The Tarot- Part One-The History of the Tarot

The Tarot (Part 1)

The History of the Tarot

"The Tarot could be described as Gods Picture Book or it could be likened to a Celestial game of chess, the trumps being the piece to be moved according to the law of their own order over a chequered board of the four elements"

-Lady Frieda Harris-

Historians have turned to the word "Tarot" to attempt to solve its origin.
Some believe that the Tarot comes from the ancient Egyptian word "Ta- rosh" which means "The Royal Way"
Others however believe that it is an anagram of "Rota" meaning wheel, similar to the Chakras. They feel the cards represent the circle of life from birth to death.
Others on the otherhand feel it derives from the Hebrew word "Torah" which means "law" deriving from the ancient and mystical system of the "Cabalah". Interestingly the Cabalah actually originated in Spain, yet the Tarot major trumps are traditionally, not actually used. "Thoth" is the Ancient Egyptian God of Magic and Wisdom, an attempt from the mystical east mentions that the cards originated in the initiation temples. Moving to the European homelands the Hungarians believe it derives from the word "Tar" meaning deck of cards which in turn derives from "sanskrit", originally "Taru".

The word "Gypsy" is an old English abbreviation of "Egyptian". Interestingly there is place in France, "The Crypt of the Church of Les Maries de la Mer" in the Camargue region of Southern France, that is exclusive to Gypsies. It contains a shrine to Saint Sara of Egypt, supposedly their patron saint. Some believe her to be catholic others see her as "Sarapis" The Egyptian God of the Dead. It is also believed in French folklaw that the Shrine of Saint Sara rests upon an ancient altar dedicated to Mithras, the Persian Sun God.

The early scholars believed that the earlies form of playing cards originated in China and Korea. The earlies examples have been found dating back as far as the 11th century. The design of the cards appears to have been based on a design similar to paper money. These evolved in the T ang Dynasty (618-908 A.D.). However a chinese dictonary, Ching-tze-tung, claims the playing cards were invented in 1120A.D. for the amusement of the Emperors concubines!

There is a belief that the cards originated from India. There is a Hindu Diety called "Ardhanarishvara" an andrógenos figure combining the right half of the God Shiva and the left his consort Parvati. This is often depicted holding a cup, a sceptre, a sword and a ring. The Monkey God "Hanuman" is often shown holding these emblems. They are similar to the four suits of the Tarot, the cups, wands/staves, swords and coins/disks/pentacles.
It is possible that the four suits refer to the four castes of Hinduism, cups being the priests, Swords the warriors, Wands the Serfs and Coins the Merchants

From the time of the Islamic Empire, Egpyt had been sort out by many wizards minds to be the magical and mystical kingdom where many secrets originated.
The word "Alchemy" interestingly derives from Arabic, meaning "The art of Khem" or "Egypt".
Egypt seems to be held by many occultists as the birth place of the Tarot. It was here that its power was re-discovered.

It was only in the 14th Century that the Tarot entered into Europe. At the time Christianity reigned supreme, even though there was a strong under current of Paganism. Unfortunatly there were terrible persecutions of Heretics. A rise of Hereticle Christian Sects, which are grouped under the title "Gnosticism"
The word Gnostic is derived from Greek and implies simerly to the "Anglo Saxon" word for "Wizard" or "Witch" or "someone who knows" "a wise man"
Gnostisism is mixed with Indian, Caldean, Persian, and Egyptian Magical doctrines. They are seasoned with Greek Philosophy and Hebrew Cabalistic beliefs.
These unorthodox Christian sects were called such names as "Waldenes", "Cathari", "Albigenses", "Bogornils" and the Monastic Order, known as the "Knights Templar"

Alexandria became the centre for Gnostic learning around the 2nd century A.D.
It is from this welter of Gnostic Cults that the "occult arts" of the west appear to derive such as Alchemy, astrology, and images of the tarot.
Popular demand for cards far outweiged Religious opposition to them and by the mid 15th Century, card making workshops were thriving in the Cities of Italy, France, Germany and Belgium

In 1781, eight years before the French Revolution, "Antoine Court de Gebelin", a french occultist and archeologist proposed a theory that the "Gypsy Tarot" was the remains of an ancient "Egyptian Book of Magical Wisdom". The effect of this work became the tool for the "Rosicrucian Sages" and it was fated as the bible of all true occultists.

"Eliphas Levi" a French Rosicrucian" writer and Cabalist, inspired the 18th century occult revival. He discovered that there was an apparent link between the 22 leters of the Hebrew Alphabet and the cards of the Major Arcana. He was the first to give elements to suits.

A secret society was born, "The Golden Dawn" foundered by three scholars, Wynn Westcott, S.L.Macgregor Mathers and Dr. William K. Woodman. A blend of Eliphas Levis theosophy and magical cabalism as well as Egyptian Rosicrucian ceremonies typical of the 17th and 18th centuries. The purpose was to reach mystical illumination and magical power. The chief symbol that the group used for its teaching was the "Tree of Life" based on medieval philosophy of Spanish Juaism Known as Cabala.


Starting on the 25th January I will be teaching the Tarot within "The Symbolic Whispers Development Circle"
If you wish to join this circle and want to learn the Tarot please call 677114989 or e.mail for further details

info@alternative-world.org

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