Demetrius Semelas - The Tarot

The Tarot Introduction Our Venerable Master wrote a Preface, dated 7/10/1914, to the following collection of Arcanes1. In it, He explained the basis of the work that He was about to give to His disciples. After quite a number of years spent next to Him, and after many conversations with Him on the subject of the Tarot, that are still vivid in my memory, I thought of remodelling this preface. I have also added what He taught me after the publication of these few issues and photocopies. Most of these copies have been lost. The present text is a copy of the original manuscript, which is still in my possession. Ever since Court de Gébelin rediscovered the Tarot as a card-game or one of fortune telling, it has been widely spoken about in the Occident. Still, it is a collection of arcanes expressing the great Laws of the Being and of the Universe. It was preserved by the Brethren of the Orient and was always given to the disciples of a certain grade as a key to the Teaching. In the Occident, where initiatic Tradition was corrupted, it was conserved in a secular (profane) manner. Court de Gébelin saw its superior symbolism and found its analogy with the principles of numbers as interpreted by the Kabbalah. Later on, Eliphas Levi consecrated numerous pages to the Tarot; Papus wrote two works on it, and still other seekers of the occult were interested in it, though unfortunately they were not Initiates. The plate at the end of the collection is a copy of the first arcane of the orthodox Tarot of the Brethren of the Orient. There are two symbols that serve as an exergue: The one on the right is the Labarum of Constantine and the one on the left is the Universal Key. The Labarum identifies the arcane and clearly expresses its origin: ‘The Brethren of the Orient’. The Universal Key refers to the basis, the principle that is fixed on it, and serves to explain, interpret and adapt the arcane. Our Master condensed each orthodox arcane into a revealing schematic one. Instead of commenting on the orthodox arcane, He transcribed it, thus sparing the disciple long nights of research. Later on I, in turn, will complement the above. Now I shall cite those passages of the Preface that can give the disciple the elucidation that is necessary for his studies. “The indecipherable Secret hidden under the symbolism of the 22 illustrations of the Tarot is due to its obscurity and silence through its adaptation on the Universal Key of human Wisdom.

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“The Universal Key of human Wisdom is the synthesis, in the greatest possible simplicity, of the real, certain and stable truth that human thought has so far been able to conceive. “This Key is a symbol that speaks to all mentalities, whatever their degree of evolution. It pleases the secular; it speaks to the disciple; it enlightens the adept, and to the Master, it lifts the folds of the veil of Truth. “This Key is not a modern invention. It comes to us from Pythagoras. I know this from my Master, a Sage of the Orient, a perfect and pure being, a native of Crete, whose mystical name was Hinarius. “His last advice to me before he died, his last wish, was that this Key be reinstated on the level of action and of reality. By adapting it to the Tarot, I therefore do nothing but fulfil the last wishes of my Master. “I have drawn conclusions from this, which will provide great satisfaction to the disciple. “The Key is not the exclusive property of the Oriental Schools of Attica and Ephesus. It was known in all the Philosophical Schools of the Orient and the Occident.2 “Thanks to the spirit of conservation of the School of Attica, this Key has come down to us intact, whereas in the Occident it has unfortunately been conserved only in the spirit of certain Masters and in a state of analysis, not synthesis. “What is this Universal Key of human Wisdom? “This Key is a simple symbol composed of a circle enclosing a triangle in which there is a square divided into 9 small equal squares that contain the Unitary numbers 1 to 9.(Numbers of the Monad). The whole figure is divided by a vertical diameter. “Let us now analyse its elements: “1) The Circle represents infinite Unity and the eternal synthesis of the ternary, symbol of the conscious intellect of Mens, of the Ego, of the Spirit. “2) The Triangle is a mediator, expressing the ternary unity, the ternary. Schematically it is the intermediate, uniting the square to the circle. “The simplest figure that can be inscribed within the circle is the triangle, and any two lines radiating from some point of the circumference always form a triangle with a curved base. Again, a square crossed by a diagonal line produces two triangles. “From the above, it follows that the triangle is the mediating figure between the circle and the square. It is the symbol of the intermediate essence, or hypo-essence, that unites the Spirit to Matter. We call this subtle hypo-essence the Soul. “3) The Square represents the quaternary. It is a figure that is totally opposed to the circle in both constitution and form. It is the symbol of Matter. “In brief, the Circle is the symbol of the Spirit, the Triangle is that of the Soul, and the Square is that of Matter.

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In the Occident, the regular depositaries of initiatic orthodoxy (the Brethren of the Orient)

used to give this Key in a form of a somewhat different disposition of the figures (see Khunrath, Edward Kelly and others). It is the mark, the seal of initiatic reality. It is the sign of recognition of the true adepts (Brethren of the Orient), whether of the Orient or of the Occident. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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“To the Initiate, the combined formation of these three figures reveals secrets that we cannot expose. We simply draw the attention of the seeker to their value. “There are 9 numbers inscribed within the square. This represents the association of the three principles of creation in Matter. Numbers 1,4,7 relate to the Spirit, numbers 2,5,8 to the Soul, and numbers 3,6,9 to Matter. “Number 1 represents the beginning, the Absolute, the Principle, the Unique, the Unity, that which is eternal. It therefore represents the basic principle of the Spirit, IMAGINATION. “Number 2 hints at number 3, for 2 is a term of comparison. Since it depends on 1, it must necessarily link it to a number that comes later in the series. 2 is the mediating number between 1 and 3. It represents the principle Soul, whose basis is WILL. “Number 3 complements this equilibrium. It is the second scale of the Balance, whose first scale is number 1, and it thus forms the ternary cycle. It represents the principle Matter, whose basis is POWER. “Number 4 is obtained by the association of the previous (ternary) cycle plus the Unity. Thus the second cycle is begun. We therefore have: primary cycle 3 + the 1st part of the secondary cycle = 4, or Power 3 + Imagination 1 = Power of Imagination or THOUGHT. “Number 5 is the association of the 1st cycle Power 3 + Will 2, which makes 5 = Power of Will or AFFIRMATION, rendered effective by the WORD, which is the affirmation of Will. “Number 6 is the complement of the second cycle. It is the result of the sum of Power 3 + the second secondary Power 3, and is transcribed by Power or the energy of Power, which is the manifestation of Power or ACTION. “Number 7 is the total of the two preceding cycles + a unity, 3+3+1=7. Action or energy, or manifestation of Power in Imagination = Action of Imagination = CONCEPTION. “Number 8 is produced from 3+3+2=8, which is the energy of the Power of Will, or the action of Will = DETERMINATION. “Finally, number 9 is the total of these three cycles 6+3=9. Externalized Power, or the action of manifested Power = EXECUTION. “This can be summed up in a Table: PRINCIPLES Mental Plane:

1 IMAGINATION

Psychical Plane:

2 WILL

Physical Plane:

3 POWER

MANIFESTATIONS

RESULTS

manifested as THOUGHT 4

creates CONCEPTION 7

manifested as AFFIRMATION 5 manifested as ACTION 6

creates DETERMINATION 8 creates EXECUTION 9

1,2,3, form the major cycle, 4,5,6, form the median cycle, http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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7,8,9, form the minor cycle. “The three cycles united form a synthesis called the Great Universal Cycle: 1,4,7, form the mental or Conscious Cycle, 2,5,8, form the latent mental or Subconscious Cycle, 3,6,9, form the mental Unconscious Cycle. “These three cycles form another synthesis called the Great Cycle of Universal Energy. “ The diameter is the measure of the circle and consequently the gradation in the series of numbers from 1 to 9. “The numbers in the square express the Principles, the manifestations, and the creative qualities of Universal Spirit in Matter.” ----------------This is the tenor of the Preface that our Master had written in order to explain the value of the Universal Key, so as to enable the reader to study the 22 arcanes successfully. The Universal Key of Eternal Wisdom is presented in the first plate under three different aspects. It thus shows the 3 special keys: the first refers to the Being, the second to the Universe, and the third to Man. In the present edition, every arcane is presented under 2 forms: The first was derived from the adaptation that our Master made of it on the Universal Key, according to the orthodox Tarot of the Brethren of the Orient, of which He was one of the Superior Masters (Master of the Orient). The second form was the secular one, under which the Tarot circulated for centuries in the Occident. For this depiction, I have chosen ‘the Tarot of Marseilles’, which has not been subject to any ‘perfecting’ from occultists, and which is the most ‘native’ (nearest to the original one). The last plate of the collection is a copy that confirms and delineates the 1st Arcane of the orthodox Tarot of the Brethren of the Orient. It has been given as proof and purely as documentation. May every Brother and Sister who has this collection in their possession study and meditate deeply the inestimable treasure transmitted to them.

1932 ------------------------

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I The Tarot of the Magician: “The Disciple”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Magician is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Disciple”. The disciple represents the triple constitution of the Spirit of the being, filled with wisdom in its initiatic evolution. Or again, it reveals Man’s progression into the secret knowledge of the causes that brought about Creation, through the Key of universal sapience. In this arcane, the Initiate, who has by now reached this grade, is represented reigning well-balanced over the three first effects of Creation. These are the domain of Sens (Intellect) represented by the circle, the domain of Form represented by the triangle, and the domain of the Hump (bosse) represented by the cube. The sword is the symbol of Justice and divides these three domains into two equal parts, as well as the disciple himself, who dominates over them. This division – which we shall moreover see in the following arcanes – reveals the measure and computation that human reason must be tied down to. All philosophy without the measure and computation of reason is an exaltation of Imagination that always leads Man adrift. Now that the disciple is in possession of the triple arcane of the effects of Creation, he has learned to rule in an irreproachable manner over the secret knowledge that emanates from it. Moreover, the equal division of the 3 domains represents the unique and unitary agent that dominates everything throughout, with a uniform impulse. This agent is the Universal Spirit and Its mental derivatives: God, the Celestial Worlds, Man. This same division reveals the possibility of the finite in the infinite, of that which is determined in that which is undetermined. In its absolute sense, this axiom concerns the Divine Spirit, and in its relative sense, it concerns the human Spirit. -----------Note:

The sign that covers the disciple’s head is the symbol of the triple evolution of the creation of the Spirit. The hand that points to numbers 1,2,3 on the cube is the expression of the reflection of the constituent principles of the Spirit on the domain of the hump. The circle is the symbol of the domain of Sens (Intellect). The triangle is the symbol of the domain of Form. The Initiate leans on and is manifest on all 3 domains. The sword – the balancing point, the measure and computation of reason, that which determines the domains – is also the symbol of human reason. -------------

2nd Version This youth is within a circle and his head is covered by the sign of the triple evolution of the creation of his Spirit. His upright body is seen only down to his knees. His arms, slightly parted, together with his head, form a triangle. The disciple’s trunk is the Bowl from which the head appears. (Certain Masters draw a bowl from which vapour emanates, and place the head among clouds). http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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In front of the disciple there is a cube divided into 9 equal parts. His right hand points to the number 3. His left hand holds the second part of the circle (Will) from the middle. The sword stands on the basis and points to the top of the triangle. It is the diameter of the Circle. The disciple’s whole bearing indicates that he leans on and is manifest in all three domains. His coif is the mysterious symbol of the creation of the abstract domain. His head is the source of his Imagination. The second domain is born in the triangle and is perpetuated in the circle, thus revealing the triple operation of the creation of forms. The cube is divided into 9 parts. This reveals the triple creation in the physical domain, with the reflection of the other two triplicities ---------------. The SYMBOLS are: The sign

, the bowl, the sword and the two rods.

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II

The Tarot of the High Priestess: “Wisdom”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the High Priestess is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Wisdom”. Wisdom is the conscience and knowledge of one’s self and of everything this is outside one’s self. It is the knowledge of what the Being is and of what the Being creates. Like the previous one and the following 8 arcanes, the principal aspect of the present one is formed on the 3 domains divided by the diameter (line of reason, eternal symbol, one that every Initiate must always have present before him). Wisdom is represented by a woman, symbol of eternal fertility. In God, Wisdom, which is a fecund principle, is infinite. In the Celestial Worlds, it is subtle and determined, and among humans, it is progressive and develops according to knowledge. The primitive domain of the manifestation of Wisdom – apart from its natural domain – is the domain of Form. BEING: Symbol of the domain from which Wisdom springs; Wisdom is Spirit. NON BEING: symbol of the domain on which it is realized: Creation, Matter. Since Wisdom is Spirit, it is depicted in the arcane by the table of 9 numbers. These are the symbols of the 9 constituent identities (faculties) of the Spirit. Her triple crown reveals the seat of the 3 principles that create the Spirit. The open book reveals the 3 manifestations of the Spirit, and the keys that she holds are the effectuations of our spiritual principles. ------------Note: From the domain of form (the triangle), we can see depicted an identity of the Spirit. This identity is personified by a woman and is named Wisdom. Her triple crown is the symbol of the three creative principles: Imagination, Will and Power. In her right hand she holds the manifestations: Thought, Word, Action. In her left hand she holds the keys of effectuation: Conception, Determination, Execution. The numbered square on her breast expresses the mystery of her constitution. Finally the veil spread behind her is the unknown horizon beyond Imagination. -------------

2nd Version Here we see an austere woman wearing a triple crown. Her crowned head and shoulders form the triangle at whose two lower angles the woman’s arms appear. The right hand holds an open book that she reads. A seal numbered 5 hangs from it, and numbers 4 and 6 are on either side of the covers of the book. In her left hand she holds two keys crosswise. They form the Greek Cross, whose numerical value is 8. Each key bears the number 7 and 9. A veil starts from the crown on the woman’s head and falls on her shoulders on each side. She wears a triple crown; its lowest part is a Royal Crown; it bears the http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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number 3 and has 3 small flowers. The second part is a Hieratic Mitre; it bears the number 2 and has 5 small flowers. The top part is an Imperial Crown; it bears the number 1 and has 3 small flowers. This tiara is within the circle. On her breast there is the reflection of 9 numbers. They are depicted lengthwise on a large embroidered ribbon-band that joins the two sides of her coat. Behind this woman, always within the circle, there are two poles between which there hangs a veil. Analysis: We see the principles of the Spirit presented and depicted in the 3 domains of the form. They are personified as a crowned woman, “Wisdom”. Wisdom is Conscience. Conscience is the knowledge of one’s self, of what the Being is and of what the Being creates. The triple crown represents Imagination, Will, Power. In her right hand she holds the manifestations: Thought, Word, Action, and in her left, she holds the keys of effectuation. On her breast she bears the mystery of her constitution. Behind her there rises the Binary: Spirit and Matter. Spirit IS (EST), and Matter IS NOT (NON EST). The veil between the 2 poles is the horizon of the domain that lies beyond Imagination. -----------The SYMBOLS are: A closed book on which lie 2 keys crosswise, with the crown on top of them. --------------------------

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III

The Tarot of the Empress: “Intelligence”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Empress is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Intelligence”. Intelligence, personified by a winged woman, is the symbol of the emancipation of the Spirit in Creation. In the beginning, the Spirit was overwhelmed in the combat of the Giants against the elements; it was stupefied and was pressed back into Matter. Its conscious functions fell into inertia, aphasia and torpor. The 3 Principles of Mens – Imagination, Thought, and Conception – were in total abstraction. When the tumult of the struggles abated and calm, harmony and peace reigned, then little by little these wounded principles came out of their torpor, and a glimmer of conscience began to sprout from the bowels of Matter. Mens started to recover its own rights and when the faculties of the stupefied principles began to come to life again, Intelligence started rising and illuminating Creation. Human intelligence, pressed down within Matter, dominates in the domain of the hump. Its seat is there and its point of inspiration is the domain of Sens. Thus, rising from the dark bowels of Matter, this pure virgin spreads her wings like a Psyche, flies upwards, passes through the domains of Humps and Forms and loses herself in the infinite domain of Sens – which sublime Mens has chosen as its eternal dwelling. Woman is the symbol of fertility, and Intelligence is fertile in creations. The wings are symbols of the freedom and emancipation of the mental faculties of the Spirit. The lance that crosses the arcane from one end to the other is the symbol of measure, of computation and of reason, to which Intelligence is tied down when exerting its faculties. The sceptre that the woman holds is the symbol indicating the point of support, the mediating point and the point of inspiration. The points 1,4,7 that divide the higher part of the woman’s trunk are symbols of the 3 principles of Mens: Imagination, Thought, and Conception, resuscitated and flourishing in the essence that composes them. The crown she wears is the symbol of the definitive enthronement of her domination in Creation. The crown is also a symbol of a power that has attained the apex of its activity and energy. The quadrated square, the stars and the clouds are symbols of the material Creation from which emancipated Mens has sprung triumphant and soars to its original domain in the form of Intelligence. What is Intelligence? ,0. #1. (Divine Essence), ,0. )1" (Divine Conception), ,0. ò . (Divine Sens). Intelligence is the beacon that illuminates and guides Wisdom through the tortuous path of Gnosis. ----------Note: Divine Intelligence reigns in all three domains. It glides over the spiritual world in a flight of wings that embraces the domain of Power (the Circle). The Sceptre is the measure of its power. The Lance that pierces it through represents the equilibrium that reigns between it and the vastt domains that it dominates. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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2nd Version INTELLIGENCE represents Divine Intelligence or Imagination in all its glory. A crowned woman holding a sceptre whose one end is at the centre of the circle and the other at the circumference, thus forming a radius. She sits in the midst of clouds. Before her is the table of numbers surrounded by 9 stars. The throat bears the number 1 and the breasts 4 and 7. A lance forms the diameter, surrounded by wings. With her right hand she indicates the first principle. She reigns majestically on all 3 planes. She enters the domain of Form in the image of a perfect creature. The measure of her flight and of her power is the rod that she holds in her left hand. And the lance that pierces her through is the equilibrium in her vast domains. Enumeration is the basis of this arcane. Number has a particular significance, which the Initiate must study. Each wing is made up of 9 small feathers at the top and 5 large feathers for the right wing, and 4 large ones for the left wing. Her crown is formed by pentagrams and circles. The lance has a triangular blade. The double-headed eagle is very finely drawn in the square of the numbers. -------------The SYMBOLS are: the wings forming a circle under a small orb and the number 1 crowned by 9 stars and crossed by the sceptre and the lance. ------------------------

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IV

The Tarot of the Emperor: “The Dominator”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Emperor is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Dominator”. The Dominator personifies the Man who has searched, studied and burrowed into the bowels of Matter, and found the secret laws of the elements. He has armed himself against the destruction that these inflict on the bold being that seeks to examine and unveil them. He has fought and dominated them and now rises proud and triumphant. He lifts his gaze towards the spiritual horizon and henceforth he does not aspire after anything pertaining to this profane and gross world. Moreover, the Dominator is the symbol of the male spirit in the full bloom of its energy and of its active faculties. His throne is the domain of the Hump and his activity extends up to the domain of the Form. He is master of the psychic and the astral planes and aspires to conquer the mental plane. This is why he scrutinizes the circle whose symbol it is. He is seated on a cubic stone, trampling on Matter ‘Y
þ, and on the elements that compose it.  ÿüÿù. His majestic stature is framed within a triangle, which is the symbol of the domain of Form (the astral plane). His grandeur dominates and fills it. His attire and warrior’s helmet are symbols of the Dominator’s power over the two domains. The symmbols depicted on his armour reveal that all the powers that the Dominator personifies are exercised with the support of Truths that have been realized through his intellectual education. They are his guides. He holds the sceptre of the statutary mastery of his power. The sphere in his hands is the symbol of the Great Arcane of the Key of human Wisdom. He is weighing it, and this action is the symbol of the effort made to acquire knowledge which he balances in his spiritual being. Powerful among all others is he who comprehends Divine Comprehension. û ù  ÿùÿ ÿ  ,ü þÿþ Matter, thou art the enemy of Wisdom.
þü,þü üÿ The dominator is the personality that incarnates Human Wisdom. -----------Note: He turns his gaze towards the intellectual cycle to whose secrets he aspires. His body is within the frame of the domain of Form (the triangle). In his right hand he holds the rod of measure, which is the fourth quarter of the region of his domination. He rests majestically on the domain of the Hump (cube). Like a victorious warrior, he tramples on the banner of Matter and its elements. With his left hand he lifts the arcane, the Key of the Great Mysteries. ------------

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2nd Version A man is seated on a cube whose front surface bears the numbers 2,4,6,8 and whose side bears the numbers 1,3,4,9. He is framed within a triangle. He wears a helmet crowned by 5 small flowers with the Universal Key in their midst. His attire is composed of a breast-plate and folds on his shoulders, 3 on each side. The Universal Key is on each of his shoulders, and the 3 principles of the Universal Key are disposed in triangular form on his chest. The Circle is at the top, the triangle on the right, and the square on the left. In his right hand he holds a triple sceptre, the length of a ray. In his left hand he holds the Universal Key with a cross on top of it. The lower part of his attire is divided into 3 parts on each side. His left leg is stretched out, towards the right angle of the triangle, whereas his right leg is bent, thus forming the Cross. ------------The SYMBOLS are: The Cube, with the Arcane of the great mysteries and the sceptre on top. ----------------------------------

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V

The Tarot of the Great Hierophant: “Master of Masters”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Great Hierophant is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Master of Masters”. The Master of Masters, personified by the aged man who is the symbol of perfect experience, reveals to us the Initiate who incarnates Wisdom. The Master of Masters is the generating principle of the human Spirit. His essence is Wisdom. He is the prototype of intellectual perfection. In him Wisdom competes with Intelligence. One guides the other and both together realize in Creation the being that has come to know the great secret laws that God has allowed the lower beings to know. He is the example of the personification that the Wise and the Seekers, initiated in the mysteries, will try to reach and to attain his loftiness in Gnosis. He is of celestial descent. Incarnate, he goes through all Creation and approaches Men, but he passes right beside them unnoticed and unknown. He does not aspire after glory, for this is a terrestrial defect (vice). He does not expect recompense, for this enslaves the Spirit. He fills all those who approach him with Light, for his task and his mission are to enlighten those who desire to see the intellectual day. Those who are good venerate him, for wisdom attracts them; those who are evil persecute and flee from him, for the Light blinds and tortures them. He holds a rod on either hand. They are the symbols of his mastery, for he is the Master of the Domain of the Hump (the physical plane) and of the Domain of the Form (the astral plane). Through his physical mastery he dominates among Men, subjects them and, from his unknown refuge, directs the destinies of nations. He heals all ills; he comforts the suffering and distributes the benefits (blessings) that God has lavished on him. Through his astral mastery, he is the preserver of Faith. He animates those who are inspired by their belief in God; he ordains the Hierophants and finally, he is the ultimate Mediator. The book of Secrets lies open on his chest. It is the symbol of the Truths that are enclosed within him. They are the great secrets and mysteries of what is in reality, but can be known only to the Chosen Ones of God. The Episcopal sceptre is divided into two. It is the symbol of the absolute Reason that reigns within him and guides his steps towards the accomplishment of his Great Work. The triple crown is the triple power that God has invested him with. Through it, the Master of Masters accomplishes the great Wishes (Wills) of the One Who sent him. The Initiate must stand inspired before this arcane, as to the path that he aspires to follow. He must imitate him, follow him mentally, live in him in spirit, assimilate with him, become Him! Who then is this mysterious being, symbolized by the 5th arcane under the name of Master of Masters? This being is the man who walks across plains and mountains. He passes by under the cloak of a stranger. He speaks, and his word awakens those who are in the

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deep sleep of ignorance. He looks, and his look appeases the heat (passion) of the evil ones. He dominates the wicked, and his name is DEON. Note: His seat is the domain of the Form (the triangle). Royalty on the one hand and Master Hierophant on the other, balance his intellectual powers. Wisdom directs the multiple causes that are born in the field of his intellect. On the physical plane, he is revealed by his conscience of the two agents that manifest his spiritual height: Wisdom and Knowledge. The pastoral rod is the symbol of his integrity and loyalty Master of Masters: ÿ  ÿ . Saint of Saints: ñ+ÿ  ù+ÿ . Precursor of Wisdom: -ÿù Oû. ------------

2nd Version The aged man is crowned with a tiara that bears a cross on top. He has a long white beard. On his chest, there is a book open outwards. The page on the right bears the letters A B C D E (the A is hidden under a seal), and the page on the left bears the numbers 1 to 9. He holds a sceptre in his right hand and a triple cross in his left hand. These two symbols have the length of a ray. An inverted pastoral rod is depicted crossing the arcane from one end to the other. It acts on the physical plane. His head and elbows form the triangle. ----------The SYMBOLS are: a rolled out and straight parchment bearing the letters and the numbers. An inverted pastoral rod, the Sceptre and the Cross, crossed by the Labarum. ---------------------------------

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VI

The Tarot of the Lover: “Destiny”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Lover is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Destiny”. From the very first steps in the course of its terrestrial life, the Spirit of incarnate Man sees before it the various unknown paths of the future. The analysis of the present arcane provides the wise disciple with the solution to the mystery concerning destiny. Does Destiny exist? This is the question in every terrestrial being’s thoughts. Destiny exists, and yet it does not exist. Destiny exists, since the incarnate Spirit comes. Why does it come? It comes in order to live. To live presupposes to accomplish some work, however trivial or grandiose this may be. The first manifestation of the existence of destiny is the fact of the incarnation of the Spirit. Then the purpose of its incarnation follows, and finally the work accomplished during this incarnation. Man is born – this is destiny. He lives – this is destiny. He will die – this is destiny. Destiny therefore exists, engraved on all the laws that influence every created being, from the moment of its manifestation through birth, up to the moment of its disappearance through death. Initiate in the great mysteries! Do not seek to find destiny anywhere else, for your thought will be troubled by the inextricable tenebrous and tortuous labyrinth of secondary causes. You will not find it, for it does not exist. Since destiny does not exist, it does not play any part in the way that an incarnate being’s birth, life, aim, work and death is expressed. Four paths are open before the conscience that is born to the new day: the paths of Wisdom and of Ignorance, the paths of Good and of Evil. It is only Man’s WIL that is the Master of these paths and holds the key to them. Destiny withdraws into the background, and Will takes over the reins of the direction. Before this Will, everything is shattered, Good as well as Evil, Wisdom as well as Ignorance. The youth depicted in the arcane is the symbol of the purity of the principles that constitute the being, the vigour and energy of the new life that are born.. The two women offering him crowns are the symbols of the antagonism of the two paths that are fertile in fascination and benefits. They do this so as to tempt the young traveller who ventures into the crossroads of life. The angel with the arrow is the symbol of Good, whose inspiration comes to us from above and influences our soul. The devil is the symbol of Evil, who lurks in the darkness and covets and spies on his prey. The trapezoidal cube is the domain of the Hump (physical plane), the dwelling of the incarnate Spirit. Providence is the manifestation of a superior Will that influences our existence. Fate (Fatalité) is the reunion of the Laws of Creation that influences our life, and http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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Destiny is the result of the facts that have been accumulated by the activity of our own Will in the course of our life. Therefore destiny both exists and does not exist. Note: Youth! Lift you eyes; the Light will vivify you. To the left: Wisdom, you fascinate by your grandeur and the depth of your gaze. To the right: Ignorance, who invites the Chosen One to the charms of Sloth. Above: The Good, a celestial ray. Below: Agitation, the sewer of spite. The three sides of the triangle: Destiny….Providence….Fate. Vanity of Vanities, everything is Vanity! ù ùÿ þ ù ùÿ +  ù ù ùù ùÿ þ ------------

2nd Version The youth in a white tunic, kneeling on a cubic stone, with arms and eyes lifted to the skies. An arrow held by the mouth of a Love is pointed at the top of the youth’s head. The bow forms the top of the triangle. To the right and to the left, two women lean on the circle. The one on the right lifts a crown; it is Wisdom. The one on the left lowers a crown; it is Knowledge. Below, a devil is the symbol of Evil. Above, Love is the symbol of Good. The Binary can be seen in these 4 manifestations. Good - Evil; Wisdom – Knowledge. The whole of Man’s destiny depends on these 4 manifestations of the Binary. In the triangle, Destiny and Fate are balanced by Providence. Try to find out the profound meaning, and the key will enlighten you. ----------The SYMBOLS are: A cubic stone on whose three visible sides can be seen: Providence – Destiny – Fate The bow and the arrow above the cube. -----------------------------

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VII

The Tarot of the Chariot: “The Sublime Master”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Chariot is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Sublime Master”. The Sublime Master is personified by a perfect man, symbol of a flourishing, strong and vigorous reason. Having passed the stage of struggle, the disciple receives calm and peace as recompense, protected by the Dome (Vault) that Wisdom has prepared for him. In this arcane, he is presented surrounded by symbols whose keys he now possesses. In his square-shaped refuge, he stands in measure and balance. This refuge is the terrestrial domain. His bearing reveals the balanced reason that defies the terrestrially vague and unknown. Through arduous work, he has learnt the manner of reasoning and thinking. He is the spiritual master of everything that is around him. His refuge is composed of the Veil that still hides from him the horizons that his Soul yearns, but that his Spirit cannot as yet aspire to. This veil is upheld by four rods: The Cross, symbol of sacrifice - the lance, symbol of domination - the triple cross, symbol of the Hierophants - and lastly, the sceptre of sovereignty. These are his 4 supports in which he has laid all his hope. Happy because of his first victory, he is depicted holding his recompense in his hands. He is approaching the mysteries of the Great Key and is proud and happy to do so. The domain of Form opens its doors to him. He has entered in order to reign and get ready for the new struggle and work. The circle behind him, which he does not see, is like a dial on which the stages of his evolution are shown - the 3 cyclic paths that will lead him towards perfection. He waits, calm but impatient, ready to pass through the most raging storms and undergo the greatest sacrifices. He is sublime, for he is filled with abnegation. He is sublime, for he is proud of himself and humble before Men. Finally, he is sublime, for he has been able to pass through the first dangerous step – this step where so many bold beings have fallen. He is a Master, for he has prevailed in the struggle against Ignorance. He is a Master, for he has acquired the Wisdom of the Knowledge that he sought. Finally, he is a Master, for he is worthy to be one. -----------Note: At the top: Veil! What beauties do you keep hidden from us! The four rods, pillars of the temple, sacred refuge. The 3 steps of the mysterious circle (the trinacry inscribed in the circle). The Key to the Great Mysteries (the tablet that he holds in his hands). ------------

2nd Version A man is inscribed in a triangle, formed by his head and arms. He wears a crown of 4 Pentagrams and he holds before him a tablet divided into 3 parts. In the centre and radiating onto the sides, there is a double-headed eagle. To the right is a man’s http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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white head with the hexagram inscribed on it, and to the left a man’s black head, again with the hexagram inscribed on it. His attire is open at the chest and on each side of the opening there are 3 ornaments, each of which has 4 points. The Trinacry is drawn behind him: one leg directed towards the bottom, one towards the right, and one towards the left, all within the circle. He is under a dial whose 4 poles have the length of the diameter of the circle. The front right one ends in a lance, the one at the back ends in a pastoral rod. The front left ends in a Cross and the one at the back in a triple Cross. Rings divide these poles into three parts. The dial can rest on 2 yoked sphinxes, one of which is white and pulls to the right while the other is black and pulls to the left. It can also rest on 4 animals or on nothing at all. The key hangs at the top of the Dome. Manifestation of the Spirit that has reached perfection in the 4 elements of Matter. Explanation of the mysterious figure (the Cross) given by the Great Initiator, He Who realized the Key. Re-instatement of the value of this sign in Psychurgy and Theurgy. Absolute magical arcane, whose 3 main conclusions must be deduced from the structure of the face of the young man, from the square tablet that he hugs to himself, from his crown, and from the placing of the lines of the Key in comparison with the whole schema. It is also called a major arcane because it concerns the 3 planes and their secrets. -----------The SYMBOLS are: Solomon’s seal and the carved Eagle with its two crowned heads. ----------------------------

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VIII

The Tarot of Justice: “Morality”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of Justice is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Morality”. What is Morality? It is the manifestation of Beauty and of Harmony in Matter. It is the manifestation of exactitude and mathematical accuracy (justesse) in the Spirit. It is the manifestation of the Truth in God. In the Soul, Morality is therefore the philosophical analogy of the three aforementioned manifestations. Morality is therefore like Beauty in Nature, Accuracy in the Spirit, and Truth in God. Disciple, look at this major arcane and be inspired by it. Morality is represented by a woman (symbol of beauty and fertility), balanced on all three domains (planes). She reveals the preponderant and fundamental role of this virtue in Man’s evolution. Since the human Soul is the product of the influence of the Spirit on Matter, at times it is subject to the domination of the one (the Spirit), and at times to that of the other (Matter). When under the domination of the Spirit, the Soul is manifest by a reserved desire and by an intransigent austerity, whereas when it is under the domination of Matter, it is manifest by trivial and base desires and passions. It is in the mutual antagonism of these 2 essences for equal domination and influence over the Soul that the latter creates Morality within it, borrowing the just and accurate from the Spirit, and the beautiful and harmonious from Matter. The Spirit is the exclusive depositary of Wisdom. The Soul is the exclusive depositary of Love. Therefore the predominant principle in Morality is Love and all its derivatives. This is the reason why the arcane of Morality is represented by a woman, for Woman incarnates Love. Woman is the symbol of fertility. And is Morality not fertile by its sublime radiation? Moreover, Woman is the symbol of Beauty. And is Morality not the embellishment of the Soul? Is it not all purity and harmony? She reigns in the domain of Form (astral plane), the domain of the origin of the Soul. Her coif, in the form of a crown, is the symbol of the material beauty that she borrows so as to become manifest. The sword, symbol of accuracy and exactitude, reveals the contribution of the Spirit in the creation of Morality. The scales are the symbol of Justice, a creature that Morality loves. Finally, this is what the present mysterious arcane tells you: Man, I am the first creation of the idea and the thought of the Human Being. Everything stoops and is subject to the fate (fatality) of the Laws of Matter, but I always remain invariable, immutable in the universal equilibrium. The circle is my support, the triangle my domain, and the square is the area of my radiation. When I was created, everything on earth was thrown into confusion and, in an ascending evolution, since then everything is being transformed. But I always remain upright and unique, teaching to all the peoples of the earth: Love, Goodness, and Truth. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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-------------Note: The woman (symbol of Morality) of perfect beauty reigns in her majestic domain. Her support is the cycle, in which she obtains her balance. She is crowned so as to stress her sublime beauty. Her basis is Truth, symbolized by the Sword. Her beloved daughter is Justice, symbolized by the Scales. ------------

2nd Version A woman dressed and combed in the Oriental fashion is within the triangle. She wears a turban and a white linen cloth round her head. She also wears a crown. A sword that rests at the bottom of the circle ends at her mouth. Her feet are bent and they lean on the sword’s hilt. She holds the circle with both hands. The sword serves as the axis of the scales in front of her. Her half-open dress reveals a plaque on which the 9 numbers are engraved. She wears a large necklace. Good and Evil, the Binary in equilibrium: this is what the woman represents, enclosed in the triangle, balanced by the 4 points in the circle, ready to start the battle of Contraries. The formidable Cycle will start its hectic whirling, but she remains reassured, well balanced both by the ternary and the quaternary. Her power lies on the point of equilibrium, her sword, which is her strength. Her support is the circle, and her manner of being and of state is the square. Her body forms the Pentagram, and the whole figure forms the Hexagram. ---------The SYMBOLS are: A Circle with a Triangle, the Sword as the diameter, and the scales in the middle. ------------------------------

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IX

The Tarot of the Hermit: “The Sage”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Hermit is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Sage”. The majestic swan, plunged in the universal wave of Forms, travels through the Great Cycle, illuminating the spaces of the unknown. It measures the length of Time with its traveller’s cane. Immaculately white, serious and sombre, the swan moves about in silence, gliding on the waters. It is always in a state of meditation, and its look is circular as it pensively follows its course. What grandiose secret lies hidden in the silence of this hermit of the waters? Its head, at the end of its curved neck, is always bent downwards, and its scrutinizing gaze seeks the dark depths of the swamps. After innumerable years of pilgrimage, the swan becomes more and more distant in the caves and in the inextricable hideouts. Reassured that no one can interrupt its ultimate meditation, it delivers a majestic and grandiose song, full of melancholy and sweetness that makes the surrounding rocks tremble. For one last time, it hides its head in its immaculate plumage, shuts its eyes and, with a last sigh, lets flee its spirit which, always solitary, flies to the Beyond in search of who knows what lost mysteries. The swan of the arcane is the symbol of the Sage. Weary of the trials and perturbations of life, he withdraws and concentrates by himself. Always serious and sombre, he passes among humans. His deep look ignores everything that surrounds him. Covered with a mysterious veil, he manifests the intimate and mysterious thoughts that animate him. The knowledge and Gnosis that fill him absorb him in a profound meditation. Everything around him has no longer any attraction for him. This is why he seeks solitude. His spirit is engrossed in sublime grandeur. He is indifferent to everything that is inferior to his aspirations. Quite soon he abandons the society of Men and goes through vales and mountains in search of calm and peace, in supreme silence and solitude. There, alone and in deep concentration, he receives the ultimate recompense for his trials. In angelic communication, he obtains the last secret allowed to humans. Once he is enlightened, in supreme concentration, alone and far from all animate beings, he breathes out his profession of Faith with a last heartbeat of his being, in a hymn towards the Creator and, like the swan, he dies out. His spirit, freed from the material burden, flies to the Beyond in the voyage of the Grand Cycle, where he finds the mysteries that are lost to Men. Filled with happiness, he approaches the throne of the Sublime Master (Lord), and there, prostrate, he receives the consecration and the crown of the Chosen One. ------------Note: The swan, sombre, silent and grave, moves about in the waves of the Unknown, guided by the secret light that illuminates him. The Sage appears in the horizon in the background. His features are harmonized by the Number. He is and he remains mysterious. The mysterious traveller with his 12 knobbed cane measures the expanses. He lightens and measures – this is his secret. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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---------------

2nd Version A majestic swan rests on the base of the triangle. With its beak it holds a light encased in a circle. With its wings it holds a cane divided into 12 parts, the length of a diameter. In the distance a stranger is perceived whose features are numbered. This majestic symbol is double in its formation: it is both a serpent and a bird. It lightens and measures – this is its secret. In the depths of the horizon there appears the figure of the stranger who guides it. His features are harmonized by numbers. He is and he remains mysterious. Inspired by this symbol, the disciple must let Grace penetrate his spirit. The 9 numbers of the arcane are completed; the triple evolution of the circle is accomplished. -----------The SYMBOLS are: The serpent within the circle. The sparkling light in the middle. The cane lengthwise. ----------------------------------

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X

The Tarot of the Wheel of Fortune: “The Scales”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Wheel of Fortune is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Scales”. Through this Tarot, the disciple broaches the great laws that presided in the Creation of the Universe. The secret that lies hidden in this arcane is immense, for by a mathematical calculation, all the great laws are concentrated in it. By creating animated equilibrium, these laws created movement and maintained it, thus producing balance between the different domains. This study would be a little arid and difficult for the disciple unless some quite extensive explanation showed him the path to follow. The circle and the scales, with the sign on top, are symbols of the spiritual and mental plane. The cycle is the only symbol that can provide a secret explanation of the conceived idea concerning the spiritual essence and the mental state. This is so because the harmonious curve that extends to the infinite without interruption reveals the infinity and the continuity that are the perceptive manifestation of the Spirit and of Mens. The triangle, balanced in the Scales, rests symmetrically on the square, drawing its origin from the superior point of the circle, from the point of conjunction of the square, from the circle, and from the sign of eternity. This point is the centre of energy and power. This is the point from which all action emanates from the divine creative energy. The triangle emerges from the two slanting radii of the circle and reflects them onto the sides of the square so as to form its base. The base of the triangle is thus made up of an alternated continuity of the two slanting radii. The triangle is the symbol of the astral plane that draws its origin from both the mental action of the spiritual plane (domain of Sens) and the physical plane (domain of the Hump), at the initial point which is the conjunction of the circle, the square and the , symbol. of divine infinity. Just like the triangle, from its very origin the astral plane is infused into the physical plane. It balances itself in it, serving as mediator and balancing power between the other two domains. Through its bent and gradated angles, it reveals its kinship to the square and – by metaphysical analogy – it reveals the participation of the physical plane in the creation of the astral plane. Finally, by its ternary constitution, the triangle reveals its kinship with the circle, for every division of the circle is manifest by a triangle whose base is curved, and – by metaphysical analogy – it reveals the participation of the spiritual plane in its creation. By its form, the triangle is the symbol of the astral plane and the secret of its generators. The square is pre-eminently the symbol of the physical plane, of physical Nature, for every manifestation in it (Nature) is produced by the square; everything in it is computed (measured), weighed and calculated; everything is quadrate (squared). The square is the physical reflection of the circle. The circle is the capital number for the mental; the square is the capital number for the physical; the circle is the infinite number, the basic constitution of the mental. The square is number 4, the constitution of the 4 elements of physical nature. The Scales are therefore the arcane that reveals: 1) The constitution and origin of the astral plane and its mediating role in Creation. 2) The agents produced by the equilibrium of this triple influence, and 3) the use that Man’s Will can make of these two agents in a latent manner. We have already mentioned the constitution and origin of the astral plane. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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The agents produced by the equilibrium of this triple influence are 9: 1) Strength (action of movement) 2) Apparent Stability (latent movement) 3) Key of Genesis, Life, and Death 4) Manifested movement 5) Effervescence 6) The action of the Binary in movement 7) The mutual influence of the Earth on the stars (and vice versa) 8) The mutual lunar influence 9) The mutual solar influence. The explanation of these 9 agents will be given in the 9 Tarots that follow. The latent use that Man can make of these agents is double: 1) he can use these agents so as to fulfil his aspirations and beneficially radiate through them. This is why he is represented by a man who is standing upright, pushing the wheel of the Scales with his hands. 2) Moreover, Man can use these agents so as to satisfy his material vices. This is why he is represented pushing the wheel of the Scales with his feet in an inharmonious manner. The first man is white, with and enlightened spirit. The second is black, and is the symbol of obfuscation and of the darkness of Matter. ------------Note: Circle, symbol of the mental plane (cycle). Triangle, symbol of the astral plane. Square, symbol of the physical plane. The white man – action of enlightened power. The black man – action of obscured power. , symbol of Eternity, Crown of Equilibrium. -------------

2nd Version A wheel divided by seven radii. At the top, 2 entwined circles from which a mediator descends towards the centre. It ends with a point indicating one of the 9 numbers written on a curved band that joins the 2 supports of the wheel. This wheel rests on a cubic stone on whose front “Sapientia Hominis” (Wisdom of Men) is written. To the right of the wheel, a black man stands on his hands, with his head down and pushes the wheels with his feet. To the left, a white man pushes it with his hands. Both face the wheel. In a masterly way, this arcane reveals the action of the Binary and the spirit of its constitution. Antagonism is perpetual movement. It is defined in this combination of human Wisdom. The fierce fight for Mastery is gradated in this arcane by the 9 numbers, among which the number 5 is the balancing one. This arcane throws light on the laws of equilibrium, on the intermediary agent, and on the antagonism of the movements. --------------------------------

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XI

The Tarot of Strength: “Eternal Power”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of Strength is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Eternal Wisdom”. The first agent that is manifest by the Scales of the Binary reveals the energy and unconscious activity jointly born in every animate being. It is represented by a young woman, symbol of fertility and youthful energy. The manifestation of Power in Creation is revealed through effort. This is why this Tarot depicts a virgin making an effort to tear a lion’s jaws. The virgin incarnates Eternal Power transmitted to all animate beings in Creation through the laws of the Creator. It is Eternal Power that emancipates the being’s Will, and makes him/her capable of fighting the power of the lion. The lion is the symbol of the brute force of the elements, which tries to fight and subject the spiritualized and semi-conscious Power that is part of the constituent principles of the human Spirit. Upon contemplating this Tarot, we immediately see the double presence of struggle and effort. One of these is derived from the Spirit and it is represented by the effort in the arm of the woman. The other is the physical force of the elements, represented by the lion’s half open jaws. The occult struggle of these two principles in Creation and in Man has a repercussion in the astral and in the mental planes. For greater clarity of the concept and comprehension of the present arcane, this is how we establish this triple struggle of Eternal Power against the elementary force: In the physical plane, this struggle is the task of Spiritual Power; it is to subject and dominate the 4 elements of Nature. In the astral plane, Man’s Will struggles trying to subject and dominate his passions and vices (produced by the influence of Matter). In the mental plane, Man makes a third struggle, which lies in having Truth triumph over Falsehood, Gnosis triumph over Ignorance, thus reinstating the reign of Wisdom. Everything is summed up in the following: 1) The domination of the elements by means of our Power (3rd constituent principle of the Spirit). – 2) the annihilation of passions and vices by means of our Will (2nd constituent principle of the Spirit). Victory of Love, struggle of Good against Evil, and – 3) Victory of the spiritual Light over Darkness, of Truth over Falsehood, of Gnosis over Ignorance. Victory of Wisdom by means of Imagination (1st constituent principle of the Spirit). In the lower part of this arcane there is a small wheel gradated by 2 series of 9 numbers, one from right to left and the other from left to right. The lion’s tongue tries to turn this wheel. This is a symbol of the dominating action of the elements in all incarnate beings, the subjugation of Man under the yoke of Matter. At the same time, it is the symbol of Man’s share of responsibility in this struggle for emancipation. The lion’s tongue reveals that the elements try to subject Man to perversity. It is like an obstacle that bars and paralyzes the faculties and virtues of Man, of the incarnate Spirit (here represented by the 9 numbers of the wheel) from aspiring to emancipation and deliverance. Finally, on her head, the woman bears the triple circle , sign of eternal victory and of the crowning of the Spirit that has been definitively reinstated, delivered and freed from inferior obstacles. From now on, it rises to superior regions, free from all bonds. It flies, like a Psyche, round Resplendent Truth and, tired of flying http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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about, it is engulfed into the very Source and becomes a participating and agglomerate atom of this radiant Source, which is the domain of Divinity (Plenitude). Note:

the triple cycle of Eternity; the radiant crown of the adept. The youthful virgin, full of vigour, enters the struggle. The lion, symbol of the brute force of the elements concentrates all its energy and opens its jaws to tear to pieces the bold virgin who dares defy it. The lion’s tongue pushes the wheel and dominates over the destiny of the being that dared defy it. The double gradation of the wheel marks the ascent or decadence of Man’s faculties. --------------

2nd Version A woman, wearing 3 entwined circles on her head, is inscribed within the square. Her hands reach the lower points of the triangle and open a lion’s jaws. Her right hand is pressed down on it. The hanging tongue of the lion makes the numbered wheel turn. The woman looks down at her work. The word POWER is inscribed in 4 languages in the four corners between the square and the circle. This arcane is: Eternal Power acting on Creation, revealed by Strength. This clock of Power provides the formula of the creative conception of Strength. Effort is the first phase of setting physical strength into action. Effort produces movement and manifests strength. Effort is the arcane of Strength. Effort is what is, and the woman is its manifestation. Seek the mysteries that are hidden in movement and in this figure. The Effort will enlighten you and Strength will make you greater. -----------------------------

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XII

The Tarot of the Hanged Man: “Stable Equilibrium”. Adapted to the Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Hanged Man is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Stable Equilibrium”. The second agent that is manifest by the Scales of the Binary is the latent energy and the unconscious effort that are jointly born in the creation of every animate being. This is the reason why this arcane depicts a hanged man, symbolizing the loss of those faculties that were determined for the exercise of action and conscious energy, so as to maintain a perfect equilibrium amidst the various laws of Creation. The man hanging upside-down is the symbol of the fall of the Spirit into Matter. His attachment to a pivot by one of his feet reveals the secret relation that still links him with the centre of his emanation. However, the fact that he is attached to it by his foot (a preeminently unconscious part) reveals Man’s total lack of the notion of this occult link. The movement of the free right foot reveals the action and the latent and unconscious energy of the incarnate being, accomplished by his/her mental faculties in the superior sphere, so as to maintain and preserve this secret link. His body swings in the astral regions like a balancing weight. The movement of his arms, at times to the right and at times to the left, is a symbol of his equally latent and unconscious energy acting in the physical - but starting from the astral plane - for the common purpose of an apparently stable equilibrium. Finally, the head of the hanged man, pressed down into the inferior diagonal of the square, remains motionless and inert. It is the symbol of a stabilized equilibrium and is maintained by the occult and secret action of the Superior Planes. Moreover, the head is the symbol of conscience. Its position in the square (the physical plane) reveals an incarnate and materialized conscience that can have perception only of physical and elementary things. The Tarot of the Hanged Man is a very profound arcane and a very revealing one for those who can manage to lift its still hidden folds by deep and thoughtful meditation and study. In order to provide a more tangible understanding of the occult agent symbolized by the present Tarot, we shall recapitulate succinctly with greater clarity and lesser symbolism. The physical human being is divided into three parts: the head, the trunk (the chest and arms), and the abdomen (and legs). The head is the conscious part. Reason and Wisdom exist in it, and everything that is mental is manifest through it. The chest is the semi-conscious part. Feelings and sensations exist in it. It is manifest by presentments (semi-conscious action), by sentiments, such as love, etc. Lastly, the abdomen is the wholly unconscious part. It acts only by the latent promptings of the first two. Consequently, the Tarot of Stable Equilibrium represents a man upside-down in the Universal Key. It is the symbol of Man-Spirit, fallen into Matter. In his fall, he carried away with him all the energy of his conscience. It also reveals a secret agent, which is the union of the fallen Man with the Source of his origin. This union is wholly unconscious in him; this is why it is symbolically represented by the left foot of the Hanged Man attached to the occult mental plane. The other leg that is free and swings from the centre of the astral plane to the circumference of the circle, reveals this secret agent that we possess but have no knowledge of. It acts from our Soul http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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towards the regions of our emanation, so as to maintain the equilibrium. The bent right leg forms a cross together with the left leg. It is its horizontal bar - the symbol of passiveness. The energy of this occult agent that we possess is transmitted by the action of our Soul in the physical plane, symbolically represented by the 2 arms swinging in the square, having emanated from the triangle. The head, the astral point of our conscience, remains inert as regards the occult action of the agent that we possess. This Tarot reveals to us the following: The action that every Initiate must take in order to find once more this occult agent that he possesses, lies in his efforts of intimate concentration and meditation, without, however, breaking the stable equilibrium that maintains him in Creation. -----------Note: Conscious: mens, reason, wisdom (Mental), Man’s head. Subconscious: soul, love sentiment (Psychical), Man’s chest. Unconscious: occult agent, sensations (Physical), Man’s abdomen. The schema reproduces a double cross, symbol of Love and Charity through Sacrifice. -------------

2nd Version A man hangs by his foot; his head touches the lower point of the square. One of his legs is bent, and on its calf the 9 numbers are inscribed so as to ensure the equilibrium. One of his arms is bent, the other is stretched out. The dotted lines show the positions of the stretched out and bent limbs, and vice versa. The balance of the body is verified by a numbered disc: a dial passes below and beneath his shoulders and joins the square. It fills the lower angle of the square. Stable Equilibrium, this is the title of the present arcane, which reveals the state of inertia in movement and the baneful results of absolute equilibrium, which equals to death – Death in Conception, Death in the form of a Law, Stability of Matter, the Life of minerals. -------------------------

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XIII The Tarot of Death: “The Clock”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of Death is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Clock”. This is the third agent that is manifest by the Scales of the Binary. It is the arcane of measure, of harmony, and of Times. Everything wheels round, everything is lost and everything passes away before the dial of this clock, whose spectre is reflected in everything. It measures everything, balances everything and registers everything in the mysterious book of the past, and it passes on! The finger of harmony (the hand of the clock) is the manifestation of Will, which directs everything. Its spectre – the product of the light of this agent – directs the movement of the life of beings and, like a frightful scythe, descends and keeps descending. Nothing stops it. Nothing can. The finger keeps projecting its shadow. It is the time of death; everything is about to die; everything will climb the mountain only to fall back again. Deep in meditation in front of this arcane, the disciple must discover this mysterious agent which, from the moment of Man’s birth, stamps him with its fatal seal. From then on, Man becomes its slave, In a whirlwind, it carries him away and makes him descend to the valley of life. Then, little by little, the laborious ascent begins. Bent under the weight of Time, leaning on the cane of old age, Man climbs the mountain, carried away by this fascinating agent. Gasping, tired and weary, he stops and no longer wishes to obey to his enslavement. But this agent, which has managed to dominate him, drags him away and pushes him along without pity. Stumbling, even more bent and worn out, Man keeps following it. Gradually his strength betrays him. He turns for one last time and throws a glance at the valley of life. His expression is a riddle! Is he happy at the memory of it all, or does his soul feel the ultimate horror? There he is; he stumbles for one last time, and falls down inert. The terrible agent tears at his entrails, snatches his spiritual being, and flies to the regions of the past, taking his victim along. The secret structure of the clock speaks to the Initiate and reveals to him his deliverance from enslavement. One who can delve deep into the secret meaning of this arcane – by following the steps of the Great Initiator and by death (domination of the elements) – will be able to reach resurrection (regeneration, Mastery of the Physical Plane) and, like Him, CONQUER DEATH. The initial point of the clock is at the upper part of the circle, the infinite centre of the emanation of all life. Although this mysterious clock seems simple, it reveals things of the Beyond, based on Hermes Trismegistus’ axiom in the Emerald Tablet, “What is above is like what is below, and what is below is like what is above”. Adapted to Creative and Created Nature, the clock provides the meditating Initiate with the key to the Philosopher’s Stone and to the Elixir of Life. The manifestation of developed science is also symbolically presented here by the mathematical position of the balanced lines. ---------------

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Note: Part of the semi-circle gradated, indicated by +üüÿ (Genesis). Mount of descent of Genesis (key of Birth). Median part bearing the number 5, indicated by ý þ (Life). Valley of Life (key of Life). Upper part of the semi-circle, indicated by ,ùù  (Death). Mount of ascent of death (key of Death). The blade with the shadow: the finger of Divine Will, the hand of the dial. The shadow of the blade: the spectre of the hand of the clock. The 3rd agent of the Scales of the Binary. ----------

2nd Version A kind of solar dial. The blade (of a scythe) is fixed to a rope that serves as the diameter. From its bottom end there hangs the head of Death like a pendulum. In the lower semi circle the numbers 0 to 0 are placed, passing through the 9 numbers. Number 5 is the median number. At the left zero, the word ,ùù  (Death) is inscribed; at number 5, the word ý þ (Life), and at the right zero, the word +üüÿ (Genesis). Two ancient scythes are placed in the upper part, their blades are united at the top of the triangle whose sides are formed by the two handles of the scythes. The blades of the scythes form the upper part of the circle, and all along their length, the triple evolution of the circle circulates. It is like a sun that, due to its displacement, makes the shadow of the middle blade play. This shadow is at times on the side of life, at times on the side of death, and at others still on the side of birth. In the present arcane, the shadow has stopped on ,ùù . Is it about a soul for which the harmony of the Universe crumbled? ------------------------------

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XIV

The Tarot of Temperance : “The Great Virgin”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of Temperance is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Great Virgin”. The Tarot of the Great Virgin is the symbol of the fourth agent announced in the Tarot of the Scales of the Binary. The winged Great Virgin glides in the interstellar expanses of the Universe. She has emanated from the Divine Plane. She moves about continually and eternally, distributing the benefits of the Centre from which she emanated. Just like the Master of Masters (Tarot V), she incarnates her conscience in a perfect Being, and follows the path of terrestrial life just like every other common person. In her passage, she walks next to the terrestrial immigrants, but nobody takes any notice of her, nobody has an inkling of her divine origin. In her passage, celestial effluence spreads all around, leaving a track of benefits, in which a multitude of created beings find WellBeing. It has been your lot, disciple, to see and know this idol of happiness, sent from celestial regions to console and comfort the suffering and the forsaken. Who is this Great Virgin? The Great Virgin is Universal Love, who engenders all the pioneers and the heralds of her existence. She is Divine Providence, mistress of the two unquenchable sources of Divine Heaven. She continually pours Hope and Charity, like an ardent sun, indiscriminately on all created beings. The movement of the triangle within the square is the symbol of the visible action of this sacred agent. Her hands are always open, for she continually gives without ever receiving anything. She is crowned with the triple cycle, symbol of the Divine Infinite, for it was there that she was conceived; it is from there that she emanates; lastly, it is from there that she draws the benefits that she lavishes upon us. Her wings embrace the mental plane of our constitution, so as to symbolize her first benefit, which is Hope – a mental benefit. Her body governs the astral plane, the plane of our soul, and balances there so as to symbolize the second benefit, which is Faith – a benefit of our soul. The two vases that represent the two celestial sources, pour their benefits profusely in the base of the square, symbol of the physical plane. It is the benefit of Charity, which we receive in our material yoke. We have unveiled this agent. What is now left is for the wise Initiate to meditate deeply so as to discover this agent, which is so powerful and so visible. Concentration made after a purification of the Spirit and followed by an evocation, the exaltation of the soul after a tested purity, and certain physical exercises revealed in the symbolism of the arcane – all this will allow the wise Initiate to receive the revelation of this mysterious agent. When it is unveiled to him, it will give him illumination, the gift of prophecy, and that of Inspiration. Happy is the Initiate able to come in contact with this major Agent. Happiness will fill his life and delete all the afflictions of the past. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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Her name is DEA. -----------Note: The triple cycle, symbol of the Infinite, crowns the Great Virgin. Her wings fill the mental cycle. Her body is inscribed in the square in which the triangle is balanced. Below, two vases, unquenchable sources of Hope, Faith and Charity. ------------

2nd Version The Great Virgin has her hands stretched out, pushing outwards the united waters that flow from the two vases. The point of her wings meets the lower part of the circle. The triangle is depicted in its lateral displacements, alternately touching the circle to the right and to the left. The diameter is a plumb line. The Great Virgin gradates the portion of life’s benefits and of life itself. She is the Source of Universal benefits, Providence to Beings, Destiny or Chance to those who are unconscious. Arcane of Health and Happiness. ----------------------------

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XV

The Tarot of the Devil: “Effervescence”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Devil is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Effervescence”. This is the fifth agent mentioned in the Tarot of the Scales of the Binary. Effervescence is the agent that dominates the human being in numerous circumstances of his/her material life. Hate, Anger, Abuse and their results: passions, vices, depravities, are all due to the influence of this agent in Man. This is why, in the Universal Key it is represented upside down and with a triple head. The first face resides in the reversed triangle, while the other two are in the square. At the top of the square is the face of the Devil, dissolved by the thunderbolt that issued from a luminous ray. Meditation on this arcane reveals to the disciple how to preserve himself from this noxious influence. The fact that the Key is reversed reveals the rupture of the equilibrating harmony, on the ruins of which there rises the shadow of a same equilibrium, but one completely opposite. ---------------------------(No Notes and no 2nd Version.)

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XVI

The Tarot of the Fire from the Sky: “The Wheel of the Binary”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Fire from the sky is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Wheel of the Binary”. This is the sixth agent mentioned in the Tarot of the Scales of the Binary. This agent is manifestly revealed in the human being and in every created being by the characteristic of an apparent contrary and an opposite by analogy. In Creation, there exist two Laws of the Binary: 1) The Law of the Binary that is manifest in contrary and opposed effects: Good – Evil, Truth – Falsehood, Light – Darkness, etc. 2) The Law of the Binary that is manifest in contrary but analogous (corresponding) effects: Love – Wisdom, Male – Female, etc. The two Laws of the Binary are revealed in the constituent elements of Creation: Solid and Gaseous are two opposed contraries. The solid and the Liquid are two analogous contraries. The Law of the Binary of opposed contraries is a fundamental law that ensures struggle, generates movement and perpetuates Creation in Eternity. On the other hand, the Law of the Binary of analogous contraries is an effect of Creation produced by movement and by the association of the three different domains or planes that participate in Creation. The Tarot of the Wheel of the Binary presents an Agent produced by the Law of analogous contraries. This is why a man (a King) and a woman (a Queen) – male and female – make up the basis of this arcane. Their contact reveals the sixth agent mentioned in the Scales of the Binary. Its manifestations correspond to Love. An effervescence is produced between the two contraries. It is not a struggle, as that of the opposed contraries is. It is a mutual exchange of this agent that dominates them. This effervescence unfolds in the astral plane and has the centre of the chest (point 0) as the physical guide-mark. It spreads in astral waves in the man and the woman, and reaches the centre and place of contact of the communion of these analogous contraries (point X). There, the astral coagulate is formed, and the mystery of generation is carried out in this mystical knot. Their feet touch the edge of the circle and are thus symbols of the four rays of the universal wheel in whose nucleus creation is carried out. The transposition of the triangle inside the square reveals the movement of the astral in the physical plane, and the geometrical disposition of the lines marks the starting point 0 of this evolution, and the terminal point X. Finally, the Tarot of the Wheel of the Binary reveals two great mysteries to the Initiate’s meditating gaze. 1) that of the effervescent and beneficial Agent, which he must dominate and use in a number of astral requirements, and 2) that of Generation through the astral Coagulate, and the attraction of associated beings. -------------Note: The king, masculine principle, 1st agent of analogous contraries. The queen, feminine principle, 2nd agent of analogous contraries. The centre of the chest of each of the subjects, point 0, is the meeting of the sides of the triangle in its two vertical positions: beneficial effervescence. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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The point X is where, analogically, the hands join: generation.

2nd Version The schema is turned a quarter of a circle round, and the arcane is presented in a horizontal manner. The two intertwined triangles in which the personages are depicted form the seal of Solomon. This arcane is extended even more by means of the legs of the two subjects. Two dotted triangles come to blend in the personages, a fact that considerably extends the significance of the symbols used. The 4 triangles form 12 lines integrally, but in the game of the arcane, the bases of the two dotted triangles are the personages themselves. These two triangles are therefore radiations and, together with the others, they add up to 10. The square defines the two possible positions, vertical or horizontal. -----------------------------

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XVII

The Tarot of the Stars: “The Earth”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Stars is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Earth”. This is the seventh agent manifest in the Scales of the Binary. This arcane reveals the influence and the active and passive forces that emanate from the stars of the solar system and end here (on Earth). Just like every one of the stars in our solar system, the Earth receives two kinds of influence, and acts on the other stars in two different ways. There are therefore direct and indirect kinds of mutual influence. The direct are those that emanate directly from a star and act upon another. The indirect kinds of influence are the vibrations that emanate from two stars, combine, and are transmitted to a third in a triangular aspect. The main direct kinds of stellar influence that our planet receives are those of the Sun and the Moon. All the other planets send direct kinds of influence to the Earth and correspondingly receive influence from it. But the Sun and the Moon are the two stars whose direct kinds of influence on our globe are well manifest and can be studied, step by step, moment to moment. This is why the two arcanes that follow the present one – that of the Sun and that of the Moon – reveal the agents produced by their influence. The present arcane establishes and reveals in detail only the triangular aspects (influence) of all the planets on the Earth. The Earth is therefore the only object of this influence. These indirect kinds of influence are depicted in the arcane under two forms: one is square (angle of 450 and its derivatives), and the other is pyramidal (angle of 300 and its derivatives). When the square aspects in the Universal Key of human Wisdom are adapted to the square of the present figure, they are symbols of the physical plane. All the kinds of influence that are manifest in the study of the stars determine agents of a material source and are consequently dark and malevolent. There are four square aspects: The square of 900 – the half-square of 450 – the one-and-a-half square of 1350 – and the opposition of 1800. There also exists a material influence, which is that of the conjunction of 00. All these kinds of influence are derived from the square, a material and physical symbol, and are baneful. The beneficial or animic aspects are derived from the triangular or pyramidal aspect which, in the schema of the Universal Key of human Wisdom, corresponds to the triangle - the symbol of the astral plane. They are influence and effluence of the soul of the planets, which act at the moment of these aspects. There are four beneficial kinds of influence: the sextile 600 – the semi-sextile 300 – the quintile 720 – the trine 1200. The wider the angles of these different aspects are, the more beneficial or baneful they are. The aspects are determined as follows: the top of the triangle is the basis of the aspect; the two consulted planets are points of determination of the angle in relation to the Earth. The present arcane is a subject of study by means of which the Initiate can manage to possess the knowledge of all the kinds of influence of this major agent, and can derive great profit from it at every moment of his life. --------------http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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2nd Version A naked young virgin in the lower part of the triangle. One of her feet is in the water and she kneels on the earth. With her right hand she pours the liquid from a vase into the water. In her left hand she holds a kind of plate downwards, from which pebbles and shells escape. In the middle of the arcane the Sun shines. The stars are depicted in the places of the numbers, except for the 6 and the 9, which are placed above their usual position. The arcane represents the Earth receiving the influence of the other stars in the universal equilibrium. This arcane concerns the stars in the solar system: 1) Saturn 2) The Sun 3) The Earth itself 4) Mars 5) Mercury 6) Jupiter 7) Venus 9) represents the other planets that are beyond the orbit of Saturn. (the 8 is missing.) ----------------------------

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XVIII

The Tarot of the Moon: “The Moon”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Moon is revealed by the arcane also entitled, “The Tarot of the Moon”. This is the eighth agent mentioned in the Scales of the Binary. The Tarot of the Moon is an arcane whose study is of great value to the Initiate. The Moon is the satellite that turns round the Earth in 28 days. It is manifest under 7 main aspects: 1) the Crescent, 2) the half-moon, 3) the three-quarters–moon, 4) the Full Moon, 5) the three-quarters on the wane, 6) half on the wane, 7) the wane. The Moon is the star from which a powerful agent emanates and influences the Earth and everything on it that is created and alive. Just like the Sun, the Moon is the star that has a clearly manifest influence on the Earth, and whose effect has been checked (verified) and is visible. At the start of its orbital cycle, the Moon dominates generation. Plants receive its beneficial influence when they are sown at this time. The beings engendered when the Moon is born receive its clearly manifested mark. These beings are endowed with great intuitive powers and great reproductivity. The peoples of the Orient in general, and certain peoples of the Occident are constantly subject to this lunar influence during their procreation. The menstrual periods of female forms, the ebb and flow of the waters, the time of development of all embryos, are all subject to the clearly marked domination of the lunar agent. This agent dominates female beings, and especially their womb, and through this, their genital system, and through this in turn, indirectly their nervous system. Moreover, the lunar agent dominates the male beings in their gastric and lymphatic system. The white and black jackals are symbols of the waxing and the waning moon. It is worthy to note that these animals bay at the moon – the first when the moon is waxing, and the second when it is waning. Cancer (the crab) is another being that is subject to the influence of the lunar agent. On nights when the moon is full, it emerges from the water and turns its gaze towards the moon, like a silent and stupid spectator. Once the moon starts growing pale in the west, it prefers the dark shades of the waters and its rocky hideout. The 3 columns are symbols of the 3 principal stages of the action of the lunar agent on Earth. 1st stage: Generating and physical influence. 2nd stage: Pacific and meditative or astral influence. 3rd stage: Influence of death and destruction or the emancipation of the incarnate being. The woman lying at the foot of the upper column is the symbol of the initial action of the lunar agent on female beings. The Initiate who knows how to recognize and make use of this agent, at the time when the latter acts beneficially on beings, holds in his hands a force from which immense physical, psychical and intellectual profits can be derived. -------------

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2nd Version Three columns whose places are marked on an arc of a circle with the inferior point of the square as its centre. This arc passes through the two lower angles of the triangle, the place of the two lateral columns, which are partly black (externally) and partly white (internally). The columns are of Ionic style and are symbols of the 3 stages of lunar influence. At the foot of the central column, a woman lies stretched out on the ground. This is a symbol of procreation. To the right and to the left, at the foot of the two columns, a white and a black jackal. They are baying at the moon in the horizon in the background. In the foreground, a pool with a lobster in the middle of it. Almost at the top of the triangle, the full Moon shines with 7 rays on an arc whose centre is the lower point of the square (the upper point of both the square and the triangle?). The arc depicts the Moon’s 3 waxing phases and the other 3 waning phases. The upper semi-circle is a number of 4 sevens, showing the 28 days of the Moon. It is an arcane of the lunar movement and influence. This influence should be studied by means of the Universal Key. Birth, Life, and Death. -----------------------------

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XIX

The Tarot of the Sun: “The Sun”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Sun is revealed by the arcane also entitled, “The Tarot of the Sun”. The Tarot of the Sun represents the ninth and last agent mentioned in the Tarot of the Scales of the Binary. The influence of the Sun is visibly manifest in terrestrial Nature. The male principle of Creation receives its influence; the creation of seminal fluids that ensure the perpetuation of the species is the work of the Sun. This agent has 3 kinds of influence: light, heat, and the perpetuation of vital existence. The association of the lunar agent with the solar one causes the mutual attraction and carnal love of the male and the female among human beings. This influence is all the greater at certain periods, in particular when the Sun enters the constellation of Gemini in relation to the Earth. During this period, the solar agent influences the woman, whereas the lunar agent influences the man, and this results in the attraction of the two principles in Creation. Besides its physical influence, the Sun, or its agent, acts on the Soul and gives rise to sentiments of grandeur, generosity, goodness and justice. On the Spirit, the solar agent dominates in an even more occult manner. It gives intelligence, develops conscience, instructs through experience, and finally, it presides over the chances of evolution of the beings living on Earth. Therefore the Sun is the star from which 3 clearly determined powers emanate: that which acts on all material things; that which acts on all astral things, and that which acts on and dominates our Spirit. On the basis of the knowledge of these 3 solar agents, talismans of great value can be made. After deep study, the Initiate will have such power as to render him really master, not only of his own destiny, but also of that of others, for he will take over the material, animic, and spiritual direction of the masses. --------------

2nd Version A circle, bearing the 3600 of the circumference, serves as a solar dial. The 12 Signs of the Zodiac are inscribed on it. A blade is attached to the diameter. The blade projects its shadow on the 15th degree of Gemini. The point of the blade touches the angle on the right side of the triangle. It serves to denote the moment that is propitious to generation, on the base of the triangle, and it draws a semi-circle depicting the Earth. The terrestrial horizon is in the background. To the right, a young child, whose stretched arm touches the mediator. She is in the shadow of the blade. On the other side, a young boy in the same position, but in full light. These two children are symbols of the two principles in conjunction. The Moon appears in the semi-circle. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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Above, the Sun shines with 24 rays, 12 of which are luminous and 12 are flames. All around it are eight stars which, together with the Earth, form the 9 known planets of the solar system. The Sun, a star that engenders the agent of life; the male element under whose influence the secondary and tertiary beings of Creation are vivified and developed. Light, Heat, Life. ------------------------------

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XX

The Tarot of Judgment: “The Echo”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of Judgment is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of the Echo”. Disciple, have you walked through the plains, the valleys and the mountains? Have you delved in the dark insidious paths of the Earth? Have you contemplated Nature and all its creations? Have you searched in the objective domain? Finally, have you made a deep enough study of this mystical language in which the open pages of the Book of Creation speak to you, at every step, at every moment, at every instant of your conscious existence in terrestrial life? Through all this diversity of objective things, have you contemplated the beauty and harmony, the cohesion and the ensemble of aspiration that reigns in it? Before this radiant view, before this manifestation of Wisdom, have you felt within you the birth of admiration and beatitude? When you have gone through all these mystical stages that enchant the Spirit and exalt the Soul, then you will feel within you the birth of LOVE, which is the covenant between God and Men. Love is the Echo of Divine Conception; it is the sublime proclamation of the celestial King; it is the pledge that the Lord sealed with His blood on Earth. Wisdom is the incarnate principle that illumines the being into all the secret Divine conceptions and, through Wisdom, this illumination approaches the created Being to its Creator. Love is the Echo of Divine Thought, which springs from its sacred dwelling, driving back darkness, and opening the Path for the Being to approach its Creator. The Echo of the Divine Path, projected on Earth by His incarnate Clemency. It was the vessel, the receptacle in which the Lord was born and engendered. This sublime Divine Covenant, in the form of a chaste and pure woman, passes in the valley of the Earth, touches beings and fills them with love. She holds and lavishly distributes the blessings that God has so prodigiously provided her with. Who is this mysterious being represented in the arcane of the Echo, holding a trumpet in her hands and launching the sublime promises of reintegration into the expanses, trampling on her adversary, who comes to thwart God’s decisions, away into the abyss and darkness? The 3 columns are symbols of the 3 kingdoms that govern the terrestrial plane of the evolution of created beings. The 1st column is the symbol of Wisdom, an attribute of the male. The 2nd is the symbol of Love, an attribute of the female. The 3rd represents the being that issues from the association of the 2 principles – the being that is equipped with the effluence of the two beings so as to approach the ascending path of its evolution towards its definitive reintegration in the domain from which it emanated. And all the time, in the lower depths of darkness, the Genie of Evil, armed with a trumpet, tries – through the clouds of its effervescence – to reduce the Echo of the voice of God, and lead astray and pervert the being. This, disciple, is the great arcane presented before your meditative eyes. The secret is not far away; try, and you will discover it. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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2nd Version A crowned angel leaning on 2 columns, one of which is Doric and the other Ionic. It is winged and blows its trumpet in the midst of clouds. A third, a Corinthian column, in the centre, stands on the triangle and is under the trumpet. All three columns are numbered. Under the column of the principles – the head of a king. Under the column of the manifestations – the head of a queen. Under the 3rd column, instead of number 9, the head of a prince. All this is inscribed within the domain of the Form. At the bottom, a devil blows 2 trumpets that produce smoke. In Greek, referring to the angel’s trumpet, the words ù
ÿ+ ù
þ,üÿù (Trumpet of Truth) are inscribed. The Echo reveals the influence of Divine Conceptions transmitted onto the material plane and disguised (distorted) by the reaction of contrary influence. This arcane unveils the mysteries of the Binary and the Ternary. ------------The SYMBOLS are: the wings, the trumpet in the middle, and the crown on top. --------------------------------

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XXI

The Tarot of the World: “Mastery in the Four Elements”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the World is revealed by the arcane entitled, “The Tarot of Mastery in the Four Elements”. This arcane is a clear symbol of the emancipation of the Spirit from the inferior forces that dominate it. The aspect of this arcane brings to the fore the apex in the true path of Initiation. The Initiate’s Spirit possesses the great arcanes and, in a glorious ascent towards the Beyond, it manifests all the majesty of its knowledge. He is perfected in the initiation of the physical mysteries and so he acquires the power to withdraw for a few moments from the concrete husk that darkens the horizon of his Spirit, and he springs in search of unknown mysteries. He holds two sticks of double command, which are symbols of his perfect mastery over the 4 elements. This is equivalent to mastery over the physical plane. His efforts in the path of Truth are crowned with success, and now, free and full of objective Wisdom, he runs towards the acquisition of intuitive Wisdom. The way is open to him; he already bears the sign of the Chosen One engraved on him, and he now aspires to the title of Adept. He is bathed within the astral (the triangle), and by his gesture he maintains the measure of the square – symbol of the physical plane. The triple circle shows him the future regions of his action: astral plane, mental plane, celestial plane. Happiness has come to fulfil his wishes, for in his ascending course, he was guided by a Master of Truth. His future is ensured, for he has managed to follow the path of Truth. The motto is: Emancipation, Ascension, Freedom. ------------

2nd Version A woman wearing a scarf holds in each hand a rod, whose extremities end in a small ball. She is surrounded by 3 circles. In the square with the 1, the word IGNIS (fire) is inscribed; in that with the 3, the word AER (air); in that with the 7, the word TERRA (earth), and in that with the 9, the word AQUA (water). The visible numbers are 2,4,5,6,8. The upper ball of each rod is on the line of the triangle. The four elements and their dominating essence. The Spirit – an entity that is independent of all Matter – acts in the elements by means of its agent, which is number 2, and by means of the three manifestations: 4,5, 6 and determination 8. ------------The SYMBOLS are: the two rods elements in the empty spaces.

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crosswise, and the symbols of the 4

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The Tarot of the Fool: “The Unbalanced One”. Adapted to the Universal Key of human Wisdom, the Tarot of the Fool is revealed by the arcane entitled, “TheTarot of the Unbalanced One”. This arcane should never bear a number among the major arcanes, and it is by misuse that we attribute number 22 to it. We do not wish to give a lengthy explanation of this arcane. It speaks for itself. The following is what this Tarot ‘out of series’ symbolizes: A person who is curious and of a superficial character, one who approaches the mysteries, not with boldness but with rashness and impudence. A person who denies the need of a Master – a tried and experienced guide to the many and divers dangers that sprout in the field of action. This man runs great risks when he blindly rushes into the tortuous path. From the very first steps of the way towards the unknown, he ends up being led astray by the evil that lies in wait for him, because he does not have the shield of the Master and has no defence whatever to preserve him. Heedless of his real situation, he continues on his path, which will eventually either lead him to insanity or make of him a Sorcerer, dangerous to his fellowpersons. In this last case, when in possession of malevolent arcanes, he becomes the speculator, the simoniacal of these perverse powers. He sells his dark knowledge and his even darker conscience. His desires are for his own well being. He stops at nothing. He commits secret and dark crimes without hesitation, as long as his recompense is GOLD. The crocodile and the hyena that attack his genitals show the obscene passions to which the sorcerer of the Sabbath is attracted. The rods of command and mastery have been replaced by bludgeons, for rods are used by the Initiate of Truth and Light to spread his benefits. With his bludgeons, the sorcerer beats mercilessly, bringing about mourning, malice and desolation. He thinks that he is well balanced, that he is king on his throne. Just look at his balance!! Don’t laugh; pity the unconscious one and his victims. This is what the unnumbered arcane says. It is the opposite of the preceding one. It is its contrary. Do not risk into this thorny area without the support of a visible or an invisible Master lest you see your own image symbolized by the arcane of the Unbalanced One. ------------

2nd Version At the base of the square, an individual looking like a madman without his underwear, showing his genitals. His legs are bent, knees up and his elbows rest on his feet. His hands hold two bludgeons, crossed on his abdomen. There is a sack on his head. http:// martinismos.ifrance.com http://membres.lycos.fr/martinism

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Below, a hyena on the right and a crocodile on the left are trying to snap at his testicles. This represents the person who seeks the truth that is not his and is alien to him. He thinks that he holds (the Truth) and that he carries it. His position is quite unseemly and yet exact. He gets tired, he makes an effort but, unable to participate in the feast of the Brethren of the Truth, he hurls himself into dark practices, athirst for power. He ends up gnawed alive by these two incurable illnesses of postulants for malevolent works: vibrating terror and insanity. -----------------------------

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Conclusion Our Venerable Master had written a conclusion in which he promised to complete the teaching in the future, so as to allow the fervent disciples to have the integral revelation of the Tarot in their possession. I shall try to fulfil his promise; He ended thus: “Joy, Peace and Health to all the brethren throughout the Earth.” And he signed: “The Servant to the lowliest servant”. -----------------------------------------------------

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