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Tarot and Qabalah

To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.tarot,alt.divination
From: axialthrust@yahoo.com (BhP)
Subject: Re: Tarot and Qabalah (was ...)
Date: 4 Apr 2002 11:29:36 -0800

EvilWickedBunny@netscape.net (Sue) wrote
> 
> Do you have any input regarding the representation of Da'ath in tarot?

...What representation of Da'ath?
:)

Off the top of my head, I only recall Da'ath being referred to in two
cards, in the Thoth deck:  the High Priestess and the Universe.  The
HP is the most explicit, if you know what you're looking for that is. 
She shows the expanding web of light, the undifferentiated energy
passing through Da'ath and becoming distinct, defined, through her
influence.  I vaguely recall a good description in Crowley's Thoth
book and in the Qabalistic Tarot (Wang), but it's been a while since I
read either.  In the Universe, the babe in the abyss is shown, making
the sign of silence.  This is only an indirect reference to Da'ath, in
that it has to do with the essence of the babe rather than the abyss
itself.  On the other hand, the path of the Universe somewhat
parallels a path through Da'ath, so maybe the reference isn't so
indirect after all.

One thing you might be interested in, though this is a bit of a
tangent - some qabalists use a model of creation where before 'the
fall', Malkuth was where Da'ath is now.  When humans acquired
knowledge, Malkuth dropped to its current position and the veil of
Da'ath came into existence.  So the babe in the abyss shown in the
Universe card can be seen somewhat as an experience of Malkuth before
or during 'the fall'.  The path of the Universe is an awakening from
ignorance into knowledge.  This is seen as a step up, an evolution
from unconsciousness to consciousness, but in a weird way there is no
difference between the unconsciousness of the sleepers or robots or
walking dead or domesticated primates (take your pick of
descriptions...) and the unconsciousness of "adam and eve" or Adam
Kadmon before the fall.  The one is the ten, Malkuth is Kether, all
that fun stuff.  The real difference is that the walking dead are
disconnected from divinity and Adam Kadmon is one with the divine, but
as far as ignorance goes, both are unaware of anything beyond their
sphere of existance (pun intended? maybe).  So there's another
indirect instance of Da'ath.

In general, I don't think Da'ath really is represented in the tarot. 
But this 'makes sense' qabalistically, as Da'ath isn't a 'real'
sephirot.  It's there, but it's not really there.  It's a veil rather
than a distinct location (experience).  It wouldn't make sense for
someone to draw the "Da'ath card".

What do you think? Do you see Da'ath represented in other cards, or
other decks?

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