/letter21.gif)
XX
THE ÆON
(Fire, Spirit)
“Burn me, O flame. Thou art the breath of my Belovéd, the body heat of Her embrace, the passion of His seeding.”
MEDITATION COLOR: Red.
HEBREW LETTER: Shyin, tooth. Something that penetrates, rends, shreds, or breaks down. The sound sh is like a hissing flame or a serpent.
CARD NAME: Æon (or eon) means an age, or an indefinitely long period. The title was consciously selected to refer to one of the Thelemic-recognized “æons,” the current one of which began in 1904; but the word also communicates a sense of eternity (or a seemingly eternal immense period) that is characteristic of the consciousness of this Path. The Greek original stems from the Indo-European root aiw-, which meant the vital force or life force (compare its phonics to the letter Alef), and thus long life, eternity, immortality, duration through time. From this root we get modern English words ever, every, never, aught, both aye and nay, and time-terms such as primeval, coeval, medieval, eternal, and sempiternal. – The older title, “Judgment,” comes from the same roots as justice (see Atu VIII), but carries additionally the meaning of mental capacity to discern and distinguish relationships.
ESOTERIC MEANING: The Perpetual Consciousness. Why is it called this? Because it directs the movements of the Sun and Moon according to their natural order, each in its proper orbit.
TREE of LIFE: Malkuth to Hod. (Links ‘the Kingdom’ and ‘Glory’; or ‘Physical Embodiment’ with ‘Intellect.’ Impermeability overcome, rigid structure dispersed or dissolved. Influx of magick current.)
ESOTERIC TITLE: The Spirit of the Primal Fire
TANTRIC & ALCHEMICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Growth and development of the Magical Child.
DIVINATION: Final decision in respect to the past, and new current in respect to the future; the opening of new doors concurrent with the closing of old ones. Transforming fire, renewal. Always represents the taking of a definite and decisive step.
