The Emerald Tablet, or Tabula Smaragdina,1 is a pivotal and important piece of Hermetica whose influence is still felt today. Many modern esotericists and occultists still look to the Emerald Tablet for inspiration and meaning. This can be frustrating, for though the tablet is brief, it is confusing and cryptic.
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Does anybody else feel like “smaragdina” is a really unpleasant-looking word for a very beautiful substance? ↩
The Kybalion serves as an introduction to so-called Hermetic philosophy to many. However, after more study, it is clear that The Kybalion is not a book about Hermetic philosophy at all. It was published in the early 20th century and preaches a philosophy closer to that of the New Thought movement.
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Working with Giordano Bruno’s memory alphabet and wheel system opens up interesting possibilities. I’ve written before about using tarot with the Art of Memory. Now let’s look at using the Taro with Bruno’s memory system. If you have used Tarot for meditation or pathworking, then you already have experience with visualizing the cards and also changing or manipulating the imagery. Using the cards in a memory system will imprint their symbolism even more firmly in your mind.
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Giordano Bruno (the Nolan) was an influential philosopher, astrologer, and poet who was burned at the stake for heresy in 1600 C.E. He was a loud, brash, opinionated ex-monk who was not shy about his support of heliocentrism and his rejection of Christianity. He was also a genius. Bruno’s place in the history of Western civilization got a big upgrade in 1964, when Frances Yates published Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition. That book was my first introduction to Bruno and his work.
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In the wake of David Bowie’s passing, there have been many interesting articles making the rounds. Alex Sumner posted one titled “David Bowie: Closet Occultist,” in which he makes the argument that Bowie was secretly an occultist.
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Since October of 2015, I have been reading cards at Pairings Portland’s monthly Astrology Night event. This has been a lot of fun and very interesting, but it has brought up a lot of questions about my thoughts on astrology. It’s been a popular form of divination for millenia, so that’s understandable. Just today, I was reminded of something I wrote about astrology about five years ago when asked about the inclusion of Ophiuchus as the 13th sign of the Zodiac.
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When I first started this website, it’s because my weekly Tarot-reading gig at the Press Club was ending and I was eager to find some way to grow and continue my Tarot business. What I didn’t realize at the time was that my Friday afternoons at the Press Club were something special. They may never be replaced. My Tarot reading business never grew after that, but instead has settled into a fairly regular schedule. About once per month, I read cards at Pairings Portland. I also have a few regular customers and I get some jobs at parties here and there, but this is never going to be my main business nor keep me busy.
After coming to this realization, it was time to make a change in the direction of this website. I will be writing here about Hermeticism and the Tarot. Primarily, I will focus on Hermeticism and the Hermetic arts. I want to introduce you to the ars memorativa,1 theurgy, thaumaturgy, and their connection to the Tarot. For now, enjoy this video that might give you an idea of the subjects we will be exploring on this website.
I usually call this the ars memoriae. ↩
Date/Time
Date(s) - Oct 7, 2015
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
Pairings Portland
Categories
Pairings Portland has been running some interesting events pairing wine with astrological signs. Join us for an evening of astrological wine pairing and inspirational Tarot!
We take 20 traits of Libra and divide them up into five groupings. Each group will get a wine paired to it, creating a five wine Libra flight!
Even if you’re not a Libra, you’ll still love the wine!
The flight will be $20, but if you’re a Libra, and you bring a full-paying friend, you get your tasting for free! Even if you don’t bring a friend, if you’re a Libra you’ll get $5 off the flight
I will be offering Tarot readings at my standard table prices:
Check out the Facebook event at this link.
Date/Time
Date(s) - Apr 30, 2015
3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location
Pairings Portland
Categories
Die Hexen zu dem Brocken ziehn,
Die Stoppel ist gelb, die Saat ist grün.
Dort sammelt sich der große Hauf,
Herr Urian sitzt oben auf.
So geht es über Stein und Stock,
Es farzt die Hexe, es stinkt der Bock.1
It is said that on Walpurgisnacht, the night before May 1st, the walls between our world and the spirit world are thin. Legends say that witches used to meet on the peak of the Brocken for big witch-parties every Walpurgisnacht.
Join us at Pairings Portland on Walpurgisnacht for Tarot and a delicious German wine tasting! Jeff will be pouring 5 different German wines, and Reverend Erik will be reading Tarot cards.
The German wine flight will cost $15 for 5 wines. All will be available by the glass or bottle!
Tarot readings will be $10 for a short reading or $20 for a full reading.
Add to Google Calendar or Download .ics file
From Goethe’s Faust. ↩
The starting time for the Tarot & Wine – Spring Renewal event tomorrow has been changed to 4:00 pm. That’s about the time people start showing up, so I don’t anticipate the change affecting anybody’s schedules. If you were planning to come earlier, please contact me and we can arrange something.
Jeff over at Pairings Portland has revealed the wines that will be paired with my Tarot reading! Check them out. They sound delicious.
