The Tarot as Total Hermetic Map
A foundational outline of the Tarot as a complete esoteric map and initiatory system, revealing its interwoven connections to Hermeticism, Alchemy, Kabbalah, Astrology, and the Mystery Tradition.
The Structure of the Tarot
• 78 Total Cards
• 22 Major Arcana → Archetypal gates of the soul and universal principles (0–21)
• 56 Minor Arcana
• 40 Number Cards (Ace–10 of each suit)
• 16 Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King × 4 suits)
The Four Suits and the Four Elements
• Wands → Fire – Will, Spirit, Desire
• Cups → Water – Emotion, Heart, Soul
• Swords → Air – Mind, Thought, Conflict
• Pentacles → Earth – Matter, Body, Manifestation
These correspond to:
Four Worlds of Kabbalah:
• Atziluth (Emanation) – Wands
• Briah (Creation) – Cups
• Yetzirah (Formation) – Swords
• Assiah (Action) – Pentacles
Alchemy’s Four Elements
Tetragrammaton (YHVH)
The Court Cards
• Page – Initiate / Child / Elemental
• Knight – Seeker / Movement / Quest
• Queen – Inner mastery / Lunar wisdom
• King – Sovereignty / Solar command
These form a complete alchemical developmental cycle within each element.
The 22 Major Arcana
• Path of Initiation: The Fool’s Journey from 0 (The Fool) to 21 (The World)
• Map of the Tree of Life: Each card corresponds to one of the 22 paths between sephirot
• Alphabet of Mysticism: Each corresponds to a Hebrew Letter
Planetary and Zodiacal Assignments:
• 12 Zodiac signs
• 7 Classical Planets
• 3 Elements (Air, Fire, Water)
Numerology and Pythagorean Symbolism (1–10)
1 – Unity, Seed 2 – Polarity, Otherness 3 – Synthesis, Creation 4 – Structure, Foundation 5 – Conflict, Change 6 – Harmony, Beauty 7 – Mysticism, Inner Victory 8 – Power, Balance, Karma 9 – Completion, Attainment 10 – Fulfillment, Closure → Ready for new cycle (1 again)
The 36 Decans
• Minor Arcana 2–10 in each suit (excluding Aces)
• 36 cards = 36 decans (10° divisions of the zodiac)
• Each card maps to a decan + planetary ruler (per Golden Dawn system)
The Planets and Celestial Forces
• 7 Classical Planets mapped to Major Arcana
• Planetary influence in decans, sephirot, paths
• Tarot is deeply astrotheurgical
The Tree of Life
• 22 Paths → 22 Majors
• 10 Sephirot → Interpreted via Pips and Courts
• Tarot can be read vertically (spiritual ascent) and horizontally (archetypal exploration) across the Tree
Alchemical Tria Prima in Tarot
• Sulphur (Will/Fire) – Wands / Major Arcana like The Emperor, Strength
• Mercury (Mind/Air) – Swords / The Magician, The Lovers
• Salt (Body/Earth) – Pentacles / The Empress, The Hierophant
Masculine / Feminine – Lunar / Solar Balance
Dual polarities reflected in:
• Kings & Queens
• Empress & Emperor
• Sun & Moon cards
• Active/Passive suits (Wands/Swords vs. Cups/Pentacles)
The 72 Names of God and Goetia
56 Minor + 16 Court = 72 Cards → Symbolic correspondence with:
• 72 Shem HaMephorash Angels
• 72 Goetic Spirits
• Possible pairing via elemental, planetary, or decanic rulership
Fixed, Cardinal, Mutable Modalities
Zodiac signs in Majors and decans are mapped to modalities:
• Cardinal = Initiators
• Fixed = Stabilizers
• Mutable = Transformers
Reflect spiritual movement within a spread or personal evolution
Other Mystical Correspondences
• Rosicrucianism: Tarot as a “book of wisdom” encrypted with the Rose-Cross mysteries
• Eliphas Levi: Tarot = The Key to All the Occult Sciences
“A prisoner, deprived of all books, if he knew the Tarot well, could in a few years acquire universal knowledge and converse with God.”
• Hermetic Qabalah: Tarot is used in pathworking, meditative ascent, and divination
The Tarot as a Mirror and Map
• Map of the Great Work – Every card speaks to the inner transformation of the alchemist
• Mirror of the Soul – Tarot reveals the psyche, the process of individuation, the path to wholeness
• Encoded Initiatory System – Embedded ritual gates and archetypes for every phase of the path