October 2019 – IsleVue

The Three of Pentacles – A One Page Guide

October 31, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli Binah, Capricorn, Christian mysticism, Earth, One Page Guide, Pentacles, Threes

I had previously looked at the Three of Pentacles as a fairly prosaic card… just a day at work. Ho hum. But it’s actually about the nobility of creation and creativity. The card is at once obvious and subtle. Why does Waite specify that the workplace is a monastery? After all, the monastery’s functions include far more than just work. And why does Waite specifically say that the worker of the Three of Pentacles is the same person who we see in the Eight of Pentacles? There’s a trail we can follow via the major arcana associated with the planetary influence (the World): a reference to Genesis, no less! The answer is that the Three of Pentacles is not just about work… it’s about ennobled work. If we put aside Waite’s mystical Christianity, and think about his message in terms of today, we might see that when this card is drawn by a querent with questions about their job, for example, perhaps it is to suggest that one should consider whether that job is spiritually rewarding. This is a card that says “Quit the stock brokership, move to Hooterville and grow vegetables!”

Tarot

The Ten of Wands – A One Page Guide

October 28, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli Fire, Malkuth, One Page Guide, Sagittarius, Tens, Wands

The Ten of Wands, like Maynard G. Krebs’ favorite movie, “The Monster Who Devoured Cleveland” is about ends. The Ends of Ages. People’s ends (bodily ends, that is, not the ends of lives). It is, figuratively speaking, the ass-end of the RWS tarot deck. Seriously. Waite, faced with the conflicting natures in the very mixed astrological, alchemical and qabalist influences, seemingly threw his hands up in the air, and complained that it “cannot be harmonized.” Colman Smith’s illustration is unrelenting. It’s not exactly my favorite card, either. If we start by recognizing that a serf who works on the farm has more to do with Pentacles, the suit of Earth, than with Wands, the suit of Fire, we just might find the key to understanding this oppressive card. And if you never look at this card in quite the same way again, my apologies.

Collage Two Swords Justice Supreme Court

Tarot

The Two of Swords – A One Page Guide

October 19, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli Air, British nationalism, Chokmah, Christian mysticism, Libra, One Page Guide, Swords, Twos

The blindfolded swordswoman of the Two of Swords can only be a metaphor, but for what? Why is she blindfolded? Why two swords? Why is the composition symmetrical except for the Moon? I believe that Waite wishes us to perceive the message of the RWS Two of Swords as that the balance of two types of justice, divine and human, manifests itself in peace and harmony, even though both types of justice can countenance cruelty. But if inside oneself and one’s circle of friends we maintain balance and harmony, such a balance can be a “beneficent force.”

Stooges Three of Cups Reversed Feature Image

Tarotgrams

Tarotgram: The Three of Stooges, Reversed

October 18, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli

The Three of Cups, reversed. Because smile.

Elsewhere

Link: Tarot at Another University Newspaper

October 17, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli

Today, the newspaper of the University of California at Santa Barbara has run a short feature article regarding tarot. The article is very short, and other than advice “not to overthink it,” it is simply a three card draw (Six of Wands, Seven of Pentacles and Eight of Pentacles) and a few sentences each regarding what each of the cards represent. Short as it may be, the article stands as an indicator that the popularity of tarot, once again, is growing in our society.

Elsewhere

Link: Marvel Tarot Feature Announced

October 16, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli

The Marvel Comics announcement blog announced a magazine scheduled for January, 2020 release to be entitled “Tarot.” It will feature the Avengers and the Defenders, and focus on the Sub-Mariner and Captain America. We’ll have to see just what role tarot plays, but it might be interesting. Given that I haven’t purchased a Marvel #1 in about fifty years, I might get a kick out of it, actually.

Tarotgrams

Tarotgram – The World/Earthrise

October 15, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli

I think we sometimes forget The World originally represented a supremely religious vision—the New Jerusalem—where we’ll all be (if we’re good, I guess) after the second coming. The place where good has won over evil; where all is divinity and divinity is all. In my increasingly cluttered and disorganized spirituality, I thought the NASA “Earthrise” image might convey something of the original content of that message. It might be generation specific (I was 13 when that photo was taken), but then again, I also thought about putting John, Paul, George and Ringo in the corners.

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Tarot Fundamentals, though more expensive than most alternatives, is my recommendation as the single best book for beginners. It has the grounding you need in tarot history; it lists the astrological, elemental and qabalistic influences for every card; it provides excellent "how-to" essays on approaches such as intuition and the journey of the fool; and it provides illustrations of the renderings of eight decks for every card. The primary authors have continuing relationships with the Tarosophy Tarot Association, and this book is meant to be an encyclopedic volume of a good portion of their teachings.

Tarot: History, Symbolism and Divination is the best history of the origin of tarot, bar none. The first two thirds of the book should be required reading for anyone who wishes to even begin to truly understand the major arcana. Robert M. Place does have his "hobby-horse"—alchemy—and he gives far too little emphasis to the Golden Dawn. But his explanation of how the symbols in the majors got there and what they mean is unparalleled. The last third of the book is a description of the RWS deck.

The Lo Scarabeo Tarot is the "go-to" deck I use when I have my own questions. (I use RWS for other people). It's an attempt to reconcile the Golden Dawn, Waite/Colman Smith and Thoth. It doesn't do it perfectly. It's gorgeous. It's not for everybody. But if Tarot "theory" is your cup of tea, it may be a good choice for you, too.

To be honest, Secrets of the Waite-Smith Tarot is more "cute" and "fun" than insightful, in my opinion. But it is great fun. It visually relates Pamela Coleman Smith's theatre work to the deck she drew.