Book of Thoth Study Group #3: The Theory of the Correspondences of the Tarot

Zephyros

The Theory of the Correspondences of the Tarot

THE THEORY OF THE CORRESPONDENCES OF THE TAROT
Unimportant to the present purpose are tradition and authority. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity does not rest on the fact that, when his theory was put to the test, it was confirmed. The only theory of ultimate interest about the Tarot is that it is an admirable symbolic picture of the Universe, based on the data of the Holy Qabalah. It will be proper, later in this essay, to describe the Holy Qabalah somewhat fully, and to discuss relevant details. The part of it which is here relevant is called Gematria, a science in which the numerical value of a Hebrew word, each letter being also a number, links that word with others of the same value, or a multiple thereof. For example, AChD unity (1+8 +4) =13; and AHBH love (1+5+2+5)=13.

This fact is held to indicate “The nature of Unity is Love”. Then IHVH Jehovah (10+5+6+5) =26=2 X 13. Therefore: “Jehovah is Unity manifested in Duality.” And so forth. One important interpretation of Tarot is that it is a Notariqon of the Hebrew Torah, the Law; also of ThROA, the Gate. Now, by the Yetziratic attributions---see table at end---this word may be read The Universe---the new-born Sun---Zero. This is the true Magical Doctrine of Thelema: Zero equals Two. Also, by Gematria, the numerical value of ThROA is 671 =61 x 11. Now 61 is AIN, Nothing or Zero; and 11 is the number of Magical Expansion; in this way also, therefore, ThROA announces that same dogma, the only satisfactory philosophical explanation of the Cosmos, its origin, mode, and object. Complete mystery surrounds the question of the origin of this system; any theory which satisfies the facts demands assumptions which are completely absurd. To explain it at all, one has to postulate in the obscure past a fantastic assembly of learned rabbins, who solemnly calculated all sorts of combinations of letters and numbers, and created the Hebrew language on this series of manipulations. This theory is plainly contrary, not only to common sense, but to the facts of history, and to all that we know about the formation of language. Nevertheless, the evidence is equally strong that there is something, not a little of something but a great deal of something, a something which excludes all reasonable theories of coincidence, in the correspondence between words and numbers.

It is an undeniable fact that any given number is not merely one more than the previous number and one less than the subsequent number, but is an independent individual idea, a thing in itself; a spiritual, moral and intellectual substance, not only as much as, but a great deal more than, any human being. Its merely mathematical relations are indeed the laws of its being, but they do not constitute the number, any more than the chemical and physical laws of reaction in the human anatomy give a complete picture of a man.
 

Michael Sternbach

The Book of Thoth said:
THE THEORY OF THE CORRESPONDENCES OF THE TAROT
Unimportant to the present purpose are tradition and authority.

Something is not to be considered true just because it has come down to us from long ago and been rehashed over and over. One could assume that what matters to the "spiritual scientist" Crowley is what holds true in the light of living experience - reading in the Book of Nature, so to speak. However, even empiricism has its limits, for...

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity does not rest on the fact that, when his theory was put to the test, it was confirmed.

...confirming of a theory is not the same like really understanding it! And a truth remains a truth, no matter whether it's understood by human beings or not. I can't help feeling AC expressing his puzzlement here about the doctrine of correspondence, which he observes to be true, while he cannot rationally explain why it is so.

The only theory of ultimate interest about the Tarot is that it is an admirable symbolic picture of the Universe, based on the data of the Holy Qabalah.

This is something AC had emphasized already in the foregoing part; the correspondence between Tarot and the Qabalah was obviously a central idea to him. In this, he is at odds with the view presented by Sallie Nichols in Jung and Tarot, which I happened to read quite at the same time. Nichols believes that the Collective Unconscious due to its haziness could hardly make for such exact parallels between the various symbologies that it gave birth to.

While it is true that we should be careful not to confuse parallels with identities, a neo-Platonist like Plotinus (from whom Jung had borrowed the concept of the Archetypes) would insist that there is rigorous noetic structure and order underlying what we call the Collective Unconscious. It may thus be far less random than it sometimes seems, and many (although certainly not all) of the identifications made by esotericists are based on reality.

It will be proper, later in this essay, to describe the Holy Qabalah somewhat fully, and to discuss relevant details. The part of it which is here relevant is called Gematria, a science in which the numerical value of a Hebrew word, each letter being also a number, links that word with others of the same value, or a multiple thereof. For example, AChD unity (1+8 +4) =13; and AHBH love (1+5+2+5)=13.

This fact is held to indicate “The nature of Unity is Love”. Then IHVH Jehovah (10+5+6+5) =26=2 X 13. Therefore: “Jehovah is Unity manifested in Duality.” And so forth. One important interpretation of Tarot is that it is a Notariqon of the Hebrew Torah, the Law; also of ThROA, the Gate. Now, by the Yetziratic attributions---see table at end---this word may be read The Universe---the new-born Sun---Zero. This is the true Magical Doctrine of Thelema: Zero equals Two.

Another way of saying this is 0 = (-1) + (+1). Likewise, the Daoists say that from wu chi (symbolically represented by an empty circle) emerges Tai chi (the famous "double fish" symbol of yin and yang). On Crowley's Trump 0 (The Fool), we see two kids entangled with each other, but looking in opposite directions.

Also, by Gematria, the numerical value of ThROA is 671 =61 x 11. Now 61 is AIN, Nothing or Zero; ...

Interestingly, the chemical element with the atomic number 61 (Promethium) is one of only two among otherwise stable elements which is radioactive and virtually non-existent in nature.

... and 11 is the number of Magical Expansion; in this way also, therefore, ThROA announces that same dogma, the only satisfactory philosophical explanation of the Cosmos, its origin, mode, and object. Complete mystery surrounds the question of the origin of this system; any theory which satisfies the facts demands assumptions which are completely absurd. To explain it at all, one has to postulate in the obscure past a fantastic assembly of learned rabbins, who solemnly calculated all sorts of combinations of letters and numbers, and created the Hebrew language on this series of manipulations. This theory is plainly contrary, not only to common sense, but to the facts of history, and to all that we know about the formation of language. Nevertheless, the evidence is equally strong that there is something, not a little of something but a great deal of something, a something which excludes all reasonable theories of coincidence, in the correspondence between words and numbers.

In my view, the only theory that explains it is that languages and mathematics, just like the esoteric systems that we are familiar with, gradually emerged according to an Aristotelian Causa Finalis, Telos or Great Attractor, that assembles and structures whatever it needs for its own fulfillment, much as a living organism does.

It is an undeniable fact that any given number is not merely one more than the previous number and one less than the subsequent number, but is an independent individual idea, a thing in itself; a spiritual, moral and intellectual substance, not only as much as, but a great deal more than, any human being.

Again, this is the Pythagorean/Platonic view which is at the base of so much of Occultism; it accepts the factual existence of the numbers on that transcendental plane where the Archetypes/the Gods reside. This is far different from regarding numbers as nothing but convenient abstractions, as modern mathematicians are prone to do.

Its merely mathematical relations are indeed the laws of its being, but they do not constitute the number, any more than the chemical and physical laws of reaction in the human anatomy give a complete picture of a man.

Here again, AC distinguishes between the number as such and its modern definition, which indeed solely relies on its relationships to other numbers. At the same time, he grants that "its mathematical relations are indeed the laws of its being" - a valid observation, because i.e. if a number is prime or not does tell us something about its metaphysical character, while it depends on - or is expressed by - aforesaid relations.
 

Aeon418

Hi Zeph! Sorry for the late delivery and brevity. Rushed off my feet right now.
One important interpretation of Tarot is that it is a Notariqon of the Hebrew Torah, the Law;
Sort of. It's a Qabalistic fudge/interpretation of Torah. In Hebrew the word is actually spelt, ThVRH. But here we are using the Qabalistic spelling, ThORA.

Anyone who wants to spell this word, and it's permutations with their cards, just needs to lay out the Universe, the Devil, the Sun, and the Fool.

T.O.R.A. - Law.
T.A.R.O. - Tarot.
T.R.O.A. - Gate. (ThROA)
A.T.O.R. - Hathor, (the Lady of Daleth - III The Empress - the Door.)
O.R.A.T. - Prayer.

Each of these "words" has a numerical value of 671, indicating a Qabalistic link between them. That connecting link is the word Adonai spelt in full.

Aleph - 111
Daleth - 434
Nun - 106
Yod - 20

Total = 671

This link shows that Adonai, The Holy Guardian Angel, is identical with the Way. Prayer leads to the Gate of Initiation and the Door thereof. Tarot is the Key to that Door, and the Law (Torah) is nothing other than this.

The card numerals total 55. XXI + XV + XIX + 0 = LV (55)
55 is the Mystic Number of Malkuth, the sephirah at the base of the Tree of Life. The Gate, ThROA, is a title of Malkuth. The TARO is a map through that Gate and beyond.
55 is also the value of the word, HLK, to Walk. What are you waiting for! :)

671 is 61 x 11. Qabalistically speaking that is AIN/Nothing multiplied by the great magical number 11 that symbolises the union of the Microcosm and the Macrocosm. Essentially it's another way of expressing 0= 2.
 

Zephyros

Hi guys, sorry for vanishing, I've been dealing with a bad flu and home renovations.

This passage has always puzzled me. Firstly because I don't put much stick in gematria, and I see it all as a series of coincidences. It is interesting, certainly, but I can't see the grandeur Crowley sees in it. I can show that the nature of unity and love is slug (חגב) or "baobab," who's to say I'm wrong? I'm willing to play along, suspend my disbelief somewhat on this matter, but I usually use gematria as yet another symbol, and ignore the coincidences. This doesn't require actual belief, and works for me.

Secondly, I don't understand what Throa means, and why it means gate. To me it means something like a victorious trumpet sound, תרועה. I've seen wrong GD translations from time to time, although I can't think of any examples right now. Could this be another example?

It is an undeniable fact that any given number is not merely one more than the previous number and one less than the subsequent number, but is an independent individual idea, a thing in itself; a spiritual, moral and intellectual substance, not only as much as, but a great deal more than, any human being. Its merely mathematical relations are indeed the laws of its being, but they do not constitute the number, any more than the chemical and physical laws of reaction in the human anatomy give a complete picture of a man.

This passage I completely agree with. Treating every number as a whole and complex symbol is eye-opening and quite dramatic in its application. Its application differs, I can't equate love to slug, but at least when contemplating the Tree of Life, this can do really amazing stuff.
 

Nemia

I was puzzled by תרועה as well, and with the ע, the gematria doesn't work out, does it? תרועה is 681.

Another inaccuracy is ORAT which doesn't mean prayer or to pray but "he prays", present tense, first masc. sing. "To pray" is orare, and "prayer" is oratio. I find "he prays" weaker than "prayer" or "to pray".

And in Hebrew, the Egypt goddess's name is not Ator but Chator חתור.

Again, the gematria is different. I looked the words up in an online gematria checker, was too lazy to do it in my poor head, in Hebrew and English.

חתור is 614, and Ator, 231.

And why is א the gematric value of 111? I don't know this system, far as I know, it's 1. ד is 4, נ is 50, and י is 20. That's at least the everyday use, and the way I read Jewish year's numbers etc. Maybe there's a different system that I don't know where aleph is 111? If you ask me, 111 is קי"א.

So I'm sorry if I sound like a nitpicker but either such correspondences work perfectly or they don't. For me, these are free associations which don't really work once we check them. The mix between English, Hebrew and Latin doesn't convince me.

ETA: What about the connection between the Empress and Hathor? In the Thoth card, she wears the moon crown and there's a falcon, yes, and maybe a cow would be trivial. The BoT doesn't mention her as Hathor, does it? Maybe somewhere else this interpretation is deepened?
 

Zephyros

I was puzzled by תרועה as well, and with the ע, the gematria doesn't work out, does it? תרועה is 681.

Another inaccuracy is ORAT which doesn't mean prayer or to pray but "he prays", present tense, first masc. sing. "To pray" is orare, and "prayer" is oratio. I find "he prays" weaker than "prayer" or "to pray".

And in Hebrew, the Egypt goddess's name is not Ator but Chator חתור.

I agree, and these things are all the more surprising considering how much of a polyglot he was.

And why is א the gematric value of 111? I don't know this system, far as I know, it's 1.

This refers to Aleph as a word; Aleph (1), Lamed(30), Peh final (80).
 

Nemia

Ah, okay, thank you.
 

Aeon418

Crowley would have been familiar with ThROA from the Golden Dawn Zelator ceremony. Maybe someone with more time than I could do a quick scan. I think it's near the end, just before the closing section.
 

Aeon418

I was puzzled by תרועה as well, and with the ע, the gematria doesn't work out, does it? תרועה is 681.
How did you reach that total given that all four "words" are constructed with the letters on Atu's 0, VX, XIX, & XXI. :confused:

Another inaccuracy is ORAT which doesn't mean prayer
None of the constructed "words" are accurate or correct. That's not the point though.

And in Hebrew, the Egypt goddess's name is not Ator but Chator חתור.
It's not Hebrew. It's a transliteration using Hebrew letters.

ETA: What about the connection between the Empress and Hathor?
If you have one, crack the spine on your copy of 777. ;)
 

Aeon418

It looks like I might be the only one who read the entry for 671 in Liber 58. So here it is.
671. ThORA the Law, ThROA the Gate, AThOR the Lady of the Path of Daleth,
ROThA the Wheel. Also ALPH, DLTh, NUN, IVD, Adonai (see 65) spelt in full.
This important number marks the identity of the Augoeides with the Way
itself ("I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life") and shows the Taro as a key;
and that the Law itself is nothing else than this. For this reason the outer
College of the A ∴ A ∴ is crowned by this "knowledge and conversation of
the Holy Guardian Angel."
This number too is that of the Ritual of Neophyte. See Liber XIII.