The Tarot: Its Occult Significance, Use in Fortune-Telling, and Method of Play, Etc., (Paperback)

Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers is best known as one of the principal founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a pivotal organization in the Western esoteric revival of the late nineteenth century. The present work, first published in 1888, reflects Mathers's synthesis of symbolic, mystical, and divinatory traditions surrounding the Tarot. The adoption of the surname "MacGregor" signified his asserted connection to Highland Scottish ancestry. Biographical accounts note that Mathers maintained a vegetarian-or, according to some sources, vegan-lifestyle, along with outspoken advocacy against vivisection and tobacco use. A noted polyglot, he engaged in the study of several languages, including English, French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Gaelic, and Coptic, albeit with varying degrees of fluency.
Though concise in form, this text offers a comprehensive treatment of the Tarot's structure and symbolism. It presents detailed interpretations of each card, outlines their divinatory applications, and examines both the esoteric significance and recreational functions of Tarot practice. As such, the work remains of enduring value to scholars and practitioners concerned with the study of Tarot symbolism and its role in the development of modern occultism.