1

The#Occult#Tradition#oI#the#Tarot#in#Tangency
with#Ibn#Arab`s#LiIe#and#Teachings
-HUHHU#(O00RRU
PART#ONE
Eollowing# the# prudent# exodus# oI# both# Judah# Halevi# and# Moses# Maimonides# Irom
their# Andalusian# homeland# in# the# twelIth# century# and# the# later# vicissitudes# oI
Averroes#and#Ab#Madyan#occasioned#by#intrigues#in#the#Almohad#court/#Ibn#Arab
+44984573,#was#virtually#the#last#great#name#oI#Arabic#intellectual#culture#to#arise#in
the#Islamic#West/#or#Maghrib1#The#sole#exception#to#this#sweeping#statement/#the#case
oI# Ibn# Khaldn# +d14739,/# inventor# oI# sociology`/# is# rather# a# conIirmation# oI# the
assertion#since#his#genius#was#utterly#ignored#until#the#last#century#and#+like#Averroes,
he#was#only# appreciated# by#his#contemporaries#Ior# the#more# unoriginal# ballast# oI# his
work1# At# about# the# same# time# that# independent# spirits# were# becoming# scarce# in# the
Muslim# Occident/# migrating# to# the# Orient# by# way# oI# the# southern# Mediterranean
littoral/# the# Albigensian# &DWKDUL# +neo0Manichaean# Gnostics,# were# being# eradicated
Irom# the# Christian# northern# shores/# having# been# expelled# Irom# Aragon# in# 44<7# and/
through#the#Iollowing#century/#massacred#in#Provence#and#Languedoc1#This#is#not#to
suggest#that#the#two#sociopolitical#contexts/#Maghribine#and#Provenal/#are#otherwise
in#many#ways#comparable/#however/#since#the#stultiIying#conIormist#pressures#in#the
Islamic# territories/# on# the# one# hand/# and# those# in# the# Christian/# on# the# other/# were
really# due# to# nearly# opposite# Iactors1# The# Maghrib# had# entered# a# period# oI# political/
economic#and#cultural#decline#Irom#which#it#has#only#lately#begun#to#emerge/#whereas
the# northwestern# coastlands# oI# the# Mediterranean# basin# +the# oldest# Ioreign# Iootholds
oI# Rome# as# Iar# as# the# Ebro,# were# experiencing# a# cultural# eIIlorescenceindeed/# an
DZDNHQLQJ/#as#iI#Irom#a#long#winter#oI#slumber/#which#was#actually#the#Iirst#stirrings
oI#what#would#come#to#be#called#the#Renaissance#+DO0QDKDK,1#New#populations#Irom
Europe# and# the# East# were# Ilooding# into# the# Mediterranean# regions# oI# Lombardy/
2
Provence/#Languedoc/#Catalonia#and#other#parts#oI#Spain/#where#the#ground#was#being
tilled#Ior#opportunity#by#the#bloody#purges#oI#the#Albigensian#Crusade#and#Inquisition
+not# to# mention# the# new# Irontiers# being# opened# Iurther# south# by# the# ongoing
5HFRQTXLVWD,/# just# as# the# Muslim# intellectual# elite# were# eIIectively# continuing# the
same# circuitous# trend# on# the# wheel# oI# historical# Iortune# by# retreating# Irom# their
westernmost#provinces#to#the#Arab#heartland#in#the#East1#Ibn#Arab#joined#the#Ilow#oI
that# movement# when# he# made# his# IateIul# pilgrimage# to# Mecca# and# subsequently
extended# his# peregrinations# north# and# west# through# the# ancient# highlands# oI# Upper
Mesopotamia#and#Anatolia1
My# reason# Ior# drawing# attention# to# this# counterclockwise# circulation# around
the#North#AIrican/#West#Asian#and#southern#European#shores#oI#the#great#Roman#Sea
has#to#do#with#an#abiding#interest#I#have#nurtured#Ior#some#time#in#the#vexed#question
oI# the# originor/# barring# that/# at# least# the# relatively# recent# historyoI# that
mysterious# series# oI# twenty0odd# symbolic# pictographs# Ieatured# in# the# packs# oI# old
European# playing0cards# known# by# the# name# oI# Tarot/# or# 7DURTTXL1# While# most
researchers# today# would# probably# agree# that# cards# were# evidently# introduced# into
Christian#Europe#in#the#second#halI#oI#the#Iourteenth#century#as#an#importation#Irom
the# Islamic# +speciIically/# the# Arab,# world/# just# KRZ# this# crosscultural# bequest# was
eIIected#is#quite#diIIicult#to#determine#sincelike#so#many#intersocietal#phenomena
the# connecting# currents# generally# seem# to# have# Ilowed# under# the# surIace# oI# the
perIunctory# record0keepers`# notice1# But# the# chronicler/# Nicolas# de# Covelluzzo/# was
reported# by# a# kinsman# to# have# noted# that# 'the# game# oI# cards# which# comes# Irom# the
land#oI#the#Saracens#|Arabs|/#who#call#it#1DLE#|QnLE|#was#brought#to#Viterbo#|Italy|#in
the#year/#46:<1
4
#Hence/#cards#have#always#been#called#QDLSHV#in#Spain#and#Portugal/
and# QDLEL# by# the# earliest# Italian# sources1# These# Iacts# are# in# perIect# accord# with# the
circumstance# that# the# spread# oI# the# popularity# oI# playing0cards# in# the# West# was
Iacilitated#and#even#borne#along#by#the#local#development#oI#papermaking1#The#word/
card/#derives#Irom#NKDUWH$V2FKDUWD#+paper,/#the#Iirst#European#manuIactories#oI#which
were# established# on# the# Mediterranean# coast# oI# Andalusia# just# prior# to# Ibn# Arab`s
liIetime# and# had# begun# to# appear# in# northern# Italy# +which# enjoyed# close# mercantile

4
# Quoted# by# the# historian/# Eeliciano# Bussi/# in# his# history# oI# Viterbo# published# in# Rome# in# 4:73
+p1,546,1# 1DLEL# were# also# attested# in# Elorence# a#Iew# years# earlier1# Playing0cards#were#Iirst# invented# in
China# +as# were# the# techniques# oI# papermaking# and# mass# printing,/# and# the# idea# was# undoubtedly
adapted#in#India#and#Persia#beIore#reaching#the#Arabs/#probably#during#the#Abbsid#period1
3
relations# with# Andalusian# ports,# by# the# Iollowing# century# and/# thereaIter/# in# Erance
and#Germany1#To#the#production#oI#cheap#paper#was#applied#the#technology#oI#mass
stencilling/#and#a#pack#oI#cards#was#soon#within#reach#oI#the#European#Everyman1#It#is
necessary#to#add#at#this#point/#however/#that#there#is#no#evidenceand/#I#think/#little
likelihoodthat#the#primitive#Andalusian#QDLSHV/#or#QnLEs/#ever#included#the#peculiar
set# oI# symbolicpictorial/# extra0suit# trump`# cards# +known# as# WULRQIL# and# DWXWWL# in
Italian/# DWRXWV# in# Erench,# which# we# especially# intend# by# the# name/# Tarot1
5
# Eor# the
probable#origin#and#signiIicance#oI#these#we#will#have#to#look#in#some#other#direction1
The#oldest#playing0cards#which#have#physically#survived#to#the#present#day#are
generally# thought# to# be# those# Irom# several# elegant# hand0painted# Tarots# produced# in
northern# Italy# toward# the# Iirst# halI# oI# the# IiIteenth# century/
6
# but# they# are# maniIestly
QRW#representative#oI#the#original#design#oI#the#pack/#neither#singly#nor#collectively/#as
Robert# V1# O`Neill# has# pointedly# observed# in# his# insightIul# study/# 7DURW# 6\PEROLVP1
7
Tarots#had#evidently#been#documented#as#early#as#46<5#at#the#royal#court#in#Paris/
8
#so
they#can#hardly#have#been#'invented#in#northern#Italy#in#the#early# IiIteenth#century/
as#the#authors#oI#a#recent#putative#expose#oI#the#occult#tradition#allege#+conveniently
ignoring#O`Neill`s#work,1
9
#Clearly/#the#expensive/#custom0made#Tarots#commissioned

5
# In# this# article# I# will# use# the# word/# Tarot/# to# denote# speciIically# these# emblematic# trump# cards/
sometimes#called#the#PDMRU#DUFDQD/#irrespective#oI#how#their#relationship#to#the#other#89#+or#85,#pip`
cards/#the#PLQRU#DUFDQD/#oI#the#Iour0suit#pack#is#conceived1
6
# The# painted# Egyptian# Mamlk# playing0cards# Iound# in# the# library# oI# the# Topkap# Saray# Mzesi/
Istanbul#+No1#Yeni#4399,/#and#Iirst#described#by#L1#A1#Mayer#in#his#'Mamluk#Playing#Cards/#%XOOHWLQ
GH# O,QVWLWXW# IUDQoDLV# GDUFKpRORJLH# RULHQWDOH/# Cairo/# 6;# +4<6<,/# pp1,4464;which# was# reprinted# in
0DPOXN#3OD\LQJ#&DUGV#+Leiden/#4<:4,/#edited#by#R1#Ettinghausen#and#O1#Kurzhave#been#assigned#to
the# IiIteenth# century# +see# LELG1/# p1,8,/# so# they# could# possibly# be# as# old# as# the# earliest# surviving# Italian
Tarots#+though#they#probably#date#Irom#the#HQG#oI#the#century/#a#generation#or#so#beIore#the#Ottoman
conquest# oI# Egypt# in# 484:,1# In# a# postscript# to# the# reprint/# however/# Ettinghausen# announced# the
discovery#oI#part#oI#another#Egyptian#playing0card#+acquired#by#E1#de#Unger#among#paper#documents
recovered#Irom#the#Cairo#Geniza,#which#appears#to#date#Irom#the#twelIth#or#thirteenth#century#and#may/
thereIore/#be#Ayybid#or#even#Eimid#+see#LELG1/#pp1,<43/#and#Eigs1,#89:,1#In#his#'Eurther#Comments
on#Mamluk#Playing#Cards#+*DWKHULQJV#LQ#+RQRU#RI#'RURWK\#(1#0LQHU#|Baltimore/#4<:7|/#pp1,84:;,/
Ettinghausen#corrects#some#oI#the#many#erroneous#assumptions#in#the#earlier#publications#and#describes
yet#other#evidence#oI#Middle#Eastern#cards#which#would#pre0date#the#oldest#ones#produced#in#Europe1
Thus/#although#the#Mamlk#cards#described#by#Mayer#are#actually#Turkish/#there#is#evidence#that#they
are#based#on#earlier#Arab#+Eimid,#models1
7
#See#pp1,89#oI#O`Neill`s#book/#and#pp1,;4#and#<48/#where#he#belatedly#+and#understatedly,#makes
his# case1# 7DURW# 6\PEROLVP# was# published# by# Eairway# Press# +Lima/# Ohio,# in# 4<;9# and# has/# unIortu0
nately/# since# gone# out# oI# print/# although# it# remains# indispensable# to# the# serious# student# oI# Tarot
symbolism1
8
#See#S1#Kaplan/#7KH#(QF\FORSHGLD#RI#7DURW/#vol1#II#+StamIord/#Conn1/#4<;9,/#pp1,9;:31#Although
the#cards#painted#Ior#the#distracted#King#oI#Erance#in#46<5#may#no#longer#exist/#there#is#little#reason#to
doubt#that#they#were#emblematic#Tarots/#not#just#ordinary#Iour0suit#pip`#or#court`#cards1
9
# R1# Decker/# Th1# Depaulis# and# M1# Dummett/# $# :LFNHG# 3DFN# RI# &DUGV=# 7KH# 2ULJLQV# RI# WKH# 2FFXOW
7DURW#+London/#4<<9,/#p1,L[1#These#researchers#deny#that#the#Gringonneur# cards# were# Tarots/#but# with
4
by# noble# patrons# in# northern# Italyas# well/# no# doubt/# as# the# three# packs# known# to
have# been# painted# by# Jacquemin# Gringonneur# Ior# Charles# VI# oI# Erance# a# whole
generation# earlierare# nothing# more# than# derivative/# modiIied# copies# oI# an# already0
established# prototype# +we# will# call# it# the# 8U07DURW,/# de0mythologized`# to# suit# the
political# tastes# and# biases# oI# the# aristocratic# optimates# who# paid# Ior# them1# That
explains# why/# in# all# oI# the# extant# handmade# decks/# the# ominous/# or# anti0
establishment`# Atouts# numbered# XV# and# XVIThe# Devil# and# The# Tower/# or# /D
0DLVRQ# 'LHXare# never# included# +and# the# same# could# be# said# Ior# Atout# II/# The
Popess,/#and#other#bowdlerizations#oI#the#original#imagery#were#introduced#to#placate
the#religious#and#secular#powers0that0be1#That#being#the#case/#we#must#assume#that#the
standard# series# oI# the# Ur0Tarot# had# become# Iamiliar/# even# somehow# popular/# in
Erance# and# Italy/# at# least/# by# the# end# oI# the# Iourteenth# century# +as# the# evidence
indicates,/# and# presumably# much# earlier1
:
# Now/# recall# that# the# Andalusian# QDLSHV
which/# we# premised/# did# not# originally# contain# the# emblematic# trumpswere# Iirst
documented#in#Italy#in#the#century#preceding#the#earliest#extant#Tarots#produced#there
and# only# thirteen# years# prior# to# the# Iirst# documentation# oI# playing0cards# in# Erance1
Here# we# have/# then/# enough# inIormation# to# lay# the# ground# Ior# the# hypothesis# oI# the
origin#oI#the#Ur0Tarot#which#I#will#adumbrate#in#this#article1
BeIore# proceeding# Iurther# with# my# thesis/# however/# it# is# necessary# to# make
two# important# points# which# will# neutralize# certain# otherwise# inevitable# sources# oI
conIusion1# Eirst/# in# order# to# appreciate# the# substance# oI# what# will# be# presented
hereinaIter/# the# reader# should# become# acquainted# with# the# imagery# oI# the# particular
Tarot# cards# known# +and# easily# procurable# today,# as# the# 'Marseilles# deck/
commercially#produced#and#sold#by#the#Erench#company/#B1#P1#Grimaud1#+Except#Ior
the# colors# oI# the# Grimaud# Marseilles# packwhich# were# standardized# in# 4<63# but/
alas/#are# simply#arbitrarymost# oI#the#images# are# quite# adequately# representative# oI
what#we#will#be#calling#the#Ur0Tarot,1#Unless#otherwise#indicated/#then/#in#this#paper
the# word/# Tarot/# reIers# speciIically# to# the# readily# available# Marseilles# deck/# no# other
version#or#attempted#rectiIication`#having#any#bearing#on#our#discussion1#The#second

insuIIicient#warrant1#O`Neill#has#+unnecessarily,#gone#along#with#their#contention#as#to#the#provenance
oI# the# earliest# Tarotsand/# indeed/# it#makes# no#real#diIIerence# to# the#viability#oI# his# interpretation# in
contradistinction#Irom#theirs1
:
# Many# possible# indications# oI# the# existence# oI# playing0cards# in# Erance/# Italy# and# even# Germany
throughout# the# Iourteenth# century# have# been# adduced/# but# in# each# case# the# documentation# has# been
5
proviso# is# nearly# as# requisite# to# avoid# a# host# oI# pitIalls# and# stumbling0blocks# Ior# the
beginner# in# this# study1# The# student# will# be# well# advised# to# Iorego# the# assistance# oI
most#books#on#the#subject#oI#Tarot#until#he2she#has#gained#enough#Iamiliarity#with#the
underlying#system#to#allow#them#to#deal#critically#with#what#others#may#assert1#Until
now/#the#only#publications#evincing#real#authority#as#to#the#true#meaning#oI#the#Tarot
since#Antoine#Court#de#Gebelin`s#discovery`#oI#the#/LYUH#GH#7KRW#in#4::8#have#been
those# oI# the# inIluential# nineteenth0century# occult# theorist/# Alphonse# Louis# Constant/
best# known# by# his# qabbalistic# QRP# GH# SOXPH/# Eliphas# Levi1
;
# Others# who# were# in# a
position#to#speak#+such#as#H1#P1#Blavatsky,#dared#not/
<
#whereas#those#who#were#QRW
and# their# name# is# legionhave# braved# volumes1# Certain# Erench# authors# +such# as
Gerard#Encausse/#known#as#Papus,#who#have#not#departed#too#much#Irom#what#Levi
taught#may#be#read#without#grave#disadvantage/#but#there#is#hardly#a#single#writer#in
Englishwith#the#qualiIied# exception#oI# O`Neillwhose#constructions# on# the# Tarot
are# not# best# honoured# in# the# breach1
43
# That# is# because/# as# things# have# turned# out/
virtually#all#British#and#American#investigators#in#this#Iield#have#opted#Ior#one#oI#two
equally# Iruitless# extremes/# each# deserving# oI# the# other=# either# the# all0denying/
imaginal0retentive# academicalism# oI# the# dogmatic# skepticstruly/# opportunistic
bottomIeeders# oI# the# occult# tradition# they# derideor# else# the# Ilip0side# oI# the# same
cheap# token/# the# shallow0water# magicmongering# gullibles# who# have# swallowed# the
line# oI# a# Iorged# 'cipher# manuscript# propagated# by# that# Victorian# Irat0boys`# club
styling#itselI#the#'Golden#Dawn1#I#am#sorry#to#have#to# appear#so#utterly#dismissive/

called# into# question# by# experts# +see/# Ior# example/# Kaplan/# 7KH# (QF\FORSHGLD# RI# 7DURW/# vol1# I# +4<:;,/
pp1,5781
;
# Levi`s# observations# on# the# subject# are# scattered# throughout# his# works/# but# may# be# gleaned/
especially/#Irom#his#7UDQVFHQGHQWDO#0DJLF#+Eng1#trans1/#London/#4;<9,/#the#structure#oI#which#is#based
on#the#Tarot#sequence1#Court#de#Gebelin#published#his#pioneering#Iindings#on#the#Tarot#in#vol1#;#oI#his
monumental#/H#0RQGH#SULPLWLI#+Paris/4:;4,/#pp1,698743/#with#illustrations#oI#the#cards1#+This#passage
includes# the# monograph# ascribed# to# the# Comte# de# Mellet/# who# may# or# may# not# have# been# the# real
discoverer`,1
<
# Blavatsky# wrote# brieIly# on# the# Tarotwhich# she# reIerred# to# as# the# Taro/# or# Rota# +Wheel,# oI
Enochin# Section# <# oI# the# addenda# to# 7KH# 6HFUHW# 'RFWULQH/# which# were# published# posthumously# in
Vol1#8#oI#the#Adyar/#4<:4#edition#+pp1,43<45,1
43
# This# includes# Westcott/# Mathers/# Waite/# Cowley/# and# all# oI# their# latter0day# minions1# With# a
doctorate# in# biological# science/# O`Neill# has# not# really# been# trained# Ior# proIessional# research# in
Classical# studies/# and# his# amateurism# is# painIully# apparent# in# many# places# +Ior# example/# he# regularly
uses#'Dionysius#to#mean#Dionysus/#'Trismagistus#Ior#Trismegistus/#and#'Eleusian#Ior#Eleusinian,1
Notwithstanding#that/#the#very#persistence#oI#his#myopic#gropings#seemsnot#unlike#the#'Peter#in#the
Solar0card# imagery# treated# belowto# have# brought# him# closer# to# uncovering# the# secret# doctrine# than
any#other#independent#investigator#known#to#me1
6
but# it# really# is# necessary# to# insist# on# the# stone# that# the# builders# have# rejected# iI# we
would#base#ourselves#upon#a#sure#Ioundation1
It# has# been# said# that# oI# the# principal# branches# oI# traditional# western
occultismmagic#and#alchemy/#astrology#and#numerology/#Qabbalah#and#Tarot#only
the#latter#was#not#Iully#developed#by#the#earliest#phases#oI#the#Renaissance1#That#view
is# Iundamentally# Ilawed/# however/# due# to# the# vain# distraction# oI# the# phenomenal
proliIeration# oI# cartomancy# in# the# last# century/# along# with# the# inherent# diIIiculty# oI
recognizing#genuine#Tarot#doctrine#even#when#it#is#encountered#in#early#sources1#In#a
later# study# I# will# show# how# the# existence# oI# an# Ur0Tarot# is# proven# in# certain# well0
known# works# oI# Hellenistic# philosophy/# but# as# that# demonstration# will# involve# the
disclosure#oI#the#secret#order#oI#the#cards/#we#must#content#ourselves#at#this#stage#with
preliminary# hypotheses# and# allusions# suggested# by# outward# images1# The# reader# who
wishes#to#Iollow#what#is#indicated#here#will#have#to#remain#open0minded#and#Ilexible
Ior# the# time# being1# SuIIice# it# to# say/# then/# that# there# is# evidence# +which# will# be
adduced#later,#that#the#esoteric#Tarot#system#was#known#to#the#great#Italian#humanist/
Erancesco# Petrarca# +4637:7,
44
so# that# it# must# be# dated/# at# least/# to# as# early# as# the
Iirst#halI# oI#the# Iourteenth# century1#Moreover/#it# will#become#clear#that#the# inventors
oI#the#Tarot#were#in#communication/#or#communion/#with#elements#deriving#Irom#the
Muslim# Near# Eastthat/# indeed/# they# were# LQLWLDWHG# thereby/# as# the# Islam0based
community/#in#its#turn/#had#been#instructed#by#the#seventh0century#Hellenic#devotees
oI# Sophia1# The# whole# cycle# oI# this# esoteric# history# is# emblazoned# in# the# triumphal
sequence#oI#the#Tarot/#each#card#corresponding#to#one#century#since#the#dawn#oI#the
Common# Era1# To# touch# upon# just# a# Iew# salient# points# which# concern# us# here=# Atout
IV#stands#Ior#the#Iourth#century/#when#the#Emperor#Constantine#made#Christianity#the
state# religion# oI# the# Roman# empire># Atout# V# represents# Pope# Leo# the# Great# who/# in
the# IiIth# century/# established# the# primacy# oI# the# Catholic# papacy# in# the# west># while
Atout#VI#has#Ior#one#oI#its#several#meanings#that#oI#The#Choice`/#and#in#our#present
context# it# signiIies# the# historic# stand0oII# between# the# titanic# Byzantine# and# Persian
powers# in# the# sixth# century1# But# to# ZKRVH# choice# is# the# reIerence?# Atout# VII# depicts
the#triumph#oI#Islam#as#the#victorious#Hshimite#KhalIah#in#the#guise#oI#the#Christic

44
#The#justiIication#Ior#making#public#this#partial#exposition#oI#the#esoteric#system#oI#the#Tarot#lies
in#the#Iact#that#certain#halI0truths`#have#lately#gained#some#currencyIor#example/#the#theory#that#the
cards# were# designed# as# a# parody# oI# the# Medieval# triumphal# parades# celebrating# the# Roman# Carnival/
such#as#Iorm#the#subject#oI#Petrarch`s#7ULRQIL1#But#Iar#Irom#being#copied#aIter#the#Triumphs/#the#Tarot
is#actually#the#VRXUFH#oI#inspiration#oI#the#celebrated#suite#oI#poems/#as#we#will#see#in#due#course1
7
priest0king/#Aaron/#with#his#golden#diadem/#ephod/#and#urim#and#thummim/#mounted
on#his#throne#on#the#seventh#day`/#with#all#the#equilibrated#energy#oI#the#two#imperial
engines/#eastern#and#western/#harnessed#under#his#yoke1
The# hypothesis# that# the# original# +or/# rather/# the# immediately0precedent,
inventors#oI#the#Ur0Tarot#were#the#Eimids/#Sevener`#Shites/#is#consonant#with#the
Iact# that# the# second# septenary# oI# the# sequence# does# not# ostensibly# correlate# with
external/# politicalhistorical# persons# and# events1# Instead/# the# series# oI# Iour# cardinal
virtuesJustice/#Wisdom/#Temperance/#Strengthsucceeded#by#a#mysterious#triad#oI
LQYHUWHG#values/#is#suggestive#oI#the#more#otherworldly`#oIIices#oI#the#Hidden#Imms1
Still/# it# is# a# saIe# guess# that# the# Death0card/# numbered# XIII/# commemorates# Hlag`s
annihilation#oI#Baghdad#in#458;but#also/#more#speciIically/#the#eIIective#extirpation
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49
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54
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54
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55
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+San# Erancisco/# 4<<5,/# p1,6<1# See/# also/# LELG1/# p1,;7/# Ior# the# Iollowing# saying# oI# Jesus# quoted# in# a
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puriIied>#I#have#caused#the#clean#Ieet#oI#my#soul#to#trample#upon#it#conIidently>#with#the#Gods#that#are
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56
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Yahuwah# Saba$ot /# leaving# them# neither# root# nor# branch1# But# Ior# you# who# Iear# My
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in# its# wings# |VFL1/# rays|1# You# shall# go# out# leaping# like# calves# to# pasture# |children
running# and# playing# naked# in# the# sunlight|/# and# you# shall# tread# upon# the# wicked
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|earth2Ilesh#oI#the#Iield`#owned#by#the#angelic#steward/#DO00nOLN|#on#the#Day#when#I
act`/#says#Yahuwah#Saba$ot #+0DODFKL#7=,46,1#In#other#words/#the#Sun#oI#pure#Truth/
the# apostolic# Light# oI# absolute# transcendence/# is# the# Living# One/# Yahuwah# Saba$ot /
who# presides# over# the# other/# lesser# Lights# that# comprise# the# Elohim/# the# seven
archontic# Aeons/# or# Ages1# As# these# are/# in# a# sense/# the# emanations# oI# the# eIIulgent
Light# poured#out`# +DEE,# Irom#the#Sun/#each#the# overIlow/# or# remnant`#+XEnEDK,/
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willing1#Eor#now/#let#us#note#that#aIter#the#verses#Irom#0DODFKL#just#quoted#the#prophet
goes# on# to# mention# Moses# +embodying# the# traditional/# written# law# oI# the# Elohists,
and# Elijah# +representing# the# extra0curricular/# esoteric# teachings# oI# the# reIorming
Yahuwists,/#who#will#'turn#the#hearts#oI#Iathers#to#their#children#and#the#disobedient
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in# our# illustration/# which# must# be# understood# beIore# we# may# appreciate# the# signiIi0
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the# leIt# oI# the# mountain# and# altar# is# a# young# man/# no# doubt# portraying# Eugenius
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57
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57
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is#the#blinded#aspirant#oI#the#/XPHQ#Irontispiece#becomes#clear#in#the#opening#pages
oI# the# book# as# the# author# paints# a# haunting# word0picture# oI# the# total# darkness# and
silence#into#which#he#had#entered/#which#was#gradually#relieved/#Iirst/#by#the#whisper
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this# realization/# a# Iaint# purple# haze# that# reminded# him# oI# the# mythic# 6RO# PRUWXRUXP/
the# sunlight# oI# the# Elysian# Iields/# began# to# spread# beIore# his# eyes1# Suddenly/# in# the
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whole#habit#was#youthIul#and#Ilowery>#it#smelt#like#the#East#and#was#thoroughly#aired
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primroses1
58
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58
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18
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though# it# were# the# egress# oI# a# long/# mineral# tunnel1# His# enchanting# Cicerone# was
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which# she# conIided# as# being# merely# one# oI# her# Iavorites/# 7KDOLD# |Irom# Gr1/# WKDOOHLQ/
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59

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name1# She# inIormed# him# that# the# rocky# highlands# around# them# were# the# Iabled
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alchemists/
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itinerary#the#narrative#becomes#impossible#to#Iollow#sensibly/#as#the#Iair#maiden#and
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59
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Magic#is#to#multiply#the#Prester#+see#below,#and#place#him#in#the#moist/#serene#aether/#which#God#hath
purposely#created#to#qualiIy#the#Eire1#Eor#I#would#have#thee#know#that#this#Spirit#may#be#so#chaIed
and#that#in#the#most#temperate#bodiesas#to#undo#thee#upon#a#sudden##Place#him/#then#as#God#hath
placed# the# stars/# in# the# condensed# aether# oI# His# chaos/# Ior# there# he# will# shinenot# burn# +/XPHQ/
pp1,:89,1
20
Age/#had#previously#undergone#these#tests#+see#([R1#4<=,4953#and#66=,4;56,/#but#the
grade#oI#his#initiation#was#less#exalted1#As#it#had#seemed#to#him/#the#vehement#wind
that# crushed# the# rocks# was# the# Divine# herald`s# trumpet0blast/# while# the# thunderous
earthquake#that#levelled#the#heights#was#God`s#own#voice/#and#the#lightning0bolt#Irom
heaven#that#burned#away#all#dross#was#His#very#presence>
63
#but#the#saintly#Elijah#+as
the#Bible#indicates,#more#clearly#comprehended#that#God#was#QRW#SUHVHQW#HVVHQWLDOO\
in#those#terriIic#actions1#Although#the#blast#oI#wind#had#shattered#the#mountain# wall/
the# earthquake# had# unearthed# the# treasure0casket# buried# beneath# it/# and# Iire# had
puriIied#the#treasure#oI#every#earthly#impediment#to#the#discovery#oI#its#nature/#yet#the
Secret#could#not#be#recognized#until#Elijah/#prompted#by#the#'still#small#voice#oI#the
Holy#Spirit/#emerged#Irom#the#Cave#to#the#glorious#resplendence#oI#the#new0dawning
Daystar1# Only# then/# in# that# Iree/# open# sunlight/# is# the# Treasure# truly# revealed1# And
'the# chieIest# thing# in# it# and# most# perIect/# writes# our# Brother/# 'is# a# certain# exalted
Tincture#|LEJKDK|/
64
#with#which#the#worldiI#it#served#God#and#were#worthy#oI#such
giItsmight#be#tinged#and#turned#into#most#pure#gold#+p1,5:,1#Now/#this#Tincture/#or
transmuting# Stone# oI# the# philosophers`/# is#itselI# personiIied# in# Elijah# as# the# esoteric
Hierophant# who/# by# casting# his# mantle# over# Elisha# +Alsha,/# transIorms# him/# too/
into# a# Seer# like# himselI# +see# 4# .LQJV# 4<=,4<54,1# Similarly/# St1# John# the# Baptist# +DO0
nELJK,otherwise/#the#Sabian#+DO0nEL,#tinges`/#or#bleaches#white`#Irom#sin/#even
as#al0Khadir/#or#Khidr/#has#the#power#to#make#green`#+alive,# or#gold`#+pure,# by#the
mere# touch# oI# his# IootIall1# All# oI# these# august# personages# symbolize# the# deathless/
hidden# Imm# oI# the# Sixth# Age# who/# even# now/# IaithIully# pilots# the# World# to# its
imminent#apotheosis#preIigured#in#the#Iinal#Tarot#trump#+XXI,1
Elsewhere# in# the# /XPHQ# +chap1# <,/# this# same# guiding# Spirit# is# styled# 'the
Prester#oI#|the#Oracles#oI|#Zoroasterthe#MagisterPriest/#or#sacerdotal#Artist#oI#the
works# oI# the# Astral# Eire0world# that# animates# and# upholds# the# earth# oI# our# senses/

63
# This# is# implicit/# also/# in# the# qur`nic# account# oI# Moses`# vision# oI# the# Glory# on#the# mountain# in
4XUnQ# :=,476# +where/# however/# the# three# trials# are# not# distinguished,=# When# God# revealed# HimselI
+WDMDOOi,# to# the# mountain/# He# demolished# it/# making# it# level# ground# +GDNN
# DQ
,># and# Moses# Iell# down/
unconscious# +DLT
DQ
/# struck# by# lightning`,1# The# prophet`s# loss# oI# consciousness# is# indicative# oI# the
imperIection#oI#his#gnosis/#as#is#the#bizarre#statement#+in#([R1#66=,56,#that#Moses#saw#only#the#back`#oI
Godthat# is/# his# knowledge# is# D# SRVWHULRUL/# so# to# speak/# like# that# oI# the# purveyors# oI# H[# SRVW# IDFWR
prophecy/#the#XODPn#+exoteric#religionists,>#whereas#the#superior#gnosis#oI#the#super0prophetic#saint/
or#ZDO#+Iriend#oI#God,/#corresponds#to#the#more#D#SULRUL#intuition#oI#the#bonaIide#lovers#oI#Sophia/#the
SIs1
64
#When#the#Prophet#Muammad#emerged#Irom#the#platonic#cave#oI#ir`#he#beheld#on#the#horizon
the#awesome#Iigure#oI#the#angel#Gabriel/#who#proved#to#be#the#tincture`#oI#his#liIe/#Ior#that#morning#he
went#home#an#utterly#changed#man1
21
being#the#rareIied#matter#oI# natural#souls#Irom#which#Iiery0pneumatic#Ilowers#sprout
and# blossom# under# the# care# oI# the# Hieratic# horticulturist1# Eugenius# exhausts# his
ingenuity#with#variant#titles#Ior#this#Astral#Magisterium=#it#is#the#incandescent#Breath
oI# the# 7HUUD# 9LYHQWLXP# |DU# DO0D\n|/# the# supersensual# Orient# and# Divine0creative
Wisdom/# as# well# as# the# boundless# Eountain# oI# unconditioned# Love# and# solely0pure
Occult# Light/# which# is# the# unsearchable# Treasure# oI# all# treasures/# impenetrable
Intelligence# and# the# inexpressible# Countenance# oI# Deity# analogically# emblemized# in
our# Sun0card1# It# is# the# sacred# Eire# which# so# pervades# the# whole# world# that# its# spark
may#be#Iound#in#splitting#open#a#rock=
Suppose/# then/# we# should# dilapidate# or# discompose# some# artiIicial# building/
stone# by# stone># there# is# no# question# but# we# should# come# at# last# to# the# earth
whereupon#it#is#Iounded1#It#is#just#so#in#Magic=#iI#we#open#any#natural#body#and
separate# all# the# parts# thereoI/# one# Irom# another/# we# shall# come# at# last# to# the
3UHVWHU/#which#is#the#Candle#and#Secret#Light#oI#God1#We#shall#know#the#Hidden
Intelligence#and#see#that#Inexpressible#Eace#which#gives#the#outward#Iigure#to#the
body1# This# is# the# syllogism# we# should# look# aIter/# Ior# he# that# hath# once# past# the
$TXDVWHU#
65
65
#enters#the#Eire0world#and#sees#what#is#both#invisible#and#incredible
to#the#common#man1#He#shall#discover#to#the#eye#the#miraculous#conspiracy#that
is#between#the#Prester#and#the#Sun>#he#shall#know#the#secret#Love#oI#heaven#and
earth##+pp1,:67,1
The# miriIic# conspiration# between# the# Prester# and# the# Sun# alludes# to# the# pure# love
that#binds#Christ#Jesus#and#St1#John1#Indeed/#it#is#the#latter`s#teaching#oI#the#3DUDFOHWH
+the#counsellor,/#or#Holy#Spirit#oI#the#Real#+5#DO0DTT,/#which#both# underlies# and
exempliIies#everything#said#in#this#chapter=#'When#the#Spirit#oI#Truth#comes/#He#will
guide#you#into#all#truth/#Ior#He#shall#not#speak#Irom#His#particular#perspective#|that#is/
Irom# the# conditioned# perspective# oI# the# rational# vehicle# through# whom# He# speaks|/
but# whatsoever# He# hears# |Irom# Me/# the# Divine# Logos|# He# will# speak># and# He# will
show#you#the#things#that#are#to#come#+-RKQ#49=,46,1#That#the#Beloved#disciple#is#the
successorheir#oI#the#Son#2#Word#oI#God#is#to#be#inIerred#Irom#-RKQ#4<=,59:1#In#the

65
# I# can# do# no# better# than# quote# the# learned# editor# oI# the# /XPHQ=# 'The# $TXDVWHU# |or# $TXDVWRU|/
according# to# Paracelsus/# is# a# simulacrum# which# stands# Ior# a# thing# but# it# is# not# the# thing# itselI># it# is/
thereIore/#a#type#or#symbol/#like#the#phenomenal#world#itselI/#and#the#sense#oI#the#text#seems#to#be#that
those#who#in#deep#meditation#can#suspend#the#testimony#oI#phenomena#may#enter#into#the#higher#truth
and# understand# in# the# noumenal# world# the# ultimate# reason# oI# that# which# here# maniIests# by# means# oI
omens#and#signs#+ed1#Waite/#RS1#FLW1/#pp1,<:;,1
22
sense#oI# inheriting# the# motherhood# oI# the# Virgin# Mary# at# Calvary# did# he# receive# the
seamless# Mantle# oI# Christ# and# become# the# Paraclete# oI# the# church/# rather# as# Alsha
was#invested#by#Ilys#and#Al#by#Muammad1
66
Why# does# Vaughan# qualiIy# his# Johannite# Eire0master# as# a# Prester`# +?# Gr1/
SUHVE\WHURV/#elder`##VKD\NK,/#or#SULHVW?#Is#not#the#ecclesiastical#clergy#headed#by#the
papacy/# the# seat# oI# St1# Peter# +and# Moses/# also/# was# a# priest# oI# Midian/# according# to
ancient# tradition,?# As# we# learn# in# the# (SLVWOH# WR# WKH# +HEUHZV/# the# real# biblical
archetype# oI# messianic# Christhood# is# the# seminal# Iigure# oI# Melchizedek# +# PDODN
DO0LGT/# angel# oI# righteousness`,/# who# was# both# prince# and# priest# oI# Salem# +peace,/
a# place# near# the# Jordan# River# where# John# later# baptized1
67
# When# King# David
conquered#Jerusalem/# he#assimilated#the#perennial0priestly#order# oI#Melchizedek`# to
the# royal# house# oI# his# new# capital# to# Iorm# the# classic# Messianic# dynasty# into# which
the# Expected# One# as# son# oI# David`# would# be# born1# Solomon/# the# magniIicent# sun0
king# oI# Jewish# culture# and# historical# builder# oI# the# great# temple/# was/# thus/# a
prototype# oI# the# incarnate# Christ# +whose# Mystical# Body# is# itselI# the# Temple/# or
Church,/# whereas# the# parentless# Melchizedek# personiIied# the# veritable# Son# oI# God/
the#Divine#Sun/#irrupting#in#the#course#oI# human# history/# His#eucharistic# sacriIice#oI
bread#and#wine`#actually#constituting#the#radiant#liIe#and#spirit#thereoI1#As#Priest#He
immolates`# HimselI# as# King# Ior# the# liIe# oI# His# people1# Broken# down# into# tangible
Iorm=#Peter#is#the#passive#victim`#oI#the#holocaust/#who/#by#his#very#death/#IulIills#the
Master`s# order# to# 'Ieed# My# sheep/# while# John# is# the# active# priest`/# or# hierurge/# oI
the# metempsychotic# operation# +who# has# earned# this# dignity# by# his# willingness/# like
Isaac/# to# undergo# the# same,1# As# long# as# he# lives/# however/# Peter# is# the# undisputed
head# oI# the# church# on# earth/# the# leIt0hand# pillar# oI# maniIest# power1# But# as# such# his
oIIice# is# regal/# not# sacerdotal/# and# he# more# resembles# Moses# the# Lawyer# than# Elijah
the#Artist=#he#holds#a#sword#and#scales/#seated#on#the#throne#oI#judgment/#not#a#staII
and#lantern/# standing# on#the#mountain# oI# counsel1#It#is#Prester#John
68
#who#is# the# Old

66
#And#yet#the#three#cases#are#diIIerent/#exempliIying#the#investitures#+or#tinctures,#oI#cWPn/#%XGGKL
and#0DQDVor#SelI/#Spirit#and#Soul1
67
#See#-RKQ#6=,561#The#prooItexts#concerning#Melchizedeck#are#*HQ1#47=,4;53#and#3VDOPV#443=,7/
which#are#explicated#in#chaps1#8:#oI#+HEUHZV1#The#Iigure#oI#Melchizedek#is#Iurther#developed#as#an
angelic# archetype# oI# Christic# baptism# and# sacriIice# in# the# gnostic# Nag# Hammadi# scriptures# and# in# at
least#one#oI#the#Dead#Sea#scrolls1
68
# Reports# oI# the# legendary# Prester# John/# a# conquering# Christian# potentate# oI# India# +Iirst# docu0
mented# in# Nestorian# Syria,/# began# circulating# among# Crusaders# in# early0twelIth0century# Outremer/
around#the#time#oI#the#Iormation#oI#the#military0monastic#orders#oI#the#Hospitallers#oI#St1#John#and#the
Knights#Templar1
23
Man#oI#the#Mountain#+VKD\NK#DO0MDEDO,/#the#Antipope#oI#all#ultramontane#Utopias/#the
Hidden#Imm#oI#the#Eimids/#Assassins/#Druze/#Templars#and#Rosicrucians/#the#New
Age#Theosophical#Master#+Sans1/#DUKDW,#oI#the#Himalayas1#When#John#Paul#II#and#the
Dalai# Lama# Iinally# step# out# oI# their# travelling0shoes/# the# Prester# will# lead# them# to
another# place# and# bring# in# others# to# replace# them/# just# as# he# has# done# since# the
%DWHOHXU#Iirst#took#up#the#instruments#oI#his#art#over#two#millennia#ago1
At#this#point#we#have#dealt#with#most#oI#the#overt#symbolism#oI#the#Marseilles
Tarot#Sun0card#as#reproduced#in#our#illustration/#above1#The#two#children/#one#oI#them
blind/#standing#beIore#a#stone#barrier#and#below#a#beaming#solar#disc#emanating#rays
and# dewdrops`/# can# be# satisIactorily# explained# with# reIerence# to# several# biblical/
gnostic/#and#later# western#magical#and#mystical#texts/#just#a#Iew# oI# which# have# been
cited#herein1#Some#oI#those#passages#present#the#actual#models#upon#which#the#Tarot
imagery#was#consciously#based=#I#have#pointed#out#the#biblical#contexts#oI#our#present
subject0matter# derived# Irom# the# last# chapter# oI# St1# John`s# Gospel/# the# last# chapter# oI
0DODFKL/#the#Synoptic#episode#oI#the#TransIiguration#oI#Jesus/#and#the#Old#Testament
accounts#oI#the#mountain0ascents#oI#Moses#and#Elijahand#allusion#has#been#made#to
many# other# passages# Irom# *HQHVLV/# ([RGXV/# ,VDLDK/# 3VDOPV/# and# the# New# Testament
epistlesbut# I# would# emphasize# that# Tarot# iconography# cannot# be# Iully# compre0
hended# in# terms# oI# the# Bible# alone1# Although# the# imagery# oI# celestial# dew/# URV/
originates# in# Isaac`s# blessing# oI# Israel# recorded# in# *HQHVLV/# we# have# had# recourse# to
the#0RQDV#KLHURJO\SKLFD#oI#the#Elizabethan#dean#oI#Hermetics/#John#Dee/#in#order#to
elicit#a#plausible#explication#oI#that#symbolism#as#it#was#construed#by#the#creators#oI
the# current# Tarot1# Another# British# Rosicrucian`/# Thomas# Vaughan/# has# thrown
Iurther#light#on#all#oI#the#graphic#elements#oI#Atout#XIX#in#his#/XPHQ#GH#OXPLQH/#also
adding#a#Ieature#not#actually#seen#in#the#picture#at#allYL]1/#the#'enchanted#Treasure
+WKHVDXUXV# LQFDQWDWXV,# intermured# beneath# a# cubic# rock# oI# adamant/# the# base# oI# a
pyramid# oI# carbuncle# +see# VXSUD,1# We# touched# upon# an# occult# traditiona# MRFXV
VHULXVwhich# indicated# that# Atout# XV/# the# Scapegoat# oI# Azazel# +$]]# $OOnK,/# was
the# screen0image/# or# LNRQRVWDV/# oI# that# sacred# Secret# the# divulgation# oI# which# is
blasphemy#+but#QRW#DJDLQVW#WKH#+RO\#6SLULW/#thanks#be#to#God,suggesting#that#there
is# a# kind# oI# geometric# inIrastructure# governing# the# interrelations# oI# the# cards/# which
may#be#conceived#as#a#cycle#superposed#over#a#cross1
69
#It#is#by#turning#this#dial#VHYHQ

69
#The#wheel#can#be#turned#dextrally#to#spell#TAROT/#meaning#the#Way#+DUTDK,#oI#John0Elijah/#or
sinistrally# to# yield# TORAT/# meaning# the# Law# +VKDUDK,# oI# Peter0Moses1# It# is# interesting# to# note# that
24
WLPHV# that# the# saIe# containing# the# Holy# oI# holies# may# be# opened1# But# even# then# it# is
only# when# the# correct# combination# has# been# divined# +by# a# series# oI# permutations# oI
the# cards,# that# the# 0DJQXP# 2SXV# can# be# initiated# with# any# hope# oI# success1# In# the
meantime/#the#purpose#oI#all#this#is#to#teach#patience#through#trial#and#the#meaning#oI
the#alchemical#precept/#/DERUDUH#HVW#RUDUH#+work#is#prayer,1
Eirst# published# in# the# -RXUQDO# RI# WKH# 0XK\LGGLQ# ,EQ# $UDEL# 6RFLHW\/# Volume# XXXI/
53351# # Gerald# Elmore/# 53351# You# may# download# and# print# this# article# to# read# Ior
your# own# personal# use/# but# you# may# not# copy# or# republish# it# without# written
permission#Irom#the#Muhyiddin#Ibn#Arabi#Society1

the# written# Laws/# or# Scriptures/# oI# both# Judaism# and# IslamTorah# and# Qur`anhave# the# same
numerical#value#in#Arabic#as#Tarot#+433:,1#Thus/#even#as#the#way#oI#Tarot#could#be#said/#halI#seriously/
like#St1#Paul`s#libertarian#doctrine#oI#love/#to#stand#the#law#on#its#head`/#so#the#prophetary#Scripture#oI
Islam/#the#7DQ]O#+sending0down#Irom#heaven,/#is#given#liIe#and#meaning#by#the#7DZO#+taking0back#to
the#source,#oI#the#rightly0guided#SIs#as#exempliIied#by#al0Khadir#+in#4XU1#4;=,:;#and#;5,1