Esoteric Symbolism and Tarot: The Sphinx Mystery and Minor Arcana

now, but lived in a spiritual world, whose symbol is Gold and the Sun. That is why the Sphinx looks towards the rising Sun, because at the moment when the Sun rises and can be seen directly with the eyes of the body, man can remember this state of intimacy with Divinity. To unveil the mystery of the Sphinx we can try with the symbol of the Sun, which is a circle with a point. Why the circle with the point? Because the point is the origin and the circle the infinite rays and manifestations, like the Spirit of Man that gives origin to an indefinite number of souls or rays, each with its own characteristic. The Sun manifests itself in the world through four phases: at dawn, at noon, at evening and at midnight. But as each day corresponds to a year and each year corresponds to a life, these are also divisions of individual life: Spring or birth, Summer or maturity, Autumn or death, Winter or life after death. The divisions of time correspond to the divisions of space: East, South, West, North; with their four colors: white, red, green and black. These divisions correspond to the divisions of the circle into four regions governed by the 4 Universal Powers manifested through the 4 Elements: Air, Water, Earth, Fire. To these correspond the 4 Living Beings: Eagle, Man, Bull, Lion; with their 4 Powers represented by the Sword, the Cup, the Gold and the Scepter: the sword to separate good from evil and protect the treasure, the cup to drink the water of life, the gold to make fruit, the scepter to govern. These are the 4 Powers that correspond to the Priest-Warrior, the Priest-Prophet, the King-Prophet, and the King-Warrior. The Sphinx is at the center. He who manages to unite all these qualities in himself, finds himself like the Sphinx. The spirit of Man is currently projected into the world and torn by dualisms: the king is not a priest, the warrior is not a prophet. He who reveals the Minor Arcanum, or the mystery of the Sphinx, manages to gather everything in himself, passing from the cross and entering the Sanctum Regnum. To conclude this introduction to the minor arcana, I wanted to give a method of reading eternal truths through the use of these arcana. This method is described by Eliphas Levi in some confidential letters. This method consists, after a period of retreat and meditation, in choosing four cards. The first card represents the active, masculine, creative aspect; the second card the receptive, feminine, generating aspect; the third card represents their union; the fourth is their production. The Minor Arcana cards must be interpreted here according to the following scheme referring to the divine order: 1. the Crown, the Will; 2. Wisdom; 3. Intelligence or Prudence; 4. Goodness or Mercy; 5. Justice or Fear; 6. Beauty, Power or Royalty; 7. Victory or Dominion; 8. Glory or Eternal Order; 9. Foundation or Fecundation; 10. the Kingdom. To these must be added the King, that is, the active or creative aspect, the Queen, that is, the receptive or generating aspect, the Knave, that is, the production of the two, and finally the Knight, that is, the universal power corresponding to the suit of the drawn card. The meaning of the four suits is as described above. Let us see an example: suppose we draw the ace of gold, the eight of cups, the seven of wands and the ace of swords. This reads as: the Crown of the Kingdom fertilizes the eternal Order of the Mother in the victory of the Father to produce the Crown of Love. This mysterious phrase can be reformulated in other words: divine Omnipotence applied in the world fertilizes the order of Nature, making divine Will triumph and realizing the principle of earthly Priesthood. Wands. King of Wands. The Master of the Scepter. Astrologically, corresponds to the royal star of Leo (Regulus). Number 9. Letters: Th. This arcanum simulates the counselor. Hieroglyph: A king with a crown on his forehead, seated on his throne, inclining his scepter towards the Earth. It is the symbol of power acquired through merit, work and the emblem of protection from high office. Omen: "Seek for your enterprises a powerful protector. You will find him, if you have will and faith, and he will elevate you." In common divination: He represents an important character. The Commanders. Queen of Wands. Lady of the scepter. Number: 5. Hieroglyph: A queen, crowned on the forehead, seated on her throne, holding a scepter. It is a symbol of elevated birth or the support of a woman of high rank. The arcanum symbolizes the Consul. Omen: 'Your future depends on knowing a woman; you will find this woman if you know how to look for her, and through her you will have power.' In common divination: Provincial, strange, unknown woman. Any female relative, neighbor, colleague, friend. Knight of Wands. Combatant of the Scepter. Number: 6. Letters U and V. Hieroglyph: a man on horseback, fully armed with the scepter in hand. It is the symbol of high officials, the struggle for a place of privilege, the acquired force