| Most of what I'm going to lecture from
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| | there was an aura of romance about them
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| come from Cynthia Giles' book: The Tarot,
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| | that caught the imagination of Europeans
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| History, Mystery and Lore and some other
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| | in the 1800's. A book was published
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| resources.
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| | towards the end of the century called
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| The origins of the Tarot have been
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| | "The Tarot of the Bohemians," attributing
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| attributed a wide range of wacky sources
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| | the Tarot to the Gypsies (who Europeans
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| - paleolithic cave paintings, gypsy folk
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| | commonly believed came from Egypt).
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| lore, Moroccan mystics and even gifts
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| | Interestingly, Gypsies used regular
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| from space aliens to Egyptian priests!.
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| | playing cards for divination - not the
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| Most of these stories are, of course,
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| | Tarot.
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| speculation of the wildest, most
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| | In the 19th century, the famed mystic
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| ridiculous kind, and only serve to muddy
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| | Eliphas Levi Zahed (whose real name was
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| the waters when it comes to understanding
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| | Alphonse Louis Constant) connected the
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| the Tarot. If you're going to use the
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| | Taror with Hebrew mysticism - the
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| cards, it's important to understand where
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| | Kabbalah. He saw the Tarot as a key to
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| they come from - so that you know their
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| | life, a tool that man can use to develop
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| rich history, their potential and their
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| | himself as a human being, as a way to
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| value - and not put faith in silly urban
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| | grow so that he might find heaven. His
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| legends.
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| | work outlined 22 connections to the tarot
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| Tarot on parade
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| | major arcana, making it a tool to be used
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| The first mention of the cards was in
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| | on the path to enlightenment.
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| Italy in the 14th century, called
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| | The modern Tarot deck was most influenced
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| "Tarocco" and used for games - and
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| | by the cards used in the late 1800's by
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| already, authorities were lecturing
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| | the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
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| against its use. The first known deck was
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| | The order was founded in England by three
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| made for the Vicsconzi-Sforza family of
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| | men who, according to lore, found an old
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| Milan, designed by the artist Bembo.
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| | secret manuscript written in code,
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| According to Tarot expert Gertrude
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| | deciphered it as the by-laws of a secret
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| Moakley, the various characters
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| | German society, and received permission
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| illustrated in the major arcana
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| | to start their own group in England.
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| represented the triomfi, or parade, that
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| | Years later, the woman who gave them
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| accompanied Italian celebrations.
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| | permission died, and the German members
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| Historians believe that there may have
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| | disavowed the British branch, saying they
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| been other cards that existed to
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| | never got permission after all.
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| represent other characters but have
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| | The modern Tarot is born
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| disappeared over time. Few decks of Tarot
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| | Despite its contentious beginnings, the
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| cards exist for those early days, but
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| | Golden Dawn became a very influential
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| there's enough similarity in artwork to
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| | group, with two members in particular
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| make it clear that the deck was in common
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| | doing a great deal to spread the
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| use in that time. Some historians believe
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| | popularity of occultism - Aleister
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| that the Tarot was originally only used
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| | Crowley and Arthur Edward Waite. Crowley,
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| as a gaming deck - to play a game called
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| | a protégé of the Golden Dawn founders
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| tarocchi - until occultists began using
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| | in England, created a Tarot called the
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| them for divination.
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| | Book of Thoth. Waite created the Tarot
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| Taking Europe by storm
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| | deck that's most familiar to modern
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| The next big milestone in Tarot's history
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| | users. Working with an American artist
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| came in the late 1700's when Court de
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| | named Pamela Coleman Smith, Waite used a
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| Gebelen, a member of a secret society of
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| | storytelling theme, utilizing characters
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| occultists, came across the a game of
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| | from myth, legend and religion,
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| tarocchi and became obsessed with the
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| | allocating a group of symbols to each
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| cards. He believed them to be imbued with
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| | card that gives them unique meaning. His
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| important symbolism which he attributed
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| | Tarot formed the foundation on which most
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| to ancient Egyptian lore. De Geblen wrote
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| | decks that followed were based.
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| a nine-volume treatise titled "Le Monde
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| | The next milestone in the Tarot's history
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| Primitif" in which he discussed the
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| | came in the 1920's, when a Golden Dawn
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| meanings of the Tarot. That he attributed
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| | member named Paul Foster Case started a
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| the Tarot's symbolism to the Egyptian's
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| | group in Los Angeles called Builders of
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| was based less on any real fact than on
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| | the Adytum (BOTA). The BOTA deck is in
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| the fascination that Europeans had with
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| | black and white, created so that the
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| Egypt at that time, believing it to be
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| | owner could color the drawings themselves
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| the center of all of man's early wisdom.
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| | (it was a tradition in the Golden Dawn
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| Use of the cards for divination spread
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| | that each member had to make their own
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| during that time, with a book by a man
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| | deck as part of their training). The
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| named Etteilla in 1783, in which he
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| | group offers Tarot training to this day,
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| offered his interpretations of the cards.
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| | although their interpretations of the
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| In fact, professional mystics began using
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| | cards are disputed by many divination
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| the Tarot throughout Europe, although
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| | experts.
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| there was no consensus of what the cards
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| | Today, there are countless versions of
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| actually meant.
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| | the Crowley/Waite Tarot available, some
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| The mystical background of the Tarot
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| | with magnificent artwork, others less
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| Card readings have long been associated
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| | impressive. Whatever your choice of deck,
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| with Gypsies, although they certainly
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| | using the Tarot as a divination tool is a
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| weren't responsible for their creation.
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| | personal experience, one that's origins
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| For hundreds of years, Gypsies made their
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| | reach far back in history. Hopefully,
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| way across the world, living by their
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| | knowing the background of this ancient
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| wits and earning a living by any skills
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| | art will enhance your connection to the
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| that they could market. Gypsies were
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| | cards, and to your own readings.
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| exotic, feared and looked down on, but
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