the original unedited tarot talk from major tom tarot lovers calenders

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 12 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

HOLMES	12 Apr 2003
i am posting this as the calender is no longer being sold, and so those who have the edit version in the calender can see the differences, and all the mistakes. it was done in one sitting without editing good thing for major tom eheh :O) here we are at a tarot lecture by sir HOLMES. Today he will share some thoughts with us about the tarot and its mysteries. so you all give a big hand for HOLMES . " thank you, thank you, yet today i would like to speak of a differnt topic then was advertised as the truth is no one knows the true mysteries of the tarot, or even where it orginated from. so the topic the tarot and it's mysteries are moot in the sense of origin. one can see though by looking at the tarot and their pictures, that is more then what the pictures are telling. what do the pictures means ? what about the colours? the numbers? what does a pentacle mean ?" Holmes said in his first breath and stopped to gather his thoughts. a student took the chance to ask "well where does they mean," and people looked at him " isn't it true that the artists dictate the colors and the pictures?" " ah yes,, yes,,"Holmes said in a murmur, "you might say that the tarot is like artistic expression of the artists, however the basis has to be somewhere for that expression to take place. the poet knows the letters, words and sentace structure. the mathican knows the rules of math and hwo the system works, and the singers has a trained ear, knows his music theory even to the muscian who has never studied the music which he pratices as he just sings from the heart and the ear and god given talent."the student was going to say something but holmes continue quickly as to not to lose his own train of thought "let us first look at the person who has never studied the tarot and begins to copy the pictures for the use of creation. it first begins copying the drawings, and maybe the colors then the artistic soul of the person begins to see an image in their mind and they don;t know why but they begin to change the colors or expression to make the hermit happier or sadder or more regal. perhaps they make the devil kinder,, yet more devious,, or just a man in black?" he said as he showed them the pictures of the tarot on a slideshow. " but in truth their own life experiences, and artistic expression of the soul are beginning to be channel into that one image. you see every creatation of the tarot is unique, to some based on systems, to some just based on themes. their tarot is just as true as one based on studies as they are reaching their unconsious symbols, and their superconscious archtypes that influence all of us. perhaps they feel that their tarot is not good, or will not work and as they redo their images they begin to feel more in the mode of pure creation and in the artistic spirit they begin to channel true tarot. when i say channel i am refering to the mode we all enter when we begin to create poems, stories, paintings, singing and it feels like the life force of the universe is flowing through us. " holmes stoped to take two breaths and drinks a big glass of water. "so i can create a tarot ?" a student asks meekly scared to be riducled and they all look at him and then me with intent stare. " yes you can all create your own tarot jsut like you can all create your life by your actions for better or worse ultimatly the choices and power lie within you. do i wait til i have 20 years of artististic experience before i try to create a tarot ? yes you could.. you could also wait for 20 years before going to college,, and until you buy the house. the longer you wait the more life passes you by and before you know ,, your a person full of regrets. your a person who can wait til you understand it all ? but in truth does one understand all the mysteries of life ? and if one focuses soley on that then what about the other things in life like love, family, accomplishments.? it is all about balance, never mind that beer comerical guys it is all true" holmes said as he takes a sip of pop. no one said anything for a minute before a student asks " what else can you tell us ? " "well there is learning the tarot,, and learning the tarot ,, and living the tarot. you all know what i mean really. let me refer you to martial artists for a minute. ?? the person can learn martial arts, perhaps learn a few throws, a few blocks, and kind of like joe somebody movie, pratice on evading. such learning will get you throught most situations. there is also the second learning the tarot put into martial arts thoughts as well. this person decided to learn differnt systems of martial arts and so the tarot reader can start to learn many differnt systems of application to the tarot.. and remember guys jeet kune do and jeet kune do concepts were made out of such a study by bruce lee. in truth bruce took the best of all the systems and combined them with his tao philosphy to make an awesome martial art. so such a person can do so with the tarot. i give you the other aspect of this ed parker i believe his name was in kenpo. this person only studied his kenpo system yet studied that which only worked and he did that best by videotaping himself and running it backwards. this can be applied to the tarot as well by a person who starts at the outcome card and start to read backwards based on the outcome card eheh." HOLMES needed a big drink of water after that one. and a studen was trying to grasp what was said and he noticed it and asked " do you got a question ?" " yes you never finished living the tarot yet" the student said. " ah yes that is the martial artist who pratices it every day and applies his own philopshy, it doesn't matter what others say, he just follows his own learning, you can equate that to an old tai chi teacher ,, or better yet to the karate teacher off the karate kid played by pat morita. give me a sec guys " hollmes hit the button on his slideview and a big golden dawn picture showed up. " this was order of golden dawn, a western mystical school who also studied the tarot. while their astrological assocations are based on the astrology of their day, and their knowledge. here we are a hundred years later and know more, like three new planets if you put into astrological aspects. yet their tarot works why ? for their system they created works, and makes logical sense that a person can use that basis for their own inuitive basis as a reader ,, and even a tarot creator. i want you to know this fine people, the two major tarot of the north america are based on the golden dawn and they are called thoth made by alesiter crowley, and rider waite now called rider waite smith by arthur waite, i believe his name was. these two are approaches were almost identical in a sense. they both got artists to do their tarot based on their direction, they both were in golden dawn and expelled though i hear waite went back afterwards. why their tarot is so differnt is the main thing we will explore here" holmes says as he sit down in his chair. " the pips of the rider are illustrated with pictures of every day life, and the pictures of the minor arcana of the thoth are beutifully illustrated pips but not in the pictural sense of the waite deck, however i tell you this ,, they mean the same. as they are both based on the golden dawn assocations still. i am refering to the main 40 minor arcana, not the court cards or the major arcana. and here is my own thoughts, crowley confessed he only knew some cards very good and others he had a vague idea. and so it is with tarot readers as well there will always be on card that you don't understand the depths of ,, and some cards you understand so much that if you see them in a spread you will relate everything to that one card. that has its pluses and minues.. the plus is your can understand the card so well it is like you read the person like a book. the minus is your missing the lessons of the other card. " he said as he took a spun in his chair as his students laughed.

HOLMES	12 Apr 2003
" the best approach is to study every card equally, mediate on the cards,.and to remember no tarot reader is 100 percent accurate, and to say otherwise is wrong. the same goes with any psychic, from edgar, to slvia, to jeane dixon, to john edwards from any divination system. the only thing we can really do is tell the truth, leave them in a postive feeling, and empower them with the knowledge that they control their lives, not their bosses, not some man with a pictchfork, or a person dressed in white robes and a halo over their head to yourself. it is up to the person what forces, and advice they let into their lives. and that is the best we can do" holmes said lookign gravely as the students and they were silent " the thing to leave you off with is what i do. i believe i channel higher information when i read the tarot , yet i know i won't hit all the stuff as i know my mind, their mind, and something we are not suppose to know block us. i am currently studying systems and applying them to the tarot one by one to improve my knowledge of the tarot yet in truth my inuition i feel improves on any system i make. i am a highly postional reader,, yet you guys may be able to just lay out a brunch of cards and see patterns. i approach the reading as a dective i finally realize just so you know there is a dective book out for the tarot based on the rider system,, using colours, and symbols, but i never read it and the reveiws for it hasnt' been that good. but i dont' use colors and symbols in my method, i see the start of the reading as the basis and everything must relate.. and if it contidicts the basis card i find that is in fact a time of confusion and a crossroads for the client of courst that is my method eheh. so i leave you to find yours,wheter it be astrology, numerology, colours and symbols, kabbalah, psychology, if it speaks to you use it,, if it doesn't store it and then try it after, and it repels you, well least you know of the aspects in case you get asked eheh. the books i recomend just based on what i read and i mind you i havne't read all the tarot books in the world muahah, they are 78 degrees to wisdom by rachel pollack. tarot reversals by mary k greer, and i hear tarot for yourself is a prime workbook style book, qabalistic tarot by robert wang, tarot and tree of life, every day wisdom in the minor arcana i do forget the author but you can find it by the title i am sure, and i am so certian that the forthcoming book by mary k greer on the court cards will define them like her book on tarot reversals that it will become a necessity to read, and so i bid you adie" holmes said, waved to the students and walked off the stage.

Diana	19 Apr 2003
The audience sits. No-one claps. Why??? Because we don't want to believe that the talk is really over. Perhaps if we just sit here and stare at Sir Holmes, he will decide to tell us more. So we will not clap until he speaks again. *Diana sits in silence and refuses to budge from her chair, even though the lights have come on again.*

azuremariposa	19 Apr 2003
*azure sits next to Diana, in silence, waiting for HOLMES to continue* :D

HudsonGray	19 Apr 2003
However HudsonGray takes out her cigarette lighter, flips it on & showly moves it back & forth over her head. Waiting for Act 2 (3?). Gotta give the performer SOMETHING as incentive, guys! Intermission break. Go get popcorn.

HOLMES	19 Apr 2003
*is putting on his coat , on the side of the stage when someone says " umm Holmes they not moving " *takes a peek around the corner,, discreetly like as to not let anyone know he is still here * *thinks hard, oh no what am i going to say now * *starts slamming head agianst wall "ouch ouch" says "wait a minute " .. nah *once again starts slamming head agianst wall. "ouch ,ouch " that one hurt ,, ouch " think holmes think "

azuremariposa	19 Apr 2003
LMAO...awwww...but we are your rapt audience...don't hurt yourself for us...unless that's part of the show? ;) we were just looking for more illumination, oh squirrel of light....:D

The the original unedited tarot talk from major tom tarot lovers calenders thread was originally posted on 12 Apr 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.