THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF A NEW TAROT - by R.L. Whitaker As is the case with all Great W

 
                   THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF A NEW TAROT
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                                by R.L. Whitaker
 
As is the case with all Great Works, this particular one -the redesign
and development of an updated Tarot deck- began with a simple question, a
nagging need for an answer and a specific Form within which to encase
that answer as it made its way into consciousness.
 
WHY is there a need, a necessity as it were, to create and design another
Tarot deck? Hasn't the poor old Tarot been disrespected, mauled, AND
cajoled into the boring playthings of the casual and shallow dilletante?
Don't we have enough decks of various types to go around and vindicate
every possible proposal of the Initiatory sort which MAY have a grain (or
molecule) of Truth possibly, improbably and most certainly IMPROPERLY
hidden somewhere within its specific confines?
 
What possible reason could there be to create another deck, another text
with which to accompany the deck? The reasons are not commercial, nor are
they particularly mundane in which case a multitude of decks provides the
arbitrary function of offering the so called "Tarot Reader" a choice of
decks to choose from by which the reader -if he or she has the brains-
will select the deck that they know the "querent" will be most easily
influenced by. These considerations have no place within the function of
the new Tarot deck which will entail the Greater Black Magical use of the
Tarot.
 
The creation of a new deck -the Setian Deck- is a return to the original
inspiration that resulted in the final Great magickal Work of Aleister
Crowley the THOTH Tarot. Ipsissimus Crowley realized that for any Tarot
Deck to be a viable Initiatory tool that it must undergoe periodic
revisions in accordance to the known Principles of the existing Aeonic
current. Balance is the primary concern of any serious aspirant to
Initiated wisdom and if the Tarot is to be used in any capacity to aid
that Initiation it must be in synchronicity with that Initiatory current.
 
Using the groundwork begun by Crowley, the purpose of this new Tarot is
one in which the essential elements contained within the deck are
updated. With this complete, the deck will contain those fundamental
initiatory Principles that are the standards by which to judge the
gestation and coming into being of personal events which pass within an
Initiates personal environment.
 
As many of you probably already realize, the use of the Tarot as a
"fortune telling" device is a lower based activity by which the cards
have unfortunately been used for. The utilitarian aspect of the Tarot in
its much higher and more useful aspect (for Initiates) is its function as
a vehicle for the mapping out, or structuring of an individuals
subjective Universe AT A PARTICULAR MOMENT in time. Used in this manner
the Tarot can become a very precise and articulate tool by which to
classify and systematize those elements which are pertinent to each
individuals personal conception of what the weak kneed, soapy minded,
floundering flatulence of humanity consider the unapproachable,
unknowable, uncanny knowledge of a divine being, of one's Holy guardian.
All of this being a reference NOT to an exterior entity of any sort, but
rather a reference to the Higher manifestation of the individuals own
consciousness, their own persona...of personal Godhood!
 
Here is something that for those of you who believe themselves Adept at
such matters should take to heart. For the good or bad that it does to
each individuals personal equilibrium, the ultimate goal and purpose of
these studies is to create a God of yourself, a being of genuine control
over his existence, his environment, and most importantly his Will. The
method of accomplishment is the conscious and willed structuring (and
re-structuring) of the components that comprise your individual Universe
within yourself, and without.
 
The actual utility of the Tarot is intimately involved with the above
mentioned conditions. The cards, through a variety of mathematical,
scientific, and classical symbologies, and through the use of archetypal
imagery a mental image, or a concept is formed which is instantly
realized as representing a timeless Principle which has eluded the fall
into triviance, dogma, and finally...ultimate dissolution.
 
Now back to an important point which must be understood. It is the
responsibility of certain Initiates within each Aeon to update and make
correct those aspects of the Tarot which have become more clearly defined
by the new Aeonic current. This work clearly involves the removal of
unintelligible and dogmatic elements, outdated and useless symbols and
in some cases, complete conceptual re-design. This must be accomplished
while retaining AND maintaining those conceptual elements of the deck
which are timeless and eternal. This guarantees the integrity of the
Tarot system itself.
 
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This work was begun a number of years ago by Priest and Priestess
Whitaker of the Temple of Set. The projected date for having the project
finished is still several years away.
 
The Whitakers may be reached through E-Mail on this BBS for those of you
who would like to discuss this topic.
 
                                  END