The Tarot: A Collection of Secret Wisdom from Tarot's Mystical Origins

Product Description
"A major contribution!”―Rachel Pollack, bestselling author of Seventy-Eight Degrees of WisdomThe definitive collection of rare, secret, and arcane tarot knowledgeThe Tarot: A Collection of Secret Wisdom from Tarot's Mystical Origins is the ultimate guide to the mysteries and lost knowledge of the tarot. This single volume includes more than ten selections from foundational tarot books, all from the 19th and 20th century. Many of these critical texts have been forgotten, fallen out of print, or are impossible to acquire. The Tarot reintroduces these books to the modern-day reader, unlocking the invisible power of the tarot for a new generation of card readers.The Tarot includes the following complete books:The Tarot by S. L. MacGregor MathersThe Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum by Eliphaz LeviFortune Telling by Cards by P. R. S. FoliThe Pictorial Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward WaiteThe Symbolism of the Tarot by P.D. OuspenskyThe Tarot of the Bohemians by PapusThe Key to the Universe by Harriette Augusta Curtiss & F. HomerThe Key of Destiny by Harriette Augusta Curtiss & F. HomerThe General Book of the Tarot by A.E. ThierensThe Tarot also includes additional selections from Manly P. Hall and others. Featuring over 400 original black-and-white illustrations throughout the book, The Tarot is a gorgeous gift and an irresistible invitation to both seasoned readers and beginners to explore the esoteric wisdom of the cards.
Review
“St. Martin's Essentials has done both the world of Tarot and the world of occult history (two realms that overlap but are not entirely the same) a great service in bringing together this wide-ranging abundance of source material. Some of the texts are well-known, some obscure―and indeed, even the more famous ones are often hard to find―but together they create a portrait of a long and varied tradition. This is a major contribution.”―Rachel Pollack, bestselling author of Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom"This single volume brings together esoteric tarot in all its depth and diversity – from the wisdom teachings that are the foundation of today’s tarot to ‘lost’ texts that deserve new attention. A goldmine for every tarot collector, practitioner, researcher and writer."―Liz Dean, author of The Ultimate Guide to Tarot"This wonderful compendium presents many of the key texts that influenced 20th century esoteric tarot. Now any tarot user can understand how and why we read cards the way we do now." ―Caitlín Matthews, author of Untold Tarot: The Lost Art of Reading Ancient Tarots"This incredible collection of mystical and magickal thought brings together in a single volume the writings of some of history’s most noted tarot scholars, including Arthur Edward Waite, S.L. MacGregor Mathers, Éliphas Lévi, W. Wynn Westcott, P.D. Ouspensky, Oswald Wirth, and Manly P. Hall. Although these metaphysicians laid the foundations for our understanding of the tarot today, many of the ideas, interpretations, methods, and techniques presented here may be unfamiliar to contemporary tarot readers. The Tarot also contains valuable information and insights into astrology, numerology, the Kabalah, and mythology as they relate to the tarot. If you’re a serious student or practitioner of tarot, this compendium belongs in your library." ―Skye Alexander, author of The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot"This book is a must-have resource for anyone fascinated by the symbolism and history of the tarot. In a single volume the reader gains access to all the key primary texts related to the development of the tarot as a divinatory art. Tarot readers will find much to enrich their understanding of the meanings and uses of the cards over the past several centuries. In addition to its rich historical information, the text includes hundreds of pieces of artwork, and the publisher has reported that this impressive undertaking required a team of seven editors working for nearly three years. The final result is