The Tarot of the Bohemians
Papus
Chapter 6
Second Septenary
The law that applies to the first tenaries is also true for the others, and following the same method we obtain a second septenary, thus formed-
The two ternaries, positive and negative, will balance each other to give birth to a second septenary and to it term of transition 13. Thus-
General figure -
But if two ternaries respectively act as positive and negative, why should not the two septenaries do the same?
The first spetenary, taken as a whole, will therefore be positive, relatively to the second septenary, which will be negative.
The first septenary corresponds to yod, the second to he.
Third Septenary. The third septenary is thus formed-
If the first septenary is positive and the second negative, the third will be neute, and will correspond with vau.
We should have therefore, definitely-
- 1st, A Positive Septenary = Yod.
- 2nd, A Negative Septenary = He.
- 3rd, A Neuter Septenary = Vau.
Yet each septenary contains one term which belongs to the preceding septenary, and one which belongs to the following septenary.
Thus the 7 is the 7th term of the first septenary and the 1st term of the second. 13 is the last term of the second septenary and the 1st of the third, etc.
The result is that three terms remain to be classed. These are-
19 - 20 - 21
These three terms form the last ternary, the ternary of transition which corresponds to the second he, and which may be thus represented-
The last numbered card, which ought correctly to bear the number 22 (or its Hebrew correspondent), closes the Tarot by a marvellous figure, which represents its constitution to those who can understand it. We will return to it presently. Therefore, in the major arcana, the great law is thus definitely represented.
The first septenary corresponds to the Divind World, to God.
The second to Man.
The third to Nature
Finally, the last ternary indicates the passage from the creative and providential world to the created and fatal world.
This ternary establishes the connection between the major and minor arcana.
