According to Etteilla, the Nine of Wands signifies delays, distance, removal or suspension. Mathers saw the card as Read more KS Nine of Wands
KS Nine of Wands
History
KS Hermit
“The Hermit, as depicted by the medieval illustrators, is an old man leaning on a pilgrim’s staff who walks along a path lit by a lantern. He hides the light from his lantern beneath the folds of a cloak, and a serpent precedes him on the path.” (Fredric Lionel, The Magic Tarot)
The truth which we all seek is Read more KS Hermit
Kárpáthy-Smith Tarot First Limited Edition
The Rider-Waite Tarot deck was published 111 years ago around this time of the year.
The name of the artist who has drawn the cards, Pamela Colman-Smith, was not even mentioned. Only in recent years, scholars may add the Smith to the name of the deck, in the spirit of the newfound politically correctness.
The Karpathy-Smith deck is a reimagining of the original Rider-Waite Tarot using mixed media techniques, and Read more Kárpáthy-Smith Tarot First Limited Edition
Etteilla’s Book of Thoth
According to Etteilla, the Tarot was created by a group of seventeen Magi under the direct guidance of Hermes Trismegistus. He wrote in 1783, that he calculated that the Tarot was 3,953 years old. Originally called ‘The Book of Thoth’, engraved on leaves of gold, the foils embellished the altar of a temple.
Papus in ‘The Divinatory Tarot’ associated the Major Arcana cards from Etteilla’s deck based on their Read more Etteilla’s Book of Thoth
The four cardinal directions of the evolution of Tarot
Since the mysterious appearance of the first known Tarot deck in the mid-fifteenth century in Northern Italy, we only speculate regarding its original purpose. It was meant to be an entertainment instrument, a deck of cards for game playing, or it was created for divination, respectively a tool for preserving and transmitting esoteric wisdom (knowledge) hidden in plain sight?
While the vast majority of the scholars seem to agree Read more The four cardinal directions of the evolution of Tarot
The RWS Seven of Cups decrypted
![27 Seven of Cups [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/27-Seven-of-Cups-work-in-progress-702x198.jpg)
![27 Seven of Cups [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/27-Seven-of-Cups-work-in-progress.jpg)
Pamela Colman Smith has put a lot of work into the details of the Seven of Cups. On the other hand, in addition to the interpretation of the card, based on Etteilla’s work, this is everything that Waite considered sufficient to transmit: “Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more especially those of the fantastic spirit.”
From an esoteric perspective, and following the Christian dogma, the most relevant is that the number seven symbolises Read more The RWS Seven of Cups decrypted
Studying the Three of Swords
![23 Three of Swords [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/23-Three-of-Swords-work-in-progress-724x198.jpg)
![23 Three of Swords [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/23-Three-of-Swords-work-in-progress.jpg)
Three of Swords
Etteilla’s interpretation of the card.
Upright: Distance, departure, absence, difference, deviation, dispersion, distant, faraway, Read more Studying the Three of Swords
The Tower – study session
![The Tower [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/56-The-Tower-work-in-progress-707x198.jpg)
![The Tower [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/56-The-Tower-work-in-progress.jpg)
The Tower
Etteilla’s interpretation of the card.
Upright: Loss of goods, accident, the collapse of convictions. Misery, wretchedness, distress, destitution, poverty, shortage, need, necessity, calamity, adversity, misfortune, trouble, torment, pain, affliction, annoyance, inconvenience, penalty, Read more The Tower – study session
Staring at the Sun
![59 The Sun [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/59-The-Sun-work-in-progress-699x198.jpg)
![59 The Sun [work in progress]](https://tarotator.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/59-The-Sun-work-in-progress.jpg)
Etteilla’s interpretation of the card.
Upright: Englightenment, lightening, explanation. Clarity, glory, Heaven and Earth. Philosophical sulfur.
Reversed: Fire. Heat, warmth, glow, flame, passion. Meteors, lightning. Internal, external and philosophical fire.
S.L. MacGregor Mathers’ interpretation of the card as it was presented in his book ‘The Tarot’.
Upright: Happiness, content, joy.
Reversed: Happiness, content and joy in a minor degree.
A.E. Waite’s The Pictorial Key to the Tarot.
The naked child mounted on a white horse and displaying a Read more Staring at the Sun
An alternative architecture of the Major Arcana
Learning is not a matter of memorising but understanding. Learning begins with unlearning. One should keep its mind and options open.
When it comes to the Tarot deck, it is not about the cards separately but discovering the subtle connection between them and look at the deck as a complex system similar to a clockwork. Each individual piece is essential, but only together, they make sense.
Most commonly, the Tarot deck is divided into two the Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana consists of twenty-two so-called Trumps, while the Minor Arcana consists of four Suits, each of fourteen cards.
There are many different ways to look at the cards of the Major Arcana. It is a generally accepted convention that Read more An alternative architecture of the Major Arcana
