'Book T' Meanings for Fool and Lovers

pandemic

I wonder how many tarot readers adhere to the Golden Dawn meanings as laid out in Book T. I note there is interest in the rival Golden Dawn decks that have been published, and much discussion about the symbolism. In the light of this, one would expect the meanings associated with the images to have as much appeal as the cards themselves. But that appears not to be so.

Among the Trumps there are two stand-out exceptions in Book T to modern perceptions, the first being the Fool. According to Book T:

if the Divination be regarding a material event of ordinary life, this card [the Fool] is not good, and shows folly, stupidity, eccentricity, and even mania, unless with very good cards indeed. It is too ideal and unstable to be generally good in material things.

Crowley says almost the same.

In material matters [it] may show, if badly dignified, folly, eccentricity, even mania.

Paul Foster Case, too, follows the G.D. party line.

In material matters: Folly, eccentricity, sudden action without sufficient consideration or forethought, stupidity, or even insanity.

All admit there is a spiritual dimension to the Fool, but all agree that it applies only to purely spiritual questions. But when the Trump appears in a reading concerning what Book T defines as “a material event of ordinary life”, it has, for the G.D. and its alumni, the significances stated above. ‘A material event of ordinary life’ covers all questions relating to love-affairs, one’s financial condition, illness, career prospects, and such like. For most of us, these are the only subjects we are requested to make readings about. Yet I find myself in a tiny minority in interpreting the Fool according to Book T: the generality of readers take something like

carefree enthusiasm; optimism; adventure; spontaneity; audacity; youthful energy

as the card’s meaning, often having no cognisance of the Order’s reading of the card.

The other Trump with a G.D. meaning at variance with, not only public opinion but also tradition is the Lovers. It is usually given two meanings: choice and love/the affections. Book T veers in a totally different direction:

Inspiration (passive and in some cases mediumistic …) Motive, power, and action, arising from Inspiration and Impulse.

I have been unable to find anyone who has adopted this meaning.

So I was left wondering: Does anyone use either of these Book T meanings?
 

Richard

I daresay most Tarot fortune tellers are not conversant with Book T. They have little or no interest in esoteric Tarot, with which it is mostly concerned. The commonly used divinatory meanings have evolved independently of esotericism. Sometimes they are based on a misunderstanding of the card image. (Intuition or free association may be independent of common sense.) For example, the Marseille Trump VI depicts a man standing between two women as if he is trying to make a choice of which one to marry, which is quite a stretch. As silly as it seems, the "choice" meaning thereby became incorporated into the Tarot divinatory lore for the Lovers.

The disadvantage of the Golden Dawn forum is that posts here are hidden whenever a more recent post is made to the Thoth forum.
 

Zephyros

Moderator Note:

Hi folks, some thread housekeeping here. :)

This thread is a duplicate of one that was first posted in Talking Tarot and then moved to Using Tarot Cards. Since it dealt with general impressions and usage, that forum was deemed a better place for this question rather than Golden Dawn Traditions. Questions regarding Book T itself, its usage and Golden Dawn significance are welcome here.

Since forum rules prohibit duplicate threads I'll be closing this thread, and the conversation can be continued over in the original one here. I myself posted over there, it's an interesting question to be explored.

Thanks for your cooperation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Zephyros