The Tarot And The Hermetic Qabalah
As with any phenomenon that stands the test of time, the Tarot has evolved over hundreds of years. During its evolution, it has absorbed aspects from a number of cultures and schools of thought, the most important of which must be the Hermetic Qabalah.
Hebrew Links
While the Tarot had existed for over 350 years, it wasn’t until the Comte de Mellet wrote an article in 1781 that it achieved prominence in Europe. The Comte’s article noted the parallels between the 22 cards of the Major Arcana and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, causing scholars, occultists and mystics alike to consider whether they were somehow linked. The French occultists, Eliphas Levi investigated even further and postulated a theory suggesting a link between the Hebrew word for God (YHVH) and the four suits of the Tarot deck. A prominent figure in the occult world, he shared his theories with a British group, known as The Order of the Golden Dawn.
European Occultism
The Order of the Golden Dawn taught philosophy and self-awareness through the belief-system of the Hermetic Qabalah. Unlike other belief-systems, the Hermetic Qabalah suggests that there is no divide between divinity and man; we are all fragments of a higher being, with unlimited potential. With this in mind, the Order began to use the Tarot as a tool to expand their self-awareness and to more readily access their innate psychic abilities. To correspond with their beliefs, the Order created decks that used imagery and symbols found in the Hermetic Qabalah, creating a Tarot that was much closer to the ones that are most widely used today.
Order-member, Arthur Edward Waite, assumed responsibility for the final version of the deck, using the talents of fellow-occultist, Pamela Colman-Smith, to draw and paint a definitive set of cards. These were published by the Rider publishing house in 1909, giving rise to the popular ‘Rider-Waite’ cards that are so commonplace in modern Tarot readings.
The Order of the Golden Dawn was very influential in shaping the occult beliefs of the time and the Tarot eventually made its way to the USA in the 1800’s. The cards we use in the 21st Century are heavily influenced by the Hermetic Qabalah and its fundamental beliefs are still supported through the cards themselves.