The powers of the sphinx appear originally in Eliphas Levi’s work Key to the Mysteries. Since then they have appeared mainly in the works of Aleister Crowley.
There are 4 actions which are associated with the mystery of the Sphinx. The initiate is required to meditate on the mystery of the sphinx and obtain the 4 powers.
The actions / powers are:
TO KNOW
TO WILL
TO DARE
TO KEEP SILENT
In my recent work with the element of earth, I have been asking myself which of these powers is most associated with the element of Earth. I have seen other Magicians match them up to Kerubs which they are closely related to but I often found myself dissatisfied with how they are matched up.
The first appears to concern knowledge. The magician seeks the understanding and control of his own mind during the air phase of initiations and surely this is the area where the magician obtains the most knowledge. During the air degree in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the initiate obtains the most knowledge studying psychology and alchemy and the subjects of this degree are the most academic. Eliphas Levi describes the air elementals as prompt and active, what flits about quicker than the mind. What is more active and changing than the mind? Surely “to know” is most associated with air.
To will seems without question to be associated with fire. The very definition of the Ace of Wands in Crowley’s later work the Book of Thoth describes the Ace as the element of Fire as will not yet applied to reality because it is too abstracted from it. Surely “to will” is most certainly associated with fire. I see many associated it with the Bull because some other initiate told them it was so. Often when a person seems so willful that they will not change their mind we refer to them as “stubborn as a bull” and say that Taurus is fitting. But the truth behind this is that will be applied correctly in magic is the power to cause change. Earth is not an element that naturally changes much so this is most unfitting. In Liber 151 To Will is associated with the kerubic beast of earth, the bull, but what is also indicated is that will is like “solid energy” what more fitting than the most energetic element, Fire. I hate to point this out, but the magicians of the time often deliberately included falsehoods in their writings so that those who were not initiated would be confused. It’s also very possible he got it wrong. He wasnt infallible and this wasn’t a text channelled directly from divinity or anything. He appears to have forgotten to maintain the falsehood or just ceased to require it in his later writing, Magic Without Tears, where he writes:
“You are familiar with the Four Powers of the Sphinx, attributed by the Adepts of old time to their Four Elements. Air is to Know, Scire; Fire is to Will, Velle; Water is to Dare, Audere; and Earth is to Keep Silence, Tacere. But now that a fifth Element, Spirit, is generally recognized in the Qabalah, I have deemed it proper to add a Fifth Power corresponding: to Go, Ire”
I am certain that the element which causes the quickest and most direct change is fire and the power of the sphinx which is fastest to cause change is “to will”.
What is the action of “to dare”? How is this different to the action of “to will”? Many initiates appear to get these two confused and say that will and dare are essentially the same thing, but the same initiates also recognise a subtle difference between the two which sits silently in the back of their mind and hides in plain sight. The action “to will” is associated most with energy and yet “to dare” is having courage. What then are the opposites of these? Having no energy and being too afraid to act. Now we see how different these two really are! An initiate can have the power to act, but be afraid to use it alternatively an initiate could dare much without the potential to actually cause change. Will is acted on the outside world, but daring on the initiate himself! This betrays a secret nature to daring. Daring is reflective like water. Daring fits the circumstance like water spreads to fill its container.
Finally to keep silent. What is most fitting an element for that which is formulated entirely of silence? The bubbling brook and rushing waves of water? The roaring fire? The air that is the medium of noise and creator of resonance and power behind the flute? Or the mute element that does not move or make any sound without the other elements being involved? I will not write much more because little needs to be said about what element it could possibly be, but earth is, without doubt, the element of “to be silent”. Crowley may have at some point written that is the element of fire, but as I suggested earlier this was likely a deliberate concealment of the truth or an error and is not consistent with what he wrote later in his life.
It is worth noting that the powers are associated with the 4 emanations of the Law of Thelema.
- To Know is associated with Aquarius (Air) which is associated with the freedom of will. The ability to be free from needing to meet other people’s expectations and to be free to focus on your soul’s desires.
- To Will is associated with Leo (Fire) which is associated with the Light of the new Aeon. Coming to realise truth and the ability to discern between truth light and reflection.
- To Dare is associated with the Eagle and Serpent two sides of Scorpio (Water) which is associated with Love. The mystical unity between man and god through tantric ecstasy, adoration or any other means.
- To Keep Silent is associated with Taurus (Earth) which is associated with Life. Coming to realise mankind’s immortality and therefore transcending the fear of death and the fear of the dark.
These themes are explored more deeply in Liber 150. If someone is an initiate of the OTO and has not read book 150 they should stop what they are doing and read it. It contains the key to the secret of their initiation and without they will not likely understand the nature of their initiation.