on the truth about tarot

This little gem of a book is one that doesn’t often get much mention. If you are interested in working with the Golden Dawn Tarot system, and particularly with the Thoth deck, you may find that it is worth hunting down.

It was Published in 1990 by Skoob Books and is no longer in print. The Author is Gerald Suster who was a British writer and historian. He published biographies of Aleister Crowley (The Legacy of the Beast) and Israel Regardie (Crowley’s Apprentice) and in this book takes a no nonsense approach to tarot. In the forward he writes:

“Many books – far too many – have been written on the Tarot. Some are good but most are pointless.”

…and then later…

“Most people know that the Tarot is often employed for the purpose of vulgar fortune telling. Here you might be told that you will meet a tall, dark stranger of unique aspect who is devoted to music and desires much of great import from one who is worthy – and a few hours later you encounter a one-eyed, banjo-strumming busker with a bad case of sunburn who demands your money with foul-mouthed menaces.”

He is not one to suffer the ‘new age’ treatment of tarot and writes with refreshing simplicity despite the complex subject matter. Having only 107 pages, it’s not an incredibly deep book, but it makes a deep subject accessible and is a good introduction for those wanting to read and explore more about the Golden Dawn and/or Thoth systems.

Below I’ve copied the contents page. I particularly liked the brief chapter on mythology and this book is certainly in my top ten tarot books list.

on having the world at your feet

Today I got out the wonderful Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights.  The artwork in this deck is stunning and I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite cards.  I have included it with and without the borders because every time I look at this deck I wish the images were larger.  The scenes are fantastical and magical and I just want to dive right in.

The Two of Wands is simply incredible.  If there was ever a better card representing the excitement of what lies ahead I‘d like to see it.  Here the world is literally at my feet and the view is breathtaking.  There is a sense of mystery and possibility and it hangs in the air tempting me to continue my journey onwards.  I almost believe I have wings and could just soar out into the void and follow the rivers as they wind into the distance.  The card gives a sense of the real joy of being alive and inspires me to reach out for whatever dreams I choose to follow.

on why I love the Ancient Italian Tarot

I absolutely adore this deck of tarot cards.  Let me count the ways.

My relationship with it has been like a passionate love affair.  I don’t use these cards all the time, but when I do I fall in love anew each time.  This was the deck that got me excited about the historical reproductions.  It was this deck that inspired me to delve down to the historic roots of tarot and as a result it changed my tarot world view.  I feel as if each time I shuffle or look through the cards I am sucked into another world, a world I love and one that makes me feel truly alive.  I wanted to share some of the things about this deck that makes me so attached to these particular images.

These cards were published by Lo Scarabeo in 2001 as part of the ‘Ancient’ series of decks.  It is a reproduction of an Italian deck from 1880’s which was based on the 1835 Soprafino deck by Carlo Della Rocca.  While the symbolism is based on the Marseille pattern, there are some distinct variations.  Incidentally, it would seem that the original Della Rocca deck was based on a deck which has also been reproduced by Lo Scarabeo as ‘The Ancient Tarot of Bologna’.  Should you be fortunate enough to get a copy of both they are interesting to compare.

These wonderful Italian decks are a joy to work with as they offer a distinctly different atmosphere to the Marseille style woodblock decks.  While the earlier Della Rocca deck has finer details than the Ancient Italian, I do prefer this later version as to me the figures are much more approachable. They are full of expression; they meet your eyes and draw you in to the cards and into their world.  Below you can see some of the Courts from the Cups suit where I compare the two decks. the Della Rocco on the left and Ancient Italian on the right.  This isn’t the Il Meneghello Della Rocca, which I don’t have, but the Lo Scarabeo Classical, which is another reproduction of the same deck.

While the Della Rocco images are so very fine, and the details so clear, the expressions of most figures in the deck tend towards grumpiness for me.  There is a general sense from them that life is hard and there isn't much to feel good about in their world.  In the Ancient Italian on the other hand, I feel like life is good and I want to hear what they have to tell me about the places they are from.

'Il Bagatto is a card that distinguishes this pattern from many others.  The first image below is from the Ancient Italian, the second is the Della Rocco and the third is from the Ancient Tarot of Bologna, on which the Della Rocco was based. 

Although in the Marseille pattern there is much variation, he is generally seen as a trickster or street performer.  In more modern Golden Dawn influenced decks we see a ritual magician, but in both the traditional and modern versions he usually holds up a wand or staff.  In the Ancient Italian and Della Rocco patterns we see a different representation, the cobbler, or artisan who holds up what appears to be a glass of wine.  I have also read of a theory that rather than wine he holds a glass of balsamic vinegar.  Considered somewhat of a cure all at the time it could be used to polish shoes, heal ills and was consequently quite valuable.  Perhaps il Bagatto is a vendor of magical elixirs as well?  Somehow I see the representation in the Della Rocca and Ancient Italian decks as the link that connects the traditional street performer to the ritual magician.  As a street performer he relies on sleight of hand and trickery to achieve his aim, which I expect would be to make money or to gain some benefit.  As a craftsman he actually has to produce something tangible in order to gain something, while as a magician he is dealing with universal forces to achieve his outcomes.  It’s an interesting development and I like the idea that our Ancient Italian ‘Bagatto’ is somehow the portrayal that links the traditional to the modern.  

I also love the gorgeous Empress, sitting serenely and looking so beautiful and poised.  She looks completely in control and yet I like the way her crown is tilted ever so slightly to one side.  Her gaze seems to be looking right into my soul and despite her calm appearance, it’s as if she could smile at any moment, or laugh even.  Her fingers hold the staff so daintily and I sense from her a compassion that I often feel is missing from some of the earlier Empresses.  To me, she is the perfect figure for this card.

‘Il Papa’ is another interesting image.  I’m always drawn to the curious man at the bottom right who is one of my favourite features of the entire deck.  He looks quite out of place and I’m intrigued as to who he is and why he’s there.  He reminds me of the Hierophant from another deck I’m so fond of, the Cosmic, and so I’ve included the image aboe as well.  When I look at the Ancient Italian card I sometimes imagine him there listing to the sermon in the 1880’s, considering what he has heard, and making a decision to one day do things his own way.  Then, 100 years later in the 1980’s there he is again is the Cosmic Tarot, this time as the Hierophant in a totally different world doing things a totally different way.  Crazy really, but it’s just a connection I’ve made and now every time I see this card it’s like a portal between worlds.  It really highlights the theme of this card as a conveyer of wisdom.  The Pope or Hierophant being the bridge that connects spirit with humanity, the one who passes on the tradition. 

The next three cards above are my favourite images in this deck and I adore the colouring in this reproduction. 

When I look at this Tower I just feel so much energy and movement.  It’s like there is an action film on the television and you’ve hit the pause button.  I can almost sense the fear of the figure at the top of the tower; I can hear the noise as the falling debris begin to hit the ground.  I can sense the loss, the change, the destruction, and the freedom that awaits.  

This Star is without doubt one of my favourite tarot images of all time.  I have chosen her for my blog background because she’s like a shining light, guiding my way.  My daughter calls her Aphrodite and I quite like that connection, to me it seems to work with her gorgeous red hair.  This is an image that makes me feel glad for all that is good in the world.

I love the humour in this rendition of the Moon.  Where we normally see a crayfish or lobster swimming in a pool, here it appears instead on a plate.  Two dogs still howl at the moon regardless of this delicious feast on offer, perhaps demonstrating that power the moon has over us all.

The court cards in this deck are a delight and I’ve included some examples below. While I have come to love the Marseille style woodcut decks I did initially find the courts quite difficult to connect with. These images however gave me no such trouble. To me they are all so full of emotion and expression; they meet your gaze and draw you in.

The suit or pip cards are not scenic but they are delightful none the less and their arrangement is in the same style as the Marseille decks.

Finally, to complement the sublime imagery of the card faces, the backs are no less than a perfect match.

Sadly, I understand this deck is no longer in print which to me seems a devastating tragedy.  Fortunately I have stocked up and have myself a couple of back-ups just in case.  The good news though is it that for now it is still relatively easy to find a copy.  If you are not yet in possession of this beauty I wouldn’t waste much time.  It is a purchase I am quite sure you would not regret.  And if you already have a copy then hopefully this will inspire you to dig it out again, and enjoy.

on returning

Definitely a good time to get back to it.

I originally started this blog back in 2009 as part of an on-line study group which, needless to say, didn't last all that long. I've decided to start again now with a rather different focus.

I should explain the name of this blog......'on becoming interesting'. Several years ago, after a long and reasonably fruitless search for the meaning of life, and more specifically the meaning of MY life, I had a bit of a revelation....well, for me anyway. I always thought I needed to be something or do something but couldn't work out what it was. Then it dawned on me....I simply wanted to be an interesting person! Since then this philosophy has motivated my decision making and has given me a great sense of personal freedom.

This blog is simply my random reflections on things that take my fancy and hopefully the things that will allow me to become an 'interesting person', whatever that might mean.

on following your dreams

I thought I'd try another sample reading using the Tarot of the Master.  This reading uses three cards as follows:

1. What is my dream?
2. What action do I need to take?
3. Where will it lead me?

What is my dream? Regina Di Denari (Queen of Coins)

Well, this is an interesting card to get in this position and I can read it in quite a few different ways. Astrologically, I link this card to the sign Capricorn. To me Capricorn represents striving towards goals, success, career, recognition, and the whole concept of climbing to the top of the mountain, being committed to reach the summit. The keyword on the card is wealth, which is interesting because that’s probably the one thing I don’t really dream of. Money never seems to be a factor for me when I’m considering my options, although, I do know that security is important to me, just not necessarily the need to be wealthy. I really love this Queen. The loom is in the background showing that she has been hard at work. She hold up the coin as if to say, ‘look what I have achieved through all my hard work’, as if it is indicative of the rewards for hard work. So maybe my dream is that all my hard work will pay off. Or that all the energy I have put in to my studies will lead to some kind of financial reward (ie. an income) and maybe even recognition of my abilities.

What action do I need to take? Il Matto (The Fool)

Another interesting card. Clearly the message for me here is that I need to actually begin something. Take that first step along the path. The keyword for this card is ‘madness’ which is amusing. I guess I need to act a bit ‘mad’ or a bit ‘crazy’ and perhaps take some risks. I think this is a sign for me that I need to accept that all my hard work and talent is meaningless if I just sit and do nothing with it, the Fool may be saying I need to pack up what I have and take it out to the world. The leopard in this card is quite a curious change from the normal cat or dog that accompanies the fool. I keep thinking of the leopard not being able to change his spots, and I wonder what this means for me? Perhaps by taking my stuff out to the world I often fear that I will compromise my values or beliefs and maybe the leopard is reminding me that I can do this and still be true to myself.
Where will it lead me? X Bastoni (Ten of Batons)

Well, the keyword here is ‘solidity’ which matches well to the Queen of Coins in the first position. It is important for me to have that solid, stable base. I really love this rendition of the Ten of Batons. The structure is there but the card has an almost magical feel, with all the creatures making a home for themselves on the crossed batons. It’s as if the card is telling me that once the structure is in place then I’ll have the freedom to really enjoy my life.

So, I guess the message for me is that my dream is to be appreciated, and recognised for my gifts/talents, and to be able to earn an income from them. The only way this can happen is if I actually take a risk and share what I have with the world. Once I do this I will gain stability in my life which will enable me to feel more joyful and free.

on working with Master Vacchetta

This week I thought I’d do a reading using the Vacchetta (Master) deck to see how it performed. When reading some blogs of fellow AT members I came across a great spread for discovering my highest potential. Thanks to RC and SherryZoned for bringing it to my attention.

The spread:
Shuffle the cards and ask "Where do my highest potentials and abilities lie? Cut them into four piles; physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. Search to see which pile has The Sun. That realm is where your highest potential lies. Shuffle just that pile and lay out three cards as follows:

1. What aids me in developing my highest potential?
2. What hinders me in developing my highest potential?
3. A possible outcome once you have formed and developed your highest potential.


I first went through the physical pile knowing the Sun wasn’t going to be there and I was right. I expected the Sun to be in the Mental pile and I was right again. I spend most my life running around in circles in my mind so this is certainly no surprise. Now, if only I can find a way to use my mental potential effectively…

The three cards I drew from the mental pile were:

The Hanged Man
Six of Cups
The Moon


1. What aids me in developing my highest potential? The Hanged Man

So I read this to mean that it is my challenges and trials in life that help me to develop my potential. The sacrifices I have made and the difficulties I have had in my life obviously contribute to who I am today. Also I think that it could be about my ability to look at things from different perspectives. The keyword on this card is ‘agony’ which says to me that it’s the most difficult stuff that contributes to my potential. I wonder if it’s also a reminder that I need to be patient. As far as the mental side of things go I tend to be very ‘full-on’ with things. If I have a new idea I have to fully research it immediately, I can’t just take my time. I go through life thinking ‘there is so much information, and so much to learn, and yet so little time’. Maybe I just need to take it easy.


2. What hinders me in developing my highest potential? Six of Cups

This is an interesting Six of Cups. I spent some time on the weekend looking at this card and working out how the keyword ‘memory’ fitted with the image. I read this card as being very much about past-present-future and how the three link together. I see the card in three levels with the two animals at the bottom being the past (cat representing the actual past and bird representing the perceived past, which are often two very different things), the middle layer with the three cups being the present and the top layer with the two smaller cups and the larger more elaborate cup, being the future. It’s interesting how the middle level seems to be dragged down towards the base (the past). I read this card to mean that if we want to move towards our future, our aspirations and our dreams, then we need to release our tie to the past, especially things in the past which cause us pain. That’s not to say we sever all ties with the past, but we need to reconcile our issues and then let the issues go, let the pain go. I think often our ideas and goals seem fanciful and unrealistic because we are still carrying limiting beliefs formed in our past. So, the message for me….let stuff go. Accept that painful incidents in my past have helped me become the person I am, and that they have served me well, but it is also time to let them go so I can focus on the future and achieve my potential.


3. A possible outcome once you have formed and developed your highest potential. The Moon

This seems quite a strange card to have in this position. It’s probably my favourite card in the deck, and possibly my favourite ever moon card. I guess the moon can mean quite a few things. It can indicate confusion and so perhaps the message for me is that now is not the right time to be trying to have a concrete outcome in mind. Perhaps I just need to ‘go with the flow’ and see where I end up. It could also indicate that the outcome would involve using my intuition. Another thing I think of in relation to the Moon is motherhood. My highest potential could be linked to my role as a mother and so perhaps I should be concentrating on being a good mother to my girls rather than worrying too much about the future. The Moon can also symbolise dreams and so it could suggest that I need to focus on my dreams and work towards making them a reality. Cycles are another thing represented by the moon, and mystery and magic. No wonder I feel confused.

After looking at the three cards for awhile it suddenly struck me that the Hanged Man has his head down the bottom (obviously) which links to the past in the Six of Cups, and the Moon has her head up the top, linking to the future in the Six of Cups. Perhaps this is the message for me….to stop hanging around in my thoughts of the past and looking for reasons as to why things are the way they are, and to simply flow with life and live in the present with a view to the future and the realisation of my dreams.

Now I just need to work out exactly what those dreams are.

on meeting the master

Inspired by my reading earlier this week I’ve been working quite a bit with the Tarot of the Master. The Seven of Batons struck such a chord with me and I’m feeling more and more drawn to working with this deck. For those who are not familiar with the deck, it was created and published in Turin in 1893 and originally called ‘I Naibi di Giovanni Vacchetta’. The edition I have has been republished and coloured by Lo Scarabeo in 2002. The original was black and white. Because Giovanni Vacchetta was known as the "Master of Design’ at Albertina Academy in Turin, the deck has been titled ‘Tarot of the Master’. I’ve always been attracted to some of the historical decks, in particular the delightful Ancient Italian tarot, but have struggled with the non-scenic pips. What I love about the Vacchetta deck is that the pips are illustrated, not in the modern RWS style, but they are quite elaborate compared to some of the other historical decks, and provide enough symbolism for me to really connect with the images. It’s quite different to any deck I’ve worked with in the past….and that is just what I need right now.

I thought I’d have a little bit of a ‘chat’ with the Master and see if the two of us should work together for awhile.

So, what do you have to offer as a deck Master Vacchetta? Eight of Coins (Denari). This tells me that the deck will be great for helping me to make connections between things. The keyword is ‘writing’ but I see this card overall as being able to bring together information from different sources in order to make sense of things. It’s as if the thread connecting the coins is alive with energy and excitement. I feel really excited when I see this card. So perhaps Master Vacchetta can offer me an exciting way to deepen my knowledge of tarot.

What can you help me to learn about tarot? Caval di Bastone (Knight of Batons). The keyword on this card is ‘travel’ and so immediately I get the sense that I can learn that tarot is a learning journey. This deck may help me to accept that it’s not about the destination but rather the journey, that I’ll never ‘master’ the tarot, rather I’ll be a student for life. Also, given that the knight is dressed as a jester I think it could be a reminder to have fun with the tarot, not to take it all too seriously and make it all academic. Perhaps this deck can help me to have more fun with tarot.

How should I approach using this deck? Ten of Cups. This is an interesting rendition of the Ten of Cups. My first thought is that the Master may be a little possessive of me. I get the suggestion from this image that he would like me to put all my other decks away on the shelf and use him alone. What I think he’s saying is that he is, after all, the cup with the most to offer. Why would I need any other decks? The keyword on this card is ‘order’, which also says to me that I need to actually work with this deck and systematically go through the cards and focus on all the details, rather than just skimming the surface. I feel like there are definitely treasures to be discovered in these cards.

Should I use this deck when reading for others? Seven Bastoni. Here is the card that inspired me to be having this ‘conversation’ with the Master. So, is it my destiny to be using this deck to read for others? I get a sense that working with this deck will help me to give readings that are more in line with what I believe tarot to be about and in some ways, to be more true to myself. I also think it could be saying that my readings for others with this deck can help them to realise their own destinies….which kind of fits in with some ideas I was having…..how very interesting!

Not to be negative, but what are your limitations as a deck? Fante di Coppa (Page of Cups). You’ll just tell me whatever I want to hear. A bit of a romantic hey? You just want life to be beautiful and happy and filled with love…….well, I think I can live with that.

Finally, can you give me a card that will sum up our relationship of working together? Four of Batons. Well, it looks like it’s going to be very fruitful. We’ll have a secure base and then from that we can grow. The keyword is ‘patience’ so I guess that’s a good reminder that I’ll need to be patient with you as we begin working together……and you’ll need to be patient with me as well.

Any last thoughts….? Temperance. Wow, this is just about my favourite card in this deck. The keyword is ‘moderation’ which reminds me to take it easy and not overdo things. Sometimes when I discover a new deck I work with it so much I end up feeling sick of it. This card is a good reminder that although I’ll use this deck for my PDR’s and even for readings, I need to not overdo things and keep using my other decks as well. I love the way that the figure on this card looks back over her shoulder at the water. It says to me that while it’s fine to reflect on things and look within, you still have to make sure that the day to day stuff of life is getting done too….like feeding the kids and cleaning the house. The key I expect is in finding a balance between both.

OK, so I’m very excited. I’ve also discovered a colour-in version of this deck which will be a great way to spend time with the cards and really discover all the details. So, from now on I’ll be working primarily with ‘The Master’ but still using my other decks as well. I’m certainly looking forward to the journey.