#tarotthothmagickqabalahelitarotstrickingly.com

Above all things, know thyself.

Lord of Loss in Pleasure.

#5. I recognize the manifestation of undeviating justice in all the circumstances of my life.

-The Pattern on the Trestle Board

Many mistakenly label certain Tarot cards as “bad” or “evil” and others as “good,” a reflection of the polarized, two-dimensional thinking perpetuated by the egregores of our culture. Such dualistic categorization is a profound misunderstanding of the Tarot’s nature. The Tarot is not a moral judgment but a radiant expression of the One Mind—an architecture of consciousness revealing the tenfold movement of Spirit-Mind-Body through the multidimensional Tree of Life. Every card is an emissary of the Macrocosmic Self, offering intimate knowledge through the Microcosmic Self’s lived experiences; together, they form the Trinity of Willful Awareness: Spirit, Soul, and Flesh in active dialogue.

Within this framework, the “difficult” Fives exemplify this misunderstanding. They are often feared or dismissed because they disrupt the apparent harmony of the Fours. Yet the Fours, while stable, are also static—states of crystallization, boundaries that, if left unchallenged, lead to inertia and entropy. The Fives, governed by Mars, arrive as the catalytic force to break stagnation. They are the holy disruption, the sacred friction that propels evolution forward.

When a Five is drawn, it is your inner Mars—your personal divine warrior—calling to awaken. It is the raw force of motion insisting upon growth, demanding the outer, Earth-bound self to confront complacency and move beyond its comfort zones. The pain or conflict associated with the Fives is not punishment; it is the energy of birth, the spark of transformation, urging the Soul toward a higher rhythm of becoming.

In Hermetic Qabalah, this principle unfolds on Geburah (Severity) of the Tree of Life, where Mars resides. Geburah’s force is necessary to balance the mercy of Chesed, ensuring that creation does not collapse into indulgence or stagnation. Thus, the Fives are neither “bad” nor “evil” but the fiery correction that restores movement to the wheel of life.

The Thoth Tarot’s 5 of Cups – Disappointment often unsettles readers because its imagery speaks to fragility and emotional upheaval. The five crystal cups, cracked and overturned, reflect the soul’s vulnerability in moments of heartbreak or disillusionment. Behind them, the sea and sky merge into murky greys and blacks—symbols of Scorpio’s intense waters clouded by sorrow—yet ignited by Mars’ fiery anger, depicted in the card’s streaks of orange-red. Here we witness the oscillation between depression and rage, the inward collapse that precedes transformation.

The card’s askew pentagram, inverted and off-balance, is a profound symbol. Many, especially in fear-based traditions, hastily deem the inverted pentagram “evil,” yet this interpretation is a misunderstanding. In Hermetic thought, the pentagram upright represents Spirit ruling over the four elements—Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Inversion indicates not “evil” but Spirit submerged in matter: the will of the Psyche obscured by fear-driven sensuality, false ego, or egregoric conditioning. It is a symbol of imbalance—matter’s dominance over soul—not of inherent wickedness.

Here, one is not thinking in their own favor. The reaction is not reasoned but automatic—a conditioned reflex of the lower emotional body responding to perceived lack. In this moment, the Psyche is caught in the gravity of past wounds and projected fears, unable to stand in the clear light of present awareness. The pentagram, emblematic of Humankind, embodies the harmony of the four elements crowned by Spirit—Fire, Water, Air, and Earth unified by the Quintessence. When upright, it depicts the rightful order of the soul: Spirit governing matter, Will illuminating the elemental forces. Yet inverted, as on the Thoth 5 of Cups, it signifies this balance overturned: head buried in the sands of time—clinging to material concerns and outdated perceptions—rather than standing tall in the sunlight of Will and reason.

The lily pads with fallen lotus blossoms underscore this theme of uprootedness. The lotus, sacred to spiritual ascent, here loses its blossom, drifting aimlessly on turbulent waters. Yet at the roots of the lily pads, Crowley and Harris placed a hidden butterfly motif—an alchemical whisper that disappointment is transformative. The butterfly, emblem of the soul’s metamorphosis, signals that even in decay and despair, Spirit is preparing to rise anew. Disappointment dislodges us from illusions; the collapse of false expectations becomes fertile soil for a more authentic vision of Self.

Astrologically, this card is Mars in Scorpio—a placement of intense, almost surgical emotional purging. It strips away attachments to what no longer serves, often painfully, but necessarily, for the evolution of the soul. Qabalistically, this corresponds to Geburah in Briah (the Mental-Creative World), where the force of Severity burns away emotional stagnation, preparing for the next ascent.

Thus, the 5 of Cups is not a harbinger of evil, but the storm that clears the air. It is a necessary rupture in the emotional body, forcing us to confront illusions, feel fully, and emerge transformed. The pain of disappointment, like the butterfly’s struggle from its cocoon, awakens latent wings.

One might assume that this card would herald empowerment rather than disappointment. After all, astrologically, the 5 of Cups is attributed to Mars in Scorpio—a placement where Mars, planet of vitality, fertility, assertiveness, and dynamic force, should feel right at home. Scorpio is the sign of emotional depth, transformative sexuality, and occult passions; it is the fixed water sign where intensity becomes alchemical, where desire penetrates to the soul’s core. Mars, as the traditional ruler of Scorpio (with Pluto as the modern co-ruler), appears to have entered its own temple. One might expect overflowing vitality, a celebration of power—a toast with full cups rather than shattered ones.

Yet the narrative shifts when viewed through the lens of Geburah, the fifth Sephiroth on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, also attributed to Mars. Geburah represents Severity, judgment, and the fiery force of correction. It is the Sephiroth of cutting away illusions, of the sword that severs falsehood from truth. Here Mars’ warlike and purifying aspects dominate—not its fertility, but its discipline through destruction. This is not the revelry of beer mugs raised high; this is the stern call of the spiritual warrior, demanding sacrifice, honesty, and surrender of what no longer serves.

Complicating matters further is Scorpio’s co-ruler Pluto, lord of the underworld and master of hidden passions, death, and rebirth. Pluto adds an aggressive, destructive shadow to Mars’ already fiery nature. It draws Mars’ external vigor into the deep waters of the psyche, stirring subconscious fears, obsessive attachments, and the dark mysteries of transformation. Together, Mars and Pluto ignite an emotional crucible—painful, purgative, but ultimately regenerative.

Thus, the disappointment of the 5 of Cups arises not because Mars is weak in Scorpio, but because its strength is turned inward. The fiery energy of Mars, fused with Scorpio’s depth and Pluto’s underworld currents, does not celebrate surface pleasures; it demands confrontation with shadow, loss, and unmet expectations. It calls forth the bitter medicine of Geburah, where emotional stagnation is burned away and only the essential remains.

What may not be immediately visible in this card is the subtle tension between Mars and Scorpio themselves. Mars, having entered Scorpio’s domain, is in many ways ecstatic—this is his house, his battlefield of passion and transformation. He bursts through the gates ablaze with vitality, so eager for union that he bypasses the slow, smoldering foreplay Scorpio craves.

Scorpio, however, ruled jointly by Mars and Pluto, prefers depth over haste, a slow and consuming process of intimacy that dissolves boundaries and devours the beloved in layers. Pluto’s influence in Scorpio thrives on profound emotional alchemy—a descent into shadow, an embrace of death and rebirth. Mars’ sudden surge disrupts this process. The Martian blast of enthusiasm ignites an intensity too rapid for Scorpio’s subterranean tempo, creating friction where there might otherwise have been ecstatic fusion.

The result is a profound emotional disappointment felt “to the core.” This is not shallow discontent; it is heartbreak at the level of Geburah’s fire—where passion and pain are indistinguishable, where love’s intensity can both sanctify and shatter.

In Greco-Roman myth, Mars (Ares), the god of war, and Venus (Aphrodite), goddess of love and beauty, were lovers bound in a scandalous union. Their affair, passionate and consuming, embodies the eternal tension between desire and conflict, love and strife. This alchemical polarity is mirrored in Hermetic Qabalah and alchemy, where the red tincture (Sulphur/Mars) unites with the white tincture (Salt/Venus) to produce the Philosopher’s Stone (Mercury)—a perfected state of being. Their union is thus both carnal and celestial, generating life but also catalyzing transformation through friction.

In astrological and esoteric symbolism, Mars and Venus together form the Sacred Marriage of opposites: masculine and feminine, force and form, action and attraction. Their harmony births creativity, fertility, and beauty; their discord fuels jealousy, possessiveness, and volatile passions.

Venus’ Hidden Role in Scorpio

Though Scorpio is ruled by Mars (and co-ruled by Pluto), Venus is exalted in Pisces—a water sign—and resonates deeply with the emotional and magnetic undercurrents of Scorpio’s waters. In occult lore, Venus is also associated with Netzach (Victory) on the Tree of Life, directly balancing Geburah (Severity/Mars) across the pillar of form and force. This sets up a dynamic Mars-Venus polarity:

• Geburah (Mars): Severity, discipline, destruction for renewal

• Netzach (Venus): Desire, attraction, emotional magnetism, harmony

When Mars is in Scorpio, it unconsciously longs for Venus’ balancing influence. The emotional disappointments of the 5 of Cups arise, in part, from unintegrated Venusian energy—the yearning for intimacy and beauty that is unmet or thwarted by Mars’ harsh purging force. The tension between Mars’ raw passion and Venus’ refined desire creates the crucible for emotional transformation.

In alchemical imagery, Mars is often portrayed as the Red King (sulphur/fire) and Venus as the White Queen (salt/water). Their union—the alchemical marriage—produces the Philosophic Child, symbolizing rebirth and spiritual wholeness. In Scorpio, this marriage is hidden in the underworld: a fusion of passion and shadow that demands vulnerability, courage, and deep emotional honesty.

In the 5 of Cups, the absence or distortion of this sacred marriage is evident: the pentagram is inverted, Spirit is submerged, and the Venusian harmony is missing, leaving only Mars’ raw severity. The card’s butterfly hints at what could be born when this union is restored—the rebirth that follows the recognition and healing of disappointment.

Mars and Venus in the Thoth System

Mars rules Geburah (Severity/Strength, 5th Sephiroth) and is active in this card (Mars in Scorpio).

• Venus rules Netzach (Victory, 7th Sephiroth), balancing Geburah’s harshness with grace and desire.

• The 5-7 axis on the Tree of Life represents tension and reconciliation—severity versus harmony, passion versus beauty.

• Integrating Mars and Venus in Scorpio allows the seeker to move from disappointment (5 of Cups) toward victory and renewal (7 of Cups).

In the 5 of Cups, Mars and Pluto form a potent union—an alchemical marriage of fire and depth, will and transformation. Both planets rule Scorpio, yet they express vastly different facets of its power:

• Mars embodies the outer warrior: vitality, assertion, desire, and immediate action. It is the heat of passion, the fiery spark that drives movement and conflict.

• Pluto embodies the inner alchemist: death, rebirth, shadow work, and the relentless pull toward psychological depths. It governs the hidden forces of the unconscious, dragging buried truths into light.

When these two unite in Scorpio’s domain, a crucible is formed. Mars’ raw force plunges into Pluto’s underworld, igniting transformative fires that burn away illusions and catalyze profound inner change. This union can manifest in two ways:

• Sacred Union – A conscious embrace of shadow, where passion becomes regenerative and power is reclaimed.

• Volatile Collapse – A clash of desire and fear, where repressed emotions erupt as rage, jealousy, or obsessive attachments.

Qabalistically, this marriage occurs in Geburah (Severity), where the sword of Mars cuts away falsehood, while Pluto’s depth demands surrender to transformation. The outcome depends on the seeker’s readiness: resist, and the fire feels destructive; surrender, and it becomes the forge of the soul’s rebirth.

 As stated, The Alchemical Marriage of Mars and Venus In myth, Mars (Ares) and Venus (Aphrodite) are lovers—a sacred yet scandalous union of force and form, desire and beauty. This marriage embodies the Red King (Sulphur) and White Queen (Salt) of alchemy, whose union births the Philosophic Child (Mercury)—the perfected state of balance and harmony.

In the Qabalistic Tree of Life, Mars rules Geburah (Severity) while Venus rules Netzach (Victory), forming a polarity across the Pillar of Force and the Pillar of Form. When Mars enters Scorpio without Venus’ tempering influence, severity dominates: raw passion erupts as emotional purging rather than harmonious union.

Key Insight:

• Mars + Pluto (in this card) → Inner alchemy of shadow, depth, and purging.

• Mars + Venus (mythic archetype) → Outer alchemy of desire, balance, and beauty.

The absence of Venus here explains why the 5 of Cups feels like longing unmet—a passion unsoftened by grace. The disappointment is not just about loss, but about the missing harmony that could transform raw passion into sacred love.

Therefore, this is not a trivial disappointment—not the wrong color of car or too little mayonnaise on a turkey sandwich—but rather a deep, soul-piercing sorrow that resonates far beneath the surface. The 5 of Cups speaks to wounds that sting at the very core of one’s being, the kind of heartbreak that lingers in the marrow of memory.

This disappointment may unfold in multiple temporal layers:

• A present loss surfacing within five weeks or five months,

• A pattern originating five years ago that resurfaces to be healed,

• Or even an imprint from age five, a formative wound from early life still echoing through the emotional body.

The exact timing and depth are revealed by the placement of the card within the spread—whether it points to the past, present, or future, or whether it reflects internal emotional residue versus external events. In any position, it urges the querent to recognize that disappointment is not random; it is a signal—an invitation from the Psyche, via Geburah’s fiery severity, to uncover and transmute an ancient grief.

Therefore, the Thoth 5 of Cups ultimately calls us to transform disappointment into liberation. The butterfly hidden within the card’s imagery is no accident—it whispers that what feels like decay is in truth the cocoon of becoming. We are not meant to remain worms crawling in the hardened shell of grief; we are invited to break free, to let our wings unfold, and to rise into the light of present awareness.

Life’s trials are impartial—stuff happens to the just and unjust alike. Yet through disappointment, we are given the fire to reclaim our agency: to transmute grief into self-directed motivation, to harness Mars’ energy not for destructive rage but for personal ambition and forward motion. We are asked to stop lingering in Pluto’s underworld of regret and stride forward as Mars, fierce and renewed.

The Thoth Tarot’s message is clear:

“Release the past, for that is a dead place—fly forward into the sunny now!”

We are all free to choose. Yet indoctrination and dogma can obscure this Divinely granted freedom, chaining us to the expectations of others and binding us to roles we never consciously chose. In truth, our purpose is not to expect for others, but to be—to act as the operational representative of the Soul, the Solar Self—the Psyche-sponsored, awake consciousness that experiences information and transforms it into knowledge, wisdom, and in-form-action.

When we release expectation, we allow surprise and wonder to reenter our lives. Without the chains of preconceived outcomes, disappointment dissolves, and every moment becomes an opportunity to discover the hidden face of the Divine within the Dream of Self.

Remember: we are a ternary divinity—Spirit, Mind, and Body—a living reflection of the Hermetic axiom, “As Above, so Below.” Our task is not to escape the Dream, but to awaken within it.

Therefore, get over yourself and get on with you for impeccability is what we three do!

Modern education gives most of us a cursory understanding of Physics 101 and the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states:
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be transferred or transformed.

What we often forget is that we ourselves are that One Energy—Spirit clothed in matter. We are not created nor destroyed; we are transformed. Every seeming ending is but a change of form, a shift in information and arrangement.

Transformation, whether spiritual or material, is a process of deconstruction and reconstruction. In the physical world, we see this clearly: what once lived becomes food; food nourishes and becomes the living being that consumes it; what is unnecessary is broken down and returned to the soil, where it reenters the cycle of life. This alchemical recycling unfolds through the sacred stages: putrefaction, dissolution, solution, and coagulation—the eternal dance of decay and rebirth.

Thus, the 5 of Cups does not depict true loss but the alchemical turning of form. What has fallen away is not gone; it is becoming something new—the butterfly rising from the chrysalis of disappointment.

The Medieval Feathers 5 of Cups approaches this archetype with subtler Hermetic cues than the Thoth deck, yet its symbolism still reveals the challenges and opportunities inherent in the number five. Here, five cups—an odd and somewhat unstable number—strive to form a working harmony despite their imbalance. Rather than lamenting the lack of a sixth cup to “even them out,” the group adapts; the presence of the eastern meadowlark’s feather serves as a symbolic stand-in, offering guidance and adaptability in moments of emotional disruption.

Where the Thoth card dramatizes upheaval and purgation, the Medieval Feathers version suggests a quieter resourcefulness: an invitation to seek and accept help from those more experienced. The appearance of this card indicates that resources—whether mentorship, wisdom, or emotional support—are available, though pride or isolation may prevent one from accessing them. The key is to welcome guidance and allow it to catalyze progress.

Upright Meaning

When drawn upright, the Medieval Feathers 5 of Cups suggests:

• Resources and mentorship are at hand; others hold keys you currently lack.

• Emotional disruption can be stabilized by cooperation and guidance rather than solitary struggle.

• A need to acknowledge imbalance and invite assistance to restore flow.

This does not mean your own abilities are insufficient; rather, it is an opportunity to blend your talents with others’ experience, forming a more resilient whole.

Reversed Meaning

When reversed, this card warns of becoming preoccupied with irrelevancies—petty concerns, distractions, or emotional fixations—that block authentic connection. This fixation leaves you unable to engage others or access the higher guidance available to you.

The reversal urges a detachment from what drains you and a refocusing on what nourishes your growth. By clearing mental and emotional clutter, you create the space to receive support, align with your true goals, and restore harmony to the emotional field.

Emotional Alchemy: Transforming Disappointment into Motion

Emotion, at its root, is energy-in-motion—a current launched toward a goal or desire. When that goal fails to materialize in the time or form we expect, this energy stagnates, descending into putrefaction and becoming disappointment. In Hermetic alchemy, putrefaction is never an end but the first step of transformation: the decay that prepares new life.

The alchemical process follows four key stages:

1. Putrefaction – The disappointment and decay of expectations; the “death” of a form.

2. Desolation (Observation) – Honest introspection; witnessing illusions without judgment.

3. Solution – Reimagining; dissolving rigid beliefs and opening to Spirit’s guidance.

4. Coagulation – Crystallizing a renewed vision and anchoring it into action.

Rather than resisting discomfort, we transmute it—a process mirrored in the butterfly hidden within the Thoth 5 of Cups. The “worm” of grief becomes the cocoon, and the cocoon becomes the winged soul ascending into new possibility.

Humor as a Hermetic Solvent

Through indoctrination and dogma, many are taught to see the subconscious as an adversary—projecting fear upon it and demonizing it as “the devil” or “false ego.” This leads to suppression rather than healing, burying fear deeper into the psyche. Yet true alchemy requires illumination, not repression.

By observing our subconscious—its dreams, thoughts, and patterned responses—we make it conscious. By laughing at its absurdities—the unrealistic expectations, the melodramatic inner scripts—we dismantle the mind-virus that thrives on secrecy and fear. Humor becomes a Hermetic solvent (solve), dissolving false forms and loosening the grip of disappointment.

When we laugh at our unmet expectations, we shrink them down to their proper size: from devastating tragedies to mere inconveniences. This shift redirects energy toward new motion, aligning us with Spirit’s larger orchestration rather than our ego’s narrow demands.

From Expectation to Knowing

Disappointment arises from expectation—a fantasy about how life “should” unfold. True creativity, however, springs from knowing: a direct experience of Spirit flowing through Mind into Form. To know is to engage fully in the present act of creation without clinging to outcomes, trusting that Spirit’s Will-to-Force will manifest what is truly needed—not merely what the ego desires.

Thus, emotional alchemy is not about avoiding feeling but about transforming energy—recycling stagnation into forward motion, illusion into clarity, and grief into wisdom. It is the art of flipping the inverted pentagram upright: restoring Spirit to its rightful place above matter.

In our lives, energy is emoted—energy in motion—when we launch our passions toward a goal. Yet when our expected outcome fails to appear in the time we imagined, that energy can stagnate, descend into putrefaction, and manifest as disappointment. This is not the end; it is the beginning of alchemy.

We break down stagnant emotion through observation and desolation (honestly witnessing the truth of the moment). From this clarity, we craft a new solution, allowing Spirit’s will to guide our next steps. Finally, this renewed energy coagulates—crystallizing into a new form that better serves our soul’s evolution.

To walk this path, we must enjoy the creative journey rather than cling to a preconceived goal. Spirit’s Will-to-Force will always manifest what is truly needed, even if it diverges from what our ego once demanded. When a vision begins to fade in the distance, it is not failure—it is a signal to transform, adapt, and create anew, rather than reacting with yesterday’s fears or throwing the drama of unmet expectation.

True creativity requires passionate action grounded in knowing, not belief. Belief can remain fantasy; knowing arises from direct experience and becomes in-form-action—Spirit expressed through matter.

In the 5 of Cups card's association with Scorpio and Mars, transmitting of energy is done sexually or in some form of intimacy and/or communication, where we are in intercourse and/or interface with someone or something. Such as the intimacy of *Daka and Dakini, friends, healers, or shamanistic rites, if human, or the universal sexuality of electrons transferring charge and/or the combination of triangles/planes of I AM making the fractal we call "the mind".

The flow of this vital and vigorous life force is often called love, as such we could say that the intimacy of the negative pole as it joins with a positive pole of a magnet proves love. But being Spiritual beings, we know Love is more than just energy flow, it is a communion of multiple attributes that are even more apparent when a physical Spiritual body is present, such as, a human who is a trinity of Spirit-Mind-Body which is a Trinity of "I will be", "Will-to- force", and "Will-to-form".

  Do what you will is the whole of the law; the law is Love, love under will.

-Aleister Crowley

Since our original identity is Spirit, it is a fundamental misunderstanding to think we must seek spirituality. To seek implies absence—an unconscious declaration that we are separate from what we already are. This very pursuit perpetuates the illusion of distance, keeping the goal forever out of reach.

In Hermetic terms, Spirit is not something to acquire; it is the substrate of our being. The journey is not about seeking, but about remembering—peeling away layers of false identity, expectation, and indoctrination until the Self recognizes itself. The 5 of Cups mirrors this process: disappointment arises when we grasp at external forms to fulfill an internal truth. Yet when we release the search and simply be, Spirit emerges effortlessly, as it always was.

All of us begin as Spirit—there is no need to seek Spirit any more than a fish in the ocean needs to seek water. Spirit is the substratum of our being, the field in which all life unfolds. What is truly needed is self-knowledge: not the manufactured self constructed by indoctrination, media hypnosis, and cultural programming, but the true Self-idea—the reflection of the Great Self that entered this world to experience information as in-form-action.

The false persona, forged of words and conditioned beliefs, forms a dark caul over the psyche, veiling us from the innate Knowing of the Soul. This “word-created” self does not define us; it obscures us. Beneath it, we are manifested Children of the Divine—copies of the Infinite clothed in finite form.

This is the purpose of Qabalah, which means “receiving.” Through the language of the Tarot—a sacred alphabet of images rather than words—we bypass the mind’s linguistic cages and speak directly to the Soul. Image awakens remembrance: each card an assumption of “I AM,” each archetype a mirror restoring us to our original inheritance.

The cooperation of sexuality is sacred—it is the living mystery of 2 becoming 1, the Original Wholly Mass in which Spirit takes flesh. For the enfleshed Spirit, intimacy transcends the mere physical senses of touching, tasting, smelling, hearing, or seeing—though these gateways often play their part. True intimacy unfolds when the Auric Light Fields of two beings—their Spirit, Mind, and Emotions—merge into one luminous weave.

In this union, the female principle of Will-to-Form harmonizes with the male principle of Will-to-Force, generating a living Oneness. This is more than physical intercourse; it is communion—an energetic interfacing that rewrites the patterning of both participants. As their fields intertwine, a new archetype of union emerges: a co-created pattern of being, born of mutual reception and offering.

This is the alchemical marriage hidden behind all true intimacy: the sacred dance of opposites whose harmony births both pleasure and transformation, microcosmic echoes of the macrocosmic union of Spirit and Matter.

Hence, manifestation is not possible if there is no interface and/or intercourse between male-will-to-force and female will-to-form. You'll find this so if you realize your brain is both male (left-hemisphere) and female (right-hemisphere).

Although the brain insists it is “you,” it is not. The brain is a manifested copy of celestial intelligence—a finely tuned instrument stimulated by your Soul, your Solar Self, which is pure Light. The Light within—the Celestial aspect of us—does not fear mortality; it welcomes it, understanding death not as an ending but as a transformation of form and experience.

The fear of mortality belongs instead to the subconscious survival mind, a construct of the mortal brain shaped by instinct and conditioned by experience. This fear-driven self clings to permanence and resists change, mistaking survival for life. Yet through powerful observation—the awakened awareness of the Soul—we can domesticate this reactive aspect of mind. We do not destroy it, but integrate it, transforming fear into cooperation and instinct into intuition.

The Unconscious is not the subconscious, for what is "unconscious" is our connection to the Universal Collective Unconscious/Consciousness of the One Mind which in Hindu myth, is the Sleeping Brahman/Vishnu and/or the sleeping Divine Creative. The physical brain has a shadow of the Divine Collective Unconscious that is what we call the "subconscious". It is the "false ego" and it deceives, lies, and uses sensual tricks to make you think it is in charge, rather than the Willful you that is Spiritual aware consciousness and/or the Awake Divine Creative and/or Vishnu.

The Subconscious is the place of instinctual reactions, not the place of Celestial Action. The subconscious is the mind of all bodies, created by Nature as a necessary survival mechanism. The Psyche/Soul is immortal and has no survival issues, hence no fear, and must master the brain with its own divine programs of "I AM". Remembering that your true name is "I AM" and that all you create as formed self-identity is an assumption.

The 5 of Cups Card can also mean a "Spiritual Transformation" into a material World, i.e., manifestation. That is the purpose of the human body; to turn idea/information that flows as Light, into an intimate/sensual experience and thereby, creating the energy flow that carries Universal Knowledge to the material world of sensual self-diversity. However, in "relationships" each person may expect an intimate relationship to go a certain way, and that expectation most often isn't shared by the "other". This also leads to disappointment and profaned energy flow. "To let go and let flow", is a better policy.

Above all things, know yourself (Be authentic) before you try to share your expectations with another person. Let them be what they think they are, and you be what you think you are. All is "I AM", in the One Energy that cannot be created nor destroyed. However, it can be transformed and that is where the "Me" comes into play.

I Am is the Truth of you, but the "me" is an assumption produced by freedom of choice or worst case, produced for you by not free enslaved brains.

Hence, "Me" is always transformable; you choose your own fate. If you are not happy with the "me" in your brain, then use the Mind/I Am power to change it! Why think little when you are the inheritor of the whole of Universal as the I AM ? It also behooves us to remember the "Observer effect" of Physics that states: " we change a thing when we observe a thing. That includes each other!

We see what we think, not what is there!

However wondrous energy-in-motion (emotion) may be, it is not endless; it follows cycles and reaches transformational limits. Emotion naturally moves between polarities, subject to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which declares that all things proceed from order to disorder. In the spiritual psyche, this means that even our most exalted patterns will eventually unravel, demanding renewal.

A Master Weaver of the Manifested Self—one who knows themselves as I AM Divinity—recognizes this principle. They observe disorder arising in self-assumed patterns, then consciously deconstruct and reconstruct them, weaving a new tapestry of Self-awareness. Each act of reconstruction births a new image (imago), a fresh archetype of being. This is active emotional mastery: the art of shaping vital energy rather than being shaped by it in the form of disappointment.

Yet most of us do not see ourselves as Master Weavers. We mistake the feelings in the body for our identity and believe we are slaves to emotion rather than its artisans. Here enters Geburah, the fifth Sephirah of Severity, whose fiery sword exposes the disorder in our patterns. Geburah does not condemn; she corrects. Her force compels us to observe, cut away illusions, and rebuild on firmer ground—transforming disorder into higher order, and reactive feeling into deliberate creation.

The Gnosis of Hermes Trismegistus teaches that as ternary Masters of creation—Spirit, Mind, and Body—we must recognize emotion (energy-in-motion) as a willed action, not merely a spontaneous reaction to indoctrination and dogma. This shift in awareness is essential to transcend disappointment: we cease being victims of emotional turbulence and become weavers of intentional feeling.

We unconsciously weave patterns of “Me”—personal narratives and expectations—and project them onto “the World,” anticipating that external reality will mirror our internal vision. Yet “the World,” as commonly perceived, is not objective; it is a collective hallucination, an egregore forged by the emotional consensus of countless individuals. In our current era, this egregore often reflects a patriarchal, slave-coded worldview, perpetuating separation and convincing us we are “less than Spirit.”

In truth, manifestation itself is an illusion—a divine artifice born from weaving thought (the first subtle matter) into coagulated light (physical form). This process of defining and measuring creates the mortal identity of “Me,” for without measurement, the mind cannot define itself. The task of the adept is to remember: the measure is not the Self—it is merely the garment Spirit wears in the Dream of Becoming.

Hence, the Weaver is not the woven. The Self is not the forms it creates, but the Will-to-Form—the archetypal Spider-Woman of myth and mysticism—who spins energy into patterns of reality. In this sacred art, emotion (energy-in-motion) is the very thread of the web, cast outward to ensnare the experiences and manifestations we desire—whether scattered and chaotic or focused and deliberate.

Yet the design of the web determines what is caught. Every spider knows:

• A tight, self-absorbed weave snags only trivial or insubstantial things, leaving greater opportunities to slip through.

• A flexible, expansive weave allows the petty to pass by while catching what is truly sustaining—those greater truths and blessings aligned with Spirit’s will.

Thus, we are cautioned: be mindful of what you emote and how you weave it. The emotional architecture of our patterns decides whether we are nourished by life’s abundance or ensnared in our own limitations. Through conscious weaving, we transform disappointment into creative mastery—aligning our web with the Grand Design rather than the small nets of egoic expectation.

The Emotional Body within the human auric field is none other than the Desire of the Divine “to be.” This primal yearning arises from the first Shout of Creation—the God-Name Eheieh (“I Will Be”)—the Logos, the universal proclamation of I AM. It is the spark of the Trinity of Will: Will-to-Be, Will-to-Force, and Will-to-Form.

In its purest state, this Desire is holy, propelling Spirit into manifestation for the joy of self-knowing. But as it descends into the density of incarnation, this energy-in-motion becomes profaned by indoctrination, dogma, and media-driven word hypnosis—the pleasure/pain conditioning that scatters and fragments the soul’s focus. Thus, the original pure “Desire to Be” mutates into an anxious yearning “to become”—the endless chase of the wanna-be.

Yet the great paradox is this: you already are. Your very existence fulfills the Divine Desire “to be.” To chase becoming is to pursue shadows, mistaking illusions for reality. This restless striving breeds disappointment, as the ego grasps at fantasies rather than resting in the fullness of Spirit already embodied.

The path of mastery is not to “become” something other than what you are, but to remember that you are the fulfillment of the Divine shout, the living “I AM” in flesh.

Mars in the house of Scorpio is a powerful and intense placement in astrology. Intensity: Mars represents action, energy, and drive, and when placed in Scorpio, the sign of deep transformation and intensity, it amplifies these qualities. Individuals with this placement tend to approach their goals with great intensity and determination.

1. Passion: Scorpio is known for its passion, and Mars here intensifies that passion. People with Mars in Scorpio are passionate about their desires and pursuits, which can make them very focused and persistent in achieving their goals.

2. Determination: Mars in Scorpio individuals are determined and unwavering in their pursuits. They are not easily swayed from their path and are willing to put in the effort required to achieve their objectives, no matter how challenging.

3. Sexuality: Scorpio is a sign associated with sexuality and sensuality, and Mars in Scorpio individuals may have a strong and passionate sexual nature. They can be very intense and deeply connected in their intimate relationships.

4. Resilience: Scorpio is a fixed sign, and Mars in this position gives individuals a great deal of resilience. They have the ability to bounce back from setbacks and are not easily defeated by obstacles or adversity.

5. Investigative Mind: Scorpio is also associated with investigation and uncovering hidden truths. Those with Mars in Scorpio may have a natural inclination toward research, detective work, or anything that involves digging beneath the surface to discover hidden information.

6. Emotional Depth: This placement can bring emotional depth and intensity to one's actions. Mars in Scorpio individuals may have a powerful emotional drive that fuels their actions and decision-making.

7. Jealousy and Possessiveness: On the downside, the intensity of Scorpio can also manifest as jealousy and possessiveness. Mars in Scorpio individuals may need to be mindful of these tendencies in their relationships.

8. Power and Control: Scorpio is associated with power and control, and Mars here can make individuals highly attuned to power dynamics. They may have a desire to be in control of situations and may excel in leadership roles.

9. Transformation: Ultimately, Mars in Scorpio can lead to profound personal transformation. It encourages individuals to confront their own desires, fears, and limitations, leading to a process of inner growth and change.

Remember that the exact influence of Mars in Scorpio can vary depending on other factors in your natal chart, such as aspects and house placements. If you have specific questions or need a more detailed analysis, it's a clever idea to consult with a professional astrologer who can provide personalized insights based on your complete birth chart.

The 5 of Cups, depending on the accompanying cards in a spread, can even point toward profound losses—such as the death of a loved one or the grief stemming from sexual dysfunction or loss of sexual union (symbolized here as penile or vulvic blockage). Such losses disrupt intimacy and emotional interfacing, severing the soul’s natural flow of energy between Will-to-Force and Will-to-Form.

The inverted pentagram of the card illustrates this condition vividly: the triumph of matter over spirit, where self-absorbed feelings (the “little ego”) overshadow the Soul’s higher vision. This imbalance often emerges in the midst of what once felt like ease, revealing the fragility of comfort built on expectation.

The teaching here is simple yet profound: if we release expectation, disappointment dissolves. As the Sufi Master Mustafa Jelal ad-Din Rumi wrote in the 12th century:

Surprise is the greatest gift of all!

Go to magickeli.com for ritual to release disappointment and gain emotional balance.

Both numerology and gematria (Western Hermetic numerology) attribute distinct yet interconnected characteristics to the number 5, each within their respective traditions. Here’s an overview of the number 5's characteristics in both systems:

Numerology

In numerology, numbers are seen as symbols that carry specific vibrations and meanings. The number 5 is often associated with:

1. Freedom and Adventure:

   • The number 5 is considered the number of freedom, adventure, and change. It is dynamic and full of energy, symbolizing the pursuit of new experiences and the desire for independence.
   • Individuals influenced by the number 5 are often seen as explorers, curious and eager to embrace life's variety. They tend to resist routine and seek excitement and diversity in their experiences.

2. Versatility and Adaptability:

   • The number 5 is also linked to adaptability and versatility. People with this number in their numerological chart are usually quick to adapt to new circumstances and are comfortable with change.
   • This number reflects a flexible and resourceful nature, capable of handling different situations with ease.

3. Sensuality and the Physical Experience:

   • The number 5 is closely associated with the five senses, symbolizing the physical experience and the pleasures of the material world. It represents a deep appreciation for sensory experiences, including taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell.
   • This connection to the senses also ties the number 5 to creativity and expression through various forms of art and physical activity.

4. Restlessness and Impulsiveness:

   • The energy of the number 5 can also manifest as restlessness or impulsiveness. People under its influence might struggle with consistency or long-term commitments, as they are driven by the need for constant stimulation and new experiences.

Gematria

In gematria, each Hebrew letter corresponds to a number, and these numbers carry deep mystical significance. The number 5, represented by the Hebrew letter "ה" (Heh), has its own set of meanings:

1. Divine Grace and Creation:

   • The letter Heh is associated with divine grace and the breath of life. It is often seen as a symbol of creation, as it represents the breath of God that brings life into existence.
   • In Kabbalistic/Qabalistic thought, Heh's connection to creation makes the number 5 a symbol of divine intervention and the manifestation of spiritual energy in the material world.

2. Names of God and Holiness:

   • The number 5 is significant in the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), the ineffable name of God, where the letter Heh appears twice. This repetition emphasizes the sacred nature of the number and its association with holiness.
   • In this context, the number 5 represents the presence of God in the world and the sanctity of creation.

3. Pentateuch (Five Books of Moses):

   • The number 5 corresponds to the five books of Moses, also known as the Torah, which are central to Jewish religious teachings. This connection reinforces the number's association with divine wisdom, law, and spiritual guidance.
   • The number 5, therefore, represents the foundation of spiritual knowledge and the covenant between God and humanity.

4. Geburah - Strength and Judgment:

   • In Kabbalah/Qabalah, the fifth sephirah on the Tree of Life is Geburah, meaning "Strength" or "Severity." Geburah represents the force of judgment, discipline, and the application of justice.
   • The number 5, in this context, is connected to the energies of Mars, symbolizing courage, action, and sometimes conflict. It represents the necessary power to enforce boundaries and uphold divine order.

Comparative Summary

• Freedom and Adventure vs. Divine Grace: Numerology emphasizes the number 5's association with freedom, change, and adventure, while gematria focuses on its connection to divine grace, creation, and the breath of life.

• Versatility vs. Holiness: In numerology, 5 signifies versatility and adaptability, while in gematria, it relates to holiness and the sacred names of God (of Divine Self).

• Sensuality vs. Spiritual Law: Numerology links 5 to the physical senses and sensual experiences, whereas gematria ties it to the Torah and spiritual law.

• Restlessness vs. Strength and Judgment: The potential for restlessness in numerology contrasts with the disciplined strength and judgment represented by Geburah in gematria.

Both systems highlight the transformative and dynamic qualities of the number 5, whether through the lens of personal freedom and exploration or through spiritual creation and divine order.

You are the director, author and actor in your own assumed life- story!

When the 5 of Cups is thrown during a reading it implies:

• The querent has been or will be experiencing emotional disappointment for 5 weeks or 5 months.
• Usually, the implications of relying too much on others for love, rather than loving themselves.
• Here, there is a certain crying over past events, an experience of grieving over what has been lost or unlearned.
• Emotional discord as one begins to adapt.
• This is a card of regret, loss, and separation. 
• The corrective of Geburah is being applied here, and it is the beginning of recovery where one sees the need to learn something new.
• When this card is thrown, you may want to release past patterns of disappointment either with the Scorpio people in your life and/or in the next 5 weeks or 5 months be no longer willing to hold onto past disappointments and will make a conscious decision to let them go.
• Be patient.
• Confusion and disappointment are exaggerated. 

When the 5 of Cups is ill defined by the surrounding cards, in the layout, it implies:

• Bitterness.
• Desolation.
• Remaining in the crisis.
• Painful perceptions.
• Coming out of disappointment.
• A realistic view of the past that hints at a rosy future and a hopeful attitude.

Thank you for your interest, comments, and supportive donations. Your generosity blesses you. May you live long and prosper.

Why consult a Thoth Tarot Magus?

Because the answers you seek aren’t written in plain words—they’re carved in symbols, colors, and archetypes.

The Thoth Tarot isn’t about fortune-telling. It’s the Alphabet of the Soul—a dialogue between your Higher Self and your conscious mind.

My role? To translate its wisdom, bridging the Hermetic mysteries with your modern questions—love, purpose, healing, prosperity.

You are the Magick Device. Are you ready to activate it?

🔮 Book your session: https://www.elitarotstrickingly.com/#Store

Post Option 2 – Bold, Short & Shareable

The Thoth Tarot doesn’t predict your future.
It reveals the patterns you’re already weaving.

As a Western Hermetic Magus, I don’t just read cards—I map the consciousness currents guiding your path.

Want to see what your Higher Self is whispering?

🔮 DM or book: https://www.elitarotstrickingly.com/#Store

Post Option 3 – Storytelling / Carousel Caption

“Why should I get a Thoth Tarot reading?”

Because this deck is not just pictures—it’s a Qabalistic map of your inner and outer worlds.

Every card contains astrology, numerology, alchemy—the DNA of your soul’s journey.

In the hands of a Hermetic Magus, a layout becomes more than insight… it’s initiation.

Are you ready to know yourself?

Book here → https://www.elitarotstrickingly.com/#Store

For information concerning a personal online Thoth Tarot reading and/or Thoth Tarot Master classes, log onto-elitarotstrickingly.com- and click on the Tarot-Store page. Thank you.

New Tarot blog for Traditional Tarot Card Comparisons and store page.

Western Hermetic Magick invocation and ritual website and magick blog.