joy within the body, will cause a calamity or joy that will melt down the personality. Therefore, never let the microcosm ignite this alchemical process, only the inner marriage of the Rauch and Neshamah should handle such a delicate balance process.

This wonderful card is an encouragement to become a master of vibrant alchemy which will challenge the physical sense of self. When we walk hand in hand with our inner Hierophant, and learn by a process of perseverance, diligence, and wisdom, how to perform this wonderful union of the Macrocosm with the Microcosm; only then will we be truly present.

The Spiritual Fire of the Solar Self, when focused with the intent of "Above all things, Know thyself", turns the Fire, Air, Water, Earth, of the body into the "Philosopher's stone" (The brain looks like a Peach "stone", and is transformed in this heated-bright-warm process of physiological transformation "from above to the below") as it welds together the male and female aspect of the Brain into one magnificent copy of the "Above Mind" of the Divine Creative. The Intent and perfect functional balance of the 2 returning to 1, makes the Magus/Philosopher.

This inner alchemical process is often described by Qabalists as a personal application of the Yod (fire) and Heh (water) uniting in the body to produce Vau (Air) within the individual crucible of form which is Heh-final and Earth. This is described as a "Spiritual Orgasm", "The Rapture", or "The Ecstasy" which is a process demanding inner manipulation of sexual forces known as serpent forces (Plasmic frequencies) and or Vital Life Force (Tantric Kundalini exercise) and is shown in the imagery of the Thoth Card as a golden energy (in the shape of a stylized arrow) firing upward and across the shoulders of the Divine figure in the Art Card.

Even the often flesh-o-phobic Christian iconography, has accepted this Spiritual/Solar Orgasm. For instance, the ecstasy of the 16th century mystic, Saint Theresa, who was described as having an angel thrusting a flaming arrow into her heart. She was noted for "marrying the inner Christ" and/or the completed union of Anima and Animus within her body.

The 12th Century Sufi Mystic and Poet Jelaluddin Rumi, refers to this orgasmic fire in his ecstatic, in his ecstatic poetry, Hafiz, and Lalla, when he stated: "Give me the Burning!"

Hafiz, the most popular poet in the Persian world marveled audiences with his unparalleled illuminations on love in all its guises.

Lalla- the ecstatic and often astonishing Kshmiri Poet who sang and danced her verses with such passion, she was known to tear her garments in a frenzy of ecstasy.

I would recommend the Coleman Barks CD of- The ecstatic world of Rumi, Hafiz, and Lalla-I Want the Burning. It can be purchased on Amazon.

On a more personal note, and what can't be stressed enough. The symbolical piecing arrow that brings ecstatic enlightenment is an archetypal, and mufti-cultural accepted description of a real process of physiological transformation (the adept's body). What happens is a rhythmic, pleasuring motion of inner energy, in a spiral ebb and flow that is confined (shown as the horizonal figure eight associated with the Magus) in extremely specific perimeters (chakras along the spine) but which is taken in either direction of Up or Down, at will.

The Magus-Alchemist knows that by changing the vibration of inner energy, a "dancing", one raises or lowers the level of consciousness, moving from Chakra to Chakra or Path to Path. Simply stated: the Kundalini (sexual/vital life energy/Lust of Will to Be) controlled by will and acting upon consciousness produces intuitional and/or astral images; the pictures that form our minds.

At first, many students find the symbolism of the Major Arcana complicated; However, the principle of the Path of Samekh or Art, is to produce a consciously controlled vision and persona that is limited by will. The purpose of Hermetic, Qabalistic, Alchemical and Gnostic symbols is to furnish descriptions that most anyone can relate to. If you focus on one symbol at a time, they are not remote or really complicated. In fact, most of the symbolic language of the Mysteries, has been superseded by the language of Carl Jung and other parapsychologists.

To Carl Jung, this ability to consciously control Visions would be called "lucid dreaming", which is known to help the individual correct personality disorders that hide in the subconsciousness and thereby make the subconscious more conscious which is a spiritual goal. Controlling the subconsiousness is a spiritual discipline.

Robert Wang goes on to explain, in his test book: THE QABALISTIC TAROT,"

It should be added that the Metals described in Alchemical literature are the same as the Seven Chakras of the Hindus, the Seven Planets and the Sephiroth of the Microprosopus [lower seven on the Tree of Life.]. These words have been used as codes over the centuries, meaning seven distinct levels of objective consciousness. Thus, when one speaks of a planet ruling a sign of the Zodiac, what is meant in the relationship of a Sign to a given center of energy both in the Greater Universe and in the Human body." (The brackets are my own explanation).

The Art of awakening these Paths in the Human Body, is the Qabalistic aspirant's goal. "To Know Thyself" is to know and thereby "marry" the "As above and so below" nature of our Whole Self for we are a microcosmic copy of the macrocosm.

As stated, the Art Card is assigned the sign of Sagittarius, which is ruled by the planet Jupiter, meaning the 4th Sephiroth, Chesed (Wisdom). Here, we should remember that the fourth Sephiroth- Chesed (emperor) is the architect of all manifestation, working with the "will to form “and/or "potential to form" of Binah, the 3rd Sephiroth of Understanding. Understanding turns data into information: information becomes in-form-action and/or experience only when intimately experienced (measured by manifested senses) an alchemical process of water (subconscious/body emotions) and Fire (Spiritual and/or willed Soul observation) that produces wisdom.

As explained before, but not enough, the Art-Key/ATU 14- The Path of Samekh, is an actual physical process, known for centuries by the Western Hermetic Magick, Gnostic, Mystics, Tantric, Alchemists, and Qabalists/Kabbalists. And is a willed process of directing the communion or interchange of opposite forces. The beginning of this process is begun by the invoking of the Higher Self; a tempering process which is instituted in the 4th Sephiroth Chesed, the most refined, point of Microporous, to which the Higher Self is central. Chesed (Mercy) is the enacting force (phallus) of the Great Mother Binah's process of “will-to-form" (Womb).

Until the aspirant accomplices this process of the Path of Samekh, the Higher Self (Shown as an androgynous figure on the card) cannot be known to the personality. Thus, the Art of "Spiritual Alchemy" describes this Card and the complete process as a preparation of the Personality, and its physical vehicle, to deal with the Solar Forces (influx of Light from the blazing furnace of the Kundalini) which would devastate a "normal" system.

This is an ongoing process of measuring and testing, instigated by the Higher Self, to see how much the physical body can bear. When properly tempered, the body can handle the stress of such energy as the arrow is released (Kundalini rises). Once contacted on the Path of Samekh, the Higher Self will regulate the flow, so the individual isn't harmed.

A great jolt of energy will tell the individual to "back off" and relax. Because this is a Passion so overwhelming it is often described as Divine Anger, which is apt if we realize that anger is for self-motivation and also necessary to reclaim control of the subconscious from the "false ego"; to get off one's butt and do something powerful. It could be said that Divine Anger is the motivation for Sagittarius to launch his arrow.

When the Art or Temperance Key 14- card is thrown during a reading:

• The querent is experiencing or will soon experience, a combination of forces affecting realization and action. 
• A blending of all circumstances to achieve balance.
• Trials and tribulations that lead to the "middle path", arriving at a profound realization.
• A balance of peace, achieved by care and healing.
• Measurement and combination.
• Do not allow setbacks to turn enthusiasm into its mirror image of dejection. 
• Take control.
• Moderation.
• Appropriate expression meets appropriate restraint.
• Merging of shadow self with light self.
• The combination of Spiritual Fire and physical Water in a harmonic balance.

If ill defined by surrounding cards, it implies:

• Going to extremes.
• Excessive behavior. 
• Conserve energy.
• A personality out of control.

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