Sorry I'm a coffee enthousiast ;)

[Monk]

Dear Dwellers of the Tarot Sphere,

 

A fellow dweller here, new to this forum but not to the trade. ..and I do love tea 😉 especially Ti Kuan Yin.

 

Thought I should broaden my horizon more as I have been on another Tarot forum for a while but feel there's reasons to look for other pasteures to graze. I'm a guy from The Netherlands, artist/engineer by trade (I build astronomical clocks), father of three, husband, and avid reader and collector of occult literature. I casually started out using Tarot some years ago but that train has long since derailed being casual.. which it is not anyore. I accidently started reading into such great works by Papus and Levi, Bardon, Atkinson and Agrippa.. well it went uphill from there. I guess one could say I'm half about reading Tarot and half about reading about Tarot. I'm also a bit, mildly, very much so, devoted to Hermetic philosophy. W.W Atkinson sure did trigger something in me. His literature is not Hermetic 'pur sang' but his Kybalion was I dare say life altering.

 

I'm an intuitive person, my thinking about Tarot is that way too, there is no 'way' to go about Tarot, but many ways. I actually like the freedom of utilizing a mishmash of styles and techniques how ever pleases me. Just sticking with my intuition feels right most of the time. On the other hand I'm (wildly) fascinated by a couple of systems out there that present us with their own mini Tarot Spheres like Papus does in his "Tarot of the Bohemians'. 

 

My tendency when "with Tarot" is towards the philosophical, theosophical.. I'm from the school that feels okay with believing the Egyptian/Alexandrian/Ptolomeic/Greco-Egyptian frame of reference is a cool way of looking at things for when contextualising the Tarot, and I tend towards the French side of things. There's just something very special about late 18th century/early 19th occultism from France.

 

As I'm an artist (academic painter way long ago) I started working on a deck some time ago, one of the things I'm bringing with me to this place. I sincerely hope to be able to reflect on it with those interested here. It's about 3/4 done and is still very much in development. This deck is the result of my studies into French occultism, more precisely Papus and to a lesser degree Levi. Somewhere along the way digesting the stuff I read translated into images and a deck system that was unique in some ways. So it felt natural to start the tedious labor of creating 78 Photoshop documents and start filling out those blanks 😉

 

It is how ever a heavily abstract deck I'll warn in advance.. not much to go by but that has very specific reasons which in time I trust will prove refreshing and liberating to some who get the swing of it. I'll be posting it later to the appropriate section provides there is one on this forum. It become my life's work these days/months/year and hope to get some mental exchange going 🥰

 

Oh yeah, I go by the moniker 'Monk', I'm a Monkey (1980), actually Sagittarius Monkey. 

 

So is love to get acquainted with all of you! I hope I'll find some people here that I can share my thoughts with as that is what I miss and lack most being a Tarotist.. I guess we all know up to a certain extent the relative shadow we operate in.. I sincerely hope to find a warm nest here ❤️

 

Namaste,

 

Monk

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by Monk
Added info

[Albadawn]

Welcome to the forum @Monk! It sounds like you’ve had a fascinating journey so far, I’m really looking forward to learning more about your perspective. It sounds like you’ve done a huge amount of study and I’m sure that will make for lots of interesting discussion!

 

Looking forward to seeing your deck creation too - we do have a section on the forum for that which I believe you’ve already found so I’m going to head over there and have a look! 😁

 

All of our forum sections have pinned threads with guidelines about what belongs there, I’m sure you’ll be comfy in the nest in no time 🥰

 

Best wishes

Dawn

[Monk]

7 minutes ago, Albadawn said:

Welcome to the forum @Monk! It sounds like you’ve had a fascinating journey so far, I’m really looking forward to learning more about your perspective. It sounds like you’ve done a huge amount of study and I’m sure that will make for lots of interesting discussion!

 

Looking forward to seeing your deck creation too - we do have a section on the forum for that which I believe you’ve already found so I’m going to head over there and have a look! 😁

 

All of our forum sections have pinned threads with guidelines about what belongs there, I’m sure you’ll be comfy in the nest in no time 🥰

 

Best wishes

Dawn

Dawn,

 

Thank you, and yes I did although I made a bit of a false start.. the images won't show up in the deck creation thread.. trying to fix that as we speak..

 

 

[HOLMES]

I am a layman reader here, never finished high school so i am impressed by your knowledge. 

 

I wonder what types of tarot you like.  if the voyager tarot interested you?. 

It is a busy deck to me. But maybe was up your alley with the psychology behind it.

Or do you prefer more tradition pip based tarot like prewaite.

 

Are you interested at all in the lenormand ?kipper? 

 

Welcome !! 

[Delta]

Welcome @Monk! That's a great introduction. I recently acquired Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, and Kybalion. I'm a bit all over the place as I'm just learning about Magic but it's given me so much hope lately. Great to see more artists on the forum, can't wait to see your deck. 😊

[Monk]

15 minutes ago, HOLMES said:

I am a layman reader here, never finished high school so i am impressed by your knowledge. 

 

I wonder what types of tarot you like.  if the voyager tarot interested you?. 

It is a busy deck to me. But maybe was up your alley with the psychology behind it.

Or do you prefer more tradition pip based tarot like prewaite.

 

Are you interested at all in the lenormand ?kipper? 

 

Welcome !! 

Hi @Holmes

 

I have been able to focus on just Tarot for now, did not get into Lenormand yet, or Kipper. I am focussing on Tarot pre Waite for now, and am getting aware of my preference for the late 19th / early 20th century stuff from France.

There's no real words that can describe why as its reasons are still in the (benign) shadows. You mentioned if I prefer pip based minors, well yes and no 🙂 I do like the astrological correspondences in some card faces turn into images. This is what happens with Thoth and RWS..  I do however also like the approach of Marseille with pips, one will need a good study of the references for that which I try to accumulate or 'project other systems onto the pips' for which they themselves lend quite well. 

 

Namaste

Monk

[Monk]

1 hour ago, Delta said:

Welcome @Monk! That's a great introduction. I recently acquired Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, and Kybalion. I'm a bit all over the place as I'm just learning about Magic but it's given me so much hope lately. Great to see more artists on the forum, can't wait to see your deck. 😊

Hi @Delta

 

Those are two fine books you got, Agrippa is A thick pill to swallow but you should see it as a reference work that will come in handy for aeons to come 🙂

 

The Kybalion however you must read every night from cover to cover. At least for the first 4 years to come. Period 

No just kidding 🙂  So cool to have found someone also into this book.

 

That stuff is just so profound. I was not into religion at all until I read that masterpiece. What I mean to say is that I finally found reconciliation with creation and the Higher Being - THE ALL.

Do you have the 100th Anniversary edition with guilt edges? In the introduction are references to the other two of THREE INITIATES, the other being W.W. Atkinson that actually wrote the Kybalion. (his book Mind Power is great too if you are into Mental Alchemy/Magic..

 

Namaste

Monk

 

edit: actually when you are reading: do also read works by M.P Hall, especially his' The Secret Teachings Of All Ages. Which is very good at tying all the loose ends together.

Papus' work: Elementary Treatise Of Occult Science is a must aswel!

And do read Bardon's : Initiation Into Hermetics which is widely regarded as THE book to read after the Kybalion..  

 

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by Monk

[Saturn Celeste]

10 hours ago, Monk said:

Oh yeah, I go by the moniker 'Monk', I'm a Monkey (1980), actually Sagittarius Monkey. 

I did wonder about your name!  I'm Aquarius Sheep.  Welcome to the forum!!

[Monk]

57 minutes ago, Saturn Celeste said:

I did wonder about your name!  I'm Aquarius Sheep.  Welcome to the forum!!

@Saturn Celeste Indeed, Monk is derived from monkey 🙂 I actually more identify with the Monkey than being a Sagittarian. Even though they greatly cross-amplify character traits.

In part I have come to feel that being a Monkey is a pass for free towards my more playful side, even when I know I shouldn't but is so nice to just say yes to anyways.

 

🤝 Monk  

[joy]

Hello @Monkwelcome to the TT&M Family Great introduction will go and check out your deck creation!

[Delta]

On 4/19/2021 at 1:22 PM, Monk said:

Hi @Delta

 

Those are two fine books you got, Agrippa is A thick pill to swallow but you should see it as a reference work that will come in handy for aeons to come 🙂

 

The Kybalion however you must read every night from cover to cover. At least for the first 4 years to come. Period 

No just kidding 🙂  So cool to have found someone also into this book.

 

That stuff is just so profound. I was not into religion at all until I read that masterpiece. What I mean to say is that I finally found reconciliation with creation and the Higher Being - THE ALL.

Do you have the 100th Anniversary edition with guilt edges? In the introduction are references to the other two of THREE INITIATES, the other being W.W. Atkinson that actually wrote the Kybalion. (his book Mind Power is great too if you are into Mental Alchemy/Magic..

 

Namaste

Monk

 

edit: actually when you are reading: do also read works by M.P Hall, especially his' The Secret Teachings Of All Ages. Which is very good at tying all the loose ends together.

Papus' work: Elementary Treatise Of Occult Science is a must aswel!

And do read Bardon's: Initiation Into Hermetics which is widely regarded as THE book to read after the Kybalion..  

 

 

Agrippa I will probably read for the rest of my days, slowly. I was looking for the separated editions, but they're over a €100 so I'm sticking to my 1000 pages book. Just opening the thing feels like a ritual, lol. It's a great reference book though.

 

Oh I haven't started the Kybalion yet, just got it recently. (I have the centenary edition, yes. It's lovely. 🙂 )
My partner suggested I start with something a bit easier to read, so I'm reading High Magick by Damien Echols at the moment. I'm watching a lot of his videos, too, when I need a break from the books.

 

There's so much to learn. I find it all very exciting but a bit hard to navigate so I'm all over the place at the moment. Thanks for the recommendations, Monk! I could definitely use tying loose ends together.

[Monk]

3 hours ago, Delta said:

Agrippa I will probably read for the rest of my days, slowly. I was looking for the separated editions, but they're over a €100 so I'm sticking to my 1000 pages book. Just opening the thing feels like a ritual, lol. It's a great reference book though.

 

Oh I haven't started the Kybalion yet, just got it recently. (I have the centenary edition, yes. It's lovely. 🙂 )
My partner suggested I start with something a bit easier to read, so I'm reading High Magick by Damien Echols at the moment. I'm watching a lot of his videos, too, when I need a break from the books.

 

There's so much to learn. I find it all very exciting but a bit hard to navigate so I'm all over the place at the moment. Thanks for the recommendations, Monk! I could definitely use tying loose ends together.

Kybalion was one of the first books I read after identifying that Hermetic Philosophy is my true field of interest. Before that I did scarcely read into esoteric literature. I must say that I am thankful it was my establishing shot on the matter. The stuff thats in there is knowledge that is at the root of things, at least in my personal worldview. W.W. Atkinson (aka the Three Initiates) did a good job writing a very accessible treatise on the basics of Hermetic Philosophy, very inspiring and not such a heavy load on the brain as for instance Agrippa, Levi or even worse Crowley. Still, what I remember most of the Kybalion is the feeling of profoundness it inspired in me. I sincerely wish you may experience the same ❤️

 

Namaste,

Monk

Edited April 21, 2021 by Monk
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