The Fool

7
G.O.M.
TRADITIONAL TITLE:
“GREAT WORK”

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The “Great Work” of Wands - title of this
Arcanum – is the result of the influence of
the Initiate upon the environment and his
or her power to manifest the Unmanifested.
There are four basic types of missions
within the initiation of Wands. The 7th
degree relates to the way of carrying out
missions by different initiates, because
between the individuality of the Initiate
and the type of his mission, there is a close
match.
In certain cases, this link is so essential that
the Initiate’s mission seems to be something
unique to their individuality. This is the
case when the dominant planet of the
Initiate is one of the three symbolised by
the triangle in the Arcanum image.
In Wands, all missions have the same
esoteric value. Hierarchical diversity may
exist only among Initiates who cross suit at
lesser or higher levels.
The triangle represents the Sun, the Moon
and Saturn and underlines the special
type of missions linked to these stars,
which have a more abstract character
and themselves are less limited to direct
transmission of the teaching received from
on High or from an incarnate Master. The
missions of the initiates of the cross have a
more concrete character.
Initiates of the Triangle
1. The Solar type leaves the world and
returns to the Father’s House, opening the
way for others, making it easier for them
to rise above illusions. His/her mission
resembles the influence of the sun, whose
rays pass through layers of the atmosphere, influences of their spiritual torment, for
light and heat to Earth. A Solar-type Initiate miracles and healings. He or she will give
will seek to attract followers and spread
as much as possible of his/her doctrines,
acting not only personally, but also through matter.
disciples. He/she will try to synthesise its
teaching so it can encompass all aspects of
human life.
2. The Lunar type consciously offers not
only his/her physical body, but also the
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psycho-soul and individual system, as a
prepared form, so that a Superior Being
may use it and manifest in the world
through it. This is the case of Spiritual
Avatars and mediumship in its highest
aspect. A Lunar type Initiate will
present life from the purely religious point
of view, sanctifying the family principle
and introducing religious symbolism into
everything.
3. The Saturnian type, having crossed all
the way for Reintegration, does not pass
to Paranirvana but, ignored by the world,
remains, whether in the physical or etheric
body, to give spiritual assistance. Saturn, the
most reserved planet of all, dominates in
the individuality of Mahatmas or Guardians
of humanity, whose simple presence in the
world exerts its regenerating influence.
A Saturnian Initiate will emphasise the
importance of the mystical principle, of
union with the Divine through internal
purification, valuing tje isolation and
distance from the world. It will perhaps
establish mysteries inaccessible to
human masses. His teaching will only be
understood by few.
Initiates of the Cross
1. The Martian type will energetically
point out faults or “sins” of individuals and
society, inciting people to repentance, to
fight against their carnal desires, renounce
fleeting earthly pleasures and instead search
for heavenly, eternal goods.
2. The Mercurian type will act less by word
and preaching than by example and directly
proof of the value of internal, spiritual
upheaval, demonstrating its power over
3. The Jupiterian type will be a legislator.
He or she will seek to influence the great
masses, introducing religious law into the
internal life of humanity and in the whole
of society, in it the relationships between
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people.
4. The Venusian type will act on the
environment by internal harmony, for
the spiritual purity and for the love that
emanates, attracting and unifying everyone.
The three smaller Wands at the top of the
graphic representation of the Arcanum
mainly symbolise the three planets, in
addition to the traditional seven, that is,
Uranus, Neptune and Hades (Pluto).
The influence of these planets does not
act through missions but consists of
the special affinity that each Initiate has
with the vibrations of one or the other of
them. These planets exert their influence
worldwide and this is negative for the
common man and even for a disciple on the
way of Coins, on the philosophical path of
Swords and even in Cups, when their level
has not yet reached a certain height.
Only in Wands, do the vibrations of the
three planets become totally positive.
1. Uranus’ expression is via the negation
of form. In the world of Coins this leads
to anarchy in all fields of life, and the
destructive activity in the “not-Me” world.
In Swords, scepticism increases, leading
to total nihilism. In distorted aspects of
Cups it can manifest itself as deceptive
mediumship, caused by disorder of
the receiving system. In Wands, on the
contrary, the vibrations of Uranus allow us
to perceive the essence of everything, even
when it is totally hidden by some form.
2. Neptune’s influence is expressed by the
negative attitude about changing anything
in your life. In the world of Coins, this leads
to the monotony that ends in boredom,
is harmful physically and psychically and
results in escapist tendencies. In a more
spiritually evolved person it is expressed by
longing for something indeterminate. In
Wands, when incessant internal transients
no longer exist and the fullness of spiritual
life is achieved, the Neptunian negativity
in the face of changes becomes the will to
remain always and Eternally in the present.
3. Hades’ influence is expressed by the
negative attitude facing the movement.
This, in the lower stages, results in
passivity, inertia and laziness. In Wands, in
an unalterable inner peace.
The positive aspects of these three planets
are expressed in the individuality of
the Initiates of the superior suits by an
imperturbable internal harmony and a
“silence of the soul” which isolates them
from the world’s agitation, despite, and
perhaps thanks to, the simultaneous
realisation of its terrestrial mission.
In the 7th degree of Wands, the Initiate
approaches his passage to Paranirvana or
Reintegration. The last three degrees of the
suit relate to that passage. It’s impossible to
transmit with words the experience lived in
this stage; in fact, it can only be an attempt
at explanation throughout the Wands stage.
It is a state of mind that only be sensed by
Intuition.
In Coins, Swords and perhaps even Cups,
you could talk about the “way”. In Wands,
it is already a fusion with the Divine, which
reaches its fullness in the three last Arcana.
At this stage, the Initiate is beyond Good
and Evil, as we understand them in our
world of illusions. It is a stage where all our
terrestrial concepts disappear. The
Initiate now knows the reason for the
manifestations and their purpose, sees how
everything is in its place, because this place
was determined in Wands. He/she knows
that in the world there are no other laws
besides the Divine Will, with which it fully
integrates The 7th Arcanum of Wands is
a kind of sum of the “Great Work “of the
Initiate in the world of ” the “non-I”; at
the same time, this Arcanum corresponds
to the final stage of his internal “Great
Work”, in the path of “I”, before the final
Reintegration.
In the objective or descent aspect, the 7th
degree corresponds to the Sefira of Victory,
Netzach. It is the Initiate’s final victory
about the world of the “non-I”, resulting
from the great compassion that, permeating
his being entirely, led him and made this
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victory possible.
Now the Initiate performs his union with It is not ‘legitimate initiation’ which
the Divine Principles of Will and Mercy. constitutes the chain – or rather the
These Principles are no longer the external flow – of the tradition – but rather the
divine, but they became immanent in niveau and authenticity of spiritual
it; however, Mercy, that is, the active
expression of love for the other, cannot experience and the depth of thought
exist without the love for God that also that it comprises.
became immanent in the Initiate. Therefore it is initiation per se which
It is in this internal state that the Initiate consitutes the Hermetic tradition across
approaches the three last degrees of the the ages, and not the transmission
realisation of the self with the Divine,
through the three “ of initiation by way of rituals and
hermetic virtues”: Bliss, Purity and formulae. If the tradition depended
Silence, traditional titles of the last three only on the latter it would already long
Arcana of Wands. These degrees, in the ago have been either extinuished or
subjective or ascending sense, correspond certainly lost in the jungle of quarrels
to the superior triangle of the Sephirothic
system, and each of these last three over rights and legitimacy. Now, it is he
Arcana constitutes, in itself, a Portal for who knows from first-hand experience
Reintegration. who represents the tradition, and it is
The choice of the Portal depends on the his authentic knowledge which is his
Initiate himself, of his affinity with the legitimacy.
vibrations of one of the three planets
symbolised by the three smaller wands in
the graphic representation of the Arcanum. Meditations on the Tarot
So these three wands, in their highest Letter XV, The Devil
aspect, also symbolise the three Portals or
Paths to Reintegration or Paranirvana.
As seen in the following Arcanum, the
Eight of Wands, they have their
correspondence in “Sat-Chit-Ananda” of
Eastern esotericism and correspond, also,
to the types of souls or spiritual states:
“Aleph”, “Ghimel” and “Lamed”, which Sat - Chit
reflect the primordial differentiation of
the Monad and through the realisation of Ananda
which the Monad returns.
On the objective or descent path, the 7th
Arcana concludes the cycle of Missions
Arcana. The remaining three Arcana,
corresponding to the Sephiroth Hod, Yesod
and Malkuth are, one could say, a reflection,
in the lower planes, of the three Portals of
Paranirvana.

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