The Tarot: The Quintessence of Hermetic Philosophy

by Mouni Sadhu

Book Overview

The ultimate book in exploring the hidden depths of magic and the Western Esoteric Tradition

In his defining masterpiece, Mouni Sadhu offers the reader an encyclopaedic exploration of the Western esoteric tradition and magical philosophy with the major arcana of the Tarot as a guide.

Each of the 101 lessons contained in this volume is packed with occult philosophy, symbolism, and hints for practice. (The practices themselves are elsewhere, in his books Concentration, Meditation, and Theurgy, which should be studied in that order along with this book.) Those students who want to get the most out of this volume should plan on devoting a week to each lesson, reading it several times and making sure that a thorough grasp of the important concepts has been gained. Two years devoted to this study will result in a thorough understanding of Hermetic occultism

The symbolism and correspondences found in The Tarot are not the ones most familiar in occult writings in the English-speaking world. They derive from the main European tradition of modern Hermeticism, which starts with Eliphas L vi's groundbreaking Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic and proceeds through the works of Stanislaus de Guaita, Paul Christian, Papus (Gerard Encausse), and Oswald Wirth, among others, to Mouni Sadhu. Readers who are used to the current of Hermetic teaching set in motion by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which lies behind most occultism in the English-speaking world, may find themselves surprised by the very different approaches Mouni Sadhu presents here and elsewhere in his works.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1801520232
• ISBN13: 9781801520232
• Release Date: June 2023
• Publisher: Aeon Books
• Length: 704 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.9" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

A Contemporary Masterpiece

Mouni Sadhu's book on the Tarot is not an easy read. Compared to many more recent books on Tarot, Psychology and Spirituality it may appear to be outdated and rather difficult. It is important however to place the book in its historical and social context. Essentially the book contains the philosophical viewpoint of a Russian Esoteric Group at the turn of the 20th Century, which influenced Mouni Sadhu's early thinking. Sadhu in turn, developed the basic material gained from this group to produce this spiritual/esoteric masterpiece of a book which incorporated his later mature thinking. This included his work with Paul Sedir's Society of Spiritual Friendships, as well as Sadhu's acceptance of the great Indian Teacher Sri Ramana Maharishi of India as his Spiritual Master.The book culturally was written at a time when it was believed that certain techniques (which are now freely written about elsewhere) should not be given to the general public via a book transmission. When this point is understood, it helps to make Sadhu's 'Tarot' much clearer in its approach to esoteric truth. Mouni Sadhu believed that if a person had the right moral and mental abilities this would enable them to understand the meaning of the lessons contained in the book. This may not a popular attitude today when instant information is expected and demanded of readers. But Sadhu wrote all his books with the intention of helping his readers to think deeply about what was being read and to practically experience where possible what he was describing from his own personal experiences.The book is certainly not easy to follow, but to readers who persevere with the ideas and exercises contained in the book, benefits such as greater clarity of thought, a sense of personal direction and greater inner freedom are a few of the benefits of Sadhu's 'The Tarot'