The Rider - Waite Tarot Deck - Starbridge Centre

forces within ourselves, to become more balanced and well integrated, and to stay more
objective when faced with conflict and difficult times.
SELECTION OF TAROT DECKS
As mentioned above, the two decks we are familiar with and which are presented in the
following text, are the classical RIDER TAROT by ARTHUR WAITE, and that which often
has been called "THE MAGICIAN`S TAROT," by OSWALD WIRTH. These are the two
tarot decks we ourselves have extensively been working with and tested in our courses,
and these are therefore the two tarot decks we can fully recommend for contemplation.
We are sure there exist other genuine tarot decks out there we don`t know of, just as there
exist some tarot decks which, although impressive and fascinating in their artistic
presentation, only should be used for story telling and NOT for contemplation and self
knowledge.
Elizabeth Haich elaborates: "Unfortunately the tarot cards have been frequently
redesigned by people who were totally unaware of their inner symbolic significance.
Naturally, such ignorance has lead to complete falsification of their inner meaning.
Although these corrupt cards may be adequate for the purpose of fortune-telling, they do
not serve to represent the various spiritual states of man. The only tarot which undoubtedly
descends from a genuine initiate, and which serves our purpose perfectly, is the one
designed and coloured by Oswald Wirth at the dictation of the young initiate Stanislas de
Guita".
Elizabeth Haich: "The Wisdom of the Tarot"
As previously said, we are using the above french Oswald Wirth deck, called "the
Magician`s Tarot", and also the classical Rider Tarot deck. In many ways the two decks
are very similar to each other.
However, you may find that "the feel" of the two decks are different. It is as if the Rider
Tarot deck is more "normal" and immediately appealing - whereas the Oswald Wirth deck
takes off from the beginning with its radical profile of card O, THE FOOL. It appears that
the Wirth deck is focusing directly on individuation and higher states of consciousness. We
have therefore felt it nescessary to elaborate more in the text to some of the Wirth cards. -
You will also find that the keywords for the cards in each of the two decks are different,
because some of the illustrations are very different from each other, even if the title of the
cards is identical.
The contemplation to all the cards are the same for both decks.
But let the cards speak for themselves!
The literature on Tarot is extensive. The following books have been of particular inspiration
for us, and some quotes are used in the text, marked with quotationmarks where
appropiate.:
1) P. D. Ouspensky: "The Symbolism of the Tarot. Philosophy of Occultism in Pictures
and Numbers".
Dover Publications Inc. N.Y. 1913 (1976)
© 2005 Starbridge Centre Ulla and Erik Sandersen
All rights reserved
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