5 Esoteric Books on The Tarot (Free Downloads)

The Tarot is a deck of cards that has been used for centuries as a tool for divination, self-reflection, and spiritual exploration. It consists of 78 cards divided into two main sections: the Major Arcana (22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards). The Tarot cards are rich in symbolism and archetypal imagery, representing universal themes, experiences, and human emotions. These symbols tap into the collective unconscious and provide a framework for understanding the human condition.

The Tarot is often used as a tool for self-reflection and gaining personal insight. The cards can serve as a mirror, reflecting aspects of ourselves, our desires, fears, strengths, and weaknesses. By contemplating the meanings and messages of the cards, individuals can gain deeper self-awareness and understanding. Many people use the Tarot for divinatory purposes, seeking guidance and answers to specific questions or situations. The cards are believed to tap into the intuitive and spiritual realms, providing insights and guidance that can help navigate life's challenges and decisions.

The Tarot is also seen as a spiritual tool for exploring higher realms of consciousness and spiritual growth. It can be used to connect with higher wisdom, explore mystical teachings, and delve into the mysteries of existence. The Tarot is often associated with personal transformation and growth. The journey depicted in the Major Arcana, from the Fool to the World, symbolizes the stages of personal and spiritual evolution. The cards can inspire individuals to embrace change, overcome obstacles, and strive for personal development.

It's important to note that the Tarot's true meaning and power lie within the individual's interpretation and connection to the cards. Each person may find their own unique insights and significance in the Tarot, and the interpretation of the cards can be influenced by personal beliefs, intuition, and experience.

Here are 5 esoteric books on the Tarot to get you started on your journey:

The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages by Paul Foster Case

In clear and understandable language, Case elucidates the Tarot tradition and technique for the modern thinker. Students of the Tarot will find in these pages the necessary information to understand and apply the principles of Tarot-and the correspondences of symbol, tone, color, and number-to the art of daily living. The author also includes extremely useful chapters on methods of study and Tarot divination.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness by Rachel Pollack

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom is an essential part of every Tarot library. Some even refer to it as the “Tarot Reader’s Bible.” Using images from the popular Rider Waite deck, Pollack shares the in-depth meaning of each card, examining it from several differing aspects in terms of the symbolism, mythological, astrological, numerological, historical and psychological. This book provides knowledge and understanding of the Tarot for both people who know a great deal about the spiritual and psychological ideas of the Tarot and the beginner who might know nothing at all. It also focuses on readings, not simply as predictions, but rather as a way of discovering ourselves, and beyond that, the spirituals wonder of life.

The Qabalistic Tarot Book: A Textbook Of Mystical Philosophy by Robert Wang

A Textbook Of Mystical Philosophy: The Qabalistic Tarot is both a textbook and a valuable sourcebook on the symbols of the Western Hermetic Qabalah, a corpus of mystical ideas, which have, for centuries, exerted a powerful influence on the development of Western thought. Dr. Wang traces the development of Qabalistic ideas throughout history and uses tarot images to explain the symbolic intricacies of the Path. This book can be used as a companion guide to the Golden Dawn Tarot, the Thoth Tarot, Rider-Waite decks or Marseilles style decks. Hailed by reviewers as "a masterpiece," and as "the single most profound reference of its kind," The Qabalistic Tarot has become the standard in its field, a book essential to all students of Tarot symbolism.

The Magical Tarot of the Golden Dawn: Divination, Meditation and High Magical Teachings - Revised Edition by Chris Zalewski & Pat Zalewski

The last word on the tarot of the Golden Dawn, this veritable encyclopedia covers every aspect of the cards.The authors stress experimentation with the tarot, which is a mark of a vibrant magical system. The descriptions of each tarot card are very reliable and very complete. Of particular interest are the alchemical associations and the authors' work on the gematria or numerology of each card. For the first time a complete alchemical system is given for the whole deck. There is also a good deal of added astrological information and divinatory meanings and interpretations.Several excellent suggestions for studying and meditating on the cards are provided by the authors. This book is a balanced combination of both historical and new material presented by the Zalewskis that stands firmly rooted in Golden Dawn teachings and ritual practice. There are many interesting new innovations in this book.Fully illustrated by Golden Dawn member and professional artist, Skip Dudchous, this new 2019 edition has been completely re-edited and re-formatted for ease of reading. It will be an invaluable resource for those interested in the tarot of the Golden Dawn.

Understanding  Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot : An Authoritative Examination of the World's Most Fascinating and Magical Tarot Cards by Lon Milo DuQuette

Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot was his final opus, the culmination of a lifetime of occult study and practice. With artist Lady Frieda Harris, he condensed the core of his teaching into the 78 cards of the tarot. Although Crowley's own Book of Thoth provides insight into the cards, it is a complicated, dated book. Now, in clear language, Lon Milo DuQuette provides everything you need to know to get the most out of using the Thoth deck.