Review of 72 Tarot Books, or articles. Best Tarot Books. Open opera, meaning I will be adding, with the number of it. Last one added on 27/08/2023.
Bibliografia crítica de 72 livros, ou artigos, de Tarot. Ou ainda, os melhores livros de Tarot. Último acrescento, o 72º, Agosto de 2023.
Bibliografia crítica de 72 livros, ou artigos, de Tarot. Ou ainda, os melhores livros de Tarot. Último acrescento, o 72º, Agosto de 2023.
4:**** = very good; 3:*** = good; 2:** = medium; 1:* = weak; 0 = bad...
A quite sober exposition of the Tarot taken from the Marseille version, specially from a psychological and spiritual approach, without occultism and kabbalah, even if the author was a leading astrologer, and so infusing in each card a bit of that knowledge at correspondences levels.
*****************
2 - KNIGHT, Garret. TAROT AND MAGIC. Images for Rituals and Pathworking. Vermont, Destiny Books, 1991. In-4º 187 pp. ***
The first 76 pages are the most interesting, as it draws an impartial or historical vision of the evolution of the representation of the 22 arcane in the most important sets of tarots: the original Italians, the old ones of Marseilles and then the three modern esoteric ones: Oswald Wirth, Arthur Ed. Waite and A. Crowley. The magical and imagetic part, although a bit tedious and most subjective, has some interesting notes on how some writers have made the Tarot became subject to some lines of tradition and initiation, either by the kind of drawings either by the speculations to be joined into the contemplation, sometimes in a pair or in a group of arcanes.
*********
3 - DECKER, Ronald and DUMMET, Michael. A HISTORY OF THE OCCULT TAROT 1870-1970. Avon, Duckworth, 2002. In-4º 379 pp. ***
With an introduction of the main western sources of ocultism: egypcian, hermetic, jewish, it is mostly a history of the diferent groups and teachers who worked with the Tarot, specially the first the french occultist ones, than Brotherhood of Luxor, A. E. Waite, Golden Dawn and the Russians. A very good historical source, debunking so many of the tarot writers, like the arrogancy and manipulations of A. Ed. Waite.
**********
4 - MARTEAU, Paul. LE TAROT DE MARSEILLE. Préface de Jean Paulhan, exposé de Eugene Caslant. Paris, Arts et Métiers Graphiques, 1949. In-4º 285 pp. ***
Good interpretations based in general numerical symbology and in a understanding of the colors, forms, positions and meanings of the figures and objects of Marseille arcanes, although sometimes the doctrines and ideas exposed don't seem so right, being also a bit dualist.
************
5 - KNIGHT, Gareth. THE TREASURE HOUSE OF IMAGES. An introduction to the magical Dynamics of the Tarot. London, Aquarian Press, 1986. In-4º 192 pp. **
A good comparison between the iconography aspects of each main traditional Tarot, although giving a bit to much influence or value to some hypothetical Jewish sources and Golden Dawn teachings.
6 - GRAY, Eden, THE TAROT REVEALED. A modern guide to reading the tarot cards. New York, Bell Publishing Comp, 1960. In-8º obl. 120 pp. **
Simple and direct, with fair relations of each arcane with the others major arcanes, but based only in the iconography or version of A. E. Waite.
****************
7 - WAITE, A. E. THE PICTORIAL KEY TO THE TAROT. London, William Rider, 1911. In-8º 340 pp. ***
A classic book, making wit commentaries on the former and almost rivals occultist interpreters of Tarot, and giving short explanations of all the 78 trumps. With fine interpretations, as he was an intelectual mystic and occultist, although a bit complicated, mixing too much with the tree of life of Cabbala or becoming to much dry sometimes. Valuable are the mottos choosed for some cards, that are like mantras. Some kind of self-suficiency or even arrogance can be felt.
*********
8 - LHOTE, Jean-Marie. COURT DE GEBELIN. LE TAROT, presenté et commenté par... Paris, Berg. 1983. In-4º 195 pp. ***
A good presentation of this pioneer study of Tarot, by Lhote. Court Gebelin got the idea that the Tarot was mainly Egyptian and tried to groove it, but in fact we can only see in a few cards (and not of the primordial italians Tarots) some reflections of the Mediterranean wisdom and probably a bit through some old Egyptians sources.
****************
9 - SIMON, Sylvie. LE TAROT PRATIQUE. Paris, Nathan, 1988. In-4º 122 pp. ***
Good interpretations in a plain and direct language, in a fluent discourse with wisdom, sometimes with some original views, other times a bit superficial, but not a accumulation of extracts from other books or traditions.
*********
10 - LAURENCE, Theodor. HOW THE TAROT SPEAKS TO MODERN MAN. New York, Bell Publishing Company, 1972. In-4º 216 pp. **
The author uses the images of Waite Tarot but explains the 22 arcanes successively on the physical, psychological and spiritual levels using many sources, some parts not mentioning the authors, and giving much importance to the polarity and their balance and unity, and using also too much stories and teachings of the Bible and of Kaballah to characterize the arcans.
********
11- HUSON, Paul, THE DEVIL'S PICTURE BOOK. London, Abacus, 1972. In-8º 256 pp. **
Although full of good information from old religions and how their Gods and tenets passed to the so called monotheistic religions and from them to the Tarot, it mixes them a bit with a certain biased view of Christianity and a certain credulity of many fake acts and merits, notably from magicians and drugs.
***********
12 - MATHONIÈRE, Jean-Michel. L'ARCANE DES ARCANES DU TAROT. Essai sur la structure géometrique des Arcanes, Paris, Guy Tredaniel. 1985. In-4º 133 pp. ***
Many geometric drawings with the arcane numbers and positions, some good relations with Aritmosophy and Rabelais, the first to use the word Tarau in France. He endorses the view that Tarot comes from the arabian Turuq that means school and initiatic path.
********
13 - PIMENTA, Alberto. A MAGIA QUE TIRA OS PECADOS DO MUNDO. Lisboa, Cotovia, 1995. In-4º 303 pp. ***
Mostly a erudite and poetic travel on the arcanes through mythology, philosophy and literature, although not mentioning any Tarot book. Many times misses the deeper or more esoteric or spiritual aspect or interpretation; still his constant reference to writers and teachings, makes the book interesting. There is not any regularity on the level attained for each arcane. For example, in some, like on VII and XXI he doesn't say almost anything related to arcane; in the XVII relies much on Andre Breton Arcane XVII. Good ones, for example, are the I, XIV and XV.
Mostly a erudite and poetic travel on the arcanes through mythology, philosophy and literature, although not mentioning any Tarot book. Many times misses the deeper or more esoteric or spiritual aspect or interpretation; still his constant reference to writers and teachings, makes the book interesting. There is not any regularity on the level attained for each arcane. For example, in some, like on VII and XXI he doesn't say almost anything related to arcane; in the XVII relies much on Andre Breton Arcane XVII. Good ones, for example, are the I, XIV and XV.
***********
14 - RAKÓCZI, Basil Ivan. THE PAINTED CARAVAN, a penetration into the secrets of the Tarot cards. Hague, L. J. C. Boucher, 1954. In-4º gr. 119 pp. ***
 |
| The Painted Caravan.. |
A quite interesting one, with a valuable perception of the history of the versions and of the expounders of Tarot (mentioning T. S. Eliot in the Waste Land), and with original and pertinent psycological and initiatic views, along original drawings in a naif style. Interesting to consider the Card of Lovers, VI, as related also to the acceptance of Orpheus, or of the initiate, of his separation from Eurydice, or the beloved, loosing her in the underworld in the ascending path, connecting that with some heretics as the cathars...
*********
15 - KAPLAN, Stuart. TAROT CLASSIC. London, Robert Hale, 1974. In-4º 240 pp. **
An historical aproach to the evolution of the Tarot, and then a short and a bit superficial explanation of each arcane, sometimes inovative other times missing the point or going astraway. It gives in the end an anotated bibliography where are noted the rare or not so known books of Girolamo Bargagli, W. Gurney Benham. Leopoldo Cicoganara, R. Falconnier (1896), Muriel Bruce Hasbrouk (1941), R, Merlim, 1869. Samuel Weller Singer (1816), Rev. Ed. S. Taylor, A. E Thierens (1928), Mrs. John King Van Renselaer (1895).
*********
16 - CHRISTIAN, Pierre. HISTOIRE DE LA MAGIE ET DU MONDE SURNATUREL. Paris, Éditions Artefact, 1986. In-4º 662 pp. ***
One of the first more abstract philosophical texts written on Tarot, in 1870, under this pseudomy, but from Jean Baptiste Pitois (1811-1877) it has some influences of the mystagoge Eliphas Levy that was his friend, since 1850. It has only around 30 pages, who give for each card or arcane three levels of interpretation, divine, intelectual and physical, in aforisms, and then some lines on the description of the 22 images as symbols of teachings given in the initiations at Egypt's pyramids, and ending with some lines in a kind of discourse how we should work or live with that. The main emphasis of the cards and of life is the Science of the Will Power, and the work reflects the Masonic trends and Court de Gebelin, who was also a free-mason.
************
17 - LASZLOË, Elisabeth. LES SECRETS DU TAROT. Paris, Editions Destins, 1952. In-4º 18 pp. **
A interesting book. as Elisabeth mixes well Indian, Jewish, Christian and Rosicrucian traditions, symbols and hypotesis, surely not every time sounding well.
A interesting book. as Elisabeth mixes well Indian, Jewish, Christian and Rosicrucian traditions, symbols and hypotesis, surely not every time sounding well.
********
18 - DUMONT, Jean Paul. NOTRE DAME DES TAROTS. Paris, L'Herne, 1970. In-8º 74 pp. **
A poetic and philosophical dialogue about the Tarot and some aspects of the arcanes. Signed edition by the author: "Chaleureusement Jean Paul, le Diable". Poetical and philosophical dialogue on Tarot and same of its meanings.
*************
19 - POLLAK, Rachel. SETENTA E OITO GRAUS DA SABEDORIA. Um livro de Tarô. Parte I: Os Arcanos maiores. S. Paulo, Editora Nova Fronteira, 1991. In-8º 150 pp. **
Some interpretations of the cards a bit disputable, specially when she mixes, without perfect concordance or harmony, astrology, alchemy, mythology and religions; but still it is an interesting book, although mostly based on Kabala, Waite Rider version of Tarot and Paul Douglas interpretations.
*********
20 - VILELA, Beatriz. TAROT HIPOCAMPO. Rio de Janeiro, Edições Hipocampo, 1990. In-8º 62 pp. **
One page for each arcane, mostly on psychological levels, generally well but only one or two times with some originality, like arcane XII stressing the abandonement to God, and in the XVIII the ilusions of appearances and emotions.
One page for each arcane, mostly on psychological levels, generally well but only one or two times with some originality, like arcane XII stressing the abandonement to God, and in the XVIII the ilusions of appearances and emotions.
***********
21 - MCcORMACK, Katheleen. DESCOBRIR O TAROT. Aprenda descodificar os símbolos do Tarot e a interpretar as cartas. Lisboa, CentraLivros, 1999. In-4º máx. 144 pp. **
The most interesting part are the 22 pages dedicated to each arcane, a detailed observation of the most characteristic features and trying to explain their symbolism, sometimes well others no so much. It uses almost only the Marseille Tarot, although it has selected in each arcane also a reproduction of another Tarot's version and making a statement based on their symbolism, which in many times doesn't have so much harmony with Marseille, or even it is just the interpretation given by Kathellen McCormack, that usually is more based in graeco-roman tradition, what is rare in the other Tarot explainers. But at the beginning on the chapter The history of Tarot she admits some uncredible hypotesis of the origins, the one relating them to Knights Templars and then follows the usual treck of the occultists of the XIX century.
**********
22 - DICTA et FRANÇOIS. MYTHES ET TAROTS. Le Voyage du Bateleur. Paris, Mercure de France, 1983. In-4º 206 pp. **
Relations of the 22 arcanes to 22 myths of antiquity, sometimes without so much accuracy but anyway interesting as a story of some of the old myths of Greek and Rome.
Relacionando talvez algo arbitraria ou superficialmente os 22 arcanos com 22 mitos da Antiguidade, a obra vale pelas incursões na religiosidade e mitologias da Antiguidade e bem menos no que diz sobre o Tarot.
**********
23 - GIRIÉ, Jacques. MIRIBEL, Amédée. LE TAROT SACRÉ. Manuel Initiatique. Marseille, Jeanne Lafite, 1984. In-4º 100 pp.**
Based mostly in Oswald Wirth's Tarot, the interpretations only a few times have some originality.
24 - GETTE, Bernard Spencer Le. THE RATIONAL TAROT. How to use it, Why it works. London, 1976. In-4º 143 pp. **
Good analysis of the detailed signs of each card, the interpretations are sober, but sometimes entering into fancy paths.
~~~~~~~~~~
25 - LIND, Frank. HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE TAROT. A Gallery
of occult power and wisdom. Liverpool, 1979. In-8º 96 p. Or
COMO INTERPRETAR O TAROT. Uma Galeria de Poder e Sabedoria Oculta. Ediouro, 1982. In-4º 63 pp.** Although with much information valuable on old myths, religions and spiritual gnosis, and quoting many different authors on the arcanes, he mixes them, sometimes, about the symbols of each card and without the correct understanding and handling. Still a interesting approach.
**********
26 - SIMON, Sylvie PICARD, Marcel. A LINGUAGEM SECRETA DO TAROT. S. Paulo, Ed. Pensamento, 1997. In-8º 175 pp. **
***********
27 - MEBES, G. O. OS ARCANOS MAIORES DO TARÔ. Seu simbolismo, suas iniciações e seus passos para a realização espiritual. S. Paulo, s/d. In-4º 390 pp. **
A deep book and teaching from a occultist and free-mason from the beginning of XX century in Russia. Much indebted to Numerology and Kabbalah, to much schematic, still with much occultist, health and magic teachings.
A deep book and teaching from a occultist and free-mason from the beginning of XX century in Russia. Much indebted to Numerology and Kabbalah, to much schematic, still with much occultist, health and magic teachings.
28 - MELO, Thereza. O TAROT. A arte de adivinhar com cartas. Lisboa, 1979. In-8º 133 pp. **
A nice synthesis, specially from the possible sources of Greek and Indian traditions. Some originality in the process of making the correspondence between the arcane and the phases of inner process of individuation, in a Jungian line.
29 - WIRTH, Oswald. LE SYMBOLISME HERMÉTIQUE dans ses rapports avec l'Alchimie et la Franc-Maçonnerie. Paris, Dervy-Livres, 1969. In-4º 221 pp. **
Mostly a book on free masonry and alchemy, with some references to some arcanes. Wirth has written two books on Tarot considered good ones although sometimes with too much dependence on Kabbalah and Masonry traditions or folklore.
30 - QUESTION DE Nº 55 LES ARTS DIVINATOIRES. Paris, 1984. In-4º 125 pp. **
Article of Serge Bramly on Tarot, and 22 arcanes, with interesting but sometimes wrong interpretations, with potential bad effects. For example, the Justice can have the Gnostic meaning that each good action will engender a correspondent bad action. And so some Gnostic of Alexandria went to the worst crimes in order to make someone better... Dangerous... Makes a quotation of Fernando Pessoa for the Foul.
***********
 |
| Papus.. |
Based on Eliphas Levy and Paul Christian, it reproduces the cards of Eliphas Levy and Etteila and some Indians ones of the avatars of Vishnu. Much concentrated or syntetised here, he will develop his knowledge on the Tarot of Bohemiens. Still many of his interpretation of the symbols are much personal and sometimes out of the most probable meanings.
~~~~~~~~~~
32 - LHOTE, Jean Marie. SHAKESPEARE DANS LES TAROTS EU AUTRES LIEUX. Revue Bizarre, nº 43-44. Paris, Jean Jacques Pauvert, 1967. In-4ºgr. 100 pp. ***
Good work, very well acquainted with iconography and cultural history of Europe and aproaching Shakespeare "Midnight Summer Dream" and Tarot through the same sources: mythology and etnography.
33 - MAYANANDA, THE TAROT FOR TODAY. London, Zeus Press, 1963. In-4º 255 pp. **
The author takes much from French occultists, kabbalist tree of life and theosophical books, making to much quotations and relations and so, although erudite and sometimes deep, it is a bit confusing and depending in informations or statements impossible to prove. A book too much at mind level, without much love and spirit. |
| Bourgeat. |
Mixing many sources, without much understanding and relevance, in the origins of the Tarot, also his interpretations are a bit without a personal or living relation with the cards, as he mostly gives sentences of others based in numbers and their teachings.
*********
35 - DUQUETTE, Lon Milo. TAROT OF CEREMONIAL MAGICK. A pictorial Syntesis of Three great Pillars of Magick (Astrology, Enochian Magick, Goetia). York, Samuel Weiser, 1995. In-4º 277 pp. *
Relying to much in Qaballa Aleister Crowley and Ennoch alpabhet and genius, the book at Tarot level is very weak: just some correspondences for each Arcane, like hebrew letter and english equivalent, numerical value, meaning, colors, path of Sepher Yetzirah, Mercurial and Qliphothic Genii, and traditional image. In contrast with that image the author gives his own image, as he has formulated and presented to each his own version, giving for general divinatory meanings four levels of short interpretations: spiritual, heart, intellectual, material. A bit of confusion as he tries to hold all that correspondences. May be the best are the transcripton of two lines of Crowley's mnemonic for each arcane.
36 - BASILIDE, T. LE SYMBOLISME DU TAROT. Paris, Chacornac, 1943. In-4º 53 pp. *
With to much confusion of different sources but mostly relying in Kabbalist and Jewish traditions, which he takes almost as sure and truthful and so giving very fantasists interpretations of the arcanes.
With to much confusion of different sources but mostly relying in Kabbalist and Jewish traditions, which he takes almost as sure and truthful and so giving very fantasists interpretations of the arcanes.
******
37 - ENEL. TRILOGIE DE LA ROTA. Trois traités: Essai d'Astrologie Cabbalistique, Rota ou la Roue Celeste, Manuel de la Cabbale Pratique. Lyon, 1960. In-4º 347 pp. **
Mostly a book on Kabbalah in its different aspects, with much faith on them, and also with a view of magic action, namely through pentacles. With some explanations of the arcanes of Tarot, received from others.
********
38 - THYLBUS. LES CARTES ET LES TAROTS. Methodes des Maitres de la Cartomancie, Préface de Paul-C. Jagot. Paris, 1952. In-8º 222 pp.
In the preface, Jagot, a very known psychologist and occultist says: "Intuition, clairvoyance, lucidity, are mysterious faculties just touched by the modern psychology, where much used in Antiquity to provoke the manifestations, of different practices, called divinatory. Cartomancy is the simplest and most effective of this methods. It allows to everyone to obtain according to the receptivity, the perception of facts out of sensorial reach in time and space». But the book doesn't speak at all on the 22 Arcanes, although Jagot concludes in the preface that is «the most clear and complete treatise, according to the tradition of the Masters de l'Art».
***********
39 - MOORNE, Dr. EL SUPREMO ARTE DE ECHAR LAS CARTAS. mexico, Editora e Distribuidora Mexicana, 1973. In-4º de 248 pp.
Weak, with many wrong significations, and following a different type of cards than the tarot.
Fraco, cheio de erradas significações, seguindo um tarot diferente.
Weak, with many wrong significations, and following a different type of cards than the tarot.
Fraco, cheio de erradas significações, seguindo um tarot diferente.
*********
40 - SAUER, Erika. O LIVRO DO TAROT. Lisboa, Editorial Presença, 1998. In-4º de 179 pp. *
Embora com algumas linhas dedicadas a cada um dos arcanos vistos mais de um ponto de vista psicológico, a obra está mais direccionada para dar exemplos de tiragens (demasiado complicadas) de cartas e como devem ser interpretadas. A book mostly on readings of the cards, with complicated methods, with a few lines on each arcane.
41 - ARMADA, Silvia. O TAROT. Cartomância especial. O significado das lâminas maiores e arcanos menores. Tiragem de resposta imediata. Corroios, edição de autora, 2004. In-8º 50 pp. *
Bastante simples, dá explicações dos arcanos muito sumárias e destinadas a apenas a respostas aos problemas do quotidiano.
42 - DANYLIUK, Rita. TAROT. O que dizem as cartas. Lisboa, Editorial Presença, 1992. In-4º de 134 págs. *
A work with some originality in the explanations of the symbols contained in the 22 arcanes, although mostly very imaginative and not truthful, stressing to much the idea of reincarnation in many of them. Too much complicated the readings.
*******
43 - PAPUS. LE LIVRE DE LA CHANCE, Horoscope individuel de la Chance. Les secretes des Talismans. Comment faire revivre la Chance. Signes secrets de Chance. Paris, Diffusion Scientifique, 1987. In-8º de 120 pp. *
A bit melodramatic and superficial simplification of astrology and Tarot. A superficial work divulging the so-called secrets of astrology, divination, magic and luck, but it gives only 22 small drawings of the Tarot and their classification into major, minor and unlucky signs.
*****
44 - BARTLETT, Sarah. THE TAROT BIBLE. The definitive guide to the cards and spreads. London, Bounty Books, 2009. In-8º de 400 pp. *
Mostly a interpretative book for counseling, it is a bit superficial, not at all erudite, still at the psychological level has some practical and down to down interpretations of the arcane, at the level of the normal reality or psychological level. And it is a beautiful book in colors, design and images.
Very simple interpretations, taking mostly the colors and designs as meaningfull symbols.
A very difficult task: to reconcile Pyramids of Egipto, Bible Mexican traditions and Apocalipsis with a bit of Tarot, and as numbers and nouns coming from Egypt. So we got many hazardous afirmations and prophecies and taking to much litteraly the Bible. The most interesting parts are some stories about dreams in Antiquity and in Mexico.
Defense of kabalistic and christian origin of the Tarot. In the chapter Clef des auteurs are mentioned as the best ones: Marteau, Rijnberk, Valentin Bresle, Wirth, Haven and Allendy.
Although a bit unortodhox, or left handed teaching, without rules and obedience to the Divine, still is a good book as A. Crowley was inteligent and erudit and skilled in magician arts. But a bit mad in some of his extravagancies and use of drugs and sex, or in the prophecies he made. So it is a book to be read with attention and best if you are mature or you can dialogue with people about the teachings and pratices given there.
In-folio small, 128 pp. **
It is a rich work, althought with many inacurate informations, as the author compares diferent tarots (may be not in the best way as considers them all at the same level), myths and religions, without a deep knowdlege of them being present. At same time she is a psychoterapist uniting her professional work with tarot counseling, using the 78 cards. Still her spiritual vision and experience is not so much present, but more a capacity to read and to listen and then just give a sound and prudent advice, as we can see from some examples of readings...
50 - WANG, Robert. THE GOLDEN DAWN TAROT. 3th printing. New York, Samuel Weiser,1981. In-8º 158 pp. **
The author believes or claims that Golden Dawn Tarot «is the only published deck which includes all of the correct atributions of a secret oral tradition», and that is the result of MacGregor Mather's intensive research and his contacts with the secret oral tradition... He writes a interesting view of the Golden Dawn Tarot history, and then gives some of the writings on Tarot meanings and use given by members of Golden Dawn, with much of that concerned with the Minor trumps, and only 9 pages are The Tarot Trumps («glyphs of cosmic not human forces») by G.H. Soror, Q. L. The laying of the cards to divination used is to complex, as also the constant mentions to tree of life of kabala and their correspondences, a bit artificial, to planets, colors, angels, gods. A book a bit mystagogic.
51 - BENNETT, Sidney. THE TAROT FOR THE MILLIONS. In-8º 157 pp. Los Angeles, Sherbourne Press, 1967. *
The author expresses his gratitude to Arthur Waite, Wenzel Brown and Basil Ivan Rakoczi, by their invaluable labour and mentions also the interest in Tarot of Einstein, Vincent Price, prof. Frank Baxter and Aldous Huxley. With stories and the meagre explanations meant to millions, some a bit odd: «Hanged man (...) This is also the card of the religious fanatic who, like the Budhist monks today, will burn themselves to death to prove a point». Nice, although a bit patriarcal, the comentaries (the longest and poetical ones) to the Highest Priestess: «She is the spirit of woman, the essence of all that is female. She is the woman every man sees when he is in love (...)»
52 - GERUSKIS-ESTES, Susan. THE BOOK OF TAROT. Illustrated with the Morgan-Greer Tarot. New York, Morgan & Morgan, 1981. In-8º 96 pp. **
Explains the symbols of this unusual Tarot with some explanations interesting ones even if not true, like for arcane I: «The golden band around the Magician's head is the Egypcian symbol of the divine spark in man, put forth by God», but in general sound ones like relating the V, the Hierophant, to the Mysteries of Demeter, at Eleusis, and the VII to the perfected personality. In the VIII Justice, the double edged sword which cuts through both sides of any situation so that it can be viewd more clearly. The sword symbolizes psychic decisiveness and the Law of the Universe. It represents the Word of God; that which is true and just». In the Temperance sees the cups of subsconscious and superconscious and the raising of the lower to the higher. And the folowing one, of the Devil, as showing we can in life choose the way of the angel or of the devil.
53 - SMEDT, Evelyn de. BARDET, Vincent. BRAMLY, Serge. LA PRATIQUE DES ARTS DIVINATOIRES. Astrologie; Tarots; Chiromancie, Yi-King. Paris, Editions Robert Laffont, 1976. In-4º 287 pp. **
A combination of different aproaches with general sound psychological interpretations and a few insights. The best part are some analogies with alchemy, the worst some forced correspondences with the letters and meanings of hebrew alphabet and also with the identification of persons and gods. Well seen the woman of the arcane XVII, as naked and kneeling as symbols of humility, and the two jars are now similar, althoug it mystifies a bit considering her as gone beyond all ilusions and dualities.
54 - LIND, Frank. HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE TAROT. A gallery of occult power and wisdom. Wellingborough, The Aquarian Press, 1979. In-8º 96 pp. **
Altought mixing to much citations from others writers on Tarot, shares some good insights with others not so much historicaly correct. Considers that the Jugler, I, has a pentacle in his right hand and folowing Papus (what happens to much times, leading to errors, like the cupido on VI being the spirit of Justice) represents Osiris, and II the High Priestess, Isis. For the Empress quotes M. Esher Harding saying that represents Ishtar, and Tammuz was his son, the vegetation of the earth, or Urikittu, the Green One. But sees also in her the goddesses Acca Larentia, Demeter and Ceres. In the arcan V, the Pope sees, folowing H. T. Morley, the sceptre as the triple phalus of Osiris recovered. In the card X values to go beyond the ups and downs, controler of the Destiny, free from the Wheel.
Gives the name of Enchanteress to the arcane XI, Strenght, seeing roots in the spearing of the monster Apep, in Egypt, Thebes, temple of Amon Ra. Seeing some much discrepancies in the astrological affinities of this card, says rightly: «the futility of attempting to make the Tarot conform strictly to the Zodiac, still sugests to be Virgo subduing the fiery passions of Leo and bringing the 2 sides of his nature in perfect balance». About the Hanged man quotes and endorses Grillot de Givry: «the agreement between letters of the hebrew alphabet and the designs of the major Arcana does not go far». In the arcane of the Star, considers the largest star to be the egyptian Sahu, the glorified body, the body of fire or star.
A good book, with a preliminary study on divination and the art (not science) of cartomancy, by T. Gonard, good as pointing to a self study and to an understanding of the ways of improving the pilgrimage of life, may a bit complicating with so many methods of taking, and so many cards, even if he believes that human beings can be easily inspired from higher levels of themselves. Then we have the explanations of the Visconti triomphi, indeed the oldest ones, in a quit sober and even erudite way, as Giordano Berti tries to relate the symbolic or alegorical representations to paintings, literature and religious dogmas and principles. But it is a bit to much against recognizing pagan influences and tries to reaffirm constantly the christian catholicity of all the arcanes, laughing even of the egypcian, occultist and kabalistic views of so many tarots and expounders. Then we have another time a text of Tiberio Gonard, now interpretating the Minor Arcanes quite a bit in a very student or encyclopedical way, full of non sense affirmations, even if coming from S. Agustine and others saints.
Any way a reasonable book on the primordial Tarot, made in Milan for the Visconti and Sforza, just as a religious and humanist game, for which we don't know so much today how they were played, as the divination aplication has come much later. So it seems a bit contradictory to have at the end, of each arcane's historical and symbolical explanations, some lines about the divinatory meanings, even for the case of the cards being reversed....
56 - ROUGEMONT, Denis de. PRESENTATION DU TAROT. In the French-American quartely of poetry Hemispheres. Vol. II nº5, Spring 1945. In-4º 31 to 45 p. ***
Chapters: On the Origins, Etteila, Variations about their identifications, Correspondances of the 4 trumps, The Arcanes as great Dreams, How to use them, Interpretations of the arcane 0 the Fool, and X, the Wheel. Considers that the french Tarot mentioned in 1393 follows the venetian patterns, and than follows the pseudo-Mantegna, of 1400. Boiteau, in 1854, afirms they were coming from India and not from Egypt as Gibelin, Etteila, Odoucett and Eliphas Levy defended. Thinks that the arcanes are symbols either hierathic either dramatic, like a dream fixed, ready to be analysed. Some figures, like the Papess, the Empereur, the Hermit, the Justice appear like true archetips of the Unconsciousness, in their insondable immobility and infinitly alusiveness. But the Wheel, the Last Judgment, the Moon, the Tower are great cosmic or psychic events, either depicted in the moment of their extreme tension either resumed from their beginnings to their conclusions. They are an alphabet of Universal poetry without origins but coming from the Mothers, the eternal underground. But accepts the idea of Heinrich Zimmer that the arcanes may be a transmission from the Manicheans or Cathars. Following Tassin and Paul Foster Case, Rougemont admits that the Tarot was mostly a psychoterapy through a meditation and yoga for people achieve seeing as the thing are and ourselves. Gives some byzarre interpretations from Heinrich Zimmer and Elie Alta, and some more sound from B. McM. Hazard.
***********
57 - TAROCHI, le carte del Destino. A cura di G. Berti - A. Vitali. Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo, Edizione le Tarot, s/d. (1994). In-folio 152 p. ****
Excelent exposition held in Castel Sant'Angelo, with beautiful old images and good articles, historical and esoteric, with erudition and knowledge. We mention all the contributions, and we give more emphatic value to Giordano Berti e Pietro Marsilli, with a excelent article La Difusione dei Tarocchi tra i secc. XV-XIX, in 19 pages of text and 21 of images. Then then we mention Franco Cardini, Paolo Aldo Rossi, Lorenzo Dattrino, Andrea Ascari e Monica Canducci. Last two ones, Andrea Vitali, the Iconografia dei Tarocchi, very good 26 pages of text; and Giordano Berti, Tarocchi e Occultismo, a good article in 17 pages where he speaks on Court Gebelin, Etteila, Elifas Levi, Paul Christian, Jean Alexandre Vaillant, Ordine Cabbalistico della Rose Cruce (Guaita, Papus, Oswald Wirth), Golden Dawn, A. E. Waite and Aleister Crowley, giving a panoramic view of the main occultists of the XIX and XX Century, with 10 pages of illustrations of the different Tarots.
57 - TAROCHI, le carte del Destino. A cura di G. Berti - A. Vitali. Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo, Edizione le Tarot, s/d. (1994). In-folio 152 p. ****
Excelent exposition held in Castel Sant'Angelo, with beautiful old images and good articles, historical and esoteric, with erudition and knowledge. We mention all the contributions, and we give more emphatic value to Giordano Berti e Pietro Marsilli, with a excelent article La Difusione dei Tarocchi tra i secc. XV-XIX, in 19 pages of text and 21 of images. Then then we mention Franco Cardini, Paolo Aldo Rossi, Lorenzo Dattrino, Andrea Ascari e Monica Canducci. Last two ones, Andrea Vitali, the Iconografia dei Tarocchi, very good 26 pages of text; and Giordano Berti, Tarocchi e Occultismo, a good article in 17 pages where he speaks on Court Gebelin, Etteila, Elifas Levi, Paul Christian, Jean Alexandre Vaillant, Ordine Cabbalistico della Rose Cruce (Guaita, Papus, Oswald Wirth), Golden Dawn, A. E. Waite and Aleister Crowley, giving a panoramic view of the main occultists of the XIX and XX Century, with 10 pages of illustrations of the different Tarots.
*********
58 - IMBERT, Charles. LES SOURCES DU TAROT. Paris, Éditions Dervy, 2007. In-4º gr 382 pp. **
Although a book with too much syncretic information and images (but only in drawings, sketches or plans and 3 small photos), and some interesting informations related to the XXI arcans, is not so reliable as it takes to much hypotetic analogies between the arcans of Tarot and others representations in arts and religions as being true correspondences or influences, many much forced and seeing the arcanes of the Tarot in to much painters and paintings. Too much quotations also make the reading of the book with a natural flow impossible. Valuable the desmystification about hebraic letters as a source of Tarot proposing with some plausability the Chaldaic origin (quoted and used in the alphabet of Champfleury), although he still sees to much Kabala in the Tarot tradition. In a certain way the book is more, than a Tarot book, a discussion or a questionning of Christianity and how Mithraism and the pagan mysteries were absorbed and manipulated by the Church. Although many of the sources quoted are superficial, some are not so known, but a bibliography is not given at the end of the book. Interesting the critics made to some Tarot commentators, as Valentim Tomberg (giving to much symbolic information but very far from the reason or true..) and Van Rijnberk (to much prolix in some arcans...).Charles Imbert semble seems to give much value to Mithraisme, Gurdieff and Ouspenky, but we quotes also as valid many of the french ocultists of XIX and XX century. Not at any moment of the book (as I have seen...) speaking about his experiences, visions or intuitions.
58 - IMBERT, Charles. LES SOURCES DU TAROT. Paris, Éditions Dervy, 2007. In-4º gr 382 pp. **
Although a book with too much syncretic information and images (but only in drawings, sketches or plans and 3 small photos), and some interesting informations related to the XXI arcans, is not so reliable as it takes to much hypotetic analogies between the arcans of Tarot and others representations in arts and religions as being true correspondences or influences, many much forced and seeing the arcanes of the Tarot in to much painters and paintings. Too much quotations also make the reading of the book with a natural flow impossible. Valuable the desmystification about hebraic letters as a source of Tarot proposing with some plausability the Chaldaic origin (quoted and used in the alphabet of Champfleury), although he still sees to much Kabala in the Tarot tradition. In a certain way the book is more, than a Tarot book, a discussion or a questionning of Christianity and how Mithraism and the pagan mysteries were absorbed and manipulated by the Church. Although many of the sources quoted are superficial, some are not so known, but a bibliography is not given at the end of the book. Interesting the critics made to some Tarot commentators, as Valentim Tomberg (giving to much symbolic information but very far from the reason or true..) and Van Rijnberk (to much prolix in some arcans...).Charles Imbert semble seems to give much value to Mithraisme, Gurdieff and Ouspenky, but we quotes also as valid many of the french ocultists of XIX and XX century. Not at any moment of the book (as I have seen...) speaking about his experiences, visions or intuitions.
********
59- GRAND, Robert. - L'UNIVERS INCONNU DU TAROT. Paris, Édition du Rocher, 1979. In-4º 480 pp. **
The author reveals much culture and also knowdlege about the different interpreations of the arcanes but still tends to see hebrew letters in the forms of the 21 arcanes and the origin of the cards in the Kaballah, with some evident confusions and errors. For example in the page 33: «The pre-historical man know the magnetics fluids, but only some initiates could catch and use this powers. They were the sages that changed their name and become Magicians (magi). This ones inspired themselves from the Bible to which they gave a mysterious sense, the kabbale (Qabbalah=tradition). (...) So the Kabbala, from which the Tarot would be a simplified transcription, it is a very fearful complication for reading. She is the Tradition that was teached to Adam by the Angel Raziel...». The author touches many aspects of the esoterism, initiation, free-masonry, etc., but many times we can see that he has no spiritual realization, it is speaking only from a comparative point of view, and many times endorsing superficial opinions, mystifications or "old fake news". For example considering the Tarot as mathematical monument, writes: «many mathematicians celebrated were atracted by the Tarot. The sage Raymon Lulle (1235-1315) laid the foundation of a philosophical system with a logical basis, based on the aplication of the arcanes, called Ars Magna. If that is true, the Tarot was existing before 1235»!! Some pages after, he writes: «We have to come back to Eliphas Lévi, as is transcribed by Oswald Wirth:"The Tarot is a truly philosphical machine that protects the spirit of being lost, at the same time leavinh him with initaitive and freedom. They are the mathematical science aplied to the Absolute, it is the alliance of the positive and the ideal, it is a lottery of thoughts all rigorously justs as the numbers, it is to finish possibly what the human genius has conceived as tme most simple and most great". About the Angels, Robert Grand, following the Kabbala, thinks that Angels are related to humans, Archangels to nations, and Archai to the great human events. And then «Virtues, Dominations and Principalities, are infalible - they are the Elohim of Moises - organize all the planetarium system on a mathematical form». And the the highest level of celestial spirits, connected already to the Charity of the Pascal and the Omega of Teillard Chardin, or to the Divine world, are not related to Arcane 21 but to the 0, the Fool, as it is something that we can't understand. Probably the best part of the book are the 40 pages, each one with 5 or 6 citations of different authores, of the chapter consecrated to divination and how it can be explained.
60 - GETTINGS, Fred. THE BOOK OF TAROT. Triune Books, 1973. In-folio 143 pp. ****
The author considers the the powerful symbolism of Tarot as the best method to contact the subsconscious levels of the self in order to answer questions or foretell the future. He advises very well just to use the XXII Major Arcanes, as non complicated way. He thinks that only the XXII arcanes were created for divination, something we are not so sure as probably at the beginning the Tarot was mostly a teaching, and a game. He takes a pragmatic view: we can not know how it works, if by spirits, energies, intuitions, subconscious, but adds that is possible that there is something in us that can know the future, and so the consultation of Tarot becomes a tool to see the underlying patterns and directions of the subtle and future aspects of ourselves in a unified world. He develops mostly the explanation of the XXII Arcanes with a sober choice of meanings, not entering in the kabalistic imaginations but mostly in astrological and symbolical relations taken from classical and christian traditions, as well from the geometrical patterns and the five elements. The work is very well ilustrated with old symbolics engravings or pictures related to the arcanes.
****
61 - ABELLIO, Raymond. - Histoire, structure et symbolisme du Tarot. Introduction a le tarot de Pierre Jacquot. Paris, Club du Livre, 1980. Et aprés dans les Approches de la nouvelle Gnose. 1980. In-4º p. 173 a 197. **
Dans ce texte on voit Abellio prendre uma position metaphysique sur le Tarot. Pas d'importance en savoir sur le jeu de cartes ou sur la devination, ou meme les origines, mais desgager le contenu secret, la strcuture dinamique: quel est la organization profonde qu'il ilustre? Il considere qu'approcher individuelement les lames sans articulations entre elles c'est pas bien. En effet il y aurait una multiplication exageré des outils de signification et pas sufisament de travail sur la profondité et totalité. L'Univers serait bati sur une ordonance absolue, avec des couples complementaires en interaction, considerant même que na base dés le niveau de la celule c'est un senaire de 3 couples, deux horizontal et un verticalle. Ainsi la Papesse-Pape, Imperatrice-Empereur, Bateleur-Amoureux, en ce couple il voit le contact non penetrant du Bateleur et l'union, retention et interiorization de la connaissance du Amoureux. Chariot-Roue de Fortune, Justice-Force, Eremite- Pendu, c'est le 2º senaire, considerant la connaisance du Pendu la plus elevé. 3º senaire: "Soleil, ilumination passive et Lune, revelation active, et revelation que explicite l' iluminatinon", Étoile-Monde, Maison de Dieu-Jugement-Ressurection. Il voit bien l'ensemble comme la passage du Bateleur infinitement potenciel au "Monde, la resolution unifié dans l'androginat, forme glorieuse de l'amoureux". Aprés une courte et discutible l'hermeneutique de la Mort, Temperance et Diable, comme les 3 passages, R. Abbelio termine avec quelques additions numériques ou de gematrie kabaliste. (Cette critique de l'article, de 1980, à été faite en français, en amitié avec le specialiste français Ronnan Farrel, que me l'a envoyé.).
*****-
62 - PIANTANIDA, Donato. - MAGIA DEI TAROCCHI. Esoterismo e divinazione. Roma, Edizione Mediterranee, 1978. In-4º 212 p. **
With a introduction of 10 pages by Jorg Sabellicus, where the Tarot is seen as a tool for meditation of the symbols of the sacred science of initiation, with good points but a bit of mythification or exageration. «Tarot is a compendium of the Sacred Science expressed through a set of symbolic images. By «Scienza Sacra» is understood the complex of doctrines and pratical teachings that leads the individual to a superior state of consciouness, as puting him in direct communication with the Absolute, going beyond every bound that emprisions him in the lower and worst (vile) of the reality. In such a way, man - image of God - recovers the divine spark (cintilla) enclosed in his «animo» and escapes from the limited world of becoming to enter in the center of the Being (centro dell'Essere)..." In the same exagerated unity between God and human being, Sabellius says: «man doesn't represent God, but it is God. As he transcendes the ilusion of the becoming, reconciliates the opposites, the person goes beyond the sense of division and joins the Supreme Union. This is the culmination of the Great Work alchemical-magical, the ofspring of the revelation of the true identity, attained after the path of Initiation. To this alluded the christian kabalist of XV century Paolo Rici, saying that through the pratice of Kabbala "are obtained more easily and in supernatural way the Glory of the Eternal Father, and our powers in this world that are similar to him», this citation taken by Sabelius from Robert Cavendish, La Magia Nera, Roma, 1970.
The book in itself is weak as Donato Piantanida uses to much Eliphas Levi and older kabbalists forcing all the arcanes with the imaginary correspondences, numerical additions, declarations and promesses of Kabbala, still some times with a good observation on the symbols. The best are the drawings of the cards made by Donato, with softness and a bit of erotism. At the end there is an appendix of 28 pages, by Sabellius, on Tarot and Initiation, with a short description of the psychological aspects of the arcanes in relation to the path of magical initiation and the ways to do the devination, based or with mentions of the words of (to much praised) Eliphas Levy, Alesteir Crowley, Golden Dawn, Oswald Wirth, etc.
59- GRAND, Robert. - L'UNIVERS INCONNU DU TAROT. Paris, Édition du Rocher, 1979. In-4º 480 pp. **
The author reveals much culture and also knowdlege about the different interpreations of the arcanes but still tends to see hebrew letters in the forms of the 21 arcanes and the origin of the cards in the Kaballah, with some evident confusions and errors. For example in the page 33: «The pre-historical man know the magnetics fluids, but only some initiates could catch and use this powers. They were the sages that changed their name and become Magicians (magi). This ones inspired themselves from the Bible to which they gave a mysterious sense, the kabbale (Qabbalah=tradition). (...) So the Kabbala, from which the Tarot would be a simplified transcription, it is a very fearful complication for reading. She is the Tradition that was teached to Adam by the Angel Raziel...». The author touches many aspects of the esoterism, initiation, free-masonry, etc., but many times we can see that he has no spiritual realization, it is speaking only from a comparative point of view, and many times endorsing superficial opinions, mystifications or "old fake news". For example considering the Tarot as mathematical monument, writes: «many mathematicians celebrated were atracted by the Tarot. The sage Raymon Lulle (1235-1315) laid the foundation of a philosophical system with a logical basis, based on the aplication of the arcanes, called Ars Magna. If that is true, the Tarot was existing before 1235»!! Some pages after, he writes: «We have to come back to Eliphas Lévi, as is transcribed by Oswald Wirth:"The Tarot is a truly philosphical machine that protects the spirit of being lost, at the same time leavinh him with initaitive and freedom. They are the mathematical science aplied to the Absolute, it is the alliance of the positive and the ideal, it is a lottery of thoughts all rigorously justs as the numbers, it is to finish possibly what the human genius has conceived as tme most simple and most great". About the Angels, Robert Grand, following the Kabbala, thinks that Angels are related to humans, Archangels to nations, and Archai to the great human events. And then «Virtues, Dominations and Principalities, are infalible - they are the Elohim of Moises - organize all the planetarium system on a mathematical form». And the the highest level of celestial spirits, connected already to the Charity of the Pascal and the Omega of Teillard Chardin, or to the Divine world, are not related to Arcane 21 but to the 0, the Fool, as it is something that we can't understand. Probably the best part of the book are the 40 pages, each one with 5 or 6 citations of different authores, of the chapter consecrated to divination and how it can be explained.
The author considers the the powerful symbolism of Tarot as the best method to contact the subsconscious levels of the self in order to answer questions or foretell the future. He advises very well just to use the XXII Major Arcanes, as non complicated way. He thinks that only the XXII arcanes were created for divination, something we are not so sure as probably at the beginning the Tarot was mostly a teaching, and a game. He takes a pragmatic view: we can not know how it works, if by spirits, energies, intuitions, subconscious, but adds that is possible that there is something in us that can know the future, and so the consultation of Tarot becomes a tool to see the underlying patterns and directions of the subtle and future aspects of ourselves in a unified world. He develops mostly the explanation of the XXII Arcanes with a sober choice of meanings, not entering in the kabalistic imaginations but mostly in astrological and symbolical relations taken from classical and christian traditions, as well from the geometrical patterns and the five elements. The work is very well ilustrated with old symbolics engravings or pictures related to the arcanes.
****
61 - ABELLIO, Raymond. - Histoire, structure et symbolisme du Tarot. Introduction a le tarot de Pierre Jacquot. Paris, Club du Livre, 1980. Et aprés dans les Approches de la nouvelle Gnose. 1980. In-4º p. 173 a 197. **
Dans ce texte on voit Abellio prendre uma position metaphysique sur le Tarot. Pas d'importance en savoir sur le jeu de cartes ou sur la devination, ou meme les origines, mais desgager le contenu secret, la strcuture dinamique: quel est la organization profonde qu'il ilustre? Il considere qu'approcher individuelement les lames sans articulations entre elles c'est pas bien. En effet il y aurait una multiplication exageré des outils de signification et pas sufisament de travail sur la profondité et totalité. L'Univers serait bati sur une ordonance absolue, avec des couples complementaires en interaction, considerant même que na base dés le niveau de la celule c'est un senaire de 3 couples, deux horizontal et un verticalle. Ainsi la Papesse-Pape, Imperatrice-Empereur, Bateleur-Amoureux, en ce couple il voit le contact non penetrant du Bateleur et l'union, retention et interiorization de la connaissance du Amoureux. Chariot-Roue de Fortune, Justice-Force, Eremite- Pendu, c'est le 2º senaire, considerant la connaisance du Pendu la plus elevé. 3º senaire: "Soleil, ilumination passive et Lune, revelation active, et revelation que explicite l' iluminatinon", Étoile-Monde, Maison de Dieu-Jugement-Ressurection. Il voit bien l'ensemble comme la passage du Bateleur infinitement potenciel au "Monde, la resolution unifié dans l'androginat, forme glorieuse de l'amoureux". Aprés une courte et discutible l'hermeneutique de la Mort, Temperance et Diable, comme les 3 passages, R. Abbelio termine avec quelques additions numériques ou de gematrie kabaliste. (Cette critique de l'article, de 1980, à été faite en français, en amitié avec le specialiste français Ronnan Farrel, que me l'a envoyé.).
*****-
62 - PIANTANIDA, Donato. - MAGIA DEI TAROCCHI. Esoterismo e divinazione. Roma, Edizione Mediterranee, 1978. In-4º 212 p. **
With a introduction of 10 pages by Jorg Sabellicus, where the Tarot is seen as a tool for meditation of the symbols of the sacred science of initiation, with good points but a bit of mythification or exageration. «Tarot is a compendium of the Sacred Science expressed through a set of symbolic images. By «Scienza Sacra» is understood the complex of doctrines and pratical teachings that leads the individual to a superior state of consciouness, as puting him in direct communication with the Absolute, going beyond every bound that emprisions him in the lower and worst (vile) of the reality. In such a way, man - image of God - recovers the divine spark (cintilla) enclosed in his «animo» and escapes from the limited world of becoming to enter in the center of the Being (centro dell'Essere)..." In the same exagerated unity between God and human being, Sabellius says: «man doesn't represent God, but it is God. As he transcendes the ilusion of the becoming, reconciliates the opposites, the person goes beyond the sense of division and joins the Supreme Union. This is the culmination of the Great Work alchemical-magical, the ofspring of the revelation of the true identity, attained after the path of Initiation. To this alluded the christian kabalist of XV century Paolo Rici, saying that through the pratice of Kabbala "are obtained more easily and in supernatural way the Glory of the Eternal Father, and our powers in this world that are similar to him», this citation taken by Sabelius from Robert Cavendish, La Magia Nera, Roma, 1970.
The book in itself is weak as Donato Piantanida uses to much Eliphas Levi and older kabbalists forcing all the arcanes with the imaginary correspondences, numerical additions, declarations and promesses of Kabbala, still some times with a good observation on the symbols. The best are the drawings of the cards made by Donato, with softness and a bit of erotism. At the end there is an appendix of 28 pages, by Sabellius, on Tarot and Initiation, with a short description of the psychological aspects of the arcanes in relation to the path of magical initiation and the ways to do the devination, based or with mentions of the words of (to much praised) Eliphas Levy, Alesteir Crowley, Golden Dawn, Oswald Wirth, etc.
A very good book on Tarot, with much knowledge from ancient greek and roman traditions, myths and mysteries as well others pagan sources, with special emphasis in the feminine aspect and the Godess. Surely one of the best for a woman student, praticioner or contemplative one. Much information also on a possible origin of the Tarot from India, with the tantra tradition, the four ashramas and the gypsies. As an example, the XXI is the Shakti, Kali, Godess, World Soul. Although with much imagination, specially on the Minor Arcanes, all the work is almost at scholar level, with constant quotations from a very good and complete bibliography. A very fresh and liberating approach, out of the ruling patriarchal and mystagogic christian, occultist and kaballist aproaches. Last but not the least, she has painted her own deck of cards (major and minor arcanes) in a beautiful and sensitive recreation of the traditional Marseille Tarot. I hope still to write on some aspects of this deep and valuable book.
A synthetic and direct approach to Tarot more related to the archetypes, symbols and ways of a better psychological understanding of ourselves and the others. It is not an occultist or kabalist approach, and has no mystagogiques references to initiations and kabbalah, seeing the origin in medieval times and as tool of syncrocinities for self-consciounees. Very good choice of images to illustrate the connections of each arcane with ancient wisdom in symbols and art. May be Jeanne gives to much interpretations to the Minor Arcanes. The way to consult the cards is quite right, with some prayer and concentration, and the predictions of future are well seen: «they will invariably point to possibilites rather than probablities».
********-
65- STUART, Micheline - THE TAROT, Path to Self-Development. Bolder, Shambala, 1977. In-8º 58 pp. Br. **
Although a book with spiritual intentions, having anything to do with cards readings, and originality, as it has changed the order of the arcanes, begining with 0, then 21, then 20, and trying to explain them as symbols of the path of perfection, Micheline has not a deep knowledge of spiritual traditions and symbols, and so explains some cards in unplausible way, even if she always trying to make us conscious of our limitations coming from body and mind, and of the need of discipline and discernment. With some good insights in the fight to overcome unabalanced polarities, still, sincerely, the classic or traditional order of the arcanes is much better to portray the path of self-development than what she proposes. Highlights: XVII - The Star: «An incorruptible state of purity has to be maintained. This requires deligent meditation and work in ourselves (...) We are no longer working for material rewards and sensual satisfaction, but undergoing all the experiences necessary for the tempring of our character as it keeps to the path of inner evolution.»
Although a book with many interesting ilustrations, and many interpretions taken from diferent authors and perspectives, still sometimes in the interpretations of the cards his point of view is not always accurate or even original (as sometimes reaches) but a bit reiteraded and missing the point. One valuable part is the discernement of the geometry inside the cards, even with the misleading interpretation of forms as per se meaning necessarily something, like the round or circle would be always spiritual. But he is right in many understanding of the genesis of the symbolic images in the arcanes, and when denounces the changes made by Papus and A. Edward Waite in their Tarots, taking out half of the original symbolism in exchange of new occultist fashions.
Interesting texts on the arts and sciences of divination, with much illustrations. After an exposition on the possible origins of the Tarot, where the author tends to follow van Rijnberk who sees the introduction on Europe on XIII-XIV century, and a explanation of the main methods of consultation, like the abstruse and complicated ones of Oswald Wirth and Paul Marteau, we enter into the approach of each arcane is divided in four sections: 1º, visual description, 2º, the history or origins, based on van Rijnberk, 3º, the adivinatory interpretations, according to Oswald Wirth, and 4º, the utilitary meanings, folowing the book of Paul Marteau, Le Tarot de Marseille.
********
68 - PACKARD, Mary. TAROT DE MARSELHA. 2ª ed. Lisboa, Farol, 2020. In-12º de 144 p. **
Divided in six chapters: "The History, The Royal Road, A Scale to Sky (where the best part, the Caravan of the Majeurs arcans, is based on Robert M. Place, The Fool's Journey, a platonic view of the Tarot as an ascending path, and a second part is about the colors), Major Arcanes, Arcanes Minors, One Good Lecture". The first three chapters, in 44 pages, are quite well, about the origins of the Marseille Tarot, created according to her (as it is only one of the versions) in 1709 by Pierre Madenié (the P.M. on the Chariot trump), for the duch of Borgony, and then about the mythographic approach of Court of Gebelin, and then the divinatory utilization by Etella, Mad. de Lanormant, and lastly the mystifications of Eliphas Levy. The interpretations of the symbols included in the arcanes are sometimes good ones, other times very subjective, following or not others interpretations and using too much the symbolism of the colors, when unfortunately the colors of this version are not at all the same as in the classical version.
.JPG)
69 - ESTES, Susan Gerulskis-. THE BOOK OF TAROT. Illustrated with the Morgan-Greer Tarot. New York,Morgan & Morgan, 1981. In-4. 95 p. ***
The author, now married and so named Susan Hansson in his news books, shows a sympathetic sensibility to the symbols and energies of the cards, and envisions them as portraying a spiritual path where, with their contemplation, people can attune and fortify the realities symbolized and expressed. The most original part is the preface, where she expounds her vision of the psychic energies and images containing universal symbols and that when we meditate them we affect or fortify the entity of the arcane. She sees the divination as a art of revealing what is in one's mind, conscious and subconscious, and probability of the future events throug cards. About the origins she admits many versions, some really fantastic, like a pre-historic notation of cycles, or the walls of the initiation of the members of the egypcian Order Hermes Thot, probably taking it from the ilusions of Goblet d'Alviela, E. Levy and A. Crowley. The version used (and there is a small detachable copy of all the arcanes) was a bit modified made by Bill Greer with strong colors in order to create a "immediate emotional reaction". Any way, is a new designed version of the Tarot with too much differences in the symbols included in in relation to the traditional one of Marseille. So much that it is expounded has much less value, it works only for this deck...
For each of the arcanes she gives the astrological influence, the numeral influence and the descriptions (the bigest part in size, in general good ones), and then the divinatory meaning, ending with the interpretion of the card when reversed in a lecture. The fact of this version of Tarot is in certain ways a mix between Marseille, Waite and Wirth, is interpretation become a bit condicioned for being not based in the traditional imagery, something that in last decades as gone wild, and so loosing some of the traditio... Anyway, as this was her first book is natural that the following ones were better.
70 - RABAB, Madame Aida-. LES 78 CARTES DU TAROT. La vraie maniére de se tirer les cartes soi-même. Les lignes de la Main. Paris, Belles Éditions. s/d. c.1930. In-12º 168 p. *
Most probably just a compilation. Curious extolling of the Wednesday for affaires and Friday for love, and best days, 7,13, 17, 27. About the Tarot, few lines for each of the 78 cards of Eteilla "Tarot", reproduced in very naif form, and two pages with the meaning of the arcane majeurs of the Tarot: I- Man, II Religion, III Initative, IV - Will, V Intuition, VI - Love, VII, Divine Protection, VIII Justice, IX - Prudence, X - Destiny, XI- Strenght, XII- Test, XIII - Death, XIV - Temperance, XV - Fatal forces, XVI - Ruin, XVII - Hope; XVIII - Occult enemies, XIX- Material hapiness, XX - Changement of Position, XXI - the Fool, Caprices, XXII- Sucess. Palmistry, from Papus, and many pages just about normal cards uses in divination, with their absolute arbitray meanings, that can work only if the Diviner was a clairvoyant.
71 - WEOR, Samael Aun. COURS ESOTERIQUE DE KABBALE. La Sagesse initiatique du Tarot. Montreal, Ganesha, 1980. In-8º 205 p. **
A complex work, illustrated with many images of thematic quality, mainly alchemical and Rosicrucian, and with a lot of knowledge of esotericism, alchemy, kabbalah, tantrism, and although his approach to each arcane is polyvalent, his dogmatism of the anti-emission of the sexual energy, the ens seminalis, is always present, because although he sees sexuality in everything and highly recommends the sexual practice, the fact of spilling the energy is for him the mortal Sin. Many of his understandings about the "I", the spirit, the Buddha, the Christ, or the interpretations he gives to several of the symbols of the cards, or to various methodologies and characters of esotericism, are also debatable, as he is always emphasising the sexual practice, without emission of semen. Examples: Master Blavatsky was only fully realised when she worked with practical sexual magic, after marrying Colonel Olcott. The wheel of arcane X is "the wheel of centuries, reincarnations and Karma". The XI is Persuasion. The XII is the Apostleship, the great work, the annihilation of the Self by not transmitting the seminal energy in the sexual act, and then the awakening of Kundalini. The XV, the Passion, indicates that we have to "steal the fire from the Devil", that is, the inferior "I". In XVII, the Star is that of the Father, etc. The polyvalence of the symbols and myths, that is, their wide possibility of meanings or interpretations, is well worked by this author, although always converging towards sexual magic, without emission of the seminal energy, which for many people can be frustrating and disturbing, besides not being able to generate as much spiritual realisation as it is promised.
72. HALL, Manly P. OS ENSINAMENTOS SECRETOS DE TODOS OS TEMPOS. Lisboa, Alma dos Livros, 2020. In-4º gr. 2 vols. 453 e 411 p. B. **
This book is a digestum, a fair compilation, without originality neither deepening the subjects, from what was available in 1920 about the mythologic and esoteric knowdlege. In the 2º vol., mostly dedicated to Kabbalism, in chapter One analysis of Tarot Cards, of twenty pages, we find his views or better much more the views of the many authors who have published about Tarot. Examples: on the origins, he doesn't follow any main source, but admits that the knight Templars, returning from the East, "have hide the arcane sense of the symbols presenting the leaves of their magic book as a plain mechanism of fun and game". He shares also the Egypcian mysteries origin of Tarot, following P. Christian and Edouard Schuré. He has to accept that the correspondence of the XXII cards and the hebrew letters was never proved perfectly, and many have forced in that direction. Sometimes he enters in errors has when saying that "the cards of Major Arcanes represent happenings of the Book of Apocalipse", or when quoting more than one time the mystagoge and kabbalist Eliphas Levy, with his typical effabulations, like: «a prisoner without access to any other book than the Tarot, could, if he knew how to use it and in the space of a few years, obtain universal knowledge, and would be able to speak about all matters with unparalleled knowledge and inexhaustible eloquence». What are his best contributions, or with some originality, on the arcanes, even if some are incorrect, specially following Eliphas Levy?
In the IV arcane. «The Emperor is the Demiurg, th great king of the inferior world». V. - "The ilusory universe, appearing as two figures (polarity), kneel in front of the throne where is seated the initiate that has raised his consciousness to the plane of spiritual understanding and reality"». VI - «Above the halo of light, is the genius of destiny (his star), confused by ignorants as a cupid. If the young chooses foolishly, the arrow of the destiny will trespass him.» IX. This letter «would configurate Diogenes in his search of a honest man». The Eremite personifies the secret organizations that, in the passage of centuries, have hidden carefully from the profanes the light of ancient wisdom». XI - About the controversy of the lady opening or closing the mouth, he says: «the young woman can be opening the lion mouth in the search of the key deposed in the interior, as courage is a prerequisite for the knowledge». XIII - «The skeleton appears to have cut off one of its own feet.(...) this point emphasizes that disequilibrium and destruction are synonyms. The skeleton is the apropriate symbol of the first and supreme Divinity, as it is the base of the body, as the absolute is the base of creation». XVII - «In the search of wisdom, man emerges from the pool of ilusion. After dominating the keepers of the wisdom gates, passes by the strongholds of science and tecnology and follows the sinuous path leading to spiritual ilumination?».
Discernment and Light, Love and Joy, with the Tarot and the perennial Wisdom ressonating in it, or attained through the energies of the arcanes!...
2 comentários:
That's a great list of books, thanks for these reviews.
You might also enjoy El tarot o la máquina de imaginar by Alberto Cousté.
Thank you for your kind feeling and sugestion. I have seen the book many years ago. I have to find it another time. Best understandings on the path and inspirations.
Enviar um comentário