Words behind the 'Art' Card?

I just got my deck, and I did a 2-5 minute quick-contemplation of each card. During my evaluation, the Art card revealed that it had a series of words in a differnt language around the sun behind it. What does this say?

BTW- I LOVE this deck! We connect so much! I was worried about my wiccan initiation tomarrow night, and I kept asking it about it. I got the devil card almost every time (I am hiding my initiation from my mother, so this indicates the "Secret Plan to take place" part) anyway, after about 4 times, I got the Five of Disks (Worry). I had to laugh.

Hi TaranRavenFrost - firstly, it is great that you are so happy with your new deck!

In answer to your question about the words on the Art card.

From Akron / Banzhaf's Handbook to the Cards:

There shines a giant sun with the inscription: VISITA INTERIORA TERRAE RECTIFICANDO INVENFIES OCCULTUM LAPIDEM (visit the interior parts of the earth; by rectification you shall find the hidden stone).

I think it is talking about the Philosopher's Stone, however someone else may be able to elaborate more on this.

CreativeFire

CreativeFire said:

I think it is talking about the Philosopher's Stone, however someone else may be able to elaborate more on this.

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Yeh, I think that it is talking about the philosopher's stone also. I don't know all that much about alchemy, but I am sure that the philosopher's stone is an alchemical concept, and the Art card is full of alchemical symbolism. At each side of the cauldron stand the lion and the eagle, present in the Empress and the Emperor cards. As Duquette writes in his book Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, 'They have also made a dramatic change. The lion has turned white and the eagle is now red, having transmuted to their opposite characteristic by the dual baptism of fire and water (the union of the white and red tinctures). At the every bottom of the card, the fire and the water exist in harmony'. So, from reading this it would seem that this card is pregnant and bursting with alchemical bits and bobs. The Art card seems to be all about the union of opposites. If you look at the being in the Art card, you will see that it is actually the two figures depicted in the Lovers card. But they have become one. I wish I knew a wee bit more about alchemy!!

Words behind the Art card

Yes, as you say, Centaur, it's the Philosopher's Stone, but,obviously, hidden in matter,in our own material nature.This vision contrasts with the angel hovering over the earth,one foot in the pool,one on the rock,the sacred name and triangle over the heart(Waite-Smith,etc)--- here, as I understand it,we're finding the Stone in our own natures,by way of mixing and blending anima and animus.The word Art applies perfectly---we're the Artists of our very selves.

Re: Words behind the Art card

Frank Hall said:

The word Art applies perfectly---we're the Artists of our very selves.

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I like that Frank. We are what we make ourselves.

VITRIOL

Check the glossary in DuQuette's book (p. 311)

VITRIOL - The universal solvent of alchemy created by the proper combination and balancing of the alchemical elements of mercury, salt and sulfur. Its letters are the initials of the alchemical motto: Visita interiora terrae rectificando invenies occultam lapidem - Visit the interior parts of the earth: by rectification though shalt find the hidden stone. In the Thoth Tarot, this phrase appears on Atu XIV, Art.

DuQuette also discusses it in more depth where he's talking about the symbolism of the Rose Cross. (p. 53, for instance).

Don't just skip the front matter of his book and go directly to the card descriptions - as with Crowley's book itself, there's good stuff spread throughout. It's really criminal that there is no index.

Lelandra
(Joan Cole)

BTW, in the Cicero Golden Dawn deck, there are two Temperance cards. One the traditional angel straddling earth and water showing the Bow of Qesheth symbolism, and one with the cauldron symbolism as with the Thoth deck. The Whare Ra cards (http://www.hermetic.com/gdlibrary/tarot/whare_ra/tarot4.html) show the pouring angel.

earths interior

I read somewhere that there's three tunnels under the great pyramid, going to the earths interior, but two of them are dead ends.
If you look at the universe card there's a picture at the bottom that shows you.

lelandra said:

Check the glossary in DuQuette's book (p. 311)
DuQuette also discusses it in more depth where he's talking about the symbolism of the Rose Cross. (p. 53, for instance).

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It seems like it is another case of Lon Duquette not telling everything he knows, possibly in an attempt to make Crowley more palatable to the masses.

V.I.T.R.I.O.L is indeed a Latin acronym taken from the alchemists, but it also means something quite specific to members of the O.T.O.

As Crowley says;

"There is a particular interpretation of this card which is only to be understood by Initiates of the Ninth Degree of the O.T.O; for it contains a practical magical formula of such importance as to make it impossible to communicate it openly."

So when Duquette calls his book "Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot", he is not being entirely honest.


Vincent

Are we allowed to talk about that?

Of course it's a big part of Crowley's whole magickal philosophy, and an understanding of his work would not be complete without it. Same with the 'eleventh degree', if I may use that euphemism, but are we allowed to discuss it here?

I am not an initiate of Crowleys eleventh degree, but I do have one in archaeology (not a good one). And I really doubt the existance on those tunnels under the pyramids.
However if Crowley believed their existance, as either real or symbolic artefacts, and imortalised them on the cards, the actual physical reality of these tunnels is immaterial.

Lillie said:

Are we allowed to talk about that?

Of course it's a big part of Crowley's whole magickal philosophy, and an understanding of his work would not be complete without it. Same with the 'eleventh degree', if I may use that euphemism, but are we allowed to discuss it here?

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I don't see why not. An iron stomach might be a prerequisite.

Lillie said:

I am not an initiate of Crowleys eleventh degree, but I do have one in archaeology (not a good one). And I really doubt the existance on those tunnels under the pyramids.
However if Crowley believed their existance, as either real or symbolic artefacts, and imortalised them on the cards, the actual physical reality of these tunnels is immaterial.

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This sounds like some kind of crap that Angeles Arrien made up.

This is what Crowley says about the 'tunnels';

"In the centre of the lower part of the card is represented the skeleton plan of the building of the house of Matter. It shews the ninety-two known chemical elements, arranged according to their rank in the hierarchy"

Nothing about pyramids or tunnels.

Vincent