From: mascdb@gdr.bath.ac.uk (C D Burdorf)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Detailed notes on Merlin Tarot Workshop with R.J. Stewart
Date: 18 Aug 92 14:43:39 GMT
Distribution: alt
Organization: School of Mathematics, University of Bath, UK


Due to requests, here's the my more detailed notes on the Merlin Tarot
workshop. I appologize if it's a bit sketchy.

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

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 think LeGrand states best words it:

>The "weak version" of the theory -- that there was a common fund of
>imagery with which
>both bodies of lore were connected 

The story of the tarot is that of the fool traveling through the
three worlds (lunar solar and stellar).

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.

He said that modern tarot understanding is mostly based on work
done by victorians (Waite, Mathers, Crowley, etc.) which were
intellectuals coming from strict disciplinarian regimented 
backgrounds that sought to bring order to the cards, but missed
out on much of the spiritual aspects partly because many ancient
texts that weren't available then are available now.

He said that most modern meditation is based on bliss-seeking.  He
said that while bliss may feel good, it doesn't take you anywhere (it
keeps you on the wheel of fortune).  Meditation based on the different
tarot trumps can lead you on to different paths of greater 
awareness and understanding.  He said most souls move to a differnt
path through the death of their body and reincarnation.  He said
that by using esoteric techniques including tarot work, one
can possibly cover all the paths of the tarot in one lifetime.  
Once one has covered all the paths they need not come back
to this world.

He claimed that he's been down a lot of the paths, but not all of them.

He said that while most people think of Merlin as an old man, most
of the writing of merlin is of him as a prophetic christ-like child.
He said that Merlin is also similar to Odin of Norse legend.

Merlin lives his life backwards through time.  

There was lots of stuff about the tarot wheel of fortune.  How the
cards combined show the different worlds and their affects on you.

  Wheel of fortune includes  1 Fool -> mercury (mind) -> chariot -> sun
 (spirit) -> Lovers -> venus (emotion) -> universe -> earth (physical) 
Inside you have moon (dream) -> magician -> mercury
                    ..       -> priestess -> earth

RJ STEWART's DEFINITION OF MAGIC: "APPLICATION OF MIND TO LIFE ENERGIES"

Chariot card - symbolizes perfect knowledge, mind as vechile for
spiritual power, Goddess Minerva appears on chariot card (similar 
goddess found in Celtic tradition).  Symbolizes that you can't
have balance in yourself without discipline.

Lovers-card - symbolizes devine eros, power of ingoing, spiritual
power working through the emotions.

Wheel of Justice: moon -> mars -> stellar -> jupitar -> moon
                  sun in the center Tower bridges between mars and sun
                                    strength bridges between sun and jupiter

Purpose of stilling you mind is way to get off the wheel of fortune
and move onto better worlds.  

Strength card- natural world on the right, stellar world on the left 
symbolizes creative power.

INITIATION -- Crossing a threshold involves the breakdown
or death of patterns in your life. breaks down old patterns to start
a new one.

Guardian card -- Christians took Judeic notion of an adversary who 
convinced god to give man a bad deal to get devil card. 
He combined with Pan or Kernunos (old horned god) has powers of
health and death to generate life. A herdsman or shepard.
Expresses anything that keeps you from growing up.  It protects
you from yourself.  If you pass the guardian on you path, you must
understand his secrets otherwise you will get to the blasted tower.
"seeking goodies  we poison ourselves and die"

Spiritual path of Merlin: fool -> magician -> guardian -> tower -> death ->
hanged man -> hermit.

2nd spiritual path of Merlin: innocent -> emperor -> empress -> strength ->
Lovers -> Priestess -> Universe

Blasted tower of today for humankind: Nueclear disaster, AIDS

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.


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.

The visualizations were that of 1. traveling the wheel of fortune and 
2. traveling the wheel of justice.

Chris
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