3913 – Alpha Omega Tracing Board Diagram 14th Key of Tarot

Physical description:

Cream coloured card with black, purple and red ink.

Museum classification:

Ritual Magic

Size:

24cm x 30cm

Information:

These tracing board diagrams were most likely used as a way to test the knowledge of the members of the order of Alpha et Omega (initially called The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) and allow them to progress further up into higher levels (grades) in the order. It appears that some, if not all, of the boards were hung in the temple during rituals of the inner order. See the Alpha Omega tag for more tracing board diagrams. 

The front side features writing which reads: "The 14th Key of the Tarot (More Ancient Form)". Below it, there is a drawing of winged feminine figure wearing a crown which has the alchemical symbols drawn on it, and there is a halo around the head. As one source describes, the figure is the "angel Michael, angel of the sun and archangel of the element fire. These attributes connect him to the sun pictured in Key 19 The Sun. His name means “Like unto God.” He is neither male nor female. We use the pronoun “he” for convenience. Neither is he a person. Michael is a personification of the fiery Life-breath of the One Identity." 

The figure is holding what looks like a fire torch in one hand, and a water jug in the other - the latter is the usual depiction of the Tarot card of Temperance. The drawing also features a goat, a lion, a scorpion, an eagle, elemental symbols, an arrow, Hebrew letters, a hexagram with the sybol of sun in the middle of it, and two more inscriptions that read "The Gluten of the Eagle" and "The Blood of the Lion".
The above source also describes:
"Upon the fiery lion the angel pours water. The fixed element of fire is represented by the lion. From the torch in his left hand five flames, shaped like the letter Yod, fall on the head of the eagle. The fixed element of water is represented by the eagle. Water on fire, fire on water, or the action and reaction of opposites, is thus shown, and this carries out the general idea of tempering or modifying.
The water falling from the vase is a reference to the letter Mem and to the doctrine represented by the Suspended Man – reversal. When purified water, or reversed personal consciousness, is poured out on a lion, the meaning is: through suspension of the false notion of personal independence , one comes to understand the true function of personality as the instrument of Divine Will. When this change in consciousness is carried into subconsciousness, a change of heart is brought about. More than this, a definite activity is instituted at the heart center of the physical body." Seeing that the Temperance card is often seen as one representing the reconciliation of opposties, it also related to the idea of "as above, so below" in hermeticism which is a short version of the principle described below.

"The actual text of that maxim, as translated by Dennis W. Hauck from The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, is: "That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing."Thus, whatever happens on any level of reality (physical, emotional, or mental) also happens on every other level.This principle, however, is more often used in the sense of the microcosm and the macrocosm. The microcosm is oneself, and the macrocosm is the universe. The macrocosm is as the microcosm and vice versa; within each lies the other, and through understanding one (usually the microcosm) a person may understand the other."

In the system of the Golden Dawn, all of the different alchemical and planetary symbols, Hebrew letters, animals correspond with each other. For example, the empty triangle pointing upwards (element of fire) corresponds with the zodiac sign of Leo. The eagle most likely represents the zodiac sign of Scorpio, and the arrow is likely to represent Sagittarius.

The Golden Dawn describes the 14th Key as "Sol acting through Sagittarius on Luna." The symbolism of which can be seen on the diagram and are explained below.

The 14th Key of the Tarot is described in The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie as follows:

 

The Golden Dawn also provides an explanation of the tarot:

The symbol of the Eagle also features on the Rose Cross, on the top right point of the pentacle.

"The ending of each arm of the cross is triple with each segment assigned to one of the three alchemical principles: sulphur, salt, and mercury. The three segments upon the four arms allude also to the 12 signs of the zodiac. At the center of the cross is the rose of 22 petals. The rose is divided into 3 petals at the center, 7 petals in the second circle, and 12 in the outer circle. They are depicted in the appropriate Hebrew letters and colors as such: the three so-called Mother Letters in the primary colors (yellow, blue, and red), the 7 double letters in the secondary colors, and the 12 single letters in the chromatic color scale. Of course they also represent the 3 elements (the fourth being an admixture), the 7 planets of the ancients, and the 12 zodiac signs. In the midst of this rose is another rose-cross." 

The eagle itself corresponds to water, scorpio, and the Hebrew letter Heh.

 

The reverse side features writing which reads: "9. East. Portal of 5=6. Executed and presented by Frater "Fide et Amore" Oct. 4th 1908".

 

The "5=6" inscription pertains to the structure and grading of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (also known as Alpha et Omega, or the A.O.) 

The structure of the Golden Dawn:

First Order
Introduction—Neophyte 0=0
Zelator 1=10
Theoricus 2=9
Practicus 3=8
Philosophus 4=7
Intermediate—Portal Grade

Second Order
Adeptus Minor 5=6
Adeptus Major 6=5
Adeptus Exemptus 7=4

Third Order
Magister Templi 8=3
Magus 9=2
Ipsissimus 10=1

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Card and Ink

Copyright ownership:

MWM

These tracing board diagrams were most likely used as a way to test the knowledge of the members of the order of Alpha et Omega (initially called The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) and allow them to progress further up into higher levels (grades) in the order. It appears that some, if not all, of the boards were hung in the temple during rituals of the inner order. See the Alpha Omega tag for more tracing board diagrams. 

The front side features writing which reads: "The 14th Key of the Tarot (More Ancient Form)". Below it, there is a drawing of winged feminine figure wearing a crown which has the alchemical symbols drawn on it, and there is a halo around the head. As one source describes, the figure is the "angel Michael, angel of the sun and archangel of the element fire. These attributes connect him to the sun pictured in Key 19 The Sun. His name means “Like unto God.” He is neither male nor female. We use the pronoun “he” for convenience. Neither is he a person. Michael is a personification of the fiery Life-breath of the One Identity." 

The figure is holding what looks like a fire torch in one hand, and a water jug in the other - the latter is the usual depiction of the Tarot card of Temperance. The drawing also features a goat, a lion, a scorpion, an eagle, elemental symbols, an arrow, Hebrew letters, a hexagram with the sybol of sun in the middle of it, and two more inscriptions that read "The Gluten of the Eagle" and "The Blood of the Lion".
The above source also describes:
"Upon the fiery lion the angel pours water. The fixed element of fire is represented by the lion. From the torch in his left hand five flames, shaped like the letter Yod, fall on the head of the eagle. The fixed element of water is represented by the eagle. Water on fire, fire on water, or the action and reaction of opposites, is thus shown, and this carries out the general idea of tempering or modifying.
The water falling from the vase is a reference to the letter Mem and to the doctrine represented by the Suspended Man – reversal. When purified water, or reversed personal consciousness, is poured out on a lion, the meaning is: through suspension of the false notion of personal independence , one comes to understand the true function of personality as the instrument of Divine Will. When this change in consciousness is carried into subconsciousness, a change of heart is brought about. More than this, a definite activity is instituted at the heart center of the physical body." Seeing that the Temperance card is often seen as one representing the reconciliation of opposties, it also related to the idea of "as above, so below" in hermeticism which is a short version of the principle described below.

"The actual text of that maxim, as translated by Dennis W. Hauck from The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, is: "That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing."Thus, whatever happens on any level of reality (physical, emotional, or mental) also happens on every other level.This principle, however, is more often used in the sense of the microcosm and the macrocosm. The microcosm is oneself, and the macrocosm is the universe. The macrocosm is as the microcosm and vice versa; within each lies the other, and through understanding one (usually the microcosm) a person may understand the other."

In the system of the Golden Dawn, all of the different alchemical and planetary symbols, Hebrew letters, animals correspond with each other. For example, the empty triangle pointing upwards (element of fire) corresponds with the zodiac sign of Leo. The eagle most likely represents the zodiac sign of Scorpio, and the arrow is likely to represent Sagittarius.

The Golden Dawn describes the 14th Key as "Sol acting through Sagittarius on Luna." The symbolism of which can be seen on the diagram and are explained below.

The 14th Key of the Tarot is described in The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie as follows:

 

The Golden Dawn also provides an explanation of the tarot:

The symbol of the Eagle also features on the Rose Cross, on the top right point of the pentacle.

"The ending of each arm of the cross is triple with each segment assigned to one of the three alchemical principles: sulphur, salt, and mercury. The three segments upon the four arms allude also to the 12 signs of the zodiac. At the center of the cross is the rose of 22 petals. The rose is divided into 3 petals at the center, 7 petals in the second circle, and 12 in the outer circle. They are depicted in the appropriate Hebrew letters and colors as such: the three so-called Mother Letters in the primary colors (yellow, blue, and red), the 7 double letters in the secondary colors, and the 12 single letters in the chromatic color scale. Of course they also represent the 3 elements (the fourth being an admixture), the 7 planets of the ancients, and the 12 zodiac signs. In the midst of this rose is another rose-cross." 

The eagle itself corresponds to water, scorpio, and the Hebrew letter Heh.

 

The reverse side features writing which reads: "9. East. Portal of 5=6. Executed and presented by Frater "Fide et Amore" Oct. 4th 1908".

 

The "5=6" inscription pertains to the structure and grading of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (also known as Alpha et Omega, or the A.O.) 

The structure of the Golden Dawn:

First Order
Introduction—Neophyte 0=0
Zelator 1=10
Theoricus 2=9
Practicus 3=8
Philosophus 4=7
Intermediate—Portal Grade

Second Order
Adeptus Minor 5=6
Adeptus Major 6=5
Adeptus Exemptus 7=4

Third Order
Magister Templi 8=3
Magus 9=2
Ipsissimus 10=1