Collected notes on the Tarot -Satinka Istari +quot;Hermetic tradition believes the earlies

Collected notes on the Tarot -=Satinka Istari "Hermetic tradition believes the earliest records of Tarot to be about 35,000 years old. It has been said that the Tarot decks which evolved in successive centuries were not completely true repres- entations of the Universal Law. This is very likely, considering how the early Christian fathers established their dogma, hiding the esoteric knowledge to make way for man-made teachings which helped make life more comfortable for those in power. Unfortunately, ordinary men had not evolved far enough spiritually to fully understand the laws emanating from *Ain Soph* without interpretation by teachers. So the Sacred Truths, forbidden to the many, were preserved by the few, handed down through the centuries in secret societies and brotherhoods, under the direction of initiated Keepers of the Flame. The Ancient Wisdom has thus been propagated through these limited channels to those who undergo vigorous mental, physical, and spiritual training before the Truths are revealed to them. Each member must serve an apprenticeship, during which he or she learns discipline in all things, including the absolute riddance of the false ego. The apprentice lives a life of truth and purity, obeying the Higher Spiritual Consciousness, rather than being influenced by the dictates and expectations of other men. With this discipline comes the loneliness of often not being understood by others, even loved ones, but this is balanced by the joy of knowing that it does not matter when one is understood by God. Perhaps the time is not far off when the entire body of Ancient Wisdom will be revealed at last to all men. Heremetic tradition tells of two major secrets y et to be discovered beneath the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. It is said that a hidden temple contains magnificent tablets on which are inscribed the totality of the Universal Law concerning the soul's journey through the cycle of rebirth. Seventy-eight of these tablets are known as the "exoteric" Tarot and 30 are the "esoteric" Tarot - a total of 108 tablets revealing at last the mystery and purpose of the soul." -=Eileen Connolly "Tarot - a new handbook for the apprentice" Card Numerological Significance of the number ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Beginning 2 Unity, balance, partnership, opposition, choice 3 Creative process, birth, formation 4 Stability, foundation, manifestation in the physical plane 5 Mind, cosmic law, spirit function on material plane 6 Love, harmony, beauty 7 Transmutation 8 Infinity, stability, balance, regeneration 9 Imagination, illumination, occult power 10 Completion, manifestation in material form ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** General information: It is generally considered that within the numerological information above, there are 3 triads of meaning: numbers 1-3 deal with the physical/material plane and the manifestation thereon; numbers 4-6 deal with the mental/emotional planes, manifesting indirectly on the physical plane, and numbers 7-9 deal with the spiritual plane. Ten is the number of manifestation of the spiritual onto the physical plane. A multiplicity of one suit, one type or one number of the cards in a layout calls for interpretation over and above the general meanings of the reading. Multiple Major Arcana generally mean forces at work which are greater than, and not under the control of the querent, which will have to play out their part. Tarot cards respond to you best when not handled by others except as necessary during a reading; when kept insulated from outside influences, and when handled and used by the reader frequently so that their vibratory rates are in harmony. General meanings of the suits: Swords: Conflict, opposition, difficulty, illness Cups: Emotions Wands: Energy, growth Pentacles: Material plane, worldly success Key words to the suits: Card Wands Pentacles Swords Cups --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ace Activity Material gain Swift change Productivity Energy Contentment with Action Bounty Strength situation Courage Pleasure Growth Balanced forces Conquest of Calmness New Beginnings and energies one's lower Emptiness Stagnation between phys- aspects Lassitude ical/material Failure to plane accept life's situations 2 Insight Attempted Indecision, Partnership Balance equilibrium Unawareness Marriage New Perspective Harmony in Balanced Union of Lack of midst of force intellect Understanding change Justice /emotion Family balanced Conflict Discord against work Confrontation Imbalance Lack of stability 3 Tearing away from Creativity Sorrow Fulfillment familiar concepts Use of skills Absence of Friendship Breaking new ground Development security Profitable Search for Laziness Restructure outcome unknown Growth of energy Unfaithful- Detatchment canals ness Dissatisfaction Attempting Gossip to face responsi- bility 4 Home/Family Power, Force Rest/Repose Dissatisfac- Sound Reasoning Authority Quiet tion with Completed Work Head and heart attitude material Satisfaction united Assimilation status Upheaval Both aspects of of knowledge Contemplation Lack of self working Pause before emphasizing Foundation together action non-con- Restrictive Sloth structive positions/ Daydreams talents/ attitudes Lack of habits concentration Key words to the suits: continued Card Wands Pentacles Swords Cups --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Internal Strife Plans for Preparation Greed Competition future for confron- Regret Inner Conflict Adaptation tation Loss Emotional vs. Confirmation Facing one's Hidden Intellectual Lack of own inferior strength or Spiritual affinity for aspects and strife. situation Dishonor knowledge Expended energy Lack of under- Slander Loss of Regoranization standing sight of higher goals 6 Positive news Gifts, Travel Beginning of Overcoming Material gain Seeking bounty or difficulties Physical comfort New concepts gain Reconciliation Philanthropy Change in New friend- Rest after High opinion of attitude ships conflict oneself and Passage thru Better Lack of accept- one's achieve- difficulties internal ance of a ments Situational environ- situation anxiety or ment tension Unconscious mis-dir- ection of energies 7 Courage Unfulfilled Burdens Overindul- Authority desires, Heavy respon- gence in Strength in the Delay in sibilities pursuit of face of results Uncertainty pleasure difficulties causing the Intense Illusiory Rightness in growth of emotional/ image of motivation and oneself intellectual self action Malcontent exertions Dispersion Difficulty in Frustration which are of energies facing conflict only partly Diffusion successful Tension and fear of failure Weakness of position 8 Journey Skill in Environment Seeking Orientation on material Forces beyond higher goal and affairs your control ideals activity Skill in re- Karma Abandoning to reach it. lationships Indecision outmoded Escalation of and in Wasted energy ways of goals to a maintain- Limited life spiritual ing equi- freedom Dissatisfac- perspective librium tion with within them material success Instability Key words to the suits: continued Card Wands Pentacles Swords Cups --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 Preparation/look- Completion of Loss, Pain Wish fulfill- ing ahead old phases Ill health ment (all Inner strength Contemplation Inner anxiety levels) and reserve Inability to over decision, Aspects come Gathering of deal action or a thru but forces and effectively loved one. not always information with your Pretense in their Untapped environment False emotion entirety potential Restrictions 10 Power and the Prosperity Ruin Success responsibility Stability Dissolution Health for using it Achievement End of Emotional/ Overcoming of goals illusion intellect- obstacles Success with Abrupt change ual harmony Refusal to home/family causing /happiness handle /inner life death of old Slow achieve- responsibility Lack of effort attitudes, ment of Withdrawal position or goals thru responses. hard work Note: These keyword/phrases were taken from my notes of Lady Nimue's discussion at the Tarot class on 1/7/90. I've uploaded it in file form specifically so that those of you who wish to add to or change anything before printing can do so with any ASCII text editor. -=satinka