As a follow-up to my previous post on the relationship between the RWS and Thoth decks and their common source in the Golden Dawn's esoteric system, I conducted a small exploratory analysis of the relative adherence of the RWS pip cards to their Golden Dawn roots. I took the descriptions in Liber T and compared … Continue reading Adherence of the RWS Pips to Their Golden Dawn Roots
Tarot Opinion
Cheap Shots #21: Thoth vs RWS, Head-to-Head
Let it be said right up front: I'm not a huge fan of the Waite-Smith (aka Rider-Waite-Smith or "RWS") deck. I think that, in many cases, the narrative vignettes embedded in Pamela Colman Smith's scenic "pip" cards - the minors with their ready-made stories - hijack the deeper esoteric meaning that lies at its core, … Continue reading Cheap Shots #21: Thoth vs RWS, Head-to-Head
Thoth Pip Cards as Emotions
A couple of years ago one of my Aeclectic Tarot forum mates conducted an exercise to explore how the Minor Arcana, or "pip" cards, of the Thoth deck might be categorized as a range of emotional expressions: Joy, Anger, Love, Grief, Surprise, Fear, Trust and Anxiety. Because the Thoth pips have titles on them as … Continue reading Thoth Pip Cards as Emotions
The Aces: “First Whirlings”
I often hear novice tarot readers say, upon encountering an Ace in a reading, "You're going to be starting something new!" I think to myself "Well, no . . . at least not yet." The Aces represent the impulse to act that sparks (or should spark) the focus and concentration essential to mounting any well-planned … Continue reading The Aces: “First Whirlings”
A Crowded House, or Where Do I Put All Those Planets
For those old-timers like me who may wander in here, the title of this post should bring back fond memories of William Conrad's narrated taglines to the animated Rocky and Bullwinkle episodes, which invariably went "Be here next time, when . . . " followed by a tongue-in-cheek pair of amusing but not always obviously … Continue reading A Crowded House, or Where Do I Put All Those Planets
Court Cards as Scapegoats
It can probably be said with some confidence that a good many people, when finding themselves in difficulty, first cast about for some other person on whom to fix the blame. Human nature seems to crave a salve for the troubled conscience, and woe to anyone who is careless enough to look even marginally culpable. … Continue reading Court Cards as Scapegoats
Trump Card Elemental Assignments
Among writers on the Golden Dawn's version of the esoteric tarot, there is general agreement that each of the twelve so-called "zodiacal" trump cards can be assigned one of four classical elements (Fire, Water, Air and Earth) according to the quality of the sign to which they correspond. The three trump cards associated with three … Continue reading Trump Card Elemental Assignments
The Mystical Tarot Deck Interview
Few decks in recent memory have been the subject of such intense on-line debate. It is undeniably beautiful and also quirky, with ornate borders that some love and others loathe. It's a Sola-Busca-meets-RWS extravaganza that toes the interpretive line while also seeming simultaneously fresh and antique. I happen to like the blend, although I haven't … Continue reading The Mystical Tarot Deck Interview
Cheap Shots #20: Sliding Scale or Slippery Slope?
This topic has reared it's hoary old head once again on the tarot forums: why are the Lenormand cards considered to be totally literal (as opposed to more psychological) in their focus on events, and when did that start? Since it was aimed at Lenormand reading, my reply was slanted that way, but it really … Continue reading Cheap Shots #20: Sliding Scale or Slippery Slope?
An Iconoclastic View of Systems
I'm an iconoclast when it comes to cartomantic systems (except for the traditional Lenormand method because it works so well, at least as far as I choose to take it). I tend to cherry-pick what works for me and ignore what doesn't. The RWS tarot deck is a good example. When reading with it, I … Continue reading An Iconoclastic View of Systems
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 