The 22 Powers of the Adept correspond to the 22 Hebrew letters, Tarot keys and connecting paths of the Kabbalah Tree of Life. The letters describe the keys of death, resurrection, divination, invincibility and dominion over heaven and earth. The 7 main privileges and powers of the Magus are mentioned.
The following is an excerpt from a 16th century Hebrew Kabbalistic manuscript on the 22 powers of the Adept, which correspond to the Hebrew letters and the corresponding Tarot keys:
These are the powers and privileges of the man who holds in his right hand the clavicles of Solomon, and in his left the branch of the blossoming almond.
These are the powers and privileges of the man who holds in his right hand the clavicles of Solomon, and in his left the branch of the blossoming almond.
– Aleph — He beholds God face to face, without dying, and converses familiarly with the seven genii who command the entire celestial army.
– Beth —He is above all afflictions and all fears.
– Ghimel — He reigns with all heaven and is served by all hell.
– Daleth — He disposes of his own health and life and can equally influence that of others.
– He — He can neither be surprised by misfortune, nor overwhelmed by disasters, nor conquered by his enemies.
– Vav — He knows the reason of the past, present, and future.
– Zain — He possesses the secret of the resurrection of the dead and the key of immortality.
Such are the seven chief privileges, and those which rank next are as follows:
– Cheth — To find the philosophical stone.
– Teth — To enjoy the universal medicine.
– lod — To be acquainted with the laws of perpetual motion and in a position to demonstrate the quadrature of the circle.
– Caph — To change into gold not only all metals, but also the earth itself, and even the refuse of the earth.
– Lamed — To subdue the most ferocious animals and be able to pronounce the words which paralyse and charm serpents.
– Mem.—To possess the Ars Notoria which gives the universal science.
– Nun.—To speak learnedly on all subjects, without preparation and without study.
These, finally, are the seven least powers of the magus:
– Samech — To know at first sight the deep things of the souls of men and the mysteries of the hearts of women.
– Ayin – To force nature to make him free at his pleasure.
– Phe — To foresee all future events which do not depend on a superior free will, or an all undiscemible cause.
– Tsade — To give at once and to all the most efficacious consolations and the most wholesome counsels.
– Coph — To triumph over adversities.
– Resch — To conquer love and hate.
– Schin — To have the secret of wealth, to be always its master and never its slave. To know how to enjoy even poverty and never become abject or miserable.
– Tav — Let us add to these three septenaries that the wise man rules the elements, stills tempests, cures the diseased by his touch, and raises the dead!
“At the same time, there are certain things which have been sealed by Solomon with his triple seal. It is enough that the initiates know, and as for others, whether they deride, doubt, or believe, whether they threaten or fear, what matters it to science or to us?”