Rectified Numbering of the Major Arcana
G.D.O'Bradovich III
February 25, 2014
For reasons which satisfy myself, this card [Strength] has been interchanged with that of justice... As the variation carries nothing with it which will signify to the reader, there is no cause for explanation.
[In] later times the cards have been attributed to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and there has been apparently some difficulty about allocating the zero symbol satisfactorily in a sequence of letters all of which signify numbers. In the present reference of the card to the letter Shin, which corresponds to 200, the difficulty or the unreason remains. The truth is that the real arrangement of the cards has never transpired. I have also not adopted the prevailing attribution of the cards to the Hebrew alphabet... because nearly every attribution is wrong. A.E.Waite, Pictorial Key to the Tarot |
As I was working on the correspondence between the churches of the Apocalypse and their planetary ruler (Exegesis of the Revelation of Jesus Christ), Thoth (Beaky to his friends) appeared. Beaky does not come often, so his arrival is always startling. The last time Beaky came was ten years ago when I was attempting to correlate the Book of Revelation with the destruction of Atlantis. I digress. The following is what Beaky showed me.
[4:7] And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
These beasts are the four fixed signs of the zodiac.
The lion is Leo.
The calf is Taurus.
The man is Aquarius.
The flying eagle is a veil for Scorpio.
The lion is Leo.
The calf is Taurus.
The man is Aquarius.
The flying eagle is a veil for Scorpio.
[6:1] And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals...
[2] I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
This is Sagittarius. The arrow is not part of the sign and is a decan.
[3] And when he had opened the second seal, ...
[4] And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
This description does not correspond to any sign of the Zodiac. We will return to this imagery later.
[2] I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
This is Sagittarius. The arrow is not part of the sign and is a decan.
[3] And when he had opened the second seal, ...
[4] And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
This description does not correspond to any sign of the Zodiac. We will return to this imagery later.
[5] And when he had opened the third seal,... I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
The pair of balances is Libra.
The pair of balances is Libra.
[7] And when he had opened the fourth seal, ...
[8] And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
"Death" and "Hell" are personified. The only sign with two individuals is Gemini.
From the patterns represented to the right, we presume the second seal represents Aries. The planetary ruler of Aries is Mars and the statement- "power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword"-is applicable to the God of War.
[8] And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
"Death" and "Hell" are personified. The only sign with two individuals is Gemini.
From the patterns represented to the right, we presume the second seal represents Aries. The planetary ruler of Aries is Mars and the statement- "power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword"-is applicable to the God of War.
[7:1] And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth...
The unnamed four angels are Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Capricorn.
The unnamed four angels are Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Capricorn.
The following is the information we have to this point.
Leo
Taurus Aquarius Scorpio Sagittarius Aries Libra Gemini Angel 1 Angel 2 Angel 3 Angel 4 |
Fixed
Fixed Fixed Fixed Mutable Cardinal Cardinal Mutable |
Fire
Earth Air Water Fire Fire Air Air Earth Earth Water Water |
By following the pattern of Sagittarius, Aries, Libra and Gemini we can supply the qualities of cardinal and mutable.
Leo
Taurus Aquarius Scorpio Sagittarius Aries Libra Gemini Angel 1 Angel 2 Angel 3 Angel 4 |
Fixed
Fixed Fixed Fixed Mutable Cardinal Cardinal Mutable Mutable Cardinal Cardinal Mutable |
Fire
Earth Air Water Fire Fire Air Air Earth Earth Water Water |
The following are the identities of the four angels are at the four corners of the world.
Leo
Taurus Aquarius Scorpio Sagittarius Aries Libra Gemini Pisces Cancer Capricorn Virgo |
Fixed
Fixed Fixed Fixed Mutable Cardinal Cardinal Mutable Mutable Cardinal Cardinal Mutable |
Fire
Earth Air Water Fire Fire Air Air Water Water Earth Earth |
The following is a clarification of my notes.
Astrological Sign
Leo Taurus Aquarius Scorpio Sagittarius Aries Libra Gemini Pisces Cancer Capricorn Virgo |
Tarot Name
Strength Hierophant Star Death Temperance Emperor Justice Lovers Moon Chariot Devil Hermit |
Tarot Number
8 5 16 13 14 4 11 6 18 7 15 9 |
The sum of Leo to Scorpio is 42 (8+16+5+13).
The sum of Sagittarius to Gemini is 35(4+11+6+7).
The sum of Pisces to Virgo is 49 (7+18+9+15).
By moving Cancer (number 7) from the third group to the second group, we will have three groups of 42.
Unfortunately, Beaky is a fast talker and I wrote the number for the Star as 16 when the correct number is 17. Therefore, there are not three groups of 42.
A.E Waite in his Tarot deck exchanged Strength and Justice, but did not give a reason. The reason is that by using the Hebrew alphabet as a guide, the correct astrological progression is Leo, Virgo and Libra., not Libra, Virgo and Leo.
Waite lies in the first part of the quote and is honest in the second part of the quote.
"I have also not adopted the prevailing attribution of the cards to the Hebrew alphabet... because nearly every attribution is wrong. "
Crowley exchanged the Star for the Emperor in his deck, because "All of these old letters of my book are aright, but Tzaddi is not the Star." Between Waite and his use of the Hebrew alphabet and Crowley and the voice, they have taken it upon themselves to correct the Tarot. Al though at first thought the idea of using the Apocalypse as the standard to clarify the Tarot deck, it is a standard that has nothing to do with hearing voices and fiat -"As the variation carries nothing with it which will signify to the reader, there is no cause for explanation. "
By exchanging the Star (16) for the Tower (17), three groups of 42 (with addition of the Chariot,7, to the second group) are the result. Since I am not concerned about the Hebrew alphabet's double and single letters, the exchange is allowed without one of the seven double letters assigned to a sign, instead of a planet. As I shown elsewhere, the correct allocation of letters is not Hebrew, but Egyptian.
Regretfully, my solution to the numbering creates an unbalance in the number of signs in each group (four, five and three). This is not an elegant solution so it can not be the correct solution.
The sum of Sagittarius to Gemini is 35(4+11+6+7).
The sum of Pisces to Virgo is 49 (7+18+9+15).
By moving Cancer (number 7) from the third group to the second group, we will have three groups of 42.
Unfortunately, Beaky is a fast talker and I wrote the number for the Star as 16 when the correct number is 17. Therefore, there are not three groups of 42.
A.E Waite in his Tarot deck exchanged Strength and Justice, but did not give a reason. The reason is that by using the Hebrew alphabet as a guide, the correct astrological progression is Leo, Virgo and Libra., not Libra, Virgo and Leo.
Waite lies in the first part of the quote and is honest in the second part of the quote.
"I have also not adopted the prevailing attribution of the cards to the Hebrew alphabet... because nearly every attribution is wrong. "
Crowley exchanged the Star for the Emperor in his deck, because "All of these old letters of my book are aright, but Tzaddi is not the Star." Between Waite and his use of the Hebrew alphabet and Crowley and the voice, they have taken it upon themselves to correct the Tarot. Al though at first thought the idea of using the Apocalypse as the standard to clarify the Tarot deck, it is a standard that has nothing to do with hearing voices and fiat -"As the variation carries nothing with it which will signify to the reader, there is no cause for explanation. "
By exchanging the Star (16) for the Tower (17), three groups of 42 (with addition of the Chariot,7, to the second group) are the result. Since I am not concerned about the Hebrew alphabet's double and single letters, the exchange is allowed without one of the seven double letters assigned to a sign, instead of a planet. As I shown elsewhere, the correct allocation of letters is not Hebrew, but Egyptian.
Regretfully, my solution to the numbering creates an unbalance in the number of signs in each group (four, five and three). This is not an elegant solution so it can not be the correct solution.
Chariot 7 Strength 8 Hermit 9
Lovers 6 Justice 10 Hierophant 5 Death 13 Emperor 14 Temperance 12 Moon 15 Star 16 Devil 11 |
Hierophant, Strength, Death, Star-5+8+13+16=42
Lovers, Hermit, Temperance, Moon-6+9+12+15=42
Chariot, Justice, Devil, Emperor-7+10+11+14=42
We are left with the following pairs of cards whose sum is 21:
Lovers, Hermit, Temperance, Moon-6+9+12+15=42
Chariot, Justice, Devil, Emperor-7+10+11+14=42
We are left with the following pairs of cards whose sum is 21:
0 1 2 3 4
21 20 19 18 17 21 21 21 21 21 We can now understand why there is an unnumbered card. The elements and planetary rulers can be associated with remaining 10 cards. |
The conclusion is that the Tarot cards are designed so that unwary researchers whose unwise approaches, whether by attempting to follow the Hebrew alphabet, listening to voices or unfettered number play, will invariably lead to multiple wrong solutions. Since there is only one solution, anything else will be incorrect.
Occultists who try to force 12 signs of the Zodiac onto the Tarot are going to fail-12 constellations, 7 planets and four elements do not add to 22, but 23. Is there a missing card? Is it a Hebrew Father letter?
Occultists who try to force 12 signs of the Zodiac onto the Tarot are going to fail-12 constellations, 7 planets and four elements do not add to 22, but 23. Is there a missing card? Is it a Hebrew Father letter?
Waite has given us a clue to the correct attributes of "Strength". He places the infinity sign over the woman's head as he placed the infinity sign over the "Magician" whose attribute is Mercury. The enterprising researcher should ask "What woman is associated with Mercury?" The answer is Virgo. What is veiled in the "Strength" card is that we are looking at Virgo and Leo. By removing the Hermit form the Zodiac and placing it with the planets (as Saturn), we are left with 11 cards for the Zodiac and 11 cards for the planets (4) and elements (4).
Is this the correct attributes of the card? Possibly, is the conservative answer.
Is this the correct attributes of the card? Possibly, is the conservative answer.
The Egyptian hieroglyphs to the right are for the phoneme "r". The Lion and the mouth have the same sound value. When we look upon the "Strength" card we are struck that the woman is holding open the lion's mouth.
It would be tedious to go through all the Tarot cards and explain their respective Egyptian hieroglyph. Fortunately, Waite has left generous clues in his deck. |
[In] later times the cards have been attributed to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and... The truth is that the real arrangement of the cards has never transpired.