The Tarot of the Bohemians
Papus
Chapter 5
The Key To The Minor Arcana.
Formation of the Tarot - Study of a Colour - The Four Figures - The Ten Numbers - Affinity between the figures and the Numbers - Study of the Four Colours - General Study of the Minor Arcana.
The Key To The Minor Arcana.
The Tarot is composed of 78 cards, divided as follows -
- 56 cards called the minor arcana.
- 22 cards called the major arcana.
The 56 minor arcana are formed of 4 series of 14 cards each.
The 22 major arcana are formed of the 21 numbered cards, and of one un-numbered.
In order to study the Tarot with success, we must then arrange the following packets -
- 4 packets of 14 cards each.
- 14 + 14 + 14 + 14 = 56
- 1 packet of 21 cards = 21
- 1 packet of 1 card = 1
- Total 78
We shall presently return to the origin of this marvellous conception of the human mind, but for the present we must confine ourselves to the dissection of the machine, and to displaying its mysterious arrangement.
Starting from a fixed and immovable principle, the constitution of the sacred tetragrammaton, Yod-he-vau-he, the Tarot develops the most diverse combinations , without one departure from its basis. We shall now unveil this wonderful construction, which confirms in its application the universal law of analogies.
The explanations which follow may appear dry to some persons; but they must remember that we are now giving them an almost infallible key to the ancient or occult science; and they will understand that they must open the door of the sacred arch for themselves.
Study of a Colour
Let us now take one of the packets of fourteen cards and analyze its construction.
This packet, taken as a whole, corresponds to one of the colours of our pack of cards. The 4 packets respectively represent the wands or sceptres, corresponding to our clubs; the cups or goblets, corresponding to our hearts; the swords, corresponding to our diamonds.
We shall now study one of these packets, for instance that of the Sceptres.
The packet consists of 4 figures: the king, queen, knight, and knave, and of ten cards which simply bear numbers.
The ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.
The Four Figures.
- We must first consider the four figures-
- The king represents the active, the man, or male.
- The queen represents the passive, the woman, or female.
- The knight represents the neuter, the adolescent.
- Lastly, the knave represents the 4th term of this sequence, which may be figured in this way
This sequece is only an application of the general law Yod-he-vau-he, which we already know, and the analogy is easily established-
The knave therefore corresponds with the second He, i.e. it is only a term of transition; but transition between what?
Between the four figures and the ten numbers following.