The Little Known History of Tarot
Among the many tools and traditions that have circulated through occult culture, none have stood the test of time or gained as much popularity as the tarot. Throughout its history, the tarot has been associated with various esoteric ideologies and the true origin of the cards has been a topic of debate. However, historical evidence points to a deck of playing cards that wasn’t used exclusively for divination and fortune-telling until centuries after its creation.
Occult historian and author Mitch Horowitz sheds some light on how this powerful tool transitioned from an early version of bridge to a mystical divination tool.
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How to Use the Chinese Magic Square — The Lo Shu
Thousands of years ago in China, the Lo River flooded, inundating the local population. The people were desperate, and frantically made offerings and sacrifices to the river god, asking him to return the water to its banks.
Suddenly a turtle surfaced on the river. The people saw that there was a pattern on its shell, a grid of nine squares. Each square had dots adding up to numbers. No matter which way the dots were added across the rows either diagonally, vertically, or horizontally, the sum was 15. The diagram was called the “Lo Shu,” or “Lo River Writing.”
The turtle gave the people the pattern on its back as a map or grid of the natural flow of chi and the elements, and this square with its numbers became a foundational tool in Feng Shui and Taoist traditions. The square is also carried as an amulet or placed in homes and offices as a protective charm.
