Numerological Transcendence and the Major Arcana

Back in the '70s when I first started working with numerological correspondences in the tarot, the only method I knew to associate cards numerologically was by reduction: adding the digits of a two-digit number to create either a smaller two-digit number or even a single digit. Upon joining AT, I got a hint of another way, called "numerological transcendence," by which the last number in a two-digit number is considered a "higher order" of its original single-digit version.

The Devil as the 15th trump card is a good example. By reduction, it connects to the Lovers (1+5=6), and it can be seen as a corruption of the innocence of the Lovers, since there are many similarities in the two images. On the other hand, by transcendence, the last digit, "5," refers back to the Hierophant. My impression in looking at the RWS version of the two cards is that there is a strong visual correspondence there as well; the Devil suggests a spurning of the Hierophant's staid conservative values.

Similarly, the Sun can be related by reduction to both the Wheel of Fortune and the Magician, while by transcendence it connects to the Hermit. Since the Magician, the Hermit and the Sun all have a "singularity" about them, I see convergence between them. This adds a whole new mode of interpretation to my toolbox, so I think I'm going to use both where applicable.

Any thoughts from those who figure both reduction and transcendence into their interpretations?

Something similar was posted here in a thread I started titled Layouts for Studying Major Arcana. Maybe you can come up with an answer to the question about the central cards.

http://lelandra.com/tarotbook/tableaux.htm shows two different layouts like what you're discussing (Tableaux VII and Tableaux VIII). VIII is attributed to Nigel Jackson. You may have unvented Tableaux VII.

I like these exercises because they help to find connections between cards, which is what we, as readers, do when doing readings.

Rodney

rwcarter said:

Something similar was posted here in a thread I started titled Layouts for Studying Major Arcana. Maybe you can come up with an answer to the question about the central cards.

http://lelandra.com/tarotbook/tableaux.htm shows two different layouts like what you're discussing (Tableaux VII and Tableaux VIII). VIII is attributed to Nigel Jackson. You may have unvented Tableaux VII.

I like these exercises because they help to find connections between cards, which is what we, as readers, do when doing readings.

Rodney

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Tableau VII looks to be the closest to the idea of numerological transcendence, since the final digits align vertically. Astraea Aurora's layout is similar as well. I went through the old thread but didn't see which central cards you're talking about. I'll take a closer look. I have a couple of Major Arcana study layouts of my own that are entirely different from those in the thread. They were both posted here at different times.

Barleywine said:

Tableau VII looks to be the closest to the idea of numerological transcendence, since the final digits align vertically. I went through the old thread but didn't see which central cards you're talking about. I'll take a closer look. I have a couple of Major Arcana study layouts of my own that are entirely different from those in the thread. They were both posted here at different times.

Click to expand...

Post 30 by Astraea Aurora.

rwcarter said:

Post 30 by Astraea Aurora.

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Ah, you're talking about the numbers 10 and 20, then? They don't really align with the numerological model, and neither do 00 and 21. The layout reminds me of this, actually!

http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/ancient-airplane-gm542010714-96963409

I just found your questions in the following post, and also Astraea's reply. The comment about the 11 and 1 and the 12 and 2 "belonging together" fits what I was talking about, but the 10 and 20 aligning with the 5 and 15 are something different, as are the 00 and 21 linked to the number 20. It looks to me like it was simply an attempt at symmetry, as you noted. And it really does remind me of that two-prop biplane picture!