Chapter XVI (part 1)

CHAPTER XVI. THE ASTRONOMICAL TAROT. Egyptian Astronomy--The Four Seasons--The Twelve Months----The Thirty--six Decani--The Planets--Absolute Analogy with the Tarot--Figure containing, the Application of the Tarot to Astronomy--Key to the Astrological Works of Christian----Oswald Wirth's Astronomical Tarot. THE ASTRONOMICAL TAROT. IN order to demonstrate the accuracy of the principles upon which the construction of the Tarot is based, we will take the constitution of the Universe itself, as shown by Astronomy, for our example of the first application of its system. It is known that the Egyptians divided the year into four seasons, each composed of three months. Each month contained three decani or periods of ten days, which gave three hundred and sixty days in each year. They added to complete it a period of five days, or Epagomenes , placed after the 30th degree of the Lion (August). We must therefore find in our Tarot-- 1. The four seasons; 2. The twelve months, or, better still, the twelve signs of the zodiac; 3. The thirty-six decani. Moreover each month, or, still better, each zodiacal sign, and each of the decani is ruled by a planet. 1. The Four Seasons . The four figures of the Tarot correspond absolutely with the four seasons of the year. If we then look at the twenty-first card of the Tarot, the origin, as we have seen, of all its applications, we shall see that the four figures in the corners represent the four colours of the Tarot, and in this case the four seasons of the year. The elliptic space between these four figures and the centre correspond to the zodiac and its divisions. Finally, the central portion corresponds to the planets, which influence the whole system. 2. The 12 Signs of the Zodiac . Each colour represents one season. Each season is composed of three months. How, then, will the months be represented in our colour? The months will be represented by the figures, and the correspondence is established in this way-- KING. 1st Month or Active Month in the Season. Creative Month. Yod . QUEEN. 2nd Month or Passive Month in each Season. Equilibrist Month. He . KNIGHT. 3rd Month or Realizing Month, Equilibrist of the Season. Vau . KNAVE. Transition from the preceding Season to the one following. Epagomene . (Consult, for further details, the first part of our study upon the Tarot.) We therefore find twelve figures, which respond to the twelve signs of the Zodiac, as follows-- King of Sceptres The Ram SCEPTRES Queen The Bull SPRING Knight The Twins Knave Transition Epagomene King of Cups Cancer CUPS Queen The Lion SUMMER Knight The Virgin Knave Transition Epagomene King of Swords The Balance SWORDS Queen The Scorpion AUTUMN Knight Sagittarius Knave Transition Epagomene King of Pentacles Capricornus PENTACLES Queen Aquarius WINTER Knight The Fishes Knave Transition Epagomene 3. The 36 Decani . Each season is divided into three months, but each month is divided into three decani, or periods of ten days each. We need only recall the analogy existing between the figures and the numbers in the minor arcana, to ascertain which cards of the Tarot represent these new divisions. If we take one of the figures--the King, for instance--we know that this king governs certain cards: the Ace, two, three, and the first ternary. We then obtain the following analogies-- KING OF SCEPTRES: zodiacal sign, the Ram. ACE. 1st Decan or Active Decan of the Month.