The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by L. W. de Laurence - part 5

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Episode Transcript

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Part three, Section five of theIllustrated Key to the Tarot. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordingsare in the public domain. For more
information or a volunteer, please visitLibriVox dot org. Recording by Light Crystal.
The illustrator Key to the Tarot byL. W. D. Lorentz.

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The Outer Methods of the Oracles Sectionfour. Some additional meanings of the
lesser are kana ones king generally favorable. May signify a good marriage reversed,
advice that should it be followed queen, a good harvest, which may be

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taken in several senses reversed. Goodwilltowards the querrent, but without the opportunity
to exercise it. Night a badcard. According to some readings, alienation
reversed for a woman marriage but probablyfrustrated, young man of family in search

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of a young lady. Page reversedbad news ten difficulties and contradictions if near
a good card, nine generally speakinga bad card. Eight domestic disputes for
a married person seven a dark child. Six. Servants may lose the confidence

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of their masters. A young ladymay be betrayed by a friend reversed fulfillment
of de third hope. Five successin financial speculation reversed. Quarrels may be
turned to advantage. Four unexpected goodfortune reversed. A married woman will have

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four children. Three a very goodcard collaboration will favor enterprise. Two A
young lady may expect trivial disappointments,ace, calamities of all kinds reversed a
sign of birth cups king, bewareof ill will on the part of a

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man of position, and of hypocrisypretending to help reversed loss. Queen sometimes
denotes a woman of equivocal character reversed. A rich marriage for a man,
and a distinguished one for a woman. Knight a visit from a friend who

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will bring unexpected money to the queerancereversed irregularity page good augury. Also a
young man who is unfortunate in lovereversed Obstacles of all kinds. Ten for
a male querrance, a good marriageand one beyond his expectations reversed sorrow.

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Also a serious quarrel nine of goodaugury for military men reversed good business.
Eight marriage with a fair woman reversedperfect satisfaction seven fair child idea design resolve

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movement reversed success if accompanied by thethree of cups. Six pleasant memories reversed
inheritance to falling quickly. Five generallyfavorable a happy marriage, Also patrimony,

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legacies, gifts, success in enterprise, return of some relative who has not
been seen for long. Four contraritiesreversed presentiment three unexpected advancement for a military

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man reversed consolation cure, end ofthe business. Two favorable in things of
pleasure and business, as well asin love. Also wealth and honor reversed,
passion, ace, inflexible will,unalterable law reversed unexpected change of position

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sort king a lawyer, senator,doctor reversed a bad man, also a
caution to put an end to aruinous lawsuit. Queen a widow reversed a
bad woman with ill will towards thequerrant, knight a soldier, man of

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arms, satellite stipendury, heroic actionpredicted for soldier reversed. Dispute with an
embecile person. For a woman,struggle with a rival who will be conquered.
Page an indiscreet person will pry intothe querrant's secrets reversed astonishing news.

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Ten followed by ayes and king.Imprisonment for girl or wife. Treason on
the part of friends reversed victory andconsequent fortune for a soldier in war.
Nine. An ecclesiastic a priest generallyad of bad omen reversed good ground for

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suspicion against a doubtful person. Eight. For a woman, scandals spread in
her respect reversed departure of a relative. Seven dark girl a good card.

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It promises a country life after acompetence has been secured, reversed good advice
probably neglected. Six the voyage willbe pleasant reversed unfavorable issue of the lawsuit.
Five An attack on the fortune ofthe querrant reversed a sign of sorrow

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and mourning. Four a bad card, but if reversed, a qualified success
may be expected by wise administration ofaffairs. Reversed a certain success following wise

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administration. Three for a woman,the flight of her lover reversed a meeting
with one whom the queerrant has compromised, also a nun. Two gifts for
a lady influential protection from a manin search of helped reversed dealings with rogues,

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ace, great prosperity, or greatmisery reversed. Marriage broken off for
a woman through her own imprudence,panicles king, a rather dark man,
a merchant, master, professor,an old and vicious man, queen dark

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woman. Presence from a rich relative, rich and happy marriage for a young
man reversed. An illness night,a useful man, useful discoveries reversed.
A brave man out of employment page, a dark youth, a young officer

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or soldier, a child reversed,sometimes degradation and sometimes pillage. Ten represents
household dwelling and derives its value fromother cards reversed an occasion which may be
fortunate or otherwise nine. Prompt fulfillmentof what is presaged by neighboring cards reversed.

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Vain hopes eight A young man inbusiness who has relations with the querrant
a dark girl reversed. The queererwill be compromised in a matter of money
lending. Seven. Improved position fora lady's future husband reversed. Impatience,

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apprehension, suspicion. Six. Thepresent must not be relied on reversed.
A check on the querance ambition five. Conquest of fortune by reason reversed.
Troubles in love four for a bachelor, pleasant news from a lady reversed,

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observation hindrances. Three, If fora man, celebrity for his eldest son
reversed depends on neighboring cards. Twotroubles are more imaginary than real reversed bad
omen, ignorance injustice, ace themost favorable of all cards reversed a share

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in the finding of treasure. Itwill be observed one that these additor mentor
have little connection with the pictorial designsof the cards to which they refer,
as these correspond with the more importantspeculative values. Two, and further that

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the additional meanings are very often indisagreement with those previously given. All meanings
are largely independent one another, andall are reduced, accentuated, or subject
to modification, and sometimes almost reversal, by their place in a sequence.

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There is scarcely any any canon ofcriticism in matters of this kind. I
suppose that in proportion, as anysystem descends from generalities to details, it
becomes naturally the more precarious, andin the records of professional fortune telling,
it offers more of the dregs andles of the subject. At the same

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time, divinations based on intuition andsecond sight, are of little practical value
unless they come down from the regionof universals to that of particulars. But
in proportion. As this gift ispresent in a particular case, the specific
meanings recorded by past artemensis will bedisregarded in favor of the personal appreciation of

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card values. This has been intimatedalready, it seems necessary to add the
following speculative readings. Section five.The recurrence of cards in dealing in the
natural position. Four kings equals greathonour. Three kings equals consultation. Two

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kings equals minor council. Four queensequals great debate. Three queens equals deception
by women. Two queens equals asincere friends. Four knights equals serious matters.
Three knights equals lively debate. Twoknights equals intimacy. Four pages equals

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dangerous illness. Three pages equals dispute. Two pages equals disquiet. Four tens
equals condemnation. Three tens equals newcondition. Two tens equals change. Four
nines equals a good friend. Ninesequals success, two nines equals receipt,

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four eights equals reverse three eighths equalsmarriage. Two eight's equals new knowledge.
Four sevens equals intrigue. Three sevensequals infirmity. Two sevens equals news.
Four six's equals abundance. Three sixesequals success. Two sixes equals irritability.

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Four fives equals regularity. Three fivesequals determination. Two fives equals of vigils.
Four fours equals journey near at hand. Three four's equals a subject of
reflection. Two fours equals insomnia.Four three's equals progress. Three threes equals

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unity. Two threes equals calm.Four two's equals contention. Three twos equal
security. Two two's equals accord.Four aces equals favorable chants. Three aces
equals small success. Two aces equalstrickery reversed. Four kings equals celerity.

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Three kings equals commerce. Two kingsequals projects. Four queens equals bad company.
Three queens equals colutony. Two queensequals work. Four knights equals alliance.
Three nights equals a duel or personalencounter. Two nights equals susceptibility.

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Four pages equals privation. Three pagesequals idleness. Two pages equals society tens
equals event happening. Three tens equalsdisappointment. Two tens equals expectation justified.
Four nines equals usury. Three ninesequals imprudence. Two nines equals small profit.

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Four eights equals error. Three eighthsequals a spectacle. Two eights equals
miss fortune. Four sevens equals quarrelersthree sevens equals joy. Two sevens equals
women of no repute. Four six'sequal care, three sixes equal satisfaction.

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Two sixes equal down fall, fourfives equal order, three fives equal hesitation,
two fives equal reverse. Four foursequals walks abroad. Three fours equals
disquiet. Two four equals dispute.Four threes equals great success. Three threes

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equal serenity. Two threes equals safety. Four two's equals reconciliation. Three twos
equals apprehension. Two two's equals mistrust. Four aces equals dishonour three aces equals
debauchery. Two aces equals enemies.Section six The Art of Tarot divination.

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We come now to the final andpractical part of this division of our subject,
being the way to consult and obtainoracles by means of tarot cards.
The modes of operation are rather numerous, and some of them are exceedingly involved.
I set aside as last mentioned,because persons who are versed in such

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questions believe that the way of simplicityis the way of truth. I set
aside also the operations which have beenrepublished recently in that section of the Tarot
of the Bohemians, which is entitledthe Divining Tarot. It may be recommended

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at its proper value to readers whowish to go further than the limits of
this handbook. I offer, inthe first place a short process which has
been used privately for many years pastin England, Scotland and Ireland. I
do not think that it has beenpublished, certainly not in connection with tarot

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cards. I believe that it willserve all purposes. But I will add
by way of variation in the secondplace, what used to be known in
France as the Oracles of Julia orSini. Section seven an ancient Celtic method

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of divination. This mode of divinationis the most suitable for obtaining an answer
to a definite question. The divinerfirst selects a card to represent the personal
matter about which inquiry is made,this card is called the significator. Should
he wish to ascertain something in connectionwith himself, he takes the one which

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corresponds to his personal description. Aknight should be chosen as a significator if
the subject of inquiry is a manof forty years old and upward. A
king should be chosen for any malewho is under that age, a queen

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for a woman over forty years,and a page for any female of less
age. The four court cards inwands represent very fair people with yellow or
auburn hair, fair complexion, andblue eyes. The court cards in cups

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signify people with light brown or dullfair hair and gray or blue eyes.
Those in swords sand for people havinghazel or gray eyes, dark brown hair,
and dull complexion. Lastly, thecourt cards in pentacles are referred to
persons with very dark brown or blackhair, dark eyes, and sallow or

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swarthy complexions. These allocations are subject, however, to the following reserve,
which will prevent them being taken tooConventionally. You can be guided on occasion
by the known temperament of a person. One who is exceedingly dark may be
very energetic and would be better representedby sword card than a pentacle. On

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the other hand, and a veryfair subject who is indolent and lethargic should
be referred to cups rather than towands. If it is more convenient for
the purpose of a divination to takeas a significator the matter about which inquiries
to be made, that trump orsmall card should be selected which has a

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meaning corresponding to the matter. Letit be supposed that the question is will
a lawsuit be necessary in this case? Take the trump number eleven or justice
as a significator. This has referenceto legal affairs. But if the question
is shall I be successful in mylawsuit? One of the court cards must

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be chosen as a significator. Subsequently, consecutive divinations may be performed to ascertain
the course of the process itself andits result to each of the part he's
concerned. Having selected the significator,place it on the table, face upwards.
Then shuffle and cut the rest ofthe pack three times, keeping the

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faces of the cards downwards, Turnup the top or first card of the
pack, cover the significator with it, and say this covers him. This
card gives the influence which is affectingthe person or matter of inquiry, generally

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the atmosphere of it in which theother currents work. Turn up the second
card and lay it across the first, saying this crosses him. It shows
the nature of the obstacles in thematter. If it is a favorable card,
the opposing forces will not be serious, or it may indicate that something

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good in itself will not be reductiveof good in the particular connection. Turn
up the third card, place itabove the significator, and say this crowns
him. It represents a the queerance, aim or ideal in the matter,

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be the best that can be achievedunder the circumstances, but that which has
not yet been made actual. Turnup the fourth card, place it below
the significator, and say this isbeneath him. It shows the foundational basis
of the matter, that which hasalready passed into actuality, and which the

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significator has made his own. Turnup the fifth card, place it on
the side of the significator from whichhe is looking, and say this is
behind him. It gives the influencethat is just passed or is now away.

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NB. If the significator is atrump or any small card that cannot
be said to face either way.The diviner must decide before beginning the operation
which side he will take it asfacing. Turn up the sixth card,
place it on the side that thesignificator is facing, and say this is

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before him. It shows the influencethat is coming into action and will operate
in the near future. The cardsare now disposed in the form of a
cross, the significator covered by thefirst card being in the center. The
next four cards are turned up insuccession and placed one above the other in

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a line on the right hand sideof the cross. The first of these,
or the seventh card of the operation, see himself, that is,
the significator, whether person or thing, and shows its position or attitude in
the circumstances. The eighth card signifieshis house, that is, his environment,

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and the tendencies at work therein whichhave an effect on the matter,
for instance, his position in life, the influence of immediate friends, and
so forth. The ninth card giveshis hopes or fears in the matter.
The tenth is what will come thefinal result, the culmination, which is

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brought about by the influences shown bythe other cards that have been turned up
in the divination. It is onthis card that the diviner should especially concentrate
his intuitive faculties and his memory inrespect of the official divinatory meanings attached there
too, it should embody whatsoever youmay have divined from the other cards on

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the table, including the significator itselfand concerning him or it not, excepting
such lights upon higher significance as mightfall like sparks from heaven. If the
card which serves for the oracle thecard for reading, should happen to be
a trump major, the operation isnow completed. But should it happen that

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the last card is of a dubiousnature from which no final decision can be
drawn, or which does not appearto indicate the ultimate conclusion of the affair,
it may be well to repeat theoperation, taking, in this case
the tenth card as a significator insteadof the one previously used. The pack

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must be again shuffled and cut threetimes, and the first ten cards laid
out as before. A more detailedaccount of what will come may be obtained.
If in any divination the tenth cardshould be a court card, it
shows that the subject of the divinationfalls ultimately into the hands of a person

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represented by that card, and itsend depends mainly on him. In this
event, Also, it is usefulto take the court card in question as
the significator in a fresh operation anddiscover what is the nature of his influence
in the matter, and to whatissue he will bring it. Great facility

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may be obtained by this method ina comparatively short time, allowance being always
made for the gifts of the operator, that is to say, his faculty
of insight latent or developed, andit has a special advantage of being free
from all complications. Diagram I hereappended tiagram of the cards as laid out

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in this mode of divination. Thesignificator is here facing to the left the
significator one What covers him? Two? What crosses him? Three? What
crowns him? Four? What isbeneath him? Five? What is behind
him? Six? What is beforehim? Seven? Himself? Eight?

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His house? Nine, his hopesor fears? Ten? What will come?
Section eight An alternative method of readingthe two cards. Shuffle the entire
pack and turn some of the cardsround so as to invert their tops.
Let them be cut by the querrantwith his left hand. Deal out the

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first forty two cards in six packetsof seven cards each face upwards, so
that the first seven cards form thefirst packet, the following seven the second,
so on, as in the followingdiagram. Take up the first packet,
lay out the cards on the tablein a row from right to left.

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Place the cards of the second packetupon them, and then the packets
which remain. You will thus haveseven new packets of six cards each,
arranged as follows. Take the topcard of each packet, shuffle them,
and lay out from right to left, making a line of seven cards.

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Then take up the two next cardsfrom each packet, shuffle and lay them
out in two lines under the firstline. Take up the remaining twenty one
cards of the packets, shuffle andlay them out in three lines below the
others. You will thus have sixhorizontal lines of seven cards each, arranged

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after the following manner. In thismethod, the querrant, if of the
male sex, is represented by themagician, and if female, by the
High Priestess, but the card ineither case is not taken from the pack
until the forty two cards have beenlaid out as above directed. If the

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required card is not found among thoseplaced upon the table, it must be
sought among the remaining thirty six cardswhich have not been dealt and should be
placed a little distance to the rightof the first horizontal line. On the
other hand, if it is amongthem, it is also taken out placed

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as stated, and a card isdrawn haphazard from the thirty six cards undealt
to fill the vacant position, sothat there are still forty two cards laid
out on the table. The cardsare then read in succession from right to
left throughout, beginning at card numberone of the top line, the last

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to be read being that on theextreme left or number seven of the bottom
line. This method is recommended whenno definite question is asked, that is,
when the querant wishes to learn generallyconcerning the course of his life and
destiny. If he wishes to knowwhat may befall within a certain time,

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this time should be clearly specified beforethe cards are shuffled with further reference to
the reading. It should be rememberedthat the cards must be interpreted relatively to
the subject, which means that allofficial and conventional meanings of the cards may
and should be adapted to harmonize withthe conditions of this particular case in question.

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The position time of life and sexacquerance, or a person for whom
the consultation is made. Thus thefool may decay the whole range of mental
phases between mere excitement and madness,But the particular phase in each divination must
be judged by considering the general trendof the cards, and in this naturally

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the intuitive faculty plays an important part. It is well at the beginning of
a reading to run through the cardsquickly, so that the mind may receive
a general impression of the subject,the trend of the destiny, and afterwards
to start again, reading them oneby one and interpreting in detail. It

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should be remembered that the trumps representmore powerful and compelling forces by the terror
hypothesis than are referable to the smallcards. The value of intuitive and clairvoyant
faculties is of course assumed in divination. Where these are naturally present or have

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been developed by the diviner, thefortuitous arrangement of cards forms a link between
his mind and the atmosphere of thesubject of divination, and then the rest
is simple. Where intuition fails oris absent, concentration, intellectual observation and
deduction must be used to the fullestextent to obtain a satisfactory result. But

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intuition, even if apparently dormant,may be cultivated by practicing these divinatory processes.
If in doubt as to the exactmeaning of a card in a particular
connection, the diviner is recommended bythose who are versed in the matter to
place his hand on it, tryto refrain from thinking of what it ought

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to be, and note the impressionsthat arise in his mind at the beginning.
This will probably resolve itself into mereguessing, and may prove incorrect,
but it becomes possible with practice todistinguish between a guess of the conscious mind

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and an impression arising from the mindwhich is subconscious. It is not within
my province to offer either theoretical orpractical suggestions on this subject, in which
I have no part, but thefollowing additor mentor have been contributed by one

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who has more titles to speak thanall the cordimanss of Europe. If they
could shuffle with a single pair ofhands and divine with one tongue. Notes
on the practice of divination one beforebeginning the operation, formulate your question definitely

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and repeat it aloud. Two,make your mind as blank as possible while
shuffling the cards. Three, putout of the mind personal bias and preconceived
ideas as far as possible, oryour judgment will be tinctured thereby. Four.

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On this account, it is moreeasy to divine correctly for a stranger
than for yourself or a friend.Section nine the method of reading by means
of thirty five cards. When thereading is over, according to the scheme

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set forth in the last method,it may happen, as in the previous
case, that something remains doubtful,or it may be desired to carry the
question further, which is done asfollows. Take up the undealt cards which
remain over, not having been usedin the first operation, with forty two
cards. The latter are set asidein a heap, with the querret face

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upwards on the top. The thirtyfive cards being shuffled and cutters before are
divided by dealing into six packets.Thus, Packet one consists of the first
seven cards, Packet two consists ofthe six cards next following in order.

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Packet three consists of the five cardsfollowing. Packet four contains the next four
cards. Packet five contains two cards, and Packet six contains the last eleven
cards. The arrangement will then beas follows. Take up these packets successively

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deal out the cards which they containin sixth lines, which will be necessarily
of unequal length. The first linestands for the house, the environment,
and so forth. The second linestands for the person or subject of the
divination. The third line stands forwhat is passing outside events, persons,

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et cetera. The fourth line standsfor a surprise, the unexpected, et
cetera. The fifth line stands forconsolation and may moderate all that is unfavorable
in the preceding lines. The sixthline is that which must be consulted to

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elucidate the enigmatic oracles of the others. Apart from them, it has no
importance. These cards should all beread from left to right, beginning with
the uppermost line. It should bestated in conclusion as to the divinatory part,

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that there is no method of interpretingtarot cards which is not applicable to
ordinary playing cards. But the additionalcourt cards and above all the Trump's major
are held to increase the elements andvalues of the oracles. And now in
conclusion as to the whole matter,I have left for these last words as

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if by wave epilogue. One furtherand final point. It is the sense
in which I regard the Trump's Majoras containing secret doctrine. I do not
here mean that I am acquainted withorders and fraternities in which such doctrine reposes

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and is therefound to be part ofhigher Tarot knowledge. I do not mean
the such doctrine, being so preservedand transmitted, can be constructed as embedded
independently in the Trump's Major. Ido not mean that it is something apart
from the Tarot. Associations exist whichhave special knowledge of both kinds. Some

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of it is deduced from the Tarot, and some of it is a part
therefrom. In either case, itis the same in the rude matter.
But there are also things in reservewhich are not in orders or societies,
but are transmitted after another manner,apart from all inheritance of this kind.

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Let any one who is a mysticconsider separately an in combination the magician,
the fool, the high priestess,the hiraphant, the Empress, the Emperor,
the hangman, and the tower.Let him then consider the call the
last judgment. They contain the legendof the soul. The other Trump's major

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are the details, and, asone might say, the accidents. Perhaps
such a person will begin to understandwhat lies far behind these symbols, by
whomsoever first invented and however preserved.If he does, he will see also

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why I have concerned myself with thesubject, even at the risk of writing
about divination by cards. End ofthe Outer Methods of the Oracles. End
of the Illustrated Key to the Tarotby L. W. D. Lorents