Escape It: Tarosophy
Escape It: Tarosophy
Title: Tarosophy: Tarot to Engage Life, Not
Escape It
Author: Marcus Katz
Series: Modern Magistery
Language: English
Publisher: Salamander and Sons
http://www.salamanderandsons.com
Pub date: April 2011
Extent: 295pp (approx.)
Height: 230mm
Width: 170mm
Format: Paperback
Distributor: Weiser Antiquarian Books (USA, UK
and Europe)
Price: AUD$32.95; USD$29.95; £18.00 (UK);
EUR23.00 (Europe)
Available for Pre‐Order including limited edition
signed bookplates with “living oracle” key.
Tarosophy has been hailed as … “precisely detailed”, “engaging, accessible, practical,
profoundly original”, “a work of genius” … “simply phenomenal – an outstanding text that
teaches the Tarot on multiple levels including divination, symbolism, spirituality, and
mysticism” … and as Greg Kaminsky says simply, “the most unique book about Tarot that
I’ve ever read”. Find out why with your copy, and read below the scale and scope of this
book which changes the landscape of Tarot teaching.
Testimonials
"From the first steps in reading Tarot through metaphysical correspondences and on to
professional marketing, this book has it all! Marcus Katz's Tarosophy® is a work of
intelligence and depth, featuring tons of Tarot tips and exercises that will help you explore
the wisdom of the cards in a manner that is accessible, playful and practical. Highly
recommended!"
Mary K. Greer, author of 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card.
"In precise detail, with clarity but also with wit and a playful and explorative mind, Marcus
Katz maps out a course for the serious Tarot reader. Ranging across culture, myth, and
history as well as the Tarot tradition itself, this book is a major contribution."
Rachel Pollack, author of 31 books, published all over the world in 14 languages. Her Tarot
books include 78 Degrees of Wisdom, often called "the Bible of Tarot readers," and the
recently published Tarot Wisdom.
"Marcus Katz has recovered the spiritual dignity of Tarot."
Naomi Ozaniec, author of The Watkins Tarot Handbook and The Aquarian Qabalah.
"Marcus Katz has fixed himself as a bright Star in the firmament of Tarot. His Tarosophy® is
everything its subtitle promises; "Tarot to Engage Life, Not Escape it." It's sane, sensible,
and profoundly original. His 'Temple of Thoth' (Gated Spread) alone is worth the price of
admission."
Lon Milo DuQuette, Author of Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, and creator
of Tarot of Ceremonial Magick.
"Any system of thought such as Tarot, Kabbalah or Astrology that reflects life processes back
at the user of that system, thereby enabling him or her to live life more consciously and
spiritually ‐ in harmony and accord with life itself ‐ is, of necessity, very complex. The
teaching of such is therefore commensurately difficult. Here, in a manner I would love to
see employed for the teaching of other disciplines too, Master Katz ‐ for Master he is ‐ has
delivered to us a manual for learning Tarot (and much more) by being true to its own strap
line: he engages the reader, not just through clear, practical and reliable information, but
through numerous interactive exercises, techniques and rituals that effectively find Tarot
being taught to you from the inside out! From 'Tarot True', through 'Tarot Deep', to 'Tarot
High', he takes you on an enjoyable and rewarding journey of discovery that births the
unique Tarot‐reader who was already inside of you. Genius!"
Lyn Birkbeck, astrological consultant and best‐selling author of Do‐It‐Yourself Astrology, The
Instant Astrologer, Understanding The Future, etc.
Author Interviews & Videos online
Radio. Greg Kamisnky, Occult of Personality:
Esoteric background, origins of Tarosophy, the Abramelin Ritual …
http://www.occultofpersonality.net/marcus‐katz‐and‐tarosophy/
Intreview. Enrique Enriquez, Tarology Beta:
The poetry of Tarot, social considerations, language of symbols …
http://tarology.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/a‐conversation‐with‐marcus‐katz/
Video. Alice Smeets, On Modern Witchcraft:
On teaching Tarot, Witchcraft and Esotericism in contemporary society …
http://www.alicesmeets.com/multimedia/modern_witchcraft
Radio. Theresa Reed, Live Tarot Readings and Discussion:
Inc. how to create spreads from questions, one‐card readings …
http://bit.ly/hUjlhs
Radio. Beyond Worlds, with Donnaleigh de LaRose, Storm Cestavani:
Tri/Tri/Tri Spread, All the Worlds a Stage Spread …
http://www.tarotprofessionals.com/tarotarticles.html
Radio. Talking with Ed and Victoria:
The Book of Clouds and many other unique spreads from Tarot Twist …
http://edvictoria.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/unique‐techniques‐from‐marcus‐katz/
Extract. Why You Can’t Read the Court Cards (and How To):
A piece on Court Cards that was not included in the final version of the book …
http://www.tarotprofessionals.com/tarotarticles.html
Author Websites
http://www.tarosophy.com: Main site for the Tarosophy book.
http://www.tarotprofessionals.com: The organisation for Tarot Professionals & students.
http://www.tarotassociation.net: Tarosophy® Tarot Associations by country.
http://www.tarotalliance.com: Tarot organisation connections across different languages.
http://www.tarot‐town.com: The social network for Tarot lovers worldwide.
http://www.mytarothouse.com: For local study groups of Tarosophy worldwide.
http://www.tarosophyuniversity.com: The most comprehensive Tarot course in the world.
http://www.farawaycentre.com: Learn Tarot, Esotericism & Witchcraft in the Lake District.
http://www.nlpmagick.com: Learn NLP or book client sessions with Marcus Katz.
http://www.kabbalahcourse.com: One Year Kabbalah Course for self‐study.
http://www.tarosophist.com: Subscriber Blog for Tarot as a Spiritual Path.
http://www.thetarotreview.com: Considered peer‐reviewed and edited reviews of decks.
http://www.tarotbookclub.com: Super‐Fun Bookclub with author video interviews.
http://www.fortunetellinglaws.com: A one‐stop site for all legal issues for Tarot globally.
Chapter Summary
Section One: Tarot True
Basic Tarot in a New Light for the Beginning Tarosophist
Part 1: Tarot Vast, Tarot Vindicated
The tarot is introduced as a powerful and mutable system for engaging with life in an active,
formative, creative, and spiritual manner. Its history and popularity are briefly explored, and
then we immediately introduce key concepts such as symbolism, metaphor, attribution, and
correspondence. We look at the nature of archetypes and synchronicity, and types of
foretelling. A number of exercises are presented to start working with tarot as a map of real
life. There are almost fifty unique exercises in the book, and many ideas on each page for
exploration. There are also recommended reading lists per part, a full bibliography and
extensive footnotes.
Part 2: Tarot Consecrated, Tarot Created
In this part we teach tarot, having provided an exercise to prepare our first deck. We
introduce NLP1 and tarot in order to discover simple methods of improving communication
with our client. The fail‐safe method of learning, teaching and reading any standard tarot
deck is presented. This has been successfully used to train hundreds of people at a time to
read any card in any position for any question – within 10 minutes.
The reader will here see what has often been described as the clearest explanation of tarot
reading ever presented, for the first time in print. We also begin to touch upon kabbalah in a
straightforward manner, applying it to everyday life. For teachers of tarot, this teaching
method is fast and effective, and for beginners it is the easiest way to learn tarot. We
conclude this part with a range of original spreads for daily practice. An exercise within this
part – ‘Living the Archetypes’ – is an 8 to 16 month exercise which can radically change your
life. This exercise is presented for the first time.
Part 3: Tarot Oracle, Tarot Voice
This part develops our training to read tarot, addressed in the previous part, into reading for
others and oneself. It uses NLP to model and teach intuition, with a range of unique
exercises to develop intuitive skills. We introduce the idea of natural dignities and concepts
of oracular talent. This part represents the heart of intuitive tarot in contrast with the linear
and logical basis of the foregoing part.
1
NLP (neuro‐linguistic programming): a set of techniques and attitudes modelled upon gifted communicators and
therapists, now taught to presenters, therapists, teachers, doctors, and others who aim to communicate more effectively
with clients.
Part 4: Tarot Reader, Tarot Read
To conclude our introductory section, having established our fail‐safe position, in this part
we develop the reader’s own self‐identity through a series of unique exercises. These
exercises are from NLP and esotericism and build the reader’s confidence and competence
in presenting a tarot reading. This area of reading is underrated in many modern titles, so is
here fully explored. Via a range of exercises, the reader will be able to work towards
becoming an excellent tarot reader, with models and methods based upon decades of
observation and modelling of professional and proficient tarot readers. A synthesis and
summary of the results of the major surveys and memberships in the tarot community are
presented for the first time, revealing the average tarot reader.
Section Two: Tarot Deep
Intermediate Tarot in a Magical Light for the Enquiring Tarosophist
Part 1: Tarot Told, Tarot Tuned
To move on from our introductory work, we extend our material to cover the questions
which you will be asked as a reader. This represents years of experience and research,
including a comprehensive analysis of more than 38,000 questions and drawing upon
materials from almost 1,000 years ago to the present day. We look at difficult questions and
clients, and consider the only important thing you have to do as a developing tarot reader.
These themes have never before been presented in a tarot book to any significance.
Part 2: Tarot Spread, Tarot Stepped
In the heart of the intermediate section, we cover many totally new ways of performing
spreads, with an example of each: mutable spreads, gated spreads, 3D spreads, fractal
spreads, and progressive spreads. These are all unique and presented here for the first time.
We extend our knowledge and appreciation of the tarot Minor cards with reference to
astrology and kabbalah, even Papus. We also delve into the secret unconscious keywords of
the Majors, with the assistance of almost 50 tarot readers.
Part 3: Tarot Dreamt, Tarot Realised
To conclude our intermediate work, we present techniques of using tarot in dream‐work,
including never‐before‐published techniques from esotericism and shamanic dream‐work.
We also demonstrate the powerful Inner Guide Meditation of Steinbrecher and extend it
with coded questions – this alone represents a potential syllabus for years of tarot
experience and self‐discovery, and is based upon two decades of teaching the Inner Guide
Meditation to groups and individuals. We also briefly touch upon tarot poetry, storytelling,
yoga, and dance. We conclude this part and section by considering developing your own
tarot deck and reviewing decks. This features ideas for decks such as the Tarot of the
Inappropriate.
Section Three: Tarot High
Advanced Tarot in a Spiritual Light for the Progressive Tarosophist
Part 1: Tarot Tree, Tarot Path
In the first part of our advanced section, we present a simple and powerful way for tarot
readers and students to begin to learn kabbalah. This profound yet straightforward method
has astonished private students for years and excited them to the possibilities of tarot as a
key to esoteric and spiritual work. It is here published for the first time. We also look at a
kabbalistic meditation for tarot, and a powerful kabbalistic spread (and a new way of doing
spreads called calibration spreads). We reveal for the first time in print the mystery of the
rainbow and the mystery of the Kingdom. We finally unpack the Celtic Cross a little to show
that even the most commonly known spread is full of intrigue! We also present for the first
time in book form the earliest known version of that spread, discovered during years of
research.
Part 2: Tarot Stellar, Tarot Trance
Developing our advanced skills even further, but keeping them accessible and clearly
explained, in this part we present a way of exploring your natal chart through tarot and, for
the first time, safe methods of accessing trance‐like experiences to encounter the tarot in a
profound manner. We then provide a few exercises to use trance tarot to access creative
solutions and even change real life events in a magical fashion. These powerful methods
take tarot to whole new levels.
Part 3: Tarot Ascended, Tarot Secret
In this concluding part of our advanced work, we consider tarot as a map of spiritual ascent
and mystical development.
We offer exercises to use tarot as Tarosophy, developing your own personal philosophy
based upon the structure of tarot. I present unpublished material from the Hermetic Order
of the Golden Dawn as elucidation of this approach, two forms of the Tree of Life and a
whole new tarot developed from visionary and dream experience, as encouragement for
the reader to do likewise. Amongst many other concepts and exercises, we conclude by
looking at the effects of practising tarot in the long‐term life of the reader and student. We
conclude with tarot haiku and two exercises for advanced students: the first a twist on the
year ahead spread, and the second and final, a two month training exercise culminating in a
speed spread which utilises every single card in the deck for the reading.
CONTENTS
Author’s Foreword
Tarosophy Online
Chapter Summary
Section One: Tarot True
Part 1: Tarot Vast, Tarot Vindicated
1.1 Introduction
1.2 What is the Tarot?
1.3 Tarot History: Guilt by Association
1.4 Tarot Esoteric
1.5 Tarot Popular
1.6 Tarosophy
Exercise 1: Making a Metaphor
1.7 Metaphors
1.8 Symbols
1.9 How Does Tarot Work?
Exercise 2: The Voices Explain Themselves
1.10 Attributions and Correspondences
1.11 Synchronicity and Tarot as Vision
1.12 Archetypes
1.13 Querent. Client. Customer. Seeker. Questioner. Petitioner. Person.
1.14 You Can Make a Map of the Map
Exercise 3: The Map is the Territory (Literal Readings)
1.15 Mythic Creation, Creative Myth
1.16 Types of Foresight
Exercise 4: Your Tarot Journal – The Triangle of Foretelling
Section One, Part 1 Reading List
Part 2: Tarot Consecrated, Tarot Created
2.1 Your First Tarot Deck
2.2 What is NLP?
Exercise 5: Consecrating Your Cards, Bag or Box
2.3 Tuned Consecrations
2.4 Big Picture, Little Picture
2.5 Anchoring
2.6 Fail‐Safe Tarot
2.7 What is the Kabbalah?
2.8 Tarot in 10 Minutes
Exercise 6: Living the Archetypes
2.9 Reading the Spread
Exercise 7: Some Cards are Cool, and Some Cards are Small
2.10 Reading the Tarot of Creation
2.11 Recording Your Reading
2.12 The Elements
Exercise 8: The Hand of the Four Elements
Exercise 9: Your Tarot Altar
2.13 Layouts and Spreads: Analysis and Synthesis
2.14 The Torus Layout
2.15 Spreads and DIY
2.16 The Dawn Spread
2.17 How to Get a Yes or No Answer
2.18 The Courtroom or Judgement Spread
Section One, Part 2 Reading List
Part 3: Tarot Oracle, Tarot Voice
3.1 Oracle, Voice
3.2 Oracular Talent
Exercise 10: Becoming an Accidental Oracle
Exercise 11: Tarot on TV Trick for Intuition Training
3.3 You Are Intuitive
Exercise 12: Linking Words for Intuitive Speaking
3.4 Drawing from the Well of Intuition
Exercise 13: Feeling Towards the Truth
Exercise 14: Natural Dignities (The Cards Go Walking)
Exercise 15: Deeper Down the Well
Exercise 16: Intuitive Response
Section One, Part 3 Reading List
Part 4: Tarot Reader, Tarot Read
4.1 The Tarot Reader
4.2 Creating Your Tarot Self
4.3 The Top 5 Characteristics of an Excellent Tarot Reader
Exercise 17: Pivot Grammar and Linking Words
Exercise 18: Confident Reading
Exercise 19: Flirty and Seductive Methods for Reading
Exercise 20: Creating Your Tarot Self
4.4 The Tarot Reader’s Toolkit
Section One, Part 4 Reading List
Section Two: Tarot Deep
Part 1: Tarot Told, Tarot Tuned
1.1 Reading for Others, Reading for Self
1.2 Strange Places for Tarot
1.3 Difficult Clients and Querents
1.4 When Will Dwayne Come Back to Me?
1.5 Every Sickness, Every Disturbance, Every Attack
1.6 The Questions You Will Be Asked
1.7 A Deck for Every Deal
1.8 Specific and General Questions
1.9 When Do People Ask Questions?
1.10 Dealing with Unusual Questions
1.11 The Dark Man and the Woman Without Mercy
Exercise 21: Exploring Relationships in the Court Cards
1.12 Reading Hot, Reading Cold
1.13 The Only Important Thing You Need To Do
1.14 Tuned and Attuned Decks
1.15 Reading Spatially
1.16 Fall‐Back Reading
Section Two, Part 1 Reading List
Part 2: Tarot Spread, Tarot Stepped
2.1 The Minors in Three Lights
2.2 Tarot Astrological
2.3 Tarot Kabbalistical
2.4 The Spiritual Process Triads of Papus
Exercise 22: Papus Pimps the Majors
2.5 The Secret Keywords of the Major Arcana
Exercise 23: Generating Your Own Keywords
2.6 More Archetypal Than Others
2.7 Powerful Reading With the Majors Only
2.8 The Tarot Reader Revealed
2.9 The Major Arcana Considered as a System
Exercise 24: Chunking Up Exercise – A Journey to the Archetypes
2.10 The Major Arcana Enquiries
2.11 The Jackson Square Spread (Mutable Spread)
2.12 The Temple of Thoth (Gated Spread)
2.13 The Unfolded Cube Spread (3D Spread)
2.14 The Snowflake Spread (Fractal Spread)
2.15 The Next Step Spread (Progressive Spread)
2.16 Layered, Chained, Linked, and Pulled Spreads
Section Two, Part 2 Reading List
Part 3: Tarot Dreamt, Tarot Realised
3.1 The Fountain of Morpheus
3.2 Senoi Dream‐work
3.3 The Inner Guide Meditation
Exercise 25: The Inner Guide Meditation
Exercise 26: Over‐Intellectualising Overcome
Exercise 27: Working With Attachments
3.4 Coded Questions and the Inner Guide
3.5 Clean Tarot
3.6 Tarot and the Poet
Exercise 28: Creating a Tarot Story
Exercise 29: Tarot Yoga
Exercise 30: Tarot Martial Arts, Music and Dance
Exercise 31: Creating Your Own Tarot Deck
3.7 Reviewing Tarot Decks
Section Two, Part 3 Reading List
Section Three: Tarot High
Part 1: Tarot Tree, Tarot Path
1.1 Learning the Correspondences
Exercise 32: Learning the Correspondences
1.2 The Kabbalistic Calibrated Spread
1.3 The Seasonal Path Calibrated Spread
1.4 Understanding the Kabbalah Through Tarot
Exercise 33: Three Cards to Unlock the Crown
Exercise 34: Four Cards to Unlock Understanding
1.5 The Mystery of the Kingdom
1.6 The Mystery of the Rainbow
1.7 The Wedding Day: A Kabbalistic Tarot Journey
1.8 The Celtic Cross Unpacked
Section Three, Part 1 Reading List
Part 2: Tarot Stellar, Tarot Trance
2.1 Exploring the Natal Chart Through Tarot
Exercise 35: Matching the Sun and Moon
Exercise 36: Comparing Sun and Moon
2.2 Astrological Dignities and the Tarot
Exercise 37: In‐Depth Exploration Around the Sun and Moon
2.3 Tarot Trance
Exercise 38: The Betty Erickson Technique
Exercise 39: Vogt’s Fractionation
Exercise 40: Merging the Cards for Creative Solutions
Exercise 41: 3‐Card Pattern
Exercise 42: Changing a Situation Through Tarot
Section Three, Part 2 Reading List
Part 3: Tarot Ascended, Tarot Secret
3.1 The Ladder
3.2 The Tarot as Illustrating Spiritual Ascent
Exercise 43: Tarot of Spiritual Ascent
3.3 The Book of Thoth as Illustrative of Spiritual Progression
3.4 The Ladder Laid Down
3.5 The Tarot of the Braid
3.6 Solomon’s Ladder
3.7 The 1,232 Major Lessons of Tarosophy
3.8 Tarosophy and a Tarot Secret of the Golden Dawn
3.9 Never Will the Eternal Change
Exercise 44: The Secret Journeys of the Majors (Counting Creation)
3.10 Towards Your Own Tarosophy
Exercise 45: A Tarosophical Spiritual Statement
Exercise 46: A Tarosophical Analysis of an Argument
3.11 The Ten Degrees of Tarosophy
3.12 Tarot Long Term
3.13 The Hidden Teachings Beyond Tarot
3.14 Tarot Dangerous
3.15 Who Wants to Live Forever?
3.16 The Top Five Tarot Crimes
3.17 Tarot Haiku
Exercise 47: Haiku Your LWB
Exercise 48: 3‐Card Haiku Creation
Exercise 49: Annual Year Ahead Spread (36‐Card Spread With Twist)
Exercise 50: All the Traps/All the Escapes (78‐Card Spread)
3.18 A Tarot Blessing
Section Three, Part 3 Reading List
Author’s Afterword: The Fair‐Wrought House Will Be Built Again
Appendix 1: Half Your Market Think That You Are Evil (Marketing Tarot)
Appendix 2: Tarot Law, Tarot Trade (Legal Issues in Tarot)
Appendix 3: Top Tarot Tweet Tips (78 Tips of Less Than 140 Characters)
Appendix 4: Contributors to the Secret Keywords
Bibliography
Index