| THE SYMBOLS OF THE TAROT |
| CARD I THE MAGICIAN |
I saw the Man.
His figure reached from earth to heaven and was clad in a purple mantle. He stood deep in foliage and flowers and his
head, on which was the head-band of an initiate, seemed to disappear mysteriously in infinity.
Before him on a cube-shaped altar were four symbols of magic-the sceptre, the cup, the sword and the pentacle.
His right hand pointed to heaven, his left to earth. Under his mantle he wore a white tunic girded with a serpent
swallowing its tail.
His face was luminous and serene, and, when his eyes met mine, I felt that he saw most intimate recesses of my soul. I
saw myself reflected in him as in a mirror and in his eyes I seemed to look upon myself.
And I heard a voice saying:
-"Look, this is the Great Magician!
With his hands he unites heaven and earth, and the four elements that form the world are controlled by him.
The four symbols before him are the four letters of the name of God, the signs of the four elements, fire, water, air,
earth."
I trembled before the depth of the mysteries A touched... The words I heard seemed to be littered by the Great
Magician himself, and it was as though he spoke in me.
I was in deep trepidation and at moment I felt there was nothing, before me except the blue sky; but within me a window
opened through which I could see unearthly things, and hear unearthly words.
His figure reached from earth to heaven and was clad in a purple mantle. He stood deep in foliage and flowers and his
head, on which was the head-band of an initiate, seemed to disappear mysteriously in infinity.
Before him on a cube-shaped altar were four symbols of magic-the sceptre, the cup, the sword and the pentacle.
His right hand pointed to heaven, his left to earth. Under his mantle he wore a white tunic girded with a serpent
swallowing its tail.
His face was luminous and serene, and, when his eyes met mine, I felt that he saw most intimate recesses of my soul. I
saw myself reflected in him as in a mirror and in his eyes I seemed to look upon myself.
And I heard a voice saying:
-"Look, this is the Great Magician!
With his hands he unites heaven and earth, and the four elements that form the world are controlled by him.
The four symbols before him are the four letters of the name of God, the signs of the four elements, fire, water, air,
earth."
I trembled before the depth of the mysteries A touched... The words I heard seemed to be littered by the Great
Magician himself, and it was as though he spoke in me.
I was in deep trepidation and at moment I felt there was nothing, before me except the blue sky; but within me a window
opened through which I could see unearthly things, and hear unearthly words.
| CARD O THE FOOL |
And I saw another man.
Tired and lame he dragged himself along the dusty road, across the deserted plain under the scorching rays of the
sun. He glanced sidelong with foolish, staring eyes, a half smile, half leer on his face; he knew not where he went, but
was absorbed in his chimerical dreams which ran constantly in the same circle. His fool's cap was put on wrong side
front, his garments were torn in the back; a wild lynx with glowing eyes sprang upon him from behind a rock and
buried her teeth in his flesh. He stumbled, nearly fell, but continued to drag himself along, all the time holding on his
shoulder a bag containing useless things, which he, in his stupidity, carried wherever he went.
Before him a crevice crossed the road and a deep precipice awaited the foolish wanderer. Then a huge crocodile with
open mouth crawled out of the precipice. And I heard the voice say:-
"Look! This is the same man."
I felt my head whirl.
"What has he in the bag?" I inquired, not knowing why I asked. And after a long silence the voice replied: "The four
magic symbols, the sceptre, the cup, the sword and the pentacle. The fool always carries them, although he has long
since forgotten what they mean. Nevertheless they belong to him, even though he does not know their use. The
symbols have not lost their power, they retain it in themselves.
Tired and lame he dragged himself along the dusty road, across the deserted plain under the scorching rays of the
sun. He glanced sidelong with foolish, staring eyes, a half smile, half leer on his face; he knew not where he went, but
was absorbed in his chimerical dreams which ran constantly in the same circle. His fool's cap was put on wrong side
front, his garments were torn in the back; a wild lynx with glowing eyes sprang upon him from behind a rock and
buried her teeth in his flesh. He stumbled, nearly fell, but continued to drag himself along, all the time holding on his
shoulder a bag containing useless things, which he, in his stupidity, carried wherever he went.
Before him a crevice crossed the road and a deep precipice awaited the foolish wanderer. Then a huge crocodile with
open mouth crawled out of the precipice. And I heard the voice say:-
"Look! This is the same man."
I felt my head whirl.
"What has he in the bag?" I inquired, not knowing why I asked. And after a long silence the voice replied: "The four
magic symbols, the sceptre, the cup, the sword and the pentacle. The fool always carries them, although he has long
since forgotten what they mean. Nevertheless they belong to him, even though he does not know their use. The
symbols have not lost their power, they retain it in themselves.
| CARD II THE HIGH PRIESTESS |
When I lifted the first veil and entered the outer court of the Temple of Initiation, I saw in half darkness the figure of a
woman sitting on a high throne between two pillars of the temple, one white, and one black. Mystery emanated from
her and was about her. Sacred symbols shone on her green dress; on her head was a golden tiara surmounted by a
two-horned moon; on her knees she held two crossed keys and an open book. Between the two pillars behind the
woman hung another veil all embroidered with green leaves and fruit of pomegranate.
And a voice said:
"To enter the Temple one must lift the second veil and pass between the two pillars. And to pass thus, one must
obtain possession of the keys, read the book and understand the symbols. Are you able to do this?"
"I would like to be able," I said.
Then the woman turned her face to me and looked into my eyes without speaking. And through me passed a thrill,
mysterious and penetrating like a golden wave; tones vibrated in my brain, a flame was in my heart, and I understood
that she spoke to me, saying without words:
"This is the Hall of Wisdom. No one can reveal it, no one can hide it. Like a flower it must grow and bloom in thy soul. If
thou wouldst plant the seed of this flower in thy soul-learn to discern the real from the false. Listen only to the Voice
that is soundless... Look only on that which is invisible, and remember that in thee thyself, is the Temple and the gate
to it, and the mystery, and the initiation."
woman sitting on a high throne between two pillars of the temple, one white, and one black. Mystery emanated from
her and was about her. Sacred symbols shone on her green dress; on her head was a golden tiara surmounted by a
two-horned moon; on her knees she held two crossed keys and an open book. Between the two pillars behind the
woman hung another veil all embroidered with green leaves and fruit of pomegranate.
And a voice said:
"To enter the Temple one must lift the second veil and pass between the two pillars. And to pass thus, one must
obtain possession of the keys, read the book and understand the symbols. Are you able to do this?"
"I would like to be able," I said.
Then the woman turned her face to me and looked into my eyes without speaking. And through me passed a thrill,
mysterious and penetrating like a golden wave; tones vibrated in my brain, a flame was in my heart, and I understood
that she spoke to me, saying without words:
"This is the Hall of Wisdom. No one can reveal it, no one can hide it. Like a flower it must grow and bloom in thy soul. If
thou wouldst plant the seed of this flower in thy soul-learn to discern the real from the false. Listen only to the Voice
that is soundless... Look only on that which is invisible, and remember that in thee thyself, is the Temple and the gate
to it, and the mystery, and the initiation."
| CARD XXI THE WORLD |
An unexpected vision appeared to me. A circle not unlike a wreath woven from rainbow and lightnings, whirled from
heaven to earth with a stupendous, velocity, blinding me by its brilliance. And amidst this light and fire I heard music
and soft singing, thunderclaps and the roar of a tempest, the rumble of falling mountains and earthquakes.
The circle whirled with a terrifying noise, touching the sun and the earth, and, in the centre of it I saw the naked,
dancing figure of a beautiful young woman, enveloped by a light, transparent scarf, in her hand she held a magic
wand.
Presently the four apocalyptical beasts began to appear on the edges of the circle; one with the face of a lion, another
with the face of a man, the third, of an eagle and the fourth, of a bull.
The vision disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. A weird silence fell on me. "What does it mean?" I asked in
wonder.
"It is the image of the world," the voice said, "but it can be understood only after the Temple has been entered. This is
a vision of the world in the circle of Time, amidst the four principles. But thou seest differently because thou seest the
world outside thyself. Learn to see it in thyself and thou wilt understand the infinite essence, hidden in all illusory
forms. Understand that the world which thou knowest is only one of the aspects of the infinite world, and things and
phenomena are merely hierolgyphics of deeper ideas."
heaven to earth with a stupendous, velocity, blinding me by its brilliance. And amidst this light and fire I heard music
and soft singing, thunderclaps and the roar of a tempest, the rumble of falling mountains and earthquakes.
The circle whirled with a terrifying noise, touching the sun and the earth, and, in the centre of it I saw the naked,
dancing figure of a beautiful young woman, enveloped by a light, transparent scarf, in her hand she held a magic
wand.
Presently the four apocalyptical beasts began to appear on the edges of the circle; one with the face of a lion, another
with the face of a man, the third, of an eagle and the fourth, of a bull.
The vision disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. A weird silence fell on me. "What does it mean?" I asked in
wonder.
"It is the image of the world," the voice said, "but it can be understood only after the Temple has been entered. This is
a vision of the world in the circle of Time, amidst the four principles. But thou seest differently because thou seest the
world outside thyself. Learn to see it in thyself and thou wilt understand the infinite essence, hidden in all illusory
forms. Understand that the world which thou knowest is only one of the aspects of the infinite world, and things and
phenomena are merely hierolgyphics of deeper ideas."
| CARD III THE Empress |
I felt the breath of the spring, and accompanying the fragrance of violets and lilies-of-the-valley I heard the tender
singing of elves. Rivulets murmured, the treetops rustled, the grasses whispered, innumerable birds sang in choruses
and bees hummed; everywhere I felt the breathing of joyful, living Nature.
The sun shone tenderly and softly and a little white cloud hung over the woods.
In the midst of a green meadow where primroses bloomed, I saw the Empress seated on a throne covered with ivy and
lilacs. A green wreath adorned her golden hair and, above her head, shone twelve stars. Behind her rose two snowy
wings and in her hands she held a sceptre. All around, beneath the sweet smile of the Empress, flowers and buds
opened their dewy, green leaves. Her whole dress was covered with them as though each newly opened flower were
reflected in it or had engraved itself thereon and thus become part of her garment.
The sign of Venus, the goddess of love, was chiselled on her marble throne. "Queen of life," I said, "why is it so bright
and joyful all about you? Do you not know of the grey, weary autumn, of the cold, white winter? Do you not know of
death and graveyards with black graves, damp and cold? How can you smile so joyfully on the opening flowers, when
everything is destined to death, even that which has not yet been born?"
For answer the Empress looked on me still smiling and, under the influence of that smile, I suddenly felt a flower of
some clear understanding open in my heart.
singing of elves. Rivulets murmured, the treetops rustled, the grasses whispered, innumerable birds sang in choruses
and bees hummed; everywhere I felt the breathing of joyful, living Nature.
The sun shone tenderly and softly and a little white cloud hung over the woods.
In the midst of a green meadow where primroses bloomed, I saw the Empress seated on a throne covered with ivy and
lilacs. A green wreath adorned her golden hair and, above her head, shone twelve stars. Behind her rose two snowy
wings and in her hands she held a sceptre. All around, beneath the sweet smile of the Empress, flowers and buds
opened their dewy, green leaves. Her whole dress was covered with them as though each newly opened flower were
reflected in it or had engraved itself thereon and thus become part of her garment.
The sign of Venus, the goddess of love, was chiselled on her marble throne. "Queen of life," I said, "why is it so bright
and joyful all about you? Do you not know of the grey, weary autumn, of the cold, white winter? Do you not know of
death and graveyards with black graves, damp and cold? How can you smile so joyfully on the opening flowers, when
everything is destined to death, even that which has not yet been born?"
For answer the Empress looked on me still smiling and, under the influence of that smile, I suddenly felt a flower of
some clear understanding open in my heart.
| CARD XX Judgement |
I saw an ice plain, and on the horizon, a chain of snowy mountains. A cloud appeared and began to grow until it
covered a quarter of the sky. Two fiery wings suddenly expanded in the cloud, and I knew that I beheld the messenger
of the Empress.
He raised a trumpet and blew through it vibrant, powerful tones. The plain quivered in response to him and the
mountains loudly rolled their echoes. One after another, graves opened in the plain and out of them came men and
women, old and young, and children. They stretched out their arms toward the Messenger of the Empress and to
catch the sounds of his trumpet.
And in its tones I felt the smile of the Empress and in the opening graves I saw the opening flowers whose fragrance
seemed to be wafted by the outstretched arms.
Then I understood the mystery of birth in death.
covered a quarter of the sky. Two fiery wings suddenly expanded in the cloud, and I knew that I beheld the messenger
of the Empress.
He raised a trumpet and blew through it vibrant, powerful tones. The plain quivered in response to him and the
mountains loudly rolled their echoes. One after another, graves opened in the plain and out of them came men and
women, old and young, and children. They stretched out their arms toward the Messenger of the Empress and to
catch the sounds of his trumpet.
And in its tones I felt the smile of the Empress and in the opening graves I saw the opening flowers whose fragrance
seemed to be wafted by the outstretched arms.
Then I understood the mystery of birth in death.
After I learned the first three numbers I was given to understand the Great Law of Four--the alpha and omega of all.
I saw the Emperor on a lofty stone throne, ornamented by four rams' heads. On his forehead shone a golden helmet.
His white beard fell over a purple mantle. In one hand he held a sphere, the symbol of his possession, and in the
other, a sceptre in the form of an Egyptian cross--the sign of his power over birth.
"I am The Great Law," the Emperor said. "I am the name of God. The four letters of his name are in me and I am in all.
"I am in the four principles. I am in the four elements. I am in the four seasons. I am in the four cardinal points. I am in
the four signs of the Tarot.
"I am the beginning; I am action; I am completion; I am the result.
"For him who knows how to see me there are no mysteries on earth.
"I am the great Pentacle.
"As the earth encloses in itself fire, water and air; as the fourth letter of the Name encloses in itself the first three and
becomes itself the first, so my sceptre encloses the complete triangle and bears in itself the seed of a new triangle.
"I am the Logos in the full aspect and the beginning of a new Logos."
And while the Emperor spoke, his helmet shone brighter and brighter, and his golden armour gleamed beneath his
mantle. I could not bear his glory and I lowered my eyes.
When I tried to lift them again a vivid light of radiant fire was before me, and I prostrated myself and made obeisance
to the Fiery Word.
I saw the Emperor on a lofty stone throne, ornamented by four rams' heads. On his forehead shone a golden helmet.
His white beard fell over a purple mantle. In one hand he held a sphere, the symbol of his possession, and in the
other, a sceptre in the form of an Egyptian cross--the sign of his power over birth.
"I am The Great Law," the Emperor said. "I am the name of God. The four letters of his name are in me and I am in all.
"I am in the four principles. I am in the four elements. I am in the four seasons. I am in the four cardinal points. I am in
the four signs of the Tarot.
"I am the beginning; I am action; I am completion; I am the result.
"For him who knows how to see me there are no mysteries on earth.
"I am the great Pentacle.
"As the earth encloses in itself fire, water and air; as the fourth letter of the Name encloses in itself the first three and
becomes itself the first, so my sceptre encloses the complete triangle and bears in itself the seed of a new triangle.
"I am the Logos in the full aspect and the beginning of a new Logos."
And while the Emperor spoke, his helmet shone brighter and brighter, and his golden armour gleamed beneath his
mantle. I could not bear his glory and I lowered my eyes.
When I tried to lift them again a vivid light of radiant fire was before me, and I prostrated myself and made obeisance
to the Fiery Word.
| CARD IV THE EMPEROR |
| CARD XIX THE SUN |
As soon as I perceived the Sun, I understood that It, Itself, is the expression of the Fiery Word and the sign of the
Emperor.
The great luminary shone with an intense heat upon the large golden heads of sun-flowers.
And I saw a naked boy, whose head was wreathed with roses, galloping on a white horse and waving a bright-red
banner.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I shut my eyes for a moment and when I opened them again I saw that each ray of the Sun is the sceptre of the
Emperor and bears life. And I saw how under the concentration of these rays the mystic flowers of the waters open
and receive the rays into themselves and how all Nature is constantly born from the union of two principles.
Emperor.
The great luminary shone with an intense heat upon the large golden heads of sun-flowers.
And I saw a naked boy, whose head was wreathed with roses, galloping on a white horse and waving a bright-red
banner.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I shut my eyes for a moment and when I opened them again I saw that each ray of the Sun is the sceptre of the
Emperor and bears life. And I saw how under the concentration of these rays the mystic flowers of the waters open
and receive the rays into themselves and how all Nature is constantly born from the union of two principles.
I saw a chariot drawn dy two sphinxes, one white, the other black. Four pillars supported a blue canopy, on which
were scattered five-pointed stars. The Conqueror, clad in steel armour, stood under this canopy guiding the
sphinxes. He held a sceptre, on the end of which were a globe, a triangle and a square. A golden pentagram
sparkled in his crown. On the front of the chariot there was represented a winged sphere and beneath that the
symbol of the mystical lingam, signifying the union of two principles.
"Everything in this picture has a significance. Look and try to understand", said the voice.
"This is Will armed with Knowledge. We see here, however, the wish to achieve, rather than achievement itself. The
man in the chariot thought himself a conqueror before he had really conquered, and he believes that victory must
come to the conqueror. There are true possibilities in this beautiful conception, but also many false ones. Illusory
fires and numerous dangers are hidden here.
He controls the sphinxes by the power of a magic word, but the tension of his Will may fail and then the magic word
will lose its power and he may be devoured by the sphinxes.
This is indeed the Conqueror, but only for the moment; he has not yet conquered Time, and the succeeding moment
is unknown to him.
This is the Conqueror, not by love, but by fire and the sword,--a conqueror against whom the conquered may arise.
Do you see behind him the towers of the conquered city? Perhaps the flame of uprising burns already there.
And he is unaware that the city vanquished by means of fire and the sword is the city within his own consciousness,
that the magic chariot is in himself and that the blood-thirsty sphynxes, also a state of consciousness within, watch his
every movement. He has externalized all these phases of his mind and sees them only outside himself. This is his
fundamental error. He entered the outer court of the Temple of knowledge, but thinks he has been in the Temple
itself. He regarded the rituals of the first tests as initiation, and he mistook for the goddess, the priestess who
guarded the threshold. Because of this misconception great perils await him.
Nevertheless it may be that even in his errors and perils the Great Conception lies concealed. He seeks to know and,
perhaps, in order to attain, mistakes, dangers and even failures are necessary.
Understand that this is the same man whom you saw uniting Heaven and Earth, and again walking across a hot
desert to a precipice.
were scattered five-pointed stars. The Conqueror, clad in steel armour, stood under this canopy guiding the
sphinxes. He held a sceptre, on the end of which were a globe, a triangle and a square. A golden pentagram
sparkled in his crown. On the front of the chariot there was represented a winged sphere and beneath that the
symbol of the mystical lingam, signifying the union of two principles.
"Everything in this picture has a significance. Look and try to understand", said the voice.
"This is Will armed with Knowledge. We see here, however, the wish to achieve, rather than achievement itself. The
man in the chariot thought himself a conqueror before he had really conquered, and he believes that victory must
come to the conqueror. There are true possibilities in this beautiful conception, but also many false ones. Illusory
fires and numerous dangers are hidden here.
He controls the sphinxes by the power of a magic word, but the tension of his Will may fail and then the magic word
will lose its power and he may be devoured by the sphinxes.
This is indeed the Conqueror, but only for the moment; he has not yet conquered Time, and the succeeding moment
is unknown to him.
This is the Conqueror, not by love, but by fire and the sword,--a conqueror against whom the conquered may arise.
Do you see behind him the towers of the conquered city? Perhaps the flame of uprising burns already there.
And he is unaware that the city vanquished by means of fire and the sword is the city within his own consciousness,
that the magic chariot is in himself and that the blood-thirsty sphynxes, also a state of consciousness within, watch his
every movement. He has externalized all these phases of his mind and sees them only outside himself. This is his
fundamental error. He entered the outer court of the Temple of knowledge, but thinks he has been in the Temple
itself. He regarded the rituals of the first tests as initiation, and he mistook for the goddess, the priestess who
guarded the threshold. Because of this misconception great perils await him.
Nevertheless it may be that even in his errors and perils the Great Conception lies concealed. He seeks to know and,
perhaps, in order to attain, mistakes, dangers and even failures are necessary.
Understand that this is the same man whom you saw uniting Heaven and Earth, and again walking across a hot
desert to a precipice.
| CARD V THE CHARIOT |
| CARD XVIII THE MOON |
A desolate plain stretched before me. A full moon looked down as if in contemplative hesitation. Under her wavering
light the shadows lived their own peculiar life. On the horizon I saw blue hills, and over them wound a path which
stretched between two grey towers far away into the distance. On either side the path a wolf and dog sat and howled
at the moon. I remembered that dogs believe in thieves and ghosts. A large black crab crawled out of the rivulet into
the sands. A heavy, cold dew was falling.
Dread fell upon me. I sensed the presence of a mysterious world, a world of hostile spirits, of corpses rising from
graves, of wailing ghosts. In this pale moonlight I seemed to feel the presence of apparitions; someone watched me
from behind the towers,--and I knew it was dangerous to look back.
light the shadows lived their own peculiar life. On the horizon I saw blue hills, and over them wound a path which
stretched between two grey towers far away into the distance. On either side the path a wolf and dog sat and howled
at the moon. I remembered that dogs believe in thieves and ghosts. A large black crab crawled out of the rivulet into
the sands. A heavy, cold dew was falling.
Dread fell upon me. I sensed the presence of a mysterious world, a world of hostile spirits, of corpses rising from
graves, of wailing ghosts. In this pale moonlight I seemed to feel the presence of apparitions; someone watched me
from behind the towers,--and I knew it was dangerous to look back.
| CARD VI THE LOVERS |
I saw a blooming garden in a green valley, surrounded by soft blue hills.
In the garden I saw a Man and a Woman naked and beautiful. They loved each other and their Love was their service
to the Great Conception, a prayer and a sacrifice; through It they communed with God, through It they received the
highest revelations; in Its light the deepest truths came to them; the magic world opened its gate; elves, undines,
sylphs and gnomes came openly to them; the three kingdoms of nature, the mineral, plant and animal, and the four
elements--fire, water, air and earth-served them.
Through their Love they saw the mystery of the world's equilibrium, and that they themselves were a symbol and
expression of this balance. Two triangles united in them into a six-pointed star. Two magnets melted into an ellipsis.
They were two. The third was the Unknown Future. The three made One.
I saw the woman looking out upon the world as though enraptured with its beauty. And from the tree on which ripened
golden fruit I saw a serpent creep.[paragraph continues]
It whispered in the woman's ear, and I saw her listening, smiling at first suspiciously, then with curiosity which merged
into joy. Then I saw her speak to the man. I noticed that he seemed to admire only her and smiled with an expression
of joy and sympathy at all she told him.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"This picture you see, is a picture of temptation and fall", said the voice. "What constitutes the Fall? Do you
understand its nature"?
"Life is so good", I said, "and the world so beautiful, and this man and woman wanted to believe in the reality of the
world and of themselves. They wanted to forget service and take from the world what it can give. So they made a
distinction between themselves and the world. They said, 'We are here, the world is there'. And the world separated
from them and became hostile."
"Yes", said the Voice, this is true. "The everlasting mistake with men is that they see the fall in love. But Love is not a
fall, it is a soaring above an abyss. And the higher the flight, the more beautiful and alluring appears the earth. But
that wisdom, which crawls on earth, advises belief in the earth and in the present. This is the Temptation. And the
man and woman yielded to it. They dropped from the eternal realms and submitted to time and death. The balance
was disturbed. The fairyland was closed upon them. The elves, undines, sylphs and gnomes became invisible.
The Face of God ceased to reveal Itself to them, and all things appeared upside down.
"This Fall, this first 'sin of man', repeats itself perpetually, because man continues to believe in his separateness and
in the Present. And only by means of great suffering can he liberate himself from the control of time and return to
Eternity--leave darkness and return to Light".
In the garden I saw a Man and a Woman naked and beautiful. They loved each other and their Love was their service
to the Great Conception, a prayer and a sacrifice; through It they communed with God, through It they received the
highest revelations; in Its light the deepest truths came to them; the magic world opened its gate; elves, undines,
sylphs and gnomes came openly to them; the three kingdoms of nature, the mineral, plant and animal, and the four
elements--fire, water, air and earth-served them.
Through their Love they saw the mystery of the world's equilibrium, and that they themselves were a symbol and
expression of this balance. Two triangles united in them into a six-pointed star. Two magnets melted into an ellipsis.
They were two. The third was the Unknown Future. The three made One.
I saw the woman looking out upon the world as though enraptured with its beauty. And from the tree on which ripened
golden fruit I saw a serpent creep.[paragraph continues]
It whispered in the woman's ear, and I saw her listening, smiling at first suspiciously, then with curiosity which merged
into joy. Then I saw her speak to the man. I noticed that he seemed to admire only her and smiled with an expression
of joy and sympathy at all she told him.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"This picture you see, is a picture of temptation and fall", said the voice. "What constitutes the Fall? Do you
understand its nature"?
"Life is so good", I said, "and the world so beautiful, and this man and woman wanted to believe in the reality of the
world and of themselves. They wanted to forget service and take from the world what it can give. So they made a
distinction between themselves and the world. They said, 'We are here, the world is there'. And the world separated
from them and became hostile."
"Yes", said the Voice, this is true. "The everlasting mistake with men is that they see the fall in love. But Love is not a
fall, it is a soaring above an abyss. And the higher the flight, the more beautiful and alluring appears the earth. But
that wisdom, which crawls on earth, advises belief in the earth and in the present. This is the Temptation. And the
man and woman yielded to it. They dropped from the eternal realms and submitted to time and death. The balance
was disturbed. The fairyland was closed upon them. The elves, undines, sylphs and gnomes became invisible.
The Face of God ceased to reveal Itself to them, and all things appeared upside down.
"This Fall, this first 'sin of man', repeats itself perpetually, because man continues to believe in his separateness and
in the Present. And only by means of great suffering can he liberate himself from the control of time and return to
Eternity--leave darkness and return to Light".
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Symbolism Of The Tarot: The Symbols Of The Tarot