FIFTH LESSON.

p. 322

FORTUNE-TELLING BY THE TAROT.

I.--RAPID PROCESS:

What must we do if we wish to draw out the horoscope of any matter?

1. You should take the minor arcana and separate the suit of cards that refers to the kind of consultation you require.

If it is some business you are about to undertake, you must take the Sceptres or Diamonds.

If it is a love affair, take the Cups or Hearts.

For a law-suit, or any struggle, take Swords or Spades.

In a money matter, the Pentacles or Clubs.

2. Shuffle the cards selected, then ask the Inquirer to cut them.

3. Take the four first cards from the top of the pack, and without looking at them place them in a cross in the following way, from left to right, as shown by the numbers.

4. Then take your major arcana (which should always be separated from the minor arcana), shuffle them, and let them be cut for you.

p. 323

5. You then ask the Inquirer to draw out seven cards from the major. arcana by chance, and to give them to you without looking at them.

6. Shuffle these seven cards, and when the Inquirer has cut them, take the three top cards, and without looking at them arrange them in a triangle, in the following order--

You thus obtain the following figure--

7. Take up the cards so that you can see them and read the oracles, noticing that the card placed at number 1 indicates the commencement.

The card placed at number 2 indicates the apogee, at number 3 the obstacles, lastly, at number 4 the fall.

The major arcanum placed at I. indicates the influences that have weighed in the affair during the Past.

The major arcanum in II. indicates the influence exerted over the Present.

The arcanum at number III. shows the influence which will affect and determine the Future.

These cards can be very rapidly deciphered when the habit is once acquired. But one important point should be noted, that when the rapid process is used for fortune-telling,

p. 324

the figures do not exclusively represent persons of especial complexion. The King represents a man, without any other distinction, the Queen a woman, the Knight a young man, and the Knave a child.

II.--A MORE ELABORATE PROCESS:

1. Shuffle all the minor arcana together and let them be cut for you.

2. Take the twelve first cards from the pack, and place them in a circle thus--

3. Shuffle the major arcana, and let them be cut by the Inquirer, who will then choose seven cards.

4. Take the four first of these cards from the pack, and arrange them opposite the cards placed at numbers 1, 10, 7, 4, thus--

5. Then place the three others in a triangle in the centre of the figure, thus--

p. 325

You thus obtain the following general figure, which we have already given.

Place the Inquirer in the centre of the figure, unless it has been drawn amongst the other cards. If the Inquirer has been drawn you must place it in the centre, and replace it by another major arcanum chosen by the person whose fate is being studied.

The 12 minor arcana indicate the different phases through which the individual life will pass, or the evolution of the event during the four great periods: Commencement, indicated by the major arcanum I., which displays its character; Apogee (arc. II.); Decline or Obstacle (arc. III.); Fall (arc. IV.).

Lastly, the 3 major arcana placed in the centre indicate the especial character of the horoscope in the Past (V.), in the Present (VI.), and in the Future (VII.).

The future is indicated in the minor arcana by the cards placed from 7 to 12;

The past by those placed from 1 to 4; and the present by those placed from 4 to 7.

These numbers only indicate the numbers of the places occupied by the arcana, and never the numbers of the

p. 326

arcana. themselves. It is important to avoid the idea that the arcanum VII. must always return to the place numbered VII. But our readers are sufficiently intelligent to make any further insistence upon this point quite unnecessary.

The explanation of the meaning of the arcana will be perfectly easy, when the lessons 2 and 3 have been once read.

Practice will teach all these details far better than all the theories in the world.