Chapter 27

CHAPTER VI.

✦

THE KEY TO THE MAJOR ARCANA.

The Major Arcana — 1st Ternary — 2nd Ternary — 1st Septenary —
2nd Septenary — The Three Septenaries and the Ternary of
Transition.

The Major Arcana.

The fundamental difference which exists between the
minor and major arcana, is that in the latter the figures
and numbers are united, whilst in the former they are
distinct.

There are 22 major arcana, but one of them bears a 0,
so that, in reality, there are only 21 great or major arcana.

Most of the authors who have studied the Tarot have
devoted all their attention to these 22 cards, without
noticing the others, which, however, contain the real key
to the system.

But we will leave these digressions and commence the
application of the law Yod-hc-vau-he to this portion of the
Tarot.

A little reflection will suggest to us that there should
be some sequences in the major arcana as well as in the
minor arcana. But how are we to define the limits of
these series ?

52 THE TAROT.

Each card of the minor arcana bears a symbol which
easily connects it with the whole scheme (Sceptre, Cup,
Sword, or Pentacles); it is different in this case. Each
card bears a different symbol. Therefore it is not symbolism
that can guide us here, at all events for the moment.

Besides the symbol, each card expresses au idea. This
idea is already a better guide, for it is easier to classify
than the symbol ; but this guide does not yet offer all the
security that we could desire, for it may be read differently
by various persons. Again, the idea proceeds from the
action of the symbol upon the other term expressed by
the card, the member.

The number is certainly the most reliable element, the
easiest to follow in its evolutions ; it is, therefore, the
number that will guide us ; and through it we shall
discover the two other terms.

Let us now recall our explanation of the numbers, and
Ave shall easily define the series of the major arcana.

However, from the commencement we must 'make one
great reservation. The series which we are about to
enumerate are the most usual, but they are not the only
ones.

This said, we will now study the four first major arcana.

The numbers 1,2, 3, 4 at once indicate the classification
to be adopted and the nature of the terms.

1 corresponds to Yod, and is active.

2 — to He — - passive.

3 — to Vau ' — neuter.

4 — to the 2nd He, and indicates transition.

This 4th arcanum corresponds to the Knave and to the
10 of the minor arcana, and becomes Yod in the next or
following series.

THE KEY TO THE MAJOR ARCANA.

If we wish to make a figure of the first ternary 1, 2, 3,
we should do it in this way —

(n) 2

(3)1

The active term 1 is at the head of the triangle, the
two other terms are at the other angles.

This ternary can also be represented in its affinities with
Yod-he-vau -he —

1
yod

2 he

2nd he 4

vau
3

Second ternary. — We have stated that the 4 becomes
the Yod or active term in the following sequence.

This is realized in the figure below —

yod

5 he

2nd he 7

ran
6

THE TAROT.

The 4 representing the Yod, therefore, acts with regard
to 5 and 6, as the 1 acted with regard to 2 and 3, and we
obtain another ternary.

(<)

-^ 6

The 7 acts here as the 4 acted previously, and the
same rule applies to all the series in the arcana.

First septenary. — The application of one law to very
different terms has led us so far; we must not abandon
this system, but persevere and say —

If in one ternary exist an active term = yod, a passive
term = he, and a neuter term = vau, resulting from the
two first, why should not the same result be found in
several ternaries taken together ?

The first ternary is active and corresponds to yod ; the
second ternary is passive and corresponds to lie; the re-
action of one ternary upon another gives birth to a third
ternary or vau.

Let us make a figure representing this —

THE KEY TO THE MAJOR ARCANA.

The 7 therefore forms the element of transition between
one septenary and another.

If we define the analogy between this first septenary
and the Yod-he-vau-hc, we shall find —

(1-4)

yod

(2—5) H he

- 2nd he n (7)

vau

(3-6)

A deduction may be made in passing, from which a
great deal of information may be derived, if it be carefully
studied: the 4 being only the 1, considered negatively, the
5 is only the 2 considered negatively, whilst the 6 is the
negative of 3. It is always the same member under different
aspects.

We have therefore defined a first septenary, formed of
two opposing ternaries.

THE TAROT.

We have seen that this septenary also reproduces Yod-

he-vau-he.

Second septenary. — The law that applies to the first
ternaries is also true for the others, and following the
same method we obtain a second septenary, thus formed —

Positive Ternary.

Negative Ternary.
10

The two ternaries, positive and negative, will balance
each other to give birth to a second septenary and to its
term of transition 13. Thus —

THE KEY TO THE MAJOR ARCANA.

General figure —

7_ 10

(f^\) hé -j— he (jP)

vau

9_12

But if the two ternaries respectively act as positive and
negative, why should not the two septenaries do the same ?

The first septenary, 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 lie.

58 THE TAROT.

Third septenary. The third septenary is thus formed-

(14-17) he

(13-16)

yod

van
(15-18)

he (19)

/ \

/iA

,/l5

VisV

If the first septenary is positive and the second negative,
the third will be neuter, and will correspond with vau.
We should have therefore, definitely —

1st, A POSITIVE SEPTENARY = Yod.
2nd, A NEGATIVE SEPTENARY = He.
3rd, A NEUTER SEPTENARY = Vail.

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 —

20 — 21

These three terms form the last ternary, the ternary of
transition between the major arcana and the minor arcana,,
a ternary which corresponds to the second he, and which
may be thus represented —

THE KEY TO THE MAJOR ARCANA.

(20) he

(19)
yod

2nd lie (0)

vau

(21)

The last numbered card, which ought correctly to bear
the number 22 for its Hebrew correspondent), closes the
Tarot by a marvellous figure, which represents its consti-
tution to those who can understand it. We will return to
it presently. Therefore, in the major arcana, the great
law is thus definitely represented. (See next page.)

The first septenary corresponds to the Divine 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.

THE TAROT.

t -T

q 2 f&

vau