One of my favorite deck, especially for analytical meditation and observation, VIA TAROT – The Path of Life
by Susan Jameson & John Bonner
With this Via Tarot of high artistic standard Susan Jameson deliberately picks up the thread of the famous Thoth Tarot deck conceived by Aliester Crowley and executed by Frieda Harris. But also with regard to its content the Via Tarot, which draws on Cabbalistic, alchemistic, astrological and magical sources, continues the occult, thelemistic tradition. The explanatory booklet was written by John Bonner, secretary O.T.O. UK
with a preface by Hymenaeus Beta, Frater Superior, O.T.O.
I WAS ALWAYS INTO H. P. LOVECRAFT. SO WAS KENNETH GRANT. NOT SO LONG AGO I REREAD MY FAVORITE LOVECRAFT STORY DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE. I EVEN CREATED SOME ART INSPIRED BY THE STORY. (FOLLOW ME ON http://www.ello.co/novaexpress93/.) ALL OF THIS REMINDED ME OF KENNETH GRANT. HERE IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE ABOUT THESE TWO GREAT WRITERS.
Frontispiece to “The Heart of the Master” by Aleister Crowley (1938).
In the left-hand column we can see four women holding the symbols of the “Four Heavenly Creatures” (Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio and Leo), with their corresponding triangular elemental symbols below (Air, Earth, Water and Fire).
These triangular symbols are further expanded in other sections. On the top of the right-hand column we see an image of the “Anima Mundi” (“World Soul”).
In the bottom section the four letters (elements) of the Tetragrammaton are shown, which are read right to left: Yod, He, Vav, He.
The letters are above the lamen (symbol/sigil) of the O.T.O. (“Ordo Templi Orientis”). Set in a Vesica Piscis it shows the Eye of Horus above the Holy Spirit, which in turn is above the Rosy Cross and Holy Grail.
The letters O.T.O. are said to stand for ‘Order of the Temple of the East’ or ‘Order of Oriental Templars’.
The latter indicates an association with the Templars, who in turn were said to have been initiated into the mysteries of the Sufis and esoteric Islam (c.f. Hassan-I Sabbah and the Hashshashin).
Occult Aspects 