The Theory of the Tarot

I

• The Contents of the Tarot
• The Origin of the Tarot
• The Theory of the correspondences of the Tarot
• The Evidence for the Initiated Tradition of the Tarot

1. Eliphaz Levi and the Tarot
2. The Tarot in the Cipher Manuscripts
3. The Tarot and the "Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn"
4. The Nature of the Evidence

• Summary of the Questions Hitherto Discussed
  
  

II

• The Tarot and the Holy Qabalah
• The Naples Arrangement
• The Tarot and the Formula of Tetragrammaton
• The Tarot and the Elements
• The Twenty-two Keys, Atu, or Trumps of the Tarot.
  
  

III

• The Tarot and the Universe
• Theories of the Ancients
• The Tree of Life
• The Naples Arrangement
• The Tarot and the Tree of Life
• The Atu of Tahuti
• The Roman Numbers of the Trumps
• The Tarot and Magick
• The Shemhamphorasch and the Tarot
• The Tarot and Ceremonial Magick
• The Tarot and Animism
• The Cards of the Tarot as Living Beings 

Index | Wheel and – Whoa! | Bibliographical Note | Theory of the Tarot | The Atu (Keys or Trumps) | Court Cards | Small Cards | Invocation | Mnemonics | Behaviour of the Tarot | General Characters of the Trumps

 

The Titles of the Symbols

1. THE Ace of Wands is called the Root of the Powers of Fire.
2. The Ace of Cups is called the Root of the Powers of Water.
3. The Ace of Swords is called the Root of the Powers of Air.
4. The Ace of Pentacles is called the Root of the Powers of Earth.
5. The Knight of Wands is "The Lord of the Flame and Lighting: the King of the Spirits of Fire."
6. The Queen of Wands is "The Queen of the Thrones of Flame."
7. The King of Wands is "The Prince of the Chariot of Fire."
8. The Knave of Wands is "The Princess of the Shining Flame: the Rose of the Palace of Fire."
9. The Knight of Cups is "The Lord of the Waves and the Waters: the King of the Hosts of the Sea."
10. The Queen of Cups is "The Queen of the Thrones of the Waters."
11. The King of Cups is "The Prince of the Chariot of the Waters."
12. The Knave of Cups is "The Princess of the Waters: the Lotus of the Palace of the Floods."
13. The Knight of Swords is "The Lord of the Wind and the Breezes: the King of the Spirits of Air."
14. The Queen of Swords is "The Queen of the Thrones of Air."
15. The King of Swords is "The Prince of the Chariot of the Winds."
16. The Knave of Swords is "The Princess of the Rushing Winds: the Lotus of the Palace of Air."
17. The Knight of Pentacles is "The Lord of the Wide and Fertile Land: the King of the Spirits of Earth."
18. The Queen of Pentacles is "The Queen of the Thrones of Earth."
19. The King of Pentacles is "The Prince of the Chariot of Earth."
20. The Knave of Pentacles is "The Princess of the Echoing Hills: the Rose of the Palace of Earth."

NO.	Card	Lord of	Decan	In
21	5 of Wands	Strife	Saturn	Leo
22	6 of Wands	Victory	Jupiter	Leo
23	7 of Wands	Valour	Mars	Leo
24	8 of Pentacles	Prudence	Sun	Virgo
25	9 of Pentacles	Material Gain	Venus	Virgo
26	10 of Pentacles	Wealth	Mercury	Virgo
27	2 of Swords	Peace restored	Moon	Libra
28	3 of Swords	Sorrow	Saturn	Libra
29	4 of Swords	Rest from Strife	Jupiter	Libra
30	5 of Cups	Loss in Pleasure	Mars	Scorpio
31	6 of Cups	Pleasure	Sun	Scorpio
32	7 of Cups	Illusionary Success	Venus	Scorpio
33	8 of Wands	Swiftness	Mercury	Sagittarius
34	9 of Wands	Great Strength	Moon	Sagittarius
35	10 of Wands	Oppression	Saturn	Sagittarius
36	2 of Pentacles	Harmonious Change	Jupiter	Capricorn
37	3 of Pentacles	Material Works	Mars	Capricorn
38	4 of Pentacles	Earthly Power	Sun	Capricorn
39	5 of Swords	Defeat	Venus	Aquarius
40	6 of Swords	Earned Success	Mercury	Aquarius
41	7 of Swords	Unstable Effort	Moon	Aquarius
42	8 of Cups	Abandoned Success	Saturn	Pisces
43	9 of Cups	Material Happiness	Jupiter	Pisces
44	10 of Cups	Perfected Success	Mars	Pisces
45	2 of Wands	Dominion	Mars	Aries
46	3 of Wands	Established Strength	Sun	Aries
47	4 of Wands	Perfected Work	Venus	Aries
48	5 of Pentacles	Material Trouble	Mercury	Taurus
49	6 of Pentacles	Material Success	Moon	Taurus
50	7 of Pentacles	Success unfulfilled	Saturn	Taurus
51	8 of Swords	Shortened Force	Jupiter	Gemini
52	9 of Swords	Despair and Cruelty	Mars	Gemini
53	10 of Swords	Ruin	Sun	Gemini
54	2 of Cups	Love	Venus	Cancer
55	3 of Cups	Abundance	Mercury	Cancer
56	4 of Cups	Blended Pleasure	Moon	Cancer

NO.	Card	The Twenty-Two Keys of the Book	Letter	Attribution
57	The Foolish Man	The Spirit of GR:Alpha-iota-theta-eta-rho	Aleph	Air
58	The Magician	The Magus of Power	Bet	Mercury
59	The High Priestess	The Priestess of the Silver Star	Gimel	Moon
60	The Empress	The Daughter of the Mighty Ones	Dalet	Venus
61	The Emperor	Sun of the Morning, chief among the Mighty	Heh	Aries
62	The Hierophant	The Magus of the Eternal	Vau	Taurus
63	The Lovers	The Children of the Voice; the Oracles of the Mighty Gods	Zain	Gemini
64	The Chariot	The Child of the Powers of the Waters; the Lord of the Triumph of Light	Chet	Cancer
65	Fortitude	The Daughter of the Flaming Sword	Tet	Leo
66	The Hermit	The Magus of the Voice of Power, the Prophet of the Eternal	Yod	Virgo
67	The Wheel	The Lord of the of Fate Forces of Life	Koph	Jupiter
68	Justice	The Daughter of the Lords of Truth: the Ruler of the Balance	Lamed	Libra
69	The Hanged Man	The Spirit of the Mighty Waters	Mem	Water
70	Death	The Child of the Great Transformers: the Lord of the Gates of Death	Nun	Scorpio
71	Temperance	The Daughter of the Reconcilers: the Bringer-Forth of life	Samekh	Sagittarius
72	The Devil	The Lord of the Gates of Matter: the Child of the Forces of Time	Ayin	Capricorn
73	The Blasted Tower	The Lord of the Hosts of the Mighty	Peh	Mars
74	The Star	The Daughter of the Firmament, the dweller between the Waters	Tzaddi	Aquarius
75	The Moon	The Ruler of Flux and Reflux: the Child of the Sons of the Mighty	Qof	Pisces
76	The Sun	The Lord of the Fire of the World	Resh	Sun
77	The Judgment	The Spirit of the Primal Fire	Shin	Spirit and Fire
78	The Universe	The Great One of the Night of Time	Taw	Earth and Saturn

Such are the Titles of the Abodes or Atouts of Thooth; of the Mansions of the House of my FATHER.

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The Pictorial Key to the Tarot By Arthur Edward Waite Illustrations By Pamela Colman Smith. [1911]

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Contents    Start Reading    Text [Zipped]

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Although there were many Tarot decks prior to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and many after, none has gripped the popular imagination as much as this set. Waite covers the significance and deeper implications of each card, and gives practical instructions as to how to conduct a reading. The symbolism of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck is based on profound occult studies by Waite, and his exposition in this book of its use and meaning is unexcelled. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the Tarot.--J. B. Hare

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Title Page
Introduction
The Contents

Part I: The Veil and its Symbols

Section 1: Introductory And General
Section 2: Class I. The Trumps Major
Section 3: Class II. The Four Suites
Section 4: The Tarot In History

Part II: The Doctrine Behind the Veil

Section 1: The Tarot and Secret Tradition
Section 2: The Trumps Major and Inner Symbolism
I. The Magician
II. The High Priestess
III. The Empress
IV. The Emperor
V. The Hierophant
VI. The Lovers
VII. The Chariot
VIII. Strength, or Fortitude
IX. The Hermit
X. Wheel of Fortune
XI. Justice
XII. The Hanged Man
XIII. Death
XIV. Temperance
XV. The Devil
XVI. The Tower
XVII. The Star
XVIII. The Moon
XIX. The Sun
XX. The Last Judgement
Zero. The Fool
XXI. The World
Section 3: Conclusion as to the Greater Keys

Part III: The Outer Method of the Oracles

Section 1: Distinction between the Greater and Lesser Arcana
Section 2 The Lesser Arcana
King of Wands
Queen of Wands
Knight of Wands
Page of Wands
Ten of Wands
Nine of Wands
Eight of Wands
Seven of Wands
Six of Wands
Five of Wands
Four of Wands
Three of Wands
Two of Wands
Ace of Wands
King of Cups
Queen of Cups
Knight of Cups
Page of Cups
Ten of Cups
Nine of Cups
Eight of Cups
Seven of Cups
Six of Cups
Five of Cups
Four of Cups
Three of Cups
Two of Cups
Ace of Cups
King of Swords
Queen of Swords
Knight of Swords
Page of Swords
Ten of Swords
Nine of Swords
Eight of Swords
Seven of Swords
Six of Swords
Five of Swords
Four of Swords
Three of Swords
Two of Swords
Ace of Swords
King of Pentacles
Queen of Pentacles
Knight of Pentacles
Page of Pentacles
Ten of Pentacles
Nine of Pentacles
Eight of Pentacles
Seven of Pentacles
Six of Pentacles
Five of Pentacles
Four of Pentacles
Three of Pentacles
Two of Pentacles
Ace of Pentacles
Section 3: The Greater Arcana and their Divinatory Meanings
Section 4: Some Additional Meanings of the Lesser Arcana
Section 5 The Recurrence of Cards in Dealing
Section 6 The Art of Tarot Divination
Section 7: An Ancient Celtic Method of Divination
Section 8: An Alternative Method of Reading the Tarot Cards
Section 9: The Method of Reading by Means of Thirty-Five Cards
Bibliography