Tarot of the Bohemians: Chapter X. The Symbolical Tarot: 5. The Pope
5. ה
5th Hebrew letter (He).
ORIGIN OF THE SYMBOLISM OF THE FIFTH CARD OF THE TAROT.
The hieroglyphic meaning of He is aspiration, breath. It is by aspiration that life is incessantly maintained and created. Hence springs the idea of all that animates attributed to He.
But life specializes the being, by rendering it different from any other; hence the idea of the being itself attributed to this letter.
However, the action of life does not stop here. It is also the mediating principle, which attaches the material body to the divine spirit, in the same way that man unites God and Nature; life is to the man (aleph) what man is to the universe, pre-eminently the mediate principle.
The Pope.
This symbol expresses the following ideas--
(1st) Idea of Life, of animation,
(2nd) Idea of Being,
(3rd) Idea of Reunion.
The Initiate of the mysteries of Isis is seated between the two columns of the sanctuary. He leans upon a triple cross, and makes the sign of Esoterism with his left hand.
The triple Cross represents the triple Lingam of Indian theogony; that is to say, the penetration of the creative power throughout the Divine, the Intellectual, and the Physical Worlds, which causes all the manifestations of universal life to appear (first idea).
The two columns symbolize: on the right, the Law; on the left, the Liberty to obey and to disobey, the essence of Being, (second idea).
The Initiate wears a tiara. Two crowned men kneel at his feet, one clothed in red, the other in black.
Here we find the active form of the symbolism expressed in passive form by the second card. The same idea of Esoterism, of secret Instruction, reappears; but the Tuition is now practical and oral, it no longer requires a book (third idea),
As we see, this card is the complement of the second;
The fifth card of the Tarot corresponds with the letter he of the sacred word. It is the direct reflection of the 4th arcanum, and the indirect reflection of the 2nd arcanum. It therefore signifies--
In the Divine. Reflex of the Will--
INTELLIGENCE
(characteristic of God the Son).
In the Human. Reflex of the Power--
AUTHORITY
(characteristic of the Woman).
Religion. Faith.
In Nature. Reflex of the Soul of the World, or of the Universal creative fluid--
THE UNIVERSAL LIFE
(characteristic of Natura naturata).
The Pope.
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AFFINITIES |
SIGNIFICATIONS |
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Primitive Hieroglyphic: Breath Kabbalah: PECHAD Astronomy: The Ram Month: March Hebrew letter: He (simple) |
Reflex of the Will INTELLIGENCE __________ Reflex of Power AUTHORITY RELIGION--FAITH |
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OBSERVATIONS |
Reflex of the soul of the world THE UNIVERSAL LIFE |
Universal life is the negative part of the vivifying universal fluid. Their reciprocal action will give rise to the universal attraction or universal Love represented by the 6th arcanum.