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Arrangement of the elements on the pentagram
I have a theory on the placement of the Classical Elements on the pentagram that I'd like to share. I'm not sure how well I can do so in this format and I've been told more than once that I'm "easily misunderstood". I'll give it my best shot. Besides it's just a theory but I believe it holds enough weight to at least be considered. I'll be as concise as I can.
With the elements arranged as described here, with Fire in the lower left, Earth to the lower right, Air in the upper left, and Water in the upper right, the pentagram gains much more significance. Like the Tree of Life in Kabbalah not only are the points significant but the paths to them as well. It is made to display the course of human life and to "speak" the Tetragrammaton, YHVH.
Starting at the top in Spirit (Shin) and moving down and left into Fire represents the human soul moving from a universal energy (Chaos, G, or however you wish to name it) to a physical body. The point of Fire (Yod) represents the time of conception.
Next we move up and right to Water (Heh). This path represents the time spent in the womb and the point represents birth and childhood.
Next we draw a line left to Air (Vau). This line represents youth as we strive towards knowledge. The point represents maturity and intellect without control.
Next we move down and right to Earth (Heh final). This line represents the decline of life into old age. The point represents the end of life, wisdom, and death or returning to the earth. The last line up and to the left to return to Spirit (Shin) represents "Ascension" or the return of the soul to the universal energy.
Also when the elements are arranged this way the Zodiac and Classical Planets can be arranged around the pentagram to give an "as above so below" type map of the universe that easily categorizes the Zodiac and Planets into the elements.
I'd also like to add that the Elements could be arranged opposite and give the same effect if drawn in the same order i.e. Top = Spirit, to lower right = Fire, to upper left = Water, to upper right = Air, and to lower left = Earth. Not sure which makes more sense. I guess that would depend which side of the looking glass your on.
I've attached an image of this concept.
Thanks for reading,
Nathan 32°
With the elements arranged as described here, with Fire in the lower left, Earth to the lower right, Air in the upper left, and Water in the upper right, the pentagram gains much more significance. Like the Tree of Life in Kabbalah not only are the points significant but the paths to them as well. It is made to display the course of human life and to "speak" the Tetragrammaton, YHVH.
Starting at the top in Spirit (Shin) and moving down and left into Fire represents the human soul moving from a universal energy (Chaos, G, or however you wish to name it) to a physical body. The point of Fire (Yod) represents the time of conception.
Next we move up and right to Water (Heh). This path represents the time spent in the womb and the point represents birth and childhood.
Next we draw a line left to Air (Vau). This line represents youth as we strive towards knowledge. The point represents maturity and intellect without control.
Next we move down and right to Earth (Heh final). This line represents the decline of life into old age. The point represents the end of life, wisdom, and death or returning to the earth. The last line up and to the left to return to Spirit (Shin) represents "Ascension" or the return of the soul to the universal energy.
Also when the elements are arranged this way the Zodiac and Classical Planets can be arranged around the pentagram to give an "as above so below" type map of the universe that easily categorizes the Zodiac and Planets into the elements.
I'd also like to add that the Elements could be arranged opposite and give the same effect if drawn in the same order i.e. Top = Spirit, to lower right = Fire, to upper left = Water, to upper right = Air, and to lower left = Earth. Not sure which makes more sense. I guess that would depend which side of the looking glass your on.
I've attached an image of this concept.
Thanks for reading,
Nathan 32°
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Michael Greer on -
Good. Regardie commented, if I recall correctly, that the simplest of all Golden Dawn magical workings, the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, contained profound teachings not visible to a casual glance. This sort of analysis is one way to get there.
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Permalink Reply by Nathan 32° on -
I cannot argue the validity of the arrangement of the zodiac symbols as I am not well versed enough on that subject to do so. However that should only be a minor detail and shouldn't really take away from the validity of the original finding. What is most important is the location of the elements on the pentagram and how it is drawn. The idea that the lines are as important as the points. The arrangement of the Zodiac around it came as an after-thought.
I did always find it rather odd that Aquarius was labeled an Air sign but haven't had the time or resources to discover why or how it might be incorrect.
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Permalink Reply by Hierophage on -
This is somewhat similar to Crowley instructions to Achad on the Lesser and Gerater Operations of the Microcosmic Star in Liber Aleph, ch. 106 & 107:
106. DE OPERIBUS STELLAE MICROCOSMI. QUORUM SUNT QUATTOUR MINORES.
(On the Four Lesser Operations of the Microcosmic Star)
I have already written unto thee, my Son, of the Paradox of Liberty, how the Freedom of thy Will dependeth upon the Bending of all thy forces to that one End. But now also learn how great is the Economy of our Magick, and this will I declare unto thee in a Figure of the Holy Qabalah, to wit, the Formula of the Tetragrammaton. Firstly, the Operation of Yod and He is not Vau only, but with Vau appeareth also a new He, as a By-Product, and She is mysterious, being at once the Flower of the three others, and their Poison. Now by the Operation of Vau upon that He is no new Creation, but the Daughter is set upon the Throne of Her Mother, and by this is rekindled the Fire of Yod, which, consuming that Virgin, doth not add a Fifth Person, but balanceth and perfecteth all. For this Shin, that is the Holy Spirit, pervadeth these, and is
immanent. Thus in three Operations is the Pentagram formulated. But in the Figure of that Star these Operations are not indicated, for the five Lines of Force connect not according to any of them; but five new Operations are made possible; and these are the Works proper to the perfected man. First, the Work which lieth level, the Vau with the He, is of he Yang and the Yin, and maketh One the Human with the Divine, as in the Attainment of the Master of the Temple. Yet this Work hath his Perversion, which is of Death. Thus then for thee four Works, they pertain all to the Natural Formula of the Cross and Rose.
107. DE OPERIBUS STELLAE MICROCOSMI. QUORUM SUNT QUATTUOR MAJORES.
(On the Four Major Operations of the Microcosmic Star)
O my Son, behold now the Virtue and Mystery of the Silver Star! For of these four Works not one leadeth to the Crown, because Tetragrammaton hath his Root only in Chokmah. So herefore the Formula of the Rosy Cross availeth no more in he Highest. Now then in the Pentagram are two Lines that invoke Spirit, though they lead not thereunto, and they are he Works of He with He, and of Yod with Vau. Of thee twain he former is a Work Magical of the Nature of Music, and it draweth down the Fire of the HIGHER by Seduction or Bewitchment. And the latter is a Work opposite thereunto, whose Effect formulateth itself by direct Creation in the Sphere of its Purpose and Intent. But there remain yet two of the Eight Works, namely, the straight Aspiration of the Chiah or Creator in thee to the Crown, and the Surrender of the Nephesch or Animal soul
to the Possession thereof; and these be he twin principal Formulae of the Final Attainment, being Archetypes of the Paths of Magick (the one) and Mysticism (the other) unto the End. From each of these Eight Works is derived a separate Mode of practical Use, each after his Kind; and it should be well for thine Instruction if thou study upon these my Words, and found upon them a System. O my son, forget not therein the Arcanum of their Balance and Proportion; for herein lieth the Mystery of their Holiness.
My own understanding of these 8 operations of the pentagram may be summarized as follows:
1.The Fire of Yod mates with the Water of Hé which generates Airy Vau from their union and causes Earthly Hé (fin.) to appear as a by-product. Hé (fin.) although appearing to be sub-ordinate to the other Elements actually contains the seed of the other three Elements and therefore has more in common with Spirit than the other 3 Elements.
2.Vau and Hé (fin.) have a natural affinity for each other. Eventually, they are unified through this mutual & active yearning of each for the other. In this union they create nothing new but are themselves transformed (some might say “elevated”) into Yod and Hé. (One possible way this may be accomplished is through the annihilation of Vau through the agency of the Vau component within Hé (fin.) thus loosing the Yod and Hé from Hé [fin.])
3.Once elevated the Yod consumes the Hé leaving only Spirit (Shin) which then generates and maintains these three operations and their components over and over again. This cyclic process generates the shape of the Pentagram and the interactions found therein even though the lines of the Pentagram do not indicate these formula directly.
4.The fourth “Lesser Operation” is the work of Vau with Hé which is illustrated by the path that bridges Tiphareth to Binah across the Abyss and that is shown on the Pentagram itself as the horizontal line that connects Air with Water. The Path on the Tree of Life that this operation traces corresponds to the arcana of the Lovers Card.
5.The fifth operation of the Pentagram (1st Major) is represented by the line that is associated with Passive Spirit connecting Water (Hé) with Earth (Hé [fin.]) This operation represents the usage of created symbolic forms to call forth the power of the Supernals through the agency of Binah.
6.The sixth operation (2nd Major) is given strangely in two different versions of this chapter in CXI but in both represents the Active Spirit in its guise as the influence of Vau on Yod. This type of operation is considered to be the opposite of the previous one in that the effect generated by this technique results in the direct creation of a result in the “Sphere of its Purpose and Intent.” This particular operation has vexed me for some time now. Does this mean that Crowley is suggesting that the usage of created forms is not necessary? That the result merely happens? Further meditation on my part is much needed in this operation.
7.The seventh operation (3rd Major) deals with the path leading from Fire to Spirit (Yod to Shin) in which the path of the attainment is illustrated as the active aspiration of the Life Force (chiah) to its source and complement. This may be seen as the path of the Magician.
8.The final operation of the Pentagram laid out by Crowley (4th Major) deals with the passive surrendering of the animal soul (Nephesch, Hé [fin.]) through sublimation or denial in order to attain the Higher (Shin). This is the path of the Mystic.
Crowley in describing these 8 operations of the Pentagram in essence presents us with eight reasons why he felt that “Properly understood, it is the Medicine of Metals and the Stone of the Wise.” And consequently why “Those who regard this ritual as a mere device to invoke or banish spirits, are unworthy to possess it.” However, the operations mentioned in these two chapters do not describe work that may be done with the Pentagram Rituals, per se. These operations are merely a map of Creation showing the interdependence and interaction of the five letters of the Name with each other. What do you think?
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