The Tarot Your Guide to Tarot Mastery

Edition 5 Spring 2011

Depending on your background, your

response to this card will be different from

another Tarot reader. Some will see it as an

oppressive view of religion, others will see it as a

card of spiritual guidance.

In the days of old, Hierophants were the

high priests of the Eleusinian mysteries, which

were initiation ceremonies for the cult of Demeter

in ancient Greece. In the Rider-Waite Tarot, the

Hierophant looks like an Archbishop or Pope. In

the early versions of Tarot, this card was known

as ‘The Pope’, but A. E. Waite called this card

'The Hierophant' so it had a stronger esoteric

connection.

Despite its renaming, the image still

retains the feeling of organised religion, rather

than the mystical flow of spiritual enlightenment

that Waite was trying to impart.

Although this card still looks as though a

'message' is being 'preached' to us, the essence of

The Hierophant is that knowledge is being shared

with the world. This is significant, as it's a

positive symbol of the spread of spirituality.

From The Hierophant, we learn about

commitment, rules for living, and tradition. The

Hierophant exemplifies the concept of living a

righteous life and showing integrity to the world.

When integrity is embraced whole-

heartedly, when it permeates every decision you

make, then life becomes simpler and more

rewarding. But a half-hearted attempt at living

life with integrity brings confusion and chaos.

The choice is simple, yet with deep and lasting

consequences.

The Hierophant card suggests that we

offer our knowledge to the world. What wisdom

will you be sharing over the coming months?

Tarot blessings,

Page 1 - Editorial

Page 2 - One Card Draw

Page 3 - Book Review

Page 4 - Tarot Whimsy

Page 5 - Future Events

Page 6 - Difficult Cards

www.MisterTarot.com

The One Card Draw

Edition 5 Spring 2011

Need a quick answer to a difficult question?

Even picking one card from a Tarot deck

can bring some clarification about a troubling

situation.

To do the One Card Draw, you can turn

half of your deck upside-down, then shuffle and

mix all the cards together. Think of your question

and pick a card. If it is drawn upright, then the

answer to the question is ‘yes’, and if it is drawn

‘reversed’, then the answer is ‘no’.

However, you can gain a more detailed

and useful answer by improving the wording of

your question and looking more closely at the

appropriateness of the card that is drawn from

the deck. In this way, the cards are more likely to

indicate the circumstances you need to know

about the issue.

For example, during a conversation with

a friend called Steve, he mentioned he was

invited to the dinner party of a mutual friend, but

he wasn’t sure why he felt apprehensive. I dipped

into the Tarot cards for some guidance. Rather

than saying, ‘Should Steve go to Ralph’s dinner

party?’ the question was worded, ‘What should

Steve be aware of about being at Ralph’s party

on Saturday night?’

The card drawn was the Five of Wands.

Steve was surprised to receive this card—it

showed conflict. He couldn’t imagine any of

Ralph’s friends being likely to cause disruption,

or being disagreeable at a dinner party. Because

he initially felt uneasy about the party though,

and because the Tarot card supported this

feeling, he declined the offer. After the weekend,

Steve phoned Ralph to find out how the dinner

party went. He was told that a good time was had

by all. Eventually, Ralph added, ‘It’s a pity you

weren’t able to make it. Alicia brought along her

new boyfriend and it turns out he knows you. His

name is Mark and evidently you’d both been in a

business together about twenty years ago. You

could have reminisced.’

At that point Steve was very glad he

hadn’t gone to the party, as the business

partnership had ended sourly. Steve had not

wanted to meet Mark again, and the Five of

Wands card was right; there would have been

tension within the group if he had attended.

Drawing one card from a deck gives you

instant clarification about any situation. This type

of reading can provide answers to questions such

as:

What can I learn from this problem?

Am I ready for this situation?

Is this a good and fair deal?

How can I make this day more rewarding?

Will I benefit from this situation?

What sort of service can I expect from this

company?

What attitude will be most useful to adopt

today?

What’s the best way of dealing with this

situation?

What spiritual lesson shall I put into

practice today?

Book Review

A History of the Occult Tarot 1870 - 1970

The authors of this book reveal how Tarot didn't always have mysticism and fortune telling attached to it. When it was invented in Italy in the fifteenth century it was simply a pack of cards used as a game. Esoteric interpretations of the cards only began in the late 18th century. This is the sequel to A Wicked Pack of Cards (reviewed in the last newsletter) and it traces the influence of occultists on Tarot's designs and interpretations from 1870. During that period the use of Tarot was largely confined to magical orders and esoteric groups. This isn't an easy book to read. The first part contains detailed information on Hermetic literature, Jewish mysticism, the Cabala, and the Rosicrucians. Then it delves into spiritualism, Theosophists and the magical group called Golden Dawn. None of this makes for very satisfying reading—it's just a drawn out history lesson that offers some background information about where particular pieces of information derived from and it highlights the dodgy reputations of all involved! It's not until chapter 8 that we start to learn about A.E. Waite's influence on the Tarot. The following chapters, however, are once again preoccupied with the personal lives of occultists associated in any way with Tarot. This book was supposed to be about the development of Tarot and the way that occultists drove its evolution to becoming a spiritual and divinatory tool, unfortunately, it spends too much time exploring the lives of these magicians and most of the time it ignores the cards altogether. Title: A History of the Occult Tarot 1870 - 1970 Authors: Ronald Decker and Michael Dummett Published by: Duckworth Hard cover: 379 pages ISBN: 0-7156-3122-5

Edition 5 Spring 2011

Insights from Tarot Gurus

In modern tarot, we usually focus on

the idea of a path that the querent is

expected to follow. It may be what is

socially approved or come from family

or a partner or friends. This is the

traditional way that does not require

thought or independent action but

simply following.

Since modern society values freedom

and initiative ("think outside the box,"

we hear over and over), we may

automatically reject the path the

Hierophant shows us or assume we

would never just follow. And yet the

path of tradition often goes back

through many generations and

contains great wisdom.

- from “Tarot Wisdom”

by Rachel Pollack

Symbols of The Hierophant

The Hierophant has a three-tiered crown on his head, a triple-crossed sceptre in his

left hand, and three crosses on his tunic—these signify his sense of rulership over the

Underworld, Earthly realm, and Spiritual world. With his right hand, he makes an

ecclesiastical sign of benediction, denoting his links to religion. The crossed keys at his feet

are fused together, representing the inability to unlock deeper wisdom from rigid dogma.

One of the priests being counselled wears a robe with a rose pattern, the other has

lilies. These flowers were shown at the feet of The Magician, and in this situation the roses

represent the emotions, and the lilies are symbols of deeper thinking. But the flowers are

not on the Hierophant’s robes, therefore, when he offers advice on problems of the heart or

mind, his answers will be fairly orthodox in their nature. His opinion will be from text book

thinking, not from his own experiences.

At the top of his crown, there is a stylised letter ‘W’, which may be the artist’s

(Pamela Colman-Smith) homage to A. E. Waite and his esoteric knowledge. In Smith’s view,

A. E. Waite would have seemed like the Hierophant himself.

Edition 5 Spring 2011

Tarot Whimsy

When I am preparing each newsletter, my thoughts become

fixated on the card that I am writing about. I look for

corresponding images that I might be able to include in articles,

and I keep my eyes and ears open for quotes, poems, and

passages of literature that might help me express my point of

view about a card's meanings.

While thinking about The Hierophant I heard a song on the

radio that featured a banjo. I realised that the joyful, playful

sound of the banjo was the direct opposite of The Hierophant's

serious demeanour. I remember saying to myself, 'I can't

imagine The Hierophant plucking at a banjo in his spare time.'

Then I realised that his pose was perfect for banjo playing. He

even looks like he's just finished playing a foot-stomping tune

and he's raising one hand to thank the audience (of two) who

are cheering him on.

With a bit of Photoshop artwork I created a bizarre and

whimsical image that I had to share with you. I hope you find it

amusing too.

Tarot Workshop with

Don McLeod

Sunday 23rd October from 1pm to 5pm

Held at Cosmic Pages Bookshop 338 - 340 King William Street, Adelaide

How Tarot Works Demystifying Tarot Basic Tarot Spreads

Learn Easy Interpretations Practical and Spiritual Uses

By the end of this workshop you will feel comfortable using Tarot cards and you will have a basic

understanding of their meanings.

Only $65

Requirements: Rider-Waite Tarot Deck Bookings essential: Phone 8231 9105

The Tarot Guild of Australia Inc. has established a code of ethics for Tarot

practitioners, and provides a forum for professional development. For a state-by-state listing of monthly Tarot gatherings

around Australia, see their website: www.tarotguild.org.au

If you have a request for specific Tarot

information, please contact me by email:

MisterTarot@yahoo.com.au

Learn how to combine Tarot and Palmistry in an innovative, five week

course, held once a week at Hahndorf, South Australia. Only $150

Email Trevor: witchabilia@hotmail.com

Edition 5 Spring 2011

Difficult Cards Ten of Pentacles

Some people find this card confusing. This is probably

because it is so full of imagery and symbolism. It isn't difficult to

interpret really. All of the symbols point to wealth and status.

I've heard people suggest that the image is of an old man

sitting in rags, who is ignored by his children and is only

befriended by dogs—this is not the case! This is a family scene and

the man is the prosperous patriarch. The home is grand and his

colourful clothes are covered in magical symbols.

The Pentacles are arranged in the shape of the Kabbalistic

Tree of Life. This is a potent card indicating personal power and

the blessings of wealth.

Interpretations for

The Hierophant

The Hierophant represents good counsel, ethics,

mediation, and inspiration. He can represent a

teacher, or assistance from a helpful, wise and

compassionate person. Tradition, education, and

guidance are all meanings attributed to this card.

He shows the need to conform to conventional

beliefs, and to follow established social protocols

and traditions. In readings, the Hierophant can

indicate associating with conservative individuals

or groups, perhaps prompting the pursuit of further

education.

He may also appear in your life as a therapist, wise

friend, or a spiritual mentor who can offer timely

advice, or spiritual awareness. The Hierophant

represents righteousness and service to others.

If you no longer wish to receive this

newsletter, simply send an email to:

MisterTarot@yahoo.com.au

with the word ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject area.

Copyright on all articles in this newsletter belong

to Don McLeod unless specifically stated otherwise.

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www.TarotSecretsBook.com www.MisterTarot.blogspot.com/

Edition 5 Spring 2011

- Kahlil Gibran