The Tarot of the Bohemians
Papus
Chapter 13
19th Hebrew letter (Qoph).
Origin Of The Symbolism Of The Nineteenth Card Of The Tarot.
Hieroglyphically the Qoph expresses a sharp weapon, everything that is useful to man; defends himl makes an effort for him.
The Qoph is therefore a particularly compressive, astringent, and cutting sign; it is the image of agglomerative, restricting form, and this gives rise to the idea of material existence.
This letter represents the letter כ (Kaph, 11) entirely materialized, applying itself to purely physical objects. Here is the progression of the sign-
| ה | (He, 5). | Universal Life. |
| ח | (Cheth, 8). | Elementary Existence. The effort of nature. |
| כ | (Kaph, 11). | Assimilated life, tending to material forms. |
| ק | (Qoph, 19). | Material existence, becoming the medium of form. |
This is a simple letter; it corresponds with the sign of the Gemini.
Nineteenth Card Of The Tarot.
The Sun.
Two naked children are shut into a walled enclosure. The sun sends down his rays upon them, and drops of gold escape from him and fall upon the ground.
The spirit resumes its ascendancy. It is no longer a reflected light, as in the preceding arcanum, which illumines the figure, but the direct creative light of the God of our Universe, which floods it with his rays.
The walls indicate that we are still in the visible or material world. The two children symbolize the two creative fluids, positive and negative, of the new creature.
1. Awakening of the Spirit. Transition from the material world to the divine world. Nature accomplishing the functions of God-
- The Elements.
2. The body of man is renewed-
- Nutrition. Digestion.
3. The material world commences its ascension towards God-
- The Mineral Kingdom.
