Gill without Qabala?

Hi,

just got the Gill deck after a long period of hesitation.

I'm glad i did, it seems to have much potential and i love the artwork. the atmosphere is also very different from other decks with some very "simple" illustrations (Strength for ex.) and some full of symbols ("Hierophant").

Not to mention the fascinating minors!!

Well anyway, i've never been a believer in Qabala or however it's written. I don't think it has a connection with the Tarot because i truly think tarot cards come from tarocchi game cards and that's it.

Now however, i would like to read something about qabala.

But the reason for this post is to ask whether some of you have read with the Gill Tarot without previous knowledge of the qabala and whether you got decent readings...
Did the Gill pushed you to study the qabala?

and what if you read with a deck other than closely based on the Tree of Life, do you switch your qabala mind off??

Would like to hear from your experiences,

thanks in advance!

Kissa

One small correction: It is true - as far as I have read - that Tarot came from Tarocchi and probably had nothing to do with Kabbalah in the early days, but around the 18th century the occult movement started to show interest in the tarotcards, and therefore started making cards where they deliberately included kabbalistic symbology and correspondenses.

So if you've bought a deck with kabbalistic symbolism - like the Gill Tarot - you can surely overlook it, but that means you won't be able to understand the cards on the level the author intented to.

"Qabala" recognizes the alphabetical connection
between the 22 Majors and the Hebrew letters,
and the first authors knew to begin at Aleph=1.

Aleph=0 throws off every single attribution,
even though they "get" two of the planets.

Seven planets can be ordered in 5,040 ways.
And beginning Aleph=1 at least shows where.

Kissa said:

Hi,

just got the Gill deck after a long period of hesitation.

I'm glad i did, it seems to have much potential and i love the artwork. the atmosphere is also very different from other decks with some very "simple" illustrations (Strength for ex.) and some full of symbols ("Hierophant").

Not to mention the fascinating minors!!

Well anyway, i've never been a believer in Qabala or however it's written. I don't think it has a connection with the Tarot because i truly think tarot cards come from tarocchi game cards and that's it.

Now however, i would like to read something about qabala.

But the reason for this post is to ask whether some of you have read with the Gill Tarot without previous knowledge of the qabala and whether you got decent readings...
Did the Gill pushed you to study the qabala?

and what if you read with a deck other than closely based on the Tree of Life, do you switch your qabala mind off??

Would like to hear from your experiences,

thanks in advance!

Kissa

Click to expand...

I recently got the Gill and it's one of my favorite decks, even though I don't know much about Kabbalah nor do I have the book that goes with the deck. I am hoping to get the book through a trade but havent heard from the person, so I may end up having to order the book. I really do want to read it.

But I love the deck and I think I can do readings ok without the book. I try and see what meanings fit most, depending on the reading. Rider Waite or Thoth. This deck seems to be a mix of both, leaning more towards Thoth. I bought a notebook and I plan on creating my own "book" of meanings I pick up from the deck.

I am reading a book called "a wish can change your life", which is based on the Tree of Life. I had just started the book, when my attention was drawn to the Gill. So, I see it as a very special deck.

I sure love the minors! Especially the 2 of cups. And the 3 of swords is the best art depiction I have ever seen!

Enjoy your new deck.

I am ignorant, I didn't know this deck
Here are the images on ATF: Gill

The artwork is impressive, but I don't see any particular reference to the Qabbala.....maybe because the ATF images are all majors. I like the world card with the cross: I think it's appropriate.

Marco

I used this deck for a while with good results and I have absolutely no knowledge of Qabbala.

DoctorArcanus said:

The artwork is impressive, but I don't see any particular reference to the Qabbala.....maybe because the ATF images are all majors. I like the world card with the cross: I think it's appropriate.

Click to expand...

Here are a few reviews from Tarot Passages - the lin to Qabbala is mentioned.
http://www.tarotpassages.com/bursten28.htm by Lee
http://www.tarotpassages.com/gill-kh.htm by Kiama
http://www.tarotpassages.com/cj13.htm

Love

Sulis xx

I love this deck because of its cheerful colors, and the size is better since I trimmed off the borders. A friend new to tarot immediately ordered it when she saw the images, for the happy feeling the deck gave her.

I know just a little about the Qabbalah and though I've used the Tree of Life spread with this deck, usually I don't incorporate those meanings when I read with the Gill.

The Qabalaistic Tarot by Robert Wang

You don't have to know anything about Qabala to use any Tarot deck, IMHO, even if the creator of the deck is deeply in to Qabala and uses it on the cards. I've found Qabala to be of little use in readings for querents as it's far more about esoteric matters, about taking the spiritual self up higher planes of wisdom and mysticism--rather than answering questions about one's love life. It isn't a matter of belief or religion, by the by, though, coming out of Jewish mysticism, there has always been a religious "cult" surrounding it, one which has now become quite popular and, in some cases, promises the usual: that if you believe in the Kabbalah (with a "K" it's Jewish, with a "Q" it's more Judeo/Christian mysticism), it will cure all ills, etc.

Qabala has a remarkably "eastern" flavor to me (this in spite of it's Hebrew/Biblical origins and references) centering around the argument that the spirit can rise up--and go down for that matter--from the branches of the tree here on earth back to the roots in spirit. Spiritual points are to be found on both sides of this tree forming a yin-yang balance of forces (Severity Vs. Mercy, for example) with some, essential nexus points at the center (like "Beauty"). The Tarot cards (majors primairly) are (theortically) the way by which the Mystic travels from point to point. Each card is a path (like the Path of Strength). Thus, you learn something along the way which helps you to understand and incorporate that next "point" along your journey up/down the Tree of Life.

It's rather like the tree is a series of roads (the tarot cards), with historical markers or view points where you stop and learn something new...or at least take a picture before traveling on

The very BEST Qabala/Tarot book I know of is the one by Robert Wang. The Qabalistic Tarot. That book is a great way to learn all about Tarot and Qabala with emphasis on tarot rather than wandering off into the more religious areas of Qabala.

hi all!

thanks for your replies, you were really fast, i didn't expect so many answers!!

right now, i am planning on trimming the borders off, the copyright mark is quite big and i just feel like it will be a piece of cake to trim because i don't even need the corner puncher i don't own...

i want to take the gill with me on vacation so that it will be my only deck for over a month, we should get to know each other this way. we shall see

i am hoping too to get the companion book for cheap or buy robert wang's book recommended by thirteen. i only do readings for myself, occasionally for my sister or my hubby, so the whole "spiritual path" thing is what really got me into tarot. and from all your answers, i realize i know nothing about qabala or judeo/christian mysticism, didn't even know such a thing existed, duh!

off to see how the trimmed cards would like, unlike the druidcraft, the gill has two extra cards so i can practise before the real thing

thaks again for your answers, keep'em coming!!!

kissa

I've just cracked and ordered this deck for my birthday, the book too - I'd never seen it before a couple of days ago and now I don't know how I could have missed it.

The Majors seem vibrant and full of life and the Minors look very interesting and challenging to someone like me who has a few problems reading anything that isn't RWS. But saying that the few Minors I have seen have me itching to get this deck. I want to learn about numerology and the kabbalah and I think this deck will fill that space and will go nicely with my other favourites.

Really looking forward to the Gill getting here.