The Star and the Emperor

Aleister Crowley was wise to select the Star and the Emperor for his famous transposition in the Book of Thoth - they are, after all, an Athbash pair.

When we look at them, it doesn't seem immediately clear how they might connect symbolically, however. Consider it like this, though - the Star is the energy of hope, perseverance, inspiration - and distant goals... The Emperor is the image of those goals achieved - and the guarantee that they can be achieved.

He is the hero - the guaranteur of good faith - if not its source.

We are used to putting these men up on pedestals - leaders who we imbue with the qualities of stellarity - superstars in the psychological heavens, if you will. This is an illusion, caused by our distance from ourselves. This is the carrot and stick of our striving. But it is not all for naught, because the truth is that we can attain to this power - and when we do we realize that it is not - never was the apex of the universe: rather it is simply a portal out of the anthropomorphic and human - the displaced - into the other - the true plenum of wisdom we call Sophia.

As Leonard Cohen - a king - said "I am but a brief elaboration of a song".

And so, when we find ourselves, at last walking the paths of our dreams - it is in fact a humbling experience, not an exalting one. To be crowned, as it were, does not make us leaders - it makes us servants.

Follow your star, and when you reach your goal, accept the burden that is given you.

Ohm, Hah.

This is the Way.