How to easily use non illustrated pips ( from the Knapp Hall method)

Queen of Pentacle

Knapp-Hall Tarot Method

Many tarot reader avoid Marseille tarot because of the non illustrated pips, and they are note very convivial or easy.

Manley Hall did have a very easy method to use (and remember) the pips. Unfortunately, this is not in his Book “the Tarot an essay”, but one can find it in the little white booklet coming with his so lovely and unusual “Knapp-Hall tarot

It is a very complete little white book of 36 pages. I wont reproduce it (copyright wise…) but just give you the “EASY TO USE” pip method.

I’ll put apart Majors, court cards divination and all specific cards meaning, this you probably already know or may can found elsewhere.

The minor arcane is divided in four sequence or suits.

1- - the SCEPTERS (Wands) represent enterprise and success
2- - the CUPS represent love, happiness and emotion.
3- - the SWORDS reprensent hatred and misfortune (I’d prefer toughs)
4- - and the PENTACLES represent money, and material business

Its is quite close to the standard method, and you may very ell use your own specifications

THE EASY HALL 3 WORDS PIPS METHOD
(surely Manly Hall would hate this title… )

Then to use the pip method you put aside the 10, which is the sum of all influences of the suits, and you divide the card from Ace tot 9 in 3 parts

1 The first group (ace, 2 and 3 is the “commencement”, the beginning of the suit.
2 The second group (4-5 and 6 ) is the “opposition” of the suit
3 The last group (7, 8 and 9) is the “equilibrium” of the suit.

Remember these 3 words: “commencement” “opposition” and “equilibrium”

In every of the 3 groups, they are tree cards,
1 Once again the firs one is “commencement””
2 The second of each group is “opposition”
4 The last of each group is “ equilibrium”

So you have

Ace BEGINNING of Beginning (remember it is the first group)
2 OPPOSITION of Beginning
3 EQUILIBRIUM of Beginning
4 BEGINNING of Opposition (we’re in the second group)
5 OPPOSITION of Opposition
6 EQUILIBRIUM of Opposition
7 BEGINNING of Equilibrium (as we’re in the third group)
8 OPPOSITION of Equilibrium
9 EQUILIBRIUM of Equilibrium

And you had the 10 which, as said in the beginning is the sum of all influences in the suit, and so it is “neutral”.

As you guess, beginning mark an idea, an beginning. The opposition mark an obstacle, an opposition and the equilibrium mark the harmony.

As an example, 4 of sword is the beginning of opposition in the word of sword, so a rest, a retreat form the hatred or the ideas sword may mean. In the 5 of sword, one “oppose” to the opposition, so do hi best to go trough the opposition, look for a way to make his way. In the 6 of sword, the equilibrium of opposition, one may goes away or change his view, to bypass the opposition.

According to Manly Hall this 3 words method is sufficient for one to explain all the minors. It may be not very juicy explanation, but dealing with pip (or even whith illustrated minor, and having a blank, it may give some way to understand the card)

As many Marseille readers, (Wirth and Papus oriented), Hall seems to think that minors are somewhat mundane, but isn’t everyday life mundane too? At least, his method give some easy cue to plain pips.

Queen of Pentacle

(Being French speaking, please pardon my faults and misspelling)
 

AJ

Thank you very much for taking the time to do this, I appreciate it!
 

Queen of Pentacle

My pleasure!

If ever you try this method, let me know!

I do not use fluently, it but from time to time, It help me with a specific card.

By the way, looking at your collection I wonder if you should'nt add the Victorian Romantic tarot to your wisklist, it is superb.

You may give a glance at http://www.victorianromantic.com/Majors1.htm.

Take care
 

shaveling

Actually, I think this method was first published in French, in Papus' Tarot of the Bohemians. I use it all the time, and like it a lot. The system is simple, as it was meant to be. It makes more sense to me than the other interpretations of numbers I've read. And in my opinion, fits very well with the patterns the pips make in the TdM.

If you read the thread on Paul's Tiered Minor Arcana System you'll also see it forms his first tier of interpretation. But he goes on from there to many other layers of interpretation. So the quality of simplicity of this first tier is a bit overwhelmed by the richness of the other tiers.

I'm glad to see other people using my chosen method of reading the numbers. I had no idea Knapp and Hall had recommended it. That's good to know.
 

Granville

Thank you QofP. That is a very handy little tip. I definitely intend to put this to use as another way of looking at any deck (illustrated pip or not).
 

Queen of Pentacle

Thanks Granville,
Let me know id you enjoy it!
 

LixiPixi

Queen of Pentacle - that was fantastic! Thank you so much for taking the time to type that out and share it with us. You have provided me with a simple method to use most especially for the very "lightly" illustrated pips. I haven't began to work with the TdM's yet, but I do have a few decks that have very little illustrated pips like the Old English Tarot and the Nigel Jackson especially. I have printed this out and will study and apply it whenever I can.

Thank you again!

LP~
 

Emily

I also struggle with Marseille pip cards and I haven't seen this method before. Thanks for posting this QoP. :)
 

Esee

This is so timely

Thank you so much for sharing. This is just what I need at this time. As someone said, some of the books and posts go a bit to deep (for me).
 

Queen of Pentacle

My pleasure Esee!
I prefered really the Knapp-Hall deck "little white book" than the whole Manly Hall "the tarot an essay book".