RWS suits tell a story in sequence?

Lunar Lobster

Fascinating stuff guys, thank you for your replies.
I guess I'll have to brush up on my Masonic lore a bit.

From now on I'll have to treat Kaplan's encyclopedias as the stupendous visual reference they are, and take his writing with a grain of salt.
Looking back, I suppose I should have known this when he didn't recognize the pelican of piety.
 

ravenest

I was saving it for teaching and publication. I'm not sure now. If I detailed it all here it would take several pages. Basically, the answers to all your questions are yes.

Ahhhh .... Teheuti - you are giving me a blanket 'yes' to questions I asked that posed an either / or .

Well, if you decide not to publish or teach it, I would be happy to read multiple pages on it :)
 

Richard

Ahhhh .... Teheuti - you are giving me a blanket 'yes' to questions I asked that posed an either / or .

Well, if you decide not to publish or teach it, I would be happy to read multiple pages on it :)
Ditto. The material in the 2006 article was fascinating, and since there has been further development, I am eager to know about it! I'm sure others feel as I do.
 

Lee

Waite himself made clear on two occasions that he "spoon-fed" PCS with only some of the Major Arcana. The Court Cards generally follow the Golden Dawn ones found among Westcott's papers (possibly drawn by Moina Mathers). Obviously, he gave Pixie direction on all the Majors. I feel he left much of the specific imagery in the Minors up to Pixie, with some exceptions.

Swords and Pentacles are the most specifically Masonic suits with Swords being the Hiram Abif story (3rd Degree Masonry) and Pentacles following his outline of the role of the Initiate that he gives in Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. Three illustrations from the the Hiram Abif ritual carry elements that appear in the cards. Wands and Cups are more Grail, with Cups being the most literal illustration of a story: the Joseph of Arimathea story in The Metrical Romance of Robert de Borron (as Waite retold it in his book on The Holy Grail, published the same year as the deck). The 2006 Llewellyn's Tarot Reader was a much earlier report on my research and has been superceded by new findings.

It's also pretty obvious that Waite gave Pixie texts to work from - she was trained as a book illustrator (that is: how to illustrate a text). It's clear that with the time constraints, she drew very much from her own store of imagery, adapting visual elements from other of her works and from her surroundings.

Marcus and Tali have uncovered previously unknown sources for some of her images, some of which are very convincing and some which deserves consideration only in light of the truly convincing evidence.
I disagreed with the certainty of Mary's contentions in this thread from several months ago. I would certainly be willing to look at new evidence though.
 

Teheuti

My most recent information is presented card-by-card and illustrated in this webinar: http://globalspiritualstudies.com/t...ources-of-the-rider-waite-smith-minor-arcana/

Several prominent Freemasons who are also Tarot readers and who have seen the powerpoint presentation in England, Brazil and the U.S. have confirmed the Masonic allusions in the suits of Swords and Pentacles as being unarguable in their opinion. However, I'm open to challenges by those who know both Waite's Masonic writings and who are Masons themselves. There could certainly be something I'm overlooking.
 

ravenest

I guess then, if they are interested in Tarot those Masons will have the right insight.

I wouldnt rely on Masons generally - the ones in Blue Lodge seem deliberately ignorant of a lot of anything beyond the base superficial ( eg. one tried to tell me the 'curlicues' on an apron where just that and not Hebrew letters ) - and it wasnt a cover up, he generally didnt know any of that stuff (and he has a job high up in the Sydney masonic centre). Another I know is head of an 18th Chapter - he knows nothing of tarot or astrology although is involved in 'spurious' and esoteric Lodges. The Royal Arch might be a better place.

However, I am sure that England, Brazil and USA offer a far better selection.

It looks like any more detailed discussion on the subject isnt going to happen here ... and I dont buy talks or usually pay to hear an idea so ....

Its an interesting idea though.
 

re-pete-a

I must say thanks here...for the pelican clue...it's changed the way I look at the, Major 17...

a confirmation of spiritual processes....
 

Teheuti

I wouldnt rely on Masons generally
That's why I mentioned Masons who are Tarot readers.

I completely understand someone not wanting to buy my work, but I shouldn't be made to feel that I am obligated to present my published work here for free and that there is something wrong if I don't.