Meditations On The Tarot, A Journey Into Christian Hermeticism Options

I just got this book and am already feeling the benefits from reading it. Very complex and profound, yet the author, "Anonymous" (really Russian mystic Valentin Tomburg) writes in a way that is like speaking. He calls you "unknown friend" and I believe that he is one of mine. As he requested, this book was published after his death. He is literally speaking to you from the grave as if the constraints of time, space and physical bodies don't exist (which is ultimately correct).

His use of the Tarot is but the framework for a study of Hermetic philosophy. Here is a small snippet from Chapter 1: The Magician...

Concentration without effort...
One may say that the entire being becomes like the surface of calm water, reflecting the immense presence of the starry sky and its indescribable harmony. And the waters are deep, they are so deep! And the silence grows, ever increasing... what silence! Its growth takes place through regular waves which pass, one after the other, through your being: one wave of silence followed by another wave of more profound silence, then again a wave of still more profound silence... Have you ever drunk silence? If in the affirmative, you know what concentration without effort is.

The Marseilles deck is the one used and it's symbolism is described in great detail. One (well, me) gets the feeling that the Magician is indeed wielding his tools effortlessly with both hands without the need to use muscles or even look at the tools. To me, this signifies the knowledge in the head having moved to the heart so concentration is effortless.

I'm interested in what others, who probably know more than I about this, think. It seems like this requires repeated readings. It's gonna take me a lot to get through it once, but I'm in no hurry. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

(IMG:https://p.gr-assets.com/200x200/scale/books/1356624046/1741879.jpg)

This post has been edited by horus: Dec 12 2013, 10:15 PM

I just got this book and am already feeling the benefits from reading it. Very complex and profound, yet the author, "Anonymous" (really Russian mystic Valentin Tomburg) writes in a way that is like speaking. He calls you "unknown friend" and I believe that he is one of mine. As he requested, this book was published after his death. He is literally speaking to you from the grave as if the constraints of time, space and physical bodies don't exist (which is ultimately correct).

His use of the Tarot is but the framework for a study of Hermetic philosophy. Here is a small snippet from Chapter 1: The Magician...

The Marseilles deck is the one used and it's symbolism is described in great detail. One (well, me) gets the feeling that the Magician is indeed wielding his tools effortlessly with both hands without the need to use muscles or even look at the tools. To me, this signifies the knowledge in the head having moved to the heart so concentration is effortless.

I'm interested in what others, who probably know more than I about this, think. It seems like this requires repeated readings. It's gonna take me a lot to get through it once, but I'm in no hurry. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

(IMG:https://p.gr-assets.com/200x200/scale/books/1356624046/1741879.jpg)

I know I'd be curious to hear others' input. I have myself not yet read it as, admittedly I'm hesitant to read anything filed under "Christian" . . but I have been wrong before :-)

This is a very fine book with some very muddled writing and editing. It could easily have been condensed into something more manageable. I would consult it if there are personal cards you are interested in that also have to do with 'CH'