The path of the fool, the crazy monk, and the sly man

[skippy]

Eliphas Levi, a 19th century French magus, once said: "A prisoner devoid of books, had he only a Tarot of which he knew how to make use, could in a few years acquire a universal science, and converse with an unequalled doctrine and inexhaustible eloquence.”

This is a thread about the Path of the Fool by means of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. This mysterious book, with origins that go back so far in time and space that only our unconscious memory remains. Let's listen to what the images have to say. The Major Arcana of the Tarot. Images of beingness. Mirrors of self.

[littleOne]

Nice thread! What deck is the one you are showing? I do not recognize it. I have worked a little with the tarot, in part I am using it to try to work on my intuition. It seems to talk to me sometimes, other times I get frustrated and have to put it away for a while.

[skippy]

Posted by littleOne (here)
Nice thread! What deck is the one you are showing? I do not recognize it. I have worked a little with the tarot, in part I am using it to try to work on my intuition. It seems to talk to me sometimes, other times I get frustrated and have to put it away for a while.

Hi Littleone, the deck is a restoration of an original French version from the 18th century, called the Marseille. Regarding your 2nd point, as you might have been experiencing yourself, the Major Arcana is full of meaning. It is like a living being talking to you without any taboos. Some people don't stand this aspect of the Tarot and as a consequence they put it aside. What they don't understand is that they are stopping the dialogue to gain a better comprehension of self. Or as Carl Gustav Jung used to say: "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves" (thanks Gardener for the quote). The shadow part of self is very part of the Major Arcana as is the light. I will come back to this in a later stage.

[Gekko]

Picked a random card out of my first tarot deck last week and got The Fool. He keeps showing up in my little practice spreads.

[skippy]

Posted by Gekko (here)
Picked a random card out of my first tarot deck last week and got The Fool. He keeps showing up in my little practice spreads.

Hello Gekko. Gek(ko) in my language means crazy, and the Fool of the Tarot, represents exactly this part of self. The Fool is the symbol of infinite potential. On the card of the Fool you see someone apparently to leave like that, stepping into the abyss, without anything. Now, this would be disastrous for anyone else, but not for the Fool. For the Fool, all magnificent journeys begin with a leap into the unknown. BTW, don’t be fooled by his name – The Fool is an enlightened being, understanding the inner working of the entire cosmos. The Fool moves forward in absolute trust, knowing that everything will work out for his highest good. The Fool represents an openness of 360° in all possible directions. The number is 0, no ending, zero programmation, no-mind. Absolute beingness in the present. Riding.., being, the wave. No fear, No doubt. Ready to affront and discover the secrets of the infinite universe. Expect(ing) everything and anything.. You are the Fool and the journey is yours. Welcome on the Fool's pilgrimage.

[Gekko]

Posted by skippy (here)
For the Fool, all magnificent journeys begin with a leap into the unknown.

I'm guessing this entails a need for courage, or alternatively, suspension of disbelief. Little deaths, perhaps?

[skippy]

Posted by Gekko (here)

Posted by skippy (here)
For the Fool, all magnificent journeys begin with a leap into the unknown.

I'm guessing this entails a need for courage, or alternatively, suspension of disbelief. Little deaths, perhaps?

The Fool doesn't know courage, neither fear. The Fool is. The Major Arcana of the Tarot is about beingness, about self. The very original you, or you originally. The all inclusive univers. No extra efforts are needed. Beingness is. You are.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=chFKeIzy984

[Gekko]

Posted by skippy (here)
No extra efforts are needed. Beingness is. You are.

Seems to be a common theme recently... Thank You.

[skippy]

Let's move on to The Bateleur. The next card in the major Arcana establishes a counterbalance required to affront the mysteries of the universe. The "Bateleur" represents the guy who is trying to fool you on the market place. The universe is full of trickery and the Bateleur is an invitation to be on your guards, to trust your own judgement, and to see through. Spirituality and science, faith and facts.

In the Tarot de Marseille, the following definition is given of the Bateleur: "Someone who does conjuring tricks. Very skilful, and sharp-witted person. Charlatan"

The Bateleur invites me to play wisely, and not to be fooled. Head in the sky, feet on the ground. The Bateleur, mirror of self.

[Gekko]

For some reason that video reminded me of Pandora's Box...

Crazy is as crazy does.



Right, I'll let this thread move on now.

[skippy]

Posted by Gekko (here)
For some reason that video reminded me of Pandora's Box....

Watch the Bateleur.., the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.


Pandora's box, and David Lynch on golf-ball size consciousness. In this video, David Lynch speaks about an ocean of infinite pure consciousness. This is the infinite consciousness of the Fool, ready to embrace the entire univers and even more.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=z2UHLMVr4vg

We have a long way to go and heart-centered discernment is required on our way. The Bateleur enables the Fool to discern truth from falsehood, good from evil.

[AlaBil]

The Tarot de Marseille deck is used in the book Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism written by Valentin Tomberg. It is not a traditional book on using the Tarot for divination, but rather using it as a personal effort into understanding the spiritual life of humanity. In this book Tomberg (shown as Anonymous on the title page) spends 25-30 pages on each of the 22 Arcana with a specific interest along the lines of Christian Hermeticism.

Here is a couple of paragraphs from the section on the first Arcana...

The Major Arcana of the
Tarot are authentic symbols. They conceal and reveal their sense at one and the
same time according to the depth of meditation. That which they reveal are not
secrets, i.e. things hidden by human will, but are arcana, which is something quite
different. An arcanum is that which it is necessary to "know" in order to be fruitful
in a given domain of spiritual life. It is that which must be actively present
in our consciousness —or even in our subconscious —in order to render us capable
of making discoveries, engendering new ideas, conceiving of new artistic subjects.
In a word, it makes us fertile in our creative pursuits, in whatever domain of spiritual
life. An arcanum is a "ferment" or an "enzyme" whose presence stimulates the
spiritual and the psychic life of man. And it is symbols which are the bearers of
these "ferments" or "enzymes" and which communicate them —if the mentality
and morality of the recipient is ready, i.e. if he is "poor in spirit" and does not,
suffer from the most serious spiritual malady: self-complacency.

A pdf copy of the 657 page book can be downloaded here...http://www.tarothermeneutics.com/tar...-the-Tarot.pdf

[skippy]

Posted by AlaBil (here)
The Tarot de Marseille deck is used in the book Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism written by Valentin Tomberg. It is not a traditional book on using the Tarot for divination, but rather using it as a personal effort into understanding the spiritual life of humanity. In this book Tomberg (shown as Anonymous on the title page) spends 25-30 pages on each of the 22 Arcana with a specific interest along the lines of Christian Hermeticism.

Meditations on the Tarot is a great book to guide you through the spiritual journey of the major Arcana. Another interesting book for further reading is the following book by Oswald Wirth.




Wirth was a prominent figure in the late 19th-early 20th century occult movement. He was a co-founder of the French mystical Kabbalistic Order of the Rosy Cross. The Swiss-born Wirth moved to Paris when he was twenty. He joined the Freemasons and became interested in hypnotism, healing, and occultism. Wirth became the friend of Stanislas de Guaita, who instructed him in the occult. Wirth and de Guaita designed the “22 Arcana of the Kabbalistic Tarot” based on the earlier work of Eliphas Levi (1804-1875). These were published in 1889.

After de Guaita died in 1897, Wirth took a civil service job in a library. He continued to write and publish material for the French Freemasons, and linked the esoteric Kabbalistic symbolism of the Tarot to Masonic knowledge. Wirth designed a new version of his deck in 1926, followed by “Le Tarot des Imagiers du Moyen Age” (Tarot of the Medieval Image-Makers) in 1927. Following the precepts of his friend de Guaita, Wirth's intention was to “restore the purity of the Tarot.”

Wirth's writings espouse an older set of esoteric ideals that may be unfamiliar to contemporary tarotists. The goal of spiritual illumination is the same, but Wirth's esoteric transcendentalism is distinct from New Age teachings and pagan-earth spirituality. Wirth's core ideas are derived from Eliphas Levi's transcendental magic and classical Hermeticism. He regards the twenty-two Major Arcana cards as a code book for the secret esoteric path to developing the pure, focused will of the Magician.

In Part I of the book, Wirth gives a bit of tarot history that includes remarks about Levi, Paul Christian, and Etteilla – all French mystics and authors. He goes on to discuss the structure of the Major Arcana, and arranges the cards in different ways to demonstrate alternative groupings and relationships between the trumps. He integrates numerology, the Sephiroth, constellations (some non-zodiacal star figures are used), aspects of Pythagorean geometry, the planets, and the Hebrew alphabet. These are the hammers and wrenches of the French mystic's toolbox. Wirth does a great job of putting this information into an orderly, comprehensible format."

Taken from the review by Elizabeth Hazel of the English version:
Tarot of the Magicians
Author: Oswald Wirth
Introduction by Mary K. Greer
Red Wheel/Weiser, 2012

Now that we have 2 good books to guide us on our journey, let's move on.

[Shannow]

Posted by skippy (here)
Eliphas Levi, a 19th century French magus, once said: "A prisoner devoid of books, had he only a Tarot of which he knew how to make use, could in a few years acquire a universal science, and converse with an unequalled doctrine and inexhaustible eloquence.”

Having been raised a strict(ish) Catholic, and taught to fear, but also having "lessons" in my sleep where I learn things that I've not been taught waking, Les Visible quoted Levi with the above when I was reading some of his stuff, and something struck a chord.

Received a set last birthday (Christmas of all days, Steampunk tarot), and a couple of books.

I agree with other posters that it helps with intuition, and I'm sure helps to focus intention.

And when you get to the stuff that is really interesting, the cat comes and sits in the middle of it.

[skippy]

Posted by Shannow (here)

Posted by skippy (here)
Eliphas Levi, a 19th century French magus, once said: "A prisoner devoid of books, had he only a Tarot of which he knew how to make use, could in a few years acquire a universal science, and converse with an unequalled doctrine and inexhaustible eloquence.”

Having been raised a strict(ish) Catholic, and taught to fear, but also having "lessons" in my sleep where I learn things that I've not been taught waking, Les Visible quoted Levi with the above when I was reading some of his stuff, and something struck a chord.

Received a set last birthday (Christmas of all days, Steampunk tarot), and a couple of books.

I agree with other posters that it helps with intuition, and I'm sure helps to focus intention.

And when you get to the stuff that is really interesting, the cat comes and sits in the middle of it.

The Major Arcana is fascinating. As Levi said, basically, the 22 cards of the Major Arcana is all you need. Additional Tarot books aren't really needed, while they mainly provide subjective interpretations of the cards. Better is to let the cards speak for themselves and this can be quite overwhelming in the beginning. One way to get familiar with the Major Arcana is to mediate (with the open mind of the Fool) on each card seperately until the Arcanum as a whole has been integrated in consciousness. At that point, the signification of the cards has become clear, and the dialogue will silence down. The Arcanum has revealed it's meaning. We've understood its message.

[skippy]

Let's move on with the first 4 cards of the Major Arcana after the Bateleur. The following 4 cards represent the sacred feminine and the sacred masculine. Ying and Yang. Animus and Anima. The first Mother and the first Father. Your mother and your father. The following 4 cards are an invitation to reconcile with the all there is, both feminine and masculine. To considerate your parents and your own personal history and this all the way back to the original mother and the original father. We are not in an or..or game here. We are here to gain a better understanding of self, which is beyond me. No room for exclusion. The all or nothing. Compassion, respect and tolerance are important to move through this first step. We need to leave this place in a peaceful state with an understanding of nature, history, our parents, ourselves. This first step on the Fool's pilgrimage is very difficult to pass, for most of us.

[Gardener]

Thank you skippy for bringing this subject in, it is one which I have considered often and never 'got down to it'. What struck me was that these cards/archetypes must be much older than the cards themselves. Gurdjieff's methods are called the 4th way, which is also known as the way of the sly man or 'way of the fool' and this 'way' is in alignment with the 'the fool' of the tarot.

On the older tarot cards the fool has his private parts exposed which is an often overlooked symbol. He is unconcerned that his normally hidden aspects are open and on view, exposed. There is much in this symbolism which could relate to the shadow, and the opinions of others, both the esoteric and the exoteric aspects. Just a few thoughts.

thanks again

[dpwishy]

Skippy, have you ever worked with the thoth tarot? Each card has SO MUCH mystical and esoteric meaning in them, its insane how much hidden information they hold if you have the the knowledge to see it. Such a masterpiece. You could spend a month on each card figuring out whats on them. Thanks for this thread, I really enjoy it and have a seat pulled up to watch it unfold.

As the fools journey continues....

In divine friendship,
your brother,
-wishy

[skippy]

Posted by Gardener (here)
Thank you skippy for bringing this subject in, it is one which I have considered often and never 'got down to it'. What struck me was that these cards/archetypes must be much older than the cards themselves. Gurdjieff's methods are called the 4th way, which is also known as the way of the sly man or 'way of the fool' and this 'way' is in alignment with the 'the fool' of the tarot.

On the older tarot cards the fool has his private parts exposed which is an often overlooked symbol. He is unconcerned that his normally hidden aspects are open and on view, exposed. There is much in this symbolism which could relate to the shadow, and the opinions of others, both the esoteric and the exoteric aspects. Just a few thoughts.

thanks again

Hi Gardener, here an example of an older version of the Fool (Jean Noblet, Marseille, 1650), and the restaurated version by Jean-Claude Flornoy.



As you can see, there is also a cat jumping between his legs. It seems that the cat tries to prevent the Fool from leaving, but the Fool is already on his way. The imagerie and symbolism is subtle and direct at the same time.

[skippy]

Posted by dpwishy (here)
Skippy, have you ever worked with the thoth tarot? Each card has SO MUCH mystical and esoteric meaning in them, its insane how much hidden information they hold if you have the the knowledge to see it. Such a masterpiece. You could spend a month on each card figuring out whats on them. Thanks for this thread, I really enjoy it and have a seat pulled up to watch it unfold.

As the fools journey continues....

Hi Dpwishy, I don't work really with the Tarot. For me, it's more like a book of wisdom to contemplate. I don't know about the Thoth version, but basically, every copy or restoration of an old deck is of interest. This to get as close as possible to its original symbolism and composition. Here in France, it's fairly easy to find copies of the original Marseille versions. These versions, dating back to the 17th and 18th century, are close to even older Italian versions, like the 15th century Visconti-Sforza, which are known to be among the oldest Tarot versions. Before this date we don't know really. The Tarot has survived time, while it was always widespread in use as a popular cardgame. Some suggest a link with ancient Egypt. In any case, I agree that the Major Arcana is an absolute masterpiece.

"If one proceeded to announce that there is still nowadays a work of the former Egyptians, one of their books that escaped the flames that devoured their superb libraries, and which contains their purest doctrines on interesting subjects, everyone who heard it, undoubtedly, would hasten to study such an invaluable book, such a marvel. If one also said that this book is very widespread in most of Europe, that for a number of centuries it has been in the hands of everyone, the surprise would be certain to increase ... This fact is certainly very true: this Egyptian book, the only survivor of their superb libraries, exists in our day: it is even so common, that no sage condescends to occupy himself with it; nobody before us has ever suspected its famous origin ... This book is in a word the game of Tarots." From The game of Tarots, Antoine Court de Gébelin, 1781.