Tarot Cards
Court Cards
Court Cards – The Storytellers
The Elemental Cards & The Sacred Treasures
Court Cards have characters that Imaginosophy terms Storytellers, for if you spend time with the cards, they do indeed tell stories. The Storytellers often describe the people in your life, especially your inner circle or family members. In the ancient Celtic world men and women enjoyed equality and knew together they were at their strongest and most powerful.
Heroines and Heroes are youths of any gender who are learning skillsets. They often appear in your life as sons, daughters, or youthful people. Likewise, Queens and Kings denote the leadership positions of mothers and fathers, or other authorities. Imaginosophy has added a fifth deity or family member to the cards. These are the Mages, and each one is a master of their element. They act as guides on the path to wholeness.
From the 18th century, occultists have understood that Tarot elucidates a preternatural philosophy. Tarot is like a doorway that opens into the Western mystical traditions. It invites the scholar searching for meaning to study Neoplatonism, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Alchemy, Renaissance art and philosophy, as well as kabbalah and astrology, and other subjects. The Tarot becomes a guide that opens one realm and then another. It mostly arises out of the Renaissance, but some argue the roots are much deeper leading back to an origin in ancient Tibet, India, China and/or Egypt. Certainly, the Tarot is eclectic, constantly redefining itself for each generation. The movement, paradoxes and unpredictability keep it relevant. Although there are guidelines for Tarot, there is also room for inspired imaginative redefinition. In truth, it is a timeless mystical teaching, a perennial philosophy that reveals itself to questers who are ready for the journey. It is a story contained in pictures.
The Elemental Storytellers
The Earth cards in the deck are linked to Pentagrams in the traditional Tarot, and each one has a green mandala. These stories arise out of the myths of Ireland, specifically the Ulster Cycle or Ulaid. These ancient stories center around the court of the great King Conchobar son of Nessa and the hero Cuchulain. These tales are all set in 1BC, when fierce women fought alongside men, and the Faery realm was still accessible. They invite us to consider our relationships with the planet, the nature of true abundance, and the wisdom of our bodies. This is the ancient Irish family.
The Air cards are linked to the Swords of traditional Tarot. Each card in this suit is yellow, the color of confusion, mind, and/or joy. They tend to be cards to challenge us. The stories related to this suit are all Arthurian legend, arising out of 5th century Britain up until 11th century France. Although Arthur may have been a Roman soldier, the quest for the Grail here refers to Self-Knowing and the obstacles we face when trying to discover the Authentic Self. This is the Arthurian family.
The Water cards are linked to the Cups of the traditional Tarot. The cards are blue and each one is about the feeling side of the heart. We all know that matters of the heart can lead us into blissful union or the depths of despair, and sometimes both. The stories related to this suit are from a blend of the romantic Old French and British Grail traditions from the 8th and 14th centuries. They include the first person to discover the Holy Grail, a visionary woman named Dindraine who opened the gates to Sarras, or Heaven. This is the Grail Family.
The Fire cards are linked to Spears in the traditional Tarot. These cards are red and have to do with creativity, passion, and spiritual strength. They invite us to challenge what we think is true and to ask again. They invite us to discard or burn away layers of egoic programming to discover the truth of our authentic selves. The stories arise out of a series of 11th and 12th century Welsh tales known as the Mabinogion. This is the ancient Welsh family.
The Spirit cards are entirely our creation or co-creation. They are colorful and linked to the realms of the Irish Faery Folk, who invite us to dream between worlds. This is the family of the supernatural pre-Christian Gaelic beings of Ireland known as the Tuatha de Danann. They are also called the Tribe of Danu.
All the Mage cards are masters of their element. Their symbol is lightning, and they all can be considered deities that awaken and inspire.
The Air cards are linked to the Swords of traditional Tarot. Each card in this suit is yellow, the color of confusion, mind, and/or joy. They tend to be cards to challenge us. The stories related to this suit are all Arthurian legend, arising out of 5th century Britain up until 11th century France. Although Arthur may have been a Roman soldier, the quest for the Grail here refers to Self-Knowing and the obstacles we face when trying to discover the Authentic Self. This is the Arthurian family.
The Water cards are linked to the Cups of the traditional Tarot. The cards are blue and each one is about the feeling side of the heart. We all know that matters of the heart can lead us into blissful union or the depths of despair, and sometimes both. The stories related to this suit are from a blend of the romantic Old French and British Grail traditions from the 8th and 14th centuries. They include the first person to discover the Holy Grail, a visionary woman named Dindraine who opened the gates to Sarras, or Heaven. This is the Grail Family.
The Fire cards are linked to Spears in the traditional Tarot. These cards are red and have to do with creativity, passion, and spiritual strength. They invite us to challenge what we think is true and to ask again. They invite us to discard or burn away layers of egoic programming to discover the truth of our authentic selves. The stories arise out of a series of 11th and 12th century Welsh tales known as the Mabinogion. This is the ancient Welsh family.
The Spirit cards are entirely our creation or co-creation. They are colorful and linked to the realms of the Irish Faery Folk, who invite us to dream between worlds. This is the family of the supernatural pre-Christian Gaelic beings of Ireland known as the Tuatha de Danann. They are also called the Tribe of Danu.
All the Mage cards are masters of their element. Their symbol is lightning, and they all can be considered deities that awaken and inspire.
The Legends
One primary way esoteric wisdom is passed from one generation to the next is through the telling and retelling of myths and legends. The primary idea behind Imaginosophy is that we are part of a greater intelligence that loves us, the Source of Life beyond form. Once we become aware of the sound, light and love that brings us into being, we can begin to re-imagine our design in a way that is healed awake, attuned, and alive.
An emphasis in Imaginosophy: Beyond Tarot is placed on the bardic retelling and reexamination of stories told in the Legends of the Grail Series, which includes Legends of the Grail: Stories of Celtic Goddesses, Heroines of Avalon & Other Others, and the novels Nimue: Freeing Merlin and Riddles of the Ancestors. The modern Sparkle fairytales also contain kernels of bardic wisdom, as well as A Story of Becoming, Eala: Mother Swan, and Whisper Angel.
