Alchemy

The Quest Tarot - Alchemy

- "Return to the inner earth and find the hidden stone." This is what appears to be written on the yin and yang pieces beneath the upended cups. Does anyone know the source of this quote? The Quest book does not specify (is it original?).

- What is coming out of the cups? Simply raw energy? It resembles an embroynic-type sac encasing incomplete selves.

- The white insulated feathers on the wings appear to be that of an owl. Is this image suggesting that we need wisdom to hold the light and dark sides of our selves in balance?

- The Quest book speaks of walking the path between light and dark. This path is clearly defined in the imagery, but it's unclear just what we're walking on! Is this image out in space, or over water? It almost looks like ice.

Re: The Quest Tarot - Alchemy

(oops, duplicate post)

Re: The Quest Tarot - Alchemy

Sillanza said:

- "Return to the inner earth and find the hidden stone." This is what appears to be written on the yin and yang pieces beneath the upended cups. Does anyone know the source of this quote? The Quest book does not specify (is it original?).

Click to expand...

No, it's not original. It's a translation of a Latin expression that alchemists used and one encounters it all the time in introductory alchemy books. This expression in Latin has the acronym V.I.T.R.I.O.L.

For a brief explanation of the meaning and significance of the Latin expression see, for example:

http://www.freemasonry.org/leonzeldis/VITRIOL.htm

P.S.: The appearance of the Latin expression V.I.T.R.I.O.L. on a 20th century tarot card is not new. Offhand, I can think of the Art (Temperance) card in the Thoth deck, where the full Latin expression is used.