The Occult Tarot Deck is a powerful tool used in the practice of divination and mysticism. It is a deck of 78 cards, each containing a unique image and symbolism that can be interpreted to gain insights into the past, present, and future. The origins of tarot can be traced back to the 15th century, but the occult tarot deck as we know it today has its roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The deck combines elements of the traditional tarot with occult symbolism and esoteric teachings. Each card in the Occult Tarot Deck represents a different aspect of life, spirituality, and the human condition. The major arcana consists of 22 cards, each representing a significant archetype or life lesson.
The major arcana consists of 22 cards, each representing a significant archetype or life lesson. These cards include iconic figures such as The Magician, The High Priestess, The Fool, and The Devil. The minor arcana consists of four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles.
The Hierophant by Ted Hand
The tarot card that represents 2021 is the fifth card of the Major Arcana, The Hierophant (2+0+2+1=5). To mark the turn of this tricky year, we are returning to Ted Hand’s text on finding The Hierophant in the work of C. G. Jung and Philip K. Dick, originally published as part of the Ignota project 22 Moons .
“Change yourself, the heavenly wisdom says, from dead philosophical stones into living philosophical stones, because I am the true medicine and I change everything which cannot exist into something eternal. Why are you possessed by madness? Through yourself but not from you, is everything which you need and which you wrongly seek outside.” Carl Jung’s rediscovery of alchemy as a precursor to analytic psychology is exemplified by this quote from the early modern alchemist Gerhard Dorn. Jung drew parallels between the alchemist’s work and the process of integrating the psyche, creating the conditions for a rebirth of alchemical thinking within the modern discipline of psychology. Within Jung’s new esotericism, his theory of the archetypes of the collective unconscious provides a framework for thinking about the symbols of Tarot, which esoteric tradition conceived of as signals from the ancient Book of Thoth. ‘As above, so below’: the master symbol of the Mandala, pictured in our Jung card, makes the connection between the personality becoming an integrated whole and the unity of the world.
We chose Carl Jung as the Hierophant of the Philip K. Dick Tarot because of his influence on Dick, who also created a new esoteric tradition. The Hierophant is a teacher who initiates students into the mysteries of the hieratic art of theurgy, stretching back through esoteric traditions like Tarot and Alchemy to the Neoplatonism and Hermeticism of Late Antiquity. Dionysius the Areopagite had his Hierotheus and occultists harken back to the legendary figure of Hermes Trismegistus.
Philip K. Dick was a faithful reader of Jung in the 1950s and 1960s and in his novels we find characters like Mr. Tagomi of The Man in the High Castle wrestling with Jungian ideas. Dick’s series of mystical experiences in the 1970s referred him back to Jung’s work and its esoteric influences, including the Hermeticism of early modern thinkers like Paracelsus, Jacob Boehme and Giordano Bruno, reflected in Dick's masterpiece Valis.
Like Jung, Dick turned to the esoteric traditions for help with healing, as part of a response to the trauma that he had experienced and perceived in the world around him (when he had a vision of Asclepius he asked for medical attention). We can understand Dick's mysticism in the context of the Kabbalistic tradition of Tikkun Olam, or repair of the world to bring it closer to a state of harmony. Just as the Jungian alchemist seeks to bring light to the darkness of the Unconscious, the Kabbalist performing Tikkun Olam redeems the spark trapped in the darkness of matter. In what is perhaps his most terrifying novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (source of the Devil card in PKD Tarot) Dick portrayed a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by global warming. Dickian spirituality must be seen as a response to the oppressive trauma inflicted on the environment by a Satanic and mechanized world order that Dick recast using his own spiritual archetypes such as the ‘Black Iron Prison’. Dick’s response to the climate grief he experienced and expressed in his fiction was to articulate a new gnostic spirituality which envisioned salvation in terms of an escape from the horrors of capitalism. The situation may be bleak but there is some hope. There are redemptive possibilities in the dissolution of pseudo-realities, by means of gnostic signals from a transcendent beam of information-rich light. Ted Hand is a teaching credential student and independent researcher working on esotericism who lives in Sonoma, California. He is the co-creator of the Philip K. Dick tarot deck . This text was originally published for the full moon in Aries on 13 October 2019. It formed part of 22 Moons, an Ignota project r esponding to climate grief through the Major Arcana. 22 Moons delivered a new text on each new and full moon, bringing together twenty-two poets, writers, artists, thinkers, curators, scientists, astrologers, practitioners, witches and technologists for twenty-two lunations.
How to work with the Occult Tarot deck, each practitioner decides for himself. Beginners can only focus on the traditional names of the cards. In fact, the same archetypes partly remain the same, only they are presented from the dark side. But professionals can really interact with the demons sealed in the drawings. To do this, you should study the accompanying book from the author, as well as familiarize yourself with the works of Crowley. The literature that describes the rituals of summoning, gives advice on working with infernal entities, is suitable.
Each suit represents a different element and represents various aspects of life and human experiences. For example, Wands are associated with passion, creativity, and drive, while Cups represent emotions, relationships, and intuition. When using the Occult Tarot Deck, the reader will typically shuffle the cards and lay them out in a specific pattern, known as a spread. The reader will then interpret the cards' symbolism and their positions within the spread to provide guidance or insights into the questions or situations at hand. The interpretation of the cards is highly subjective and can vary depending on the reader and their personal beliefs or understanding of the symbolism. Some readers may rely on traditional interpretations, while others may incorporate their knowledge of occult or esoteric teachings. Using the Occult Tarot Deck can be a transformative and enlightening experience, providing a deeper understanding of oneself and the world around us. However, it is important to approach tarot with an open mind and a healthy level of skepticism, as it is ultimately a tool for self-reflection and exploration rather than a definitive fortune-telling method..
Reviews for "Unveiling the Future: Divination with the Occult Tarot Deck"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Occult Tarot Deck. The illustrations were not what I expected and the card meanings were confusing. I found it hard to connect with the deck and it didn't give me the intuitive guidance I was hoping for. Overall, it just didn't resonate with me and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 3 stars - While the Occult Tarot Deck had intriguing artwork, I found the quality of the cards to be subpar. The cards were thin and flimsy, which made shuffling and handling them difficult. Additionally, the imagery on some of the cards was a bit dark and disturbing, making it uncomfortable for me to use during readings. I appreciate the unique concept of the deck, but the execution fell short for me.
3. Jessica - 2 stars - I was really excited to try out the Occult Tarot Deck, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The guidebook that came with the deck was poorly written and didn't provide enough information for a beginner like myself to understand the card meanings. The artwork was also not appealing to me personally, as I found it to be too abstract and lacking in symbolism. Overall, I was left feeling confused and unsatisfied with the deck.
4. Tyler - 1 star - I was extremely disappointed with the Occult Tarot Deck. The artwork was overly simplistic and lacked the depth and richness I look for in a tarot deck. The card stock was flimsy and low quality, which made me doubt its durability. The deck also did not come with a guidebook or any instructions, leaving me clueless on how to interpret the cards. It felt like a waste of money, and I regret purchasing it.