U.S. Games Systems has proudly reissued the Hermetic Tarot deck in recognition of its historical and artistic importance. The details and symbols in each card reveal many of the esoteric workings of the Secret Order of the Golden Dawn, which flourished around the turn of the century.Godfrey Dowson's subtle black and white designs emphasize the Golden Dawn's astrological attributes with further sephirotic, angelic, geomantic, numerical, and kabbalistic elements. All 78 cards feature an exquisite level of detail that highlights the powerful symbolism.The 72-page instruction booklet includes an introduction by Stuart R. Kaplan and card meaning written by Godfrey Dowson and Stuart R. Kaplan. The booklet also gives instructions for the classic ten-card Celtic Cross layout and presents a chart of the elemental and astrological symbols, and a diagram of the ten spheres and 22 Hebrew Letters of the of the 22 Paths of the Tree of Life.
More than thirty years ago, U.S. Games Systems published the The Golden Dawn Tarot, revealing for the first time many truths and secrets of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and its interpretation of the tarot. Dr. Robert Wang has faithfully rendered in authentic detail each card of The Golden Dawn Tarot deck based upon the esoteric notebooks of MacGregor Mathers. The card designs follow the symbolic framework of the Inner Tradition formulated by Mathers. Dr. Israel Regardie, the leading author/scholar in the occult field, skillfully guided the creation of The Golden Dawn Tarot, the last great secret teachings of the Order. The deck is now a classic, its symbols and references familiar to tarot experts everywhere.
That the Tarot originated in ancient Egypt as a divinatory tool is a romantic misconception. Ron Decker’s meticulous scholarship will surprise practitioners and academics alike, revealing the Tarot’s true evolution and meanings as its inventor(s) understood it. The Tarot consists of the Minor Arcana, four suits of cards similar to our modern deck, and the Major Arcana, twenty-two allegorical or “trump” cards. Decker says the four-suit deck was invented in Asia Minor before AD 1000; Italian courtiers added the trumps in the 1400s. But Tarot was first used as a game. Tarot divination was only created in the 1700s by a Parisian fortuneteller who based the trump images on Hermeticism, which merges Greco-Egyptian alchemy, astrology, numerology, magic, and mysticism. Today, the suit-cards are often traced to the ancient Jewish Cabala. But, says Decker, they, too, acquired their meanings only in the 1700s, and he cites a lost numerical system based on Cabala at that time Decker’s interpretation integrates three whole systems-astrological, arithmological, mystagogical (concerning initiation rites into the Mysteries). His depth of knowledge makes the book a must-have for serious students of Tarot and esotericism
Now in a fully corrected edition, one of the true spiritual classics of the twentieth century. Published for the first time with an index and Cardinal Hans Urs von Balthasar’s afterword, this new English publication of Meditations on the Tarot is the landmark edition of one of the most important works of esoteric Christianity. Written anonymously and published posthumously, as was the author’s wish, the intention of this work is for the reader to find a relationship with the author in the spiritual dimensions of existence. The author wanted not to be thought of as a personality who lived from 1900 to 1973, but as a friend who is communicating with us from beyond the boundaries of ordinary life. Using the 22 major arcana of the tarot deck as a means to explore some of humanity’s most penetrating spiritual questions, Meditations on the Tarot has attracted an unprecedented range of praise from across the spiritual spectrum.
A textbook of mystical philosophy that demonstrates how to use the tarot for inner development. It explains the Hermetic Qabalah in terms of the Waite, Marseilles, Crowley and Golden Dawn decks, and is illustrated with all four decks.
Delve deeper into the wisdom of the Tarot with this one-of-a-kind, hands-on guide The perfect companion to any Tarot deck, The Mythic Tarot Workbook offers a variety of card spreads and creative exercises to help readers learn more about the imagery and symbolism of each card in the deck. Understanding the nature of each card brings a deeper sense of knowledge and insight to every Tarot reading, and with this workbook as a guide, every Tarot enthusiast -- whether beginning or advanced -- can become a more proficient reader. Here You Will Find: Guided imagery exercises and meditations to help you concentrate Suggestions for coloring and drawing so you can become more familiar with the card images Seven different card spreads offering you new ways to conduct and interpret readings Blank lines and pages interspersed throughout, so you can note your reactions to the cards and record the insights revealed in readings
Many students of the Western esoteric tradition consider Paul Foster Case's The Tarot the finest explanation that has yet appeared on the occult meaning of numbers, the construction of the Tarot, and the attribution of the 22 Major Trumps to the Hebrew alphabet. In clear and understandable language, Case elucidates the Tarot tradition and technique for the modern thinker. Students of the Tarot will find in these pages the necessary information to understand and apply the principles of Tarot-and the correspondences of symbol, tone, color, and number-to the art of daily living. The author also includes extremely useful chapters on methods of study and Tarot divination. In this 2006 edition, the book appears for the first time with an index and an appendix of resources. Here is a genuine underground masterpiece, made available to a broad new readership.
Since its inception over 100 years ago, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn has continued to be the authority on the initiatory and meditative teachings of the Tarot. This Tarot incorporates all of the temple symbolism needed for use in the Golden Dawn rituals. Created at the behest of the renowned occultist and father of the modern Golden Dawn movement Israel Regardie, this stunning deck masterfully blends traditional Tarot imagery with descriptions from the Golden Dawn initiation ceremonies. This is the first Tarot deck to incorporate the symbolism necessary for use in rituals. Written and created by internationally known adepts Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero, this is ideal for the beginning student but equally appealing to expert Tarot readers. The accompanying book provides an introduction to Cabalistic, Zodiacal and Alchemical symbolism creating a powerful tool for divination and spiritual growth. Complete with 256-page book and two versions of the Temperance card—as required in Golden Dawn rituals—this is the best Tarot available for students of the Golden Dawn and the Western magical tradition.
Reveals the historical roots of the symbology of the Tarot in the Mithraic tradition of the Persian Magi and the Hermetic tradition • Explores the Magian teachings on the Stoeicheia and how this magical alphabet was the template for the Tarot • Explains how the sequencing of the Major Arcana is related to the images used in Mithraic initiation • Looks at the original meanings of the Major Arcana using Mithraic symbolism, as well as the deep-level connections of the Tarot with Egypt, the Romani people, the Semitic tradition, and runes The Tarot is a mythic map of the world and of consciousness. It offers a meta-language of signs and symbols that communicate their meaning precisely. Yet the true origins of the Tarot remain shrouded in mystery. These oracular cards have long been thought to have come from Egypt or from the “Gypsies,” but as Stephen E. Flowers reveals, their original roots lie in the Mithraic tradition of the Persian Magi. In this book, Flowers explores the historical roots and mythology of the symbolic images that became known as the Tarot. Drawing on theories first pioneered by the Swedish scholar Sigurd Agrell (1881-1937), he reveals the genesis of the Tarot’s symbolism in the great Hermetic tradition at the same time the Magical Papyri were being written in Greco-Roman Egypt. He explains how the sequencing of the Major Arcana is related to the images used in Mithraic initiation, elements of which were then integrated into existing Roman and Egyptian traditions. Exploring the Magian teachings on the Stoeicheia, an alphabet that acted as a map for understanding the order of the cosmos, he demonstrates how this alphabet of magical symbols was the template for the Tarot. The author also shows how the 22 Major Arcana cards were related to the 22 letters of the Roman alphabet used for oracular purposes in ancient times. Looking in-depth at the principles of Mithraism, the author explains how the Roman form of Mithraism, a guiding factor in the early shaping of the Tarot, was itself a synthesis of Iranian Magianism, Greek stoicism, Babylonian astrology, and Greco-Egyptian Hermeticism. Exploring the cards themselves, Flowers then looks at the original meanings of the Major Arcana using Mithraic symbolism and its offshoots. He also explains the truth behind many of the myths surrounding the Tarot, including their deep-level connections with Egypt, the Romani people, the Semitic tradition, and runes. By restoring the original mysteria to the icons of the Tarot and learning their true origins, we can better understand the insight these powerful cards impart in divination.
