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The Tarot of the Bohemians (Papus) · 61 of 134 · tr. A.P. Morton

Page 33

THE STARS. THE STARS 17. פ 17th Hebrew letter (Phe). ORIGIN OF THE SYMBOLISM OF THE SEVENTEENTH CARD OF THE TAROT. The Phe expresses the same hieroglyphic meaning as the Beth (2nd card), but in a more extended sense. For, whilst the Beth signifies the mouth of man as the organ of speech, the Phe represents the produce of that organ: Speech. It is the sign of speech and of all connected with it. The Word in action in nature with all its consequences. Astronomically this letter responds to Mercury the God of Speech and of scientific or commercial diffusion, the God of Universal exchange between all beings and all worlds. Phe is a double letter. SEVENTEENTH CARD OF THE TAROT. The Star . The ideas expressed by this symbol are those-- 1. Of the expansion of fluids. 2. Of their eternal renewal. A nude female figure pours the Water of Universal Life from two cups. The genius of the Sun (14th arcanum) has now descended to earth under the form of this young girl, the image of eternal Youth. The fluids, which she formerly poured from one vase to the other, she now throws upon the ground (first idea). This young girl is crowned with seven stars; in the midst of them shines a very large and brilliant one. Near her an ibis (or sometimes a butterfly) rests upon a flower. Here we find the symbol of immortality. The soul (ibis or butterfly) will survive the body, which is only a place of trial (the ephemeral flower). The courage to bear these trials will come from above (the stars). The fall of the Divine and of the Human into the Material has scarcely taken place, when a mysterious voice whispers, courage to the Sinner, by showing him future re-instatement through trial. This card exactly balances the evil effects of the preceding one, and from it we derive the following significations-- 1. Opposition to destruction . No destruction is final. Everything is eternal and immortal in God-- IMMORTALITY. Creation of the human soul. 2. The fall is not irreparable. This is whispered to us by the intuitive sentiment we name HOPE. 3. The Visible Universe contains the source of its Divinization in itself. This is THE FORCE WHICH DISPENSES THE ESSENCE OF LIFE, which gives it the means of perpetually renewing its creations after destruction. 17. פ The Star . AFFINITIES SIGNIFICATIONS Primitive Hieroglyphic: Speech (the mouth and the tongue) Astronomy: Mercury Day: Wednesday Hebrew letter: Phe (double) IMMORTALITY _________ HOPE OBSERVATIONS THE FORCE WHICH DISPENSES THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

The card depicts a 'nude female figure' and the 'genius of the Sun... descended to earth under the form of this young girl,' using human forms for divine principles.

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Apocatastasiscosmology

The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles.

The idea that 'No destruction is final' and everything is 'eternal and immortal in God' touches on the theme of universal restoration.

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Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

The text systematically links the Tarot card to a Hebrew letter (Phe), an astronomical body (Mercury), a day (Wednesday), and specific symbolic meanings (fluids, immortality), exemplifying the Hermetic axiom of universal correspondence.

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Divine Immanencetheology

The doctrine that the divine is present within all things and the universe itself, pervading creation rather than remaining solely transcendent above it. Distinct from unity_of_being (the general claim that all existence is one substance, agnostic about whether that substance indwells its parts) and from kingdom_within (the divine present specifically IN THE INDIVIDUAL human, accessible without mediation) — divine_immanence is the general pervading-presence claim applied to all of creation, not a human-specific indwelling.

The text states 'The Visible Universe contains the source of its Divinization in itself,' indicating the divine is present within creation.

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The text describes a 'very large and brilliant one' star shining in the midst of seven stars, symbolizing divine illumination or presence.

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Divine Sparkscosmology

Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.

The text mentions 'The fall of the Divine and of the Human into the Material' and the soul surviving the body, implying a divine element trapped or tested in matter.

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Hope

The text explicitly identifies 'HOPE' as a signification derived from the intuitive sentiment that the fall is not irreparable.

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Immortality

The passage explicitly lists 'IMMORTALITY' as a primary signification and describes the soul (ibis/butterfly) surviving the body.

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Letters Of Creationcosmology

The twenty-two Hebrew letters as the building blocks through which God creates and sustains all existence.

The passage focuses heavily on the 17th Hebrew letter (Phe) as a hieroglyphic meaning and building block of symbolism ('Primitive Hieroglyphic: Speech').

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Logoscosmology

The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world.

The passage explicitly defines the Hebrew letter Phe as representing 'Speech' and 'The Word in action in nature with all its consequences,' linking it to Mercury as the God of Speech.

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Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

The text links the human organ of speech (mouth) to the cosmic principle of Mercury and universal exchange, reflecting the connection between human and cosmic scales.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

The passage relies on the number 17 (card and letter position) and the seven stars in the crown as significant symbolic structures.

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Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The passage speaks of 'future re-instatement through trial' and the universe containing the source of its 'Divinization', suggesting a return to a divine state.

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Related passages · 10 parallels
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 426
Section 10 10. We have shown the inevitability of certain convictions as to the scheme of things: There exists a Principle which transcends Being; this is The One, whose nature we have sought to establish in so far as such matters lend them…”
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theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 6 (part 4)
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Shared concept: Divine Immanence — The doctrine that the divine is present within all things and the universe itself, pervading creation rather than remaining solely transcendent above it. (derived)
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28.) "In Paradise the substance of the divine world penetrated the substance belonging to time, comparable to the power of the sun penetrating a fruit growing on a tree, and endowing it with such qualities as render it lovely to the sight a…”
Shared concept: Logos — The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world. (derived)
hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 8: The Eight Sphere|Section 1a
That No One of Existing Things doth Perish, but Men in Error Speak of Their Changes as Destructions and as Deaths <The idea of cyclic change central to CH III, "The Sacred Sermon", also takes center stage here. A current of ancient specula…”
Shared concept: Apocatastasis — The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 1, Section 1d
And we press upwards to those beams which in the Holy Scripture shine upon us; wherefrom we gain the light which leads us unto 55 the Divine praises 64 64 πρὸς τοὺς θεαρχικοὺς ὕμνους. Either (1) “leads us to declare the Divine praises”; or…”
Shared concept: Return To Source — The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Mystical Theology|Chapter I-b
They are useful and necessary up to a point, but the Truth lies beyond them and is to be apprehended to a supernatural manner by what later writers call “infused” contemplation. The sum of the whole matter is that God is incomprehensible.…”
Shared concept: Return To Source — The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination. (derived)
platonism|Plato: Timaeus|Section 1ad
That which yields has a small base; but that which rests on quadrangular bases is firmly posed and belongs to the class which offers the greatest resistance; so too does that which is the most compact and therefore most repellent. The natu…”
Shared concept: Correspondence — The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 1, Section 1f
And in all the other Divine enlightenments which the occult Tradition of our inspired teachers hath, by mystic Interpretation, accordant with the Scriptures, bestowed upon us, we also have been initiated: apprehending these things in the pr…”
Shared concept: Divine Light — The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation. (derived)
platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1r
But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”
Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)