Richard
Waite is hard to read. He packs a great deal of information in almost every sentence. It is very much like technical/scientific writing.
Waite and The Pictorial Key to the Tarot
momentarylight
Re Waite, I do not find him hard to read now though I did in the beginning, preferring then the more descriptive American authors like Pollack in particular. In fact, her book 'A Pictorial Guide to the Tarot' was the first book I purchased. It's a general history and overview for new folk. Lots of pictures.
But as you grow in confidence and knowledge you don't need as many words. That is the beauty of Waite's in my view. It is simple and profound.
This is a personal journey, however, and each to their own path. Get what works for you.
But as you grow in confidence and knowledge you don't need as many words. That is the beauty of Waite's in my view. It is simple and profound.
This is a personal journey, however, and each to their own path. Get what works for you.
agent199
I was referring to Waite.
Zephyros
Aleister Crowley said:
Waite can be very difficult, and not only in retrospect; the above review was written at the time (although to be fair, there is a context there. They hated each other's guts, so the review is far from objective). While he was a great and competent occultist, it is perhaps the case that he was the first "pop new age" author; knowing higher secrets but not seeing the point in divulging them to the general populace. The RWS may not be a dumbed down deck, but the PKT is sorely lacking, which is a shame. The RWS can be studied in-depth, but mainly from satellite sources.
momentarylight
Closrapexa, personally I think the capacity to find Waite's work deeply meaningful depends on one's level of knowledge.
Zephyros
Yes... and Aleister Crowley obviously had none of that
My point is that the PKT isn't the last word on the RWS. On the contrary, one would do well to read it last, after Qabalistic treatises, books on symbolism, Waite's own books such as the one about the Holy Grail and the Golden Dawn's Liber Theta. The PKT is exoteric in nature, and lacks any explanations on the actual structure of the deck. No matter how knowledgeable one is, one cannot create something from nothing; the material simply isn't there. There is other material there, to be sure, and it is very interesting, but it is nothing compared to what could be. Points are alluded to and then never followed up on, as demonstrated by Strength, chosen at random:
A.E. Waite said:
Satisfy myself... no cause for explanation... I'm not arguing the merits or faults of the PKT, but telling anyone they would understand it if only they knew enough... that's the hinting, hinting, hinting Crowley mentioned.
Richard
The interchange of Strength and Justice would take a lot of explaining about the Hebrew mother, double, and simple letters, the Sepher Yetzirah, the Tree of Life, and the Zodiac. Moreover, we know why Waite didn't want to divulge too much information.
ETA. It is unfortunate that Waite felt constrained by the GD oaths, as it makes PKT less useful. However, having just read P. F. Case's The Tarot, I see that Case also glosses over the Qabalistic significance of the Trumps. This was a real disappointment, but the book is still insightful.
ETA. It is unfortunate that Waite felt constrained by the GD oaths, as it makes PKT less useful. However, having just read P. F. Case's The Tarot, I see that Case also glosses over the Qabalistic significance of the Trumps. This was a real disappointment, but the book is still insightful.
momentarylight
Mary Greer has speculated that Waite may have had high-functioning autism, or Aspergers Syndrome. We don't know for sure of course but she was, I believe, making possible explanations for Waite's manner of expression some of the 'gaps' in the PKT current tarot students observe and other biographical information.
Also, Waite could not possibly have known that the RWS would become one of the staples of tarot. He wasn't writing for a world audience.
The PKT may not be all that some of us desire and I, personally, didn't like it when new to tarot. Nor did I care for the RWS, including Colman Smith' s art work.
When I understood more of the history, the personal experience of the deck creators and of symbolism and magic generally, I felt very differently. I see things in Waite that I did not see before. I am much further progressed in my esoteric understanding and practice than 12 years ago
I don't think I'd recommend the PKT to a person completely new to tarot but I would not use the phrase that the book is not all it could have been. Few companion books are all they could have been for any particular reader. Personally I now find some of the books I read at the beginning too wordy and too definitive and have given various ones away.
The PKT may not be all many people want now but it needs to be seen in the context of its time, and the capacity, individual preferences, knowledge and needs of each reader.
It is what it is and I do not mean to be obscure by saying that
Also, Waite could not possibly have known that the RWS would become one of the staples of tarot. He wasn't writing for a world audience.
The PKT may not be all that some of us desire and I, personally, didn't like it when new to tarot. Nor did I care for the RWS, including Colman Smith' s art work.
When I understood more of the history, the personal experience of the deck creators and of symbolism and magic generally, I felt very differently. I see things in Waite that I did not see before. I am much further progressed in my esoteric understanding and practice than 12 years ago
I don't think I'd recommend the PKT to a person completely new to tarot but I would not use the phrase that the book is not all it could have been. Few companion books are all they could have been for any particular reader. Personally I now find some of the books I read at the beginning too wordy and too definitive and have given various ones away.
The PKT may not be all many people want now but it needs to be seen in the context of its time, and the capacity, individual preferences, knowledge and needs of each reader.
It is what it is and I do not mean to be obscure by saying that
Richard
Mary Greer has given hints that there is a new book on Waite and the RWS forthcoming, and this should clear up most of the obscurities. I can't waite [sic]!
momentarylight
LOL. I did not know that a new book was under way. I hope Greer writes it as her work is always thoroughly researched and she communicates really well.
This discussion has reminded me that I have another unread book by Jensen about all this so I must dig it out and have a long over due read.
