Latest / Anunnaki Origins Podcast / Anunnaki Mysteries of the Ancient Near East, Thoth, Hermeticism, and the Tarot

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Anunnaki Mysteries of the Ancient Near East, Thoth, Hermeticism, and the Tarot · Anunnaki Origins Podcast

• 0:05
  This book examines the profound links between Thoth, the ancient
• 0:09
  Egyptian God of wisdom, Hermitism, A philosophical and
• 0:12
  spiritual tradition attributed to the mythical figure Hermes
• 0:16
  Trismegistus, and the Tarot, a deck of symbolic cards widely
• 0:20
  used for divination and self reflection.
• 0:23
  By exploring the historical origins, philosophical
• 0:26
  principles, and symbolic imagery associated with each of these
• 0:29
  entities, this paper sheds light on the intricate
• 0:32
  interconnections that unite Thoth, hermitism, and the Tarot,
• 0:37
  demonstrating their shared emphasis on esoteric knowledge,
• 0:41
  spiritual transformation, and the quest for self realization.
• 0:45
  The Tarot, an enigmatic deck of cards that has captivated
• 0:49
  countless individuals throughout history, holds a wealth of
• 0:52
  esoteric wisdom within its symbolic imagery.
• 0:55
  Its origins and meaning have been a subject of scholarly
• 0:58
  debate and speculation for centuries.
• 1:01
  We delve into the fascinating connections between Thoth, the
• 1:05
  God of wisdom, in ancient Egyptian mythology.
• 1:07
  Hermetism, a philosophical and spiritual tradition attributed
• 1:11
  to Hermes Trismegistus and the Tarot.
• 1:15
  By exploring their historical roots, philosophical
• 1:18
  underpinnings, and symbolic motifs, we uncover the profound
• 1:22
  links that tie them together, revealing their shared emphasis
• 1:25
  on spiritual transformation and the pursuit of self knowledge.
• 1:29
  Historical origins of Thoth, the Egyptian God of wisdom.
• 1:33
  Thoth significance in ancient Egyptian mythology and religion.
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  Thoth, the patron of scribes, magic and knowledge.
• 1:39
  The influence of Thoth on Egyptian society and culture.
• 1:43
  Hermes Trismegistus and Hermetism.
• 1:46
  The emergence of Hermetism during the Hellenistic period.
• 1:49
  Hermes Trismegistus, The mythical figure embodying
• 1:52
  esoteric wisdom. The fusion of Egyptian and Greek
• 1:55
  traditions in Hermetism. Philosophical principles.
• 1:59
  Hermetism's influence on the Tarot.
• 2:02
  The Hermetic principles of correspondence, polarity and
• 2:04
  rhythm are reflected in the structure of the Tarot.
• 2:08
  The concept of As above, so below and its resonance with the
• 2:11
  Tarot symbolic framework. The idea of spiritual alchemy
• 2:15
  and its connection to Tarot interpretation.
• 2:18
  Thoth is the divine wisdom. Thoth's role as the mediator
• 2:22
  between the human and divine realms.
• 2:24
  The concept of divine revelation parallels the Tarot's capacity
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  for intuitive insight. Thoth, the guardian of knowledge
• 2:31
  and the Tarot as a tool for accessing hidden truths,
• 2:34
  symbolic imagery, archetypal figures and mythological themes.
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  The presence of mythological and archetypal figures in the Tarot.
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  Thoth's representation as the Ibis headed deity and his
• 2:46
  symbolic significance in the Tarot.
• 2:48
  The influence of Egyptian mythology and cosmology on Tarot
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  symbolism, numerology, and astrology.
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  The use of numbers and their significance in both hermitism
• 2:58
  and the Tarot. The correlation between
• 3:00
  astrological symbols and the Tarot's major arcana.
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  Esoteric symbols and alchemical imagery.
• 3:07
  The inclusion of esoteric symbols such as the Caduceus or
• 3:11
  Roborus and the Tree of Life in the Tarot.
• 3:14
  The alchemical imagery and transformational motifs are
• 3:16
  shared by Hermetism and the Tarot.
• 3:19
  Thoth, Hermetism, and the Tarot converge in a rich tapestry of
• 3:22
  esoteric wisdom, spiritual insight, and self realization.
• 3:27
  The historical origins, philosophical principles, and
• 3:31
  symbolic imagery associated with these entities illustrate their
• 3:34
  interconnectedness and shared goal of unlocking the mysteries
• 3:38
  of the universe and the human psyche.
• 3:41
  The Tarot, drawing upon the wisdom of Thoth and the
• 3:44
  teachings of Hermetism, serves as a powerful tool for
• 3:47
  divination, self reflection, and spiritual growth.
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  As we explore the intricate links between Thoth, Hermetism,
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  and the Tarot, we gain a deeper appreciation for their profound
• 3:59
  and timeless knowledge, inviting us to embark on a transformative
• 4:02
  journey of self discovery and enlightenment.
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  The Tarot has captivated the interest of many in the modern
• 4:08
  occult revival, becoming a subject of fascination and
• 4:11
  inspiration for numerous novels and books.
• 4:14
  The market offers various Tarot of Thoth decks, ranging from
• 4:18
  faithful reproductions of ancient sets like the Visconti
• 4:21
  Sforza to imaginative and unique versions like the Tarot of the
• 4:24
  Cat People or the Native American Tarot.
• 4:28
  This process of modernization and secularization has even led
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  to the availability of Tarot of Thoth packages aimed at
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  teenagers. The enduring allure of the Tarot
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  of Thoth stems from its deep seated archetypal significance,
• 4:41
  although the true origins of this archetype have remained
• 4:44
  elusive to most researchers. The Tarot of Thoth's historical
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  roots and symbolism, particularly in the Major
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  Arcana, are explored in this audio book using postmodern
• 4:55
  methods presented in my previous study, Hermetic Magic.
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  Through this accessible work, many myths surrounding the cards
• 5:02
  will be confirmed, revealing profound connections with
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  ancient civilizations such as Egypt, the Roma, and the Semitic
• 5:09
  tradition. However, these connections
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  merely scratch the surface of a deeper and more powerful
• 5:15
  understanding of the Tarot of Thoth that has been concealed
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  for centuries. The inception of this book
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  occurred in 1981 during my research in Germany.
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  While there, I discovered numerous texts on magic within
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  academic libraries. I often emphasize to my students
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  that the true occult literature of our era lies not in the
• 5:35
  occult sections of bookstores, but within the halls of
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  academia. These hidden resources are the
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  product of professors and doctoral candidates dedicating
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  years to their research, documentation, and eventual
• 5:48
  publication. However, their finished works
• 5:51
  often end up in obscure journals or conference proceedings,
• 5:55
  remaining unread by specialists and the general public, thus
• 5:59
  obscuring the significance of their findings.
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  The groundbreaking research for this book was originally
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  published in 1930 by Sigurd Agrel, a Swedish philologist and
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  professor known for his somewhat controversial work in the field
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  of runology. In the 1920s and 1930s.
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  Agrel demonstrated a connection between Mithraic cult practices,
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  Germanic runes, and the symbolism of the Tarot of Thoth.
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  While contemporary scholars rejected some of his magical
• 6:27
  theories, particularly his famous Futhark theory, other
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  aspects of his work have been unfairly overlooked.
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  This study re examines Agrel's data, presenting new
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  perspectives and incorporating additional material to shed new
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  light on the symbolism of the Tarot of Thoth.
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  It is not a book about divination practices using the
• 6:47
  Tarot of Thoth, although the knowledge acquired from these
• 6:50
  pages can certainly enhance the insights necessary for tarot
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  based divination. Nor is it a textbook for a new
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  Tarot of Thoth deck, although I hope that someone will use the
• 7:00
  contents of this book to redesign a deck and restore the
• 7:04
  original mysteries and attendant power to the icons.
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  The card images created by Amber Rae Broderick for each of the
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  Major Arcana exemplify the transformative potential of such
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  an endeavor. Even if the ultimate theory upon
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  which a grill's work was based cannot be definitively proven,
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  his studies offer a fresh perspective and may lead to
• 7:24
  further discoveries regarding the symbolism of the Tarot of
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  Thoth. The original version of this
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  book was mostly completed in 1992 and released in a
• 7:33
  preliminary edition, later widely published in a second
• 7:36
  edition in 2006. This third edition is
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  significantly expanded and improved, featuring new material
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  and revisions that address some systemic errors in the original
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  edition resulting from a limited understanding of the Iranian
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  tradition. The main objective of this work
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  is to present a method for discovering symbols that
• 7:57
  facilitate personal transformation, drawing upon
• 8:00
  hidden deep level correspondences.
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  This book does not represent the definitive conclusion of a
• 8:05
  process, rather, it serves as the first or second step in a
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  journey to rediscover the profound roots of a significant
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  aspect of the Western tradition. Stephen E Flowers Woodrow 2019
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  Introduction The Magician Tarot of Thoth and Postmodern Theory
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  Numerous philosophers and cultural historians assert that
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  the Western world is entering a new era of history.
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  The changes currently sweeping Westernized cultures are akin to
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  the transformative shifts experienced with the advent of
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  Christianity and the onset of the Middle Ages in the first
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  Millennium, or the rise of scientism following the
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  Renaissance around 1500 CE, leading to the modern world we
• 8:46
  know today. Recent changes, particularly in
• 8:49
  the late 20th century, have laid the groundwork for another
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  epical transformation, another paradigm shift.
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  Worlds come to an end, and new worlds are continually
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  generated. The theologians who anxiously
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  await signs of the impending apocalypse in the heavens are
• 9:05
  futilely chasing shadows. The apocalypse is an ongoing
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  phenomenon. In fact, at every moment in
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  history we find ourselves amidst a major apocalyptic event.
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  The changes that have unfolded over the latter half of the 20th
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  century in the Western world indicate A monumental shift.
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  One term used to describe this shift is postmodernism.
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  Postmodernism is characterized by a departure from the
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  oppressive modern myth of progress, which held that by
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  continually applying rationality and scientific methodology, the
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  world's problems would eventually vanish.
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  In the light of pure reason, postmodernists recognize, as the
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  ancients did, the true progress is only achievable through
• 9:49
  personal initiation. Rather than collective progress
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  based on newness and the latest trends, postmodernists embrace
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  the freedom to synthesize elements from every phase of
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  human history. Consequently, systems of
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  knowledge such as the Tarot of Thoth, which embodies symbolic
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  and esoteric laws, gain renewed relevance and potential for
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  individual development. Postmodernism is a cultural
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  school of thought that emerged in Western European societies
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  after World War 2. Its key premise involves
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  rejecting the myth of progress based on the monolithic
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  application of scientific rationalism.
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  The events of the 20th century demonstrated that despite great
• 10:30
  advancements in science and technology, the human species
• 10:33
  had not improved and in some cases had even worsened.
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  The leaps in rationality, education and practical
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  application of science had yet to result in significant
• 10:44
  spiritual progress. Modernism has proven to be a
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  failed experiment, at least in the eyes of some.
• 10:51
  Unfortunately, the concept of postmodernism has been largely
• 10:55
  Co opted by Marxists and crypto Marxists, particularly in
• 10:59
  American academia. Marxism itself is a
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  quintessential school of modernism, but as its global
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  prestige waned in the 1990s due to the failure of Marxist
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  states, its theories were reworked and weaponized as the
• 11:13
  doctrines of postmodernism, or POMO as some call it.
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  This movement has permeated every level of American
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  academia, from the highest echelons to kindergarten.
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  The reader must recognize this version of postmodernism and
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  disregard it if possible. An essential aspect of non
• 11:30
  Marxist postmodern theory is recognizing that myth embodies a
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  higher reality. Myth shapes our perception of
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  reality, and changes in mythology can change how reality
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  is perceived. Modernists were deluded in
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  thinking that science would replace mythology or that
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  science could fully explain mythology.
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  Today's world is dominated by science, yet myths, the Super
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  rational, and even the surreal continue to thrive.
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  Admittedly, much of it is of low quality, as evident on the
• 12:00
  various platforms of digital misinformation that exists
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  today. However, the educated population
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  has an increasing appetite for the mythical and mysterious.
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  Modernism still lacks the symbolic meaning necessary for
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  people's lives, and deep symbolic meaning is crucial for
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  a culture's survival. With the rejection of the idea
• 12:18
  that progress and rationalism are intrinsically valuable,
• 12:22
  postmodernists are open to exploring the validity of past
• 12:25
  models or eternal paradigms of human understanding.
• 12:29
  These models are perceived as more than just historical
• 12:31
  curiosities. They hold relevance for the
• 12:34
  future and serve as foundations for new approaches.
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  The purely rationalistic mode is no longer the framework for
• 12:40
  understanding these paradigms. The present academic sciences
• 12:44
  will become obsolete due to their limited capacity to
• 12:47
  unravel the mysteries they were designed to explain.
• 12:51
  Central to the postmodern theory of magic is the notion of
• 12:54
  communication. Postmodern theory is also a
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  semiotic theory of mythology and magic.
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  Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, the theory and
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  practice of conveying meaning between sender and receiver.
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  Communication occurs through this process, which reveals
• 13:10
  mysterious components even in mundane conversations between
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  humans. Science cannot answer
• 13:16
  fundamental questions about the nature of the sender and
• 13:19
  receiver, their psyches, or the system they use to communicate,
• 13:23
  namely language. The wisest individuals recognize
• 13:27
  that nothing originating from the human mind can be reduced to
• 13:30
  a set of logical, rational rules.
• 13:33
  The soul is not merely a compilation of chemical
• 13:35
  reactions, otherwise it's mysteries would have been
• 13:38
  unravelled long ago in the theory of operative magic.
• 13:42
  I wrote in Hermetic Magic about the semiotic theory of magic
• 13:45
  which posits that magic is a process of inter reality
• 13:48
  communication. In hermetic terms this involves
• 13:52
  the lower realms communicating their will to the higher realms,
• 13:55
  resulting in modifications in the configuration of the higher
• 13:58
  subtle paradigms of the cosmos. In return, corresponding
• 14:03
  modifications occur in the lower environment.
• 14:06
  This process is neither rational nor natural and it defies
• 14:09
  objective experimentation. It is a non natural rather than
• 14:13
  supernatural phenomenon. Magical communication does not
• 14:16
  follow the same patterns as mundane communication but
• 14:19
  operates based on similar archetypal principles.
• 14:23
  These principles also work when considering mythology's
• 14:25
  illustrative or illuminative workings.
• 14:28
  Systems like the Tarot of Thoth act as mythic maps of the world
• 14:31
  and consciousness. They enable inter reality
• 14:34
  communication and provide insight into the encoding system
• 14:37
  used by the mysterious sender of these communications.
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  In essence, they allow us to understand the mind of God.
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  If the search for meaning drives individual human beings, then
• 14:48
  there must exist a metal language of signs and symbols
• 14:51
  through which such meaning can be precisely conveyed.
• 14:55
  The Tarot of Thoth can be seen as such a system.
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  In this study, we aim to uncover the underlying mythology of the
• 15:01
  Tarot of Thoth and expand its frame of reference beyond the
• 15:05
  Judeo-christian boundaries imposed on it in the aftermath
• 15:08
  of the Renaissance. By shifting the paradigm of the
• 15:11
  Tarot of Thoth from a judeo-christian foundation back
• 15:14
  to its original syncretic Pagan roots, we are not merely
• 15:18
  creating another imaginative Tarot of Thoth mythology.
• 15:21
  This shift is grounded in objective data and represents a
• 15:25
  move away from the medieval basis of the modern myth of
• 15:28
  universal salvation towards the eternal myth of individual
• 15:31
  salvation through initiation. By reshaping the myths that
• 15:35
  underpin our world, we are reshaping the basis of reality
• 15:39
  itself. The power to do so lies with
• 15:42
  those who control the pole of reality around which all things
• 15:46
  revolve. As we will discover, the
• 15:48
  cultural climate of 2000 years ago shares striking similarities
• 15:52
  with the present. With its maelstrom of cultural
• 15:54
  influences, ever shifting values and mental patterns.
• 15:59
  The active response of those individuals and the response of
• 16:02
  postmodernist to our times may have much in common.
• 16:05
  For two centuries, scholars interested in the occult have
• 16:09
  been captivated by the Tarot of Thoth, connecting the symbolism
• 16:12
  of the Major Arcana, or Trump's, to various mystical sources and
• 16:16
  meanings. What lies before you is a key
• 16:19
  that unlocks the historical development of Tarot of Thoth
• 16:22
  symbolism from its earliest origins.
• 16:25
  This key provides an understanding of how these
• 16:27
  sources harmoniously intertwine. The Tarot of Thoth's most
• 16:31
  prevalent myths revolve around its alleged ancient Egyptian
• 16:35
  origins. Many older and modern writers
• 16:38
  have made claims about the original Egyptian symbolism,
• 16:41
  suggesting that subterranean initiatory chambers were adorned
• 16:44
  with Tarot of Thoth images. Another ancient myth suggests an
• 16:48
  authentic connection between the Tarot of Thoth and the so-called
• 16:52
  Gypsies. The 1st and 2nd myths are
• 16:54
  closely LinkedIn the minds of European Christians.
• 16:57
  When the Romani arrived in Europe during the 16th century,
• 17:00
  Europeans mistakenly identified them as Egyptians, hence the
• 17:04
  nickname Gypsies. This misidentification stemmed
• 17:08
  from the tendency of ignorant Christian Europeans to associate
• 17:12
  any exotic heathen people from the East with the exotic
• 17:15
  heathens depicted in the Bible, which was perhaps the only
• 17:18
  historical and ethnographic text they knew.
• 17:21
  In reality, the Romani people have no connection to Egypt.
• 17:25
  They speak Romani, which belongs to the Dardic family of Indo
• 17:29
  Iranian languages closely related to the dialect spoken in
• 17:33
  Kashmir and modern day northern Pakistan.
• 17:36
  These people migrated westward from their homeland in Central
• 17:39
  Asia over 1000 years ago and by the 1500s had spread throughout
• 17:44
  Europe. A Persian legend in an epic poem
• 17:47
  called The Shaman of Fedousi tells of the Romani's origin.
• 17:52
  According to the legend, the Sasanian emperor Bahram Vifgur
• 17:56
  discovered that poor people couldn't afford to enjoy music.
• 17:59
  In response, he requested the king of India to send 10,000
• 18:03
  lute playing musicians to Persia.
• 18:05
  When the musicians arrived, the Shah provided each of them with
• 18:08
  an ox and a wheat supply to sustain themselves by farming
• 18:12
  and providing free musical entertainment to the
• 18:15
  impoverished people of Persia. However, it is said that the
• 18:18
  musicians ate the ox and the wheat and ended up starving
• 18:21
  after a year. The Shah was furious that they
• 18:24
  had squandered what he had given them and ordered them to be
• 18:27
  exiled, wandering the world. The original religion of the
• 18:31
  Romani is believed to have been a form of Hinduism.
• 18:35
  This legend suggests that the Romani spent some time in the
• 18:38
  Persian Empire before migrating to Europe, likely incorporating
• 18:42
  Iranian ideas into their indict mythology.
• 18:46
  Today, most Romani individuals identify as Christians. 1/3 Myth
• 18:51
  surrounding the Tarot of Thoth is its alleged connection with
• 18:54
  the Hebrew Kabbalah. The genesis of this myth can be
• 18:57
  traced back to a cult like interest in the Tarot of Thoth
• 19:01
  that emerged at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the
• 19:04
  19th centuries. Based on limited reasoning,
• 19:08
  occult scholars speculated that there must be a connection,
• 19:11
  since there are 22 Major Arcana in the Tarot of Thoth,
• 19:15
  corresponding to the 22 Hebrew letters considered foundational
• 19:19
  elements. Writers such as Eliphus, Levy
• 19:22
  and Porpoise passionately pursued this idea, setting the
• 19:25
  tone for the Western occult tradition surrounding the Tarot
• 19:28
  of Thoth. While these myths contain some
• 19:31
  elements of truth, each is equally misleading in its own
• 19:34
  way. In the following discourse, I
• 19:37
  delve into the objective history of the Tarot of Thoth and reveal
• 19:41
  its symbolic origins within the rich Hermetic tradition of the
• 19:44
  early era. Around the same time magical
• 19:47
  papyri were being written, a new understanding of the Tarot of
• 19:50
  Thoth, more closely associated with pre and non judeo-christian
• 19:54
  traditions emerged, particularly with the Mithraic or Maggian
• 19:58
  Iranian tradition. Throughout this study, I draw
• 20:02
  heavily upon the work of the Swedish scholar Sigurd Agril.
• 20:06
  Who wrote extensively in the 1920s and 1930s.
• 20:10
  However, I also incorporate more recent scholarship in Tarot of
• 20:14
  Thoth, Mithraism and the history of ancient Iranian religions to
• 20:18
  expand upon Agrel's ideas. Cards similar to the now well
• 20:22
  known Tarot of Thoth cards were used for game playing in the
• 20:26
  late Middle Ages. Before the 14th century, such
• 20:29
  artifacts were unheard of. The earliest mention of these
• 20:32
  cards is in a decree in Florence in 1376.
• 20:36
  The oldest surviving hand painted Tarot of Thoth cards
• 20:40
  date back to the 15th century. Italy was the primary hub of
• 20:44
  card production and usage, spreading to other Romance
• 20:47
  regions, particularly France. The exact origin and timing of
• 20:51
  the Tarot of Thoth images remain uncertain, however the oldest
• 20:56
  known examples come from that period and location.
• 20:59
  The original term for the tarot is also Italian, though it's
• 21:02
  derivation is debatable. The modern English form of the
• 21:05
  word derives from the French Tarot, or tarot.
• 21:09
  Some occultists like to connect the words medieval pronunciation
• 21:12
  with the Hebrew Torah, meaning law, and often claim that the
• 21:16
  iconic tarot was revealed to Moses in Egypt, forming the
• 21:19
  basis for an esoteric aspect of the knowledge imparted to him on
• 21:23
  Mount Sinai. Italy's earliest surviving tarot
• 21:27
  cards were created in the early 15th century.
• 21:30
  The tradition of tarot cards predates this period.
• 21:33
  Historical records from 1392 mention Jacquemin Gringoit
• 21:38
  crafting gilded cards for King Charles the 4th of France.
• 21:42
  Some speculate that an incomplete set of 17 cards
• 21:45
  preserved in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris may be
• 21:48
  Gringoit's work. However, these cards are
• 21:51
  actually a 15 the century Venetian origin.
• 21:54
  The imagery on these and other early tarot cards provides
• 21:58
  valuable insights into the tarot's origin.
• 22:00
  During this early period, variations in the traditional
• 22:04
  imagery associated with the Major Arcana were present, some
• 22:07
  later standardized by certain esoteric doctrines in subsequent
• 22:11
  eras. The oldest confirmed tarot
• 22:14
  images also originate from Italy, Known as the Visconti
• 22:17
  Schwarzer Tarot from the 15th century.
• 22:20
  They were likely produced in the court of the Schwarzer family,
• 22:24
  who ruled Milan in northern Italy from 1450 to 1535.
• 22:29
  These cards exhibit variations in the traditional imagery
• 22:32
  associated with the Major Arcana.
• 22:35
  The modern Occult Revival decks heavily draw inspiration from
• 22:38
  the Marseille deck, which dates back to the 18th century.
• 22:42
  Eliphus Levy and later SL McGregor Mathers used this deck
• 22:46
  for their speculations, subsequently influencing others
• 22:49
  to create new versions of the cards based on the archetype
• 22:53
  established by the Marseille deck.
• 22:55
  The Tarot as a complete and fixed symbol system likely
• 22:58
  originated in the 15th century. Although it may have been based
• 23:02
  on an older systemic archetype, Crowley couldn't resist making a
• 23:06
  few modifications to the modern tradition.
• 23:09
  His main changes involved renaming several of the major
• 23:11
  Arcana in the Tarot. For instance, Strength became
• 23:15
  Lust, Temperance became Art, and the Last Judgement became Aeon.
• 23:20
  These alterations were tailored to align with his Thalamite
• 23:23
  philosophy. These modern occult traditions
• 23:25
  have proven to be skillfully crafted and in some cases, have
• 23:29
  sparked profound inspiration and creativity.
• 23:32
  However, in hindsight, they have also been somewhat arbitrary,
• 23:36
  attempting to reconcile modern and medieval belief systems with
• 23:39
  little knowledge of the true ancient traditions.
• 23:42
  It's important to remember that many elements presented as
• 23:45
  ancient by modern occult writers are actually relatively recent
• 23:49
  in origin. This realization allows us to
• 23:51
  explore aspects of the tradition that deviate from the standard
• 23:55
  modern interpretations of the symbols in this book.
• 23:59
  Our research approach delves deeper into the distant roots of
• 24:02
  ideas and imagery, going beyond the limitations imposed by
• 24:06
  modern writers since 1500 CE. It seeks to be more objective
• 24:10
  and less sentimental while maintaining A sympathetic
• 24:13
  perspective. Research indicates that the
• 24:16
  tarot is likely related to the same body of material as the
• 24:20
  magical papyri from the 1st to 5th century CE, as well as the
• 24:24
  oldest Hermetic tradition. The oldest origins of this law
• 24:28
  can be traced back to various sources within Indo Iranian
• 24:31
  religion and magic, as well as those of the Mesopotamians and
• 24:35
  Egyptians. The first notable synthesis of
• 24:38
  these traditions likely occurred in the mid 1st century BCE in
• 24:42
  the Persian Empire, the birth place of the martial cult of
• 24:45
  Mithra and home to the ancient Magian priesthood.
• 24:49
  This body of material also influenced the early development
• 24:52
  of traditions like Kabbalah and alchemy.
• 24:55
  The Tarot is firmly rooted in a specific aspect of what is
• 24:58
  generally referred to as the Hermetic Synthesis, with Siga de
• 25:02
  Grelle's ideas serving as the seed.
• 25:04
  Chapter 2 of this book explores the connections between Jainism,
• 25:08
  Mithraism and the Tarot. To truly understand the deep
• 25:12
  levels of Tarot imagery, we must delve into the roots of Iranian
• 25:15
  mythology and law, specifically Maganism and Mithraism.
• 25:20
  These systems are branches of the broader Iranian culture and
• 25:23
  ideological sphere. The Iranian mythic system is
• 25:27
  part of the older Indo Iranian culture which itself derives
• 25:31
  from the even more ancient and expansive Indo European world to
• 25:34
  which various European cultures and linguistic groups belong
• 25:38
  such as the Germanic, Celtic, Slavic, Italic and Hellenic or
• 25:43
  Greek. Originally, the Iranian
• 25:45
  religious cult closely resembled the Vedic cult recorded in the
• 25:48
  Rig Veda of India. Sacrifices were made to gods
• 25:52
  associated with royalty, war, and fertility to ensure long
• 25:56
  life and prosperity. Around 1700 BCE, a priest named
• 26:01
  Zarathustra observed the excesses and abuses within this
• 26:04
  cult and culture in the Iranian world, situated far north and
• 26:08
  east of present day Iran. These included excessive animal
• 26:11
  sacrifices, unruly warriors terrorizing the population, and
• 26:16
  primal sorcery. In a moment of insight,
• 26:19
  Zarathustra recognized the existence of a single high and
• 26:22
  absolute divinity, pure, focused consciousness.
• 26:26
  He identified this deity as Ahora Mazda, the Lord of Wisdom.
• 26:30
  All other gods and goddesses were considered abstract
• 26:33
  principles and entities created by Ahura Mazda, emanating from
• 26:37
  the ultimate source. This system represented the
• 26:40
  first religion that allowed individuals to freely choose
• 26:42
  their beliefs. Zarathustra taught an ethical
• 26:45
  system based on good thoughts, words, and actions.
• 26:49
  A brotherhood known as the Mazma Gah or the Great Fellowship, was
• 26:53
  formed to preserve his teachings in poems called the Gathers.
• 26:57
  Though only a portion of these poems survives today, the
• 27:00
  religion based on them continues to exist in Zoroastrianism and
• 27:04
  is also embodied in the Mazda Way in the West.
• 27:07
  The brotherhood established during Zarathustra's time became
• 27:11
  widely known as the Mazmagar or the Great Fellowship.
• 27:15
  Under their guidance and leadership, the Persians formed
• 27:18
  the first great world empire, the Akimenid Empire 552330BCE.
• 27:26
  Cyrus the Great 598530BCE played a significant role in shaping
• 27:32
  this empire, which aimed not only for political and economic
• 27:35
  dominance but also for global peace and prosperity.
• 27:39
  By the time of the Akimanid Empire, Zarathustra's doctrines
• 27:43
  and religion had already become the established and dominant
• 27:46
  philosophy and ideology among the Persian ruling elite.
• 27:51
  However, adherence to these doctrines was not imposed on
• 27:54
  others. Each individual had to discover
• 27:56
  the truth from within. As a result, the pre Zoroastrian
• 28:00
  cults persisted widely and various heterodox viewpoints
• 28:04
  thrived throughout the empire. In our study, two major streams
• 28:08
  of thought draw our attention. Zoroastrianism, it's attached
• 28:12
  ideology of Zorvanism and Mithraism.
• 28:15
  These schools of thought were particularly influential in the
• 28:18
  West and the western parts of Persia, as well as in the later
• 28:22
  Parthian and Sasanian empires. One aspect of Iranian and
• 28:26
  Zoroastrian religious history that often leads to confusion
• 28:29
  among writers is the presence of the Vaughan or the Great
• 28:32
  Fellowship, deeply rooted in Iranian tradition.
• 28:36
  During his lifetime, Prophet Zarathustra established a school
• 28:39
  to perpetuate his teachings in poetry.
• 28:42
  This school, consisting of students and priests in the Good
• 28:45
  Religion or Mazda Yasna, has kept the flame burning,
• 28:49
  literally and figuratively, for centuries.
• 28:52
  Historically, part of their mission has involved spreading
• 28:55
  the principles of the Good Religion to other faiths they
• 28:58
  encounter. In the early centuries of
• 29:01
  Zoroastrianism, many conversions took place.
• 29:04
  However, following an ancient pattern, the Zoroastrians
• 29:08
  discreetly infused virtuous qualities into existing
• 29:10
  religions or mystery cults without revealing their source.
• 29:15
  This allowed local cults or religious reformers to take
• 29:18
  credit for these new ideas. While generally effective, this
• 29:22
  strategy sometimes backfired, as the underlying rationale and
• 29:25
  philosophy were abandoned in the cult's pursuit of expansion and
• 29:28
  dominance at any cost. Consequently, coercion became an
• 29:33
  additional element. This narrative is reflected in
• 29:36
  the stories of Christianity and Islam.
• 29:38
  The Sufi movement emerged from the ancient mass Marga, but due
• 29:42
  to the principle of non coercion, such movements cannot
• 29:45
  be controlled through conspiratorial means.
• 29:48
  Spiritual development arises from individual transformation.
• 29:52
  This personal change or initiation lies at the core of
• 29:55
  Mithraism, an ancient belief system.
• 29:58
  Manganism refers to the priestly practices of various Iranian
• 30:02
  tribes and cults throughout history.
• 30:04
  Some suggest that the title originated from a tribal name
• 30:07
  among the Medes, an Iranian people who preceded the
• 30:10
  Persians. It is possible that this tribe
• 30:13
  formed a priestly class within the Medes.
• 30:16
  However, the title was common among all Iranian peoples.
• 30:19
  Etymologically it relates to the Germanic word martis, which
• 30:23
  gives rise to the word might. Both magic and might are rooted
• 30:28
  in the Indo European term mog, meaning to possess power or
• 30:32
  ability. These terms convey the idea of
• 30:35
  having or exerting power. Historical evidence suggests
• 30:38
  that the Chinese, ancient Greeks and Romans knew the Magus known
• 30:42
  as Magoy among the Iranians. The title held no specific
• 30:46
  ideological content, but denoted the original Iranian identity.
• 30:51
  Some Magians were orthodox Zoroastrian priests, while
• 30:54
  others belong to various cult groups or sects, such as
• 30:57
  Zervanism and potentially Mithraism.
• 31:00
  Since all these groups were originally part of Iranian
• 31:03
  culture, Iranian thought and cultural norms naturally
• 31:06
  influenced their founding principles.
• 31:09
  These common features included the concept of a supreme divine
• 31:12
  power, a pantheon of divine emanations linked to celestial
• 31:16
  bodies, the night sky time, and the movement of heavenly bodies
• 31:20
  according to a calendar. In his work Isis and Osiris,
• 31:24
  Plutarch reports on the religion of the Magi.
• 31:27
  Most wise individuals believe that there are two rival gods,
• 31:31
  one responsible for good and the other for evil.
• 31:34
  Some refer to the superior deity as a God and the other as a
• 31:38
  demon. For instance, the renowned sage
• 31:41
  Zoroasta lived 5000 years before the Trojan War.
• 31:45
  He named the superior deity Arimas and the other Arimanias.
• 31:50
  Zoroasta further explained that light and Arimanias represent
• 31:54
  the best comparison between things perceptible to the
• 31:56
  senses. Light symbolizes amazement,
• 31:59
  while Arimanias represents darkness and ignorance.
• 32:03
  Mithras, residing midway between the two, was given the Persian
• 32:07
  name of Mediator. Zoroasta also taught that people
• 32:11
  should offer votive and Thanksgiving offerings to
• 32:13
  aurimas while offering averting and mourning offerings to
• 32:16
  Arimanians. They would mix a certain umami
• 32:19
  plant in a mortar while invoking Hades and darkness.
• 32:24
  This mixture would then be combined with the blood of a
• 32:26
  sacrificed wolf and cast into a place deprived of sunlight.
• 32:30
  According to their beliefs, some plants were associated with the
• 32:34
  good God while others belong to the evil demon.
• 32:37
  They also believed that certain animals such as dogs, fowls, and
• 32:41
  hedgehogs were linked to the good God, while water rats were
• 32:45
  associated with the evil 1. Consequently, they considered a
• 32:49
  person fortunate if they had killed many of these creatures.
• 32:53
  Many individuals and groups identified themselves as Magi or
• 32:57
  were recognized by others. This was not limited to the
• 33:00
  Iranian sphere, but extended to Greece, Alexandria, Elephantine,
• 33:05
  the western oases of Egypt, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, India, and
• 33:10
  China. The history of the Magians is
• 33:13
  shrouded in mystery and complexity.
• 33:15
  Due to the various institutions that use these terms within the
• 33:18
  Iranian world and by those who interacted with it on its
• 33:22
  periphery, it is challenging to precisely trace the movements of
• 33:26
  members of this class. However, it is certain that they
• 33:29
  wielded significant influence and served as advisors, sources
• 33:33
  of knowledge, and philosophers not only within their own
• 33:36
  culture, but also among neighboring peoples.
• 33:39
  On the other hand, the story of the Mithraists is better
• 33:42
  documented through classical authors and a wealth of
• 33:45
  archaeological evidence. It is now established that there
• 33:48
  was a martial cult of Mithra among the military in the
• 33:52
  Persian ceremonial capital of Persepolis around 500 BCE.
• 33:57
  Initially, when Mithraism was discussed among Western
• 34:00
  scholars, it was assumed to have originated in Persia, supported
• 34:04
  by apparent signs. However, later scholars
• 34:07
  attempted to argue that it was solely a Roman cult with
• 34:10
  superficial Persian symbolism and no genuine Persian content.
• 34:15
  This claim has been categorically proven false.
• 34:18
  There was a thriving cult of Mithra within the Persian
• 34:21
  Empire, particularly among soldiers.
• 34:24
  This Persian cult of Mithra likely differed from Western
• 34:27
  Mithraism and was entirely understood within the framework
• 34:30
  of Zoroastrian orthodoxy. In Zoroastrianism, Mithra is
• 34:35
  humanity's greatest ally in the pantheon and serves as an
• 34:38
  intermediary between humans and the Emesha Spentus, the
• 34:41
  benevolent immortals. The Persian Empire of the
• 34:45
  Akimenids was conquered by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE.
• 34:50
  This marked a period of intense Hellenization in the former
• 34:53
  Persian territories for about a century.
• 34:56
  Eventually, the Iranians overthrew the political forms
• 34:58
  left by Alexander. Although he had always sought to
• 35:01
  adopt Persian customs in the eyes of the Persians, he
• 35:04
  encouraged his leading men to marry Persian women,
• 35:07
  contributing to extensive cultural interchange within the
• 35:11
  realm of Hellenic Iranian syncretism.
• 35:13
  The Iranian sequence of iconic images suggested by the
• 35:16
  Zoroastrian calendar used by the Persian elites underwent
• 35:21
  Hellenization, aligning it with the 24 term system determined by
• 35:25
  the Greek alphabet. This system is detailed in
• 35:28
  chapter 3 of this work. To comprehend how the ancient
• 35:32
  initiatory system of Mithraism may have influenced the original
• 35:35
  sequence of icons that eventually led to the Tarot, we
• 35:39
  must first examine the nature of Mithraism, its origins,
• 35:42
  principles, and mythology. Ultimately, Mithraism can be
• 35:46
  seen as a distant branch of Iranian religion.
• 35:49
  While early scholars believed this to be the case, later
• 35:52
  scholars argued that Mithraism was purely a Roman phenomenon
• 35:56
  with Persian inspired images. The truth likely lies somewhere
• 36:00
  in between, Deeply rooted in the prehistoric traditions of the
• 36:03
  Indo Europeans, our archaeological record shows that
• 36:07
  the Roman practice of Mithraism as an established and
• 36:10
  independent mystery cult in the West was introduced between
• 36:13
  approximately 66 BCE and 66 CE. However, the connection between
• 36:19
  the original Iranian cult of Mithra and the Roman mystery
• 36:23
  cult centered around Mithras, which likely influenced the
• 36:26
  tradition of the Tarot, started formally but quickly underwent
• 36:30
  transformations driven by the needs and experiences of Roman
• 36:34
  initiates in the West. At first glance, the Roman cult
• 36:38
  of Mithras may appear more influenced by Roman and Greek
• 36:40
  philosophies than Iranian, but this is misleading.
• 36:44
  The core beliefs and symbolism of the cult were rooted in the
• 36:47
  Iranian system, as evident in the contents of this audio book.
• 36:52
  The cult of Mithras held great significance among the Iranian
• 36:55
  people, particularly the Parthians, who reconquered parts
• 36:59
  of northern Iran from the Hellenistic rulers.
• 37:02
  The cult revolved around Mithra, an ancient God associated with
• 37:05
  justice and kingship in pre Zoroastrian times and
• 37:09
  Zoroastrianism. The Parthian Empire widely
• 37:12
  worshipped Mithra with a special focus on the kings and their
• 37:15
  warriors. The priests, known as Margos
• 37:19
  participated in the cult and its mysteries, possibly including
• 37:22
  animal sacrifices. These liturgical practices
• 37:26
  distinguished Mithraism from the philosophical moral dualism of
• 37:29
  Orthodox Zoroastrianism. However, it is unlikely that
• 37:33
  animal sacrifices were part of the Mithraic mysteries in the
• 37:36
  West, except when influenced by the pre-existing Roman cult of
• 37:40
  the state that incorporated Mithraic practices later on.
• 37:44
  Nevertheless, the use of the symbol of fire was common in the
• 37:48
  liturgy of both the Magi and Zoroastrianism.
• 37:52
  Zoroasta Zarathustra, a priest trained in the ancient Iranian
• 37:55
  cults, retained certain external forms of the religion while
• 37:59
  reinterpreting their significance.
• 38:01
  Based on his philosophical insights, he emphasized the
• 38:04
  existence of a supreme consciousness called Ahura
• 38:07
  Mazda, who created other gods and goddesses as emanations.
• 38:12
  Mithraism likely had a presence in the Persian army, aligning
• 38:16
  more closely with the teachings of the Achaemenids than the
• 38:19
  later Parthian version. Orthodox Zoroastrianism's
• 38:22
  philosophical moral dualism was based on rational principles,
• 38:27
  recognizing the good God Ahura Mazda as the creator of a
• 38:30
  perfect world corrupted by evil entities.
• 38:33
  As Co workers with Ahura Mazda, individuals were tasked with
• 38:37
  restoring good creation and promoting positive attributes
• 38:41
  while shunning negative qualities.
• 38:43
  Although some argue that the law of Roman mythraism lacks
• 38:46
  references to Ahura Mazda, it is believed that Mithra, in a
• 38:50
  henotheistic manner, absorbed many characteristics of the
• 38:53
  Iranian High God and was reconceptualized not as a
• 38:57
  subordinate deity, but as the mediator between the God of
• 39:00
  light and the God of darkness, the Megas.
• 39:04
  The western and northern Iranian cult priests were not always
• 39:07
  orthodox Zoroastrians and focused their philosophical
• 39:11
  systems on concepts such as eternal time or destiny.
• 39:14
  Zurvan or Mithra. Around the beginning of the
• 39:17
  Common Era, Mithraism and Maganism began spreading
• 39:20
  westward from the Parthian Empire, establishing themselves
• 39:24
  in various regions including Mesopotamia, the Levant, present
• 39:28
  day Israel and Lebanon, parts of present day Turkey, Armenia,
• 39:33
  Azerbaijan, and even Alexandria, where a temple of Mithra was
• 39:37
  discovered. The Roman historian Dio Cassius
• 39:40
  mentioned the name Mithras during the visit of the Armenian
• 39:43
  King Tiridatis to Rome in the time of Nero, suggesting a
• 39:47
  connection between the spread of the Mithraic mysteries and this
• 39:50
  event. As cult members, the Magi often
• 39:54
  embrace syncretism when they move beyond their dominant
• 39:57
  regions. Blending elements of Iranian
• 39:59
  thought with foreign mythologies, they assimilated
• 40:02
  various religious and magical systems.
• 40:05
  Incorporating astrological knowledge from the Babylonians
• 40:08
  and gods and goddesses from Greek, Roman, Phrygian,
• 40:11
  Thracian, and Egyptian traditions.
• 40:14
  During the 1st century CE, as the Roman legions had close
• 40:17
  contact with the Parthians, the Mithraic mysteries rapidly
• 40:21
  spread throughout the Roman Empire.
• 40:23
  Roman legions initiated into the warrior mysteries of Mithras
• 40:27
  played a significant role in this dissemination.
• 40:30
  By the 3rd or 4th century CE, Mithraism had expanded across
• 40:34
  the Roman Empire, from Britain to Alexandria and from the
• 40:38
  Rhineland to Rome. The cult was particularly
• 40:41
  popular in the northern regions along the Rhine and Danube
• 40:44
  rivers and Italy. During its expansion, Mithraism
• 40:48
  adopted the external theological forms of the host cultures,
• 40:52
  renaming and reshaping the old Iranian gods and goddesses to be
• 40:56
  more socially, politically, and psychologically acceptable.
• 41:00
  The successful spread of the Iranian cult of Mithra in the
• 41:03
  Western world is remarkable considering the prolonged and
• 41:07
  bitter conflicts between the Greeks, Romans, and Iranians
• 41:10
  throughout history. This clash between East and West
• 41:14
  influenced our current geopolitical struggles.
• 41:17
  Just as crusading Knights are believed to have interacted with
• 41:20
  Sufis in the Holy Land, the Greeks and Romans likely had
• 41:23
  encounters with the ancient Iranian practical philosophers,
• 41:26
  the predecessors of the Sufis. However, to fully understand
• 41:30
  Roman Mithraism, it is important to acknowledge what it is not.
• 41:35
  Mithraism, although drawing from the same underlying mythic
• 41:38
  material as Orthodox Zoroastrianism, should not be
• 41:42
  confused as being the same. Just as Judaism, Christianity,
• 41:46
  and Islam share a common mythic background, Mithraism and
• 41:49
  Zoroastrianism are distinct yet interconnected systems.
• 41:53
  In fact, the differences between Mythrism and Zoroastrianism are
• 41:57
  possibly more significant than those between Judaism and Islam.
• 42:02
  However, due to the widespread influence of Iranian ideas,
• 42:05
  their philosophy, mythology, and symbolism permeated more than
• 42:09
  what is commonly recognized today.
• 42:11
  Zoroastrianism represents a moralistic dualism, with the
• 42:15
  distinction between good and evil primarily existing on a
• 42:18
  moral level. It prohibits animal sacrifice,
• 42:22
  nocturnal worship, and the violent warrior ethic of ancient
• 42:25
  Iranian rulers and chieftains. Zarathustra, the founder of
• 42:29
  Zoroastrianism, may have been targeted by a group of warriors
• 42:33
  for attempting to overthrow the traditional social order.
• 42:37
  It is crucial to understand that there is no strict division
• 42:40
  between the spiritual creation Minogue and the material
• 42:43
  creation getuk. According to Zoroastrian
• 42:46
  doctrine, material creation is sometimes considered holier than
• 42:50
  the purely spiritual, as it actualizes and gives form to
• 42:53
  what previously existed in potential.
• 42:56
  In Orthodox Zoroastrian terms, Mithraism could be viewed as
• 43:00
  devil worship. The divers Old Iranian gods are
• 43:04
  identified as demons by Orthodox Zoroastrians.
• 43:07
  However, the Zoroastrians retained many external
• 43:10
  liturgical forms of worship practiced by ancient Iranians,
• 43:14
  which they shared with other Iranian sects.
• 43:17
  While the meanings of these external forms and symbols may
• 43:20
  differ, they often bear external similarities.
• 43:23
  Nonetheless, the figure and deity known as Mithra were fully
• 43:27
  incorporated into Zoroastrian mythic theology as a worthy
• 43:30
  Yazata divine entity deserving of worship, maintaining a high
• 43:35
  position within the religion. It is important to note that
• 43:38
  Mithraism should not be confused with Manicheanism, A Zoroastrian
• 43:42
  heresy introduced by the prophet Mani in the 3rd century CE.
• 43:46
  Manicheanism posited that the good creation corresponds to the
• 43:50
  spiritual world. In contrast, the evil creation
• 43:54
  corresponds to the material world.
• 43:56
  This contradicts the beliefs of orthodox Zoroastrianism, which
• 44:00
  sees the physical world as a perfect reflection of the divine
• 44:03
  pattern, and Zevonite Mithraism, which cheerfully accepts the
• 44:07
  coexistence of good and evil in the physical world.
• 44:10
  Manicheanism influenced various heretical sects in the Middle
• 44:13
  Ages, such as the Bogomils, Cathars, and Waldensians.
• 44:18
  Additionally, Zarathustra's ideas were adopted, albeit
• 44:22
  inaccurately, by the Gnostics, A judeo-christian sect that
• 44:25
  emerged in the early centuries of the Common Era.
• 44:29
  The dualism expressed by these sects was inspired by
• 44:31
  Zarathustra, but their teachings often diverged from the life
• 44:35
  affirming message of Zarathustra and his Orthodox followers.
• 44:39
  Mithraism was likely not more morally dualistic than ancient
• 44:42
  Germanic and Slavic tribes, with whom it shared numerous
• 44:46
  mythological patterns. The Mithraic solution to the
• 44:49
  inherently dualistic structure of Iranian mythology was
• 44:53
  essentially Zurvanite. Zurvan, an ancient Iranian God
• 44:57
  of eternal time, was identified with the Greek deity Ion.
• 45:01
  According to this archaic Iranian conception, eternal time
• 45:05
  or destiny, portrayed as an androgynous being, gave birth to
• 45:09
  two sons, Ormazd and Ahriman, who emerged from their shoulders
• 45:14
  as the eldest God. Zervan created both good and
• 45:17
  evil, implying an inherent mixture of these qualities in
• 45:20
  the cosmos from the beginning. This perspective aligns with the
• 45:24
  attitude of the Mithraists who did not demonize Ahriman or the
• 45:27
  Davis. Unlike the pre Zoroastrian
• 45:30
  Iranian religion tolerated as a holdover, Roman Mithraism became
• 45:35
  a mystery cult that synthesized ideas from various cultural and
• 45:38
  mythic spheres. It was not tied to a single
• 45:41
  sanctuary or initiation location, but comprised
• 45:44
  thousands of thriving Mithraic initiatory sites scattered
• 45:47
  across Europe. Archaeological remains of these
• 45:50
  sites still exist today. Upon delving deeper into the
• 45:54
  history and meaning of Mithraism, one might realize
• 45:57
  that the Roman cults, myths, goals, and purposes were more
• 46:01
  aligned with those of orthodox Zoroastrianism than previously
• 46:04
  thought. Ultimately, the cult of Mithras
• 46:07
  could be seen as a skillful infiltration of Zarathustra's
• 46:10
  ideas into the Western world, employing a classic tactic of
• 46:14
  the mass Marga Great Fellowship. Regrettably, the experiment
• 46:18
  failed as the mysteries of Mithras were eradicated.
• 46:22
  However, these mysteries have survived underground and are
• 46:25
  being revived in contemporary times.
• 46:28
  Regarding the significance of the Toroktony concerning the
• 46:31
  renewal of individuals and society, it is necessary to
• 46:34
  examine the available evidence, including archaeological
• 46:37
  remains, writings of Pagan Greek and Roman authors, early
• 46:42
  Christian Church opponents, and comparative insights from
• 46:45
  Iranian texts. These sources provide glimpses
• 46:48
  into Mithraic doctrines. What is the relationship between
• 46:51
  Mithraism and astrology, and how did it become an essential part
• 46:55
  of Mithraic beliefs and teachings?
• 46:57
  Unfortunately, no original text from the Mithraic tradition have
• 47:01
  survived. This is likely due to systematic
• 47:04
  persecution by the Christian Church and the fact that the
• 47:07
  priests and followers of Mithras, part of a secretive
• 47:10
  cult, likely didn't extensively document their esoteric
• 47:13
  teachings. The cosmological myths of
• 47:16
  ancient Iran are closely connected to other Indo European
• 47:19
  myths found from India to Scandinavia.
• 47:22
  These myths involve the emergence of the world's order
• 47:25
  from 2 beings, A cosmic man known as Gayomat in the Iranian
• 47:29
  tradition, and a cosmic ox from whose seed the original human
• 47:33
  beings arose. From the ox's body, the seven
• 47:36
  metals, the planets and the gods were created, while it's marrow
• 47:40
  gave rise to beneficial plants and it's seed brought forth all
• 47:43
  species of animals. Interestingly, in ancient
• 47:47
  Iranian mythology, this ox or bull was slain by Ariman, often
• 47:51
  in collaboration with his female consort J, or through disease.
• 47:56
  Some have suggested that in Mithraism, Mithra somehow
• 47:59
  replaced Ariman in this cosmogonic process.
• 48:02
  However, this interpretation needs to be corrected from the
• 48:05
  depiction of the toroctony. The sacrificial killing of the
• 48:08
  bull in Mithraism is seen as an act that benefits both the world
• 48:12
  and the individual. It's important to note that the
• 48:15
  Toroktony represents a mythic or symbolic reality rather than an
• 48:19
  actual ritual in Zoroastrian mythology.
• 48:23
  This image is best explained by the End of Times myth in the
• 48:26
  Bunda Haitian, which describes how the final saushiant, or
• 48:30
  world savior, performs the ultimate sacrifice of the bull,
• 48:33
  Hades. The fat of the bull mixed with
• 48:36
  the white hammer is used to prepare a sacred food called
• 48:39
  Hush, which grants immortality to all humans.
• 48:43
  This ancient Iranian myth of the end of times is symbolically
• 48:46
  transferred to any transition between ages or great cycles,
• 48:50
  and it is also connected to the ideal of individual human
• 48:53
  perfection. Ancient Iranian mythology shares
• 48:56
  several entities with the mythic worlds of India and Germanic
• 48:59
  cultures at the beginning of time.
• 49:02
  Among these entities are the cosmic man and the cosmic
• 49:05
  bovine. Through sacrifice, the world
• 49:08
  comes into being and order is established.
• 49:11
  Ritual practices also commence and conclude in similar ways.
• 49:15
  The Toroktony symbolizes the renewal of individuals, society,
• 49:19
  and the cosmos. Mithras became a figure
• 49:21
  associated with this process to such an extent that his name is
• 49:25
  linked to the apocalyptic mythic figure of Maitreya.
• 49:28
  In certain Buddhist teachings, the myth of Mithras slaying the
• 49:33
  bull has been reconstructed as follows.
• 49:35
  Mithras attempted to capture the cosmic bull grazing in the
• 49:39
  mountains. The divine hero leapt onto the
• 49:41
  bull's back and grasped its horns.
• 49:43
  Although the bull tried to throw Mithras off, the hero never
• 49:47
  released his grip on the horns. As a result, Mithras was dragged
• 49:51
  along the ground, enduring great suffering, but he never let go.
• 49:56
  Eventually, the bull grew exhausted, and Mithras dragged
• 49:59
  it by its hind feet to his home, which was a cave.
• 50:02
  This dragging of Mithras, known as the Transitus, symbolized
• 50:06
  human suffering. However, the bull escaped from
• 50:09
  The Cave and returned to the mountains.
• 50:11
  The sun deity then sent his Raven messenger, instructing
• 50:14
  Mithras to slay the bull. Although Mithras hesitated, he
• 50:19
  obeyed the command of the solar deity.
• 50:21
  Accompanied by his faithful dog, Mithras set out to hunt the
• 50:24
  beast. They pursued the cosmic bull
• 50:27
  back to The Cave, where Mithras dealt a fatal blow to its back
• 50:30
  with his knife. This scene, known as the
• 50:33
  Toroctony, depicts the bull slaying and is depicted in the
• 50:36
  ABS of nearly every mithrium. According to this myth, from the
• 50:40
  spinal column of the bull, wheat, the source of human
• 50:44
  sustenance, sprang forth. From its blood came the vine,
• 50:48
  the source of the sacred drink used in the mysteries, and from
• 50:51
  its purified seed, guided by the moon, all beneficial animals
• 50:56
  arose. Thus Mithras played a vital role
• 51:00
  in creating the world as we know it.
• 51:02
  Another significant cosmological aspect of Mithras is his chariot
• 51:06
  or quadriga. Pulled by 4 celestial horses.
• 51:10
  These horses circle around the northern pole.
• 51:13
  The outermost horse is fiery and moves rapidly around the pole,
• 51:17
  followed by progressively slower horses, first the fiery one,
• 51:20
  then the watery 1, and finally the innermost earthy horse,
• 51:25
  which remains stationary at the pole.
• 51:27
  The fire from the first horse's breath ignites the innermost
• 51:30
  horse's mane, transforming all four horses into a unified hole.
• 51:35
  Due to early Babylonian influences, Mithraic cosmology
• 51:38
  incorporated significant astrological elements.
• 51:42
  The number 7 and the influence of the planets and seven metals
• 51:45
  became integral to Mithraic teachings at all stages.
• 51:49
  Although this was not originally part of the purely Iranian
• 51:52
  system, it quickly became intertwined with Mithraic
• 51:55
  beliefs and teachings. However, it is possible that the
• 51:59
  Mithraists did not view astrology on a practical level,
• 52:02
  but rather as a symbol representing certain states of
• 52:05
  being. This speculation arises because
• 52:08
  the seven grades of Mithraic initiation are associated with
• 52:11
  planets in a sequence that does not align with the natural
• 52:14
  order. The unique Mithraic sequence is
• 52:16
  Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Luna, Soul, and Saturn.
• 52:23
  Some scholars dismiss Mithraic astrological speculations as
• 52:26
  intellectual diversions meant to entertain the novices.
• 52:30
  However, recent research by David Ulanzi suggests that these
• 52:34
  speculations held more significance than mere
• 52:36
  intellectual distractions. Nonetheless, it is crucial to
• 52:40
  remember that it was the meaning behind astrological phenomena
• 52:43
  rather than the physical events that Mithraic ideology and
• 52:47
  initiation sought to encode. Stoicism, a philosophical school
• 52:51
  in the Hellenistic world, greatly influenced Mithraic
• 52:54
  teachings. This influence was possible due
• 52:57
  to the ancient roots of Stoicism, which can be traced
• 53:00
  back to Iranian ideas imported into the West in the 6th century
• 53:04
  BCE. Stoicism gained prominence in
• 53:07
  3rd century Greece and became the quasi official philosophy of
• 53:11
  the late Roman Republic and early imperial period.
• 53:15
  As a moral philosophy, Stoicism emphasized personal duty and
• 53:19
  discipline, two virtues highly valued by Mithraic soldiers.
• 53:23
  Stoicism also presented teachings on the soul and its
• 53:26
  immortality, as well as the abstract reality of the gods.
• 53:30
  However, the Stoics believed in the inexorable hand of destiny,
• 53:34
  the power of Fortuna, and the concept of Iostitia.
• 53:38
  According to Stoics, Fortuna was not arbitrary, but influenced by
• 53:42
  the movements of the stars, symbolizing the mechanical
• 53:45
  universe. Stoics recognized that while
• 53:48
  earthly life was subject to Fortuna, the soul could be
• 53:51
  trained to liberate itself from these constraints.
• 53:54
  They embraced the trials and tribulations of life as
• 53:57
  opportunities for spiritual growth.
• 53:59
  One of the centers of Stoic philosophy was Tarsus in
• 54:02
  Silesia, present day Turkey, where it was reported that the
• 54:06
  pirates of that region were devotees of Mithras.
• 54:09
  It was from this epicenter that Mithraism quickly spread
• 54:13
  throughout the Roman Empire. The Caltin Tarsus likely
• 54:16
  absorbed various innovations, including the discovery of the
• 54:20
  precession of the equinoxes by Stoic astronomers.
• 54:23
  This astronomical phenomenon occurs when the Earth slightly
• 54:26
  wobbles on its axis, causing the celestial equator to gradually
• 54:31
  move through the zodiacal constellations.
• 54:33
  This phenomenon implies that the equinox appears to move through
• 54:36
  one Zodiac sign every 2160 years.
• 54:40
  Stoic philosophers and scientists viewed the stars and
• 54:43
  their movements as a representation of the implacable
• 54:46
  force of destiny. The discovery of the equinoxes
• 54:49
  procession, which demonstrated that even the stars yielded to
• 54:53
  this cosmic process, unveiled a previously hidden divinity.
• 54:57
  This divine force became the focus of a secret mystery cult
• 55:01
  that intertwined itself with emerging Mithraism in Tarsus.
• 55:05
  One of the great appeals of Mithraism in the ancient world
• 55:09
  was its ability to incorporate scientific knowledge into its
• 55:12
  religious and initiatory system. While the immediate origins of
• 55:16
  Roman Mithraism may have been influenced by other sources, the
• 55:20
  ultimate origin of the mysteries can be traced back to the
• 55:22
  ancient warrior societies of the Indo Iranians.
• 55:26
  Over time, these initiation practices evolved, assimilating
• 55:30
  elements from various cultures and philosophical systems, until
• 55:34
  the Mithraic cult eventually declined in the final years of
• 55:37
  the Roman Empire. It is worth noting that
• 55:40
  Mithraism was a mystery cult, emphasizing the gradual
• 55:44
  revelation of sacred knowledge to its Mystics and initiates.
• 55:48
  Although the exact origins of Roman Mithraism remain
• 55:51
  uncertain, it is evident that the roots of its initiation
• 55:54
  practices can be traced back to the archaic traditions of
• 55:58
  Persian and Parthian warrior tribes.
• 56:01
  These practices developed extensively over centuries,
• 56:04
  incorporating influences from diverse cultures and
• 56:06
  philosophical traditions. The significance of the
• 56:10
  mysteries can be traced back to warrior societies in the East.
• 56:13
  Even as they developed in the Roman W, they remained
• 56:16
  predominantly male, with many participants being soldiers.
• 56:20
  This continuity highlights the core essence of the mysteries,
• 56:24
  regardless of any additional scientific or auxiliary
• 56:27
  teachings attached to them over time.
• 56:29
  One fundamental secret of the ancient warrior societies was
• 56:33
  the concept of personal transformation.
• 56:36
  As a warrior progressed through the various stages of
• 56:38
  initiation, they underwent A gradual metamorphosis into a
• 56:42
  more skilled and perfected warrior.
• 56:45
  An essential aspect of this transformation was the teaching
• 56:48
  of shape shifting, particularly the ability to assume the form
• 56:51
  of a wolf. Wolves were revered for their
• 56:54
  cunning, hunting abilities, and social structure.
• 56:57
  This tradition ultimately influenced the zoomorphic
• 57:00
  symbolism found in the Mithraic initiatory system.
• 57:03
  The mysteries aimed to initiate and transform the soul.
• 57:06
  Souls existed and were shaped before human bodies were
• 57:10
  created. Some souls entered into
• 57:12
  incarnation due to the compulsion of natural forces and
• 57:15
  necessity. According to Zarathustra's
• 57:18
  tradition, most humans willingly entered their bodies and
• 57:21
  volunteered to participate in the cosmic battle against evil
• 57:24
  forces led by Angra, Maynu, or Ariman.
• 57:28
  These warrior souls, technically referred to as Fravashis,
• 57:32
  represent an individual soul. We engage in a battle against
• 57:35
  ignorance, cruelty, and poverty in the world.
• 57:38
  Initiation is a process of the soul's ascent through the
• 57:41
  planetary spheres, from the realm beyond the stars to its
• 57:45
  incarnation on Earth. Normally this process occurs
• 57:48
  after death, but one can experience it while still alive
• 57:52
  through initiation. The ordering of the planetary
• 57:55
  spheres in the Mithraic Mysteries is unique.
• 57:58
  The Mithraists were not ignorant of the scientific cosmology of
• 58:01
  their time, but the candidates initially moved through the
• 58:04
  spheres magically determinedly. The rhythm and frequency of
• 58:08
  motion through the planetary spheres influenced the
• 58:11
  arrangement of the Tarak images. Certain qualities were stripped
• 58:15
  away for each grade or planetary sphere, while others were
• 58:18
  received or perfected based on the nature of that sphere.
• 58:22
  For instance, desires related to Mercury would be abandoned and
• 58:26
  noble desires perfected before progressing to Venus.
• 58:29
  Harmful appetites would be purified, leading to an appetite
• 58:33
  for truth. Before advancing to Mars, the
• 58:36
  initiate would abandoned anger and senseless violence, embrace
• 58:39
  courage, and move on to Jupiter. Illusory dreams would be
• 58:43
  relinquished in favor of sublime determination and will.
• 58:47
  The candidate would then move towards the stars, but
• 58:50
  eventually return to the Moon's realm, where old vital and
• 58:53
  nutritive energies would be replaced by immortal ones.
• 58:56
  The journey would continue towards the Sun, where false
• 58:59
  doctrines and ideas would be rejected for a pure and direct
• 59:03
  intellectual faculty. Finally, the candidate would
• 59:06
  pass through the gate of Saturnus, the father figure
• 59:09
  guarding the passage into the realm of the Zodiac.
• 59:12
  This initiatory passage is crucial to the Mithraic
• 59:15
  Mysteries grades. Simultaneously, alongside the
• 59:19
  gradual and rational development of the soul towards an immortal
• 59:22
  and enlightened state, there exists a doctrine of a sudden
• 59:25
  and miraculous transformation of the body into an immortal and
• 59:29
  eternally happy condition. This body transfiguration can
• 59:33
  only occur at the end of the time cycle.
• 59:36
  At that moment, an incarnation of Mithras, the Savior's
• 59:40
  associate, and a cosmic bull will appear.
• 59:43
  The South She Ant will call forth the bodies of the dead who
• 59:46
  will regain their physical appearances from their earlier
• 59:49
  lives. This represents the promised
• 59:51
  final body. The new Mithras will sacrifice
• 59:54
  the divine Bull and mix its fat with the consecrated drink known
• 59:58
  as Haoma. The wise will partake in this
• 1:00:01
  drink of immortality, becoming perfect and immortal in
• 1:00:04
  beautiful physical bodies to fully enjoy life.
• 1:00:07
  Some believe this drink will be denied to the ignorant and
• 1:00:10
  wicked, who will be punished or annihilated.
• 1:00:13
  However, others argue that the all wise and all good Creator,
• 1:00:17
  for whom the souls of humans volunteered to enter the earthly
• 1:00:20
  battle, would not condemn members of this volunteer army
• 1:00:23
  eternally just because they made wrong choices due to their
• 1:00:27
  wounds and trauma from the battle.
• 1:00:29
  The Mithraic Mysteries consist of seven grades of initiation.
• 1:00:33
  The three outer grades are called servitors, while the
• 1:00:36
  inner grades are called participants.
• 1:00:38
  Each grade had a Latin title associated with a particular
• 1:00:41
  planet. Servitors Korax, Crow or Raven
• 1:00:45
  and Mercury. Cresius, Occult or Nymphs, and
• 1:00:49
  Venus. Groom and Mars.
• 1:00:51
  Participants Leo, lion and Jupiter, Mithra, Mithras,
• 1:00:55
  Perseus or Persian and Luna. Helios dramas, Courier of the
• 1:00:59
  Sun and soul, Pata Father and Saturn.
• 1:01:03
  The 2nd and 5th grades had two variant titles.
• 1:01:06
  Cepheus indicated an individual who was admitted to the secret
• 1:01:09
  confines of the cult, possibly involving a sexual mystery.
• 1:01:13
  Perseus the Persian was a euphemism for Mithras, who the
• 1:01:17
  Romans considered the Persian God.
• 1:01:19
  Even young boys could be initiated into the first three
• 1:01:22
  grades. The animal designations
• 1:01:24
  associated with some grades reflect the ancient Iranian war
• 1:01:28
  bans practices and their cultic aspect within warrior societies.
• 1:01:33
  These practices form the foundation for non Zoroastrian
• 1:01:36
  Iranian religions. Our understanding of the
• 1:01:38
  initiatory significance of these grades is limited to the artwork
• 1:01:42
  found in the Mithraya and certain written descriptions by
• 1:01:45
  external sources, which often need to be revised.
• 1:01:49
  Initiates were required to take an oath to keep the mystery
• 1:01:52
  secrets, and a rite similar to baptism was performed for
• 1:01:55
  soldiers entering the grade. The candidate was offered a
• 1:01:58
  crown but refused it, proclaiming Mithras as his only
• 1:02:02
  crown. Instead, he underwent branding
• 1:02:05
  on the forehead with a heated iron, a practice possibly
• 1:02:08
  inspired by Roman soldiers. Oath sealing method.
• 1:02:11
  This ritual also drew from Iranian tradition where molten
• 1:02:15
  metal punished and purified the soul in the afterlife.
• 1:02:18
  Upon entering the participant grade of the lion in the
• 1:02:21
  Mithraic initiation, the use of water for ablutions was
• 1:02:24
  abandoned. Instead, the candidates hands
• 1:02:28
  and tongue were coated with honey believed to originate from
• 1:02:31
  the moon. This symbolized the triumph of
• 1:02:33
  fire over water. Honey was a preservative that
• 1:02:37
  bestowed wisdom and aligned the initiative with the gods.
• 1:02:40
  Even in present times, the initiate would receive the
• 1:02:43
  sacrament of bread and water mixed with the bull's urine,
• 1:02:46
  which was believed to possess purifying qualities.
• 1:02:50
  Zoroastrian initiatory rites included drinking a small amount
• 1:02:53
  of bull's urine for purification.
• 1:02:55
  Other elements of their rituals encompass simulated combat,
• 1:02:59
  symbolic enemies, and climbing a ladder consisting of seven rungs
• 1:03:02
  made of different metals. These metals included lead, tin,
• 1:03:06
  bronze, iron alloy, gold, and silver.
• 1:03:10
  It is worth noting that the Mithraic mysteries were not
• 1:03:12
  described as orgiastic, but they involved severe physical ordeals
• 1:03:17
  such as flagellation, binding, blindfolding, and branding on
• 1:03:21
  the forehead. One painting found in a
• 1:03:23
  mithraeum depicts a blindfolded and bound candidate standing
• 1:03:27
  before a priest who offers a sword.
• 1:03:30
  A significant ritual of the Mithraic liturgy was the
• 1:03:33
  Sacramento meal offered to the leader of the gathering,
• 1:03:36
  commemorating the shared meal between Mithras and soul after
• 1:03:39
  the slaying of the cosmic bull. The Mithraic cult's primary
• 1:03:44
  purpose was its members initiation, which resembled the
• 1:03:47
  archaic initiatory rites of Indo Iranian men's societies more
• 1:03:51
  than Greek and Egyptian mysteries.
• 1:03:53
  Magical techniques were employed to develop the individual,
• 1:03:56
  leading to a transformative experience and eventual
• 1:03:59
  salvation that conferred immortality.
• 1:04:02
  Roman Mithraism merged these potent and ancient elements with
• 1:04:06
  a contemporary understanding of Stoic philosophy prevalent in
• 1:04:09
  the Empire. This synthesis resulted in an
• 1:04:12
  exotic and mysterious system perceived as scientific and
• 1:04:16
  accurate. Mithraists participated in
• 1:04:19
  ancient rites, acquired esoteric knowledge that fulfilled their
• 1:04:22
  souls, and learned astronomical and scientific truths to enhance
• 1:04:26
  their minds and intellects. With this knowledge derived from
• 1:04:29
  the Mysteries, Mithraists believed they could control
• 1:04:32
  their destiny, an ultimate accomplishment for the Magian
• 1:04:35
  initiates. The divinities of Mithraism
• 1:04:38
  inherited gods from the ancient Iranian pantheon.
• 1:04:42
  However, these divinities were often considered equivalent to
• 1:04:45
  the gods and goddesses of other cultures with whom the Magians
• 1:04:48
  interacted. Many Iranians, especially after
• 1:04:52
  the era of Alexander the Great, displayed great enthusiasm for
• 1:04:56
  synchrotizing foreign deities, much like the Greeks.
• 1:05:00
  This synchronization process began in Mesopotamia, where the
• 1:05:04
  Iranian pantheon merged with the astral gods of Babylon, and it
• 1:05:08
  continued as the Magens encountered the gods and
• 1:05:10
  goddesses of the Greeks, Romans, and even Egyptians.
• 1:05:14
  On the other hand, orthodox Zoroastrianism rejected the
• 1:05:18
  plurality of gods and goddesses in favor of a monotheistic view,
• 1:05:23
  acknowledging Ahura Mazda as the true God, with other divinities
• 1:05:27
  serving as angelic beings assisting in transforming the
• 1:05:30
  world. The Magians and many Mithraists,
• 1:05:33
  however, tended to hold on to the polytheistic meaning of the
• 1:05:36
  old gods and goddesses, without the broader philosophical
• 1:05:40
  understanding found in orthodox Zoroastrianism.
• 1:05:43
  These gods and goddesses represented popular theology in
• 1:05:47
  the western regions of the Parthian Empire during the rise
• 1:05:50
  of Roman Mithraism, and their prevalence suggests the
• 1:05:53
  influence of Zevonite, Zoroastrianism and the
• 1:05:56
  philosophy embraced by the medians of that time.
• 1:05:59
  Zervanism, which gained philosophical significance
• 1:06:02
  during the Sasanian period. 224651-CE, synthesized various
• 1:06:09
  Near Eastern ways of thinking within the Hellenistic world.
• 1:06:12
  It incorporated Greek, Roman, Stoic, Hebrew, Aramaic,
• 1:06:16
  Egyptian, Gnostic, Christian, and Persian elements.
• 1:06:20
  Since Mithraists came from diverse backgrounds, their
• 1:06:23
  religious system likely involved a high level of syncretism,
• 1:06:26
  blending elements from different traditions into a new, unified
• 1:06:30
  system. Zervanism, however, cannot be
• 1:06:33
  considered the original form of the religion established by the
• 1:06:36
  prophet Zarathustra, since it limited the absolute goodness
• 1:06:39
  and wisdom of Ahura Mazda and constrained the power of
• 1:06:42
  individual choice. One crucial aspect of Zervanism
• 1:06:46
  was the belief in the overwhelming power of destiny,
• 1:06:49
  fate, and the celestial bodies. The major gods of Mithraism was
• 1:06:53
  Zervan, representing eternal time, and his two sons, Ormazed,
• 1:06:58
  associated with light and goodness, and Ariman, associated
• 1:07:02
  with darkness and evil. Mithras served as an
• 1:07:05
  intermediary between them, occasionally identified with
• 1:07:08
  either Ormazed or Ariman. The fact that Mithras became the
• 1:07:11
  focal point of the royal cult of the Parthians, known as the
• 1:07:15
  Pallavis, demonstrated the Iranian nation's ability to
• 1:07:18
  balance darkness and light. In conclusion, the Mithraic
• 1:07:22
  initiation encompassed various rituals and beliefs, borrowing
• 1:07:26
  elements from different cultures and incorporating them into a
• 1:07:29
  syncretic system. It aimed to transform and
• 1:07:32
  elevate individuals through magical practices, providing
• 1:07:36
  them with esoteric knowledge and control over their destinies.
• 1:07:40
  The divinities of Mithraism were rooted in the ancient Iranian
• 1:07:44
  pantheon, but were often seen as equivalent to gods and goddesses
• 1:07:47
  from other cultures. Zurvanism, which heavily
• 1:07:51
  influenced Mithraism, represented a philosophical
• 1:07:54
  synthesis of different Near Eastern ideologies and
• 1:07:57
  emphasized the power of destiny and the interplay between light
• 1:08:00
  and darkness. However, Zurvanism diverged from
• 1:08:04
  the original teachings of Zarathustra and was eventually
• 1:08:07
  surpassed by Orthodox Zoroastrianism.
• 1:08:10
  They revered the eternal and transcendent figure of Zervan
• 1:08:14
  and the Victoria savior Mithra. In the depictions found in the
• 1:08:18
  Mithraea, an unnamed deity identified as the Greek ion is
• 1:08:22
  associated with the Iranian concept of Zervan time.
• 1:08:26
  Zervan is not recognized as a deity in Orthodox
• 1:08:29
  Zoroastrianism, but rather a feature of indigenous Iranian
• 1:08:32
  beliefs. Over time, Zervin came to
• 1:08:35
  represent a conglomeration of various divine forces.
• 1:08:39
  According to Cumont, Zervin is ineffable and devoid of name,
• 1:08:43
  gender, and emotions. The iconography of God showcases
• 1:08:46
  the characteristics of the major Olympian gods.
• 1:08:50
  The depiction shows 6 coils of a serpent's body around God,
• 1:08:53
  representing the six lower planets with the sun on the lion
• 1:08:57
  like head. The four wings symbolize The
• 1:09:00
  Four Seasons and the lower elements.
• 1:09:02
  The two keys signifies Zervan's role as the ruler of heaven.
• 1:09:06
  Opening its gates. He holds a scepter symbolizing
• 1:09:09
  his divine sovereignty. The Thunderbolt relates him to
• 1:09:12
  Jupiter, and the caduceus associates him with Mercury.
• 1:09:16
  The hammer and Tong suggest his connection to Vulcan, the Roman
• 1:09:20
  interpretation of the Iranian deity Atar, representing fire.
• 1:09:24
  The cock and pine cone allude to Asclepius.
• 1:09:27
  Mithrayists who adhered to Stoicism equated Zervan with the
• 1:09:31
  prime cause. Zervan is regarded as the
• 1:09:33
  progenitor of all gods and has been equated at various times
• 1:09:37
  with the Greek deity Kronos, the Roman seculum, and Saturnus,
• 1:09:41
  thereby linked to destiny, fate, and the original divine fire.
• 1:09:46
  Zervan cannot be worshipped or appealed to through prayer.
• 1:09:49
  There is no recorded cult of Zervan, but the concept plays a
• 1:09:53
  significant role in the cosmology of early Iranians and
• 1:09:56
  the philosophy of the Sasanian court.
• 1:09:59
  Zervan is the name of the Absolute.
• 1:10:02
  Mithra holds the key to ascending consciousness to the
• 1:10:05
  Zervanite level within Zoroastrianism, while Ormazd is
• 1:10:08
  specifically referred to as a friend of humanity.
• 1:10:12
  In Zervanism, the supreme God is perceived as an alien and
• 1:10:15
  implacable force, whereas Mithra assumes the role of a friend of
• 1:10:19
  humanity. In many ways, Mithra becoming a
• 1:10:23
  link to the higher divine realm parallels the Christian view of
• 1:10:26
  Christ as a bridge to Jehovah or its equivalent in the dominant
• 1:10:30
  sect. The Avastan word Zervan means
• 1:10:33
  time. The 21st Siroza mentions two
• 1:10:36
  types of time, infinite and long.
• 1:10:38
  Autonomous time is static and unchanging, while long
• 1:10:42
  autonomous time passes and can be measured.
• 1:10:45
  Most scholars agree that there was not a separate cult of
• 1:10:47
  Zervan from Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrian circles.
• 1:10:51
  It was rather a philosophical stance towards the myths and
• 1:10:54
  events. Mithra is the theological focus
• 1:10:57
  of Mithraism, not ormazed who is the focus of the more orthodox
• 1:11:01
  sects of Iranian religion. It appears that the most ancient
• 1:11:04
  Mithraists were among those who distanced themselves from
• 1:11:07
  Zoroasta's dualistic philosophical reforms and
• 1:11:11
  continued to worship in older ways.
• 1:11:13
  In Roman Mithraism, the God Mithras, in a henotheistic
• 1:11:17
  manner, assumed the role of the Supreme God and was approached
• 1:11:21
  as the great power and Godhead within the cult or mysteries.
• 1:11:25
  The concept of monotheism, the belief in one divine source of
• 1:11:28
  existence and creation, was already well established in
• 1:11:31
  philosophical circles in Greece and Rome.
• 1:11:34
  Often referred to as the One, the Good or the Light, this
• 1:11:38
  philosophical monotheism combined with the continued
• 1:11:42
  worship and reverence of historical gods and goddesses
• 1:11:45
  seen as aspects of the One, was influenced by the Persians.
• 1:11:48
  In the original Iranian pantheon, Mithra is the God
• 1:11:52
  associated with legal matters, contracts, law and order.
• 1:11:56
  The name Mithra itself translates to contract.
• 1:11:59
  His function resembles that of Zeus in the Greek pantheon,
• 1:12:02
  Jupiter in the Roman pantheon, the Dagda or the Good God in
• 1:12:06
  Irish mythology, and Tear in Norse mythology.
• 1:12:10
  In a way, Mithra reconciled the conservative and reform minded
• 1:12:14
  Iranians of the Alexandrian period, potentially creating a
• 1:12:17
  new synthesis under his banner. According to Kumont, the central
• 1:12:21
  doctrine of Mithraism in the classical world states that
• 1:12:24
  Mithras is the light born out of solid rock.
• 1:12:27
  In other words, Mithras represents the light of the
• 1:12:30
  stars emanating from the darkness of the sky, which
• 1:12:34
  ancient Iranians believed to be made of solid rock crystal.
• 1:12:37
  When Mithras appeared on earth, he was born from a rock in a
• 1:12:41
  mountain cave. Only shepherds witnessed this
• 1:12:44
  event, marked by his torch and a shining star above.
• 1:12:48
  The shepherds offered the infant mithras, gifts of their first
• 1:12:50
  fruits and flocks. If this sounds reminiscent of
• 1:12:53
  the Nativity of Jesus, it is not surprising that many, including
• 1:12:57
  early Christians, adopted the myth of the birth of a Savior
• 1:13:01
  from Iranian law, which held considerable popularity and
• 1:13:04
  prestige in the Middle East. Then the fact that the young
• 1:13:08
  Jesus is said to have been visited by three Magi wise men
• 1:13:12
  from Persia or the East testifies to this remarkable
• 1:13:15
  influence. After his birth, Mithras
• 1:13:18
  displayed his heroic strength by overcoming various challenges.
• 1:13:22
  Most notably, he slew the Cosmic Bull, the first creation of
• 1:13:26
  Ormazd. Mithras also triumphed over the
• 1:13:29
  power of the sun and formed a close alliance with it.
• 1:13:33
  The two became closely associated in Mithraic law.
• 1:13:36
  Sometimes Mithras is even identified with solar power.
• 1:13:40
  In the language of the time, Mithras is the Logos created by
• 1:13:44
  Jupiter Ormazd to establish the natural order.
• 1:13:47
  Mithras also acts as the mediator between heaven and
• 1:13:50
  hell. His Greek title Messitas or
• 1:13:53
  mediator, and his position on the 16th day of the month
• 1:13:57
  signify this role. The triple Mithras refers to the
• 1:14:01
  depictions of Mithras flanked by two torch bearers, Coots and
• 1:14:05
  Cotopatis, representing the waxing and waning powers of the
• 1:14:08
  divine manifestations of God, the stars, the sun and the moon.
• 1:14:14
  Coots is portrayed with a raised torch, also called Lucifer.
• 1:14:17
  In Latin, he symbolizes the beginning of the new year at the
• 1:14:21
  spring equinox. On the other hand,
• 1:14:23
  Counterparties is associated with the name Hesperus and holds
• 1:14:27
  a downward turning torch representing the fall equinox.
• 1:14:31
  In the eventual synthesis of Mithraism, Mithras became
• 1:14:35
  identified with the one true God with whom human worshippers
• 1:14:38
  could hope to have any connection.
• 1:14:40
  Zervan, Eon and Saturnus were beyond direct human contact and
• 1:14:45
  appeared unconcerned with human affairs.
• 1:14:48
  Ormazd, the Avastan name for Ahura Mazda, is the morally good
• 1:14:52
  God of the Zoroastrians. But within Mithraism itself,
• 1:14:56
  this God is a distant yet benevolent figure, often unnamed
• 1:15:00
  or unknown, resembling a grandfather figure.
• 1:15:03
  The original translation of the name often refers to him as the
• 1:15:06
  Wise Lord. Mithras is the visible and
• 1:15:09
  tangible manifestation of the divine in the world and human
• 1:15:12
  affairs. While Ormazd is the ultimate
• 1:15:14
  creator of the cosmos, Mithras is more closely associated with
• 1:15:18
  creating and maintaining life on Earth.
• 1:15:21
  Mithras acts as the active agent of Ormazd in the material
• 1:15:24
  universe and serves as a mediator between the divine
• 1:15:27
  realm and humanity. For Mithraists, Mithras assumed
• 1:15:31
  most of the functions attributed to Ormazd.
• 1:15:34
  They revered the eternal and transcendent figures of Zervan
• 1:15:37
  and Mithra, the victorious savior.
• 1:15:40
  Zervan was not a divinity in orthodox Zoroastrianism, but
• 1:15:43
  rather a feature of indigenous Iranian belief, later becoming a
• 1:15:47
  composite of various divine forces.
• 1:15:49
  Scholars described Zervan as ineffable, lacking a name,
• 1:15:53
  gender and passions. The iconography of God depicted
• 1:15:57
  attributes associated with the major Olympian gods.
• 1:16:00
  With six serpent coils representing the lower planets
• 1:16:03
  and the sun on its lion like head.
• 1:16:06
  The four wings symbolized The Four Seasons and lower elements.
• 1:16:10
  The 2 keys represented Zervan's role as the ruler of heaven.
• 1:16:13
  Opening its portals holding a scepter denoted his divine
• 1:16:17
  sovereignty, while the Thunderbolt likened him to
• 1:16:20
  Jupiter and the caduceus to Mercury.
• 1:16:23
  The hammer and tongs indicated his association with Vulcan, the
• 1:16:26
  Roman interpretation of the Iranian Atar, the sacred fire.
• 1:16:31
  The cock and pine cone were connected to Asclepius.
• 1:16:34
  Mithraeus saw Zervin as the primary cause and progenitor of
• 1:16:38
  all gods, and equated him at different times with the Greek
• 1:16:41
  Kronos, Roman Seculum, and Saturnus, linking him to the
• 1:16:45
  concepts of destiny, fate, and the original divine fire.
• 1:16:50
  Zervan could not be worshipped or invoked in prayers.
• 1:16:53
  There is no evidence of a separate cult dedicated to
• 1:16:56
  Zervan, but the concept played a significant role in the
• 1:16:59
  cosmology of early Iranians and the philosophy of the Sasanian
• 1:17:03
  court. Zervan referred to the Absolute,
• 1:17:06
  while Mithra held the key to attaining higher consciousness.
• 1:17:09
  Within Zoroastrianism, Mithra was specifically mentioned as a
• 1:17:13
  friend of humanity. In Zervanism, the Supreme God
• 1:17:17
  was seen as an alien and unyielding force, with Mithra
• 1:17:20
  assuming the role of a friend of humanity.
• 1:17:23
  The parallels between Mithras connection to the higher Godhead
• 1:17:26
  and Christ's role as a bridge to Jehovah in Christianity are
• 1:17:29
  noteworthy. The Avastan word Zervan meant
• 1:17:33
  time, with two types mentioned in the 21st sirosa infinite and
• 1:17:38
  long autonomous time. Time was static and unchanging,
• 1:17:41
  while long autonomous time could be measured.
• 1:17:44
  While scholars agree there was no separate cult of Zervan
• 1:17:47
  within Zoroastrian circles, it represented A philosophical
• 1:17:50
  approach toward myths and events.
• 1:17:53
  Mithra, not ormazed, was the theological focus of Mithraism,
• 1:17:57
  distinguishing it from the more orthodox sects of Iranian
• 1:18:00
  religion. The earliest Mithraists diverged
• 1:18:03
  from Zoroasta's dualistic reforms and continued to worship
• 1:18:07
  in older ways. In Roman Mithraism, Mithras
• 1:18:11
  assumed the role of the High God, representing great power
• 1:18:14
  and Godhead. Within the cult or mysteries.
• 1:18:17
  The idea of monotheism, a single divine source of being and
• 1:18:21
  creation, already existed in philosophical circles of Greece
• 1:18:24
  and Rome. Often referred to as the One,
• 1:18:27
  the Good or the Light, this philosophical monotheism blended
• 1:18:32
  with the continued worship of historical gods and goddesses as
• 1:18:35
  aspects of the One, was influenced by Persian
• 1:18:38
  traditions. In the original Iranian
• 1:18:40
  pantheon, Mithra governed legal matters, contracts, and law and
• 1:18:44
  order, comparable to Zeus in Greek mythology, Jupiter in
• 1:18:48
  Roman mythology, the Dagda in Irish mythology, and Tear in
• 1:18:52
  Norse mythology. Mithra was a theological bridge
• 1:18:56
  between conservative and reform minded Iranians during the
• 1:18:59
  Alexandrian period, fostering a potential synthesis.
• 1:19:03
  According to Cumont, a central doctrine of Mithraism in the
• 1:19:06
  classical world was the belief that Mithras was born from solid
• 1:19:10
  rock, emerging as the light of the stars from the Sky's
• 1:19:13
  darkness. Perceived as solid rock crystal
• 1:19:16
  by ancient Iranians, Mithras earthly manifestation also
• 1:19:20
  involved being born from a rock in a mountain cave, witnessed
• 1:19:23
  only by shepherds who noticed a shining star above, marked by
• 1:19:27
  his torch. These shepherds offered gifts of
• 1:19:30
  their first fruits and flocks. The similarities to the Nativity
• 1:19:34
  of Jesus can be attributed to the influence of Iranian law,
• 1:19:37
  which was highly esteemed and popular in the Middle East.
• 1:19:41
  The fact that the young Jesus was visited by three Magi from
• 1:19:44
  Persia, symbolizing the East, further demonstrates this
• 1:19:47
  influence. After his birth, Mithras
• 1:19:51
  displayed his strength by heroically overcoming various
• 1:19:53
  challenges, including slaying the Cosmic Bull, the first
• 1:19:57
  creature of Ormazd. Mithras also triumphed over the
• 1:20:00
  power of the Sun and formed a significant alliance with it.
• 1:20:04
  The close association between Mithras and the Sun is evident
• 1:20:08
  in Mithraic law, with some instances identifying Mithras as
• 1:20:12
  a solar deity. Mithras was regarded as the
• 1:20:15
  Logos created by Jupiter Ormazd to establish natural order and
• 1:20:20
  became the mediator between heaven and hell.
• 1:20:23
  The triple Mithras refers to the images of Mithras flanked by two
• 1:20:26
  torch bearers. Coots and cautopats,
• 1:20:29
  representing the waxing and waning powers of the stars, the
• 1:20:33
  sun, and the moon. Cortez, also known as Lucifer,
• 1:20:37
  symbolized the beginning of the new year at the spring equinox,
• 1:20:41
  while Cautopatis, identified with Hesperus, represented the
• 1:20:44
  fall equinox. In the eventual Mithraic
• 1:20:47
  synthesis, Mithras became identified with the one true God
• 1:20:52
  with whom human religious followers could hope to have a
• 1:20:54
  connection. Zervan, Eon and Saturnus were
• 1:20:58
  beyond direct human interaction and seemed disinterested in
• 1:21:02
  human affairs. Almost, the morally good God of
• 1:21:05
  Zoroastrianism, was seen as a distant yet benevolent figure,
• 1:21:09
  often referred to as the Wise Lord.
• 1:21:12
  Mithras represented the clear and present divine manifestation
• 1:21:16
  in the world in human affairs. Although Almost was the ultimate
• 1:21:19
  creator, the God of the cosmos, Mithras played a more active
• 1:21:23
  role in creating and sustaining life on Earth.
• 1:21:26
  Mithras acted as the agent of Almost in the material universe
• 1:21:30
  and served as a mediator between the divine and humanity.
• 1:21:34
  Mithras assumed many of the functions attributed to Almost
• 1:21:37
  within Mithraism. Ormasd and his twin brother
• 1:21:41
  Ariman played significant roles in the ancient myth.
• 1:21:44
  Although different story versions provide varying
• 1:21:47
  accounts, Ariman emerged slightly before or after Ormasd,
• 1:21:51
  originating from the shoulders or womb of their androgynous
• 1:21:54
  father. Mother Zurvan Ariman, whose
• 1:21:58
  Pallavi name derives from the older Avastan Angra Minu, a
• 1:22:02
  wicked spirit, sought to seize his brother's realm by creating
• 1:22:05
  a material universe filled with destructive, vile, and parasitic
• 1:22:10
  entities. In defense of his moral
• 1:22:12
  principles, Ormaz created a perfect material world, acting
• 1:22:16
  as a stronghold against Ariman's actions.
• 1:22:19
  However, the Evil 1 managed to infiltrate and corrupt the good
• 1:22:22
  creation. Ahriman devised a malevolent
• 1:22:25
  counter creation to oppose Ormaz's will, initiating A
• 1:22:29
  cosmic battle. The relationship between Mithras
• 1:22:32
  and the two divine brothers is ambiguous within the Mithraic
• 1:22:35
  initiatory system. This ambiguity may stem from
• 1:22:39
  Mithras exerting his mediating influence within the cult and
• 1:22:42
  attempting to synthesize the polar opposites represented by
• 1:22:45
  Ormazd and Ahriman. Among orthodox Zoroastrians,
• 1:22:50
  Ariman is understood as the devil.
• 1:22:52
  This fate was shared by some of Iran's other ancient gods, or
• 1:22:55
  Daivas. However, unlike others, Mithra
• 1:22:58
  was not associated with such diabolical connotations.
• 1:23:02
  In ancient times. Most Iranian sects did not
• 1:23:05
  embrace the philosophical dualism of Zoroastrianism and
• 1:23:08
  continued to worship their ancestral gods and goddesses in
• 1:23:11
  various ways. Ariman posed certain challenges
• 1:23:15
  but was not necessarily entirely evil.
• 1:23:17
  In some Mithraic sites statues of a lion headed God with the
• 1:23:21
  Latin inscription Deo Arminius were found interpreted by many
• 1:23:25
  as referring to Ariman. Mithras being identified among
• 1:23:29
  Mithrayists themselves as the same God as Ariman in his role
• 1:23:33
  as the bullslayer demonstrates the non dualistic nature of the
• 1:23:37
  Mithrayists. Another interpretation suggests
• 1:23:41
  that the Latin name Arimanius does not actually refer to the
• 1:23:44
  Pallavi name Ariman, but rather to another figure known as
• 1:23:47
  Ariman in Manichaean Middle Persian called erman in Pallavi,
• 1:23:52
  which means friend and member of the community, The Avastan noun
• 1:23:57
  eryaman, corresponding to the Vedic Ariman, also means friend
• 1:24:01
  and companion. This archaic divinity aligns
• 1:24:04
  better with the meaning of Mithras than with Ariman during
• 1:24:08
  the Hellenistic Age. After Alexander's conquest of
• 1:24:11
  Persia in 331 BCE, the entire Iranian pantheon, including its
• 1:24:16
  abstract principles, were given Greek and eventually Roman
• 1:24:20
  names. As this cultural exchange
• 1:24:22
  occurred, Iranian thoughts, originally abstract and non
• 1:24:25
  anthropomorphic entities, became increasingly personified.
• 1:24:30
  Similarly, in Greek and Roman cultures there was a tendency to
• 1:24:33
  personify the Old Gods, who were originally understood by
• 1:24:37
  philosophers as impersonal, abstract principles.
• 1:24:41
  The goddesses played a significant role in Mithraism
• 1:24:44
  even though only men were admitted to its mysteries.
• 1:24:47
  This does not diminish the importance of women or the
• 1:24:50
  divine in feminine form within the religion.
• 1:24:53
  The specific form of the faith represented in the Mithraic
• 1:24:56
  temples was predominantly male oriented.
• 1:24:59
  However, evidence suggests that the institution was less gender
• 1:25:03
  segregated in its early pre Roman period, becoming more
• 1:25:07
  segregated as it moved westward and developed into a more
• 1:25:10
  martial affair. Anahita, the consort of Mithra
• 1:25:15
  and the goddess of the Earth, held great importance in ancient
• 1:25:18
  Mithraism. Her name was Hellenized to
• 1:25:21
  Anaitis and she had three major manifestations with the titles a
• 1:25:25
  red Visura Anahita, meaning the Moist 1, the Heroic One and the
• 1:25:30
  Immaculate 1 respectively. These three forms aligned with
• 1:25:34
  the archaic Indo European tripartite division of the
• 1:25:37
  pantheon and human society into the farmer, herdsman, warrior
• 1:25:41
  and priest magician functions. Moistness represented fertility
• 1:25:46
  and organic growth. Heroism pertained to the warrior
• 1:25:49
  class and purity to the priests. Anahita, like Mithras, became a
• 1:25:54
  universal and all-encompassing goddess.
• 1:25:57
  Haggerty, originally a Thracian goddess, sometimes merged with
• 1:26:00
  Artemis. According to Herodotus, she was
• 1:26:03
  the daughter of the Titans, Perses and Hysteria, whose names
• 1:26:07
  relate to the shining light. Hecate was initially a moon
• 1:26:11
  goddess, but was also associated with the Underworld in the
• 1:26:14
  battle against the Titans. As an ally of Zeus, she held a
• 1:26:18
  revered position within The Olympian community, offering
• 1:26:21
  humans wealth, victory, and wisdom.
• 1:26:24
  Known as the Invincible Queen and the Goddess of Enchantments
• 1:26:27
  and Magic, Hecate was often depicted with her pack of
• 1:26:30
  infernal hounds at Crossroads. 3 faced statues of her were
• 1:26:34
  commonly found at these locations, where criminals were
• 1:26:37
  occasionally buried. On the eve of the full moon,
• 1:26:40
  offerings were made to these images.
• 1:26:42
  Sibley, originally the Phrygian Great Mother or Magnamata
• 1:26:46
  Goddess, represented the primitive and wild forces of
• 1:26:49
  nature. Over time, she was merged with
• 1:26:52
  Rhea, the wife of Kronos and the mother of Zeus.
• 1:26:55
  Almost all major goddesses were equated with Anahita in some
• 1:26:58
  way. Historical evidence suggests
• 1:27:01
  that the cult of Sibili formed a political and religious alliance
• 1:27:04
  with the Mithraists of Rome. In the years leading up to the
• 1:27:08
  decline of the Roman Empire, the divinities and philosophy of
• 1:27:11
  Mithraism exerted a significant social, political, and religious
• 1:27:15
  influence. Ernest renan's famous quote If
• 1:27:18
  Christianity had been halted in its growth, the world would have
• 1:27:21
  been. Mithraism has been criticized.
• 1:27:24
  Unlike Christianity, Mithraism was not intended to be a popular
• 1:27:28
  religion. Similarly, Jesus's original
• 1:27:31
  teachings were not meant to serve as the basis for a
• 1:27:33
  religion tailored for the masses.
• 1:27:36
  However, the times were conducive to the rise of a
• 1:27:38
  dogmatic and popular faith like Mithraism, which promised
• 1:27:42
  salvation through exaggerated claims, simple rituals, minimal
• 1:27:46
  effort, and emotive faith in Mithra.
• 1:27:49
  Mithraism embraced initiatory authority, disregarding Roman
• 1:27:53
  class distinctions. Masters and enslaved individuals
• 1:27:56
  were initiated together, often with formerly enslaved people
• 1:28:00
  assuming religious authority over their former masters.
• 1:28:04
  Nevertheless, Mithraism remained closely tied to the traditional
• 1:28:07
  elite of the Roman Empire and had a significant presence in
• 1:28:11
  both the civil and military administration.
• 1:28:14
  The Mithraists were renowned for their unwavering loyalty to the
• 1:28:17
  Emperor and the Empire, sharply contrasting with the Christians
• 1:28:20
  beliefs during that time. Although the church initially
• 1:28:24
  faced failure for about 300 years, it eventually gained
• 1:28:27
  success in political matters to undermine other philosophies and
• 1:28:31
  faiths. The church employed 2 main
• 1:28:34
  tactics, imitation and coercion. These tactics persisted
• 1:28:38
  throughout the history of Christianity.
• 1:28:41
  They would adopt features from other religions, and when
• 1:28:43
  Christians later encountered these features, they would
• 1:28:46
  condemn them as blasphemous imitations of Christian
• 1:28:49
  practices. This strategy was used to combat
• 1:28:52
  Mithraism. One example highlights this
• 1:28:55
  point. In the early years of
• 1:28:57
  Christianity, the birth of Mithras was widely celebrated on
• 1:29:00
  December 25th, while the birth of Jesus received little
• 1:29:04
  attention. However, as the Church needed to
• 1:29:07
  establish a liturgical calendar and incorporate rival
• 1:29:10
  celebrations, they conveniently chose that day as the birthday
• 1:29:14
  of Christ. According to the Bible's account
• 1:29:17
  of Jesus birth, he would have been born in March, not
• 1:29:21
  December, because Caesar's census for tax collection took
• 1:29:24
  place in March, coinciding with the Roman New Year and the
• 1:29:27
  Spring equinox. This explains why Mary and
• 1:29:31
  Joseph had to travel from Egypt to Bethlehem, their original
• 1:29:34
  hometown. The early church's placement of
• 1:29:37
  Christmas on December 25th seems to have been a deliberate
• 1:29:40
  strategy to eradicate an important Pagan holiday.
• 1:29:44
  This also allowed Christians after a few generations to
• 1:29:47
  accuse pagans of scheduling their holidays to mock Christian
• 1:29:50
  holy days diabolically. In 391-CE Christianity became
• 1:29:55
  the official state religion of the Roman Empire and all other
• 1:29:58
  cults were prohibited. Before this there were
• 1:30:02
  increasing persecutions of Mithraists by authoritarian
• 1:30:05
  forces within the church. Coercion became prevalent during
• 1:30:09
  this period. In 371, Mithraists were accused
• 1:30:13
  of involvement in an anti imperial plot, leading to the
• 1:30:16
  execution of many Christian mobs attacked Mithrea, burning and
• 1:30:20
  looting them. In 377, a Roman prefect named
• 1:30:24
  Gracchus who had converted to Christianity demonstrated his
• 1:30:28
  loyalty by destroying A Mithraic temple.
• 1:30:31
  Mithraic priests were often killed and sealed inside the
• 1:30:34
  underground temples, leaving their bodies as defilement.
• 1:30:37
  Some Mithraists themselves sealed off the entrances to the
• 1:30:40
  Mithraia, hoping that the persecutions by the victorious
• 1:30:44
  Christians would eventually subside and more tolerant times
• 1:30:48
  would come. For over 400 years, Mithraism
• 1:30:51
  played a significant role in the religious and philosophical life
• 1:30:55
  of the Roman Empire. Several emperors, such as
• 1:30:58
  Caligula, Commodus, and Julian the Apostate, were primarily
• 1:31:01
  influenced by Mithraic beliefs. By 382, official support for
• 1:31:06
  Mithraism was withdrawn as religious tolerance was on the
• 1:31:10
  brink of extinction in the soon to be Christian Roman Empire.
• 1:31:14
  Mithraic concepts were absorbed into the broader Pagan
• 1:31:17
  Alexandrian synthesis known as Hermeticism.
• 1:31:20
  The traditions of Mithraic magicians and Iranian religious
• 1:31:23
  thought were the main conduits for introducing these ideas into
• 1:31:27
  the religious and magical traditions of the West.
• 1:31:30
  Notably, the word Magia itself was borrowed from Mithraic
• 1:31:34
  ideology. Other influences on Mithraism
• 1:31:37
  included Israelite, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek traditions.
• 1:31:42
  Hermeticism was mainly localized in Hellenized centers in the
• 1:31:45
  eastern Mediterranean, particularly Egypt, and relied
• 1:31:49
  on written documents to preserve and disseminate its teachings.
• 1:31:52
  We have extensive knowledge of Hermeticism today, since many of
• 1:31:56
  these documents survived in the arid Egyptian desert.
• 1:31:59
  On the other hand, Mithraism spread throughout the Western
• 1:32:02
  world but was notably absent in the Greek peninsula.
• 1:32:06
  Its propagation occurred through a vast network of living oral
• 1:32:09
  traditions, disrupted when adherents died or were killed.
• 1:32:13
  Magnificent subterranean Mithraic temples, known as
• 1:32:17
  Mithreya, can be found scattered across Europe.
• 1:32:20
  Since each mithraam accommodated only up to 100 participants, new
• 1:32:24
  mithraya were established when the number surpassed this limit.
• 1:32:28
  The spread of the cult was vigorous and evident in the
• 1:32:30
  archaeological record. Although Mithraism was primarily
• 1:32:34
  embraced by the military, it was not exclusive to soldiers.
• 1:32:38
  Merchants, civil servants, and even enslaved individuals were
• 1:32:41
  counted among its members. While only a few women were
• 1:32:45
  mentioned as part of the Mithraic mysteries in the
• 1:32:47
  eastern Parthian Empire, women were accepted in the later
• 1:32:50
  centuries of Mithraism. Most adherents, particularly
• 1:32:54
  those in the Roman army, were soldiers or former soldiers.
• 1:32:58
  Consequently, numerous Mithra were found along the empire's
• 1:33:01
  northern border, which faced constant threats from Germanic
• 1:33:04
  tribes. Many Germanic tribes eventually
• 1:33:07
  became part of the Roman Empire along the Rhine and Danube,
• 1:33:10
  leading to the presence of significant Mithraea in these
• 1:33:13
  regions. Additionally, individual members
• 1:33:16
  of Germanic tribes joined the Roman army, served their 20
• 1:33:20
  years, and often returned to their homes beyond the frontier.
• 1:33:24
  It is worth noting that many Germanic tribe members were
• 1:33:27
  listed as soldiers in the Roman army of Valerian, who was
• 1:33:30
  captured by the Persian emperor Shapur the Great after the
• 1:33:33
  Battle of Edessa IN260-CE1. Aspect of Mithraism that is
• 1:33:38
  sometimes overlooked is it's similarity to modern Freemasonry
• 1:33:42
  in Europe. It was an institution where men
• 1:33:45
  of different nationalities, social standings, and economic
• 1:33:48
  backgrounds could belong to the same group and engage in
• 1:33:52
  meaningful communication. In some cases, enslaved
• 1:33:56
  individuals even held positions of authority over wealthy men.
• 1:34:00
  Mithras functioned as a deity who united, fighting men through
• 1:34:03
  an oath of loyalty and trustworthiness, offering them
• 1:34:06
  success in battle and protection in society.
• 1:34:10
  This role persisted from the Acumenid period in Persia and
• 1:34:13
  continued under the Romanized cult of Mithras.
• 1:34:16
  It was a powerful force that bound men from diverse ethnic
• 1:34:20
  backgrounds, political views, and economic positions into a
• 1:34:24
  community loyal to each other and the Roman Empire.
• 1:34:27
  This function was particularly significant during times of
• 1:34:31
  great stress within the empire. Throughout its active centuries,
• 1:34:35
  Mithraism played a vital role in synthesizing and disseminating
• 1:34:38
  ideas now associated with magic and hermeticism in Western
• 1:34:43
  Europe. Mithraism's importance should be
• 1:34:45
  acknowledged. Despite the absence of direct,
• 1:34:47
  continuous legacies or written records.
• 1:34:50
  The original homelands of Mithraism eventually fell to
• 1:34:53
  Islam. The Roman version of Mithraism
• 1:34:56
  played a pivotal role in the early development of the Arcana
• 1:34:59
  system, a series of symbolic images that eventually evolved
• 1:35:03
  into the Tarot as we know it today.
• 1:35:05
  This cult synthesized various elements from Iranian Mayanism,
• 1:35:09
  Mithraism, Greek and Roman Stoicism, Babylonian astrology,
• 1:35:14
  and Greco Egyptian Hermeticism. The magical and mystical aspects
• 1:35:18
  of the Iranian system merged with the scientific spirit of
• 1:35:21
  the Stoics and blended with Roman pragmatism, resulting in a
• 1:35:25
  unique mystery religion with a warrior's essence.
• 1:35:29
  It is important to note that the Roman codification of Mithraism
• 1:35:32
  contained more influences from non Iranian sources, including
• 1:35:36
  Tarot imagery than the Greek codification with its 24
• 1:35:40
  Stoichea. The essential factors of the
• 1:35:43
  Mithraic system were defined by myths, initiatory ranks with
• 1:35:47
  their teachings and the associated iconography.
• 1:35:50
  The ancient teachings of the Stoichea, the Magian tradition,
• 1:35:54
  were primarily conveyed in Greek by the Mithraists.
• 1:35:57
  In the West. During the Alexandrian period,
• 1:36:00
  certain sections of the Zarathustra and Gathas were
• 1:36:03
  translated into Greek. The Greek rituals incorporated
• 1:36:07
  Persian or barbaric words, which were not necessarily understood
• 1:36:11
  literally, although Mithraism's followers took pride in its
• 1:36:15
  Persian origins. The inscriptions in Mithraic
• 1:36:17
  cult sites initially appeared in Greek but later shifted to Latin
• 1:36:22
  using the Roman script. It is essential to grasp the
• 1:36:26
  Greek system to comprehend the earliest forms of the religious
• 1:36:29
  magical classification of mystical elements.
• 1:36:32
  The Greeks referred to the letters of their alphabet as
• 1:36:35
  stoichiia, meaning elements. These letters were believed to
• 1:36:39
  represent the fundamental building blocks of the cosmos
• 1:36:42
  and served as a guide to understanding the cosmic order.
• 1:36:46
  This order consisted of 24 essential elements, or stoichea,
• 1:36:51
  each corresponding to one of the 24 letters of the Greek
• 1:36:54
  alphabet, which were passed down to humanity by Hermes.
• 1:36:58
  The Greek writing system, still in use for modern Greek, was
• 1:37:01
  developed around the 10th or 8th century BCE and adapted from the
• 1:37:05
  Phoenician alphabet. The Greeks made a significant
• 1:37:08
  innovation by creating a phonetic script that accounted
• 1:37:12
  for all the sounds of their language, including both
• 1:37:14
  consonants and vowels. Their motive for doing so was
• 1:37:17
  purely practical. Intelligent individuals from
• 1:37:21
  various professions could easily learn and utilize this system.
• 1:37:25
  In contrast, the writing systems of ancient civilizations tended
• 1:37:29
  to be highly complex and cumbersome, such as the Egyptian
• 1:37:32
  hieroglyphics or Mesopotamian cuneiform, which were
• 1:37:35
  intentionally kept exclusive to a specialized professional
• 1:37:38
  class. It was not that the ancients
• 1:37:41
  couldn't figure out phonetic writing.
• 1:37:43
  They chose to make reading and writing difficult.
• 1:37:46
  Initially, the Greeks settled on a 24 letter system, likely for
• 1:37:50
  linguistic reasons, as many letters were only sporadically
• 1:37:53
  needed to represent the Greek language.
• 1:37:56
  They added double letters like C or K + S and C, and long
• 1:38:00
  versions of E&O. This fixation on the number the
• 1:38:03
  24th of may have been influenced by the number of phonetic
• 1:38:07
  characters in Egyptian hieroglyphics.
• 1:38:09
  The original Greek alphabet appeared as alpha, beta, gamma,
• 1:38:13
  delta, epsilon, Zeta, ETA, Theta, iota, Kappa, Lambda, MU
• 1:38:19
  nu XI omicron π, rho Sigma Tau epsilon Phi chi PSI Omega.
• 1:38:26
  As noted by Siga de Grelle, this system originally assigned
• 1:38:29
  numerical values from 1 to 24 to the letters.
• 1:38:32
  In the 2nd century BCEA, more advanced mathematical
• 1:38:36
  attribution of numbers was developed.
• 1:38:38
  However, these numerical meanings were less important to
• 1:38:41
  metaphysical or philosophical speculations than the original
• 1:38:44
  and archaic meanings. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, the
• 1:38:48
  capital letter forms represented the older epigraphical versions
• 1:38:51
  used for stone inscriptions, while the more cursive versions
• 1:38:55
  were used for writing on papyrus.
• 1:38:57
  In the discussion of the stoichiia below, we will
• 1:39:00
  primarily focus on the cursive versions.
• 1:39:03
  Many individuals listening to this audio book may already be
• 1:39:06
  familiar with the mystical speculations surrounding the
• 1:39:09
  Hebrew letters in the Kabbalah. These traditions, as well as
• 1:39:13
  those of the Mithraists, share similarities and historical
• 1:39:17
  connections. The fundamental premise of
• 1:39:20
  esoteric letter study is that there is a hidden connection
• 1:39:23
  between 4 aspects, number, shape, sound and meaning.
• 1:39:28
  This correspondence is believed to extend from the divine realm,
• 1:39:31
  the source of existence, to the earthly realm.
• 1:39:35
  Each letter is considered a true symbol of a higher principle,
• 1:39:38
  not merely an arbitrary sign. It is a part or manifestation of
• 1:39:42
  that principle. If the cosmos was created
• 1:39:44
  through the Word, a concept shared by both Judaic and Indo
• 1:39:48
  European traditions, then the letters are elements of the
• 1:39:51
  cosmic order. By consciously absorbing the
• 1:39:54
  patterns inherent in the Stoic head system, practitioners of
• 1:39:57
  Maggian teachings possess a divine metagrammar to understand
• 1:40:01
  themselves and the world, similar to how the gods
• 1:40:04
  comprehend these concepts. The number holds the highest
• 1:40:08
  position among the four aspects, as it is closest to divinity in
• 1:40:12
  its abstract nature. Numbers come closest to
• 1:40:15
  describing an element in its purest form.
• 1:40:17
  Numerical science or arithmetic knowledge is paramount because
• 1:40:21
  ancient Hermetic Pythagoreans considered numbers the root or
• 1:40:25
  arch of everything. Their belief has been proven
• 1:40:28
  correct. In the stage of existence that
• 1:40:30
  manifests, every tangible thing can be quantified on multiple
• 1:40:34
  levels, from its dimensions to the atomic numbers of the
• 1:40:37
  elements that compose it. We can create or recreate things
• 1:40:41
  in the physical world with knowledge of numbers.
• 1:40:44
  If this holds true in the realm of our five senses and three
• 1:40:47
  dimensions, it becomes even truer in the subtler realms.
• 1:40:51
  The shape and sound of a Stoic Ian exist on the same level,
• 1:40:55
  giving physical manifestation to the element.
• 1:40:58
  Through our senses we can perceive and hear this
• 1:41:00
  manifestation. For practical reasons, shape and
• 1:41:04
  sound are the most powerful magical tools for harnessing the
• 1:41:07
  powers of the Stoicaea. Many historical records of
• 1:41:10
  Hermetic magic found in the magical papyri involve using the
• 1:41:14
  elements at this level by writing formulas or uttering
• 1:41:18
  them aloud. The meaning of a Stoicaean is
• 1:41:21
  the most complex aspect as it is multi layered and manifold.
• 1:41:25
  Ultimately, meaning is of utmost importance to magicians as it is
• 1:41:29
  through meaning that the keys to working with the Stoicaya are
• 1:41:32
  discovered. The Stoicaya were used
• 1:41:34
  metaphorically by various sects and philosophies such as the
• 1:41:38
  Pythagoreans and Gnostics to convey their teachings.
• 1:41:42
  The Mithraic school likely influenced the development of
• 1:41:44
  the Tarot. In this discussion we will focus
• 1:41:47
  on what the Mithras probably taught regarding the Stoicaya,
• 1:41:51
  drawing much of our information from the Pallavi text called the
• 1:41:54
  Bundahishan, specifically the section on creation.
• 1:41:58
  This book, last edited in the 9th century CE, contains
• 1:42:02
  significant orthodox Zoroastrian influences, but retains elements
• 1:42:06
  of the ancient pre Zoroastrian system.
• 1:42:09
  Each letter and element contains A mysterious Persian razz,
• 1:42:12
  concealing the mystery within its simple external forms while
• 1:42:16
  revealing it through the meanings assigned to them.
• 1:42:18
  Some Iranian symbols employed an older system for encoding the
• 1:42:22
  Mithraic mysteries. The key to deciphering this
• 1:42:25
  system lies in the arrangement of the Yazatas, gods or angels
• 1:42:30
  within the 30 day Persian calendar.
• 1:42:32
  Some remnants of this system can be observed in later derivative
• 1:42:35
  systems, which we will explore in systematic detail.
• 1:42:39
  This discussion also encompasses individual Greek Stoichia,
• 1:42:43
  incorporating Greek, Iranian, Judaic, and Egyptian laws in a
• 1:42:47
  Hellenistic synthesis. This synthesis also gave rise to
• 1:42:51
  what we now know as the Hermetic tradition.
• 1:42:54
  The 1st letter of the Greek alphabet, Alpha or one,
• 1:42:58
  symbolizes the primordial bull sacrificed by Mithras to bring
• 1:43:02
  forth the natural world of plants and animals.
• 1:43:05
  This Semitic symbolism is reflected in the Hebrew alphabet
• 1:43:08
  as well. The name of the 1st letter means
• 1:43:11
  ox, further cementing the association between the first
• 1:43:14
  element and bovine symbolism. During the last centuries BCE,
• 1:43:20
  when the Magians were in close contact with the Semitic peoples
• 1:43:23
  of the Middle East, there was a significant cultural exchange
• 1:43:26
  between the keepers of Judaic and Magian secrets.
• 1:43:29
  In The Olympian Oracle, alpha represents the belief that
• 1:43:33
  success or good fortune can be expected in all things as
• 1:43:37
  revealed by God. On the other hand, Agrel,
• 1:43:41
  following a Zevonite perspective, associates the
• 1:43:44
  second element with the demonic and links it to the evil God
• 1:43:48
  Ariman. In the Zoroastrian system,
• 1:43:51
  Ariman is responsible for the creation of evil.
• 1:43:54
  According to Zorvanite doctrine, Ariman is the second son of
• 1:43:57
  Zervan, and evil represents the second principle of life known
• 1:44:01
  as Angra Minu. Ariman is referred to as the
• 1:44:05
  second and in the ancient Iranian cosmological text
• 1:44:08
  Bundahishan, it is said that the cosmic horror Yari delights in
• 1:44:12
  her wicked deeds twice to the pleasure of Angra Manu.
• 1:44:17
  However, it should also be noted that the Mithraists were not as
• 1:44:20
  strictly dualistic as some scholars have previously
• 1:44:22
  assumed. This is why Mithras can
• 1:44:25
  occasionally even be equated with Ariman.
• 1:44:27
  It is also possible that the names Ariman and Ariman
• 1:44:31
  belonging to members of the tribe became confused among
• 1:44:34
  outsiders in the strict dualistic doctrines of
• 1:44:36
  Manichaeanism and Gnosticism, where the creator of the natural
• 1:44:40
  world is identified as evil. Of course, the world's creation
• 1:44:44
  is precisely the function of the bull sacrifices in Mithraism.
• 1:44:48
  Therefore, the bull can be seen as a symbolic representation of
• 1:44:51
  Mithras himself as the sacrificial force behind the
• 1:44:54
  cosmos and the true magician. The Magian priests practiced
• 1:44:59
  animal sacrifice, which became unnecessary in the more
• 1:45:02
  philosophically oriented Zoroastrianism.
• 1:45:05
  The 3rd letter symbolizes the God Mithras, but in a
• 1:45:08
  transformed triadic manifestation.
• 1:45:11
  Mithras is often called trapezius, meaning three times
• 1:45:14
  as much in Greek texts. The goddess Anahita, the consort
• 1:45:18
  of Mithra, also possesses a triple aspect.
• 1:45:21
  She is called Ared Visura Anahita, representing the
• 1:45:25
  watery, the heroic and the pure. These correspond to the three
• 1:45:29
  levels of ancient Iranian and Indo European Society and
• 1:45:32
  theology, the fertility farmers, the warrior class, and the
• 1:45:36
  intellectual class of judges and priests.
• 1:45:39
  This represents the true and ancient origin of the triplicity
• 1:45:42
  associated with the Great Goddess.
• 1:45:45
  Much Christian mythology draws from the Iranian belief where
• 1:45:49
  three wise men, not kings, visit the young Jesus.
• 1:45:53
  This symbolizes the magical influence on this teacher and
• 1:45:56
  magician's formation and early education.
• 1:45:59
  In the discussion of the two rock icons in chapter 4, we will
• 1:46:03
  discover that the various forms of the Iranian gods as well as
• 1:46:07
  those of other Indo European peoples such as Greeks, Romans,
• 1:46:11
  Thracians and Phrygians have 3 aspects or hypotheses that
• 1:46:15
  describe their complete nature. This triad or triplicity is the
• 1:46:20
  mystery of this elemental principle.
• 1:46:22
  In Mithraic teachings, the delta represents the four natural
• 1:46:25
  elements, fire, air, water, and earth.
• 1:46:30
  These are depicted in Mithraic art through the four horses
• 1:46:33
  pulling Mithras's solar chariot, known as the Quadriga of
• 1:46:36
  Mithras. The 4th Yazata in the Iranian
• 1:46:39
  calendar system is Shatravaria, representing the sovereign
• 1:46:43
  Kingdom, or the power to rule. As The Olympian Oracle states,
• 1:46:48
  I'll timed power usually needs to be stronger.
• 1:46:51
  Epsilon. The 5th Stoichian is connected
• 1:46:54
  to the personification of primal fire or spiritual force embodied
• 1:46:58
  in Ion Zervan. Ion is the progenitor of the
• 1:47:01
  four natural elements the 4th Stoican represents.
• 1:47:05
  The pentagram is the symbol of Ion in the Pallavi Bundahican,
• 1:47:09
  which states that the five forms of fire were created.
• 1:47:12
  Fire is also tended to five times a day, marking divisions
• 1:47:16
  of the day for sacred purposes. Epsilon is sometimes identified
• 1:47:20
  with the Light or fiery spirit in Hermetic teachings,
• 1:47:23
  representing the fire of Zervan. In Mithraic art, Ion is often
• 1:47:28
  depicted emerging from Zervan's mouth and entering the sacred
• 1:47:31
  altar fire. Artar Zeta, the 6th letter, is
• 1:47:35
  associated with sacrificial offerings in Mithraism.
• 1:47:39
  Typically 6 loaves of sacrificial bread were offered
• 1:47:42
  at the altar, and the ancient Persians celebrated 6
• 1:47:45
  sacrificial festivals throughout the year.
• 1:47:48
  In Mithraism, the number six symbolizes the moon, which is
• 1:47:51
  the 6th sphere of heaven and is referred to as the Provider.
• 1:47:56
  The 7th element, represented by the letter ETA, symbolizes luck
• 1:48:00
  and happiness. 7 is considered the lucky number among the
• 1:48:04
  ancient Persians and is especially revered by Roman
• 1:48:07
  Mithraists as it is associated with Mithras in his aspect as
• 1:48:12
  the friendly helper. The 7th month of the ancient
• 1:48:15
  Persian calendar is dedicated to Mithras, and the 7th Sphere of
• 1:48:19
  Heaven belongs to the Sun Additionally, there are 7° in
• 1:48:24
  the Mithraic initiatory system corresponding to the seven
• 1:48:27
  visible planets. 7 is also the number associated with the
• 1:48:31
  Amatia Spentas, the Holy Immortals.
• 1:48:34
  The 8th letter Theta is identified with the 8th Sphere
• 1:48:38
  of Heaven, known as the Primer Mobile, which lies beyond the
• 1:48:42
  realm of the planets. This sphere is believed to be a
• 1:48:45
  crystalline heaven and serves as the matrix in which the stars
• 1:48:49
  are fixed. It contains the mysteries of the
• 1:48:51
  cosmological schemata, including the unique form of Mithraic
• 1:48:55
  astrology, which is more concerned with psychic or
• 1:48:58
  spiritual reality than the natural world.
• 1:49:01
  Iota, the 9th Stoicheon, corresponds to the number 9 and
• 1:49:06
  is connected with the abstract goddess of Fate, or Ananke, who
• 1:49:10
  is also associated with ether and the night.
• 1:49:13
  Ananke is highly honored among the Mithraists and resides in
• 1:49:16
  the realm beyond the fixed stars and planets.
• 1:49:19
  Her throne is said to be both above and below these regions.
• 1:49:22
  She is a driving force behind the initiates pursuit of higher
• 1:49:25
  levels of sanctification and their quest to alleviate
• 1:49:29
  suffering and alienation. In Iranian tradition, 10 and
• 1:49:33
  it's multiples are often used to indicate death and misfortune.
• 1:49:36
  According to the Bundahesian, Angra Maynu sent 1000 murderous
• 1:49:40
  demon divers upon the pure man, and the evil God created 10,000
• 1:49:45
  diseases. The Greek Olympian Oracle
• 1:49:48
  associates the letter Kappa with the Greek word keema, meaning
• 1:49:52
  wave or the ocean swell, symbolizing something difficult
• 1:49:55
  to struggle against. Lambda, the 11th letter, holds
• 1:49:59
  significance in Buddhism. It is believed that from the
• 1:50:02
  sacrificed cosmic bulls, 4 legs and penis, 55 types of grains
• 1:50:07
  and twelve types of healing herbs emerged.
• 1:50:10
  Agrel suggests that 55 = 11 * 5, indicating that the original
• 1:50:16
  number representing growth and vegetative vitality was 11.
• 1:50:20
  The 11th day of the Avastan Persian calendar is dedicated to
• 1:50:24
  the Sun MU. The 12th letter corresponds to
• 1:50:27
  the number 12 and is associated with the healing herbs mentioned
• 1:50:31
  in Chapter 10 of the Bundahitian.
• 1:50:33
  These sacred plants represent the most potent elements of the
• 1:50:36
  vegetative cosmos, springing forth from the essence of the
• 1:50:40
  sacrificed bull. The 12th day of the Avastan
• 1:50:43
  Persian calendar is dedicated to the Moon, and it is believed
• 1:50:47
  that the bull's seed is purified on this day, giving rise to
• 1:50:51
  numerous animal species. New The 13th letter is connected
• 1:50:56
  with the Thracian goddess Hecate, held in high regard by
• 1:50:59
  ancient Mithraists. Hecate is worshipped alongside
• 1:51:02
  Ariman Pluto among the Greeks and is associated with Persia.
• 1:51:07
  In a magical papyrus describing a love ritual to be performed on
• 1:51:11
  the 13th or 14th night of the month, Hecate is invoked with
• 1:51:14
  her various aspects. She is known as the Arrow
• 1:51:17
  Shooter and is magically linked to Diana, Artemis and Aphrodite.
• 1:51:22
  The 13th day of the Persian month is dedicated to the astral
• 1:51:26
  divinity Tishtria and Mithraic. Astrologers identified the star
• 1:51:30
  Sirius with Hecate C. The 14th letter is associated
• 1:51:35
  with the fixed stars. It is believed that the secret
• 1:51:39
  doctrine of Mithraism specifically identified this
• 1:51:42
  symbol with the stars of the constellation Taurus, the bull.
• 1:51:47
  In the Avastan Persian calendar, the 14th day of the month is
• 1:51:50
  considered sacred to the bull's soul, Omicron.
• 1:51:54
  The 15th letter is connected to the element of the Sun or the
• 1:51:58
  light it emanates. According to the Bundahishan,
• 1:52:02
  the first men were created when Samaritan or Gayamat died,
• 1:52:05
  leaving behind his purified and activated semen influenced by
• 1:52:09
  the revolving sun. These are the symbolic
• 1:52:12
  associations of the Greek alphabet letters within the
• 1:52:15
  context of Mithraic teachings and Iranian tradition.
• 1:52:19
  Each letter represents a different aspect or principle
• 1:52:22
  contributing to understanding the cosmic and spiritual realms.
• 1:52:26
  After four decades had passed, the first human beings emerged
• 1:52:30
  from a Bush with 15 leaves, each taking the form of a 15 year old
• 1:52:34
  girl. The 15th day of the month held
• 1:52:37
  great significance as it was considered sacred to the God of
• 1:52:40
  Light or must. Additionally, it was associated
• 1:52:44
  with the mathematical constant π or the 16th element, which
• 1:52:48
  represented Mithras in the Hermetic system.
• 1:52:52
  Another powerful deity, Serapis, was also connected to the 16th
• 1:52:56
  element. The 16th day was dedicated to
• 1:52:59
  Mithras in the Avastan calendar, and sometimes a 16 raid star
• 1:53:04
  accompanied his name. According to the Bundahishan,
• 1:53:08
  there were 17 different fluids found in plants, animal and
• 1:53:11
  human semen, blood, sweat, tears, and milk.
• 1:53:15
  These fluids embodied the vital life forces in plants and
• 1:53:18
  animals, and they merged during the growth process in the
• 1:53:21
  physical world. Srawsha, the Avastan Persian God
• 1:53:25
  and brother of Mithra, carried a bundle of branches known as the
• 1:53:28
  basman. During the sacrifice, the Magian
• 1:53:31
  priest held this bundle, which consisted of 21 twigs or metal
• 1:53:35
  wires. Through this ritual, the priest
• 1:53:38
  governed and enhanced the life forces of the world.
• 1:53:41
  These branches symbolized the magician's ability to bridge the
• 1:53:44
  gap between the material and spiritual realms.
• 1:53:47
  Known as gettic and Menog. This stoicheon, or element was
• 1:53:52
  also associated with one aspect of the Great Goddess Anahita,
• 1:53:56
  specifically the aspect called araghvi.
• 1:53:59
  Representing moisture and connected to bodies of water,
• 1:54:02
  particularly large rivers, the number 18 held sacred
• 1:54:06
  significance to the underworld gods and the realm of the dead.
• 1:54:11
  In the Avastan calendar, the 18th day was dedicated to
• 1:54:14
  Rashnu, Mithra's second brother and the judge of souls, as they
• 1:54:18
  crossed the Chinvat bridge. Rashnu, fulfilling the role of a
• 1:54:22
  psychopomp guiding the souls of the deceased, bore a resemblance
• 1:54:27
  to the Greek deity Hermes. The Germanic tradition
• 1:54:30
  associated 18 with the horse transporting the dead between
• 1:54:34
  worlds. The 19th element contained the
• 1:54:37
  microcosm of the human being, as it encompassed the 12 Zodiac
• 1:54:41
  signs and the seven planets. This connection between the
• 1:54:45
  macrocosm and the microcosm was prevalent in Babylonian
• 1:54:48
  tradition, where 19 represented the number of men.
• 1:54:52
  The Bundahishan stated that after 57 years of Sao Shian's
• 1:54:56
  rule, all the dead would be resurrected, presenting a
• 1:54:59
  mathematical structural formula for transformation. 57 = 3 * 19.
• 1:55:06
  In the Rigveda, the ancient Indian mythic text, it was
• 1:55:09
  mentioned that the cosmic man Purusha was sacrificed and the
• 1:55:13
  world was formed from 12 parts of him.
• 1:55:16
  The text further describes 7 enclosing sticks and thrice 7
• 1:55:20
  fuel sticks. In the sacrificial ritual
• 1:55:22
  aligning with the 19th Stoicheon, the 20th element
• 1:55:26
  known as Epsilon was associated with water.
• 1:55:30
  In Chapter 7 of the Bondesen, the creation of water was
• 1:55:33
  described, where 2 main streams called Ranga and Vangi gave rise
• 1:55:38
  to 18 rivers. Thus 2 + 18 equal 20.
• 1:55:42
  Plato attributed the icosahedron, A20 sided solid, to
• 1:55:47
  the element of water due to its geometrical model.
• 1:55:50
  The Greek word for water also began with the letter epsilon,
• 1:55:54
  further reinforcing the correspondence between the
• 1:55:56
  element and the letter. The 21st day of the Avastan
• 1:56:00
  calendar was dedicated to Ramavastra, the masculine God of
• 1:56:05
  fertility and virility. The Greek word for the male
• 1:56:08
  sexual organ, phallus, also started with this letter number
• 1:56:12
  combination, strengthening the connection between these
• 1:56:15
  concepts. The number 21 represented
• 1:56:17
  connections, as seen in the most powerful mantra in
• 1:56:20
  Zoroastrianism, the hunveya, which consisted of 21 words.
• 1:56:26
  Additionally, the barsam or basman, A symbolic tool used by
• 1:56:30
  magicians to establish connections between the material
• 1:56:32
  and spiritual worlds, comprised 21 twigs or wire strands.
• 1:56:37
  The 22nd element, Qi, had connections to property and
• 1:56:41
  ownership. Agrel suggested a link between
• 1:56:44
  this stoicheon and the 22nd letter of the Hebrew Semitic
• 1:56:47
  alphabet, which featured a simple cruciform sign resembling
• 1:56:51
  A+ or X. The sign was often found on
• 1:56:54
  early minted coins and possibly referred to the southern,
• 1:56:57
  northern, eastern and western winds.
• 1:56:59
  Mentioned in the 22nd Zorozza of the Avastan Persian calendar in
• 1:57:04
  a mantra dedicated to the Yazata named Vata.
• 1:57:08
  On the 23rd day of the Avastan calendar, Ormazed, the God of
• 1:57:12
  light in heaven was venerated. This stoicheon was also
• 1:57:16
  associated with Zeus or Jupiter, specifically Kayla's.
• 1:57:20
  The Mithraists referred to this God as Zeus, Ahura, Mazda, or
• 1:57:24
  Zeus or Mazd. The shape of the Grammatan, a
• 1:57:27
  magical symbol, resembled a bundle of lightning bolts, often
• 1:57:30
  depicted in Mithraic art and mentioned about the 23rd field
• 1:57:34
  of the Pergamon Disk. The 24th element, Omega,
• 1:57:38
  represented the fulfilment of the entire series of stoichiya
• 1:57:42
  and symbolized richness or full power.
• 1:57:45
  Agrel identified a Trinity of Iranian goddesses in this slot,
• 1:57:49
  AC, Vangi and Dana. AC represented good wealth,
• 1:57:54
  Vangi denoted insight or true religion, and Dana represented
• 1:57:58
  wisdom. According to the Persian of
• 1:58:00
  Estan calendar's first 24 days, the process culminated in an
• 1:58:04
  individual's enlightenment. Endowed with the most precious
• 1:58:08
  gift of insight, Dana. These stoichia could be adapted
• 1:58:12
  to the Iranian system of symbols, assigning material
• 1:58:15
  qualities to each element for use in divinatory practices.
• 1:58:20
  Each stoicheon evoked certain images serving as keys to
• 1:58:23
  mysteries. The prevalent use of Greek
• 1:58:26
  letters in ancient religious systems, including the Hebrew
• 1:58:29
  Bible, was noteworthy. However, some Magians in Asia
• 1:58:33
  Minor used Aramaic as their ritual language as early as 500
• 1:58:37
  BCE, suggesting an earlier classification of initiatory and
• 1:58:41
  cosmological images based on the 22 letters of the Aramaic and
• 1:58:45
  Hebrew alphabets influenced by non Jewish Pagan Semitic law.
• 1:58:50
  Furthermore, the Roman alphabet incorporated older law related
• 1:58:54
  to Greek and Aramaic or Hebrew letters.
• 1:58:57
  Roman letters were employed as esoteric numerical codes as seen
• 1:59:01
  in the Sator Rota Square, a Mithraic mythic system.
• 1:59:05
  When the numerical equivalents of the Roman letters in the
• 1:59:07
  Sator Square were added, they equaled the sum of all the names
• 1:59:11
  of the seven Mithraic initiatory grades, which was 2520.
• 1:59:16
  This sum corresponded to 7 * 360, the number of Mithraic
• 1:59:20
  grades, planets, Greek vowels, and other elements multiplied by
• 1:59:25
  the number of degrees in a circle.
• 1:59:27
  Such intriguing coincidences often left those who discovered
• 1:59:30
  or contemplated them in awe of the mystery.
• 1:59:33
  If that is indeed the case, it has served a valuable purpose.
• 1:59:37
  Another significant piece of solid evidence is the 24 fold
• 1:59:41
  character of the divinatory symbol system widely used during
• 1:59:44
  the Hellenistic period, specifically the so-called magic
• 1:59:48
  disc of Pergamon. During the Hellenistic period,
• 1:59:52
  the Mithraism and Magi Schism, originally rooted in an Iranian
• 1:59:56
  context in the 3rd to 2nd century BCE, assimilated into
• 2:00:00
  the Western world, particularly in Asia Minor, within the
• 2:00:04
  Hellenistic Greek based symbolism.
• 2:00:06
  This assimilation occurred in the 1st century BCE and
• 2:00:10
  continued into the early years of the Christian era.
• 2:00:13
  As the power of Rome grew and Romans came to dominate the
• 2:00:16
  Mediterranean and Europe, more and more people in the empire
• 2:00:19
  were drawn to and joined the Mithraic cult.
• 2:00:23
  Consequently, the Hellenistic influence on its symbolism
• 2:00:27
  gradually gave way to a stronger Latin character.
• 2:00:30
  The use of Latin was essential as the cult spread among the
• 2:00:33
  population of the Western Empire, where Latin Vulgate was
• 2:00:37
  the lingua franca. Latin was the language spoken by
• 2:00:40
  the common people in the Empire, albeit A simplified version
• 2:00:44
  compared to Classical Latin, and from it emerged the Romance
• 2:00:47
  languages such as Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and
• 2:00:51
  Romanian. Syncretic religions and magical
• 2:00:55
  systems possess the hidden genius of maintaining their
• 2:00:58
  existence while constantly evolving and retaining an aura
• 2:01:01
  of stability and ancient tradition.
• 2:01:04
  For our study, this phenomenon had a significant impact as the
• 2:01:07
  Greek language, which had replaced the Iranian language as
• 2:01:10
  the liturgical or ritual language of the Mithraic
• 2:01:13
  Mysteries, was eventually replaced by Latin.
• 2:01:17
  With this shift, the former power of the Greek alphabet to
• 2:01:20
  classify and order the symbols of the mysteries in an
• 2:01:22
  informative manner greatly diminished.
• 2:01:25
  As a response, the Roman alphabet was used to rearrange
• 2:01:28
  and reinterpret the initiatory and cosmological teachings of
• 2:01:32
  the mysteries. Additionally, Latin, often in
• 2:01:35
  the form of the Vulgate dialect, served as the common language of
• 2:01:39
  the citizens of the Roman Empire, which further
• 2:01:41
  facilitated the spread of the Mithraic cult among people of
• 2:01:45
  different nationalities. It would be unreasonable to
• 2:01:48
  speculate that a system of tarot cards existed long before the
• 2:01:51
  Renaissance in Italy or the advent of the printing press.
• 2:01:55
  However, it is posited that there was an older system of
• 2:01:58
  symbols associated with specific sequences, such as the Iranian
• 2:02:02
  Zoroastrian ceresis, the Greek letters Stoicaea, the Roman
• 2:02:07
  letters Littora or Nota, and possibly even Germanic ruins and
• 2:02:11
  Egyptian hieroglyphic phonetic signs.
• 2:02:14
  These ancient symbols form the deep background of the icons
• 2:02:17
  that eventually became known as the Taro in the 15th century.
• 2:02:21
  Each of these simple signs carried an oral verbal
• 2:02:24
  tradition, explaining the symbols in terms of iconography.
• 2:02:28
  A similar tradition can be observed in the Germanic rune
• 2:02:31
  poems, which provide word pictures that could easily be
• 2:02:34
  translated into representational images similar to those found in
• 2:02:38
  the tarot. Thus, the original icons were
• 2:02:41
  mental images associated with divinities or letters of an
• 2:02:44
  alphabet used in divinity operations.
• 2:02:47
  Only later were these mental images translated into pictorial
• 2:02:51
  representations. The Roman system used 22 letters
• 2:02:55
  for magical or divinity purposes, even though the Greek
• 2:02:58
  alphabet had 24 stoichiia and the Roman system used during the
• 2:03:03
  imperial period had 23 letters. Y was never used as an initial
• 2:03:08
  letter in Latin, as it was employed to transcribe the Greek
• 2:03:11
  letter upsilon when borrowing words from Greek into Latin.
• 2:03:16
  Consequently, only 22 letters could be used for initial sounds
• 2:03:19
  in the Latin language. Divinatory practices which
• 2:03:23
  involve drawing lots, typically made of metal and inscribed with
• 2:03:27
  letters or short phrases, starting with these 22 letters,
• 2:03:30
  were based on this principle. These lots or sorts in Latin
• 2:03:34
  would only amount to 22 in number.
• 2:03:37
  The order of these letters is identical to that used in modern
• 2:03:40
  languages, with a few omissions. For phonetic reasons.
• 2:03:43
  Notably, the sound J is simply a stylistic variant of I.
• 2:03:48
  The letter K was used in Greek. Loanwords and V&U were
• 2:03:52
  considered identical, therefore a name like Julius would have
• 2:03:56
  been written as IVL in classical Latin but pronounced as Julius.
• 2:04:00
  The Hellenistic system of Mithraic esotericism, along with
• 2:04:04
  what we now refer to as Hermetic esotericism, underwent a process
• 2:04:08
  of re encoding from the Greek system into a Roman one.
• 2:04:12
  This new encoding dominated occult teachings in Western
• 2:04:15
  Europe from the 2nd century CE until the medieval period.
• 2:04:19
  On the other hand, Greek maintained a stronger presence
• 2:04:22
  in the East. These linguistic variations also
• 2:04:25
  influence the exoteric religions, with Greek being
• 2:04:28
  dominant in the East and Latin in the West.
• 2:04:31
  The re encoded system of the Roman esotericists was based on
• 2:04:35
  the key #22, with the Tarot symbolism being an essential
• 2:04:39
  component of it. The symbolism of the Major
• 2:04:42
  Arcana in the Tarot likely originated from certain simple
• 2:04:45
  iconic images associated with the 24th stoichia of the Greek
• 2:04:50
  alphabet. These images were evoked in
• 2:04:53
  divinatory practices that utilized Greek letters during
• 2:04:56
  Late Antiquity. However, these images were most
• 2:04:59
  likely invoked in the reader's imaginations based on verbal
• 2:05:03
  descriptions that were part of the initiatory process.
• 2:05:07
  The letters only served as a suggestion for the images
• 2:05:10
  triggered by a divinatory keyword or an oracular phrase.
• 2:05:14
  The scenario proposed by this history is that the Tarot as it
• 2:05:18
  emerged in the Late Middle Ages was not the beginning, but
• 2:05:22
  rather the culmination of a long development and transformation
• 2:05:25
  process. By examining various sets of
• 2:05:28
  tarot cards, we can reconstruct the oldest imagery of the
• 2:05:32
  original Roman Taric, which can serve as the basis for a
• 2:05:35
  possible restoration of the imagery of the two lost cards of
• 2:05:39
  the hypothetical Greek rock. The iconography of the arcana is
• 2:05:43
  illustrated in images found in different tarot decks.
• 2:05:47
  Typically, I refer to the oldest nearly complete set of the Major
• 2:05:50
  Arcana, known as the Visconti Sforza deck from Renaissance
• 2:05:54
  Italy in the 15th century, as well as the designs of the
• 2:05:58
  gringois cards believed to have been produced for King Charles
• 2:06:01
  in the mid 15th century, with a likely Venetian origin.
• 2:06:05
  The third example can be drawn from several decks, sometimes
• 2:06:09
  using the mid 18th century Marseille deck, the foundation
• 2:06:13
  for the most common modern occult designs.
• 2:06:16
  One of the fascinating aspects of studying these images is that
• 2:06:19
  they are drawn from a wide range of sources.
• 2:06:22
  However, this should be no surprise since Mithraic Hermetic
• 2:06:26
  syncretism combined elements from various sources and
• 2:06:30
  integrated them into a coherent, yet ever evolving system.
• 2:06:34
  The cultural elements represented in the Tarot cards
• 2:06:37
  can be explained historically. The main elements are derived
• 2:06:41
  from the Iranian, Mithraic or Magian tradition, the Semitic
• 2:06:44
  Mesopotamian tradition, Egyptian mythology and religion, and the
• 2:06:48
  primary Greek and Roman traditions.
• 2:06:51
  Furthermore, lesser known elements including ancient gods
• 2:06:54
  and goddesses of Rome such as Orcas and Libra are also
• 2:06:58
  strongly represented. Greek elements such as Hecate
• 2:07:02
  from Thrace were often imported from non Greek origins.
• 2:07:06
  This openness to suppressed material results from the
• 2:07:08
  Mithraic and Magian traditions progressively becoming
• 2:07:12
  marginalized in the Western world.
• 2:07:14
  As Orthodox Christianity gained dominance.
• 2:07:17
  These traditions served as repositories for ideas that were
• 2:07:20
  being increasingly pushed underground.
• 2:07:23
  One fascinating aspect of the history of tarot cards is that
• 2:07:26
  even relatively recent cards from the 17th or 18th century
• 2:07:30
  can exhibit archaic characteristics dating back as
• 2:07:33
  far as the Roman era, nearly 1500 years earlier.
• 2:07:38
  This is due to the disappearance of the older cards that served
• 2:07:41
  as the basis for the symbolism in later ones.
• 2:07:44
  Only fragmentary remnants of decks like the Viscontis, Forza,
• 2:07:47
  and Gringois survive, as most cards from the early modern
• 2:07:51
  period have turned to dust. The term arcanium used to
• 2:07:54
  describe the tarot holds significant importance.
• 2:07:58
  It derives from the Latin word for secret or mystery, and
• 2:08:01
  originally denoted something closed off and separated from
• 2:08:03
  the mundane world. However, it simultaneously
• 2:08:07
  conceals and reveals meaning. Interestingly, in the Germanic
• 2:08:11
  world, symbols that shared similarities with the esoteric
• 2:08:14
  values of Greek and Roman letters were called runes, which
• 2:08:18
  translates to mystery or secret. The enumeration of the Arcana
• 2:08:22
  follows 2 lines, each having an exoteric and an esoteric
• 2:08:25
  designation. The exoteric designation appears
• 2:08:28
  immediately after the letter designation, while the esoteric
• 2:08:32
  number is enclosed in square brackets.
• 2:08:34
  Interpretive comments on each tarot image are sourced from
• 2:08:37
  various references, but must be comprehensive.
• 2:08:40
  Amber Rae Broderick's photographic artwork, spanning
• 2:08:43
  centuries, not only encompasses the ancient world where these
• 2:08:47
  icons originated, but also touched upon the early 20th
• 2:08:50
  century, during which the scholar and poet Agrel conducted
• 2:08:54
  his work. Listeners are encouraged to
• 2:08:56
  explore other materials in this audio book, especially those
• 2:09:00
  outlining the symbolism of the magical disc of Pergamon or the
• 2:09:04
  allure of the individual Greek Stoic, here to uncover hidden
• 2:09:07
  connections between the Roman system of Arcana and older
• 2:09:11
  traditions. The discovery of the Greek
• 2:09:13
  letter corresponding to each Roman arcana is often crucial in
• 2:09:17
  reconnecting the arcanum to the deepest levels of mystery.
• 2:09:21
  The Fool, designated as a or one typically portrays a court
• 2:09:26
  jester roaming the countryside with a bundle on a stick in the
• 2:09:30
  gringois deck. He is often depicted as being
• 2:09:32
  bitten by a dog. The man possesses bull like or
• 2:09:36
  animalistic ears, which relates to the origin of the name and
• 2:09:39
  the overall series of images discussed.
• 2:09:42
  E Illinois mato in Italian and the Fool in English carry
• 2:09:46
  universal implications. Originally, only three cards
• 2:09:49
  existed, the Fool, the Magician, and the world.
• 2:09:53
  Each of these held a value of five points.
• 2:09:55
  In the Tarot game, the term trump originated from the Latin
• 2:09:59
  triumphus, but was also influenced by triumviri,
• 2:10:03
  representing three men. It was before these three men,
• 2:10:07
  the triumvirate, that the triumphal victory marches in
• 2:10:10
  Rome took place. Employing the symbolic language
• 2:10:13
  of the Tarot, these three men were depicted in the initial and
• 2:10:16
  final cards of the sequence. In fact, the name of the entire
• 2:10:20
  system may have derived from its original name.
• 2:10:23
  Agrel highlighted that the French Provost Aylward Tarok,
• 2:10:26
  which evolved from the Latin Taurus meaning bull, refers to a
• 2:10:31
  foolish or bull headed person. Furthermore, it's intriguing to
• 2:10:35
  consider that the system's name could be traced back to the
• 2:10:37
  Greek term for the Mithraic bull slaying, Toroktony.
• 2:10:41
  The original number assigned to the Fool was one.
• 2:10:44
  The later adoption of the #0 for this card is a modern edition.
• 2:10:48
  The number one, as a pure quality rather than a quantity,
• 2:10:52
  encompasses many of the connotations associated with 0
• 2:10:55
  in the contemporary mind. For divination purposes, the
• 2:10:59
  Roman Mithraic name for this image should begin with the
• 2:11:02
  letter A. The name would have likely been
• 2:11:05
  known to the Romans at that time, taking the form of the
• 2:11:08
  name of the Egyptian divine bull of the sun.
• 2:11:11
  Apeus Apus was well known in the ancient world.
• 2:11:15
  Agrel attributed this name to the depicted icon.
• 2:11:19
  However, the word apeuse holds a great mystery.
• 2:11:22
  In Latin, Apus also means B, symbolizing the mimega, A
• 2:11:27
  distinguished fellowship of initiates responsible for
• 2:11:29
  spreading Zarathustra's philosophy and subtly
• 2:11:32
  incorporating its elements into other systems.
• 2:11:35
  The Fool is often an unknowing initiate into this hidden realm
• 2:11:38
  of wisdom. The original image probably
• 2:11:41
  represented the complete Mithraic bull slaying toroctony,
• 2:11:45
  but for divinatory purposes it likely depicted only the bull's
• 2:11:48
  horns, perhaps with a dog beneath them.
• 2:11:51
  A complete toroctany depiction reveals Mithras stabbing the
• 2:11:54
  bull while looking away in disgust or ignorance of the
• 2:11:57
  consequences. As a dog licks the blood from
• 2:12:00
  the wound and a scorpion attempts to devour the bull's
• 2:12:03
  testicles, a snake slithers. Below the scene above, images of
• 2:12:08
  the Sun, Moon, and the entire Zodiac hover.
• 2:12:11
  This scene foreshadows many of the significant images
• 2:12:13
  underlying the Tarot series. The bull has been replaced by
• 2:12:17
  the human figure of the bullier jester, yet the connection to
• 2:12:20
  the dog remains. The original meaning of this
• 2:12:23
  image is cosmogonic, representing the beginning of
• 2:12:26
  all things. Omnipresent in every moment, It
• 2:12:30
  symbolizes the primordial sacrifice that gives birth to
• 2:12:33
  all existence. At the outset, the active agent,
• 2:12:37
  whether the mind, spirit of God or man, is unaware of the
• 2:12:40
  consequences that set evolution and change into motion.
• 2:12:44
  Looking away from his action in nearly every bull sacrifice
• 2:12:47
  seen, Mithras reflects that circumstances compel him to do
• 2:12:51
  so, not his conscious will to kill the bull.
• 2:12:54
  Through his actions, a greater good previously hidden from him
• 2:12:58
  is revealed. Hence he is called a fool.
• 2:13:01
  Every act born out of exploring the unknown, driven by curiosity
• 2:13:05
  about what is concealed, starts with foolishness.
• 2:13:08
  The name Agrel ascribed to this Arcanum Apas poses some
• 2:13:13
  difficulties. It is the only name linked to
• 2:13:15
  Egyptian religion. APIs is the Greek and Roman name
• 2:13:18
  given to the Egyptian God Harpy Anchor manifested in a living
• 2:13:22
  bull with specific markings. When such a bull died, it was
• 2:13:26
  mummified and worshipped. On multiple occasions, foreign
• 2:13:29
  conquerors of Egypt, including the Persians, sacrificed the
• 2:13:33
  Abbas bull, much to the Egyptians dismay.
• 2:13:36
  Politically, these actions were always foolish.
• 2:13:39
  Bacatus the magician, or Agrel, is eager to associate the second
• 2:13:43
  card with the concept of the demonic.
• 2:13:45
  He draws parallels between the image of the magician or juggler
• 2:13:49
  and the ancient Egyptian demon God set.
• 2:13:52
  For instance, the human figure depicted on the second card
• 2:13:55
  almost always carries a magical staff or scepter, and in Greek
• 2:13:59
  magical papyri the Set is referred to as the scepter
• 2:14:02
  carrier. A visual representation of Set
• 2:14:06
  bears a striking resemblance to the typical depiction of the
• 2:14:09
  magician in Taro. Furthermore, the divine power
• 2:14:12
  scepter carried by Egyptian gods resembles the very image of the
• 2:14:16
  God Set. In Egypt, Set was always
• 2:14:19
  considered the God of foreigners.
• 2:14:21
  When the Hyksos Semites ruled Egypt around 1700 to 1550 BCE,
• 2:14:26
  their Baal was identified with Set.
• 2:14:28
  Similarly, during the Persian rule from 527 to 405 BCE, their
• 2:14:34
  Mithra was likely connected to Set in his war God aspect.
• 2:14:38
  The wise magicians residing in Egypt would have had a different
• 2:14:41
  understanding of the myth of Set compared to many Egyptians of
• 2:14:45
  that time. They would have seen Sets
• 2:14:47
  killing and dismemberment of Osiris as a reflection of their
• 2:14:51
  ancient cosmogonic myth where the sacrifice of a bull or
• 2:14:54
  cosmic man, Guyomat, gave birth to the world.
• 2:14:59
  This act of divine will which disrupted the cosmic order, was
• 2:15:03
  the first magical and creative act, making Mithras or Set the
• 2:15:06
  first true magician. It's important to note that Set,
• 2:15:10
  the Egyptian God, was not always considered evil in his martial
• 2:15:14
  aspect. He defended the gods and was the
• 2:15:17
  chief deity of notable and successful Pharaohs like Seti
• 2:15:20
  the First, Ramses the Second, Seti the 2nd, and Set Nocta.
• 2:15:25
  Many other Pharaohs of that era were likely followers of Set as
• 2:15:28
  well. The oldest name associated with
• 2:15:30
  the figure depicted in this image refers to the function of
• 2:15:33
  a magician, describing him as the one who carries a magic
• 2:15:36
  staff. In Italian he is known as
• 2:15:38
  Illinois Bagato, while in French he is called la petite.
• 2:15:43
  These names are derived from the Latin baccalaureateus, meaning
• 2:15:47
  one who carries a staff. Over time, this term evolved to
• 2:15:50
  refer to a juggler or someone who deals with illusions.
• 2:15:54
  However, this aligns with a philosophical and cosmological
• 2:15:57
  principle inherited from Indo Iranian beliefs, where the
• 2:16:01
  creator of the natural world is seen as a wielder of illusions.
• 2:16:05
  In place of this God, magicians act upon the natural universe to
• 2:16:08
  manifest changes according to their will.
• 2:16:11
  The more commonly used modern term magician originates from
• 2:16:15
  the Iranian word magus, which refers to a fire cult priest.
• 2:16:19
  Initially, this name was associated with a specific tribe
• 2:16:23
  or caste, but some migrated westward over time and initiated
• 2:16:27
  outsiders into their mysteries. To differentiate these
• 2:16:31
  practitioners of the Iranian tradition from other forms of
• 2:16:34
  Hellenistic or Hermetic magic, they came to be called
• 2:16:37
  magicians. In Arab Muslim societies, the
• 2:16:41
  word became synonymous with various types of infidels.
• 2:16:44
  For instance, Arab travellers during the Viking Age called
• 2:16:48
  Norseman Myers. According to some
• 2:16:50
  interpretations, the original meaning of the depicted image
• 2:16:54
  was likely that of a magician, the primordial creator of the
• 2:16:57
  world. Alternatively, it represents the
• 2:17:01
  sorcerer, an expert in deception, which can be
• 2:17:04
  exemplified by Ahriman, the second son of Zervan in Iranian
• 2:17:08
  mythology. Some theories suggest that
• 2:17:10
  Mithras was associated with Ahriman at some point, although
• 2:17:14
  this seems unlikely. The magician embodies the
• 2:17:17
  twofold nature of the subject of initiation into the mysteries of
• 2:17:20
  Mithras and represents the one who undergoes and experiences
• 2:17:24
  these mysteries. On the other hand, the fool
• 2:17:27
  represents the natural aspect of the subject, while the magician
• 2:17:31
  represents the transcendental or psychic aspect.
• 2:17:35
  The figure depicted in the world represents the third aspect of
• 2:17:38
  the initiation subject, signifying the one being
• 2:17:41
  initiated. The images between the 1st 2 and
• 2:17:44
  the last one demonstrate the unfolding of the cosmos within
• 2:17:48
  the body and soul of the initiates, paralleling the myth
• 2:17:51
  of Guyomart, the cosmic man discussed in chapter 2 under
• 2:17:55
  Mithraic cosmology. Now let's move on to the High
• 2:17:59
  Priestess card. The oldest depictions of this
• 2:18:02
  arcanum show a seated female figure wearing a crown, often a
• 2:18:06
  three tiered one, and possibly holding a book.
• 2:18:09
  In the Visconti sports aversion, the crown is topped with a
• 2:18:13
  Crescent moon. This has LED some to associate
• 2:18:16
  her with the Egyptian goddess Isis, often depicted with a
• 2:18:19
  Crescent headdress. Considering that the iconography
• 2:18:22
  of this arcanum originated during the twilight of the Roman
• 2:18:25
  Empire, it wouldn't be far fetched to imagine an image of
• 2:18:28
  Isis as her cult was popular during that time.
• 2:18:32
  However, some scholars argue against the inclusion of Isis in
• 2:18:35
  the Mithraic symbology, as the cults of Isis and Mithras were
• 2:18:39
  in competition during the Roman period.
• 2:18:42
  Nevertheless, a statue of Isis has been found in a Mithraum in
• 2:18:45
  Rome, disproving the assumption. The modern name High Priestess
• 2:18:50
  seems to be a recent designation, as the older names
• 2:18:53
  were La Papesa in French and La Papesa in Italian.
• 2:18:58
  Sometimes the name was changed to appease the Catholic Church,
• 2:19:01
  which considered the term Papesa heretical.
• 2:19:04
  The meaning of the name is clear.
• 2:19:06
  This arcanum represents the highest form of the divine in
• 2:19:09
  the human form, the embodiment of the Divine feminine in human
• 2:19:12
  life. Moving on to the Empress card,
• 2:19:15
  the traditional representation shows a regal woman seated on a
• 2:19:19
  throne, often holding a shield with a Crest depicting an eagle.
• 2:19:23
  Sometimes she is also depicted holding a scepter topped with a
• 2:19:26
  globe. These symbols are traditionally
• 2:19:28
  associated with imperial power. In medieval and early modern
• 2:19:32
  symbolism, the Empress is empowered to rule the earthly
• 2:19:36
  realm alongside her emperor counterpart.
• 2:19:38
  The Roman goddess Diana aligns most closely with the meaning of
• 2:19:42
  the fourth arcanum. An early depiction of Diana
• 2:19:45
  shows her as the ruler of the four elements, with her head
• 2:19:48
  surrounded by the shapes of four emblematic animals representing
• 2:19:52
  fire, air, earth, and water. The eagle, a zooomorphic symbol,
• 2:19:57
  continued to be present in the iconography of the Empress.
• 2:20:01
  The Empress is not the true name of this arcanum, rather, it is
• 2:20:04
  its title. Diana is at least one of its
• 2:20:07
  original Roman names, and likely the most popular for divinity
• 2:20:11
  purposes. It is tempting to associate this
• 2:20:14
  arcanium with the Persian name Diana, which means insight or
• 2:20:18
  true religion. This script describes the
• 2:20:21
  symbolism and origins of certain tarot cards.
• 2:20:24
  Let me rewrite it using better grammar and word choices.
• 2:20:27
  Among the Trinity of Greek goddesses known as the Omega One
• 2:20:31
  is represented by the Empress card.
• 2:20:33
  This card embodies the abstract concept of fourfoldness and the
• 2:20:37
  natural world. Diana, associated with the sky,
• 2:20:41
  combines 4 realms into one. Her name is derived from the
• 2:20:44
  word for the open sky, symbolizing the continuity of
• 2:20:48
  time. The High Priestess card, also
• 2:20:51
  known as the Papas, represents the divine feminine in human
• 2:20:54
  form and confers Regnum or kingship for the patronage of
• 2:20:58
  births. On the other hand, the Empress
• 2:21:01
  card embodies the pure divine feminine in its numinous aspect.
• 2:21:05
  In early depictions, the Emperor is often shown seated on a
• 2:21:08
  throne holding a globe in his left hand and a scepter in his
• 2:21:11
  right. Sometimes an actual eagle is
• 2:21:14
  portrayed instead of an image. The Emperor 9 card from the
• 2:21:18
  Montana deck shows an emperor like figure standing on a sphere
• 2:21:21
  within a vesica piscus. The ball symbolizes the secular
• 2:21:25
  world, while the scepter symbolizes sovereignty.
• 2:21:28
  These symbols predate the Middle Ages and can be traced back to
• 2:21:32
  Mithraic iconography, where a lion headed God with similar
• 2:21:35
  attributes reigns over time and the movement of stars.
• 2:21:39
  The globe prominent in the image of the emperor is also found in
• 2:21:43
  depictions of Mithras, often held by him and representing the
• 2:21:47
  cosmic egg from which the world's order emerged.
• 2:21:50
  This card is universally titled Universal across all tarot
• 2:21:54
  packs, symbolizing rulership in Hellenistic cosmologies.
• 2:21:59
  Each level of existence surrounding the earth is called
• 2:22:01
  an eon, governed by an Archon ruler.
• 2:22:04
  The emperor represents the Archon of Archons and embodies
• 2:22:07
  the eternal concept of time. The Pope, depicted consistently
• 2:22:11
  across various early cards, is seated on a throne wearing
• 2:22:15
  sacred vestments and holding a key in his right hand.
• 2:22:19
  Sometimes he also carries A scepter or a book.
• 2:22:22
  The symbols of the book and key are easily understood in the
• 2:22:25
  context of medieval iconography. The book represents the missal
• 2:22:29
  or Gospel, and the key symbolizes access to the Kingdom
• 2:22:32
  of Heaven associated with Saint Peter.
• 2:22:35
  The crown and scepter signify the Pope's authority to rule.
• 2:22:39
  However, evidence suggests that the Tarot imagery originated
• 2:22:42
  from a context beyond the medieval Roman Catholic Church
• 2:22:46
  and was manipulated during the Renaissance to appear more
• 2:22:48
  Catholic. The image of the Pope shares
• 2:22:51
  similarities with the lion headed God discussed earlier,
• 2:22:54
  particularly in the presence of key and scepter symbols.
• 2:22:58
  IO Papa refers to the medieval title of the Bishop of Rome who
• 2:23:01
  held the role of the high priest of the official religion of
• 2:23:04
  Pagan Rome. The Pope's role was to bridge
• 2:23:07
  the divine or ancestral world with terrestrial life.
• 2:23:11
  The term flamen, meaning priest, shares etymological roots with
• 2:23:15
  the Vedic priest Brahman and likely influenced the naming of
• 2:23:18
  this arcanum. Looking back to the Magian
• 2:23:21
  context, the Pope represents the official priestly magus or
• 2:23:25
  Atharvan in the divine world, associated with Shrausher and
• 2:23:29
  sometimes Ariman. The title Papa connects to the
• 2:23:32
  word for father or Potter and represents the highest level of
• 2:23:36
  the Mithraic series of grades. Understanding this arcanum
• 2:23:40
  requires knowledge and experience bridging the divine
• 2:23:42
  and human realms. The Pope and the Emperor are
• 2:23:45
  both symbols of the divine masculine, with the Emperor
• 2:23:48
  representing it on a higher archetypal level and the Pope or
• 2:23:52
  Hierophant representing its expression in terrestrial life.
• 2:23:55
  They form a masculine pair, corresponding to the feminine
• 2:23:58
  pair of the Empress and High Priestess.
• 2:24:01
  In Botticelli's Neoplatonic allegory, Venus and Cupid are
• 2:24:05
  positioned at the center, symbolizing the transformation
• 2:24:08
  of natural forces into spiritual or intellectual ones.
• 2:24:12
  On the right side of the painting, we witnessed Zephyr,
• 2:24:15
  the West wind, pursuing Cloris, the nymph of spring, which he
• 2:24:19
  impregnates with desire, resulting in her metamorphosis
• 2:24:22
  into Flora. At this stage, Divine Love
• 2:24:26
  enters the scene, represented by Venus, who overseas the entire
• 2:24:30
  process, and Cupid, who shoots his arrow at three young girls,
• 2:24:34
  embodying the three Graces, Castitas, Chastity, Polkrytudo
• 2:24:38
  Beauty, and Voloptus Passion. This part of the artwork is
• 2:24:43
  interpreted as the initiation of chastity into the realms of
• 2:24:46
  beauty and passion. Towards the far left of the
• 2:24:49
  painting, Mercury, the God of intelligence, dispels the clouds
• 2:24:53
  that obscure reason. This reveals the identity of the
• 2:24:57
  three women in the Montana Card and more broadly aids in
• 2:25:01
  understanding this arcanum. The origin of the Cupid figures
• 2:25:04
  can be traced back to Pagan mythology, specifically the
• 2:25:08
  depiction of the Greek God Eros. Eros is depicted with his bow
• 2:25:12
  and arrow, symbolizing the ability of love to transcend
• 2:25:15
  distances operating across different dimensions of reality.
• 2:25:20
  The power of attraction, whether between humans or between a
• 2:25:23
  human and a deity, is crucial in the initiatory process.
• 2:25:27
  As with all the other cards, the commonly known title of this
• 2:25:31
  image, The Lovers, simplifies and focuses solely on what is
• 2:25:35
  visibly depicted. However, the actual name of the
• 2:25:38
  image, Gaudium Delight or the source of delight, remains
• 2:25:42
  concealed and kept secret. The title Gaudium emphasizes the
• 2:25:47
  entire process at work in the arcanum.
• 2:25:49
  From a numerological perspective, Agrel highlights
• 2:25:53
  the frequent occurrence of the number 7 in Greek magical papyri
• 2:25:57
  about operations that aim to evoke erotic love in the
• 2:26:00
  initiatory process described by the Tarot sequence, Gaudium
• 2:26:05
  represents the stage where the polarities expressed in the 1st
• 2:26:08
  6 cards are combined or coagulated, akin to an
• 2:26:12
  alchemical process. This synthesis is accomplished
• 2:26:16
  through the power of love and the heart's desires, resulting
• 2:26:19
  in joy and delight. Moving on to the next card, the
• 2:26:23
  chariot Hamatsu, we find an ancient symbol within the
• 2:26:27
  original Mithraic tradition. The depiction of sphinxes in
• 2:26:30
  modern embellished occult versions of the tarot is merely
• 2:26:34
  A superficial and kitschy trend. In its original conception, the
• 2:26:38
  chariot was a vehicle pulled by four horses, symbolizing the
• 2:26:42
  quadriga of Mithras. As recounted in chapter 2, the
• 2:26:46
  myth of Mithras and his four cosmic horses represents highly
• 2:26:49
  archaic imagery among Indo Europeans.
• 2:26:52
  Twin horses pulled Aurora's chariot, the Roman goddess of
• 2:26:55
  dawn. The Viscontis Forza card even
• 2:26:58
  features a female chariot driver reminiscent of the goddess of
• 2:27:01
  dawn. The chariot in this card
• 2:27:03
  represents Mithras triumphator, signifying Mithras, or the
• 2:27:07
  subject of initiation in a glorious triumphant March
• 2:27:11
  following a great victory. The chariot symbolizes the
• 2:27:14
  constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, known as the wagons
• 2:27:18
  or Chariots dominating the night sky near the pole.
• 2:27:22
  The association of these constellations with wagons or
• 2:27:25
  Chariots is an ancient concept. Homer's 8th century BCE mentions
• 2:27:30
  the constellation of the chariot Hamatsa in the Iliad,
• 2:27:33
  symbolizing the entire sphere of fixed stars, the crystalline
• 2:27:37
  heavens of the Mithraists. Furthermore, the 8th Stoichean
• 2:27:41
  of the Greek system, Theta also symbolizes this level of
• 2:27:45
  reality. The bear constellation Arctos is
• 2:27:49
  prominently mentioned in the formulas of the Greek magical
• 2:27:51
  papyri. Among other designations, it is
• 2:27:55
  referred to as the one that holds together the universe and
• 2:27:58
  animates the whole world. David Ulanci convincingly argues
• 2:28:02
  that the astral iconography of the toroctony, the depiction of
• 2:28:06
  Mithras slaying the bull found in most Mithraic sanctuaries,
• 2:28:09
  refers to Mithras role as a God of the celestial pole,
• 2:28:13
  possessing the ability to shift the relationships among the
• 2:28:16
  causal principles represented by the stars.
• 2:28:19
  The Greek word for chariot or wagon is hamasha, borrowed from
• 2:28:23
  Latin and used for the same type of vehicle.
• 2:28:26
  The chariot, as a symbol of the subject of initiation,
• 2:28:29
  represents the crystallization of a perfected state of balance
• 2:28:33
  between motion and stability. Moving on to the card of
• 2:28:37
  Justice, Ayosticia, we encounter a near universal image of
• 2:28:41
  justice personified as a woman holding a sword and scales.
• 2:28:45
  This representation can be found among the Montana cards titled
• 2:28:49
  Ayosticia. The scales symbolize the power
• 2:28:51
  of justice to weigh the merits of two possibilities and
• 2:28:54
  determine the truth. In this arcanum, justice is
• 2:28:58
  portrayed as a cosmic process rather than a purely legalistic.
• 2:29:02
  The scales assess the relative level of use or justice in a
• 2:29:05
  matter and once the determination is made, the sword
• 2:29:09
  executes the decision. The sword represents the power
• 2:29:12
  of justice to decide, or in Latin, to decide error, meaning
• 2:29:16
  to cut down. The Romans understood this term
• 2:29:19
  as separating right from wrong or fast from non fast.
• 2:29:23
  FAS refers to what is in harmony with the cosmic order and is a
• 2:29:27
  force that opposes the opponent at their own peril, including
• 2:29:30
  gods and goddesses. In Mediterranean culture, female
• 2:29:34
  forms often represent abstract principles, and Iostisha
• 2:29:38
  personifies the ancient abstract principle of justice.
• 2:29:41
  In the oldest Roman religious conceptions this principle was
• 2:29:45
  encoded in the abstract concepts of use, using what is legal or
• 2:29:48
  just and farce being in accord with the cosmic order.
• 2:29:53
  Georges Dumasil, an Indo European scholar compares these
• 2:29:57
  concepts to the Vedic notions of Damon or Damon cosmic law and
• 2:30:01
  Vrata cosmic order. In his extensive study Archaic
• 2:30:05
  Roman Religion, Dumasil states that farce is the mystical and
• 2:30:09
  invisible foundation that makes use possible, sustaining all the
• 2:30:13
  visible arrangements and relations defined by use.
• 2:30:16
  It is absolute and exists in a relative and divisible manner.
• 2:30:21
  Mundane human law is a manifestation of use derived
• 2:30:25
  from the ultimate principle of farce.
• 2:30:27
  Iostisha represents not only the justice of humans, but the
• 2:30:31
  justice of the entire cosmos. This final form of justice is
• 2:30:35
  often perceived as harsh by humans, particularly the
• 2:30:38
  uninitiated, as its workings may appear arbitrary to them.
• 2:30:42
  The Romans also referred to this force as necesitas, and the
• 2:30:46
  Greeks knew it as a nanke, meaning necessity.
• 2:30:49
  This compelling force shapes the nature of everything in the
• 2:30:52
  universe. Even the gods and goddesses are
• 2:30:54
  subject to its will. Sometimes it was seen as a
• 2:30:57
  negative force and called Nemesis.
• 2:31:00
  It is also associated with the Greek goddess Dyke, the
• 2:31:03
  embodiment of Justice, the daughter of Zeus, and Themis,
• 2:31:06
  one of the three Horai. The original meaning of this
• 2:31:10
  arcanum is intricate and profound.
• 2:31:12
  It is based on a profound understanding of the concept of
• 2:31:15
  law, encompassing both higher and lower laws.
• 2:31:19
  This law is rooted in distinguishing between what is
• 2:31:21
  just and unjust based on knowledge of what is righteous
• 2:31:25
  and unrighteous. It involves breaking things
• 2:31:27
  down, analyzing them, and enabling further development.
• 2:31:32
  It's understandable that a Mithraic system, which
• 2:31:35
  originated from an Indo European tradition, would emphasize the
• 2:31:38
  importance of law as the God. Mitra represents law, justice,
• 2:31:43
  and various contracts. Eusticia and Fortuna are closely
• 2:31:47
  related opposites in their structure.
• 2:31:49
  Eusticia is based on an unwavering and consistent force,
• 2:31:53
  while Fortuna embodies eternal change.
• 2:31:55
  When viewed from an uninformed perspective, they can be
• 2:31:58
  experienced in similar ways. In the ninth level, the
• 2:32:02
  initiated individual, who is now crystallized and become dynamic,
• 2:32:06
  faces a test before the court of Saturn, represented by the
• 2:32:10
  Hermit. The 9th arcanum harmonizes the
• 2:32:13
  inner and outer worlds. It dynamically combines the laws
• 2:32:16
  of seven and three into the number 9.
• 2:32:18
  The hermit associated with Saturn or chronos in Greek
• 2:32:22
  mythology, is often depicted as an older man holding an
• 2:32:25
  hourglass, symbolizing the passage of time.
• 2:32:28
  Chronos corresponds to the Mithraic figure of Zervan,
• 2:32:32
  representing eternal time. The image of the hermit holding
• 2:32:35
  a Lantern derives from the mythological figure of Diogenes
• 2:32:39
  and symbolizes old age and death, but not in the
• 2:32:42
  conventional sense. It signifies A deeper
• 2:32:45
  understanding of their true nature as perceived from an
• 2:32:48
  initiated perspective. Saturn is considered an elevated
• 2:32:51
  and transcendent realm, far removed from human or earthly
• 2:32:55
  affairs. Hence the association with a
• 2:32:57
  hermit. Lead is the metal associated
• 2:33:00
  with Saturn, which represents death in Greek magical papyri
• 2:33:05
  and is often used in spells for causing misfortune or
• 2:33:08
  influencing people against their will.
• 2:33:10
  According to Roman tradition, when Kronos was defeated by his
• 2:33:14
  son Zeus in Greece, he was exiled to Italy, where his reign
• 2:33:18
  brought a golden age. The earliest form of Roman
• 2:33:21
  religion reveals that Saturn was originally the God of sowing
• 2:33:25
  seeds, while his wife OPS was the goddess of the harvest.
• 2:33:29
  The Saito square, known for its association with Saturn, holds
• 2:33:33
  significance in the Mithraic initiatory grades, with the
• 2:33:36
  numerical value of the square equaling 2520, the same sum as
• 2:33:40
  the names of the grades. This complex mathematical symbol
• 2:33:44
  indicates that the Arcanum of Saturn contains the seed form of
• 2:33:48
  initiatory knowledge within the Mithraic system.
• 2:33:51
  The sum of the digits in the key #2520 also equals 9, the
• 2:33:56
  esoteric key number of the Saturnian sphere and this
• 2:34:00
  arcanum. The Arcanum of Saturn
• 2:34:02
  exemplifies the compilation of elements within the Mithraic
• 2:34:06
  Roman Arcana system. It blends Mithraic, Iranian,
• 2:34:10
  Greek and Roman elements into a cohesive whole, guided by the
• 2:34:14
  mathematical science of the Stoics.
• 2:34:16
  It's original meaning pertains to the separation of the essence
• 2:34:19
  of the initiate, or anything undergoing transformation into a
• 2:34:22
  preparatory seed form, setting the stage for further
• 2:34:26
  metamorphoses. On one level it represents A
• 2:34:29
  perfected arcanum, a process brought to completion.
• 2:34:34
  At this stage of development, the initiate undergoes initial
• 2:34:37
  trials before accessing the Trans Saturnian spheres.
• 2:34:40
  Further development occurs within the higher spheres, where
• 2:34:43
  the tests become even more challenging than in the lower
• 2:34:46
  ones. Libra, represented by the Wheel
• 2:34:49
  of Fortune, symbolizes the number 11.
• 2:34:52
  Older cards depict a wheel like structure with various entities
• 2:34:56
  riding on it. The Visconti Schwarzer cards
• 2:34:58
  show a blindfolded female figure at the center surrounded by 4
• 2:35:02
  figures. Each figure represents a
• 2:35:04
  different state. 1 reigns, 1 reigned, one LAX rain and one
• 2:35:09
  will reign. Later versions feature more
• 2:35:12
  exotic figures such as a leonine figure and an Anubis or typhoon
• 2:35:16
  like figure. The Rider Waite card is the most
• 2:35:19
  imaginative and modern rendition.
• 2:35:21
  The Cauda Jablonic card from around 1787 portrays A winged
• 2:35:26
  and crowned figure at the wheels apex, accompanied by a
• 2:35:29
  descending figure with a lion's tail and an ascending figure
• 2:35:33
  with the head of a monstrous beast.
• 2:35:35
  This suggests that good and evil rise and fall through an
• 2:35:38
  impersonal, amoral and even chaotic process.
• 2:35:42
  The female figure holding a scepter and a globe often
• 2:35:45
  associated with the world is interpreted by some as the Wheel
• 2:35:48
  of Fortune, specifically Fortuna Machiavelli.
• 2:35:53
  In his book The Prince, Machiavelli describes Fortuna as
• 2:35:56
  a powerful blind force of nature, similar to an
• 2:35:59
  unstoppable flood tide. However, those who anticipate
• 2:36:03
  the dangers and take precautions can mitigate future misfortune.
• 2:36:08
  Fortuna acts regardless of human actions, and only by preparing
• 2:36:12
  for the inevitable turning of the wheel and aligning with the
• 2:36:14
  times can a Prince hope to overcome her compelling force.
• 2:36:18
  The Visconti Sforza version illustrates this concept,
• 2:36:22
  depicting Fortuna as an inescapable wheel.
• 2:36:25
  What was once up will inevitably fall down.
• 2:36:28
  Fortuna embodies constant change.
• 2:36:31
  If humans remain unchanged, they will inevitably succumb to her
• 2:36:34
  whims. Only those who embrace change
• 2:36:37
  and undergo A transformative process can elude her
• 2:36:40
  destructive influence. The old Roman name for this
• 2:36:43
  arcanum was likely Libera, the goddess of growth and change In
• 2:36:47
  Rome. She was associated with her male
• 2:36:49
  counterpart, Libra, the God of wine and sexual liberation,
• 2:36:53
  later identified with Bacchus, Dionysus, Libra, and Libra were
• 2:36:58
  celebrated during the Liberalia Festival on March 17th.
• 2:37:01
  The Arcanum of Libra signifies the eternal force of change in
• 2:37:05
  the universe. It emphasizes that this force is
• 2:37:08
  blind and impersonal, operating without regard for morality.
• 2:37:13
  The developmental process described by Tarock enters a
• 2:37:16
  chaotic stage in this arcanum, expanding the realm of
• 2:37:19
  possibilities beyond previous limitations.
• 2:37:22
  Manituto, also known as Strength.
• 2:37:24
  Strength is depicted differently in various tarot cards.
• 2:37:28
  Some older cards portray a female figure breaking a stone
• 2:37:31
  column, while others show a male figure wielding a club over a
• 2:37:34
  lion. This male representation
• 2:37:37
  reflects Hercules, who used a club to defeat the lion.
• 2:37:40
  As a youth, Hercules slayed the Nemean lion without weapons in
• 2:37:44
  his later laborers. The most common image of
• 2:37:47
  strength strength is a female figure displaying supernatural
• 2:37:50
  strength strength by subduing a lion.
• 2:37:53
  Despite the variations in imagery, the meaning remains
• 2:37:56
  clear. Each depiction symbolizes the
• 2:37:59
  power of human beings over the lower forces represented by the
• 2:38:02
  mineral and animal kingdoms. The predominance of female
• 2:38:06
  figures in this apparently masculine arcanum can be
• 2:38:09
  explained by the fact that abstract principles are
• 2:38:12
  typically personified as female figures in classical
• 2:38:14
  iconography. The original Roman name for this
• 2:38:18
  arcanum was Manituto, which translates to strength but also
• 2:38:22
  carries the significant nuance of moral virtue.
• 2:38:25
  Clearly the strength strength being referred to is more than
• 2:38:28
  just physical power. Manituto is also used as a
• 2:38:32
  synonym for courage. The oak tree, symbolizing
• 2:38:35
  loyalty and virtue is associated with this arcanum.
• 2:38:39
  Manituto represents the power of the human mind or psyche to
• 2:38:43
  overcome the brute force of the animal Kingdom, both within and
• 2:38:46
  outside of human beings, as well as to master the incensate
• 2:38:50
  mineral Kingdom. In Giovanni Pico della
• 2:38:53
  Mirandola's Oration on the Dignity of Man, a Neoplatonic
• 2:38:57
  perspective is presented regarding the nature of humans.
• 2:39:00
  According to this view, humans can be likened to plants if they
• 2:39:04
  are driven solely by their appetites, or to beasts if they
• 2:39:07
  are governed purely by their senses.
• 2:39:10
  However, when their intellects take charge, they can truly
• 2:39:13
  become human. Ultimately, if they unite with
• 2:39:16
  their spirits, they can aspire to become like gods.
• 2:39:20
  This demonstrates the power of the psyche to exert control over
• 2:39:24
  randomness in the universe and to gain knowledge of the factors
• 2:39:27
  governed by implacable necessity.
• 2:39:30
  Manituto is essential in overcoming the unpredictable
• 2:39:33
  nature of the Wheel of Fortune and preparing the soul for the
• 2:39:36
  challenges it will face in the realm of punishment symbolized
• 2:39:39
  by the Hanged Man. Alternatively, with sufficient
• 2:39:43
  strength strength inherent in Manituto, the punishment or
• 2:39:47
  atonement of Naxa may be avoided altogether.
• 2:39:50
  Both paths lead to the transformative Arcanum of death,
• 2:39:54
  Orcas or Naxa. The Hanged Man, represented by
• 2:39:57
  the number 13, portrays a man hanging upside down by his left
• 2:40:01
  foot with his hands possibly bound behind his back.
• 2:40:05
  While this depiction depicts torture, the figure appears
• 2:40:08
  serene in the Gringois card. In some variations of the card,
• 2:40:13
  2 money bags are held in the hands of the Hanged Man.
• 2:40:16
  This edition is common, as seen in the Rosenwald card from the
• 2:40:19
  early 1700s. The presence of the money bag
• 2:40:22
  suggests that the hanging man is paying a penalty or fine,
• 2:40:26
  implying an exchange of value debt is being repaid.
• 2:40:30
  Different forms of hanging were widely used in ancient, medieval
• 2:40:33
  and modern European societies as corporal or capital punishment,
• 2:40:38
  depending on the method employed.
• 2:40:40
  The current name the hanged man describes what is depicted on
• 2:40:44
  the card. Many of the other cards in the
• 2:40:47
  tarot also follow this pattern. The older, more esoteric names
• 2:40:51
  of the arcana were likely more evocative of their meanings,
• 2:40:54
  possibly even attempting to conceal or obscure their
• 2:40:57
  interpretations. For this particular arcanum, the
• 2:41:01
  evocative interpretation was likely naxa, a Latin word
• 2:41:04
  referring to the harm or pain resulting from punishment.
• 2:41:08
  Particularly within ancient mystery cults, punishment and
• 2:41:11
  suffering were often considered necessary elements of the
• 2:41:14
  transformative or initiatory process, a concept often
• 2:41:18
  overlooked in modern times with an emphasis on constant pleasure
• 2:41:21
  seeking. Nevertheless, the Hanged Man is
• 2:41:24
  an image that accurately depicts a man undergoing torture and
• 2:41:28
  punishment. The Hanged Man is being
• 2:41:30
  penalized or making amends for some misdeed.
• 2:41:33
  The atonement process is purgative and ultimately
• 2:41:35
  strengthening. If the qualities represented by
• 2:41:38
  Manituto are strong enough, the punishment or atonement of Naxa
• 2:41:42
  may be rendered unnecessary. However, both paths lead to the
• 2:41:46
  realm of death represented by Orcas or Naxa.
• 2:41:50
  Death, also known as Arcanum 14, is depicted in the Viscontis
• 2:41:54
  Forza card as a skeletal figure holding a bow in the left hand
• 2:41:58
  and an arrow in the right. The bow and arrow are the
• 2:42:01
  preferred weapons of Mithras. The figures blindfold has been
• 2:42:05
  lifted from his piercing eyes, symbolizing the triumph over
• 2:42:08
  death. Other images, such as those
• 2:42:11
  found on the Gringoir and Orlando cards, portrays skeletal
• 2:42:15
  figures mowing down individuals from different social and
• 2:42:18
  economic backgrounds using a scythe.
• 2:42:21
  The Gringois card shows the skeleton riding a horse and
• 2:42:24
  shares the lifted blindfold feature with the Viscontis Forza
• 2:42:28
  figure. While Fortuna and Iostisha may
• 2:42:31
  be blind, death has wide open eyes.
• 2:42:34
  The association of a horse with symbols of death can be traced
• 2:42:37
  back to the Indo European tradition where horses were
• 2:42:40
  often believed to transport the dead from this world to the
• 2:42:43
  realm of death. Furthermore, it is interesting
• 2:42:47
  that the Greeks often called Hecate, the underworld goddess,
• 2:42:50
  the horse. The commonly used title for this
• 2:42:53
  card is Death. In the earliest levels of Italic
• 2:42:56
  religion, the God of death and the realm of the dead is called
• 2:43:00
  Orcas. This is the name given to this
• 2:43:03
  arcanum within the Roman Mithraic tradition.
• 2:43:06
  Entering the realm of orcas is a crucial moment in the symbolic
• 2:43:09
  journey depicted by the tarot marked by the chariot and the
• 2:43:13
  Wheel of Fortune, the Hanged Man, the Tower and Judgement.
• 2:43:18
  The realm of death signifies a potential for disaster and
• 2:43:21
  catastrophe. Tests must be passed and ordeals
• 2:43:24
  endure due to the immense importance of overcoming death
• 2:43:27
  and attaining immortality in the initiatory warrior cult of the
• 2:43:31
  Mithraic Romans, this arcanium holds a significant role in the
• 2:43:36
  journey. The self of the initiate must be
• 2:43:38
  prepared through Manituto and or Noxa to traverse the realm of
• 2:43:43
  Orcas. The realm of the dead represents
• 2:43:45
  a place of transformation, but it is undoubtedly perilous for
• 2:43:49
  the initiate soul. It can either be a place of
• 2:43:52
  metamorphosis or a place of complete spiritual death, with
• 2:43:56
  the preparation in previous stages of initiation determining
• 2:43:59
  the outcome. This latter possibility is often
• 2:44:03
  overlooked in modernistic feel good narratives.
• 2:44:06
  The Tarot's symbolism, according to Siga de Grelle, suggests that
• 2:44:10
  this particular arcanum represents a blending of the
• 2:44:13
  14th and 18th Greek Stoicaea, specifically the letters C and
• 2:44:17
  Sigma. The decision to combine these
• 2:44:20
  elements, reducing the system from 24 to 22, may have been
• 2:44:24
  motivated by a desire to preserve the sacred combination
• 2:44:28
  of stars, moon, and sun, which holds deep significance tracing
• 2:44:32
  back to ancient Iranian traditions.
• 2:44:35
  The image universally associated with the arcanium of Temperance
• 2:44:38
  depicts A seated female figure holding 2 water vessels in the
• 2:44:42
  green Garner card. She pours liquid from one vessel
• 2:44:45
  into the other, mixing their contents.
• 2:44:48
  In the Montana Card series, this theme continues with a similar
• 2:44:52
  representation accompanied by a small animal like Leonermin,
• 2:44:56
  symbolizing royalty gazing at its reflection in a mirror.
• 2:45:00
  Clearly, this image conveys the importance of properly blending
• 2:45:03
  essential components for successful transformation.
• 2:45:06
  Temperance originates from the Latin verb tempero, meaning
• 2:45:10
  moderation, self-control, and proper mixing or regulation.
• 2:45:15
  This sheds light on the profound meaning of the arcanum.
• 2:45:18
  Initiates must learn to blend and regulate the various
• 2:45:21
  elements within themselves, reaching a level of control
• 2:45:24
  before entering the initiatory realm of the devil.
• 2:45:28
  Without this temperance, mithras associated with the Devil's
• 2:45:31
  realm could bring disaster. Temperance represents the
• 2:45:35
  correct and rational mixture of elements essential for a
• 2:45:38
  specific type of transformation. The arcanium's older Roman name
• 2:45:42
  was likely Pluvia or rainwater, symbolizing one who drinks water
• 2:45:46
  instead of wine, and possibly referencing the Roman practice
• 2:45:49
  of diluting wine with water to reduce its intoxicating effects.
• 2:45:54
  The inclusion of this practice in the Roman Catholic ritual of
• 2:45:57
  the Eucharist signifies its Pagan, Roman and Mithraic
• 2:46:01
  origins. Moreover, connecting the name
• 2:46:04
  Pluvia to temperance as a mixture of elements symbolizes
• 2:46:07
  the phenomenon of rain, where water mixes with air and heaven
• 2:46:11
  and earth unite through the fire of lightning.
• 2:46:14
  This ancient and powerful symbolism is associated with the
• 2:46:18
  rains that bring forth the fruits of the earth,
• 2:46:20
  representing growth and creation.
• 2:46:23
  The association of the Arcanum with rain aligns with the 7th
• 2:46:27
  chapter of the Bundahishan, an ancient Persian text which
• 2:46:31
  describes the great deluge caused by a mixture of elements
• 2:46:34
  and its transformative impact on earth, leading to greater
• 2:46:37
  creativity. The star Sirius or Ishtar
• 2:46:41
  associated with this temperance further reinforces the
• 2:46:44
  connection between rain and the Arcanum symbolism.
• 2:46:48
  The correlation between rain and creation or recreation is
• 2:46:51
  evident throughout Persian literature.
• 2:46:53
  Emerging from the realm of death to continue their development
• 2:46:57
  into a transformed self, initiates must embody the
• 2:47:00
  feminine virtue of temperance. The Devil represents the
• 2:47:04
  masculine aspect of this transformed self, and the virtue
• 2:47:07
  of temperance represents the feminine side.
• 2:47:10
  Regarding the Devil card, it is unsurprising that fewer Devil
• 2:47:14
  cards have survived from ancient Tarot decks compared to other
• 2:47:17
  cards, likely due to intentional destruction or removal to
• 2:47:21
  prevent their occurrence in readings.
• 2:47:24
  Nevertheless, the card symbolism remains archaic and profound. 2
• 2:47:28
  basic depictions of the Devil are seen among old cards.
• 2:47:31
  One shows a bestial faced, horned and winged figure
• 2:47:34
  standing or sitting on a pedestal, accompanied by two
• 2:47:37
  young human figures, one light and one dark, chained or tied to
• 2:47:41
  the pedestal. This imagery is reminiscent of
• 2:47:43
  the mental image of Zervan and his two sons, Ormazd and Arimen,
• 2:47:48
  in the Orlando Tarot from around 1760.
• 2:47:51
  Another type of image displays A devilish figure with four faces,
• 2:47:55
  one on the front of his head, one on his chest and two on his
• 2:47:59
  knees. Interestingly, the Iranian God
• 2:48:02
  Zervan is known as the God of four faces, which corresponds to
• 2:48:06
  his four forms or hypostasis, eternal time surrounded by
• 2:48:10
  Ashoka, birth, virility, life, Freshacoretti, splendidness, and
• 2:48:15
  Zoroasta old age. These forms exemplify the
• 2:48:19
  effects of time on all things, birth, life, and death.
• 2:48:23
  This universal depiction is identified as the devil Corde
• 2:48:27
  Zebulon, referred to the card as Typhon, possibly attempting to
• 2:48:31
  associate it with Egyptian symbolism.
• 2:48:33
  However, the designation of the devil is likely an ancient one
• 2:48:37
  and may even trace back to the Avastan Daiva, originally
• 2:48:40
  denoting a God, but later designating a demon or devil in
• 2:48:44
  the Roman alphabetic system. In this arcanum, the devil card
• 2:48:49
  would have carried the name Quirinus, an ancient deity of
• 2:48:52
  war associated with Mars and peace.
• 2:48:55
  Deified as the form of Romulus, the founder of Rome.
• 2:48:59
  Querinus is sometimes equated with the God Janus, known for
• 2:49:02
  his two faces and connections to beginnings and endings.
• 2:49:05
  In Roman mythology, the gate of Janus was opened during the war
• 2:49:10
  and closed during peace. Medieval depictions of the devil
• 2:49:13
  often portray him with two faces, sometimes even one, on
• 2:49:17
  his buttocks. Epithets of Janus included quad,
• 2:49:20
  reformists, reformed, and quadraphrons 4 faced.
• 2:49:25
  These associations lead back to the four faced image seen on the
• 2:49:28
  17th century card. Agrel identifies the devil with
• 2:49:32
  Mithras Serapis, specifically in his aspect as the invincible God
• 2:49:36
  known as Aniketos in Greek or Invictus in Latin.
• 2:49:40
  This identification is primarily based on numerical grounds as
• 2:49:44
  the Devil and Mithras are associated with the value 16.
• 2:49:48
  The Devil represents the intemperate and masculine force
• 2:49:51
  juxtaposed with the feminine force of temperance in the
• 2:49:54
  previous arcanium. After undergoing punishment and
• 2:49:57
  death in Arcana 13 and 14, the initiate attains a
• 2:50:00
  quintessential state of balanced yet dynamic warrior like
• 2:50:04
  Serenity known as Ataraxia. Through the application of
• 2:50:07
  temperance, this prepares the initiate for the greater
• 2:50:11
  challenges that lie ahead. Understanding this arcanum
• 2:50:14
  requires knowledge and experience in the cycles of time
• 2:50:17
  and the beginnings and endings of things.
• 2:50:20
  Moving on to the tower, all versions of the card share a
• 2:50:23
  common symbolism. A tower or fortification is
• 2:50:27
  depicted collapsing or being destroyed by a lightning bolt,
• 2:50:30
  often appearing as a flame from the sun rather than an
• 2:50:33
  electrical discharge. At the top of the tower, a crown
• 2:50:37
  is dislodged by lightning or fire.
• 2:50:40
  Although the iconography of this arcanium remains consistent, it
• 2:50:44
  is known by different names in English, French, and Italian,
• 2:50:47
  such as the House of God, the House of the Devil, the
• 2:50:50
  Thunderbolt, the Lightning, Fire of Heaven, or the arrow.
• 2:50:54
  These various names convey ambivalence, but also reveal an
• 2:50:58
  underlying consistency. The Italian name Illinois
• 2:51:01
  fulmine and the French name Lefoudre, meaning Thunderbolt or
• 2:51:05
  lightning, carry archaic connotations.
• 2:51:08
  They derive from the Latin word flumen, denoting a lightning
• 2:51:11
  stroke but also implying A crushing calamity or an
• 2:51:14
  irresistible power. These connotations trace back to
• 2:51:18
  the Roman God of Thunder, Jupiter, also called fulgurato
• 2:51:22
  or fulminator, whose thunderbolts were a means of
• 2:51:25
  punishment. In Latin, the title fulgurata
• 2:51:28
  could also indicate a priest interpreting omens from
• 2:51:31
  lightning arrow. La Sagitta or La Zeta is equally
• 2:51:35
  ancient. The bow and arrow are Mithras's
• 2:51:38
  favored weapons, prominently represented in the cards
• 2:51:40
  iconography. The arrow symbolizes the sudden
• 2:51:43
  striking power of any divine force over great distances.
• 2:51:47
  It is often associated with Cupid or Cupids depicted
• 2:51:51
  wielding arrows. In all instances, the poetic
• 2:51:54
  names for this card convey the idea of ruination.
• 2:51:57
  Therefore, this Arcanum's original Latin divinatory name
• 2:52:01
  was likely Ruena. The Viscontis Forza Deck should
• 2:52:04
  include the cards of the Devil and this one.
• 2:52:07
  These cards were likely the most feared and ominous among the
• 2:52:10
  deck and were often discarded, causing them to disappear from
• 2:52:14
  collections. The original meaning of this
• 2:52:16
  card clearly represents the catastrophic and transformative
• 2:52:20
  effects of divine influence on human affairs.
• 2:52:23
  Unlike Fortuna's predictable and regular influence, it can
• 2:52:26
  destroy kingdoms instantly. The Fulgurator, on the other
• 2:52:30
  hand, has no predictable laws. Agrel suggests that the meaning
• 2:52:34
  of this card was imported from the Greek system's 23rd
• 2:52:37
  Stoicheon, which symbolized the Thunderbolt of Zeus.
• 2:52:41
  Often depicted as a Trident. The tower card represents a
• 2:52:44
  final Test that leads to either ruin or entry into the celestial
• 2:52:48
  realm of stars, moon, and sun. Lightning purifies and expresses
• 2:52:53
  the power of a deity or a devil. Moreover, it serves as a bridge
• 2:52:57
  from the quadrivium Arcanum 16 to the Divine Triad, making it
• 2:53:02
  significant in transformative Mithraic symbolism.
• 2:53:06
  It represents the fire from Heaven's effect on the
• 2:53:08
  quadrivium, which leads to entry into the Celestial Triad,
• 2:53:12
  particularly through the stars. In the Greek Tarot system, the
• 2:53:16
  tower card is dramatically placed in the 23rd position
• 2:53:19
  within the sequence of images. This is significant because in
• 2:53:23
  the Greek system there is an emphasis on catastrophe and
• 2:53:27
  sudden changes in the transformative process.
• 2:53:30
  Like the Greek system, it is the final Test and purification
• 2:53:34
  before reaching ultimate perfection.
• 2:53:36
  However, there is also the possibility of complete and
• 2:53:39
  irreversible catastrophe. The Star card or Stella the Star
• 2:53:43
  S or 18 can be depicted in various ways.
• 2:53:47
  The simplest representation is found in the Visconti Sforza
• 2:53:50
  card, where a female figure holds an 8 pointed Red Star with
• 2:53:54
  her left hand. The theme of eight folds is
• 2:53:56
  repeated throughout the other images, including a depiction of
• 2:53:59
  the Moon 2. Astrologers observe an 8 pointed
• 2:54:02
  star while consulting a chart inscribed with a Crescent moon
• 2:54:06
  shape. The most common representation
• 2:54:08
  of the star is derived from the Marseille tradition, which later
• 2:54:12
  became the famous Rider Waite deck.
• 2:54:15
  In that tradition, a naked woman pours water from 2 pitches 1
• 2:54:19
  into a stream and one onto the ground, while eight stars with
• 2:54:23
  eight rays each are depicted above her.
• 2:54:25
  Seven stars surround a central star, resembling the
• 2:54:28
  relationship between Ursa Major and the pole star.
• 2:54:32
  The arcanium is consistently referred to as either the
• 2:54:34
  singular, the star, or less commonly, the plural stars or
• 2:54:38
  stellar. When referred to in the
• 2:54:40
  singular, the star is sometimes associated with the dog star
• 2:54:44
  Sirius, known as Ishtar or Tear in Persian culture.
• 2:54:49
  While this star is important in Persian and Egyptian mythology,
• 2:54:52
  it has lost significance in Mithraic doctrine.
• 2:54:55
  It is more likely that the star in question, especially
• 2:54:58
  considering the arrangement of the seven Ursa Major stars
• 2:55:01
  around it, represents the pole star.
• 2:55:04
  When the plural form of the name is used, it could be associated
• 2:55:08
  with several constellations significant in Mithraic
• 2:55:11
  mythology, such as the stars of the Taurus constellation.
• 2:55:15
  Agrawal suggests that this arcanum was placed as the 14th
• 2:55:18
  in the Greek system, and the number 14 is linked to the bull
• 2:55:22
  in Persian mythology. Another possibility is the
• 2:55:25
  constellation Perseus, which has 17 stars and is identified with
• 2:55:30
  Mithras. According to David Ulanci's
• 2:55:32
  research, this aligns well with the general association of
• 2:55:36
  Starlight with the essence of Mithras.
• 2:55:38
  It is important to note that Mithras was said to be born from
• 2:55:41
  the rock crystal in heaven, the place where Starlight first
• 2:55:45
  emerged, according to the Persians.
• 2:55:47
  The third possibility is the Ursa Major constellation, also
• 2:55:52
  known as the Great Bear or the Haptic Ring.
• 2:55:55
  This is supported by the depiction on the Marseille deck,
• 2:55:58
  which shows 8 stars, one larger and distinct from the rest.
• 2:56:02
  The Great Bear constellation consists of seven stars.
• 2:56:06
  Additionally, Hermetic Magical Papyri suggests that the bear
• 2:56:09
  constellation Arctos or Arctic had the power to turn the pole
• 2:56:14
  and shift the cosmic axis. The original meaning of this
• 2:56:18
  arcanum is intelligence. Starlight in general is
• 2:56:22
  associated with Mithras as the bringer of divine intelligence
• 2:56:25
  to humanity. This intelligence is reflected
• 2:56:28
  in the Moon and directly emanates from the Sun.
• 2:56:32
  When one enters this arcanum, they gain access to the fifth
• 2:56:35
  level of Mithraic initiation. Here the candidate is identified
• 2:56:40
  with the stars, potentially the stars of the Perseus
• 2:56:43
  constellation or those associated with the Persian God
• 2:56:46
  equated with Mithras. Therefore, there is a perfect
• 2:56:50
  correspondence between this level of initiation and the
• 2:56:53
  names Persian or Mithras. In this grade, the candidate
• 2:56:57
  receives certain gifts of intelligence and the secrets of
• 2:57:00
  the stars are revealed. Intelligence can move the stars
• 2:57:04
  and create or destroy the world. By entering this arcanum, the
• 2:57:08
  initiate enters the astral or siderial realm, progressing
• 2:57:12
  through a three fold process from the realm of fixed stars to
• 2:57:15
  the Moon and the Sun. As mentioned earlier, this
• 2:57:18
  arcanum occupied the 14th position in the Greek system.
• 2:57:22
  We previously discussed the probability that in Mithraic
• 2:57:25
  secret teachings, the stars were associated with the Bull
• 2:57:28
  constellation or Taurus. This aligns with the Persian
• 2:57:31
  calendar, which considered the 14th day of the month sacred to
• 2:57:35
  the soul of the Bull. Trina, or the Moon card has a
• 2:57:39
  diverse range of iconography. The Viscontis Forza card depicts
• 2:57:43
  a woman holding a Crescent moon in her right hand and a Broken
• 2:57:46
  Bow in her left. It is speculated that this
• 2:57:49
  originally represented the goddess Diana.
• 2:57:52
  The Gringois card presents a different image showing 2
• 2:57:55
  astrologers using a book and compass to precisely measure the
• 2:57:59
  Crescent shaped moon overhead. Finally, the De Gebila image and
• 2:58:03
  the Marseille card depict A mysterious and familiar scene
• 2:58:06
  with a moon dripping drops of blood between two towers.
• 2:58:10
  These 19 drops are being licked by two canines, likely dogs.
• 2:58:15
  In the foreground, a crayfish is seen submerged in water.
• 2:58:18
  This image was later incorporated into the well known
• 2:58:21
  Rider Waite deck. The Moon card symbolizes the
• 2:58:24
  astral phenomenon of the constellation Canis the Dog and
• 2:58:28
  possibly Scorpio. The towers represent the two
• 2:58:31
  terrestrial poles of the ecliptic.
• 2:58:33
  A comprehensive understanding of this image can be found in David
• 2:58:36
  Ulanci's study of Mithraic astronomy, The Origins of the
• 2:58:40
  Mithraic Mysteries. Some early Tarot commentators,
• 2:58:43
  including Elifus Levy, noted that older cards distinguish
• 2:58:47
  between the two canine figures, suggesting that one may
• 2:58:50
  represent a wolf instead of a dog.
• 2:58:53
  If the image has roots in archaic models, the dog likely
• 2:58:56
  represents the benevolent and helpful aspects of the canine
• 2:58:59
  spirit, while the wolf represents a more aggressive and
• 2:59:03
  warlike nature. The dog is considered a sacred
• 2:59:06
  animal in Zoroastrianism, and Mithras was aided by his
• 2:59:10
  faithful dog in hunting the bull.
• 2:59:12
  The name of this arcanum refers to the triple goddesses Hecate
• 2:59:16
  and Celine and the ancient Iranian triple goddess Anahita.
• 2:59:20
  These goddesses were associated with the number three, leading
• 2:59:24
  to esoteric names for this arcanum such as Triformis,
• 2:59:28
  Trigemina, Trivia, and Trina. The threefold aspect mentioned
• 2:59:33
  can be depicted through the imagery of three creatures.
• 2:59:35
  In the Marseille derived image, the wolf symbolizes birth, the
• 2:59:40
  dog represents life, and the crab or crayfish derived from
• 2:59:43
  the scorpion image symbolizes death.
• 2:59:46
  By examining the iconography of the toroctoni, we can observe
• 2:59:50
  the significant symbolism contained within the Tarasque.
• 2:59:54
  The scene portrays the moon and sun overlooking the setting with
• 2:59:57
  numerous stars represented as a dog drinking the blood of the
• 3:00:00
  lunar bull. This blood, purified by the
• 3:00:03
  moon, provides the Earth with beneficial plants and herbs.
• 3:00:07
  During this phase, the intelligence of the stars is
• 3:00:10
  reflected in and by the moon, leading to wisdom and
• 3:00:13
  introspection. In ancient Mithraism and Indo
• 3:00:16
  European culture, honey was considered a symbol of wisdom,
• 3:00:20
  believed to be derived from the moon.
• 3:00:22
  The 19 drops on the image serve as a sign indicating its
• 3:00:25
  position in the sequence. After passing through the Moon's
• 3:00:29
  realm, the initiate is prepared to become a Courier of the Sun,
• 3:00:33
  known as Victor Unas or the Sun Fiev or 20.
• 3:00:36
  The iconography of this arcanum varies.
• 3:00:39
  On the Viscontis Forza card, we see the personified sun carried
• 3:00:43
  by a cherubic winged figure. Meanwhile, the Gringois card
• 3:00:47
  depicts a female figure spinning wool beneath the sun, and the
• 3:00:50
  Marseille card, from which most modern decks are derived,
• 3:00:54
  portrays 2 cherubic figures flanking the sun.
• 3:00:57
  The Sun is depicted dripping 13 drops, reminiscent of the drops
• 3:01:01
  falling from the Moon in the previous Arcanum.
• 3:01:04
  The original image likely depicted the Sun God Helios,
• 3:01:07
  flanked by the torch bearing twins Kotos and Kotopartis from
• 3:01:11
  Mithraic tradition. The Sun holds great significance
• 3:01:15
  in various religious and magical systems due to the specific
• 3:01:18
  constellation of stars associated with it, particularly
• 3:01:22
  in Mithraic mysticism. Therefore, we can look to that
• 3:01:25
  system for deeper insights into the meaning of the Sun in the
• 3:01:28
  Tarot deck. In Mithraism, this arcanum would
• 3:01:32
  have been primarily associated with Saul Invictus, the
• 3:01:35
  Invincible Sun and named Victor. This resonates with the arcanum
• 3:01:40
  of the Devil, Queerinus, also called the Invincible or
• 3:01:43
  Invictus, highlighting the close relationship between Mithras and
• 3:01:46
  Helios. The sun is often invoked for
• 3:01:49
  operations aimed at achieving victory or success.
• 3:01:52
  The numerical symbolism attached to each arcanum reveals the
• 3:01:56
  essence of the difference between the Sun and the Devil.
• 3:01:59
  The Sun, also known as Unas, represents unity and is titled
• 3:02:04
  uniforms. It's esoteric number is 19,
• 3:02:07
  signifying unification and synthesis.
• 3:02:10
  Contrasting with the titles of the Devil quadrivium and the
• 3:02:13
  Moon triformis. The Sun represents the
• 3:02:16
  unification and synthesis of all development occurring throughout
• 3:02:19
  the arcana. It concentrates the light of the
• 3:02:21
  stars into a singular point, guided by proper measurement and
• 3:02:25
  reflection. This leads to success and
• 3:02:28
  victory in all endeavors. In the realm of the Sun, the
• 3:02:31
  seed of the primal man, Gayamat is purified, shaping humanity's
• 3:02:35
  heritage and destiny. The siderial triad is completed
• 3:02:39
  and the initiate is prepared for the final judgement, even though
• 3:02:43
  the possibility of utter catastrophe remains.
• 3:02:46
  The process of circulating through the triad of the stars,
• 3:02:49
  moon and sun is foreshadowed in the procession of Goss Horn, the
• 3:02:53
  soul of the ox, as described in the Bundahesian.
• 3:02:57
  This brings us to judgement represented by the X or 21.
• 3:03:01
  The iconography of this arcanum remains consistent in older
• 3:03:04
  cards. On the Viscontis Forza card, we
• 3:03:08
  witness the scene of bodies being resurrected from a tomb
• 3:03:11
  presided over by a male figure similar to the one depicted on
• 3:03:15
  the Hierophant or Pope card. 2 angelic beings blow long
• 3:03:19
  trumpets. The Gringois card shows only the
• 3:03:22
  two angelic figures with their trumpets, while the Marseille
• 3:03:25
  card hints at a meteorological phenomenon radiating from the
• 3:03:28
  clouds above the tombs. Originally, the icon may have
• 3:03:32
  featured for Vashis spiritual entities rather than angels,
• 3:03:37
  calling the deceased across the Chinvat Bridge to the afterlife.
• 3:03:41
  Interestingly, the concept of physical resurrection, later
• 3:03:44
  significant in Judaism and early Christianity, originated from
• 3:03:48
  Iranian beliefs. The importance of the Chinvat
• 3:03:51
  Bridge as described in the Bundahesian is comparable to
• 3:03:54
  that of the Bifrost Bridge in the Germanic tradition.
• 3:03:57
  Pravashis are the original souls of the virtuous spiritual
• 3:04:00
  creation which eventually Incarnate as human beings.
• 3:04:04
  They are free willed souls who have chosen the path of goodness
• 3:04:07
  and serve as cosmic warriors of Omazd.
• 3:04:10
  Fravashi judges the deeds of individuals upon their death,
• 3:04:14
  leading the good to paradise and the wicked to an infernal region
• 3:04:18
  back into incarnation. In this form, the Fravashi
• 3:04:21
  embodies the true religion of the goddess Diana, as mentioned
• 3:04:25
  in the Greek system's final Stoicheon Omega.
• 3:04:29
  The original image likely included the shape of a comet,
• 3:04:32
  as comets were considered signs of final judgement in ancient
• 3:04:35
  Iranian and other cultures. In ancient Iranian astrology,
• 3:04:39
  fixed stars held more significance than planets, and
• 3:04:42
  predictions often relied on observing unpredictable
• 3:04:44
  phenomena like Novi and comets in specific segments of the
• 3:04:48
  night sky. Trained priests who maintained
• 3:04:51
  sacred fires during night vigils in remote mountain regions made
• 3:04:55
  these observations. In later Christianized versions
• 3:04:59
  of the iconography, the comet was replaced by an Angel with a
• 3:05:02
  trumpet, symbolizing the text found in Matthew 2431.
• 3:05:07
  The Greek word for trumpet used in this passage, salpi, was
• 3:05:11
  considered by the ancient astronomer Ptolemy as a certain
• 3:05:14
  type of comet. The old Greek and Latin code
• 3:05:18
  name for this arcanum was Cepheus, meaning sword or sword
• 3:05:21
  star, which referred to a comet. Comets were regarded as signs of
• 3:05:26
  divine judgement, and in this instance, Ziphius was considered
• 3:05:30
  a foreboding sign of catastrophe sent forth by the God Mars.
• 3:05:34
  Thus, the poetic code name Ziphius symbolizes abstract
• 3:05:38
  quality judgement. This arcanum represents the
• 3:05:41
  final separation between ignorance and enlightenment,
• 3:05:44
  mortality and immortality, and the initiate and the non
• 3:05:48
  initiate. When examining the Mithraists
• 3:05:50
  eschatology and beliefs regarding the resurrection of
• 3:05:53
  bodies, we find a parallel in Kuhlmann's description of his
• 3:05:57
  work Mysteries of Mithras. It states that all individuals
• 3:06:01
  will emerge from their tombs, assuming their former
• 3:06:04
  appearances and recognizing one another.
• 3:06:07
  Humanity and tear will unite in a grand assembly, and the God of
• 3:06:11
  truth will separate the good from the bad.
• 3:06:14
  This idea of the final Test before the ultimate
• 3:06:16
  transformation into a living divinity corresponds to Rowena,
• 3:06:20
  the tower or solos in the older Greek system.
• 3:06:24
  In this context, the judgement aspect of the arcanium is
• 3:06:27
  invoked. The world Z or 22 represents
• 3:06:30
  various images associated with the Zodiac signs.
• 3:06:34
  Some depictions show a young masculine figure among the
• 3:06:36
  Zodiac signs representing the third man of the original Roman
• 3:06:40
  triumvirate or the three men who became the Trump's.
• 3:06:44
  However, the prevailing image is that of a female figure.
• 3:06:47
  In the case of the male figure, it symbolizes the cosmic man
• 3:06:51
  appearing in different cultures such as the Norse, the Yama of
• 3:06:54
  the Vedicarians, the Guyomart of the Avesta and Iranians, the
• 3:06:59
  Anthropos or Logos of the Hermetic and Neoplatonic Greeks,
• 3:07:03
  and the Adam Cadman of the Hebrews.
• 3:07:05
  Yet from an initiatory perspective, the female image
• 3:07:09
  holds more power. It represents the souls third
• 3:07:12
  component, signifying the initiatory journeys culmination.
• 3:07:16
  Ancient Iranians and Germanics believed that warriors had
• 3:07:19
  accompanying spirits in female form who would meet them in the
• 3:07:22
  afterlife, known as Valkyria among the Norse and Fravashis
• 3:07:26
  among the Iranians. On the Marseille card, the
• 3:07:30
  female figure is depicted with the four heavenly beasts of the
• 3:07:33
  Zodiac, the Bull, the Lion, the Eagle, and the Man.
• 3:07:38
  These animals represent the entire Zodiac, specifically the
• 3:07:41
  four fixed signs associated with the elements Earth, fire, Water,
• 3:07:46
  and Air respectively. The image of the female figure
• 3:07:49
  holding a globe and wand seen in the Gringois card can be traced
• 3:07:53
  back to Persephone Proserpina, who was given a pomegranate and
• 3:07:57
  scepter by Pluto to symbolize fertility and luck.
• 3:08:00
  While the image of the World Arcanium is evocative of the
• 3:08:03
  final stage of initiation, its name holds even more
• 3:08:07
  significance among the older cards.
• 3:08:10
  The literal translation of the world or the universe
• 3:08:13
  corresponds to the true meaning of the term world, which would
• 3:08:16
  be mundus in Latin. However, the Marseille card and
• 3:08:20
  the circular motif in the Gringois card allude to the
• 3:08:24
  secret code of the zodiacs. The Zodiac encompasses all
• 3:08:27
  living creatures, acting as a boundary between the inner realm
• 3:08:31
  of planets and the outer realm of fixed stars.
• 3:08:35
  When an initiate permanently enters the sphere of the Zodiac,
• 3:08:38
  the initiation is complete and they transcend the influence of
• 3:08:42
  the stars, becoming part of them.
• 3:08:45
  The World Card represents the final stage of initiation,
• 3:08:48
  marked by merging the personal or subjective universe with the
• 3:08:51
  greater objective universe. The initiatory process concludes
• 3:08:56
  and the initiate reaches a level of development where they attain
• 3:08:59
  immortality and mastery over destiny.
• 3:09:02
  This signifies the meaning of the Roman system as a whole,
• 3:09:05
  depicting a process of initiation and functioning as a
• 3:09:08
  cosmological map of how the world operates.
• 3:09:12
  Originally this system existed in a Pagan, pre Christian
• 3:09:15
  context, likely among the Mithras of the late imperial
• 3:09:19
  period. Its primary function was to
• 3:09:21
  index the world's processes and initiatory development.
• 3:09:25
  Over time, divinatory meanings became associated with the
• 3:09:28
  system. If this code of the world
• 3:09:30
  derived from the gods and goddesses and could be
• 3:09:33
  understood, it also served as a means of communication between
• 3:09:36
  divinities and humanity when seen and experienced as a whole.
• 3:09:41
  The profundity of the system lies in its ability to enlighten
• 3:09:44
  the Fool. The Initiate embarks on a
• 3:09:46
  journey through life and the world much like the bull Apas,
• 3:09:50
  entering the world of initiation without preconceived notions but
• 3:09:54
  remaining open to magic and anything that unfolds.
• 3:09:58
  The Bacatus, like the Fool, encounters various goddesses in
• 3:10:01
  the initiation process, starting with the heavenly goddess
• 3:10:05
  Cellis, followed by the elemental goddess Diana, and
• 3:10:08
  finally the God of cycles Ian. After these experiences, the
• 3:10:14
  initiate becomes a priest or Flamen, applying the arts of the
• 3:10:17
  latter to their understanding. These arts open the gates to
• 3:10:21
  Ecstasy Gaudium, allowing the initiate to mount the celestial
• 3:10:25
  vehicle of the chariot Hamasha and begin a series of tests.
• 3:10:29
  The first Test passes through the Gate of Justice Iostisha,
• 3:10:33
  which determines whether the Initiate has genuinely
• 3:10:35
  transformed through their experiences up to that point.
• 3:10:38
  Next, the initiate enters a phase of seclusion as a hermit
• 3:10:42
  in the realm of Kronos. They achieve higher ranks within
• 3:10:45
  the secret priesthood upon emerging from this stage.
• 3:10:49
  However, this is merely the beginning of a new series of
• 3:10:52
  tests. In this independent state, the
• 3:10:55
  initiate confronts the chaotic realm of the Wheel of Fortuna,
• 3:10:58
  ruled by the ancient goddess Libera.
• 3:11:01
  To successfully overcome this chaotic force, the initiate must
• 3:11:05
  muster sufficient strength. Strength, Magneto or undergo
• 3:11:09
  purifying punishment. Naxa to enter the realm of
• 3:11:11
  Transfiguration in the subterranean orcas of Death.
• 3:11:15
  Only by tempering the elements of their being through proper
• 3:11:18
  moderation, known as Pluvia, can the initiate beneficially enter
• 3:11:22
  the sphere of Querinus, the Quadricornus or Devil, who
• 3:11:26
  corresponds to Mithras at this point.
• 3:11:28
  This marks the first stage of perfection for the initiate, but
• 3:11:32
  the transformations are far from over.
• 3:11:34
  If they dare to continue taking further steps towards final
• 3:11:38
  perfection or deification, the candidate must endure the
• 3:11:41
  Thunderbolt that ruins all that is non essential ruiner.
• 3:11:45
  Only the perfect remaining seed can rise to the stars, receiving
• 3:11:49
  their intelligence If anything is left.
• 3:11:51
  From there, the initiate undergoes A3 fold cycle,
• 3:11:54
  transitioning from the stars to the Moon, Trina and the Sun
• 3:11:58
  Unas. In the Sun.
• 3:12:00
  The separated seed form becomes focused and unified after the
• 3:12:04
  electric ruination process. However, even this focused form
• 3:12:08
  must undergo the final Test and transformation.
• 3:12:11
  It is judged by the being of the Absolute under the sign of
• 3:12:14
  Ziphius, the sign of Judgement. After this, the initiate becomes
• 3:12:18
  one of the immortal stars, entering the Zodiac realm with
• 3:12:21
  mastery over the force of Destiny.
• 3:12:23
  At this point, I wondered how these initiatory images could be
• 3:12:27
  part of the Divinity system, given that they were linked to
• 3:12:30
  the letters of the Greek and Roman alphabets.
• 3:12:33
  Divination directs an individual's attention to the
• 3:12:36
  continuous elements of their life process.
• 3:12:39
  When used correctly and with reverence, it highlights that
• 3:12:42
  life's unfoldment is not a linear process but can manifest
• 3:12:46
  and influence a person at any given time.
• 3:12:49
  Zervan, The divination process described here is the
• 3:12:53
  culmination of a long historical development that likely
• 3:12:56
  originated in Iran, further developed in the Middle East,
• 3:13:00
  and reached maturity among the Greek Stoics of Tarsus before
• 3:13:03
  entering A decadent stage among the Roman soldiers of the late
• 3:13:06
  Empire. Before moving on from the topic
• 3:13:09
  of the Roman system and the Tarot, it's worth noting an
• 3:13:12
  interesting connection that confirms the long assumed link
• 3:13:15
  between the Tarot and the Romani people.
• 3:13:17
  Gypsies. Contrary to popular belief,
• 3:13:20
  neither the Romani people nor the Tarot images originated in
• 3:13:24
  Egypt. Rather, both share a common
• 3:13:26
  origin in Central Asia. The migration paths of the Tarot
• 3:13:30
  images and the Romani people followed similar trajectories
• 3:13:34
  around the end of the European Middle Ages.
• 3:13:36
  The simultaneous appearance of the Romani folk and the Tarot
• 3:13:40
  images in Europe is unlikely to be a coincidence.
• 3:13:44
  While it cannot be proven that the Romani people used these
• 3:13:47
  images during that early period or brought them into Europe, it
• 3:13:51
  is more plausible that they followed a parallel migration
• 3:13:54
  route with the images. When the images emerged in
• 3:13:57
  Europe, the Romani perhaps recognized them as long lost
• 3:14:00
  companions and incorporated them into their traditions.
• 3:14:05
  The role of the Egyptian. Throughout this book, references
• 3:14:08
  are made to symbols and deities from ancient Egypt.
• 3:14:11
  This is particularly true regarding the so-called magical
• 3:14:14
  disc of Pergamon, especially from the Greek perspective.
• 3:14:18
  The fascination with Egypt has been a long standing interest in
• 3:14:21
  the western world, further fuelled by the Romans.
• 3:14:24
  Classical authors held varying opinions on Egypt, with some
• 3:14:28
  idealizing it and others ridiculing it.
• 3:14:31
  Agrel, during his investigation, frequently referred to Egyptian
• 3:14:35
  symbols but refrained from linking the Tarock system to the
• 3:14:38
  hieroglyphic schemes. 24 consonantal signs.
• 3:14:42
  The imagined traditions of calm and their impact have captivated
• 3:14:45
  New Age thinkers for over 2 millennia.
• 3:14:48
  Eric Horning, A renowned Egyptologist, provides a
• 3:14:51
  historical account of this phenomenon in his book The
• 3:14:54
  Secret Law of Egypt, Its Impact on the West, Cornell University
• 3:14:59
  Press, 2001. Agrel believed the alphabetic
• 3:15:03
  numerological system underlying Tarock originated from the Near
• 3:15:06
  East, not Egypt. Unlike Greek, Roman, Semitic,
• 3:15:10
  and particularly Persian material, no Egyptian system of
• 3:15:13
  thought aligns with this underlying scheme.
• 3:15:16
  However, when discussing the magical disc of Pergamon, Agrel
• 3:15:20
  heavily drew upon Egyptian hieroglyphics to explain its
• 3:15:23
  fields. This is because we now know that
• 3:15:26
  the Persian cult of Mithra was practiced in Persepolis as early
• 3:15:30
  as 400 BCE, and contact between Mithra deities and Egyptian
• 3:15:34
  culture could have occurred after the Persian conquest of
• 3:15:37
  Egypt in 525 BCE. As the pharaoh of Egypt, Darius
• 3:15:42
  the First likely had many followers of the Mithra cult in
• 3:15:45
  his company. This connection may have led to
• 3:15:47
  the famous Mithras liturgy spell in the Greek magical papyri
• 3:15:51
  which originated from Egyptian soil.
• 3:15:54
  Eric Hornung mentions that Toth was first referred to as the
• 3:15:57
  thrice greatest when Darius the First was the Persian Emperor
• 3:16:01
  and Pharaoh of Egypt. Hornung also highlights that the
• 3:16:04
  Egyptian language lacks A superlative degree found in Indo
• 3:16:08
  European languages. Therefore, this Egyptian formula
• 3:16:11
  may have been a way to indicate the greatest Toth created in
• 3:16:15
  conjunction with Persian ideas. Assigning great significance to
• 3:16:18
  the 24 consonantal signs of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics
• 3:16:22
  may be tempting. However, it's crucial to
• 3:16:25
  remember that this system is a modern reconstruction by
• 3:16:28
  Egyptologists and needs documented evidence of its
• 3:16:31
  existence in ancient records. Furthermore, the names given to
• 3:16:35
  these signs are modern attributions based on well
• 3:16:37
  informed understanding. Nonetheless, the present work
• 3:16:41
  aims to raise new questions rather than provide definitive
• 3:16:44
  answers, leaving room for future exploration by enterprising
• 3:16:48
  esotericists regarding the Hebrew system.
• 3:16:52
  The information presented challenges many modern occult
• 3:16:55
  speculations or traditions concerning the Tarot and its
• 3:16:59
  alleged authentic connections with the Hebrew Kabbalah.
• 3:17:02
  Nevertheless, this information may offer a new perspective on
• 3:17:06
  the link between the Kabbalah and the Tara.
• 3:17:09
  It's possible that there was an independent adaptation of
• 3:17:11
  Mithraic law or an adaptation of the Hellenistic synthesis, such
• 3:17:16
  as in Kabbalistic cosmology. In such a case, practitioners of
• 3:17:20
  the Hebrew tradition may have been responsible for reducing
• 3:17:23
  the images from 24 to 22. Another possibility is that the
• 3:17:28
  imagery's key is based on the Aramaic system of letters
• 3:17:32
  employed by the Mithraists in Asia Minor.
• 3:17:35
  Aramaic, closely related to Hebrew and commonly spoken by
• 3:17:39
  Jews in the Middle East, served as the administrative language
• 3:17:42
  of the Persian Empire since the time of Cyrus the Great.
• 3:17:46
  Like most Semitic languages then, Aramaic also utilized the
• 3:17:50
  22 letters. It's worth emphasizing that the
• 3:17:53
  connections between the Jews and Persians are deep rooted and
• 3:17:57
  have esoteric dimensions Dating back to around 550 BCE.
• 3:18:01
  During the reign of Cyrus the Great, there was a strong and
• 3:18:04
  significant cultural presence of Jews in the Persian Empire.
• 3:18:08
  Most of the Hebrew Bible was composed when Judea was a
• 3:18:11
  province of the Acumenid Empire, and Persian ideas influenced the
• 3:18:15
  Jewish religion during that period.
• 3:18:17
  Politically, militarily, and culturally, the Jews were
• 3:18:21
  important allies of the Persian emperors, with a few exceptions,
• 3:18:25
  until the unusual revolution of 1979 severed their close
• 3:18:29
  relationship. Interestingly, the Hebrew word
• 3:18:32
  for mystery, in the sense of a profound esoteric mystery, not
• 3:18:36
  merely a secret hidden from prying eyes, is raz.
• 3:18:40
  This word, borrowed from Hebrew, appears only in the Book of
• 3:18:44
  Daniel. It is also found in Jewish
• 3:18:46
  esoteric literature like the manual known as the Sefa ha
• 3:18:49
  Regime, the Book of Mysteries. If the Kabbalah's roots trace
• 3:18:53
  back to the last few centuries BCE, it would be based on
• 3:18:57
  Iranian doctrines of divine and cosmological emanations, as
• 3:19:01
  noted by the early secular scholar of the Kabbalah,
• 3:19:04
  Adolfranca in 1843. Gershom Shalom's meticulous
• 3:19:08
  research demonstrated that Kabbalistic literature emerged
• 3:19:11
  from the 2nd to the 13th century, originating in the
• 3:19:15
  Middle East and later flourishing in Spain.
• 3:19:18
  It is possible that some oral traditions were considerably
• 3:19:21
  older, as the application of Hebrew letters to the Tarot is a
• 3:19:24
  modern innovation. Alternatively, the strongest
• 3:19:28
  mysterious connection might be to the Roman system of 22
• 3:19:31
  letters. For those willing to delve into
• 3:19:33
  it, this information could open a new pathway to understanding
• 3:19:37
  the Tarot and the principles that inform the Kabbalah.