EPIPHANY! A New Take on the Major Arcana

dangerdork

Oh, you sound crestfallen.

But we did already know you weren't the *very* first person in history to notice the 3/7 correlation... and Robert Place is a pretty good "credit" to associate yourself with!

Well, not crestfallen exactly. It's just that while I was following this line of thought, I had hoped to find out that maybe other tarot aficionados and scholars had put similar theories out there - so I could learn more from their endeavors.

When I didn't get the level of response I'd hoped for, I guess I kind of got used to the idea that this particular approach was, if not unique, at least not very well known.

I'm THRILLED that a tarot authority and artist of the stature of Mr. Place has pursued this line of thought... I bought his deck and his book online immediately and can't wait to receive them.

You know no two decks can possibly be the same. Or even rivals. There are tons of Celtic-themed, and a good few Egyptian for example, and Fae, and all the other themes. They don't really present each other with competition as far as I can tell (not being a collector myself, I just listen in to their threads :)); people seem to want all that's available in the same vein once they get the bug.

I'd recommend not reading too much of what Place has already done, and continuing your own playing with the subject, because that way you'll keep coming up with insights unique to you.

Chin up, d. :)

I hear you - Nobody, as far as I can tell, has copyrighted the characters and principles in the tarot ;) That's part of the charm for me, that it's been reinterpreted by so many artists and esoteric philosophers over the years. And yes, part of the charm of being a collector is seeing this (semi-) mysterious tradition as run through the lens of so many perspectives over so many generations.

It did cause me to reassess the work I've done on the Seven Stations tarot and consider that I'm retreading a concept that sounds very close to one written about (with a deck based on it) by such a respected tarotist as Robert Place. I adore Mr. Place's work and my First Edition Alchemical Tarot has remained one of my very favorites ever since it first came out.

I can't WAIT to see the sevenfold mystery deck and read his scholarly work "The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination." Interesting that both you and a friend who was sitting with me when I discovered Robert Place's discussion of the sevenfold mystery both recommended that I NOT read his work and tried to reassure me that my own angle is unique too.

So I need to reassure you - of COURSE my own perspective on tarot is unique, as is yours and Robert Place's and anyone's who is reading these words. But part of my own fascination and love of the tarot is to share the collective interpretations and symbolism of this centuries-old tradition... and part of my interest is exploring its origins and connections to various historic schools of esoteric thought. Mr. Place has shared a wealth of scholarly research, thought, and artistic expression with the tarot community over his career, and I can't wait to see what further impact his work will have on my own.

Let's remember, tarot is my HOBBY. I will never reach the level of many of the tarot collectors, authors and practitioners you'll encounter on this forum. But, I may have independently stumbled on a perspective that resonates with those more academic types.
 

dangerdork

P.S.

Wait 'til you see what I'm doing the other 21 verses of poetry. THAT may be a unique spin...
 

dangerdork

Speak of the Devil...

So I finished writing all that. As I was proofreading my post, the mailman walked in and handed me the box (unopened as I write this), which must contain my Sevenfold Mystery Deck.

and on the tracking sticker is the handwritten home address of Robert Place.
 

MandMaud

Ooh, what's his handwriting like?

I hear you - Nobody, as far as I can tell, has copyrighted the characters and principles in the tarot ;) That's part of the charm for me, that it's been reinterpreted by so many artists and esoteric philosophers over the years.

No one can copyright it, it's no one's original concept. :)

Interesting that both you and a friend who was sitting with me when I discovered Robert Place's discussion of the sevenfold mystery both recommended that I NOT read his work and tried to reassure me that my own angle is unique too.

These pieces of advice aren't both the same advice: not reading (too much of) his thoughts, and remembering that yours are unique, aren't the same. Reminding you of what you know, that each person's input is inimitable, was offered as reassurance, I suppose. But not reading too much of his was (when I suggested it) about avoiding influence. Researching history, even if it's history of thoughts, is one thing; collecting theories that have gone before is another. But if you're confident that his ideas will spark further ones for you, as this thread seems to, then that's ok.

part of my own fascination and love of the tarot is to share the collective interpretations and symbolism of this centuries-old tradition...

Your, erm, not sure of the word for it - communalism?* - has impressed me all along, because I'm sure I'd be more egoist with anything like this. :D
* Actually i looked that up and it isn't the word.

Let's remember, tarot is my HOBBY. I will never reach the level of many of the tarot collectors, authors and practitioners you'll encounter on this forum. But, I may have independently stumbled on a perspective that resonates with those more academic types.

Irrelevant! Hobbyist astronomers have discovered planets and stuff; the work of hobbyist tarotists is just as valid. An irrelevant distinction! :p
 

Lucas Prince of Cats

This sounds great! I already knew about the three parts of the soul by Plato, but the link you gaveus infromed me about the seven planets ladder diea, so I should look into taht myself, too!
 

MandMaud

So dangerdork, how's the deck? :)
 

dangerdork

So dangerdork, how's the deck? :)

Oh, the Robert Place deck? Well... here's the thing. For Seven Stations, we're spinning up a website and social media campaign to raise interest for crowdsourcing. Along with FB, Twitter, and the usual suspects, a friend suggested I put up a YouTube channel, and one of the regular things I could do would be to get new decks and post videos of the unboxing as well as initial impressions and then review the deck... Unpackaging videos are a "Thing" in my field of User Experience.

So my buddy made the suggestion, then the next day the Sevenfold Mystery deck arrived. I thought it would be an outstanding sample for my first video - and I havent set up the webcam and the capture software yet... so it's still in the box.

I did skim through Place's book, and it looks like his thought process runs along the more standard Tarot convention of 3x7 - According To Place, The Trumps are examined in three sets of seven (1-7, 8-14, 15-21) instead of my 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 etc. So Seven Stations LIVES!
 

dangerdork

The Empress

"The Universe within us
Is begotten of stardust.
Encapsulated spirits

Arise from calm inception
To multiply and diverge,
Bursting forth to strive and grow.

I provide the foundation,
Each and all yet encompassed
By my limitless embrace.

In separation from me,
Still inscribed in memory --
All that was will be again.

In Tribute to me, children,
Through the ancient rituals
You must propagate your own.

Whilst all that bleeds or blossoms
Must someday return to All,
We are bound by Life and Love --

So rejoice in the Circle
Of this season's gathering
With forgiveness and blessing."


__________________________________________

©2015 Seven Stations Tarot
 

MandMaud

I did skim through Place's book, and it looks like his thought process runs along the more standard Tarot convention of 3x7 - According To Place, The Trumps are examined in three sets of seven (1-7, 8-14, 15-21) instead of my 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 etc. So Seven Stations LIVES!

Yay and double yay! :)

Back tomorrow to read your Empress with eyes that stay open without propping.