General Book of the Tarot Index. Sacred Texts Tarot Buy this Book at Amazon.com Contents Start Reading. Deck Descriptions. Tarot Dignities. By John Gilbert Editor's Note: the following ten lessons were first published in Tarot News and appear here with the author's permission.
Tarot Dignities - Part One The terms dignity and dignities refer to how cards placed next to a given card affect the meaning of that card. An Analysis of Tarot Cards by Manly P. Hall. OPINIONS of authorities differ widely concerning the origin of playing cards, the purpose for which they were intended, and the time of their introduction into Europe.
In his Researches into the History of Playing Cards, Samuel Weller Singer advances the opinion that cards reached Southern Europe from India by way of Arabia. It is probable that the Tarot cards were part of the magical and philosophical lore secured by the Knights Templars from the Saracens or one of the mystical sects then flourishing in Syria. Returning to Europe, the Templars, to avoid persecution, concealed the arcane meaning of the symbols by introducing the leaves of their magical book ostensibly as a device for amusement and gambling. In support of this contention, Mrs.