The mystical tower of the Tarot

For many years it has been recognised that the creators of the Tarot must have been masters of communication, using the frivolous propensities of men as a medium to transmit great knowledge over the blocks of forgetfulness and time.

But they were not wholly successful. Perhaps people of recent centuries are more cerebral, less sensitive to the natural correspondence of image and condition; perhaps the images themselves became in time too battered to discharge their meaning. Whatever the reason, and despite intensive nineteenth century research and speculation, the basic communication seemed to come through to the twentieth century blurred and in fragments.

Fortunate then that during almost a lifetime of patient study the author, John Blakeley, found and explored a valid link between certain Tarot images and an almost forgotten and itself mysterious book. The pursuit of the resulting line of enquiry together with some other interesting „connections gave him a new and valuable view relative to the origin and nature of the arcana. This he is now able to put forward, together with some beautiful illustrations and a thorough survey of the historical context and background material.

‘The fruit of careful research and original thinking — an entirely new approach to a problem which has held the attention of so many,” GEOFFREY WATKINS

Established by John M. Watkins in the nineteenth century, Watkins is a bookshop and publishing house specialising mainly in oriental religions, western mysticism and, more recently the environment.

From two adjoining bookshops in Cecil Court pedestrian precinct beside the bookselling Mecca of: Charing Cross Road, books and booklists are sent out all over the world.

In the publisher-cum-bookseller tradition a selective publishing list was developed from the early days, and new titles are now issued chiefly in sewn softcover format.

But whether in publishing or bookselling, special interest attaches to work that acknowledges man as child of a living universe, whose inner and outer aspects are both equally deserving of attention.

WATKINS : LONDON Publishers & Booksellers