The Golden Dawn Tarot by Robert Wang

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Jun 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

BRAM	23 Jun 2002
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/goldendawn/index.html Who own's it? Who likes it (or not?) Any information on this deck is much appreciated! which book (golden dawn or else) would be necessary to read before working with this deck? Thank YOU!!! Bram *I think that I am going to LOVE this deck but, 'the Lovers', for instance...that is such an odd illustration...what does it mean? It looks more like the devil card actually... and why is it ONLY a woman? and a man falling from the sky?

Maan	23 Jun 2002
helllo Bram I don't have the deck but i believe i know what the lovers card is al about. It is the greek myth of Theseus saving ... ( forgotten here name, anyone help me out ? :() You know the story of the head of Medusa etc....

Thirteen	23 Jun 2002
Quote: Originally posted by BRAM http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/goldendawn/index.html Who own's it? Who likes it (or not?) Any information on this deck is much appreciated! which book (golden dawn or else) would be necessary to read before working with this deck? I don't own the deck, but I think it would probably be best to get Robert Wang's amazing book "The Quabalistic Tarot." It's a must have book (IMHO) anyway.

Strange2	23 Jun 2002
I second Thirteen's recommendation on Wang's "The Qabalistic Tarot" book. It compares side-by-side the Golden Dawn Tarot, the Crowley-Harris Thoth deck, the Rider-Waite deck, and the Marseilles Tarot. This book is very informative and a classic! Robert Wang also wrote a smaller book on the deck called "An Introduction to the Golden Dawn Tarot". I have not had a chance to read through this completely yet. It reprints the Book "T", the Golden Dawn source document on Tarot. As far as the Golden Dawn Tarot deck itself, I have mixed feelings. The artwork is not as accomplished or refined as some other decks, but it is effective in its simplicity. I have not read with the deck yet, and so far use it primarily for reference or comparison.

Jeannette	24 Jun 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Maan ...I don't have the deck but i believe i know what the lovers card is al about. It is the greek myth of Theseus saving ... ( forgotten here name, anyone help me out ? :() You know the story of the head of Medusa etc.... Maan: According to Wang, it's actually "Perseus saving Andromeda from the Dragon of fear and the waters of Stagnation." But that was darn close, considering you don't have the deck! I "third" Thirteen's recommendation of The Qabalistic Tarot, with the caveat that it is definitely oriented toward discussing tarot from a Qabalistic point of view (no surprise there, but not everyone approaches tarot from that perspective). But the comparisons it offers between the R/W, Thoth, Golden Dawn, and Marseilles decks is excellent study material. Strange2 mentioned Wang's An Introduction to the Golden Dawn Tarot, which is probably a good book to have for reference if you want to understand about the roots of the Golden Dawn deck in particular. Although it was never available in "published" form before Regardie and Wang, I think it's important to remember that the Golden Dawn deck was actually a precursor to the Rider-Waite, and arguably the major direct influence upon it. I concur with Strange2's comments on the deck in general -- the artwork leaves something to be desired, but the general imagery supplies "a lot for a little." On the other hand, I wouldn't dismiss the deck too quickly as "simplistic." (I realize that "simplicity" and "simplistic" are not the same thing, but I want to underscore that point.) In particular, the majors of the Golden Dawn deck have layers that reveal themselves a little at a time, when studied carefully enough. -- Jeannette http://www.tarotgarden.com

BRAM	27 Jun 2002
Dear Strange2 and Jeanette and/or Lori (like your names! haha!) Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge about the Robert Wang tarot and recommending me these books! I ordered the Golden Dawn Tarot...and I think I really will adore it, since I like simple and meaningfull designs...and I am not in favour of the more colorfull and flashy decks on the market...(maybe because it leaves too little room for me to identify with the cards). I am also very curious about the book 'The Qabalistic Tarot' by Robert Wang. But I am reading a book by Paul Foster Case at the moment..and I need all the time to try to understand that for now! hihi! it's on my wanna read lists! thank you very much for helping me out! Bram

BRAM	27 Jun 2002
more images of The Golden Dawn Tarot http://www.wicce.com/hogd.html and http://www.learntarot.com/gddesc.htm

catlin	27 Jun 2002
I have this deck just for collector's sake but I think I will do a comparative work with RW, Thot, Golden dawn and Marseilles.

jmd	27 Jun 2002
Catlin, if you are going to do a comparative study on the Marseilles, Golden Dawn, Waite/Colman-Smith and Crowley/Harris Thoth, may I suggest you also add the missing link: the Wirth.

AmounrA	27 Jun 2002
I would tip Crowleys 'magick theory and practice book 4'.

catlin	27 Jun 2002
Hi jmd, Argh, why did you remind me that there is still another one missing in my collection?! Ok, I see I have to delay my comparative study until I'll have a Wirth copy, oh dear!

Jewel	27 Jun 2002
I concurr here, Qabalistic Tarot is an excellent book. Like Thirteen I find it a cornerstone in my Tarot library.

BRAM	06 Jul 2002
I got the Tarot of the Golden Dawn 2day! I am thrilled.... Personally, I find the artwork something else!... all cards seem to have their own specific nature! And there is so much mystery yet to be discovered! HappY! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Love! Bram

The The Golden Dawn Tarot by Robert Wang thread was originally posted on 23 Jun 2002 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.