The Tarot Code

by Carlo Bozzelli

  3. The total number of the cards, 78 (22 Major Arcana + 56 Minor Arcana) and the position of the subjects illustrated,9 in relation to the numeric sequence, from time to time were thought to be non-essential. For this reason, those who dedicated themselves to a re-elaboration of the Tarot often created decks with different numbers of Arcana and with the images in various and arbitrary positions.

  Fig. 6

  Temperance, Oswald Wirth Tarot

  Fig. 7

  Temperance, Paul Marteau Tarot

  Fig. 8

  Temperance, Salvador Dali Tarot

  Fig. 9

  Temperance, Arthur Waite Tarot

  To sum up, we may say that each esoteric, in endeavouring to explain the Tarot, “redesigned” them according to his own personal canon, believing that the most ancient ones known were inadequate to express the philosophical, sapiential, or initiatory values of this antique instrument?. Thus, the decks of presumed occult value have increased exponentially as the years passed, side by side with others created with strictly artistic intent (or pseudo-such), which have increased even more the number of Tarot decks in commerce.

  Overall, therefore, this model as well - as did the previous, historical one - has been insufficient to explain the origin and meaning of the Arcana. On the other hand, the nonchalant attitude of the esoterists, who did not trouble themselves to adhere to an experimentally comparable reality, certainly has a positive effect on research. Thus, if on the one hand there was an historical approach distinguished by the quest (totally shareable, in essence) of a scientific and provable method, on the other was the esoteric, which, impotent before the demand for objective evidence of its own theories, took refuge in assertions of an apodictic or mystical nature. It appears to be the usual dilemma, with no solution to be found between science and reason on one side and faith and mysticism on the other.

  Is there another way to approach the study of the Tarot? Is it possible to find a conciliatory form? The rational requests dependent on the verifiability of advanced attestations, with the far more vast and spiritual dimension of the theme, “Tarot”. We think so. This innovative manner of proceeding, borrowing a term from the corresponding figure of speech, may be called the metànoic model.

  The metànoic model

  Before continuing, finding ourselves in a delicate phase of reasoning, let us ask the supporters of the historical and purely recreational/artistic point of view for just a bit more patience. It is necessary in fact, in order to act in a correctly Socratic manner, to hypothesize that these images did not have a simple decorative function, but that they were the vehicle of transmission of a precise Knowledge. The methods of research upon which the two aforementioned criteria depend are, in both cases, connected to...books: what do we mean by this?

  The historical model is based essentially on the collection of information and written testimony. It corroborates its hypotheses by means of a dense web of documents, old texts, and ancient decks, they themselves valued as true documentary proof.

  The occult model, on the other hand, uses mostly works of other esoteric traditions in order to illustrate, through these, the hidden meaning of the Tarot. Yet, numerous researchers of this group also, maintain that the Arcana are a great book, so rich in wisdom that, should man remain with no other text, he could reconstruct through these figures, all Ancient Wisdom.

  Therefore, is not this hypothetical Book of the Tarot sufficient unto itself, in order to be understood? Is it really necessary to explain it through other disciplines, as is usually done?

  The Greek word metànoia comes from metanoêin, composed of metà, meaning “change, passing or obsolescence” and noêin, “to think,” which means therefore “to change the way of thinking” and at the same time, “to go beyond thinking”. In our opinion, there is no better expression to describe the method that must be used to understand the Tarot, in a new but also ancient manner. What are the basic premises of this model? Let us begin by understanding the indispensable prerequisite for rapidly modifying our habitual perspective: let us suppose to be able to read the Tarot...exactly as we would any other writing!

  This being the fundamental axiom of our presentation, let us attempt to place the reader in the best possible position for judging literally, with his own eyes, the validity of this assertion. In order not to fall into the error of believing this a metaphorical exhortation, it is preferable to dispel all doubt point out that the only way to understand these figures is to understand that the 78 Arcana form a true book of thousands of pages (however made up mostly of illustrations), composed in a secret and coded Language.

  This language, even admitting that it may be for us unknown and obscure, has its own effective and real sense: even though for centuries the hieroglyphs have remained uncomprehended, they had a meaning and were a precise form of transmission of knowledge, qualities which were revealed after their decoding. This is the reason for which, overturning the classical point of view, we must accept the following:

  the figures of the Tarot are letters of an extraordinary Alphabet whose combinations produce compositions similar to those derived from a linguistic code, that is, proper expressions.

  As in every language, written or spoken, in order to construct intelligible statements we must have a grammar and a lexicon; so it is with this unusual Language. These two elements, characterized by well-defined qualities and prerogatives (which will be object of particular study), in the Tarot are engendered by a Coded Structure which is at the root of all and has nothing to do with the philosophical or religious interpretations of the occultists of the various schools. This is a sort of framework of a meticulous and accurate nature, which, like a device of millimetrical precision, is hidden in the images of the cards, or rather, is constructed of the illustrations themselves and of their decorative elements, the features, the colours, and the names/numbers of the figures. Once unveiled and decoded, they open the door onto a completely new and unknown dimension. The principle trait of this esoteric Structure, internal (because inside) and occult (because hidden), is that of being appreciable by all as factual: it lends itself to objective demonstration. In practice, independent from personal opinions or subjective considerations, it exists for itself and is logical, coherent, harmonious, incredibly vast, and may be located through... direct observation!

  The philosopher and theologian Raimon Panikkar10 wrote:

  “Metànoia is found beyond the mental, without however denying it. Exceeding is not denying.”

  That is precisely what proceeds from the presence of this Structure, which leads to exceeding the mental (in the sense of rigid rationality) but does not deny it, thereby creating the possibility to go beyond. Being empirically observable, it may be described in clear and disciplined terms, thus representing that which permits a logical and perfectly certifiable approach. At the same time, being progressively understood, it immerses the researcher in a dimension that transcends the category of pure rationality and opens the door to that sacred space which we may identify as the metaphysical world. How do we enter?

  We are speaking of an amazing and yet completely verifiable phenomenon, exactly by way of that instrument considered inescapable, that is, the intellect. In effect, if on the one hand this allows objective and concrete comprehension, on the other, simultaneously allows access to that particular form of consciousness characterized by immediacy, synthesis, and absolute certainty, which for many philosophies bears the name of intuition. In practice, the study of the Coded Structure of the Tarot takes place through a rational and systematic method, which similar to a meditation, permits the passage from intellect to intuition “escorted” by a logical and productive process.

  As that which we are stating is completely verifiable, as we will demonstrate in the course of this work, we acquire two effects. One is, that the expression “to read the Tarot”, which has probably always been considered figurative, must be taken litera
lly. The second, that a synthesis is born between the historical-scientific approach, with its empirical and provable necessities, and the esoteric model, whose assertions, as mentioned, are always difficult to ascertain. In any case, through the presence of this codified system innate to the Tarot, which generates a language of communication with humanity, the Arcana themselves tell the story of their origin, their function, and their initiatic meaning.

  Thus, as the author is already familiar with the aforementioned, we have decided to proceed giving certain hypotheses, followed by demonstrations of their veracity:

  1. The Tarot did not originate in Italy, but in France.

  2. It is not of the Renaissance period, but of the I century of our epoch, at least in the graphic version used in this book.

  3. The oldest deck known today, characterized by a sort of perfection corresponding to the Coded Structure, are the Marseilles Tarot of Nicolas Conver, already reclaimed and restored by two modern authors.

  4. The Tarot do not have an artistic or recreational function; rather, a sacred and ascetic one: they are a Path of Knowledge. The original deck was perfect and with a generally harmonious and organic structure bearing an accurate teaching.

  5. Cartomancy (fortune telling) as it is known today, is practiced according to personal criteria and subjective invention. It is one of the worst errors in the modern use of the Tarot, a use which is on the contrary regulated by an exact Method, pre-established and not arbitrary; a definable Syntactic Traditional Method which, innate to the Arcana themselves, is by these entirely described and illustrated.

  With these premises we are only at the beginning because nothing has yet been proved, there being so many aspects preparatory to the evaluation of all the argumentations. Therefore, let us begin our analysis of the first, and perhaps most controversial question:

  what is the origin of the Tarot?

  Footnotes - Chapter 1

  1 Fulcanelli, Il Mistero delle Cattedrali, Edizioni Mediterranee 1972.

  2 The meaning of the term “Synchronicity” will be explained in Chapter 5.

  3 Lettre à M. Dacier (Letter to Mr Dacier), 1822.

  4 Here used as synonym for the cards of the Tarot.

  5 From Storia dei Tarocchi by Giordano Berti, the Mondadori edition, 2007.

  6 From the article Du Jeu des Tarots (Of the Game of Tarots), written in 1781 in the encyclopaedia Le Monde Primitif (The Primitive World), volume VIII.

  7 The Cabala is part of the esoterical tradition of Hebrew mysticism.

  8 Ancient philosofical-esoterical system which combines elements of chemistry, physics, astrology, semiotics, medicine and mysticism.

  9 Regarding this, merely as an example, suffice it to remember that in the Arthur Waite Tarot the positions of Strength and Justice, dictated presumably by astrological necessity, are inverted with respect to almost all other decks considered esoterical.

  10 Raimon Panikkar, full name Raimundo Pàniker Alemany (1918-2010), was a philosopher, theologian, writer and Catholic priest, of Indian and Catalan heritage, author of more than sixty books and several hundred articles on comparative religion and interfaith dialogue.

  Chapter 2

  “And when finally you leave

  your earthly body

  and go towards the free heavens,

  you will see that you are no longer mortal;

  but a God, an Immortal, You as well.”

  (Pythagoras, Golden Verses)

  In the preceding chapter, we presented a series of rather radical theories regarding the knowledge of the Coded Structure of the Tarot.

  It must be clear that, until there is an evident validation of this type of system, the above must remain a simple supposition. However, from an expositive point of view, it was essential to proceed in this manner, as the formulation of a hypothesis must always precede, by its nature, the relative demonstration.

  Specifically, regarding the story of the Tarot, we are used to imagining that their origins reside in the Italian Renaissance, when actually this is a blatant error. In order to understand the evolution of these cards in the course of the different epochs, therefore, we have opted for a purely didactical subdivision into three long periods:

  The first centuries after Christ;

  From the year 1000 to 1500 circa;

  From the 1700’s to modern times.

  In this way, we will endeavour to study in depth, the path that these cards may have followed from an historical point of view, remembering that only the Coded Structure may provide definite information regarding certain fundamental considerations that will follow.

  2.1 The first centuries after Christ

  Provence

  According to the most recent theories, the birthplace of the Tarot in the West was the most ancient city in France, Provence. According to legend, recounted by Marcus Junianus, its foundation in VI BC was a result of the meeting and union between the Greek Protis, head of an expedition of Focean sailors guided by the goddess Artemis, and the beautiful Gyptis, daughter of Nanno, king of the Segobrigi, a Ligurian tribe of Celtic origin. As often happens, this mythical tale conceals fragments of truth, which are in this way transmitted to future generations. In this case, we may deduce that Marseilles, from a cultural and therefore spiritual point of view -these being, in ancient times, closely connected- was born under the sign of the Mother-Goddess Artemis, under the imprint of three principle influences: Greek (Protis), Celtic (King Nanno) and a third, less evident, Egyptian. The term Gyptis, in fact, takes us back phonetically to Egypt, as the word gypsy, used also in English to denote the Romany population, would suggest.11

  This is not an observation of secondary importance. Marseilles was and is the leading city of a vast region, which includes, in particular, the territory of Provence as well. For the history of the Tarot, and more generally for a part of Western esoterism, Provence had a decisively significant role as, from the very beginnings of the Christian era, it was site of important events. Regarding these, we may remember:

  1. The legend of the landing of a number of Apostles on the coast of the South of France, told also by Jacopo di Varazze12 in the Golden Legend and by the Catholic historian Michel Faillon13 in a text of his:

  “In the VIII and IX centuries, the apostolate of Saint Maximus, Saint Mary Magdalene, and Saint Martha in Provence, was a fact known and accepted everywhere in the West, based on immemorial and indubitable tradition.”

  Although there are several versions, on the whole they all tell the same tale: of a number of followers of Jesus who, after the first persecutions in their country on the part of the emerging Church of Peter, arrived in 44 AD in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Saint Mary of the Sea), a small village on the coast of Provence, where they began to preach the Christian word. Whatever the source, most narrations agree that these Apostles were Mary Magdalene, her sister Martha, their brother Lazarus, Mary Salome, Mary mother of James (sister of Mary, mother of Jesus), Maximus, Sidonius, the blind man of the Biblical story, and a servant named Sarah.

  2. However often forgotten, there is a story from the I century which tells of a Grail taken to Marseilles by Joseph of Arimathea, a personage of the New Testament and in some apocryphal Gospels regarding the crucifixion and the deposition of Jesus. He also was of the group who came to Provence.

  Fig. 1

  Mary Magdalen travelling to Marseilles, by Giotto.

  Assisi, Basilica of Saint Frances (Chapel of the Magdalen)

  3. At the beginning of our era, this region was in the middle of the most meaningful events of Christianity. It is enough to remember that in 314 AD Arles, a small city near Marseilles, meaningfully known as Little Rome of Gaul, hosted the first Western Christian council called together by the Emperor Constantine. This is undoubtedly a direct testimony to the importance of Provence at the origin of this tradition.

  4. The Sefer ha-Bahir, o
r simply Bahir, although written after the Sefer Yetzirah, is unanimously considered, for structure, content and symbolism, the first strictly cabalistic literary work. Notwithstanding the importance attributed it by scholars of this sort of literature, it remains a text certainly little known in all the Western world, differently from the more heralded Sefer Yetzirah and Sefer haZohar. It is a collection of affirmations from various sources written, in effect, in Provence by an anonymous author, probably near the end of the XII century. The fundamental importance that researchers confer on this work regarding cabalistic studies, is that it is the only testimony of the condition of the Cabala at the beginning of its evolution, when, that is, it was pertinent only to reserved initiatic circles and before it became known to a larger public.

  5. Nostradamus, born Michel de Notre-Dame (Miquèl de Nostradama in Occitane), was born in Saint-Rèmy-de-Provence in 1503 and died in Salon-de-Provence in 1566. Astrologist, writer, and pharmacist, he is better known for a book of quatrains in rhyme, in groups of 100, the Centuries et prophéties (Centuries and Prophecies) of 1555, which made him the most famous prognosticator in history... another unusual and distinctive connection with this land. Thus, Provence has been for centuries, between myth and reality according to points of view, a place of singular particularities, among which may be counted the Marseilles Tarot. To understand their relationship with this region, it is however essential to introduce another connection, that with Egypt, which has been revealed of primary importance in order to comprehend further aspects.