© Accademia dei Tarocchi, 2014 Graphic design and editing: Accademia dei Tarocchi Rights of translation, electronic storage, reproduction and total or partial adaptation by any means (including photocopy and microfilm), are reserved for all countries. For usage rights contact the editor. Editing project: Accademia dei Tarocchi Direction: Carlo Bozzelli - Accademia dei Tarocchi To Sara INDEX Introduction Chapter 1 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Study of the Tarot: which Model? The historical Model The occult Model The metànoic Model Chapter 2 2.1 The first Centuries after Christ Provence Egypt John Cassian 2.2 From 1000 to 1500 Saint Victor and the Visconti Family 2.3 From the end of 1700’s to modern Time The French School The Anglo-Saxon School 2.4 The great Error Nicolas Conver Chapter 3 3.1 The general Structure of the Tarot The Minor Arcana The four Suits: Pentacles, Cups, Wands and Swords Cups Pentacles Wands Swords The four Castes The Major Arcana 3.2 Dualism Dualism: some unusual cases Dualism: Male-Female The Law of Difference Dualism: general Scheme Observation Exercise The Tarot: Yoga for the Soul 3.3 Some meanings of the Tarot Cartomancy A Path of Knowledge A Vehicle of Consciousness An Instrument of Help Chapter 4 4.1 The Coded Structure: the first Codes 1) Graphic codes Hanged Man-World code Doubt Levels New Levels Pentacles Cups Wands Swords The fifth Element 4.2 The Coded Structure: new codes Simplicity The Lover-Judgement Code 2) The Text-Codes The Apostrophe Code Various Anomalies 4.3 The Laws of the Tarot The Law of Antithesis The Law of Duplicity Example of the Fool’s Staff Example of the two houses Chapter 5 5.1 East and West 5.2 Synchronicity 5.3 Synchronicity and the Tarot Chapter 6 6.1 An optical Language Grammar: Codes and Laws Lexicon: the Keywords Observation Decryption The Book The Veil The Horns The Torches 6.2 The Archetypes Methods of Interpretations The traditional syntactic Method The Personages Chapter 7 7.1 The Law of Contemplation Spatial Reference Temporal Reference 7.2 The Law of Opportunity To offer a Solution 7.3 Example of a Reading Chapter 8 8.1 Tarology: a true Science 8.2 Cartomanciy and Divination Risks: the divinatory Trap The Advantages A spiritual Intelligence Danger Alert 8.3 Multiplicity of Teachings 1) The Builders 2) The Freemasons Square and Compass The Artisan The three Points in a Triangle The 33 Degrees 3) The Hermits of Egypt 8.4 A Path of Knowledge Chapter 9 9.1 Anachronisms? 9.2 Prince Castracani Fibbia 9.3 The Cathedral of Orvieto 9.4 The Cathedral of Siena Conclusions Appendix The Marseilles Tarot The so-called Marseilles Tarot The classic Marseilles Tarot Restoration of the Conver Tarot of 1760 Bibliography CHAPTER 1 ““No one will hide a valuable object in something of great value, but many a time one has tossed countless thousands into a thing worth a penny.” (Gospel of Philip) 1.1 ETYMOLOGY Tarot: “Each of the illustrated cards which make up the Tarot deck. The term was first used approximately a century after the invention of the deck, estimated circa 1500. Its origin is even now obscure.” Is it correct, the definition we are used to hearing when speaking of this deck of cards? Scholars maintain that the term Tarot, whose etymological origin is still uncertain, was first used in XVII- century Italy. The term is in any case, mostly used in the plural. The ample literature on the subject shows us however that its etymology is not the only thing in doubt: its origin as well is not certain. Almost all researchers presume that they were created in Italy around the XV century, during the Renaissance therefore. Actually, this is merely a hypothesis, but because of the obsessive insistence with which it has been repeated, it has become automatically true. This approach, from the point of view of authentic scientific and historiographic research, is incorrect; in that, without definite and proven evidence, one cannot transform conjecture into fact unless there is the intention to take intentional liberties with the outcome. For example, we are convinced that the exact name is not to be found in the Italian language (Tarocchi) but rather in the term adopted by all other idioms, to wit: Tarot. Setting aside for a later time an investigation into the more complex aspects of its etymology, we will limit ourselves for the moment to note that the word is written, differently from Italian, in the singular form. (To be continued...) 2.4 THE GREAT ERROR At this point, wishing to point out one of the principal traits which dominated the investigation of the Tarot in the course of recent history, we might say that almost all researchers made, more or less artlessly, the same mistake. As we have seen, most scholars hypothesized that these images had an ancient origin, and in the long list of hypothetical characteristics, there were those who connected them to the Book of Thoth of ancient Egypt, to the Hebrew Cabala, to Gypsy fortune-telling, and so on. In substance, based on these conjectures, esoterists maintained that the Renaissance Visconti Tarot, the most ancient known today, were none other than the most recent echo of a remote tradition of which they conserved only an imperfect memory, but to which because of the lack of direct provable ties, it was not possible to trace them. What to do, then, if these cards from the 1500’s were inadequate for expressing a deeper sense? Convinced that their knowledge was enough to guarantee an integral restoration of the meaning of the Arcana, they all took the same path: They redesigned the Tarot according to their own personal visions! For this reason, each one wrote a text, commenting his own ideas and theories, using as analysis model the re-created and perfected deck. If, to these Tarot with more esoteric characteristics, we add the infinite number of decks produced for other motives, as those for artistic or for recreative purposes, the reason is clear for which the quantity of decks published, especially in the last two centuries, has been, and today still is, so copious, reaching an impressive number of editions. Referring specifically to the Tarot decks created by the more famous authors of the 1700’s to the 1900’s we may say that the drawings of these cards express their perspective, their moral prejudices, their personal convictions on the world. Each has modified the original plan of the Tarot in favour of a subjective representation, committing an act of free will, but not to the good. Every authentic tradition, by definition, transmits an objective message which must prove to be far from any individual interpretation. Therefore why did these scholars commit such an abuse? Why did they violate a balanced and impartial knowledge in favour of a personal and private vision? (to be continued...) Fig. 1 The Minor Arcana CHAPTER 4 “Infinitely great will be your happiness: from a simple mortal, you are destined, gradually, to become God.” (Orphic Tombs) 4.1 THE CODED STRUCTURE: THE FIRST CODES What is the Coded Structure? To what do we refer when we use this term? We have mentioned it various times, affirming that it is the basis for the understanding of the meaning of the Arcana, provided that their disposition respects certain criteria. In the preceding chapter, we disclosed that the Major Arcana are divisible, based on comparison with the Minor, by the numbers 3 and 7. In this way, we introduced the concept of the 3x7 Diagram, a scheme of 3 rows with 7 cards each. Although this is not the only order possible, it is however the one which allows for identification of the presence of the coded framework in a clear manner. The Fool is situated outside of the scheme because it is numberless, and therefore has the role of traveller along this path in 7 stages, to traverse 3 times. This distribution has already been studied by many authors of the past, without unfortunately their being able to discover the presence of the Codes, which in this manner remained, so to speak, eclipsed. What are, in substance, the Codes of the Tarot? We have already introduced the subject through several examples relative to the symbolism of the 4 suits of the Minor Arcana or to the modalities of representation of Dualism, but we have not made demonstrations that are more complex. Now, in order to proceed, we must enter more into detail, and to begin, it will be well to return to the 3x7 Diagram shown here: Fig. 1 3x7 Diagram The Coded Structure has this name for the presence of Codes which, in order to be understood, must be decoded. This is not something obvious. To understand what we mean, as for the “game” of differences described before, we must imagine our attention concentrated on a puzzle like those found in so many puzzle magazines. The purpose is to discover, from the illustrations, the hidden, coded content, uncovering the meaning of the puzzle itself. Every Code of the Tarot is a puzzle that must be unmasked and understood. The Coded Structure, in its entirety, contains thousands; and their purpose, differently than the pastimes we cited, goes far beyond that of simple entertainment. In fact, deciphering the Codes means to allow our consciousness access to fragments of principles of wisdom, which, all together, create an extraordinary teaching that may open the door to a superior consciousness. Therefore, these brainteasers are not simple pastimes must be considered true sacred enigmas.