The Tarot of the Bohemians

What It's About

First published in 1889, this seminal work serves as a comprehensive guide to the "absolute key to occult science." It shifts the perspective of the tarot from a simple card game to a sophisticated system of universal laws. By examining the deck through the lens of ancient Egyptian wisdom and the Hebrew alphabet, it provides a rigorous framework for understanding the metaphysical structure of reality.

Key Concepts

The text centers on the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) as a key to unlocking the tarot's structure. It explores the correspondence between the 22 Major Arcana and the paths of the Tree of Life, while integrating astrological influences and the mathematical principles of sacred geometry to explain how the cards represent both the macrocosm and the microcosm.

Why It Matters

This book was a primary catalyst in the 19th-century occult revival. It transformed how the Western world perceives the tarot, influencing major figures and organizations like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It remains an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the philosophical and mystical roots that underpin modern divinatory practices.

About the Author

Gérard Encausse, better known by his pseudonym Papus, was a French physician and one of the most prolific occultists of his era. A founder of the Martinist Order and a member of various esoteric societies, Papus dedicated his life to synthesizing diverse mystical traditions into a cohesive "occult science" that remains influential in the study of hermeticism today.

About This Edition

This is an English translation by A. P. Morton, first published in 1896.