The Steps To The Crown - Any Information available?

Elven

Steps To The Crown by Arthur E Waite.
I have been reading through this book (carefully ;)) and notice there are many words that are used which I have seen used in the interpretstion of the Tarot.
I understand some of them would have been the language of the 'time' - but
soe draw me to aligning them with the interpretations of the cards ...

There are also some aphorisms which speak to me aligned with the Tarot - such as ...
"The Cup of bitterness ceases to exist for him who has drunk from the challice of immortality".
I see this in the Ace of Cups.

Is there a study or a comparisson that I can read about this book and Tarot - I know very little about it - except I think it was printed in 1906 and after the Hidden Church of The Holy Grail - as long as I have the order of books he wrote correct.

Any help on or with this book and its aphorisms?

Blessings Elven x
 

Teheuti

Elven said:
Steps To The Crown by Arthur E Waite.
I have been reading through this book (carefully ;)) and notice there are many words that are used which I have seen used in the interpretation of the Tarot.
I have most of Waite's books but not this one. IMHO Waite had an integrative mind. As I perceive it, he saw all his subjects as aspects of one subject - the Secret Tradition - so it is not unusual to find phrases and images that match the cards.

Personally the Tarot is my pigeon-holing system for everything I experience. I believe it was the same with Waite - with the addition for him of the Tree of Life (which, for me, is secondary to the Tarot). I could imagine that this book is structured in terms of the Tree of Life (steps to Kether, the Crown) - although I haven't seen the format.

"The Cup of bitterness ceases to exist for him who has drunk from the challice of immortality".
I see this in the Ace of Cups.
Me, too. Without a doubt.

Is there a study or a comparisson that I can read about this book and Tarot - I know very little about it - except I think it was printed in 1906 and after the Hidden Church of The Holy Grail. [/QUOTE]

It was published three years before the Graal book (1909 - same year as the Tarot deck). Waite seems to have had an incredible memory, so I'm sure those beloved aphorisms would have been with him in everything he wrote.

I know of very few people who've read much Waite (understandably). I tried to have an in-depth line-by-line discussion of parts of PKT here a year or so back and very few people responded. I said I would continue only as long as there was discussion from others, so when that died out I stopped.

After reading so much of his stuff I have quite an admiration for Waite and his ideas - although I certainly don't agree with everything. Also, I can see the depth of meaning he deliberately infused into the symbolism of the RWS Majors. P.F. Case did a brilliant job of elucidating much of it and making it practical and applicable to the person on the street, but there is far more that's specifically in there that's not yet been revealed.

Mary
 

Skydancer

... but there is far more that's specifically in there that's not yet been revealed.
Could you elaborate on this?
You mean, other than what is in the PKT (which I have) or other books he's written?

Didn't know you had had a study going then. I wan't around for a while. But the cards were always in my mind, just not in my hands. They're friends. And no, I don't mean any one specific deck; after a while they all meld together into a ... thought system? Would that be the right way to describe it??

Is that what you meant about seeing life in terms of tarot??

*S*
 

Teheuti

Skydancer said:
Could you elaborate on this?
Regarding "not yet been revealed". I just mean all the references to symbols that Waite had in mind that no one has yet pointed out - whether found in PKT or his other works or in works that he obviously referenced. See my last couple of threads in this category for examples. Or my article on Waite's sources for the Minor Arcana in Llewellyn's 2006 Tarot Reader. Or Bob O'Neill's "Sources for the Waite-Smith Tarot" (google O'Neill+Tarot+Sources if you aren't familiar with it).

after a while they all meld together into a ... thought system? Would that be the right way to describe it??
Is that what you meant about seeing life in terms of tarot??
Actually I called it a pigeon-holing system. It's a way for me to organize and relate similar concepts. You might say that for Waite there is a "thought system," although his is not the same as mine.

Mary
 

Skydancer

Actually ... my 2006 Tarot Reader arrived a few days ago!!

*S*
 

Elven

Hi Teheuti and Skydancer :)

The references I have about this book are from another thread I posted _ I'll have to go get them and come back and edit - I would like to study this book in depth - as there are many aphorisms which are elusive, yet he must have been concluded or formed in a learned mindset to write them. He had wit, yet there is also some deeper revelations in the quotes, yet again they dont reveal their 'context' but there is definately a 'source' from where they manifest ...

There are hints and clues in this book which illustrate a window to his teachings, his thoughts and his intentions - I feel at this point the cards where 'with him' yet not manifested - maybe he was making some ordered form - and maybe that form is like a blueprint in the book. These are just some of my thoughts.

The references in the PKT (at the back) are very interesting, and I am keeping my eye out for any reference to them in the bookshops here (we have some of the best for old books anywhere) - some have come along - and I have had them put away - but they have 'disappeared' - one from Levi even :( ... Though there is a copy of the Secret Doctrines a 2 volume book which is out of my purse range - yet not 'that expensive' ...

Ahh - found the thread
Steps To The Crown - ATF Book forum

Teheuti - amongst that thread, there is a book publisher which has reproduced Waites work - also the Steps to the Crown - there is also a link to copies on ebay as well.
Rosanne suggested contacting the IOWA chapter as they have his writings as well.

This little book came to me for a reason, and I think I might open a thread to discuss the aphorisms - as long as I can get a basic knowledge of where the book has come from and why it was written to give the thread some substance to start. There are some beautiful 'additional' material in there I think which can be aligned with the cards too.


Oh Teheuti - off topic for this thread - but I was looking over some Seth Material (25year Seth student) and came across this ... I was wondering if the write up was correct - I am wanting to have a Seth study as well - and look at comparissons (especially in the field of Science & psychology) from then until now - and look at how the Tarot works from the context of the 'Unknown Reality VI & II', and the 'Individual and the Nature of Mass Events' ... I wondered if you had done any further research into any other Seth/Roberts related material ...

I ahve not read Mirrors as yet, so this may be premature - but was interested at the concept, as this is how I had surmized the relevance of Tarot, and life lessons it held - through the experience - based on the works of Seth, and recognising the Trump meanings in a different perspective. I thought of this when reading your thread on emotionals and the cards. There are others on the board cureently studying Seth as well - and seeing the application to the cards through the life experience.
The Brass ring Book Store said:
http://brassringbooks.com/store4/tarot+fs.htm
Tarot Mirrors
Reflections of Personal Meaning
By Mary K. Greer

This workbook by a Tarot luminary and long-time Seth reader synthesizes principles from Seth and the 19th Century philosopher Papus. It started while Greer was teaching a class and discovered that the 22 chapters of Seth's The Nature of Personal Reality correspond in nearly sequential order with the 22 Tarot trumps! The author intelligently summarizes the Seth material and suggests interpretations for the trumps, according to "Seth's view of reality." This important volume in Greer's bestselling Tarot series presents some powerful layouts and processes for creating one's own reality.


Thankyou both for your replies - something is stirring!

Blessings Elven x
 

Teheuti

Elven -

_Steps to the Crown_ has been on my "to buy" list for quite a while. I buy the Kessinger volumes when I can't get a reasonably priced original.

Thanks for the info on the IOWA chapter of the Masons.

I think I might open a thread to discuss the aphorisms
Please do. I suggest you read _Pictorial Key_ very closely, too.

I am wanting to have a Seth study as well - and look at comparissons (especially in the field of Science & psychology) from then until now - and look at how the Tarot works from the context of the 'Unknown Reality VI & II', and the 'Individual and the Nature of Mass Events'
I am not an expert on the Seth material and have read only some of the books. The period during which I wrote _Tarot Mirrors_ was so filled with synchronicities, including Seth's _Nature of Personal Reality_ that I felt I was walking around in an altered state for months. For right now my focus is elsewhere.

I wondered if you had done any further research into any other Seth/Roberts related material
Not really. I've read other materials and tried to go further but couldn't keep up the interest. Whenever there is competition for my time Tarot always wins!

this is how I had surmized the relevance of Tarot, and life lessons it held - through the experience - based on the works of Seth, and recognising the Trump meanings in a different perspective.
I thought the connections were uncanny and had to be deliberate. I wrote to Jane's husband Rob, to both ask permission to use the material and if they were aware of any connection. He very graciously gave me the permission and said he was unaware of any connection but wasn't surprised.

BTW, I saw the connections because of two things I often do when closely studying a work: I write one to three keywords summarizing important concepts at the top of each page & I take notes in "taroteeze" - I label ideas epitomizing Tarot cards in the margins or top of the page. This enables me to make connections among ideas in different parts of the book that I might not have otherwise seen.

As I mention in _Tarot Mirrors_, I was blown away by how _The Nature of Personal Reality_ seemed to follow the Tarot in perfect sequence, until I came to where the Death card should be. Instead, the book talked about creative life energy. I nearly screamed in frustration, demanding from Seth to know why he broke the sequence. On the next page was my answer (inserted just for my benefit??), which was something to the effect: "You call this creative life energy death." "Thank you, Seth," I said meekly.

Mary
 

Elven

Teheuti said:
I thought the connections were uncanny and had to be deliberate. I wrote to Jane's husband Rob, to both ask permission to use the material and if they were aware of any connection. He very graciously gave me the permission and said he was unaware of any connection but wasn't surprised.

He does seem very gracious indeed - as I also have a note next to me to contact him and ask permission to use the material in the books. It was a real treat for me to see that you had picked this up - meant to be!!

Teheuti said:
BTW, I saw the connections because of two things I often do when closely studying a work: I write one to three keywords summarizing important concepts at the top of each page & I take notes in "taroteeze" - I label ideas epitomizing Tarot cards in the margins or top of the page. This enables me to make connections among ideas in different parts of the book that I might not have otherwise seen.

I have done this also :bugeyed: my goodness - with the Seth books I label each paragraph with a keyword - saves me trying to trawl through the alphabetical listings in the back to find a reference for something like dreams and Framework 2 :rolleyes: :p

Teheuti said:
As I mention in _Tarot Mirrors_, I was blown away by how _The Nature of Personal Reality_ seemed to follow the Tarot in perfect sequence, until I came to where the Death card should be. Instead, the book talked about creative life energy. I nearly screamed in frustration, demanding from Seth to know why he broke the sequence. On the next page was my answer (inserted just for my benefit??), which was something to the effect: "You call this creative life energy death." "Thank you, Seth," I said meekly.

Mwaha! Ain't that the way with those books LOL!! I was looking for an explaination for Death and the Fool not long back and said (rather arogantly) "show me!!" and opened the page to this...

"It is not understood that before life an individual decides to live. A self is not simply the accidental personification of the bodys biological mechanism. Each person born desires to be born. He dies when that desire no longer operates. No epidemic or illness or natural disaster - or stray bullet from a murderers gun - will kill a person whoc does not want to die".

To me it is an aspect of the Fool, 'the gap between' - as Life and Death (as choice) shunt together to form the circle of the World.

Thankyou very much for answering the questions on 'Mirrors' - I think theres a deck in that book - Seth inspired creations ... the coresponding Majors would be quite startling and provoking indeed!


Back to the thread topic - I will re-read PKT and Steps To The Crown - and note words from both to start ... some word jump out - like 'hoodwinked' - a wonderful word, a word I see as being a 'pointer' in his texts something further to examine in his cryptic writings.

Thankyou Mary.
Blessings Elven x