Download or read book The History of the Occult Tarot written by Ronald Decker and published by Prelude Books. This book was released on 2013-07-18 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential volume for the libraries of all serious students of the Tarot. When the Tarot was invented in Italy during the early fifteenth century, it was simply a pack of cards used for playing games. Esoteric interpretations of the pack date from late eighteenth century France, and were confined to that country for a hundred years. But today the cards are used throughout the world and not only for fortune telling - for true believers they are the key to secret knowledge and the meaning of life. A History of the Occult Tarot is the classic work on the history of the Tarot deck and its use in occult circles. Starting with the late nineteenth century, the Decker and Dummett examine how the Tarot became the favoured divination tool of occultists, a bridge to the spirit world, and a map of the unconscious. From Theosophical to Aleister Crowley to the Order of the Golden Dawn and P.D. Ouspensky, this compelling survey of the Tarot's history describes the many fascinating decks imagined over time as well as the secret histories of mystics.
Download or read book A Wicked Pack of Cards written by Ronald Decker and published by Bristol Classical Press. This book was released on 1996-12-05 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No Marketing Blurb
Download or read book A Cultural History of Tarot written by Helen Farley and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-08-22 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The enigmatic and richly illustrative tarot deck reveals a host of strange and iconic mages, such as The Tower, The Wheel of Fortune, The Hanged Man and The Fool: over which loom the terrifying figures of Death and The Devil. The 21 numbered playing cards of tarot have always exerted strong fascination, way beyond their original purpose, and the multiple resonances of the deck are ubiquitous. From T S Eliot and his 'wicked pack of cards' in "The Waste Land" to the psychic divination of Solitaire in Ian Fleming's "Live and Let Die"; and from the satanic novels of Dennis Wheatley to the deck's adoption by New Age practitioners, the cards have in modern times become inseparably connected to the occult. They are now viewed as arguably the foremost medium of prophesying and foretelling. Yet, as the author shows, originally the tarot were used as recreational playing cards by the Italian nobility in the Renaissance. It was only much later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, that the deck became associated with esotericism before evolving finally into a diagnostic tool for mind, body and spirit. This is the first book to explore the remarkably varied ways in which tarot has influenced culture. Tracing the changing patterns of the deck's use, from game to mysterious oracular device, Helen Farley examines tarot's emergence in 15th century Milan and discusses its later associations with astrology, kabbalah and the Age of Aquarius.
Download or read book Occult Tarot written by Travis McHenry and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "How can we possibly embrace our truest self if we never step into the dark? Author and occultist Travis McHenry reveals the secret daemons of the 17th-century and conjures their powers into this unique set of 78-divination cards. Drawing on daemons, symbols, and sigils from ancient magickal grimoires including Archidoxis Magica and the Key of Solomon, Occult Tarot presents a fully realized divination tool to finally embrace and behold the mysteries of the night."--Container.
Download or read book Mystical Origins of the Tarot written by Paul Huson and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2004-05-26 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A profusely illustrated history of the occult nature of the tarot from its origins in ancient Persia • Thoroughly examines the original historical source for each tarot card and how the cards’ divinatory meanings evolved from these symbols • Provides authentic 18th- and 19th-century spreads and divination techniques • Reveals the divinatory meanings of the cards as understood by diviners in the Middle Ages and Renaissance The origins of the tarot have been lost in the mists of time. Most scholars have guessed that its origins were in China, Egypt, or India. In Mystical Origins of the Tarot, Paul Huson has expertly tracked each symbol of the Minor Arcana to roots in ancient Persia and the Major Arcana Trump card images to the medieval world of mystery, miracle, and morality plays. A number of tarot historians have questioned the use of the tarot as a divination tool prior to the 18th century. But the author demonstrates that the symbolic meanings of the Major Arcana were evident from the time they were first employed in the mid-15th century in the popular divination practice of sortilege. He also reveals how the identities of the court cards in the Minor Arcana were derived from a blend of pagan and medieval sources that strongly influenced their interpretation in tarot divination. Mystical Origins of the Tarot provides a thorough examination of the original historical source for each card and how the cards’ divinatory meanings evolved from these symbols. Huson also provides concise and practical card-reading methods designed by the cartomancers of the 18th and 19th centuries and reveals the origins of the card interpretations promoted by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and A. E. Waite.
Download or read book The Occult Book written by John Michael Greer and published by Union Square & Co.. This book was released on 2017-10-03 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the occult from ancient times to the modern day with one of its most respected scholars and practitioners. Take an enlightening journey through occult history, exploring 100 dramatic incidents, arcane knowledge, and key historical figures from around the world. John Michael Greer delves into two millennia of tradition, from the earliest alchemists to pagan rituals; from the Philosopher’s Stone to Cabala, the first tarot, and the Knights Templar; and from the first horoscopes to fortune-telling trials and the birth of modern witchcraft, or Wicca. Each entry features a stunning image or intriguing item of ephemera.
Download or read book The Tarot written by Robert Place and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-03-17 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Tarot is one of the few books that cuts through conventional misperceptions to explore the Tarot deck as it really developed in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Europe-not, as some would suggest, in the far reaches of Egyp-tian antiquity. Mining the Hermetic, alchemical, and Neoplatonic influences behind the evolution of the deck, author Robert M. Place provides a historically grounded and compelling portrait of the Tarot's true origins, without overlooking the deck's mystical dimensions. Indeed, Place uncommonly weds reliable historiography with a practical understanding of the intuitive help and divinatory guidance that the cards can bring. He presents techniques that offer new and valuable ways to read and interpret the cards. Based on a simple three-card spread, Place's approach can be used by either the seasoned practitioner or the new inquirer.
Download or read book The Esoteric Tarot written by Ronald Decker and published by Quest Books. This book was released on 2013-07-15 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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
Download or read book The Art of the Occult written by S. Elizabeth and published by Frances Lincoln. This book was released on 2020-10-13 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A visual feast of eclectic artwork informed and inspired by spiritual beliefs, magical techniques, mythology and otherworldly experiences. Mystical beliefs and practices have existed for millennia, but why do we still chase the esoteric? From the beginning of human creativity itself, image-makers have been drawn to these unknown spheres and have created curious artworks that transcend time and place – but what is it that attracts artists to these magical realms? From theosophy and kabbalah, to the zodiac and alchemy; spiritualism and ceremonial magic, to the elements and sacred geometry – The Art of the Occult introduces major occult themes and showcases the artists who have been influenced and led by them. Discover the symbolic and mythical images of the Pre-Raphaelites; the automatic drawing of Hilma af Klint and Madge Gill; Leonora Carrington's surrealist interpretation of myth, alchemy and kabbalah; and much more. Featuring prominent, marginalised and little-known artists, The Art of the Occult crosses mystical spheres in a bid to inspire and delight. Divided into thematic chapters (The Cosmos, Higher Beings, Practitioners), the book acts as an entertaining introduction to the art of mysticism – with essays examining each practice and over 175 artworks to discover. The art of the occult has always existed in the margins but inspired the masses, and this book will spark curiosity in all fans of magic, mysticism and the mysterious.
Download or read book The Kabalistic and Occult Tarot of Eliphas Levi written by Eliphas Levi and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2018-02-14 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a compilation of Eliphas Levi's writings on the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot and their corresponding Hebrew letters. It includes the ""Magic Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum"", some extracts from the ""Major Keys and the Clavicles of Solomon"" and the Editor's Appendix is a large collection of Levi's drawings and diagrams for easy reference. ÒThe science of signs begins with the science of letters. Letters are absolute ideas. Absolute ideas are numbers. Numbers are perfect signs. In using ideas with numbers, one can operate upon the ideas like one can operate upon number and arrive at the mathematics of truth. The tarot is the key of letters and numbersÉÓ ÒNow, the tarot that we have today É has come to us from Egypt passing through Judea. The keys of this tarot, in fact, correspond with the letters of the hebraic alphabet, and some of its figures even reproduce the same form of the characters of this sacred alphabet.Ó
Download or read book Tarot of the Most High Revised Edition written by Daniel E. Loeb and published by . This book was released on 2019-08-31 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 'Tarot of the Most High' is a tarot card deck inspired by the Bible. WARNING: THIS IS ONLY A GUIDEBOOK AND DOES NOT INCLUDE A DECK OF TAROT CARDS. It includes depictions of events from the Old Testament, New Testament, and the Apocrypha. Each card includes an image, a key word (describing the overall theme of the card), and a section containing relevant Bible verses - providing ample symbolism/themes for enhanced tarot readings. These are not cards with fluffy inspirational Bible verses on them, but like the Bible, contain mature content documenting the interaction between God and human-beings, and human's struggles with evil throughout history. You can learn from the sins, temptations, adversity, and struggles of Biblical characters, for your personal growth, and/or reflect on God's interaction with mankind in the past, present, and future.
Download or read book The Tarot of the Bohemians written by Papus and published by Courier Dover Publications. This book was released on 2019-06-12 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To the casual observer, they're just a pack of playing cards. But to initiates, the mysterious figures of the Tarot deck symbolize the keys to ancient wisdom. The 78 cards can be employed to unlock the secrets of the universe and to foretell the future — but only by those who comprehend their esoteric truths. A pillar of occult science, The Tarot of the Bohemians provides a theological element to the work begun by Antoine Court de Gébelin, Etteila, and Éliphas Lévi, and advanced by A. E. Waite, the distinguished scholar and designer of the most widely known deck. Geared toward initiates, its topics include an introduction to the study of the Tarot as well as its symbolism and applications. This revised edition includes a Preface by Waite in addition to illustrative plates, charts, and tables.
Download or read book Angel Tarot written by and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A History of Magic Witchcraft and the Occult written by DK and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-08-18 with total page 898 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the beguiling history of witchcraft, magic, and superstition through the centuries in this stunningly illustrated title. A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult charts the extraordinary narrative of one of the most interesting and often controversial subjects in the world, covering everything from ancient animal worship and shamanism, through alchemy and divination to modern Wicca and the resurgence of the occult in 21st-century literature, cinema, and television. Providing readers with a comprehensive account of everything from Japanese folklore and Indian witchcraft to the differences between black and white magic, and dispelling myths such as those surrounding the voodoo doll and Ouija, the book explores the common human fascination with spells, superstition, and the supernatural. This riveting read on witchcraft further includes: - Engaging text and lavish illustrations with over 500 full-color images that bring the subject to life. - Special features on aspects of magic, such as oracle bones of ancient China, the Knights Templar, and magic at the movies, and “plants and potions”, such as mandrake and belladonna examine topics in great detail. - Quick-fact panels explore magic origins, key figures, key deities, uses in spells, structures of religions, and more. The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, it explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones and offers key insights into the ways in which magic has interacted with religion. The most comprehensive illustrated history of witchcraft available, A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult will enthral and fascinate anyone interested in spiritualism and the occult.
Download or read book The Occult Witchcraft and Magic written by Christopher Dell and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2016-11-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The curious history of magic and the powers of the occult, witchcraft, ritual, and the imagination, from their earliest appearances to modern times From the days of the earliest Paleolithic cave rituals, magic has gripped the imagination. Magic and magicians appear in early Babylonian texts, the Bible, Judaism, and Islam. Secret words, spells, and incantations lie at the heart of nearly every mythological tradition. But for every genuine magus there is an impostor. During the Middle Ages, religion, science, and magic were difficult to set apart. The Middle Ages also saw the pursuit of alchemy—the magical transformation of base materials—which led to a fascination with the occult, Freemasonry, and Rosicrucianism. The turn of the twentieth century witnessed a return to earlier magical traditions, and today, magic means many things: contemporary Wicca is practiced widely as a modern pagan religion in Europe and the US; “magic” also stretches to include the nonspiritual, rapid-fire sleight of hand performed by slick stage magicians who fill vast arenas. The Occult, Witchcraft and Magic is packed with authoritative text and a huge and inspired selection of images, some chosen from unusual sources, including some of the best-known representations of magic and the occult from around the world spanning ancient to modern times.
Download or read book The Game of Saturn written by Peter Mark Adams and published by Scarlet Imprint. This book was released on 2017-06-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2017 Esoteric Book of the Year As voted by the membership of the Occult of Personality’s Chamber of Reflection Dr. Joscelyn Godwin, Colgate University, emeritus “Besides gratifying the bibliophile, the contents follow scholarly principles, and the notes and documentation are as thorough as one could wish .... Even if only partially provable, The Game of Saturn opens a new and darker vista on the pagan Renaissance. No student of that current should ignore it” Renaissance Quarterly Volume LXXI, No. 2 Niketas Siniossoglou. National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens “The Game of Saturn by Peter Mark Adams is a fascinating read. The author calls it “a literary detective story”, but this may well be an understatement ... Adams decodes astral, alchemical, and sexual associations that are plausible, and shows how they may have been redeployed into visual format ... The Game of Saturn is a stimulating read, and it is difficult to put it down. It will appeal to all scholars of Renaissance intellectual history, esotericism, and Plethon. Published by Scarlet Imprint, the book is a rare example of fine printmaking, featuring beautiful reproductions of the Sola-Busca deck.” Aries - Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism 18 (2018) 287–304. The Game of Saturn is the first full length, scholarly study of the enigmatic Renaissance masterwork known as the Sola-Busca tarot. It reveals the existence of a pagan liturgical and ritual tradition active amongst members of the Renaissance elite and encoded within the deck. Beneath its beautifully decorated surface, its imagery ranges from the obscure to the grotesque; we encounter scenes of homoeroticism, wounding, immolation and decapitation redolent of hidden meanings, violent transformations and obscure rites. For the first time in over five hundred years, the clues embedded within the cards reveal a dark Gnostic grimoire replete with pagan theurgical and astral magical rites. Careful analysis demonstrates that the presiding deity of this ‘cult object’ is none other than the Gnostic demiurge in its most archaic and violent form: the Afro-Levantine serpent-dragon, Ba’al Hammon, also known as Kronos and Saturn, though more notoriously as the biblical Moloch, the devourer of children. Conveyed from Constantinople to Italy in the dying years of the Byzantine Empire, the pagan Platonist George Gemistos Plethon sought to ensure the survival of the living essence of Neoplatonic theurgy by transplanting it to the elite families of the Italian Renaissance. Within that violent and sorcerous milieu, Plethon’s vision of a theurgically enlightened elite mutated into its dark shadow – a Saturnian brotherhood, operating within a cosmology of predation, which sought to channel the draconian current to preserve elite wealth, power and control. This development marks the birth of an ‘illumined elite’ over three centuries before Adam Weishaupt’s ‘Illuminati.’ The deck captures the essence of this magical tradition and constitutes a Western terma whose talismanic properties may serve to establish an initiatory link with the current. This work fully explores the historical context for the deck’s creation against the background of tense Ferrarese-Venetian diplomatic intrigue and espionage. The recovery of the deck’s encoded narratives constitutes a significant contribution to Renaissance scholarship, art history, tarot studies and the history of Western esotericism.
Download or read book Pagan Virtue in a Christian World written by Anthony F. D'Elia and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2016-01-04 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1462 Pope Pius II performed the only reverse canonization in history, damning a living man to an afterlife of torment. What had Sigismondo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini and a patron of the arts, done to merit this fate? Anthony D’Elia shows how the recovery of classical literature and art during the Italian Renaissance led to a revival of paganism.
