HAND, as usual, holding bunch of water-lilies or lotuses, whose flowers pour a white water into all the cups, which all run over. The uppermost cup is held sideways by a hand, and pours water into the left-hand upper cup. A single lotus flower surmounts the top cup, and is the source of the water that fills it. Above and below the symbols of Mars and Pisces.

Permanent and lasting success and happiness, because inspired from above. Not so sensual as “Lord of Material Happiness,” yet almost more truly happy. Pleasure, dissipation, debauchery, quietness, peacemaking. Kindness, pity, generosity, wantonness, waste, etc., according to dignity.

Malkuth of  ה (Matter settled: complete good fortune).

Herein the Great Angels עשליה and מיחאל rule.

(This is not such a good card as stated. It represents boredom, and quarrelling arising therefrom; disgust springing from too great luxury. In particular it represents drug habits, the sottish excess of pleasure and the revenge of nature.)

“This card represents a conflicting element. On the one hand, it receives the influence of the Ten, Malkah the Virgin. The arrange ment of the cups is that of the Tree of Life. But, on the other hand, they are themselves unstable. They are tilted; they spill the water from the great Lotus which overhangs the whole system from one into the other.

The work proper to water is complete: and disturbance is due. This comes from the influence of Mars in Pisces. Mars is the gross, violent and disruptive force which inevitably attacks every supposed perfection. His energy displays the greatest possible con trast with that of Pisces, which is both peaceful and spiritualized.”

— Crowley, The Book of Thoth