B.O.T.A. Paul F. Case

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Dec 2001, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Freddie	01 Dec 2001
I located a second hand book titled "The tarot : A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages" by Paul Foster Case and I'm finding it to be a good read. He tells a few of A.E. Waite's tarot secrets in this book and explains why Waite "really" changed the order (card numbers) on the major arcana. He also gives some numerology info that I find very helpful. At any rate, this book contains the pictures of the B.O.T.A. major arcana. I'm kind of through with collecting tarot decks, but I admit some of the cards to this "do it yourself" deck are right on the bullseye, at least in my humble opinion. I won't be getting one though. The "Strength" card just knocks me out. The big lion with it's jaws wide open just really speaks to me, plus it just plain pretty. I like "The Star" and "Temperance" also. What does everyone else think? Freddie

jmd	01 Dec 2001
I too like both his book(s) and his deck (though I still prefer Marseilles type decks!) You can see how it derives from Waite's deck, except that he 'returns' to the earlier depiction of Death (not on a horse) and the Sun (again not on a horse, and two figures, not one). He otherwise follows Colman Smith's depictions of the Waite deck, and uses Golden Dawn Hebrew letter and astrological correspondences. For those who haven't seen a complete deck, note that the pips are not depicted with scenes, but, for example, eight cups are just that: eight cups! A number of years ago (in the 80s), I coloured in a small deck following BOTA suggestions, and also painted-in a larger version of the same (Majors only). I cannot recommend enthusiastically enough how useful I found this to be. A couple of years earlier I had designed my own deck, but still found Case's work wonderful. On the same note, you may want to check Lotterhand's The Thursday Night Tarot, which arises from a workgroup using Case's Tarot and work (I'll double check the spelling of the title and author later and modify this if incorrect). If you like it Freddie, get yourself a full deck (even if you've stopped collecting... consider this one a study edition!)

Talisman	01 Dec 2001
Freddie, 'Fraid I don't know anything about the philosophy behind this deck, but I do have it. The deck (or, at least the version I have) has not been finished and is very inexpensive. I think I bought mine for $6 (US). The reason I got it was that I wanted to color it. I use a tiny Winsor & Newton pocket watercolor set. This is a fun project when you're alone and watching football or something on television. I figure, at the rate I'm going, that about 2013 I'll have a completely handpainted Tarot deck. And may even learn something about Tarot in the process. It's fun, for example, to think about what colors The Empress really should be. While watching sports. Here's a tip. You can buy expensive fixitive spray at art stores. Or, you can go to a discount store and buy the cheapest, generic hairspray you can. (Think beehive hairdos.) Don't spray directly on the surface, spray obliquely. This is not quite lamination, but that hairspray stuff is industrial strength. I'm sorry. I'd like to know about the B.O.T.A. deck also. Talisman

numbrel	02 Dec 2001
Quote: Freddie (02 Dec, 2001 13:20): He tells a few of A.E. Waite's tarot secrets in this book and explains why Waite "really" changed the order (card numbers) on the major arcana. Freddie, can you give us a quick summary? numbrel

Major Tom	03 Dec 2001
Quote: jmd (02 Dec, 2001 13:55): I cannot recommend enthusiastically enough how useful I found this to be. A couple of years earlier I had designed my own deck, but still found Case's work wonderful. On the same note, you may want to check Lotterhand's The Thursday Night Tarot , which arises from a workgroup using Case's Tarot and work (I'll double check the spelling of the title and author later and modify this if incorrect). If you like it Freddie, get yourself a full deck (even if you've stopped collecting... consider this one a study edition!) I'm going to echo this recommendation as well as thank you for it. :-) My mother introduced me to Paul Foster Case's work - she'd gone as far as to take BOTA courses by correspondence. Many years ago I coloured in the 22 Major Arcana with coloured pencil. That was the first step towards Major Tom's Tarot. }> I'll definitely check out Thursday Night Tarot. :-)

Freddie	03 Dec 2001
Quote: numbrel (03 Dec, 2001 00:33): Quote: Freddie (02 Dec, 2001 13:20): He tells a few of A.E. Waite's tarot secrets in this book and explains why Waite "really" changed the order (card numbers) on the major arcana. Freddie, can you give us a quick summary? numbrel Waite switched tarot keys eight (Justice) and eleven (Strength) due to the astrological sign of numbers. Case states that eight is Leo (Lion) and eleven is Libra (the scales) and states the change was justified. He says Waite had access to many occult documents that others did not have while making the R/W pack. The "color it yourself" idea sounds like a good one. I don't own it, but would still like a Albano Waite deck for this reason alone. If I wanted to paint the sky green, the lion deep red, or the crayfish purple, why not? It seems to me that the coloring of a deck may be the first thing I look for in considering using it. A little contrast is good for stirring the subconscious, I think, but sometimes it can be taken too far (for me anyway). I pretty much agree with Case's coloring instructions also. It would be great to see some of the B.O.T.A. cards people on here have done. Maybe I'll get a major arcana set to try. I'm not that good at art, but I always wished I was so I could do my own major twenty two deck. LOL...... Freddie

Kiama	03 Dec 2001
Unfortunatey, the only BOTA deck I have which I can colour in is in Amber Jayanti's book, 'Living The Tarot'. She talks about each Major Arcana card, and there is a pciture of each BOTA deck Major, for you to colour in. I've only done the Empresso far, and started the Star, but I really would like to get the actual deck. Kiama

Kaz	05 Dec 2001
Quote: My mother introduced me to Paul Foster Case's work - she'd gone as far as to take BOTA courses by correspondence. Many years ago I coloured in the 22 Major Arcana with coloured pencil. That was the first step towards Major Tom's Tarot. }> I'll definitely check out Thursday Night Tarot. :-) MajorTom, This BOTA thing, are they rosecrucians, based on christian beliefs, what are they? Like the idea of coloring your own deck though. Kaz

Strange2	06 Dec 2001
Quote: Kaz (06 Dec, 2001 08:22): This BOTA thing, are they rosecrucians, based on christian beliefs, what are they? Like the idea of coloring your own deck though. Kaz Here's a link to the official Builders of the Adytum web site: http://www.bota.org/ Some quick quotes: - "Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A.) is a non-profit, tax-exempt religious organization irrevocably dedicated to spiritual attunement through enlightened worship in the Tradition of the Western Mysteries." - "Its system is that of the Western Tradition. Its teachings... are based on the Holy Qabalah and the Sacred Tarot." - "B.O.T.A. accepts the Qabalah as the mystical root of both ancient Judaism and the original Christianity, but people of all faiths should have no difficulty accepting B.O.T.A. teachings if they are mystically inclined." I have just started the BOTA correspondence courses myself, and am looking forward to the studies.

Major Tom	06 Dec 2001
Thanks for that Strange2. :-)

Freddie	06 Dec 2001
Good info strange2. I like their website alot. They had a Christmas celebration Dec 2 in Chicago that I would've like to have attended. The Paul Foster Case book I have is just so great that I am going to start reading some of the other B.O.T.A. books also. Case is the most underrated "tarot writer" in my new opinion. I didn't know who he was when I bought the book, that's sad. Freddie

jmd	06 Dec 2001
Is Case under-rated? He may not be well known to some, but I think he tends to be very highly rated by many, even by those who may disagree with him on points. All his books are quite excellent...

Kiama	07 Dec 2001
I recently was told that the BOTA deck is out of print. Is this true?! Kiama *Panicking*

Freddie	13 Dec 2001
If you go to the B.O.T.A. site they sell the deck in a few different sets. You can even buy just the major arcana for somewhere around $5.00. It could be out of print for all I know though. freddie

Jewel	14 Dec 2001
Thank you so much for making this original post Freddie. I had been wondering and tempted by the B.O.T.A. deck for a while (since I cannot draw but can color real well). Anyway I am getting the book you mentioned and the deck for Yule!!! YAY!!! I am really looking forward to the experience! By the way Kiama, the deck is not out of print. Love & Light,

Kaleidoscope Eyes	13 Jan 2002
* * * Kaz asked (back in December): "This BOTA thing, are they rosecrucians, based on christian beliefs, what are they? * * * I regret I didn't notice this thread until now. My tarot "thinking" is extremely influenced by the work of Paul Foster Case and B.O.T.A. As for your question, Kaz, here's a link to an excellent page containing more information than you'll ever need on various Rosicrucian groups, including B.O.T.A. The author says of the groups listed that they are the "most reputable representants of the neo-Rosicrucian current of this century."

Kaleidoscope Eyes	13 Jan 2002
Duhhhh! Forgot to include the link... heh-heh. http://www.levity.com/alchemy/rosi_grp.html

The B.O.T.A. Paul F. Case thread was originally posted on 01 Dec 2001 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.