August 6-8, 2014: Knight of Wands
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THE LORD OF THE FLAME AND THE LIGHTNING;
THE KING OF THE SPIRITS OF FIRE
The Knight of Wands – King of the Salamanders
FIRE of FIREMeditation pattern: Place 7 of Cups, 8 of Wands, and 9 of Wands side-by-side, with the
Knight of Wands above them. Below the two Wands, place Atu XIV, Art.Traditional Description: A winged warrior riding upon a black horse with flaming mane
and tail. The horse itself is not winged. The rider wears a winged helmet (like the old Scandinavian
and Gaulish helmet) with a rayed crown, a corselet of scale-mail and buskins of the same,
and a flowing scarlet mantle. Above his helmet, upon his cuirass, and on the shoulder-pieces and
buskins, he wears as a crest a winged black horse’s head. He grasps a club with flaming ends –
somewhat similar to that in the symbol of the Ace of Wands, but not so heavy – and also the sigil
of his scale (Yod) is shown; beneath the rushing feet of his steed are waving flames and fire.YOD of YOD (FIRE of FIRE). He is primarily an expression of the fiery, erupting, initiating,
paternal, creative force of nature – the Primal life force, or vital power, leaping forth into
expression with the force of lightning striking. He especially represents this force expressed
through the element Fire; thus, he is even more energetic and aggressive. He is also this vital
force expressed in Atziluth, i.e., the Creative Impulse emanating from the purest Divine source.
This purest expression of Will-force is the exact same energy expressed in the human sexual impulse.He rules the celestial sphere from 20° Scorpio to 20° Sagittarius, which includes part of the constellation
Hercules. (Hercules, in this constellation, is always represented with a club.) The fiery decanates
to which he corresponds confirm that his nature is SWIFTNESS and STRENGTH (but without “Oppression,”
the third decanate of Sagittarius – he is powerful, eruptive, explosive, yet without tyranny, for
he is the impulse that gains expression as True Will in each of us). Sagittarius (Samekh) corresponds to
Atu XIV, Art; and this Knight symbolizes that True Word which is the Holy Guardian Angel,
and which strikes deeply into the receptive lunar aspect of our being, becoming manifest as the
creative Vital Soul in Yesod.The first decanate of Sagittarius, ruled by Mercury, symbolizes the Word of creation that, drawn
through the planes by acts of attentive concentration, manifests through human thought, words,
and deeds. He is a very rapid rush, quickly passed and expended – too much force applied too
suddenly, violently, and intensively. The second decanate, ruled by the Moon, reminds us that
the Life force is immeasurably adaptable, as the continuing course of evolution demonstrates.His shadow side is expressed by the Venus decanate of Scorpio, called DEBAUCH. This is not ordinarily
characteristic of the Knight of Wands. Yet, if the highly energetic pressure, velocity, and
primal explosiveness of this force were to waver or its energy falter, then this creative force surely
would flow into wasted, undirected channels.In divination, he is swift, sudden, strong, fierce, active, generous, paternal, ardent, energetic,
eruptive, initiating, impetuous; yet immeasurably adaptive. Sometimes means an inheritance. If
ill-dignified, he is evil-minded, cruel, bigoted, brutal, even violent; energy quickly passing and
too easily expended. -
- Starter and bringer of New: new flux, new Impulse; motive of continual striving to higher-and-higher; will oriented toward Progress (whatever that may be in particular case); and this is accompanied by sense of practical, based on primal healthy need to apply own enormous energy (but may lack endurance?)
- Initiative, courage, enterprise; artistic ability (but not necessarily manifested through a particular art form - rather, craft & artistic touch applied to everyday life); huge creative potential.
- 7-of-Cups as shadow-side: wasting own energy, infertile appliance of energy…
- “The Lord of the Flame and the Lightening” calls forth the image of Zeus; this Knight seeks the challenges, uses every opportunity to show his energy and further develop his strength.
- Traveling; new experiences; inexhaustible avidity to expand own horizons.
- Impulse of Will and Creativity that impels for action; it’s fast and piercing; enthusiasm; self-confidence.
- Negative side: demands of everyone to be the best they can be, without tolerance; may be destructive in his trenchant, penetrative approach.
- Sincerity, directness, sudden forceful impulse with shattering effect.
- Moves, initiates, sanctifies, transmutes (instantly) mundane into sacred.
- Decanate Cards + ATU elaborate on how the authentic Impulse of Will is felt/experienced/recognized in an individual psyche: for the conscious, intellectual aspect of the mind, it is the bursting forth of Truth directly, through all the veils, it comes as an Insight, as a thunderstroke; for basic subconsciousness and automatic psyche, it is the essential stability stemming from the balance of Sol & Luna interplay. It manifests as sexual drive, but also as will to create in the widest sense; always pointed toward some particular goal/aim, but not attached to it (not enslaved by it).
- In divination: sanctifying influence (with the side-effect of cleansing, and even destruction); stimulus that comes from the Highest, and throws new light on the current circumstances, putting things in different perspective; opens direct view to what is growth-impelling and healthy; a new Beginning; artistic engagement; adaptability-elasticity; transmutation of personal vital force through following a sudden Impulse (which is experienced without any doubt as the Call of authentic inner Truth).