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Most of what I'm going to lecture from comeGypsies were exotic, feared and looked down
from Cynthia Giles' book: The Tarot, History,on, but there was an aura of romance about
Mystery  and  Lore  and some other resources.them that caught the imagination of Europeans
in the 1800's. A book was published towards
The origins of the Tarot have been attributedthe end of the century called "The Tarot of
a wide range of wacky sources - paleolithicthe Bohemians," attributing the Tarot to the
cave paintings, gypsy folk lore, MoroccanGypsies (who Europeans commonly believed came
mystics and even gifts from space aliens tofrom Egypt). Interestingly, Gypsies used
Egyptian priests!. Most of these stories are,regular playing cards for divination - not
of course, speculation of the wildest, mostthe  Tarot.
ridiculous kind, and only serve to muddy the
waters when it comes to understanding theIn the 19th century, the famed mystic Eliphas
Tarot. If you're going to use the cards, it'sLevi Zahed (whose real name was Alphonse
important to understand where they come fromLouis Constant) connected the Taror with
- so that you know their rich history, theirHebrew mysticism - the Kabbalah. He saw the
potential and their value - and not put faithTarot as a key to life, a tool that man can
in  silly  urban  legends.use to develop himself as a human being, as a
way to grow so that he might find heaven. His
Tarot  on  paradework outlined 22 connections to the tarot
major arcana, making it a tool to be used on
The first mention of the cards was in Italythe  path  to  enlightenment.
in the 14th century, called "Tarocco" and
used for games - and already, authoritiesThe modern Tarot deck was most influenced by
were lecturing against its use. The firstthe cards used in the late 1800's by the
known deck was made for the Vicsconzi-SforzaHermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The order
family of Milan, designed by the artistwas founded in England by three men who,
Bembo. According to Tarot expert Gertrudeaccording to lore, found an old secret
Moakley, the various characters illustratedmanuscript written in code, deciphered it as
in the major arcana represented the triomfi,the by-laws of a secret German society, and
or parade, that accompanied Italianreceived permission to start their own group
celebrations.in England. Years later, the woman who gave
them permission died, and the German members
Historians believe that there may have beendisavowed the British branch, saying they
other cards that existed to represent othernever  got  permission  after  all.
characters but have disappeared over time.
Few decks of Tarot cards exist for thoseThe  modern  Tarot  is  born
early days, but there's enough similarity in
artwork to make it clear that the deck was inDespite its contentious beginnings, the
common use in that time. Some historiansGolden Dawn became a very influential group,
believe that the Tarot was originally onlywith two members in particular doing a great
used as a gaming deck - to play a game calleddeal to spread the popularity of occultism -
tarocchi - until occultists began using themAleister Crowley and Arthur Edward Waite.
for  divination.Crowley, a protégé of the Golden Dawn
founders in England, created a Tarot called
Taking  Europe  by  stormthe Book of Thoth. Waite created the Tarot
deck that's most familiar to modern users.
The next big milestone in Tarot's historyWorking with an American artist named Pamela
came in the late 1700's when Court deColeman Smith, Waite used a storytelling
Gebelen, a member of a secret society oftheme, utilizing characters from myth, legend
occultists, came across the a game ofand religion, allocating a group of symbols
tarocchi and became obsessed with the cards.to each card that gives them unique meaning.
He believed them to be imbued with importantHis Tarot formed the foundation on which most
symbolism which he attributed to ancientdecks  that  followed  were  based.
Egyptian lore. De Geblen wrote a nine-volume
treatise titled "Le Monde Primitif" in whichThe next milestone in the Tarot's history
he discussed the meanings of the Tarot. Thatcame in the 1920's, when a Golden Dawn member
he attributed the Tarot's symbolism to thenamed Paul Foster Case started a group in Los
Egyptian's was based less on any real factAngeles called Builders of the Adytum (BOTA).
than on the fascination that Europeans hadThe BOTA deck is in black and white, created
with Egypt at that time, believing it to beso that the owner could color the drawings
the center of all of man's early wisdom. Usethemselves (it was a tradition in the Golden
of the cards for divination spread duringDawn that each member had to make their own
that time, with a book by a man nameddeck as part of their training). The group
Etteilla in 1783, in which he offered hisoffers Tarot training to this day, although
interpretations of the cards. In fact,their interpretations of the cards are
professional mystics began using the Tarotdisputed  by  many  divination  experts.
throughout Europe, although there was no
consensus  of  what the cards actually meant.Today, there are countless versions of the
Crowley/Waite Tarot available, some with
The  mystical  background  of  the  Tarotmagnificent artwork, others less impressive.
Whatever your choice of deck, using the Tarot
Card readings have long been associated withas a divination tool is a personal
Gypsies, although they certainly weren'texperience, one that's origins reach far back
responsible for their creation. For hundredsin history. Hopefully, knowing the background
of years, Gypsies made their way across theof this ancient art will enhance your
world, living by their wits and earning aconnection to the cards, and to your own
living by any skills that they could market.readings.



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