The Edge of Mentation—Meditations on the Tarot By Christopher R. Winters

More inescapable than ever before, the exposure to the imagery of the tarot seems inevitable as it manifests popularly in common culture. Tarot services, through whichever preferred online avenue, are more easily located than dandelions. While telling fortunes can be a lucrative trade, the cards in themselves hold a fortune, one that, when approached sincerely, unveils a systematic approach to creating realities rather than predicting them.

The Tarot itself is of an origin mostly unknown, sometimes claiming Egyptian roots ostensibly but more empirically evidenced as having come into being as recently as the 14th or 15th century. The Sola Busca tarot, specifically, is the earliest known deck featuring the 78 card format, hailing from the late 1400’s, the most likely progenitor of the format used in modern times. Regardless, as posited by Aleister Crowley in The Book of Thoth, “The origin of the Tarot is quite irrelevant, even if it were certain, it must stand or fall as a system on its own merits.”

If it is not in the date of its conception in which the value is to be had, we must begin with its name: T.A.R.OT. When the letters are rearranged, we arrive at the curious word “Rota”, which is Latin for “Wheel.” This word is implicative of several profound connections with which the reader should be at least briefly acquainted: Samsara, the Wheel of The Universe, the Ecliptic, the Wheel of Fortune, the face of a clock, a sun dial, and even the revolutionary journeys within a whirlpool—all hold allegorical relevance to this word. To elaborate on this further would relegate the intentions of this article to the peripheral and will be presently quitted. What is of most value from the propounded content, thus far, is that the “wheel of the Tarot” is a journey in and of itself. It must also be understood that the Tarot is a pictorial representation of the Universe. When both perspectives are paralleled, it becomes apparent that through each trump card, an archetype of existence is experienced and our relationship with the universe and ourselves is delineated through the striking images which, through colors and shapes and symbols, impress the subconscious mind.

If we are to follow The Fool through their journey, experiencing the forces of nature (variegated as they are) through the endless expressions of The Universe, we must acquiesce to those archetypes portrayed in the 22 Trumps of the 78 card deck. And it is by the process of attuning ourselves to the imagery therein that we may elevate ourselves. Each trump contains absolutely precise imagery, every detail designed to impress the subconscious with a unique suggestion, resulting in the evolution of personal reality.

The material presented may be problematic for some number of practitioners due to the artists of contemporary Tarot packs largely deviating from those colors and symbols originally delineated in the Hermetic traditions. Without fidelity to the required symbols, shapes, colors, etc., the practitioner will have little success in effecting the results so far implied. The Rider Waite Tarot is an excellent resource as well the Tarot put forth by Paul Foster Case (as seen in the Book of Tokens). When an appropriate deck has been selected, proceed with the following exercise:

T.A.R.O.T. Assimilation

As put forth by the Builders of The Adytum

• Day 1
  • Begin with the first Trump, The Fool.
  • Hold the card before your eyes, and don’t make any effort to analyze the imagery. Simply let your eyes absorb the image for no more and no less than 5 minutes.
  • When you have finished, write your impressions in a journal. Record any thoughts that came to you throughout the assimilation.
• Day 2
  • Read about the intellectual values inherent to the Trump (many books are available on this very subject and will offer insights into decks such as The Rider Waite specifically). For a        quick reference, use A Light On Tarot by Paul Foster Case.
  • Again, rest the Trump card before your eyes for 5 minutes, this time allowing yourself to intellectually analyze every detail.
  • Finally, write your impressions in the journal.
• Day 3
  • Continue as you have been, allowing the 5 minutes of assimilation to occur, analyzing and allocation the intellectual meanings as you will.
  • Record your impressions.

Repeat this three-day process for each Tarot Trump. Your understanding, in ways indescribable, will deepen tremendously, and other effects will surely reveal themselves in time. During this assimilation process, it is important that all dreams are recorded, for the brain will be stimulated in new ways from the suggested rates of exposure. It is very probable that inspired revelations will become apparent upon reflection, and these should be considered with receptivity and reverence.