Decan Walk: Pisces 2

The penultimate decan of our decan walk, the middle decan of Pisces which is next-to-last of the zodiac. Here a sort of perfection is reached, called Happiness. But what is true happiness all about?

From left to right: RWS shows a rather self-satisfied burgher. Thoth shows amethyst cups being filled with golden liquid light from gold lotus flowers. Tabula Mundi shows the creatures from the Fortune card (Jupiter) frolicking with Piscean fish.

In the Telos Tarot of 777 (seen top of page), things turn more spiritual based on the decan image for Pisces 2: A grave man pointing to the sky. Yet he keeps some Jupiter and Pisces symbolism, with a great water wheel (Jupiter, the Wheel of Fortune) and Pisces, the revolving fish.

Magical image of the decan per 777: A grave man pointing to the sky.

Nine of Cups, the Lord of Happiness

Pisces, ruled by Jupiter (classical) and Neptune (modern)

Decan ruler: Jupiter

Triplicity ruler: Moon

Nines correspond to the Moon, through Yesod

Pisces, Jupiter, Neptune, and Moon all have spiritual components, both watery and astral, so it isn’t altogether surprising.

Deity per 36 Airs of the Zodiac fragment: Dolos

Ptolemaic deity per 777: Sourut

These deities are a bit slippery, but do have some things about them that seemingly can fit, which is explored in the Scions of 777 companion text.

The 777 description of the decan is a bit different than some of the others, like these:

Picatrix image and significations	A man upside down with his head below and his feet raised up, and in his hand is a tray from which the food has been eaten. Great reward, and strong will in things that are high, serious and thoughtful.
Henry Cornelius Agrippa image and significations (Three Books of Occult Philosophy)	A woman of a good countenance, and well adorned. To desire and put oneself on or about high and great matters.
Giordano Bruno image (De Umbris Idearum)	A man dressed as though for work, with bare arms, with a lively bearing and with a happy countenance.

Yet I found that Raphael’s image (Raphael aka Robert Thomas Cross, published 1879) mostly agrees to Crowley’s.

Raphael image and significations

An ancient man pointing with his hand to the sky. Praising one’s self, of a high mind, of seeking after and intermeddling with great and high things.

It seems likely that Crowley either got it from Raphael or they both referenced the same source. That source may be the Astrolabium planum by Pietro d’Abano, published in 1488 by Johannes Engel.

excerpt from Scions of 777:

“In art, figures that point to the sky are often calling one to contemplate the spiritual, or heaven. His “pointing at the sky” perhaps reminds us of the source of all happiness: following the true will that comes from our connection with that which is above Yesod on the middle pillar. Yesod is home base for all the Nines but especially this one because of Pisces association with the Moon card. The pointing suggests of course a hand (Kaph, the letter of Jupiter), pointing at the sky, which is Zeus’ (Jupiter’s) domain.

The man pointing to the sky suggests a painting by the artist Raphael (a coincidence there, no relation to the astrologer mentioned, whose pen name was Raphael.) The fresco called The School of Athens was painted between 1509 and 1511 in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. It is quite an impressive masterpiece depicting a multitude of figures: philosophers, astronomers, mathematicians, and scientists. But two central figures are the focus: Aristotle and Plato. The elderly figure representing Plato, points to the sky. In his other hand, he holds a copy of his book Timaeus (c. 360 BC). In the book’s dialogue, Socrates describes his ideal state. Timaeus opens with a contrast between the finite physical world and the eternal, or spiritual world. He suggests that the cause of the universe must be a god, who must have used the eternal model to create it. Plato reminds us that understanding begins with returning our mind to the cause (source) rather than being preoccupied by effect.

Plato’s gesture to the sky shows his philosophy of idealism, arguing that the real world is not the imperfect material realm, but the spiritual realm of abstract ideas, and the inevitable and joyful return to source. Yet we seem confined to the physical realm, while longing to escape it and achieve something higher: an ideal realm of universal truths like beauty and wisdom. We all seek to manifest an ideal version of ourselves. Perfect happiness is achieving the idealized self that exists somewhere “up there” in the spiritual realm, above the delusions of polarizations. Transcending the material brings true freedom, the summom bonum or highest human goal.” (end of excerpt)