Tarot is a Profound Source of Insight - Page 17
Tarot Articles and Blogs
Learn how Tarot cards and their meanings influence your life here and now
The Major Arcana: Fool's Journey
Modern interpreters sometimes refer to the Tarot majors as the Fool's Journey. The 21 images of the trumps are seen as stages in a psychological or mystical journey and the Fool is seen as the pilgrim. Read More »
Dr. Robert V. O'Neill
Dr. O'Neill recently retired as Senior Research Scientist and Corporate Fellow, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He has more than 240 publications including several books on Ecological Theory. He has served on the National Science Foundation Panel on Ecological Sciences and the Editorial Boards of Ecology, Columbia University Press, Ecosystem Journal, and Conservation Ecology. Read More »
Empress Cards
In the early ordering (Type B) of the Tarot trumps, the Empress card appears as trump #2. With the Empress card we move from the lowest estates of man, represented by the Fool and Bagatto, to the highest. Read More »
Pope Cards
Figure 1 shows the 6 extant Pope cards from the 15th and 16th centuries. As with the Emperor, all of the figures are enthroned. The keys of St. Peter are shown on three of the cards, Read More »
Introduction to Iconology of the Early Tarot
"The first function of history is to open our minds to the infinite wealth of possible worlds and to help us to understand that our own view, whatever it may be, is precarious, limited, and open to sudden and radical change." Read More »
Fool Cards
Figure 1 shows the four intact cards from the 15/16th century decks. The fool appears in a variety of guises from the goitered idiot with feathers in his hair to the homeless man with bells to warn of his approach. In two cases, he is being played with or tormented by children. In all cases he is carrying an object: a staff, a branch, or a belt of bells. In two cases he has a foolscap with the ears of a jackass. In all cases his clothing is inadequate. Read More »
Tarot Symbolism
Welcome to the Dr. Robert V. O'Neill Tarot Library. Included here are research excerpts focusing on Tarot symbolism, iconology and influences. Read More »
Emperor Cards
The Emperor appears as trump card #3 in the type B ordering we are following in this essay. A number of examples of the Emperor card have survived from the 15/16th centuries (Fig. 1) although it is clear that some of the images are copies or adaptations of others. Read More »
Franciscans Influence
The Albigensian Crusade had crushed the political and hierarchical infrastructure that supported the Cathars in Provence. The Inquisition persecuted the remnants in Provence and Italy for the next two centuries. Read More »
Virtue Cards
The three Tarot trumps that represent cardinal or moral virtues (Temperance, Fortitude, Justice) will be covered in separate chapters. However, the virtues form an integral subset of the symbolic system and some general observations are in order. Read More »