Color Symbolism

Poor Wandering One

Yes, Case writes far more clearly than Waite. The book is just on the Major Arcana and goes deeply into all the symbols on each card. There's minimal information on divination as it focuses on the wisdom teachings of each card.

That might be just the ticket then. At this point in my tarot journey, I'm primarily interested in the wisdom teachings for study and meditation, rather than divination. Whether I'll resonate with what Case has to say--well, I won't know that until I actually read him. So thanks again for the tip.
 

Teheuti

Yes, I can understand that. What I find puzzling, though, is that the first lesson in the Tarot School correspondence course talks about the woman in the two of swords wearing blue and white. I'm looking at the card right now--she isn't wearing blue and white. She's wearing white with shades of gray.
The Universal Waite is not an original PCS/Waite deck. It was recolored by Mary Hanson-Roberts and the colorings do vary - sometimes considerably. Also a few details were changed or are not clear. For instance, she didn't notice the letters PAX in the stained glass window of the 4 of Swords. I can't find my Universal Waite right now so I don't know how much blue made its way into the gown but it doesn't appear to have been much in the online photos.

I suggest you do an image google search on: 2 of Swords Waite, to see all the variations.
 

ravenest

This is very much the sense I'm getting in what I've studied so far. Given that color fidelity is so hit and miss when dealing with cards printed via a variety of methods that span decades, I'm not altogether convinced that the symbolism of the card is as relevant as it seems. With printing anomalies, it seems very easy to assign a great deal of import to a color or detail that wasn't even part of the original image and is only an artifact introduced somewhere in process of mass marketing cards.

Well , I was going to leave you in the quagmire of 'go look it up in the Thoth threads' but ...

One hits the same problem. Even scrupulously following the colour schemes and using the same range of paints and colour names the as the artist used ... sometimes it just looks crap.

The execution requires some artistic license (IMO the same goes for any magical art - mandalas, talismans, etc. ).

To study and understand colour correspondences (as weird as this might sound) I believe it is better to do it 'in the mind' ... ie, from the text, as one can make any colour in the mind a lot easier than mixing it and again a LOT easier than getting the colour right in printing.

Text ? ? ?

Try this one: http://www.koyotetheblind.com/library/Libers/liber777 (revised).pdf

page 75 (XV) - 85.
 

ravenest

That might be just the ticket then. At this point in my tarot journey, I'm primarily interested in the wisdom teachings for study and meditation, rather than divination. ...

Ahhh , well then, thats given for free :)
 

Poor Wandering One

Maybe they are just good old fashioned wrong.

This is, in fact, my suspicion. Though, I can see how they can see blue in that image you posted--which just leads to my other suspicion, that's it's easy to assign importance and to see links to other cards through image details that were never part of the original work in the first place. Given that, I don't know that I'll find the color symbolism all that important. Or maybe I'll get attached to an imaginary detail that will mean a great deal to me that nobody else would notice or care about. I find other people's interpretations of cards interesting, but ultimately, if tarot is going to be a personal tool for introspection, then the details are only as meaningful as I can find meaning in them.

At this point in my studies, I am interested in the intended meanings of the symbols. Whether I'll actually find any of that personally meaningful of not is another matter entirely.
 

Poor Wandering One

The Universal Waite is not an original PCS/Waite deck. It was recolored by Mary Hanson-Roberts and the colorings do vary - sometimes considerably. Also a few details were changed or are not clear. For instance, she didn't notice the letters PAX in the stained glass window of the 4 of Swords. I can't find my Universal Waite right now so I don't know how much blue made its way into the gown but it doesn't appear to have been much in the online photos.

I suggest you do an image google search on: 2 of Swords Waite, to see all the variations.

Oh, yes, I did Google search--that lead me further down the proverbial rabbit hole. It's not a major concern of mine--just a curiosity. Even if it were clearly blue in the RWS decks I have, I don't think that detail would mean very much to me.
 

Poor Wandering One

Ahhh , well then, thats given for free :)

Ultimately, you are right. A journey inward is always taken alone--and no matter what props I may have at my disposal (or how much they cost), they don't actually come with me. I'm of the mind that nothing has intrinsic value or meaning. Value and meaning is assigned by us.
 

ravenest

The Universal Waite is not an original PCS/Waite deck. It was recolored by Mary Hanson-Roberts and the colorings do vary - sometimes considerably. Also a few details were changed or are not clear. For instance, she didn't notice the letters PAX in the stained glass window of the 4 of Swords. I can't find my Universal Waite right now so I don't know how much blue made its way into the gown but it doesn't appear to have been much in the online photos.

I suggest you do an image google search on: 2 of Swords Waite, to see all the variations.

Already did a short one .... its usually an off white robe. Lets see .... white robe , blindfolded, swords ? ? ? It probably has an 'inner meaning' ?


http://images.dangerousminds.net/uploads/images/bartDIStancewddwd.jpg
 

Teheuti

ravenest

This is, in fact, my suspicion. Though, I can see how they can see blue in that image you posted--which just leads to my other suspicion, that's it's easy to assign importance and to see links to other cards through image details that were never part of the original work in the first place. Given that, I don't know that I'll find the color symbolism all that important. Or maybe I'll get attached to an imaginary detail that will mean a great deal to me that nobody else would notice or care about. I find other people's interpretations of cards interesting, but ultimately, if tarot is going to be a personal tool for introspection, then the details are only as meaningful as I can find meaning in them.

At this point in my studies, I am interested in the intended meanings of the symbols. Whether I'll actually find any of that personally meaningful of not is another matter entirely.

Then I would NOT suggest Waite ... he felt he had to deliberately mask the meaning of the more important ones .... or just put them there with no real comment.

Besides, if you want a wisdom teaching, why choose Waite's ? Do you even know what it is ? I dont . Well, I have a bit of an idea, but IMO its a big mish-mash of his teachings, dreams, insights, illusions and mixed up with repressed Catholicism, which he embraced and modified at the same time and requires navigation through obscure and masked Waitesville. * I'd suggest, if you want a wisdom tarot teaching to use GD, Thoth, or another related deck (maybe Case's or even Mythic).

* If you do want to take that journey , I suggest you get some background on 'his tradition'. Maybe start here ? > http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=213285