The Order of the Hermetic Rose is an association of individuals pursuing practices and studies in the Western Mysteries.

The overall aim of the Order is to facilitate a process whereby students, workshop participants and group members pierce the veil of everyday consciousness and let an unfolding of mystical awareness—an experience of the numinous Truth, Love and Power—flow into their lives.

At the core of the school is our Correspondence Course in the Western Mysteries which introduces students to the fundamentals of the Western Mystery Tradition through the tarot. It is a two-year course during which time students receive individualized mentoring.

Explore the “Recommended Articles” listed on your right to discover more about the school and to get a taste of the course.

If you already have read the article,  What Is the Western Mystery Tradition? you will have realized that there are many traditions and expressions of the Western Mysteries—dare we say that the tarot can take its place as a tradition among them? Or, is it merely divination tool with little depth beyond fortunetelling, and a pliable medium that other traditions can bend to their purpose? If you have an interest in the tarot, then you probably know that there are hundreds of decks to choose from. Many of them are expressions of a particular tradition. For example, you can find decks dedicated to the Alchemical, Celtic, Wiccan, Norse, Masonic traditions just to name a few.

With so many faces, it’s easy to be glamoured and distracted away from the beauty that is the soul of the Tarot and the pathway it offers into the heart of the Western Mysteries. (Tarot-the tradition vs. tarot-the tool.) So, back to our question, can we consider the tarot as a mystery tradition?

To help answer this question, I’d like to use Antoine Faivre’s criteria for recognizing legitimate “western esotericisms”. In his book Access to Western Esotericism he considers the many streams that make up the Western Mysteries and arrives at four characteristics that identify a stream as a “Western esotericism,” or in the terms we are using a tradition. Once we look at his criteria it becomes clear that the tarot more than meets his criteria. However, we must move beyond using it simply for divination. Here are Faivre’s four essentials:

1. “Correspondences”

The axiom, “as above, so below” succinctly describes the concept of correspondence. Correspondence has to do with the relationship between the various levels of existence. What occurs on one level causes change on another level. In this there is no randomness; all is interconnected. If we follow this line of thinking, we can know the higher levels through knowing the world around us. The tarot as a divination tool works exactly on this principle by showing you with the cards (below) a reflection of yourself and your life on many levels.

2. “Living Nature”

This concept follows naturally from the one above. Nature is alive and intricately connected to many levels of existence, not just the physical: “Multilayered, rich in potential revelations of every kind, it must be read like a book.” (Faivre, p.11). The early Visconti-Sforza cards of the Sun, Moon and Star depict female figures holding the stellar entities. The pairing of stellar body with human form speaks to this very concept. All of nature is alive, with a living essence that has a capacity to evolve as we do. The tarot images if we open our perceptivity come alive in the world around us—brining us to the next criteria.

3. “Imagination and Mediations”

Imagination and mediations refer to methods we use to experience “Living Nature” and to read its signs. Faivre defines mediations as, for example, angels, inner guides or rituals—things that aid in our participation. Our imagination, an “organ of the soul” is the key to using mediations and being able to perceive the spiritual within the mundane. With regard to the tarot, mediations are the symbols on the cards. They are the angels (like upon the Lovers Cared) or the archetypes like the Empress, Temperance and the Fool who have both an inner plane collective presence and a presence in the personal psyche. If we use our imagination in combination with the “mediations” offered within the tarot, the tarot may be transformed from a tool for divination into a tradition in its own right.

4. “Experience of Transmutation”

Transmutation is defined as a process of change in form, character or state. The story of the tarot is the tale of transmutation. The major arcana cards tell of the transformative journey of the Fool and of the resulting transformation of the World. This is our own story if we choose it. This story told in symbols is the carrot the tarot offers enticing us into its world. When we begin to work the tradition of the Tarot, we begin to consciously work at our own transformation.

Faivre identified two additional characteristics that are often present in Western traditions:

5. “Transmission”

This is the passing of the light of the tradition from teacher to student in what might be also termed initiation.

6. “The Praxis of the Concordance”

This is the idea of a primordial tradition that underlies all traditions and of a harmony between traditions. The spirit of the tarot embodies this idea. To confirm this all we have to do is look at the myriad of Western traditions that have embraced the tarot—bringing us back to where we started, but perhaps on an altogether different level.

Join me and others as we pursue the Tarot as a tradition within the Western Mysteries.

The phrase “Western Mystery Tradition” was created by MacGregor Mathers, one of the founders of the Golden Dawn, in response to the popularity of the Theosophical Society and the teachings of Helene Blavatsky who brought her knowledge of Eastern metaphysics, magical systems, and meditation practices to the West. In coining the term, “Western Mystery Tradition,” Mathers sought to establish and make clear that the West had its own valid magical and mystical tradition. Following Mathers’ lead others have sought to define the Western Mysteries.

Defining the Mysteries

Christine Hartley, seer and student of Dion Fortune continued Mathers’ campaign reiterating in her book The Western Mysteries that esoteric seekers from the West need not go to the Eastern traditions to fulfill their spiritual needs. She argued that the ancient traditions of the British Isles possessed a rich deposit for mining spiritual sustenance. Another student of Dion Fortune, W.E. Butler founder of the Servants of the Light described the Western Tradition as emerging from the “cradles” of Sumeria, Chaldea, Egypt and Greece but also including the Old Religion of Europe.

More recently John and Caitlin Matthews in Walkers Between the Worlds (formerly The Western Way) expanded upon Butler’s definition conceptualizing the Western Mystery Tradition as having two paths one that is based on European native traditions and is shamanic, intuitive, earth conscious, and goddess-oriented. The other path they describe as Hermetic coming from Egypt and Mesopotamia. This path embraces the pursuit of knowledge, oneness with godhead, and philosophical super consciousness.

Stephan Hoeller, a modern Gnostic describes the Western Mysteries more loosely as “the alternative spiritual tradition.” Others have explained the Western Mysteries as the esoteric reflection of the mainstream exoteric tradition, namely Christianity.

Academic, Antoine Faivre (Access to Western Esotericism), takes a different approach. After considering the many streams that make up the Western Mysteries, he arrives at four characteristics that identify a stream as a “Western esotericism,” or in the terms we are using a tradition. (His categories are especially interesting when considering the tarot. But, that topic is for another article!)

A Historical Perspective

From a historical perspective we can say that the path of the Western Mysteries has followed the spread of Western culture. This elusive creature encompasses a continuous stream of philosophy, myth, ritual, and magical and mystical practices that are described in the writing, art, and architecture of cultures spanning a time period of 7,000 years or more, and a geographical area that can be loosely described as stretching from Mesopotamia to Ireland and more recently to the western shores of the United States. It has been influenced by the ancient cultures of Babylonia, Chaldea, Canaan, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Europe and North America. And, one cannot ignore Eastern influences from, for example, Arabic alchemy and Hindu philosophy.

One of the qualities of the Western Mysteries is its ability to take in, integrate and adapt to a changing world and the demands of a particular era. For this reason it is indeed a challenging and complex topic. Here are three maps that give you a bird’s eye view of the making of the Western Tradition. Given the breadth of cultures and span of time, the following discussion serves only as an outline but should be sufficient for any of you who wish to take a closer look in a particular area.

The Western Mysteries Map 1: Major Influences up to c. 1400 CE

Below is a map that shows the place of origin of the predominant streams that have contributed to the Western Mysteries before 1400 CE. The number at the source point of the arrow indicates the place of origin of the tradition. Numbers not tied to an arrow indicate a major center for a tradition. The movement towards the central vessel indicates the movement towards syncretism. Syncretism is a word used to describe a process where different religions and/or philosophies attempt to merge. The spread of the Roman empire encouraged this process as did the later policies of the Catholic church in the assimilation of the pagan population.

The vessel in the center of the map represents the spirit of the Western Mystery Tradition as a whole. The vessel can be likened to Cerridwen’s cauldron, the magician’s chalice, and the Holy Grail of the Arthurian mysteries. It represents a cyclical regenerative process that takes in and gives forth anew.

To view Map 1 in full size click here.

The Western Mysteries Map 2: Influences after c.1400 CE

Map 2 looks at influences after 1400 CE. Most of these are social developments that have affected the modern character of the Western Mysteries.

To view Map 2 in full size click here.

The Western Mysteries Map 3: Emerging Streams after c. 1400 CE

This map shows streams of the Western Mystery Tradition that have emerged since 1400 CE. These can be seen as a result of the previous 1400 years or so of development. Perhaps the last time the Western Mysteries experienced the pouring forth of new traditions was during the very fertile Alexandrian period (c. 323 BCE – c. 31 BCE). The image on this map is the chalice of the Western Mysteries ushering forth rather than taking in as in the previous two maps.

The Western Mystery Tradition has a long and varied history. But, it was during the Middle Ages and Renaissance that it seems to have synthesized into a recognizable body of knowledge drawing on common source materials that included alchemical, hermetic, kabbalistic and classical texts all of which shared a grounding in Neoplatonism. It was also during this time that the first tarot decks were also produced.Following the Renaissance, we see the emergence of new streams such as Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Hermetic Kabbalah and eventually later traditions such as Wicca and depth psychology.

To view Map 3 in full size click here.

Many Paths But One Tradition

But what exactly is the essence of the Western Mystery Tradition? Perhaps an analogy might help. The Western Mystery Tradition might be likened to a labyrinth. The pathway is the Tradition; what is experienced by the seeker upon the path and at the center are the Mysteries. Over time there have been many variations of this labyrinth, many traditions expressing the Tradition. Each stream whether it be Rosicrucian, Christian or Hermetic has its own particular approach and each has its own validity and authenticity but flows from a common fount.

In the Hermetic Rose Correspondence Course the tarot is the tradition through which we experience the Mysteries.

Here is a tarot spread for you to use at the beginning of a new project in order to evaluate the forces at work.

This layout follows the rough outline of the Fool’s body as shown on the card–poised like a bow and arrow prior to release. A drawn bow holds a lot of tension and potential. When you start a new project it’s much the same. You are the bow embodying both the tension and potential that will carry the project forward. Your enthusiasm is the energy that bends the bow and draws the string. This spread seeks to give you an opportunity to consider some of the forces that may effect your aim and become aware of resources you can use to support you in your goals.

Layout

Print Spread

Instructions

1. Shuffle the deck while thinking of your intention for the reading. You may wish to focus on this course as a new project. Or, you may be at the start some other new direction. Hold one or the other in mind. Remember the cards are a mirror to show you what you aspects of the situation that you might not be aware of. For example you would think you would be aware of your conscious position, but often you don’t fully realize the stance you have taken. The cards, like a dream, are there to help you see these things and make adjustments if necessary.
2. After you have shuffled the cards to your satisfaction, deal them out in the order shown on the layout. Do not deal out a card for the Outcome Card.
3. The Outcome Card will be the major arcana card equal to the sum of the numeric values of all the cards in the reading. Give the value of 4 to Kings, 3 to Queens, 2 to Knights and 1 to Pages. If the sum is higher than 22 add the numbers of the sum together. Use the final number to select the appropriate major arcana card.
4. What are you leading with (position 1 – the Right Hand)? Where is the tip of the arrow aimed? Then, what are the forces that propel the project forward? What resources do you bring (position 2 – Sack)? Look at the position 3—what might be the areas of vulnerability? Position 4 (the dog) will show you instinct to be trusted?
5. Consider the distribution of suits. Do you have several wands or cups? What is the distribution of the cards telling you. Do you have more than two major arcana (including the outcome card)? If so, this may indicate a project that already has much momentum.
6. What do you take away from this reading? How has this reading contributed to your self-knowledge? Write a short paragraph.
7. Make note of your reading and your reflections in your tarot journal. For example, if you drew the seven of swords, go to your seven of swords page, note the date, the reading, the position of the card and your associations about how it might apply to your life.

Feel free to ask a question or leave a comment below.