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p. 61

CHAPTER VII.

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MAJOR AND MINOR ARCANA. GENERAL AFFINITIES.

KEY OF THE TAROT.

Domination of the 1st Septenary--Affinities of the 2nd Septenary in the Tarot, Card by Card--Ditto of the 3rd Septenary--General Affinities--Affinities of Yod, He, Vau, and of the 2nd He.

General figure giving the Key to the Tarot.

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MAJOR AND MINOR ARCANA..

THE Pentacles on one side, the Ternary of transition on the other, establish the connection between the major and minor arcana.

This connection is found in the general affinities of the four letters of the tetragrammaton.

The 1st septenary, which corresponds to yod, governs all the correspondents of yod in the minor series, that is to say--

The 4 Kings.
The 4 Aces.
The 4 Fours,
The 4 Sevens.

 

p. 62

Each element of the septenary governs different terms, thus--

 

1st Septenary.

The arcana

1 and 4

govern

King-1.4.7

of Sceptres.

----

2 and 5

----

----

of Cups.

----

3 and 6

----

----

of Swords.

The arcanum

7

----

----

of Pentacles.

 

Moreover--

The 1st arcanum especially governs the positive terms of the series, i. e.--

Arcanum

The King of Yod or of Sceptres (+). 1

1 (+)

The King of Vau or of Swords (-).

 

The 4th arcanum especially governs the negative terms of the series--

Arcanum

The King of He ... Cups

4 (-)

The King of the 2nd He + Pentacles (-).

 

By applying the same law to the other arcana we find--

Arcanum

Ace of Yod (+) Sceptres.

(+) 2

Ace of Vau (-) Swords.

Arcanum

Ace of He (+) Cups.

(-) 5

Ace of He (-) Pentacles

Arcanum 3

4 of Sceptres (+).

(+)

4 of Swords (-)

Arcanum 6

4 Of Cups (+).

(-)

4 of Pentacles (-).

Arcanum 7

All the transitional terms.

(∞)

7 (∞).

 

p. 63

SECOND SEPTENARY.--The second septenary, corresponding, to He, governs all the correspondents of the first He, in the minor series, that is to say--

The 4 Queens.
The 4 Twos.
The 4 Fives.
The 4 Eights.

Each element of the second septenary has the following dominations--

Arcanum 7 (+)

Queen of Sceptres,
(+)
Queen of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 10 (-)

Queen of Cups,
(+)
Queen of Pentacles,
(-)

Arcanum 8 (+)

Two of Sceptres,
(+)
Two of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 11 (-)

Two of Cups,
(+)
Two of Pentacles,
(-)

Arcanum 9 (+)

Five of Sceptres,
(+)
Five of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 12 (-)

Five of Cups,
(+)
Five of Pentacles,
(-)

 

Arcana 13
(∞)

All the 8,
(∞)

 

 

THIRD SEPTENARY.--The third septenary corresponds to Vau, and rules over--

The 4 Knights.
The 4 Threes.
The 4 Sixes.
The 4 Nines.

 

p. 64

Each element of this septenary thus rules over--

Arcanum 13 (+)

Knight of Sceptres,
(+)
Knight of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 16 (-)

Knight of Cups,
(+)
Knight of Pentacles,
(-)

Arcanum 14 (+)

Three of Sceptres,
(+)
Three of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 17 (-)

Three of Cups,
(+)
Three of Pentacles,
(-)

Arcanum 15 (+)

Six of Sceptres,
(+)
Six of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 18 (-)

Six of Cups,
(+)
Six of Pentacles,
(-)

 

Arcanum 19
(∞)

All the nines,
(∞)

 

 

TERNARY OF TRANSITION.--The ternary of transition rules over--

The 4 Knaves.
The 4 Tens.

Each of its elements thus rules over--

Arcanum 19 (∞) (+)

Knave of Sceptres,
(+)
Knave of Swords,
(-)

Arcanum 20 (∞) (+)

Knave of Cups,
(+)
Knave of Pentacles,
(-)

 

Arcanum 21
(∞)

All the 10,
(∞)

 

 

Value of the signs +, -,and ∞.

The signs which follow each card in the preceding lists define the exact value of the card. One example will suffice to make this clearly understood.

p. 65

Each term can be taken in two principal acceptations: in the positive (+) or in the negative (-). The same rule applies to the sub-divisions of these terms.

For instance, the correspondents of the first septenary are 1 and 4.

1 is the positive (+)
4 is the negative (-)

1 governs two minor arcana: the King of Sceptres and the King of Swords.

The King of Sceptres is positive.
The King of Swords is negative.

The definite value of these terms would therefore be--1st King of Sceptres.

 

Positive (+) of the positive (+);
or
King of Sceptres
+     +

 

2nd King of Swords.

 

Negative (-) of the Positive (+);
or more simply
King of Swords
+     --

 

The same rule applies to the other terms in combining the sign which follows the major arcanum with that which follows the term under consideration.

The value of each of the 78 cards of the Tarot is thus defined.

p. 66

GENERAL AFFINITIES.

AFFINITIES TO Yod.

 

Positive.

Negative.

Major Arcana

Arcanum 1

Arcanum 4

---- 7

---- 10

---- 13

---- 16

Minor Arcana

King of Sceptres

King of Cups

Ace

Ace ----

4

4 ----

7

7 ----

King of Swords

King of Pentacles

Ace

Ace ----

4

4 ----

7

7 ----

 

AFFINITIES TO THE 1ST He.

 

Positive.

Negative.

Major Arcana

Arcanum 2

Arcanum 5

---- 8

---- 11

---- 14

---- 17

Minor Arcana

Queen of Sceptres

Queen of Cups

Two ----

Two ----

Five ----

Five ----

Eight ----

Eight ----

Queen of Swords

Queen of Pentacles

Two ----

Two ----

Five ----

Five ----

Eight ----

Eight ----

 

AFFINITIES TO Vau.

 

Positive.

Negative.

Major Arcana

Arcanum 3

Arcanum 6

---- 9

---- 12

---- 15

---- 18 p. 67

Minor Arcana

Knight of Sceptres

Knight of Cups

Three ----

Three ----

Six ----

Six ----

Nine ----

Nine ----

Knight of Swords

Knight of Pentacles

Three ----

Three ----

Six ----

Six ----

Nine ----

Nine ----

 

AFFINITIES TO THE 2ND He.

Positive.

Negative.

Arcanum 19

Arcanum 20

Knave of Sceptres

Knave of Cups

---- of Swords

---- of Pentacles

 

Equilibrium.

Arcana 21-22

Ten

of Sceptres

----

of Swords

----

of Cups

----

of Pentacles

 

GENERAL FIGURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TAROT, SHOWING ALL THE AFFINITIES.

The absolute law.

Yod He Vau He

is in the centre of the figure.

Each of the letters of the tetragrammaton governs one quarter of the circle which contains its affinities.

The different colours indicate the especial dominion of each arcanum.

p. 68

 

GRAND GENERAL FIGURE OF THE TAROT.--<I>Arrangement of Series</I>.
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GRAND GENERAL FIGURE OF THE TAROT.--Arrangement of Series.

 


Footnotes

62:1 The signs +, -, ∞ indicate: the sign + the positive terms, the sign - the negative terms, the sign ∞ the neuter terms.


Next: Chapter VIII. Introduction to the Study of Symbolism