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Occult Wisdom

Qabalah, Astrology | The Tarot

The Tarot

Magus (I); symbolizes control of ones own destiny (free- will), though this can never be fully achieved it should be aimed for as far as possible (i.e. mind).

High Priestess (II); nature in her esoteric aspect. The eternal mysteries from the face of which the uninitiated cannot lift the veil. Occult science personified, the gate of the occult sanctuary, the doorway between ignorance and understanding (i.e. spirit).

Empress (III); universal fertility, reproduction, continuous evolution, bringer and sustainer of life (i.e. soul).

Emperor (IV); domination of the physical world, kingship, government, leadership, temporal power. This can be achieved in varying degrees and is a matter of individual choice as to whether this is pursued (i.e. will).

Hierophant (V); spiritual rule, traditional religious teaching available to all, the organized church and all it entails.

The Lovers (VI); the choice between virtue and vice, we all possess a certain amount of free-will and it's up to the individual to use it wisely.

Chariot (VII); victory in the lower plane, the king in his triumph, partly along the road to perfection.

Adjustment (VIII); balance, divine justice, in nature everything moves towards equilibrium.

Hermit (IX); exploration of outer world, seeker, student.

Wheel of Fortune (X); life's ups and downs, the cyclical nature of the cosmos, luck and chance.

Lust (XI); spiritual force and courage, the image of the sacred science when justly applied, the victory of mind over matter.

Hanged Man (XII); voluntary sacrifice, the trading of earthly pleasure for greater heights.

Death (XIII); death of old self, universal transforming principle, the end of one phase is the beginning of another.

Art (XIV); the flowing of the past into the future via the present, a never-ending flow.

Devil (XV); the use of powers for evil purposes, there can be no progress without error, where there is imperfection there can be improvement.

The Tower (XVI); punishment for doing evil, "be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap", release from the trivial elements of earth-life.

The Star (XVII); the promise of a new and brighter dawn.

The Moon (XVIII); symbolizes three-way composition of the soul - emotional, mental and spiritual; everything in our transitory world is but a resemblance, the spirit travels through several planes on its evolutionary journey.

The Sun (XIX); the dawn after the darkness of the soul's descent into matter.

The Aeon (XX); the day of judgment which may come at any time for anyone, eventually all actions will be accounted for.

The Universe (XXI); the ecstatic state of the soul when it has become fully conscious of its divine origin.

The Fool (0); the mystic, dreamer and beholder of visions. He knows that this world and its wisdom are insignificant compared to the greater reality.

Recommended reading

Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners Joan Bunning. A complete course on how to use the tarot cards for personal guidance. The 19 lessons cover the basics and then move gradually into more advanced concepts. Learning the Tarot focuses in detail on the actual process of discovering meaning in the cards. Lessons cover topics such as how to consider one card by itself, how to look for card pairs, and how to create the "story" of a reading. A convenient reference section contains two pages of information for each card including a picture from the popular Waite deck, a description, keywords, action phrases and suggestions for cards with similar and opposite meanings.

The Complete Book of Tarot : A Step-by-Step Guide to Reading the Cards Juliet Sharman-Burke. Tarot cards are like mirrors that reflect unsuspected knowledge buried deep in the unconscious mind. This teach-yourself guide to reading the cards is designed to help activate and stimulate your innate sensitivity as a first step in developing intuition-the hallmark of the serious Tarot reader. Written by an expert Tarot teacher and trained therapist, The Complete Book of Tarot takes you through the cards, uncovering clues to the historical, mystical, and psychological spirit of this ancient system of revealing past, present, and future.

Osho Zen Tarot : The Transcendental Game Of Zen Illustrations by Ma Deva Padma. When life seems to be full of doubt and uncertainty we tend to look for a source of inspiration: what will happen in the future? What about my health, the children? What will happen if I make this decision and not that one? This is how the traditional tarot is often used, to satisfy a longing to know about the past and future. This Osho Zen Tarot focuses instead on gaining an understanding of the here and now. It is a system based on the wisdom of Zen, a wisdom that says events in the outer world simply reflect in the outer world simply reflect our own thoughts and feelings, even though we ourselves might be unclear about what those thoughts and feelings are.

Tarot Plain and Simple Anthony Louis, illustrations by Robin Wood. The major difficulty beginners face in reading the Tarot is the symbolism within the cards. You need to learn the basic meanings and symbolism before the Tarot can "speak to you". Tarot Plain and Simple presents the Tarot in language that is exactly that - plain and simple - without confusing, arcane references. Plus, it is a proven method that is reliable and easy to use whether you want to do readings for yourself or for others.

A Magical Course in Tarot: Reading the Cards in a Whole New Way Michele Morgan, illustrations by Rebecca Richards. Michelle Morgan invites you on a journey to discover and explore the ancient art of Tarot. Enhanced by seventy-eight original illustrations, this inspiring and easy-to-use guide will teach you how to tap into your intuition and unlock the Tarot's timeless wisdom. Morgan's method, which can be applied to any Tarot deck, rises above the rules of structure and the constraints of tradition, freeing you to begin reading the cards right away with a profoundly fresh perspective.

More Tarot books and decks

Recommended reading on the Occult

The Occult Colin Wilson. The Ultimate Book for Those Who Would Walk With the Gods.

The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Reader's Edition) Manly Palmer Hall. A classic since 1928, this masterly encyclopedia of ancient mythology, symbolism, and the arcane mysteries of the ages is now available in a compact, fully reset "Readers Edition." Manly P. Hall's legendary The Secret Teaching of All Ages is a codex to the ancient occult and esoteric traditions of the world. Its hundreds of entries shine a rare light on some of the most fascinating and closely held aspects of myth, religion, and philosophy that resound from antiquity to the present day.

The Black Arts Richard Cavendish. This book describes in detail the practice, theory and underlying rationale of black magic in all its branches - the summoning and control of evil spirits, necromancy, psychic attack, devil worship, witchcraft, the black mass, evil charms and spells - as well as other branches of occult theory: numerology, astrology, the Cabala, the tarot. Ancient black magic, the beliefs and practices of the great black magicians of the past 150 years, and the theories of cabalists, astrologers, and numerologists of the present day are all fully covered in this fascinating book.

The Tree of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic Israel Regardie; edited and annotated by Chic Cicero, Sandra Tabatha Cicero. Since it was first published in 1932, The Tree of Life has provided spiritual seekers and aspiring magicians with the most comprehensive study of the common threads of magical theory and practice. Israel Regardie's mission of bringing magic into the light of understanding takes a giant step forward in this new edition featuring enhancements from two Adept associates of Regardie's.

Book of the Law Aleister Crowley.

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