From: cward@Think.COM (Christopher Ward)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Detailed notes on Merlin Tarot Workshop with R.J. Stewart
Date: 18 Aug 1992 17:45:21 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
Distribution: alt
NNTP-Posting-Host: custard.think.com

In article <1992Aug18.144339.118@gdr.bath.ac.uk>, mascdb@gdr.bath.ac.uk (C D Burdorf) writes:
|> 
|> Due to requests, here's the my more detailed notes on the Merlin Tarot
|> workshop. I appologize if it's a bit sketchy.

Just a note of encouragement.  While I echo a lot of Josh's concerns over
Stewart's claims of Tarot origin, ordering, and environmental message, your
posts touch a more interesting subject and avoid long philosophical hot air.

|> He gave the source for the merlin stories which support the Merlin tarot,
|> I'll try and get it from him next time.

This too would be most interesting.

|> He basically stated that tarot symbols were derived from an aged
|> bardic tradition which was only made cards of in the rennaisance.
|> The symbols appeared in stories that were told as readings.
|> He claims that the stories of Merlin were used as such and
|> that they and the other ones which came from Europe and the Mideast
|> were only given devils and punishment aspects when the cards were
|> designed based on the stories which was done during the rennaisance.

I wonder if Stewart is using the archetypal images and themes as manifested
in celtic lore and Authurian legend but presenting them in the Tarot card
format.  This could explain his claims of predating the usual 13th century
date for Tarot deck origin.

The theory that the Tarot is a tool for transmission of occult and arcane
knowledge for the illiterate fits this as well.  The symbols used on each
card are chosen to relate a particular subject/idea/experience/truth to the
subconscious in its own symbolic language.  That the stories using these
symbols predates the cards is no great claim.  This is universally true for
all written spiritual documents.

|> Stewart Claims that there is no connection between Tarot and
|> the Hebrew alphabet and that any attempts to do so is contrived.
|> 
|> He claims that there are connections to the qabalah though.

These two statements are in contradiction with each other.  Since the Hebrew
alphabet and Kabbalah are so intertwined, how can one connect to Kabbalah
but not be connected to the Hebrew alphabet?  I'll grant you that some authors
stretch this connection too far, but I'd be more inclined that the Tarot 
conectiton to the Tree of Life paths is more contrived than that of the
Hebrew alphabet.

|> Guardian card -- Christians took Judeic notion of an adversary who 
|> convinced god to give man a bad deal to get devil card... 

Don't be too hard on the symbolism used on other cards.  The symbols work
in a subject and fairly narrow framework of reference.

|> In answer to Josh's query about environmentalism.  Stewart Claims
|> along with Caitlan and John Matthews and others that the Celtic tradition
|> was more respectful and in harmony with nature.  That animals and the
|> land and plants were given a much higher respect and fitted into their
|> esoteric traditions.  I will try and ask him for sources on this.

History shows us that societies which live in close harmony with nature
are blown away by the spoilers and users.  We know of many peoples who
were overrun by those who sought to conquer nature.  How many more societies
are lost forever because they did not leave behind some great pointed
mound of rock?

|> Sorry if it's a bit garbled, but after our first visualization, I went
|> into a bit of a bliss state and got pretty spacy.

Does that mean you didn't get anywhere but got stuck on the wheel of
fortune? ;-)

-Christopher