Rosetta Tarot LWB vs Book of Seshet
Hi Bodhiseed! I will let Rodney give his own opinion on the book, but maybe this will help you.
Both the LWB and the Book of Seshet have the headings for each card that Rodney listed, ie the Golden Dawn title, and the Astrological and Tree of Life attributions. The difference is in the amount of text in the write up for each card. To illustrate, I will give you the text for the LWB vs the Book of Seshet here for one card, The Lovers:
the LWB text for The Lovers (text copyright 2011):
The Lovers card symbolizes the unification of opposites, the themes of liberation, avowal, and choice. One must consider if what is seen is real or a projection in order to make an informed choice in any partnership. In committing to a choice one way or another, there is liberation from the bondage of indecision. The mirrors illustrate the tendency of Lovers to view the anima or animus of their own psyche in the visage of the other. Decisions need to be made, and in making a choice of one door, another door closes, and the marriage begins.
here is the text for The Lovers card in the Book of Seshet (text copyright 2011):
A man wearing a golden circlet and a woman wearing a silver circlet embrace and lock eyes, enraptured with each other. Do they see the other, or the reflection of the anima or animus? Here the card of the Empress joins with the Emperor, in the first part of the alchemical process of solve et coagula, or “dissolve and coagulate”. Here, the Lovers demonstrate the process of solve or dissolve; in the Art card the coagulation occurs. The two cards are each zodiacal trumps on either side of the same axis: Gemini and Sagittarius. The Lovers card contains the three alchemical elements. The Lovers are the Emperor and Empress, alchemical Sulfur and Salt. The mirrors behind them in this card represent alchemical Mercury, as Mercury was the original source for their silvered surface.
Here they dissolve as they gaze into each other’s eyes. The twin mirrors behind them suggest the glyph of Gemini, the twins, and this is the first trump to depict more than one human figure. The mirrors illustrate the tendency of Lovers to view the anima or animus of their own psyche in the visage of the other. One mirror is decorated with a lunar emblem in silver; the other with a solar emblem in gold.
The scene in the mirror behind the female figure depicts the myth of Andromeda and Perseus, as shown in the Lovers card in Golden Dawn tradition decks. This can be thought of as expressing the theme of Liberation, and also may be what this woman sees in her partner, some type of hero figure to save her as Perseus saved Andromeda from the dragon of the deep. Or alternately, it could be what he sees when he looks at her – as a princess to be rescued.
The mirror behind the male figure shows the “Judgment of Paris”. Zeus declared that Paris was to judge the fairness of three goddesses, and Paris ultimately awarded the prize (a golden apple) to Aphrodite. Alternately, this scene also depicts the mythology of Adam and Eve in the garden, in which the serpent offers the fruit of knowledge to Eve. In either case, this can be thought of as expressing the theme of Choice, echoing the early Lovers tarot cards where a man chooses between two women representing Vice and Virtue. This may also be what he sees when he looks at his chosen one, the fairest, the Aphrodite. Or alternately, it could be what she sees looking at him: “He has chosen me, as the fairest.”
This myth of Perseus choosing to fight the dragon and win the princess’s hand in marriage, thus becoming a king, also describes the romance of the Tetragrammaton, in which the Princess (Hé final) is reunited with the Prince, which transforms him into a King and her into a Queen, who procreate, and form a new Prince and Princess who are separated; ad infinitum.
In the foreground of the card, a blade penetrates a chalice in symbolic sexual union. The blade’s hilt is formed of honeycomb cells as seen on the tunic of the Emperor. The cup is decorated with a honeybee as seen on the blouse of the Empress. The white eagle and red lion of the forces of male and female face each other. Above them, the Orphic egg shows the seed of their union. Descending from the egg above is an arrow, linking this card to the Sagittarius (trump XIV Art) as did the cupid in early portrayals of this card. Golden and silver swords form an arch through which the royal couple passes as in military weddings, and refer to the Hebrew letter for this card, Zain, meaning Sword. This is the point of the journey where the Fool discovers the other. Atu VI is actually the seventh card, counting the Fool though zero as the first, and in astrology charts, house seven is the house of the other.
The Lovers are on the Path of Zain, numbered seventeen and linking Binah and Tiphareth – the Supernal Mother and the Son. This recalls the Garden of Eden, and the expulsion of Adam towards manifestation. The Lovers card is the uniting of the Sun and Moon under Mercury (ruler of Gemini), or the union of opposites through alchemy. Zain means sword, that which cuts and defines our choices. Through the choices that Perseus made, he and Andromeda both became constellations, symbolizing his actions resulting in return to the godhead.
In a reading, The Lovers symbolizes the unification of opposites, the themes of liberation, avowal, and choice from one’s heart. It indicates the need to view all aspects of a situation. One must consider if what is seen is real or a projection in order to make an informed choice in any partnership, whether business or marriage. In committing to a choice one way or another, there is liberation from the bondage of indecision. There is a theme of dissolving to become one; and the completeness resulting from the success of this operation. This completeness must come from within and not from projection onto external sources. Decisions need to be made, and in making a choice of one door, another door closes, and the marriage begins.
As you can see, the LWB text is pretty much just a shortened version of the summary paragraph of the chapter in the book.
In addition, the full size book has entire chapters on Astrology and the Tree of Life of Tarot, and also introductions to sections on the Majors, Courts and the Minors that describes how these disciplines fit in with the GD system of Tarot, with the goal of synthesizing the information into an understandable summary of the most useful information that anyone could absorb (whether or not that was successful will be for others to judge!)
Hope this helps anyone else who is wondering!
Wow, Babalon Jones, that was wonderful! Thank you so much for giving us both examples. While the LWB seems to give clear and to-the-point information, the book REALLY goes into much greater detail about the cards (especially the symbolism). This is one of the main draws to me for companion books, so I have no doubt now that it will be worthwhile to get the book with the deck.
