Golden Dawn title of The Tower: The Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty

Divinatory Meanings

Ambition, fighting, war, courage. Destruction, danger, fall, ruin.

MacGregor Mathers

Ruin, Disruption, Overthrow, Loss, Bankruptcy.

Reversed meanings

These in a more or less partial degree.

Attributes of The Tower

Golden Dawn description of The Tower

It represents a Tower struck by a Lightning Flnsh proceeding from a rayed circle and terminating in a triangle. It is the Tower of Babel struck by Fire from heaven. It is to be noted that the triangle at the end of the lightning Flash, issuing from the circle, forms exactly the astronomical symbol of Mars. It is the power off the triad rushing down to destroy the Column of Darkness. Three holes are rent in the walls, symbolising the establishment of the Triad therein and the Crown at the summit of the Tower is falling, as the Crowns of the Kings of Edom fell, who are also symbolised by the men falling headlong. On the right side of the Tower is LIGHT and it is the representation of the Tree of LIFE by ten circles thus disposed. On the left hand side is DARKNESS and eleven circles symbolising the QLIPPOTH.

Path of Wisdom

The Twenty-seventh Path is the Exciting Intelligence, and it is so called because by it is created the Intellect of all created beings under the highest heaven, and the excitement or motion of them

Deities associated with The Tower

Greek Gods

Athene

The Warrior Goddess

Ares

Lord of War

Egyptian Gods

Horus

Warrior God

Flora and Fauna of The Tower

Perfume

Pepper

Dragon’s Blood

Precious Stone

Ruby

Animals

Boar

The Boar is martial , as shown in the legend of Adonis. There is here a mystery of the grade of 6=5, the overawing of Tiphereth by Geburah.

Bear

The Bear is martial chiefly for alchemical reasons and because of his great strength.

Horse

The Horse is sacred to Mars traditionally on account of his spirited nature.

Wolf

The Wolf is sacred to Mars (see the legend of Rome), also on account of his savage nature.

Plants

Rue

Rue  is traditional to Mars.

Absinthe

Absinthe  is traditional to Mars.

Magical Attributions of The Tower

Magical Powers

Works of Wrath and Vengeance

Magical Weapon

Sword

This Sword is not to be confused with the Dagger of Air. It represents the active and militant energy of the magician. Its true form  is the flaming sword, the lightning flash, which strikes down from Kether through the Sephiroth as a zig-zag flash. It destroys by dividing the unity of that against which its energies are directed. It is ultimately an error to identify the sword with the wand as a phallic symbol though this is often done. In the Lesser Mysteries of “John” the sword and disk represent the Wand and Cup of the Greater Mysteries of “Jesus”. In the former, John the Baptist’s head is removed by sword (air) and presented on a charger, the platter or dish of earth. In the latter , the heart of Jesus is pierced by the Spear, the Wand of Fire, and the blood collected in the Cup or Graal (water). But the Sword and Disk are not sufficiently sacred to be truly phallic.  This is one of the subtle distinctions which afford the key to the finest spiritual comprehension.

Colour Scales of The Tower

Knight Colour Scale

Scarlet

Queen Colour Scale

Red

Prince Colour Scale

Venetian Red

Princess Colour Scale

Bright Red, rayed azure or emerald.

The energy of Mars has been subdued until it is a proper basis for the blue and green rays of vegetable and spriritual life.