El Gran Tarot Esoterico

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Sep 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

the_querent	25 Sep 2002
I've had this deck for years now. I noticed that nobody posted about this deck. Anyone out there uses this deck, too? Comments, suggestions or any violent reactions? It would be big help. Thanks.

jmd	25 Sep 2002
I have this deck too, but only use it for comparative purposes. It is worth noting that the deck has been mentioned a couple of times. Once in this thread - but I cannot find the other(s?). As mentioned in that thread and elsewhere, the clear elemental associations of, for example, Cups and Air, is worthy of note!

Maan	25 Sep 2002
I have this deck too, but mine is secondhand and really old and used. I have never used it and i don't think i ever will. But i have used it to look up the pictures when jmd reffered to them ;)

Strange2	25 Sep 2002
I recently became interested in the El Gran Tarot Esoterico after reading Christine Payne-Towler's book "The Underground Stream". I have just started to use this as my primary reading deck, so I can get to know it better. I find the Major Arcana to be quite unique and oddly fascinating, invoking new perspectives on familiar themes. I also like the geometric arrangements in the Minor Arcana pips, particularly on the Pentacles/Disks (very organic!). The very first three card spread I did with this deck gave me three 9's (Cups, Wands, Pentacles), which I thought was quite interesting and powerful!

jmd	26 Sep 2002
Here are two other threads in which I had mentioned this deck - though with incorrect spelling (I used 'esoterica' instead of 'esoterico'). The earlier is the thread Talking Tarot: 'Suits and elements?what happened?', and the other is in a thread which discusses one of my favourite subjects (wait... don't guess!) Tarot Decks: 'marseilles tarots'. As I also mention in this latter thread, I am not that familiar with Payne-Towler's works, but I find her material worth reading as long as one's sceptical nature is simultaneously at play. Having said this, what I do share with her is an interest in the esoteric aspect of the cards - and this deck, El Gran Tarot Esoterico, also has elements which must appeal to those of us with this interest... even if it is only the means through which it may bring the search towards that most esoteric of decks - the

Cerulean	10 Aug 2004
I had a trade credit at a used bookstore in Monterey for a year now and finally we passed through there again from a vacation... I took this deck as one of the trade-ins and noticed the pleasant folkloric minors, including the Swords as Water. Full deck scans: http://www.tarot.com/about-tarot/decks/browsedecks.php?newdeck=8 I'm reading the LWB but there's no real explanation posted in the Fournier design commentary....actually the attributions of swords seem almost a variation of standard meanings I sometimes run across in other decks--although it lists all the minors, including swords from king to ace: Ace - great determination Two - balanced force Three - absence Four - respite Five - conquest Six - travel Seven - new plans Eight - crisis Nine - despair Ten - ruin In the design, I can see the inspiration for the designs of the Trevisan Tarots of the Crystals swords as water. I don't see a copyright date for the Fournier, but I believe the Tarot of the Crystals minors came out in the 1990s. I'm enjoying comparing the design, although the Swords as water is not explained. Perhaps the Underground Stream might have suggestions! Regards

kwaw	11 Aug 2004
Haven't got his deck, but think it of interest in that of occult type decks I believe it was the first to actually use hebrew letter/planetary attributions to be actually found in a version of the SY [though i stand to be corrected on that, if anyone knows different]. Albeit the Gra version, a late 18th century redaction in which the original attributions are changed to better fit in with the Zohar and Lurianic kabbalah. Kwaw

Frank Hall	11 Aug 2004
Yes, the major arcana images are really different! I like the Sun in its unique three spiralling snakes-- brown, red, green-- inside the huge burning sun-disc. The Kabbalistic attributions come out of Papus rather than the Golden Dawn. The Magician ("El Consultante") stands by a lower right aleph. Interestingly, the Fool is decidedly between Judgment ("El Ciclo") and World, by numeration-- 200, 300,400. One of the cards is an amusing puzzle to me : Wheel of Fortune. A standing white bear(!) grasps a tree limb with his right hand and rests his left hand on a golden wheel. Meanwhile, a crowned monkey sits on a treebranch, holding up a child's spinning pinwheel. A two-faced Janus crowns the tree.The white bear?

diane drizzy	11 Aug 2004
This particular deck is next up on my wish list. I like the starkness of the drawings and also like wood cuts. The basic colors in this deck also appeal to me. In fact the first time I saw this deck in a book I really fell for them. Oddly enough I had ordered this deck in the past and it was unavailable at the time. Hmmm.....now for an instant excuse to get them! :D

lionette	12 Aug 2004
I've had this deck since the beginning of the year and haven't used it more than once or twice yet. As others have said, the unusual art drew me righ t in ! Wish there was a book that told more about it for background on its creation and symbolism. Read somewhere that it's steeped in Spanish mythology. Just don't have the time right now to delve into the research myself (that's why it would be so nice to have a companion book at hand!) ... but hopefully by the end of the year I'll be able get started with that. Mari -- let us know if/when you find more ! :)

Cerulean	12 Aug 2004
The Hebrew letter and odd coloring (Black, Red, Green, White) also appears in this deck, distributed by Dal Negro and sometimes available through U.S. Games: http://www.wicce.com/egiziano.html I had found this decks years ago at an out-of-business branch of the Psychic Eye. Ugly deck, but the interesting Etteilla correspondences made it unique. The use of a Hebrew letter assignment and odd colors reminded me of the Esoterico. May just be me. The Esoterico is actually an odd find, but not bad as a trade-in... Regards Cerulean

lionette	12 Aug 2004
Oh no, Cerulean ! I feel a research project coming on ! Comparing this one with Etteilla and Esoterico ! The images in the Egiziano also remind me of those early French divinination decks based on standard playing cards, since the Egiziano also shows little images of the cards. I'd love to know the original date, maybe it's of the same vintage as the French versions ?? But can't be tempted into such study just yet ... job hunting calls more loudly !!

Strange2	13 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lionette Wish there was a book that told more about it for background on its creation and symbolism. Read somewhere that it's steeped in Spanish mythology. In Christine Payne-Towler's book "The Underground Streams: Esoteric Tarot Revealed" she provides some background on the El Gran Tarot Esoterico and Spanish tarot. Exceprts from that book can be found on Tarot.com - Payne Towler Library. In particular, see the articles on the Spanish School and the Major Arcana (click the View PDF links on those pages for more detailed info).

lionette	13 Aug 2004
Thanks very much, Strange2 ! I've looked at the ONeill writings there, but not hers -- yet. Will have a look and report back.

fyreflye	14 Dec 2004
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Cerulean	15 Dec 2004
That is all I have as well. Regards, Cerulean

fyreflye	18 Dec 2004
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fyreflye	18 Dec 2004
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The El Gran Tarot Esoterico thread was originally posted on 25 Sep 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.