TAROT STUDY HELPS
Compiled by Lelandra
This is, at this point, an abandoned project. When I began working on it, I was a true believer in the Golden Dawn system of correspondences, and began work on this online book-in-progress in order to understand the system in the greatest detail possible. Unfortunately, this project resulted in a personal loss of faith in the system. However, in the possibility that it may be useful to others, I have left up the part of the project that was webbed. I believe that it does represent a good way to systematically engage in the study of tarot from an "esoteric filing cabinet" perspective.
The pages for each card (and those introductory charts as interest the user) are intended to be printed out and put in a three ring binder, where they can serve as the seed for a Tarot journal or workbook. Unlike other Tarot workbooks, the bulk of this work examines the Tarot through the lens of traditional Occultism or Western Esotericism. I have specifically chosen to use the system of correspondences of the Golden Dawn, mentioning some modifications made by Aliester Crowley. I have chosen this as my orienting generalization since two of the most popular Tarot decks in use today, the Rider-Waite-Smith and Crowley-Harris Thoth, come out of the Golden Dawn tradition.
In this book, for each card I show versions from several Golden Dawn style decks, then present a table with the Golden Dawn correspondences. This is followed by quotations from Book "T", Book of Thoth and Waite's Pictorial Key. Finally I provide an examination of symbols from the Golden Dawn description and various other decks.
Complementary to this site, you should become familiar with Paul Hughes-Barlow's site Supertarot. Rather than focusing on individual card meanings, it has online lessons in using Elemental Dignities. It also houses a colection of excellent essays you won't find anywhere else.
INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL
(Just cheat sheets for reminder purposes rather than first encounter tutorials)
The Four Elements
The Seven Planets
The Twelve Zodiacal Signs
Triplicity
Quadriplicity
Various Decan Systems - Manilius, Ptolemy/Face, Hindu
The 36 Decans (external link to Uri Raz, comparing Agrippa Three Books of Occult Philosophy decan descriptions to Book T pip meanings)
Putting it all together, astrologically (external link to Supertarot)
The Tetragrammaton
Qabalah: The Tree of Life, and The Hebrew Alphabet
Summary Chart showing the color scales and comparing the GD attributions to those of R.J. Stewart and Eliphas Levi.
In detail, this has already been done quite well elsewhere, so I'll point you there:
Many different tableaux (meditative arrangements) of the Major Arcana
COURT CARDS AND ACES
How Different Decks are Correlated in this Study Guide (my visual argument for why most writers are wrong in correlating Knights to Princes. The correct correspondence is: RW King = GD Prince = Thoth Prince, RW Queen = GD Queen = Thoth Queen,
RW Knight = GD King = Thoth Knight, RW Page = GD Princess = Thoth Princess)
Chart of Elemental Correspondences for Suits and Courts in Various Decks - according to the designers of those decks
Chart of Different Authors' Attributions to MBTI
Different Systems for Attributing Court Cards to Seasons
(Those who have seen Book "T" will recognize the organization and ordering of the remainder of this table of contents.)
1. The Ace of Wands is called the Root of the Powers of Fire.
2. The Ace of Cups is called the Root of the Powers of Water.
3. The Ace of Swords is called the Root of the Powers of Air.
4. The Ace of Pentacles is called the Root of the Powers of Earth.
5. The Knight of Wands is "The Lord of the Flame and Lighting: the King of the Spirits of
Fire."
6. The Queen of Wands is "The Queen of the Thrones of Flame."
7. The King of Wands is "The Prince of the Chariot of Fire."
8. The Knave of Wands is "The Princess of the Shining Flame: the Rose of the Palace of
Fire."
9. The Knight of Cups is "The Lord of the Waves and the Waters: the King of the Hosts of the
Sea."
10. The Queen of Cups is "The Queen of the Thrones of the Waters."
11. The King of Cups is "The Prince of the Chariot of the Waters."
12. The Knave of Cups is "The Princess of the Waters: the Lotus of the Palace of the Floods."
13. The Knight of Swords is "The Lord of the Wind and the Breezes: the King of the Spirits of
Air."
14. The Queen of Swords is "The Queen of the Thrones of Air."
15. The King of Swords is "The Prince of the Chariot of the Winds."
16. The Knave of Swords is "The Princess of the Rushing Winds: the Lotus of the Palace of
Air."
17. The Knight of Pentacles is "The Lord of the Wide and Fertile Land: the King of the
Spirits of Earth."
18. The Queen of Pentacles is "The Queen of the Thrones of Earth."
19. The King of Pentacles is "The Prince of the Chariot of Earth."
20. The Knave of Pentacles is "The Princess of the Echoing Hills: the Rose of the Palace
of Earth."
PIP CARDS
NO. |
CARD |
LORD OF |
DECAN |
IN |
21 |
5 of Wands |
Strife |
Saturn |
Leo |
22 |
6 of Wands |
Victory |
Jupiter |
Leo |
23 |
7 of Wands |
Valour |
Mars |
Leo |
24 |
8 of Pentacles |
Prudence |
Sun |
Virgo |
25 |
9 of Pentacles |
Material Gain |
Venus |
Virgo |
26 |
10 of Pentacles |
Wealth |
Mercury |
Virgo |
27 |
2 of Swords |
Peace restored |
Moon |
Libra |
28 |
3 of Swords |
Sorrow |
Saturn |
Libra |
29 |
4 of Swords |
Rest from Strife |
Jupiter |
Libra |
30 |
5 of Cups |
Loss in Pleasure |
Mars |
Scorpio |
|
31 |
6 of Cups |
Pleasure |
Sun |
Scorpio |
32 |
7 of Cups |
Illusionary Success |
Venus |
Scorpio |
33 |
8 of Wands |
Swiftness |
Mercury |
Sagittarius |
34 |
9 of Wands |
Great Strength |
Moon |
Sagittarius |
35 |
10 of Wands |
Oppresion |
Saturn |
Sagittarius |
36 |
2 of Pentacles |
Harmonious Change |
Jupiter |
Capricorn |
37 |
3 of Pentacles |
Material Works |
Mars |
Capricorn |
38 |
4 of Pentacles |
Earthly Power |
Sun |
Capricorn |
39 |
5 of Swords |
Defeat |
Venus |
Aquarius |
40 |
6 of Swords |
Earned Success |
Mercury |
Aquarius |
41 |
7 of Swords |
Unstable Effort |
Moon |
Aquarius |
42 |
8 of Cups |
Abandoned Success |
Saturn |
Pisces |
43 |
9 of Cups |
Material Happiness |
Jupiter |
Pisces |
44 |
10 of Cups |
Perfected Success |
Mars |
Pisces |
45 |
2 of Wands |
Dominion |
Mars |
Aries |
46 |
3 of Wands |
Established Strength |
Sun |
Aries |
47 |
4 of Wands |
Perfected Work |
Venus |
Aries |
48 |
5 of Pentacles |
Material Trouble |
Mercury |
Taurus |
49 |
6 of Pentacles |
Material Success |
Moon |
Taurus |
50 |
7 of Pentacles |
Success Unfulfilled |
Saturn |
Taurus |
51 |
8 of Swords |
Shortened Force |
Jupiter |
Gemini |
52 |
9 of Swords |
Despair and Cruelty |
Mars |
Gemini |
53 |
10 of Swords |
Ruin |
Sun |
Gemini |
54 |
2 of Cups |
Love |
Venus |
Cancer |
55 |
3 of Cups |
Abundance |
Mercury |
Cancer |
56 |
4 of Cups |
Blended Pleasure |
Moon |
Cancer |
TRUMP CARDS
THE TWENTY-TWO KEYS OF THE BOOK |
LETTER |
ATTRIB- UTION |
57 |
0 |
The Foolish Man |
The Spirit of GR:Alpha-iota-theta-eta-rho |
a |
Air |
58 |
1 |
The Magician |
The Magus of Power |
d |
Mercury |
59 |
2 |
The High Priestess |
The Priestess of the Silver Star |
g |
Moon |
60 |
3 |
The Empress |
The Daughter of the Mighty Ones |
d |
Venus |
61 |
4 |
The Emperor |
Sun of the Morning, chief among the Mighty |
h |
Aries |
62 |
5 |
The Hierophant |
The Magus of the Eternal |
w |
Taurus |
63 |
6 |
The Lovers |
The Children of the Voice; the Oracles of the Mighty Gods |
z |
Gemini |
64 |
7 |
The Chariot |
The Child of the Powers of the Waters; the Lord of the
Triumph of Light |
j |
Cancer |
65 |
11 |
Fortitude |
The Daughter of the Flaming Sword |
f |
Leo |
|
66 |
9 |
The Hermit |
The Magus of the Voice of Power,the Prophet of the
Eternal |
y |
Virgo |
67 |
10 |
The Wheel of Fate |
The Lord of the Forces of Life |
k |
Jupiter |
68 |
8 |
Justice |
The Daughter of the Lords of Truth: the Ruler of the
Balance |
l |
Libra |
69 |
12 |
The Hanged |
The Spirit of the Mighty Waters |
m |
Water |
70 |
13 |
Death |
The Child of the Great Transformers: the Lord of the Gates
of Death |
n |
Scorpio |
71 |
14 |
Temperance |
The Daughter of the Reconcilers: the Bringer-Forth of
life |
s |
Sagittarius |
72 |
15 |
The Devil |
The Lord of the Gates of Matter: the Child of the Forces of
Time |
u |
Capricorn |
|
73 |
16 |
The Blasted Tower |
The Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty |
p |
Mars |
74 |
17 |
The Star |
The Daughter of the Firmament, the dweller between the
Waters |
x |
Aquarius |
75 |
18 |
The Moon |
The Ruler of Flux and Reflux: the Child of the Sons of the
Mighty |
q |
Pisces |
76 |
19 |
The Sun |
The Lord of the Fire of the World |
r |
Sun |
77 |
20 |
The Judgement |
The Spirit of the Primal Fire |
c |
Spirit and Fire |
78 |
21 |
The Universe |
The Great One of the Night of Time |
't |
Earth and Saturn |
Other Correspondence Systems for the Trumps
Levi's attributions compared to GD compared to Carlo Suares
If you don't see hebrew letters, install the Hebrewa font found here
Sources
I relied primarily on the following sources in compiling this material:
Israel Regardie
Regardie, Israel. The Golden Dawn: A Complete Course in Practical Ceremonial Magic. Four Volumes in One. The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (Stella Matutina) as revealed by Israel Regardie, with further revisions, expansion, and additional notes by Israel Regardie, Chris Monnastre, and others, under the editorship of Carl Llewellyn Weschcke. Complete index compiled by David Godwin. Sixth Edition. orig 1971. 1995: Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN. ISBN 0-87542-663-8 Israel Regardie, became secretary for Crowley 1928, joined Felkin's Hermes Temple of the Stella Matutina around 1934
Aliester Crowley
Master Therion. The Book of Thoth (Egyptian Tarot). orig 1944. 1991: Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine. ISBN 0-87728-268-4 Master Therion is a pseudonym for Aleister Crowley, who was initiated into the Golden Dawn in 1898, and left in 1903 or 1905
Regardie, Israel, ed. 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley. orig 1973, 777 orig 1909. 1997: Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine. ISBN 0-87728-670-1
W. Wynn Westcott
Kuntz, Darcy (Ed.). Golden Dawn Court Cards: As Drawn By W.W. Westcott: Golden Dawn Studies Series 5 b 1995: Holmes Publishing Group. ISBN 1558183361
Many secondary sources (list)
David Allen Hulse. The Key of It All: An Encyclopedic Guide to the Sacred Languages and Magickal Systems of the World. Book Two: The Western Mysteries 1996: Llewellyn Publications (2nd Printing). ISBN 0-87542-379-5
Decks used in illustration - and some opinionated comments in lieu of reviews
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Copyright © 2001 Joan Schraith Cole. All Rights Reserved
Webbing began in 2001. Latest update March 2005.
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