A comment I encountered on Facebook recently caused me to revisit and reaffirm my reasons for working with the tarot. The woman was arguing against its use for divination, and said "We all know that the original purpose of the tarot was self-improvement." Well, no, actually we don't. Clearly this person doesn't have a clue … Continue reading Love at First Insight
Historical Tarot
Tarology: Enrique Enriquez and the Tarot de Marseille
After watching the documentary Tarology, I've decided that - although I'm probably a quarter-century older than he is - I want to be Enrique Enriquez when I grow up. He finally gave me a sound rationale for why I've staunchly resisted applying esoteric symbols from Qabala and astrology to my study and practice of the Tarot … Continue reading Tarology: Enrique Enriquez and the Tarot de Marseille
Tarot 101, My Way – The Major Arcana and Esoteric Symbolism
There are a couple of different ways to approach sequencing of the Major Arcana, or "trump" cards. Modern thinking is that the series begins with the Fool, numbered zero, and ends with the World, designated XXI in Roman numerals. But it wasn't always that way. Some early decks had the Fool as an unnumbered card and various writers … Continue reading Tarot 101, My Way – The Major Arcana and Esoteric Symbolism
RWS, TdM and Lenormand Binning
I have now added searchable categories for my Waite-Smith, Tarot de Marseille and Lenormand-related posts and am beginning to populate them. These posts aren't as easy to chase down as the Thoth group because they are often tied to broader commentary, so it will take me some time to capture them. As before, use the … Continue reading RWS, TdM and Lenormand Binning
Tarot de Marseille: Built for Comfort, Not for Speed
"Some folk rip and roar, some folk b'lieve in signs But if you want me, you got to take your time Because I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed" Built for Comfort (Willie Dixon/Howling Wolf) There is something (well, actually 40 "somethings") about the Tarot de Marseill that eludes a facile approach to … Continue reading Tarot de Marseille: Built for Comfort, Not for Speed
The “Tower Moment”
There occasionally comes a time for many of us (hopefully not often) when our personal "house of cards" topples to the ground and hope temporarily vanishes, eclipsed by despair. West Coast blues master Charles Brown once memorialized the aftermath of this traumatic scenario in the dirge-like tune "Black Night." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-71jfEwX-xQ Tarot has a card that … Continue reading The “Tower Moment”
Jodo’s Hermit: Walk this Way
I've been slowly and patiently working my way through Alejandro Jodorowsky's Tarot de Marseille book, The Way of Tarot (a full analysis of which will have to wait for another time, assuming I get to the end of it). I came to it prepared to be disappointed, convinced by previous reviews that it veers too … Continue reading Jodo’s Hermit: Walk this Way
The Stairway from Heaven
Much has been said about the lack of a coherent traditional system for interpreting the minor - or "pip" - cards of historical tarot decks (which, after all, were never intended for divination). The scenic minor cards of the Waite-Smith deck are basically an imaginative "work-around" designed to squeeze meaning out of these inscrutable icons … Continue reading The Stairway from Heaven
The “Better Mousetrap” Disorder
Human beings (and to some extent their simian cousins) are afflicted with a malady that is unique in the animal kingdom: intellectual curiosity. Most creatures operate at the level of survival instinct, with "fight-or-flight" the main theme of their decision-making and mating, eating or self-defense their chief preoccupation at various times. (Come to think of … Continue reading The “Better Mousetrap” Disorder
The Gold Standard
It's a rare tarot deck that doesn't have a single fan of its charms, even if appreciation is limited to the deck's creator or reserved for a particular purpose (such as esoteric study, self-reflection or divination). Generally, it's the skill of the artist that garners the most interest followed by the accessibility of the symbolism … Continue reading The Gold Standard
