The eight and ninety rules of art
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Be not animal; refine thy rapture! If thou drink, drink by the eight and ninety rules of art
Trying to figure out what those "eight and ninety rules of art" are, I've read Crowley's new commentary:
Why “eight and ninety” rules of art? I am totally unable to suggest a reason satisfactory to myself; but 90 is Tzaddi, the “Emperor”, and 8, Cheth, the “Charioteer” or Cup-Bearer; the phrase might them conceivably mean “with majesty”. Alternatively, 98 = 2 x 49: now Two is the number of the Will, and Seven of the passive senses. 98 might then mean the full expansion of the senses (7 x 7) balanced against each other, and controlled firmly by the Will.
I've also come across a .doc file which lists 98 "rules" from Liber AL, but they seem to me like a summary of Liber AL, rather than "the way to drink".
Are there any other interpretations for this phrase?
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The eight and ninety do correspond to Cheth and Tzaddi. And the Hebrew word ץח (Cheth-Tzaddi) means arrow.
The rules are the rules of "art," and there is a tarot card with that title. And it corresponds to Sagittarius (the hunter, with a bow and arrow), and the path on the Tree of Life that is a metaphorical arrow pointing toward Tiphareth (across the bow made by the spheres of Netzach, Hod, Yesod and the paths of Peh, Tzaddi, and Resh).
The other name of the Art card is... Temperence. And the traditional symbol is an angel mixing water into wine.
So.. I would interpret the verse (for myself) to mean: choose to drink (or not drink) as you will, but in either case behave with voluntary self-control and balance, and measure your success by how well your actions enable you to reach the goal of union with the divine.