The association of tarot to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life serves Masonic style organisations such as the Golden Dawn, which sets up various levels of Adeptship, starting at Malkuth, and working up to Ipsissimus at Kether. While this kind of thing is good for organisations that need to boost the egos of their leaders so that they can give themselves ever more pompous titles, while hinting at dark secrets only they are privy to, and forbidden to the Great Unwashed, ie, you and me.

The association between Tarot and Kabbalah is not a link. There is no place for the Tarot today that needs the Kabbalah, unless of course you require your acolytes to undergo ritualistic hurdles. In this egalitarian, democratic world, it is time for Tarot to stand up and be free of the Kabbalah. I gave up on Kabbalism years ago, and I have gained nothing but benefits as a result. I still study kabbalah, if only so that I know the views of others, and I recommend students to continue to study it, from a historical point of view.

Rather than seeing the tarot as a sub-set of Kabbalah, a more satisfactory method, with greater fulfilment and creativity, and spiritual insight, is to see Kabbalah as an interesting sub-set of the Tarot. If we wish to pursue magic, then it is necessary to remember that Western Magic is not as powerful as Islamic, Tantric or Voodoo, to name a few, and despite attempts by westerners (or students) of these disciplines to link them to Kabbalah, in truth no such linkage exists.

I feel bound to comment on Douglas’ suggestions for ‘great tarot readers’ as I am in it.  The world has not yet seen how good a tarot reader Catherine Chapman is, but I think that view will change when they see the book she co-wrote with me, entitled “Beyond the Celtic Cross”. I do not know anything about Marcus Katz, but I have heard he has ruffled a few feathers. People have to subscribe to his website for exclusive content, which brings me back to the points made above about Kabbalistic organisations. Maybe someone can enlighten me.