Product Description

Becoming your own Tarot Master couldn't be any easier for beginners thanks to this complete course on understanding the Tarot by one of the world's leading Tarotists. For more than half a century, savvy students from around the world joined his school of ageless wisdom, Builders of the Adytum, to explore advanced teachings of the Tarot that couldn't be found anywhere else. Discover for yourself the best kept secret of a whole generation of Tarot Masters. The first four volumes cover all the important Tarot fundamentals of the Major Arcana. This part of the course lays the foundation that you need to start working with the Tarot on your own. There are no mundane, cookie cutter Tarot references in here. You will get the deep meanings behind the Hermetic symbolism of each of the cards in language that makes it applicable in today's world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1059915 in Books
• Published on: 2008-11-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Customer Reviews

Good, but not what it might be
Case is certainly great, but this version is early work, and as the first of four volumes, each selling for over $11, the entire set will cost over $44--a steep price to pay for what is really one work.

While the book very nicely directs readers to the Builders of the Adytum (the Order Case helped found) for further information, it is simply the first few lessons of an early version of the current "Tarot Fundamentals" lessons of B.O.T.A., sent to all those who become B.O.T.A. members as a privilege of membership in about their second year. As such, it does not represent the best of Case's thought, though it does flesh out some of the thoughts later published in Case's brilliant "The Tarot: A Key to Ageless Wisdom," now in a new edition availble directly from B.O.T.A. (http://store.bota.org/paulfostercase.html) for $14.95.

Not to be too harsh, as the material is still valuable for historians or newbies, I do believe that the publication of this first of four volumes (followed now by a second volume) denies potential students the advantages of the extraordinarily well-thought-out sequence of activities and lessons which has been refined by B.O.T.A. for the purpose of the most fruitful spiritual development of all of its students, including the revisions that have been made subsequent to the material's original promulgation in 1932. This sequence is in its way as important as any of the sets of lessons.

The earlier review is quite positive; this should provide prospective readers with some perspective.

Course of study leading to true Tarot Mastery
Tarot Mastery is a course of esoteric Tarot instruction by one of the greatest modern occult teachers, Paul Foster Case. The series will eventually be printed as four volumes, and this one, the first in the series, is titled "Tarot Fundamentals Volume I". Due to the original copyrights expiring, many of Paul Case's books are coming back in print. Concomitant to the explosion of interest in Tarot in the past few years, it is a true blessing. Many recent books have moved beyond reading the cards for divination, and into psychology and intuitive development. The writings of Paul Case go much further, revealing a true esoteric wisdom contained within the Tarot keys. The Tarot is essentially a story of consciousness, both personal and cosmic.

The introduction explains the purpose of using Tarot as a path to spiritual unfoldment: "This course on Tarot Fundamentals will show you how to use the Tarot Keys for the purpose of evoking thought, thus bringing to the surface of your consciousness, where you can see and understand them, those fundamental principles of practical occultism that lie hidden in the hearts of all mankind. Its rich symbolism and ingenious construction make Tarot the best of all instruments for true occult education: that is, for drawing out the wisdom hidden within you."

This first volume details the esoteric meanings of the first five keys: The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, and The Emperor. Every symbol on the cards is explained in detail, then the symbols are integrated to form the essence of the universal archetype of consciousness that is pictured. Each of these cards is given two chapters, about 25 pages total. But first there is a chapter on the symbolism of numbers, the numbers from 0 to 9, and their esoteric meanings.

The chapters take the form of a lesson, with Case as the teacher, and indicate how to work with the system. For example, he suggests having a regular study period, laying out the cards during this time. The student begins by systematically going over the card, from top to bottom, right to left, then meditating on the symbols. Each card should be given a week or two of study, rereading the text from the book, and making notes on any feelings or impressions that come to you.

Paul Case felt the need to design and print a Tarot deck that he felt would best display the esoteric symbolism and wisdom of the ages. Known as the BOTA Tarot, it is the one presented in most of Cases's writings on the Tarot. It must be obtained uncolored, and the student's initiation involves coloring the deck. The deck can be obtained from the BOTA, The Builders of the Adytum. "Tarot Fundamentals" contains instructions for coloring the deck.

Those who enjoyed his marvelous book, "The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages" will be delighted by this recent addition to the literature. While "The Tarot" details the correspondences of the major arcana keys with Hebrew letters, astrology symbols, directions on the cube of space, paths on the Tree of Life, colors, tones, and modes of consciousness, it is lacking in detailed explanations of basic occult principles. Those principles find their explanation here in "Tarot Fundamentals". Combined, they yield a treasure of knowledge to the serious student.

In summary, this is a fantastic book that must be read and studied by all serious students of Tarot, and will also find a home in the hearts of Qabalists, occultists, magicians, alchemists, and Hermeticists in general. It is truly a book that must be studied, read over and over, and meditated upon. But it will work for beginners as well, provided they understand it will require dedication. With such effort, the esoteric student can expect to find the "wisdom hidden within you." This is the true meaning of Tarot Mastery.

My Two Cents
I can understand where Mr. Hutcheson is coming from, but I disagree on a few points. First, from what I was told by the publisher PFC produced those books in 4 volumes, so they were reprinted faithfully as PFC intended them to be. In the end, it is still a great deal for the consumer, because the price of getting those materials from BOTA as a member would far exceed the total cost of all four current volumes. Reprints of earlier BOTA materials being offered second hand reach hundreds of dollars. Not to also point out the obvious, but if those materials are not as good as other writing by PFC on the Tarot, why is the best of his work available in print by BOTA for $14.95 while those lessons are being offered for members as privileged access?
Second, the reviewer feels that students are denied by their publication the benefit of membership. The publication of the Golden Dawn materials by Israel Regardie did not by any means deny anyone membership in the GD. On the contrary more people joined the GD than ever before. One would hope the publication of these books and all other work by PFC by other publishers would have the same effect for BOTA for as the reviewer himself said they offer an excellent training program.
Those who are members of BOTA will have access to the original rendition of their lessons in print form. Those who are not members of BOTA, who benefit from those materials, can join BOTA and go beyond with both updated lessons and further instructions.