The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum - Interpreted by the Tarot Trumps - Translated from the Mss. of Éliphas Lévi - With Eight Plates

By W. Wynn Westcott

First published in 1896, “The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum” is an interesting dissertation on the ruling of the world by the seven great archangels written by Éliphas Lévi, (1810 – 1875), a French author of occult literature and ceremonial magician. In this vintage volume, Lévi outlines how the world is ruled by one of the seven archangels, each for a period of 354 years. The archangels are represented by celestial bodies, with Michael being the sun, Gabriel being the moon, Samael, Mars, etc. This volume will appeal to those with an interest in the occult, and it is not to be missed by collectors of vintage esoteric literature. Contents include: “The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum”, “The Priestess – La Papesse”, “The Empress – L'imperatrice”, “The Emperor”, “L'Emereur”, “The Pope of Hierophant – Le Pape”, “The Lovers – L'amoureux”, “The Chariot of Hermes – Le Chariot”, “Justice – La Justice”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Obscure Press
• Release date: Aug 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781528767927

W. Wynn Westcott

William Wynn Westcott (1848-1925) was an English Rosicrucian and Theosophist, Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, and founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Westcott was a prolific writer on occult subjects, including numerous articles in theosophical periodicals, Rosicrucian pamphlets, and several books, including his 10-volume Collectanea Hermetica. Born on December 17, 1848 in Leamington, Warwickshire, England, Westcott became active in Freemasonry in 1871. He became Master of his home lodge in 1874, and later Master of the Quatuor Coronati research lodge (1893-1894). In 1879 he moved to Hendon, and began studying the Kabbalah the following year. He joined the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA) and became chief of the SRIA in 1891, following the death of William Robert Woodman, with whom he co-founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1887, along with Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. Using the motto V.H. Frater Sapere Aude, the Golden Dawn was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and paranormal activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a magical order, it was active in Great Britain and focused its practices on theurgy and spiritual development. Around this time, Westcott was also active in the Theosophical Society, and founded The Adelphi Lodge in London W.C. in 1891. In 1896, Westcott abandoned public involvement with the Golden Dawn due to pressure regarding his job as a Crown Coroner, but continued to head the SRIA and was later involved with the Golden Dawn breakaway Stella Matutina. He retired as a coroner after 1910, emigrated to South Africa in 1918, and died in Durban on July 30, 1925, aged 76.

Book preview

THE MAGICAL RITUAL

OF THE

SANCTUM REGNUM

INTERPRETED BY THE

TAROT TRUMPS

TRANSLATED FROM THE MSS. OF

ÉLIPHAZ LÉVI

AND EDITED BY

W. WYNN WESTCOTT, M.B.

MAGUS OF THE ROSICRUCIAN SOCIETY OF ENGLAND

WITH EIGHT PLATES

Copyright © 2018 Read Books Ltd.

This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Eliphas Levi

Alphonse Louis Constant—better-known by his pen name, ‘Eliphas Levi’—was born in Paris, France in 1810. In his youth, he began to study to enter the Roman Catholic priesthood, penning a number of minor religious works. Two of his more radical works, advocating what was considered extreme social liberalism, earned him brief prison sentences. In 1853, after a visit to England, Levi became interested in Rosicrucianism, and produced his first treatise on magic in 1854 under the title Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (Dogma and Ritual of High Magic) (1855). He published the sequel, La Clef des Grands Mystères (The Key to the Great Mysteries), six years later, and followed this with Fables et Symboles (Stories and Images) (1862), La Science des Esprits (The Science of Spirits) (1865), Le Grand Arcane, ou l'Occultisme Dévoilé (The Great Secret, or Occultism Unveiled) (posthumous; 1898). Levi’s personal brand of magic was a great success, coinciding as it did with the growth of spiritualism on either side of the Atlantic. He was a great influence on the legendary occultist Aleister Crowley. Levi died in 1875, aged 65.

A Monogram of the

GNOSIS.

See Page 21.

THE TETRAGRAM.

traced in a Kabalistic design

See Page 21.

CONTENTS

PREFACE BY THE EDITOR

THIS translation of a previously unpublished work by the late Alphonse Louis Constant, or, as he preferred to call himself, Éliphaz Lévi, is published with the consent of its possessor, Mr. Edward Maitland, the eminent collaborateur of the late Dr. Anna Kingsford, to whom it was given by the Baron Spedalieri, so well known as the friend, disciple, and literary heir of Éliphaz Lévi. The original MSS., which is in the handwriting of Lévi himself, is written upon pages interleaved with the text of a printed copy of a work by Trithemius of Spanheim, entitled De Septem Secundeis: the edition was published at Cologne, and is dated 1567. This work of the Abbot Trithemius is a very curious and interesting dissertation upon the ruling of the world by the seven great Archangels, to each of whom in succession is allotted a period of 354 years and 4 months. The Archangels are referred to the Planets of the ancients, and their successive periods of dominion are taken in the following order:—

The first course of these rulers ended in Anno Mundi 2480. The Noachian Deluge is placed at 1656, in the reign of Samael. The destruction of the Tower of Babel (see Tarot Trump, No. XVI., page 63) occurred in the Second reign of Orifiel; the life of Abraham in the Second reign of Zachariel; the life of Moses in the Second reign of Raphael; Pythagoras, Xerxes, and Alexander the Great in the Second Solar reign of Michael.

The era of Jesus Christ comes in the Third reign of Orifiel.

The Third reign of Anael       began in 109, A.D.

The Third reign of Zachariel began in 463

The Third reign of Raphael   began in 817

The Third reign of Samael   began in 1171

The Third reign of Gabriel   began in 1525

The Third reign of Michael  began in 1879

Lévi appears to have been deeply impressed with this system of Rule by Archangels, and Edward Maitland, in his life of Dr. Anna Kingsford, refers to this volume with approval.

Under the heading of Notes the editor has given a short description of each Tarot Trump at the end of each chapter, and also a few notes on the mystical meanings assigned to the Tarots by Éliphaz Lévi in his other works; some of the views of P. Christian are added. To facilitate reference to such information, a table is added here specifying the places to which the student can turn for further opinions and more detailed descriptions.

Court de Gebelin. Le Monde premitif analysé. Paris. 1773–82. Volume 8.

Etteilla or Alliette. Philosophie des hautes sciences. Amsterdam. 1785.

Etteilla. Leçons theoriques et pratiques du livre du Thot. 1787.

Tarots Egyptiennes ou Grand Etteilla. 1830.

Etteila. Manière de se récreer avec le jeu des Tarots. 1783–5.

Lévi, Éliphaz. Nom de plume of Alphonse Louis Constant.

Rituel de la Haute Magie. Paris. 1861. Pages 344–356 give the several descriptions and meanings of the Tarot Trumps; but the whole chapter entitled Le livre d’Hermes, pages 332–384, is concerned with the subject. These Trumps are also allotted to Lunar days at pages 265–269.

Dogme de la Haute Magie. Paris. 1861. The tenth chapter has