Tarot Noir

Dark Tarot
An investigative study of an approach to Magick
by Tim Hartridge

In the dark we do not see, but we feel things. It is in the dark that we conjure the soul of Night and dream-up the spirit of the 'other', who is not outside of us, but within.

Wicca, Magick, Alchemy exploring the psychic experience

www.witchesworkshop.com www.ozpagan.com info@witchesworkshop.com Telephone: (02) 9590 9392 Post: PO Box 179 Newtown NSW 2042

Copyright Tim Hartridge 2003 This manual is copyright. A personal copy manybe created for personal research by members of Dark Circle Coven. No part may reproduced by any process without written permissionpart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act. Inquiries should be addressed to Tim Hartridge: PO Box 179 Newtown 2042

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Part 1
Whenever the topic of the Dark Tarot (or Tarot Noir as I also call it) comes up I am gripped by a juxtaposition of emotions. At the one end I am enthused and excited by this system of magickal work, and at the other end I experience a feeling of frustration about where to begin in explaining what it is. I've found it's a bit like trying to describe the storyline of a movie; if at first you go directly into all the in's and out's you may wind up boring your listener. I find it best just to say instead, "You should see it." But, when pressed for an explanation I describe the Dark Tarot simply as a unique blend of Divination and Magick. And seeing we are talking about it, I'd ask that anyone interested in exploring it with me to be prepared to put aside all the more generally accepted interpretations of the Tarot, for this is not 'fortune telling'. The role that any physical Tarot cards might play is more as a divining tool to the real work - the practice of Magick. The cards play a duel role in this process - which is part divinatory and part ritual. Together they form a magickal formula which is used to create an operation of ritual invocation or evocation. I should briefly address some basic questions before we try exploring what's involved in a Dark Tarot working. Q. Why the name 'Dark' Tarot? A. The quick answer is - anything that deals with the 'Occult' or the 'hidden' aspect of esoteric practice is 'dark'. There is certainly no sinister notion here, although the 'dark' theme does seem to haunt me. Q. So what can you do with the Dark Tarot? A. You can use it as a way to 'divine' a magickal procedure for the accomplishment of anything. Those with a more Thelemic orientation to magick might use such an operation in the furthering of 'True Will', where as those with a Wiccan or Shamanic approach to magick might use it for 'Initiation' or simply the acquisition of some particular need.

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Q. Are there any practical principles to using the Dark Tarot? A. There are, and there is also a fundament difference in 'who' can use it too. The theory works like this: the Witch or Magician theoretically is in-touch with a sense of their personal Destiny - they intuit their True Will. Therefore when the Witch/Magician draws the Tarot cards in regular reading there will be (theoretically) nothing new in what they see, or at least nothing they weren't already intuitively aware of. Now in contrast, any ordinary person drawing the cards for a reading will have an entirely different reaction. They are apparently not aware of their destiny and so are simply 'amazed' with the reading. In other words, before the reading they could not see or intuit what Fate had in store for them. Q. Okay, a Witch or Magician 'theoretically' already knows what's in the reading. Doesn't this make the idea of even doing a reading redundant? A. No, because at the same time the cards also supply the Witch/Magician with the practical occult or 'dark' formula in how to take a consciously active role in the accomplishment of their True Will or Destiny. (This is done via a simple formula described in some detail later). Now this is another key point to the Dark Tarot - if the oracle can reveal something of the inner workings of Destiny or True Will to the Witch/Magician, it is this inner or occult component that we want to get at and use. Therefore the 'Dark' Tarot can reveal not only glimpses of the hidden forces at work in a Witch's life, but also provide valuable clues to the means of it's accomplishment. Indeed, theoretically there would be nothing to prevent the Witch/Magician from directly invoking it. This idea that you could divine True Will or Destiny and have the means to invoke it was frankly something which frightened me; if only because once you 'knew', what excuses would you have to not getting on with it!? The idea that you might say, "Hey, can't I leave it

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'til next full moon?" bemoans a certain lack of sincerity and personal integrity in your magickal work don't you think!? Q. How do you obtain an interpretation of the cards? A. When I initially began using the Dark Tarot I was very much aware of how limited my life experience was. I concluded that there was probably vital information in the cards which I would not see, especially if all I was using was an orthodox interpretation. After all, this 'reading' was supplying me with information about something which I had yet to experience, my Destiny. I had to find a way to free myself up from any bias and begin to open myself up to unknown, 'dark' possibilities. I decided to try trance and intuition as a chief source for exploring the Dark Tarot. I began devising a set of Tarots through a combination of numerous trance journeys as well as drawing upon certain magickal experiences. These were descriptive images rather than drawn pictures. By working with my recorded descriptive 'pictures' rather than drawn images I was able to keep adding to them as I gained more experience in the trance journeys. Later, I also created a basic table of correspondences which assisted me in developing my ritual procedures. (I'll reproduce this later.) Okay, we've probably talked enough. I'd like to introduce you to the Dark Tarot in a sequence of logical stages. The first step to be taken is the divining of the Tarot by selecting 3 cards needed for the work ahead.

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First steps:
Take any ordinary Tarot deck and separate the 22 trump cards from the minor part of the deck. You'll only be using these 22 cards from the Tarot. Formulate a question about one of the following: a. Something related to your life and how to achieve it. b. What do I need to do in my life? c. or something more specifically related to the practice of witchcraft such as - How may I evoke a familiar spirit?; or d. You may also simply allow destiny to offer you insight, although I do not recommend this as a starting point; and finally e. Any other issue not covered by any of the above. Take the 22 trump cards place them face down in front of you and using your left hand spread, mix and shuffle the cards on a flat surface. Put plenty of you into this moment and allow the cards to shuffle completely at random - all the while contemplating your question. When you have finished, gather the cards up with both hands and stack them neatly in one pile. Next, again using the left hand, cut the deck into three. Now turn over the top card on each of the three piles. Record these cards and the order they appear in from left to right. This is quite important to do because we'll be working in the strict order they appear in. Using these cards you will be performing a trance journey and working with a new set of motifs than might appear on any physical Tarot deck you are using. I'll be posting the practical methods in several stages in the coming days.

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Part 2
If you recall you have, or are about to choose three cards for your Dark Tarot working. Perhaps I should draw your attention to the importance of allowing 'chance' to play a full role in this process. In the method I described previously, I say to allow the cards to fall completely at random. I am quite a fatalist when it comes to such things and am also big on the Jungian concept of synchronicity - the meaningfulness in apparent randomness.

Destiny
What I am suggesting here is that there is significant and meaningful consequence to the cards you draw. It is important to feel you are 'insync' while shuffling and drawing the cards. I suppose the suggestion that you can be 'in-sync' may be a convenient explanation, but for anyone who has worked with the Tarot it seems completely natural. I'd even go so far as to say that during the divinatory process a mutual relationship emerges between you and cards. So why divine the future from the cards in order to practice magick? Because I think you can influence the future, or at least influence any potential destiny shown in the cards. After all, it's not really Fate until it's all over. While I think it is possible to influence a possible outcome before it happens, I need to ask "Would you want to?", especially without knowing the complete picture. And besides, Fate has a funny way of getting what She wants anyway. (Maybe I am a Fatalist after all.) However when it comes down to it I am not suggesting that one should try to change things, quite the contrary. I am proposing that we nominate to accept our Destiny, or to put it poetically, submit to Initiation at the hands of the Goddess Fortuna. Presuming you are prepared for the ordeals, challenges and transformation necessary. The method of using the Dark Tarot then lays open a way of magickal

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work to aid manifesting Destiny in a more purposeful way. Perhaps then what I really mean by 'Destiny' is really 'Initiation'. in summary then, there are really two distinct areas of use here for the cards in a Dark Tarot working. The first is divining personal destiny which we've been discussing, and the second is to use the cards to 'divine' a magickal method to achieve some more limited goal.

Sigil, spell and sorcery

In part one I asked that once you had shuffled the cards that you should cut them into three and turn over the top three cards. You should then make a note of the cards in the order they fall, from left to right. These three cards form the basic components of a Dark Tarot working and are known as Sigil, Spell and Sorcery respectfully. The practice of dividing the cards in three is an ancient one, having reference mainly to three parts of time - the Past, Present and Future. For the purpose of a Dark Tarot working though the three cards divide our magickal work into three interacting components. Briefly, Sigils are the forms and symbols; the Spells are any words or sounds; and lastly, the Sorceries are the rituals or acts. As a comparative reference, in the Oriental esoteric traditions these translate as Yantra, Mantra and Tantra. The method of working in a Dark Tarot operation is to determine the meaning of the cards and then combine the three components into a magickal working of evocation or invocation and thereby, if successful, manifest your destiny or desired goal.

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The Sigils ...and spells and sorceries

The first card in our undertaking connects us to the Sigil of the working. Sigil comes from the Latin word 'sigilum' meaning 'sign'. In a Dark Tarot ritual this card will particularly related to signs or seals; symbols which contain a particular energy. The full definition of Sigil in the Dark Tarot not only includes all icons or signs, but also any 'forms' or 'objects'. This especially includes any ritual objects, for example - magickal tools, robes and the like. Equally, the Sigil card relates to colours, perfumes, gems, metals, herbs, alphabetic letters, digits, and spirit images or forms (eg. of deities, totem animals, kinds of familiar spirits, etc). It especially reveals the psychic dimensions or ambience which are active, and equally any physical locations analogous to the particular card. The remaining two cards are used to divine the 'Spells' and 'Sorceries'. Briefly, once all the attributes of the three cards have been identified they are then combined to assist you in a magickal operation. In other words, via the Dark Tarot 'reading' you can divine the forces in operation, identify the components and using these 'invoke or evoke' them into your life. On a mundane level the Dark Tarot may act in much the same way as one would use a traditional set of 'Tables of Correspondence'. These are tables which tell you for example that 'Love' corresponds to the planet 'Venus', which in turn corresponds to the colour 'Green' and the gemstone 'Emerald', and so on. Even if you adopt this rather literal approach to divining the Correspondences, you could theoretically collect all the various components to use as your 'Sigil', your 'Spell' and the 'Sorcery' and produce a magickal working. BUT, there would be just one problem with approaching the work in this formulaic and mechanical way - it could apply to anyone and that's not how the Dark Tarot works. In order to use the Dark Tarot the whole operation must be very intuitive and specifically personal to you. You must 'divine' the

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meaning. If all you were doing was looking up some tables and apply the elements by formula you'd end-up 'short circuiting' the whole practice. Consequently, you would be unlikely to succeed. You certainly wouldn't have discovered the hidden or 'dark' significance of the cards as they relate to you. Dare I over stress the point - I have called this method of magickal work the 'Dark Tarot' precisely because it is concealed or occulted from your consciousness. As a consequence in order to divine the hidden meaning, resort must be made to the unconscious in discovering destiny's secrets. Trance I found was the best method to utilise and so I employ a sort of specialised 'vision quest' - described next.

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Part 3
Mephistopheles says, "To gain your end, the act must be your own. For where your ghosts and phantoms choose to dwell Your sage philosopher's accepted well. His art and favour, spread for your delight, Will bring a dozen novel ones to light. Unless you err, naught can truly known. If life you want, then find it as your own." - Goethe ("Faust" Act II)

Correspondence and trance

From among the Western Mystery schools the Qabalistic traditions have long been at the forefront in tabulating the values and attributes of the Tarot. In particular the Order of the Golden Dawn and the various off-shoots were quite fastidious in the cataloguing all the sympathetic elements to be found within a specific sphere and the Tarot play a key part of the equation. Collectively these catalogues have become known as the 'Tables of Correspondence'. Now as useful as these Tables might seem it was precisely this type of moribund inflexibility that was stagnating my magickal work before I began exploring the Dark Tarot. If I were to break through and reconnect to something more authentically a part of my own psyche, then I would need to approach things very differently. I decided trance would be my main method in the acquisition of magickal knowledge. I devised a type of 'vision quest of the Tarot' which would induce trance. My experiences were direct and very personal. Naturally I recommend anyone seeking to apply an authentic use of the Dark Tarot to use this or similar methods.

Psychic doorways
Most witches and magicians are probably familiar with the practice known as 'astral doorways'. This is where you use an image such as a Tarot trump as a 'doorway' and attempt to project your consciousness

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into card's psychic counterpart. The idea being, to make contact with the psychic reality that the card represents. In a Dark Tarot working your next task after drawing your cards is to undertake a trance journey of each card and to retrieve clues to three areas of your magickal work (ie. sigil, spell, and sorcery). Through doing this trance work you'll also begin to build own set of 'correspondences' and begin to form the images which will become your own personal 'Dark Tarot'. Can see what this method of work will do for you? From such trance experiences you'll begin to create your own 'hidden' Tarot and through exploring the Unconscious or 'Underworld' in trances you'll create an authentic 'Dark Tarot'. In a sense, the only legitimate way you can work with the Dark Tarot is to undertake a vision quest for each card you draw, and then searching for the hidden keys - your sigils, spells and sorceries - combine them in a magickal working.

Forbidden images
I knew from my own past experiences though that if all I did was to use the images from the regular Tarot I wouldn't get far. I would get stuck and languish in the predictable, in things too familiar. I needed to connect to the Tarot at deeper level, maybe even things which would shock me awake. I needed a new energy to inspire this work so I could tap into fresh potential. I decided to created a new set of images for my Tarot. I commenced by drawing from a combination of my own trance experiences and some past 'unusual' magickal workings. I also combined icons and images from the 'forbidden' and left-hand path traditions - the Gothic, the Medieval, as well as past and present Witch-cult practices and Alchemy. I also used the ritual themes from Eastern Tantra, other sexual magicks and even Voudoun - everything associated with the Cults of the Shadow, everything considered 'dark' and nocturnal. I conceived a new set of names to these icons to

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further break with the predictable while still adhering to relevant principles. Gradually I synthesised the experiences down into compact images which activate the psychic atmosphere necessary as an entry point for trance and vision quests.

The following became my Dark Tarots presented here in abbreviated table descriptions:

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VISUALISATIONS OF THE DARK TAROT

0 11 The Fool Lunatic A lonely deserted path lit by moon light, the wastelands. A lone man walks starring at the moon. A dreamer, sleepwalking. The Magician Sorcerer Within a ritual chamber a Sorcerer prepares elemental and familiar spirits for their night errands. Sigils of desire, projections. The Priestess Vampyre An open coffin in a crypt or sanctuary, in which lays a female vampyre. Trance, astral states of consciousness, forbidden knowledge. The Empress Witch A Witch or Mambo within her ritual chamber preparing to open forces upon the physical plane. Fetishes. The Star Yoni A star-strewn, night sky. A dark bedroom in which lays a naked negress. A black hole in space, absorption of all light and energy. The Hierophant Black Magician A priest making preparations for a funerary rite. A dark figure who is hidden by the cowl of his robe. Withholding knowledge. The Lovers Sex Magicians An Arabian boudoir, heavy incense burning, within two naked people sit starring into each others eyes. All around them lay the naked bodies of unconscious individuals. The Chariot Initiation Yogic and tantric practices. Comets and meteors. A rite of Initiation by tribal ordeal. Strength Enchantress A crescent moon hanging low in the western night sky, tinged red with the ochre of desert dust. An energetic redheaded woman riding her male partner. The Hermit Hermeticist A silent darkened room in which is seated a silhouetted figure. A powerful force emanating from beyond. Solo sexual sorcery. Manual stirring of ojas in a partner. Wheel of Fortune Time A dark spiralling goddess from whom emanates a vortex of irresistible power. Development of chakras. Awakening the Kalas. Justice Adjustment Invocation of destiny or karmic forces. Ancient Egyptian rites of passage. The Hanged Man The Abyss The Spider Sorcerer whose victim may be killed, saved for later use, inter-acted with, played with or freed. Secret venoms and fetishes. Death Necromancer A sance circle in which a spirit appears in the centre. A ruin abbey and graveyard whose entrance is a half open gate. Temperance Alchemist A magus massaging sensually a priestess. Within the shrine appear dew drops upon the altar. An elixir. The Devil Master A Witches Sabbat and invocation of the Beast. Dark and unseen forces erupting. Kaos magick and sexual sorcery. The Tower Phallus Dionysian excess. Shattering of forms. Blasphemy acts. The Emperor Geomancer The hidden forces of the dragon tracks both within and without. The Moon Familiar Spirits Sorcerers assume animalistic form and perform acts of lunar sorcery .The Mass of Amrit. Evocation of the forgotten powers. The Sun Vortex An eclipse, a black sun, a neutron star. The desert of Set at night. Judgement Awakening Dark sorcery overthrowing the status quo, the forces of change. Evocation of the Dark Self. Cults of the Shadow. The World Underworld The domain of the living dead, the eternal myth, Never Neverland. A dark universe, in which the Dreamer awakens.
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11

13

14

*17 15

16

17

18

19

20

10 21

11 22

12 23

13 24

14 25

15 26

16 27

*4 28

18 29

19 30

20 31

21 32

Part 4 Journey of many returns

While not completely abandoning the traditional Tarot tables of correspondences, I started to relegate them to a position of a backdrop to my own direct experiences. That way I could use the traditional Tarot attributes more as an archetypal or mythical shadow- imprint, while my own experiences would be more personally authentic and relevant to my state of being at the time.

My original 'images and icons' of the Dark Tarot (described in Part 3) became my basic knowledge base or platform to start from for trance experiences. Each journey I do for a working adds more knowledge and energy to the cards. As does initiating others into the work, helping me to develop a greater understanding of the cards and magick. Meanwhile, the regular Tarot and their correspondences act in the role of supportive material and for the purpose of amplification. The practical method I continue to use for doing trance journeys and retrievals involves the use of a small ritual gong and an electronic amplifier. Although a drum or other 'drone' instruments can equally be utilised. As can such recordings as "Well of Souls" by Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana, "Elysian E" by Michael Stearns or "Zeit" by Tangerine Dream. I particularly favour many of the excellent recordings by the dark ambient or atmospheric artist Robert Rich.

Dark vision quests

Most contemporary practitioners of magick and witchcraft will have either experienced or heard of the practices of 'Vision Quests'. This is particularly relevant among certain Indian tribes of America. During the 1980's writers such as Dr Michael Harner described his own initiation into the Shamanic experience in his book the 'Way of the Shaman'. The method utilised is a simple, but effective technique of

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using a monotonous drum rhythm to aid in a shift of consciousness thus producing the onset of trance. Another author and occultist, Kenneth Grant has also described the potent effects of trance in rituals. In particular he relates experiences from the secret tantric style trance practices of an Oriental sect known as 'Cult of Ku'. In their occult rites a gong is ceaselessly struck producing a shift in the psychic atmosphere of the temple. The vibrations cause the priestess of the cult to transform and become a multiform vehicle of the Goddess uniting with her devotees in ecstasy. The method I prefer to use combines all of these above techniques. Using a small gong which I amplify via a microphone and then add a digital delay. The effect of which produces an echo when the gong is struck. By using a steady rhythm of percussive strikes upon the gong a whirling wall-of-sound soon produces an irresistible energy submerging one into a trance world. With these trancing-gong rhythms I combine the projection of consciousness into the psychic scenery the 'Dark' trump with which I am working and submit myself to the experience. When executed correctly this Iays open a way for any possibility, the more unexpected the better. The following is an example of one such experience undertaken by a witch during private initiation. This visionary work was usually preceded by a simple ritual form: a Circle casting, sensual anointing of sabbat oils, imbibing of chalice wine, strong incense, and submerging dancing around a fiery cauldron 'til collapse and thence into trance accompanied by the gong. The Dark Tarot trump this particular student drew was the 'Lunatic' (the Fool 0). The depicted image is described as: "A lonely deserted path lit by moon light, the wastelands. A lone man walks starring at the moon. A dreamer, sleepwalking." After the ritual prelude the student-witch uses this scene to commenced her vision quest. (The

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descriptive titles are her own. Although she divides the narrative into three parts, in fact each part just flowed from one scene into the next. The following text is given with her permission.) 1. The Altar: I am standing in a room which appears to be part of a ruined gothic period style building. The walls are stone and shaped into arches, the ceiling open to the night sky. The room is dimly lit and in the centre is a raised stone altar. I move toward it, clothed in a white diaphanous gown open at the front. Lying down on the altar the gown falls away and I wait. I feel rather blissful and open (perhaps a little naive!) A figure in a brown hooded robe moves toward the altar and produces a ceremonial dagger which he takes in both hands and beginning at my breast bone slices my torso down the middle to my lower abdomen. He stands back and through the opening a stream of white light emerges. The opening widens and the stream of light extends up through the ceiling, into the sky. Then a dove flies out of the opening up through the stream of light. I can see a small red multifaceted gem in my lower abdomen. The stream of light then ceases and the hooded figure sews me up in a zig-zag fashion with some brown string. He is gone and I am left alone in the ruin. I feel empty and lost. After some time I look down and notice a frog sitting at the base of the altar. 2. The Leopard: In the darkness the head of a leopard appears, holding an egg shaped emerald in its mouth. It appears to be the top of a staff, fashioned in gold and slowly spins, moving toward me. 3. The Snake: Against a backdrop of darkness, a cauldron appears. Writhing up from its centre is an emerald and ruby encrusted gold snake.

Background and comments

The person who was doing this Dark Tarot work had not long been studying with me. She was in fact still receiving even basic instruction on circle work. This visionary example was rather typical

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of many her experiences, where the imagery was rich in content. What struck me about these visions was not their dramatic nature, but their purity. There doesn't appear to be any conscious Ego construction, everything flows quite spontaneously. In fact, the visions felt free and uninhibited. I think particularly because this person had no real orthodox magickal training that I found this quite encouraging and helped validate this system of magickal work for me - if it could work so well for her it could work for any one.

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Part 5 Applied magick: How to evoke a Familiar spirit

As pointed out previously the Witch may utilise the Dark Tarot for guidance in fulfilment of any desire, as well as the larger issues related to his/her Destiny. Previously I have suggested that the two may really be indelibly linked, but to illustrate how I've used the Dark Tarot in a simple and practical way I offer the following example to the student. In historical records Witches are often described as associating with a Familiar Spirit. This is a special type ally or spirit helper. Sometimes the Familiar may even take the role of the Witch's spiritual guide. Using my method of Dark Tarot divination I offer a way to formulate a magickal working for the evocation of a Familiar spirit. The first step is to express your request as a simple and direct question - "How may I evoke a Familiar Spirit?" Next, while concentrating upon the desire you shuffling a deck of the 22 Tarot trumps and draw the three cards. As you now understand the first card is representative of the Sigil or sign by which I may evoke the Familiar. My second card is the Spell or sound by which I may call the spirit; and the third card will show me a rite of Sorcery to be used in the work of evocation. By combining the ingredients of the three Tarot trumps a complete method for the evocation of a Familiar Spirit will have been divined. My selection was: XIV Alchemist (Temperance) for the Sigil; I Sorcerer (The Magician) for the Spell; and 0 Lunatic (The Fool) for the Rite of Sorcery. In order to begin the work I undertake three separate trances for each card. My dark vision quests enable me to more fully explore the energies of the Familiar I'm destined to interact with, as well as

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directly experiencing its nature as a psychic reality. For the sake brevity I have condensed the experiences. (You may wish to review the descriptions of each Dark Tarot trump I gave in Part 3. Each card's image will act as my entry point.)

XIV ALCHEMIST - sigil Trance-Vision: I enter the scene and am immediately aware of identifying with the Alchemist-magus. I am immersed in an azure light. I am walking in a B-line toward a naked priestess who is outstretched on a target (just like one of those knife throwing acts seen in a circus). In my hand I hold short cross-bow arrow. I notice she is very flushed, perspiring with beads of sweat and emitting a heady, though not unpleasant perfumed odour.

Sigil analysis
One of the strongest symbols which came up in the Alchemist (Temperance) vision was the 'arrow'. Now it should be noted that the Qabalistic correspondence to this card is Sagittarius, the archer (see tables below). Using this as a starting point I decide to construct an arrow fetish as a physical sigil for my rite of evocation. Also under the heading of Sigil are included: signs, symbols and actual sigils, as well as correspondent colours, numbers, perfumes and incense, magickal tools, textures, shape, form and appearances, stones, plants and animals. Examples of other elements which could be drawn from the vision include: an azure light, the naked priestess, a target, and a heady perfume.

I SORCERER - spell Trance-Vision: Again I immediately identify with key figure, this time in the role of the Sorcerer-magus. I/He is exhaling in the manner of someone with a frosty breath. There is a serpent like hiss to this exhalation and I feel a word trying to form in my throat. A powerful energy feels to be erupting, almost as though it

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were trying to be expelled from the gut and throat. Previously I had noted the 3 letters which correspond to my three cards - they are SBA. I now spontaneously remember these and they are hissed out as the word "Sheba".

Spell analysis
The Sorcerer-magus has chosen "Sheba" to be hissed as the spell of evocation for my rite. I also note from the Tables (see below) that this card corresponds to the key of "E", with any "chattering" or "tittering" sounds (its Mercurial quality). Because of this fact I decide to use a calabash in the rite. This calabash is a simple seed rattle from West Africa, which can produce the right "chattering" sound to the accompaniment of my spell, "Sheba". (I'd also like to draw your attention to the similarity of this 'spell- word' to the name of the fabled Queen Sheba, an Arabian beauty who charmed King Solomon, and probably reveals qualities which resonate naturally in the spell.) Now apart from words and music also under the category of Spells fall such things as rhythms and any sort vibrational resonant, particularly any natural sounds like wind, rain and thunder. Something else which is less obvious to the category of 'Spells' is Time. This is because any Spell, like music consists of sounds which are arranged in Time as a sequence. Because of this fact your Spell card may reveal various types of Time. Eg, solar-terrestrial day and night, dawn and dusk, or Lunar cycles, or even stellar-planetary time periods. Any of these factors could be taken into account. For example, the Sorcerer card is correspondent to Mercury which in turn is attributed to Wednesday. So a chosen time for a final Dark Tarot working can even be divined. A final note about the Spell: Even if I hadn't deduced a word, such as "Sheba" there was never the less the 'hiss' of breath from the Sorcerer and so I could have simply used this.

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0 LUNATIC - sorcery Trance-Vision: A dreamy, lunar quality seems to envelop me as I enter into the Lunatic's province. It is as though I am in a dream-bubble. I feel blown along by all sorts of foolish thoughts some comic, but many sexy. I am reminded of Shakespeare's 'Puck' from a "Mid-summer Night's Dream". In the play he placed a drop of juice from a strange poppy upon the dreamers' heads and they fall madly in love with next person they set eyes upon - it is riotous and crazy (loco = mad - I decide to be very careful that no-one is about when I open my eyes!).

Sorcery analysis
The Sorcery card is correspondent to such things as specific types of magickal powers or operations. My experience from this card revealed a strong hypnotic and dreamy quality, and so I could try using any ritual acts, dance or movement which might induce this as part of my ceremony. I also assess that my Familiar may be cable of some mischievous acts, especially in affairs of the heart. This card is under the rulership of Air and also lunar forces, together these denote the Moon's power over dreams and thought. Psychically these are known as 'thought forms' and can be expressed in acts of creating 'astral globules' (see table notes). While on a mundane level we can see how Puck-like love spells could be cast with the aid of this Familiar's influence, there is also another side to the Lunatic. The Lunatic/Fool or 'Outsider' who's powers come from 'outside' or the 'otherside' may impress upon the unawakened Dreamer many unthought of dreams. The Dreamer thus impregnated with such thought forms may act as medium for inspired thought. If for example this were to be acted upon oneself, you might become the vehicle for the channelling of thoughts from the otherside to the mundane world.

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Dark rite of Dwall

Interpreting the overall message of the Dark Tarot symbolism is a subjective experience. I naturally warn the Student not to be too Egocentric, but to try be as objective as possible. The last thing you want to do at this stage is to short-circuit the whole thing by being too biased or conservative. Try to learn from this experience and don't forget Witches are 'heretics' at heart. By all means investigate the cards thoroughly, but in the words of Durban's natural mystic Madala Kunene "...each dreamtime journey or dwaal is different". ('Dwaal' means to be confused or to take a journey with no fixed destination.) Treat this as though you are about to undertake Initiation. Keeping the following points in mind will assist you in your Dwaal: 1. Expand your understanding the cards via study of their correspondences (see tables below); 2. Combine them in a visualisation as an aid to dreaming-up your working; 3. Finally, adapt, prepare and perform an actual rite using all your new discoveries. Keep your ideas to the point. 4. Expect transformation and changes in yourself. A Dark Tarot working is usually marked by a time of personal Initiation and changes which are rarely simple or smooth sailing.

The final trance Alchemist, Sorcerer, Lunatic

In the final stage I combine the three components of my rite Alchemist, Sorcerer and Lunatic. I arrived at the following visualisation-trance experience and outline for a ritual. I am wandering a lonely, isolated path. For some reason I am aware it is in the early hours of a Wednesday morning (Mercury-Sorcerer). The moon is visible, but hangs low in a mist shrouded night sky. Ahead of me is the sheltered ruin of an old farmhouse or barn. As I enter within it walls, but the roof is open to the night sky. I see the back of the Alchemist cum Sorcerer cum Lunatic. Laying on the ground in front of him is a sleeping priestess. I merge identifying with

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the magus. In my right hand I am holding the Blue-Arrow fetish and in my left the seed-calabash. At one end of the arrow is bright yellow feathers which are attached to a blue shaft. A sharp steel tip is at its head. I am now squatting down in front of the priestess, she is laying on a deep blue velvety cloth. I can see under her body an irregular eight-sided figure, traced in yellow. As I gaze at her I feel completely mesmerised by the whiteness and beauty of her body against the blue cloth. Holding the arrow in my right hand I extended the feathered-end toward the priestess. A shiver spontaneously runs down my left arm into the calabash. At the same time a powerful serpentine ripple flexed the muscles through my torso finishing in my head and a compulsive gust of air from my breath, I hiss "SheeeBAaa". The word is expelled in a long breath over the priestess. I am now naked and hang suspended horizontally above the body of the white priestess. A weird sort of psychic container seem to hold us together for a moment and then I find myself back in front her again. Using feathered arrow I stroked over the erogenous zones of the her body. Little trickles of perspiration moistened feathers. A dew is formed on her vaginal lips and I catch this with the steel tip of the arrow. At this point I suddenly become aware of a number of key points. At the same time I moved from a trance state and became consciously alert of the following: The Alchemist-Sorcerer-Lunatic is the familiar Spirit. I have embodied him or evoked him from within my unconscious, but he requires a powerfully erotic rite to stimulate any latent powers. He has a contra-sexual soul-mate in the form of the ecstatic- dreaming priestess. When their coconsciousness is raised in a mutual trance or seance they stimulate each other and produce a honeyed 'dew' which contains their latent powers. The arrow-fetish may be useful as a type of magician's wand or dart to hold the eroticpsychic charge. The key to building an effective rite of evocation ultimately lies in

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how keen is your intuition, research and imagination. Where research is highly valued by the rational mind it will be via the your irrational intuition and imagination that the hidden or dark knowledge may come. Fantasies are more often discarded as fanciful, but in this work free reign is given over to the imagination in order to draw out the most from the unconscious. Trance-visions like these may be compared to an awake dream and is the means I use to connect with the unconscious.

Fetish rites
For personal reasons I offer only a brief comment about the results of this Dark Tarot working. I used as many of the elements from the trance experiences as I felt were necessary and decided to do the following - I treat the working as a rite of self-Initiation. I obtained the various elements needed. The first is the arrow-fetish and I paint it blue. I inscribed with the fetish with the letters 'SBA'. It will act from this point on as a material basis or contact for the work with my Familiar. I obtain a blue cloth and paint an irregular eight-sided star pattern on it and use this as a ritual mat or 'circle' in which to operate. I enlisted the aid of a Priestess who can aid me in incubating the 'dew'. We celebrated rite as a type of mysterium coniuntio. I successfully invoke the Familiar and have it act through me as medium. The progeny manifest from outside my own limited experience and begin lives of their own, but I feel transformed through the experience.

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The arrangement of the Dark Tarot upon the Tree of Life showing the ten Sephiroth and twenty two paths with astrological & elemental attributions. On a macrocosmic level the Tree of Life is an esoteric representation of the Universe, while at a microcosmic level it depicts the psychic anatomy of the individual.

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TABLES OF CORRESPONDENCE
Number 0 Path 11 Orthodox Title The Fool Il Matto Dark Tarot Lunatic Demons/Gods Amprodias Sigil (signs, colour, incense, tools, numbers, images) 1,11, 401, Minotur, swastika, dorje, dagger, fan, galbanum, luminous pale yellow on a square of emerald of gold. 260, a ruin, wand, phallus, gum mastic, indigo vesica rayed with violet. 393, bow & arrow, camphor, mense, aloes, an open coffin, silver on a black circle. 55, cord, sandlewood, mytle, door or gate, vivid sky blue on a rose circle rayed pale green 1054, censer, asperger, galbanum fish hook, lurid red on glowing red inverted triangle 395, horns, burin, dragons blood, red gum, nail, lines of flame on a brown triangle 292, tripod, wormwood, sword, new leather yellow on a mauve vesica. 640, furnace,onycha, fence, dark green-brown on an amber-hued circle 610, discipline, olibanum serpent, greenish-yellow on a grey arrow-shaped. 13,1 lamp & wand, narcissus hand, yellowish- green on silver-grey slate 315, sceptre, saffron palm, rich purple on a blue ground rayed with yellow 671, cross, galbanum ox goad, pale green on rich blue 307, cup,cross, wine, myrrh, onycha water, deep blue on an inverted triangle of sea-green. 160,pain of obligation, benzoin fish, lurid indigo- brown like a black beetle on a greenish-blue triangle 300, arrow, ligum-aloes prop, bright yellow on vivid dark blue, like lightning in a night sky 237,secret force, lamp, musk, civet eye, black sigil within an indigo pentagram 450, sword, pepper, dragons blood mouth, bright red on an emerald square 302, cord, galbanum window, white on violet 266, twilight, mirror, ambergris back of the head, slug trail silver on a circular stone 406, cinnamon, head, red rayed on amber disc 500, pyramid, lamp, wand, olibanum tooth, vermilion on emerald 1040,sickle, sulphur, assafoetida Tau, sickle, black rectangle Spell (sounds, words, names of power, etc) E, winds, Aleph Sorcery (magickal operations, powers, ritual, acts) Creation of Astral Globules, Air

11

The Magician Il Bagattelliere

Sorcerer

Baratchial

E, chattering or tittering, Beth

Evocation of Elements, Mercury

13

The Priestess La Papessa The Empress LImperatrice The Star Le Stelle The Hierophant Il Papa The Lovers Gli Amanti The Chariot Il Carro Strength La Forza The Hermit LEremita Wheel of Fortune Rota Della Fortuna Justice La Giustizia The Hanged Man LAppenso Death (none) Temperance La Temperanza The Devil Il Diavolo The Tower La Torre The Emperor LImperatore The Moon La Luna The Sun Il Sole Judgement Il Giudizio The World Il Mondo

Vampyre

Gargophias

G sharp, howled, Gimel F sharp, crooning or lilting, Daleth A sharp, almost inaudible whisperings, H C sharp, roared, bellowed Vau D, hoarse cachinnation, Zain D sharp, splashing Kheth E, roaring, hissing explosive force Teth F, lower register, sighing, murmuring Yod A sharp, imperious intonation, Kaph F sharp, upper register, prolonged Lamed G sharp, upper register, a shrill stridulation Mem G lower register, bubbling cauldron Nun G sharp, high pitched electric crackling Samekh A, raucous bleating Ayin C, lower register thunder Peh A sharp, chanted Tzaddi B Qoph D, mellifluously Resh C, sibilant & sinister whisperings Shin B sharp, hollow reverberation Tau

Clairvoyance and projection, Moon Invoking powers, Venus Astrology, Kalas induced as clear and cool, Aquarius Invoking earthly forces, Taurus Bi-location Invocation of Horus & Set Gemini Casting enchantments Channelling Kalas Cancer Invoking Totems Leo Will Invisibility Virgo Material power Changing destiny Jupiter Karma Libra Exploration of qlippoth Water Necromancy Evocation of Hell Scorpio Transmutations Alchemy Sagittarius Witches Sabbat Evocation Capricorn Awakening Kundalini Works of wrath & revenge Mars Manifestation Earth currents, Aries Female sexual sorcery shape-shifting Pisces Male sexual sorcery purifications, Sol Evocation Aeonic magick, Fire Works of malediction Saturn

14

Witch Mambo Yoni

Dagdagiel

*17

15

Hemethterith

16

Black Magician Bukor Sex Magicians

Uriens

17

Zamradiel

18

Initiation

Characith

19

Enchantress

Temphioth

20

Hermeticist

Yamatu

10

21

Time

Kurgasiax

11 12

22 23

Adjustment The Abyss

Lafcursiax Malkunofat

13

24

Necromancer

Niantiel

14

25

Alchemist

Saksaksalim

15

26

Master

Aanonin

16

27

Phallus

Parfaxitas

*4 18

28 29

Geomancer Hungan Familiar Spirits

Tzuflifu Qulielfi

19 20 21

30 31 32

Vortex Awakening Underworld

Raflifu Shalicu Thantifaxath

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