Pages: [1] 
|
 |
|
 Author
|
Topic: Questions (Read 2326 times)
|
RChMI
Newbie
Posts: 10
|
.............
2. What is a good book explaining the Paths? That is, a book explaining why the Emperor explifies the path between Chochma (Wisdom) and Tiphereth (Beauty) or why the Hanged Man represents the path between Gevurah (Severity) and Hod (Splendor)?
>
The present alignment of the Trumps/Hebraic Letters on the Tree of Life that most people are acquainted with, comes from the Hermetic Qabalah, as opposed to the Jewish Kabbalah. Both use the Tree of Life and Hebraic Letters, but the letters are aligned differently, so as to make them independently different form each other. In the Kabbalah, the letters are aligned so as to mimic a human body (Adam Kadmon.) In the Qabalah, using the Rider-Waite deck as a reference, the Spheres/Sephiroth are seen to generate the letters....
1. Kether generates - Fool/Aleph, Path 11; Magician/Beth, Path 12; Priestess/Gimel, Path 13.
2. Cholmah generates - Empress/Daleth, Path 14; Emperor/Heh. Path 15; Hierophant/Vau, Path 16.
3. Binah generates - Lovers/Zain, Path 17; Chariot/Cheth, Path 18.
4. Chesed generates - Strength/Teth, Path 19; Hermit/Yod, Path 20; Wheel of Fortune/Kaph, Path 21.
5. Geburah generates - Justice/Lamed, Path 22; Hanged Man/Mem, Path 23.
6. Tiphareth generates - Death/Nun, Path 24; Temperance/Samekh, Path 25; Devil/Ayin, Path 26.
7. Netzach generates - Tower/Peh, Path 27; Star/Tzaddi, Path 28; Moon/Qoph, Path 29.
8. Hod generates - Sun/Resh, Path 30; Judgment/Shin, Path 31.
9. Yesod generates - World/Tau, Path 32.
The Path numbers for the Rider-Waite deck can be remembered by simply apply the number 11 to the Roman Numerals of the Major cards. i.e. 11+0=11, 11+5=16, 11+11=22, etc...
3. Wald mentions on one of the CD's that Tarot can be used as a spiritual path and that he was going to address this at a later time. Unfortunately, he never did. Do any of you have book recommendations for someone who wants to use the Tarot as a meditative and spiritual path?
>
If you use the Rider-Waite deck, there is an aspect within a Layout for a year-long initiation/psycho-therapy, that starts on the Summer Solstice with Strength and 5/6/7 Wands. Each of the Minor cards lasts for 10 days and holds for an ideal/aspect that must be dealt with or undertaken under guidance of the imagery of their ruling Major.
....................
|
|
|
|
|
 Logged
|
|
|
|
tarotist1231
Newbie
Posts: 29
Between Readings
|
Dealing with the court cards on the Tree of Life--yes there are attributional differences and Wald's system acknowledges the two most common systems. For the Tarot School system, the position of the court cards are determined by whether you are on the 'journey of emergence' (as they call it) and are coming down the Tree of Life or on what they call 'the journey of return' back up the Tree.
Beth Palladino
Could you expand some on this. Is coming down the Tree emergence? or emanation? and return journey up the tree of life, evolution? Usually in some sufi schools of mystical insight so is centered on human experience, after purification, comes unification, after unification comes annihilation after which there is return to the world and community. The difference seems to be in yours the Tree is the center. Where as in the mystics the person is the focus? Still to object for both is the divine? Clarity anyone? Paul |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
epalladino
Newbie
Posts: 5
|
There's certainly a lot to think about in your post. Attributional systems can indeed differ. I find it useful to pick an attribution system that works for me and stick with that. I really, in my opinion, doesn't do too much good to get involved with trying to reconcile attributional systems. It really is an impossible task. I just think it's important to know that there are different systems. A great tool for recalling and/or studying the various esoteric attributions that come out of the Rider-Waite deck is a deck called Tarot of Color ( http://tarotofcolor.com). It is a deck where the cards, rather than having illustrations, have the color associated with each card and the list of all of the attributions. I like it because I have difficulty recalling all of this information and because it basically is the attributional system that Wald teaches and the one I like best. I have already used it during Tarot readings where I really felt that the esoteric attributions would add to the reading and wanted to make sure that I correctly recalled everything I needed to know. The person I was reading for did not mind at all that I consulted this additional tool. Dealing with the court cards on the Tree of Life--yes there are attributional differences and Wald's system acknowledges the two most common systems. For the Tarot School system, the position of the court cards are determined by whether you are on the 'journey of emergence' (as they call it) and are coming down the Tree of Life or on what they call 'the journey of return' back up the Tree. Beth Palladino |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
RChMI
Newbie
Posts: 10
|
............
Also, how do you attribute the Courts in your personal practice? I believe I've read at least 4 different attributions recently! Emily Peach attributes Knights to Chochma, Queens to Binah, Kings to Tiphereth, and Knaves/Pages to Malkuth. On the way down the tree--the Path of Emergence--Wald attributes Knights to Chochma, Pages to Binah, Kings to Tipheret, and Queens to Malkuth. On the way up the tree, Wald attributes Pages to Malkuth, Knights to Tipheret, Queens to Binah, and Kings to Chochma. I've seen still other attributions that are different from both of these approaches.
...........
There are two basic approaches to the ordering of the Courts - 1) Exoteric, 2) Esoteric - the nature of the working that one is performing determines which ordering is to be used. The Exoteric ordering is King, Queen, Knight, Page, and is related to Chokmah, Binah, Tiphareth, Malkuth respectiviely. The Esoteric ordering is Knight, Queen, King, Page, and is related to the Tetragammaton of Iod, Heh, Vau, Heh(f) respectively. In this ordering, Knight is in Chokmah, Queen is in Binah, King is in Tiphareth, Page is in Malkuth. Both orderings are "correct" for the purpose that one intends to work on. There is also a third, or Occult approach to the ordering of the Courts, which utilizes the Courts on "secret" or invisible paths on the Tree instead of assigning them to specific Sephiroth. Along the way some writers have utilized Kabbalistic meanings and attributions within the context of Qabalistic sources. It is sometimes not easy to discern between Jewish Kabbalah (pronounced kab-ba-lah) and Hermetic Qabalah (pronounced qa-ball-ah) but there is subtle and sometimes monumental differences between the two systems. As a general rule of thumb, Kabbalah is Jewish Mysticism that does not include Tarot, and Qabalah is Hermetic Occultism that includes Tarot as a foundational lynchpin. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rochelle
Newbie
Posts: 1
|
Hi,
I just started the correspondence course this month. Thanks for starting this board. I hope it becomes a busy place. I've been using/studying tarot for over a decade and I guess I would put myself somewhere on the intermediate spectrum in knowledge.
1. Where can I find more information about the esoteric functions and intelligences of the the Trumps?
I HIGHLY recommend Robert Wang’s book Qabalistic Tarot. It’s one book I would describe as a must have. Lot’s of good information on the Qabalah in general, and how it fits in with the tarot. All written in a very understandable form (at least for this subject). You can buy it new and it's also available used for about $20. Check bookfinder.com. It deals with the trumps in detail but also talks about the Minor Arcana. Uses the symbolism in the Waite, Thoth, Golden Dawn (Wang's own version) and Marseillle decks.
2. What is a good book explaining the Paths? That is, a book explaining why the Emperor explifies the path between Chochma (Wisdom) and Tiphereth (Beauty) or why the Hanged Man represents the path between Gevurah (Severity) and Hod (Splendor)?
In addition to Wang’s book Pollack’s book the Kabbalah Tree. I have to admit I'll recommend anything by Rachel Pollack.
5. What do you make of the differences in attributions by different authors/teachers? How do you reconcile these differences in in your own Tarot practice?
When I first started to study tarot the contradictions between authors/teachers/internet posters drove me nuts (actually still does). I gave up on a lot of stuff strictly from frustration. I finally decided that for me, following the Golden Dawn attributions was easiest. I think it’s OK (even necessary) to change something if it doesn’t make sense to you, but I needed to eventually settle on a system that works, at least most of the time, for me. I do wish that if someone is putting forth their own interpretation of something they would make it clear that it is something that they developed and explain how they came to their belief. As a beginner (and sometimes now) I would read three different contradictory "facts" and not have a clue what the writers were basing their positions on.
Also, how do you attribute the Courts in your personal practice?
I put them where Wald attributes them on the way up the tree. Pages to Malkuth, Knights to Tipheret, Queens to Binah, and Kings to Chochma. I like the image of the Knights in the Center being able to ride off in all directions. However, basically I see them as personifying their elements in the four worlds.
Note:
In addition to Wang's and Pollack's book I would also recommend Pamela Eakins book Tarot of the Spirit. She bases the meanings of the cards on the Qabalah. It”s a large (420 pages) book that was written to accompany her deck. I have the deck but never use it. I do frequently use the book. Might also be a helpful book for meditation. I'm not sure what the publication status is but it's available used for under $10.
Rochelle
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Janet
Administrator
Posts: 18
|
 |
Questions
« on: January 09, 2006, 08:13:17 PM » |
|
Hi all, I just finished listening to the Qabalah audio series this weekend. I have a few questions for those of you familiar with Qabalah, especially those who have taken this particular tele-course or who have listened to the CD's: 1. Where can I find more information about the esoteric functions and intelligences of the the Trumps? 2. What is a good book explaining the Paths? That is, a book explaining why the Emperor explifies the path between Chochma (Wisdom) and Tiphereth (Beauty) or why the Hanged Man represents the path between Gevurah (Severity) and Hod (Splendor)? 3. Wald mentions on one of the CD's that Tarot can be used as a spiritual path and that he was going to address this at a later time. Unfortunately, he never did. Do any of you have book recommendations for someone who wants to use the Tarot as a meditative and spiritual path? 4. Do you have any audio CD recommendations for guided pathworking using the Tarot? I'd rather not get written material because I don't want to have to record them myself, especially using my own voice. 5. What do you make of the differences in attributions by different authors/teachers? How do you reconcile these differences in in your own Tarot practice? For example, in The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, Robert Place attributes the Moon to Path 12/Magician, Mars to Path 13/Priestess, Sun to Path 14/Empress, Mercury to Path 27/Tower, Saturn to Path 30/Sun, and Jupiter to Path 32/World. Wald--and every other author I've read--attributes Mercury to Path 12, Moon to Path 13, Venus to Path 14, Mars to Path 27, Sun to Path 30 and Saturn to Path 32. The latter makes perfect sense while Place's do not. There are two mistakes in Place's book on Chart 2, Levi's correspondences for the four minor suits. Unless it's an editorial error, Place says that Levi attributes Man and Aquarius to Cups and Eagle Swords to Scorpio. This doesn't seem correct because Man/Aquarius are Air (Swords) and Scorpio/Eagle are Water (Cups). I mention this error because I had wondered if the unusual attributions may have been typos. But considering six Paths are affected, I'm not so sure it really is a mistake on behalf of the publisher. In Kabbalistic Tarot, Dovid Krafchow attributes Air/Swords to Briah (calling it the world of thought) while most seem to attribute this word to creation and Water/Cups. Likewise, Krafchow attributes Water/Cups to Yetzirah, calling it the world of emotions while most seem to call this the world of formation, linked to Air/Swords. Also, how do you attribute the Courts in your personal practice? I believe I've read at least 4 different attributions recently! Emily Peach attributes Knights to Chochma, Queens to Binah, Kings to Tiphereth, and Knaves/Pages to Malkuth. On the way down the tree--the Path of Emergence--Wald attributes Knights to Chochma, Pages to Binah, Kings to Tipheret, and Queens to Malkuth. On the way up the tree, Wald attributes Pages to Malkuth, Knights to Tipheret, Queens to Binah, and Kings to Chochma. I've seen still other attributions that are different from both of these approaches. Does anyone else get frustrated when there seems to be a lack of agreement on these kinds of things? I realize that the Qabala began as an oral tradition and, of course, everyone has his/her own spin on the teaching. But if this is the "powerful" tool and model that many say that it is, how can the attributions "work" if there is no agreement? I mean, Swords and Cups are very different energies, for example!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1] 
|
|
|
|
