Amendments To Text - Benebell Wen

Amendments to Text – benebell wen 2023-05-16, 02:39
Amendments to Text
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Please believe me when I say I dedicated my best efforts to making Holistic

Tarot as polished and comprehensive as possible pre-publication, but such
efforts still resulted in errors and omissions. This page will be a list of
amendments to the text. I won’t go into negligible typographical mistakes,
but will cover the substantive edits that I feel are important for you to hand-
write into your copy of the book. Thank you for your understanding and
sympathies.
Also, did you catch an error that I didn’t post below? Contact me and let me
know! Thanks!
Last Updated: 7/22/16
Chapter 1, “Tarot Analytics: A Holistic Approach”
p. 1
Last paragraph on the page: “I do not support fortune-telling…”
Either an end note should have been included or greater elucidation on the
point. The text makes a clear distinction between fortune-telling and
divination, and supports divination. The author’s contention is an echo of
earlier works on esoteric tarot. The following quotes are provided for context:
“Tarot divination is not fortune-telling. The practice of fortune-telling is
https://benebellwen.com/about-the-book/amendments-to-text/ Page 1 of 17
based on the false notion that human life is governed by luck, chance, or fate
—by obscure powers that work outside the personality. True divination rests
upon the occult truth that the causes of all events in human life are really
internal, proceeding from the Cause of Causes—the Universal Intelligent
Energy or Life-power.”
From Lesson 1 of Paul Foster Case’s Oracle of the Tarot (1933).
“For five centuries or more Tarot cards have been used in Europe, ostensibly
for games and fortune-telling, but really [the cards are] to preserve the
essentials of a secret doctrine. They form a symbolic alphabet of the ancient
wisdom.”
From Chapter 1 of Paul Foster Case’s Introduction to the Study of Tarot

(1920).
“This operation of the qabalistic sages, originally intended to discover the

rigorous development of absolute ideas, degenerated into superstition when
it fell into the hands of the ignorant priests and the nomadic ancestors of the
Bohemians who possessed the Tarot in the Middle Ages; they did not know
how to employ it properly, and used it solely for fortune-telling.”
From Eliphas Levi’s The Key of the Mysteries (1861) as translated by Aleister
Crowley
However, note how in Pictorial Key, A. E. Waite seems to be using fortune-

telling and divination synonymously (e.g., “These interpretations are
comparable in every respect to the divinatory and fortune-telling meanings
with which I shall have to deal in their turn.” or “There seems to be no record
that they were used for the purposes of a game, whether of chance or skill;
they could scarcely have lent themselves to divination or any form of
fortune-telling”).
Chapter 5, “Anatomy of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot”
p. 32
Erratum:
The following sentences are incorrect: “Think of the red as indicating active
energies and the black as passive.” (bold-faced words indicate errors).
Please strike out the words and note in the margins the correct attributions,
as follows:
“Think of the red [black] as indicating active energies and the black [red] as
passive.” (bold-faced words indicate corrections).
p. 34
A Note About Differing Elemental Traditions
By far the majority view on elemental attributions for the four suits is the one
set forth in the Holistic Tarot text. Such attributions (i.e., Wands-Fire, Cups-
Water, Swords-Air, Pentacles-Earth) descend from Qabalistic tarot, or
western esoteric and ceremonial magic traditions that trace back to
Hermetic cosmology.
However, in Spanish tarot traditions, the elemental attributions differ, and

represent a minority view that the Holistic Tarot text should have mentioned
in an end note but did not. Per the Spanish esoteric tarot tradition, Wands is
Fire, Cups is Air, Swords is Water, and Pentacles is Earth. The reason for the
Air-Water switch between the Cups and Swords is believed to be grounded
in how the Holy Grail is viewed—rather than being a physical chalice, it is a
state of consciousness, or a state of mind, and hence the Cups suit is better
linked to Air, the mental plane.
p. 36 – Key 1–The Magician
In the table, in “Active Principle of Yang Energy,” under “Element of Air,”

under “Major Arcana,” please add one more bullet point for “The Magician”
with an asterisk, the same way Judgement appears under both the Fire and
Water columns with asterisks. Add an asterisk to “The Magician” under the
“Element of Earth” column. This will remind you that there are two differing
elemental approaches to The Magician. The majority view is to attribute it to
Air while the minority view, and my approach is to attribute it to Earth. The
notes on p. 37 further explain the discrepancies.
Optional:
The bottom of p. 37 has extra space for a note, if the Earth attribution for
The Magician resonates with you. The Magician corresponds with Earth
because the card represents power plus manifestation of that power in the
Seeker’s physical plane. The symbolic imagery of all four suits displayed on
the magus’s table not only indicate mastery of all four elements, but the
ability to harness the metaphysical dimension of the four elements into
physical manifestation of those same elements. The representation of all
four elements also symbolize the four states of matter: Wands, or Fire for
plasma; Cups or Water for liquid; Swords or Air for gas; and Pentacles or
Earth for solid states. The material plane is governed by Earth, which is why
The Magician is arguably attributed to Earth, not Air. Furthermore, the
Aristotelian four elements form a square, the Taoist metaphysical symbol for
Earth energy. The quality ascribed to Earth is dry, symbolic of self-
determination, a key attribute to The Magician.
Editorial:
Per my own approach as a practitioner, the astrological explanation for why

The Magician is Air just doesn’t cut it for me. Metaphysically, Mercury can
take on other attributions, as I went into in end note 16 (p. 824).
p. 77, “The Emperor”
Optional note to write in margins:
The Emperor represents temporal power. Cf. The Hierophant is spiritual

power.
p. 78, Reversed Meaning
Entropy; lacking order and predictability; a possible decline to disorder.
p. 79, “The Hierophant”
The Hierophant represents spiritual power, as noted in the symbolism of the

Keys of St. Peter. Cf. The Emperor is temporal power.
The Hierophant can indicate building and establishing your inner temple for
Divinity to commune with you.
p. 82, “The Lovers”
Free will. Cf. The Chariot is willpower.
The Lovers can indicate a choice to be made between instant gratification

and delayed gratification. Can also be a nod to evaluate your interpersonal
relationships.
p. 85, “The Chariot”
Willpower. Cf. The Lovers is free will.
p. 88, “Strength”
Strength might show up in a reading when the inner beast or an aspect of

the feral self needs to be tamed. To tame the lion, must first tame your heart.
p. 92, Reversed Meaning for The Hermit
Study your self to gain knowledge. Then be the light that others follow.
p. 99, Reversed Meaning for The Hanged Man
Can be a divinatory omen that Seeker needs to devote more effort to

personal spirituality and permit time and emotional bandwidth for spiritual
development.
p. 102, Reversed Meaning for Death
Bring an end to what does not help you grow. Do not fear change. You have
outgrown the status quo.
p. 103, “Temperance”
In the italicized block quote describing the card imagery, after the sentence,
“The symbol also affirms the angel’s divinity, a symbol of the Holy Trinity,”
write in: “”Above this symbol is the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, IHVH, for
Yahweh.” You’ll see it inscribed in the details of the angel’s robe, right above
the “Fire” patch.
p. 824, end note 17 (corresponding with Chapter 5)
The phrasing of this note is confusing. Under classical Western astrology,

which follows day-night rulership, Mercury is the night ruler for the Air signs,
and therefore the planet Mercury would correspond with Air, not Earth as the
note states. Under Vedic astrology, however, the planet Mercury
corresponds with Earth. Clarifying this point by handwriting notes into the
margins on p. 824 for note 17 is strongly recommended.
p. 824, end note 18 (corresponding with Chapter 5)
In the margins, add the following: Jachin and Boaz symbolize the two
paths: Dorian, or masculine, rational, dry, corresponding with Fire and Air,
and Ionian, or feminine, mystical, humid, corresponding with Water and
Earth. Source: Oswald Wirth, Tarot of the Magicians (Weiser Books, 1990), p.
27. However, Wirth’s Tarot of the Magicians was first published in 1927.
Editorial:
The two paths dichotomy bears a striking similarity to metaphysical left-right
symbolism, which is touched upon on p. 275-276 in the text. Interestingly, in

Eastern and Western esoteric thought, the left path exemplifies both the
skeptic and the occult, whereas the right path exemplifies both faith and
canonical.
Chapter 9, “Cyclopedia of Card Meanings”
p. 66 – Key 1–The Magician
Either along the top or bottom margins of p. 66, if your handwriting permits it
to fit, or at the bottom of p. 69, or in your tarot journal notes, consider adding
the following: The Magician expresses the “Will that creates the prodigy,”
and the prodigy is a prodigy at the expense of normalcy. Source: Thorn
Mooney, “Tarot Contemplations: The Magician.” Weblog post. Tarot Skeptic.
27 Jan. 2015 (date accessed: 03 Feb. 2015). Others view the magus as a
prodigy, one born with innate talent or gifts. While the magus may have been
born with a predisposition to excel in a given area, it is through practice,
perseverance, and hard, laborious work that no one sees that truly makes
the magus a prodigy. Thus, the prodigy is a prodigy at the expense of
normalcy, because the time occupied by practice and perseverance means
less time to share in the mundane joys and tasks that others enjoy. The
Magician reminds us of the “unshakable impulse to keep pushing toward
achievement.” Source: Thorn Mooney.
p. 85 – Key 7–The Chariot
The original line in the text reads: “The curtains on his chariot are blue,
printed with six-pointed stars, like the six-pointed star on his crown.”
That would be an egregious typo by me. The charioteer’s crown does not
feature a six-pointed star, but rather an eight-pointed star
p. 93 – Key 10–Wheel of Fortune
Either in the margins for the Key 10 entry in the Cyclopedia or on p. 826
corresponding with end notes 44 and 45, note the following: The wheel
depicted on the card is the Wheel of Ezekiel. Waite based his rendering of
the Wheel of Ezekiel on Eliphas Levi’s interpretation. Source: Wirth, Tarot of
the Magicians (publication cited supra), p. 45 and Wang, Qabalistic
Tarot (publication cited in end notes of text), p. 196.
Compare: The 1: The Magician depicts symbols of the four suits

representative of the four elements. Here in Key 10, a turning point in the
narrative that the progression of Major Arcana weaves, the figures in the four
corners are also representative of the four elements. According to Oswald
Wirth in Tarot of the Magicians, the angel depicted in the top left corner is St.
Matthew for Water, the winged bird in the top right corner is St. John for Air,
the winged bull in the bottom left corner is St. Luke for Earth, and the winged
lion in the bottom right is St. Mark for Fire. Source: Wirth, Tarot of the
Magicians (publication cited supra), p. 45.
p. 111 — Key 16–The Tower (beginning on p. 109)
There is sufficient space at the bottom of p. 111 to note the following about
The Tower card:
The Tower card can denote important spiritual revelations sprung from Fire.
It tells a story of people who held one notion of Divinity only to have that
same Divinity break down their notion and cause the people to reevaluate
their spiritual purpose. For the Seeker’s matter at hand, there must
be heartfelt reevaluation for the Divine revelation to come. Compare: Key 20:
Judgement, which indicates a more sudden revelation or insight.
p. 115 — The Moon
In the margins, I would note the following:
The soul mate card, or soul purpose. – James Wanless
Revelation 22:2 – Leaves from the Tree of Life are for the healing of nations.
p. 119 — The Sun
Inscribe an asterisk next to “sunflowers” in the italicized card description

section. Then in the margins, I would note the following:
Sunflower symbolism: receiving Light; growth; manifesting fruition, then

giving life and nourishment. – Lisa de St. Croix
The Sun card is about “radiating our confidence and our talents out into the
world.” – Lisa de St. Croix
p. 127
In the margins, I would note the following:
“Pure, potent creative energy.” – Ellen Dugan
p. 176 — Queen of Cups (top)
There is sufficient space at the top of p. 176 or in the margins near the
description of the card in italics to note the following:
The chalice that the Queen holds resembles a ciborium, which in the
Catholic tradition, contains the Blessed Sacrament.
p. 179 — King of Cups (beginning on p. 178)
King of Cups:
The King of Cups signifies a mode of masculinity that is tapped into

compassion and emotional sensitivity, and so it is often a card symbolic of
fatherhood. Compare: Key 4: The Emperor represents an austere, stern, and
perhaps authoritarian father figure, whereas the King of Cups is a loving,
gentle, and empathetic father figure.
p. 195 — Seven of Swords
At the top of the entry with the main keywords, add “trust issues.” It could
also be noted somewhere in the margins that the Seven of Swords is “the
thieves card.” Source: I heard a talk given by Mary Greer on the Seven of
Swords during the Tarot Telesummit organized by Kim Wilborn of The
Guardian Gateway, which took place on October 20, 2014. Greer’s insight
into the card resonated with me immediately, so I incorporated it into my
personal notes.
p. 196
There is sufficient space at the bottom of p. 196 for the Seven of Swords
entry to note the following:
Upright: Seeker’s pursuit of an undertaking that diverge from the

mainstream and him or her being quite successful at it.
Reverse: Seeker faces inordinate challenges for undertaking a pursuit that

diverges from the mainstream.
p. 203 — Page of Swords (beginning on p. 202)
the Page of Swords when interpreted figuratively:
The Page of Swords can also indicate encouragement to pursue writing
projects or other forms of creative communication. The Seeker may want to

consider picking up a new field of study or explore a different area of
knowledge. Source: Christiana Gaudet publishes a weekly newsletter
called Tarot Topics. I came upon Gaudet’s insights into the Page of Swords in
her 10/29/2014 issue.
***
When the Page of Swords appears, the key is to think quickly and act
decisively. Ellen Dugan, Witches Tarot Companion (Llewellyn, 2012), p. 158.
p. 227 — Ten of Pentacles
Note the section in italics describing the card imagery of the Ten of
Pentacles. There is sufficient space at the end of that indented paragraph to
add the following:
The ten pentacles are in the formation of the Qabalistic Tree of Life,
representing the positions of the ten sephiroth.
Chapter 11, “The First Operation”
p. 246
There is sufficient space at the bottom of p. 246 under the diagram of the
four card piles to note the following:
(under the “H2″ (under the “V” (under the “H1″ (under the “I”
card) card) card) card)
Assiah Yetzirah Briah Atziluth
Active World Formative World Creative World Archetypal World
Primal Earth Primal Air Primal Water Primal Fire
corresponds with corresponds with corresponds with

corresponds with
Netzach, Hod, and Chesad, Geburah, Keter, Chokhmah,
Malkuth
Yesod amd Tiferet and Binah
Also note in the margins the following:
– Atziluth, the Primal Fire, activates all of the other Worlds
– Per Qabalistic tradition, there are Four Worlds, and each World is
represented by one letter of the Divine Name, IHVH
Source: Wang, Qabalistic Tarot (publication cited in end notes of text), p. 39-

40.
Chapter 12, “Interpreting Court Cards”
p. 255
In the diagram at the top of the page titled “Temperament by Suit,” add the
following key phrases at the end of the section for Swords, Air Temperament:
“well-educated and highly perceptive.” Source: Kim Krans, The Wild
Unknown Tarot Guidebook (The Wild Unknown, 2012), p. 16.
p. 259
There is sufficient space at the bottom of p. 259 under the card images to
draw out the following chart, which is meant to be a continuation of the chart
on p. 252 for “Physical Attributes”:
Chapter 14, “The Fundamentals of Reading Spreads”
p. 308
(optional: instead of on p. 308, write in the amendments on p. 697 in the

Appendix reference for the Simple Cross)
In an ink color that isn’t black, to distinguish it from the print on the page,
write in the card number sequence for the Wirth Cross into the spread
diagram, and in the blank spaces on the page, note the following:
Source: Oswald Wirth, Tarot of The Magicians (publication cited supra), p.

185-186.
Editorial:
The Wirth Cross is intended for divination with the Major Arcana only, though
the modern-day practitioner can certainly adopt the spread for the complete
deck. Also, note that in Wirth’s instruction, the cards should be shuffled
seven times by the practitioner and then fanned out on the table per the Fan
Approach (see p. 281 of the Holistic Tarot text). The Seeker then selects the
first four cards and the practitioner selects the fifth and final card.
p. 337
Editorial on the 10 Cards of the Celtic Cross:
According to Eliphas Levi, the number 10 is grounded in the Qabalistic

principle that 10 is the key of the sephiroth in the Tree of Life and how the
Divine reveals itself between the physical and metaphysical realms. The
number 10 is thus the “Absolute Number of the Qabalah.” Source: Levi, The
Key of the Mysteries (publication cited in end notes of text), p. 24.
It is the author’s speculation that the totality of the 10 cards corresponds
with the Tree of Life, with the numerology intended to unlock revelations
found in the veil between the physical and metaphysical realms. Accordingly,
the 10th card in the Celtic Cross spread, commonly noted as the “final
outcome” or “most probable future” card, is the key to the entire reading.
It is at the reader’s option whether notes on the foregoing should be

handwritten into the margins of p. 337. In the Celtic Cross quick reference
sheets in Appendix A, there is also space on p. 709 for such a notation.
p. 417
“Telling Time with Tarot”
There is space along the right margin of the elemental correspondences

table to expand it with an additional column, for a final chart as follows:
Chapter 15, “Considerations of the Spread Landscape”
p. 427-428
There is space at the bottom of p. 428 to insert a quick summary table as

follows:
Reading with Reversals Reading without Reversals

Left-Brained Right-Brained
Corresponds with the Right Hand Corresponds with the Left Hand
Linear Thought Nonlinear Thought

Logical analysis Spatial awareness
Processing data Intuition
Compartmentalizing Emotional expression
Science and math Art and music
Partial to reading with reversals Readings can often be hindered by

because it provides more data and card reversals because the art and
variables to input for reasoning and imagery is what triggers holistic,
analysis intuitive impressions
Practitioner is more inclined to seek The card imagery is only a trigger point
answer within the four corners of the for the practitioner’s intuition and
tarot card imagination
See my January 4, 2015 blog post, “Mental Disposition and Reading Tarot
Card Reversals,” https://benebellwen.com/2015/01/04/mental-disposition-
and-reading-tarot-card-reversals/
Chapter 19, “Assuaging Seekers When a Reading Seems Negative”
p. 503
Erratum:
The image file purports to show Major Arcana cards per the title of the
image, “Negative” Major Arcana Cards, but the fourth card, left to right,
shows the Ten of Swords. Needless to say, the Ten of Swords is not a Major
Arcanum. The Ten of Swords image and caption should go on the
subsequent pages, p. 504-505 under the heading, “Negative” Minor Arcana
Cards. Apologies for any havoc that causes.
Appendix D, “Profile Tables and Ruminations on the Minor Arcana”
p. 771
Erratum:
The correspondence table for the Suit of Swords is missing from Appendix
D3. For example, see the correspondence table under D1 for the Suit of
Wands on p. 767, the correspondence table under D2 for the Suit of Cups on
p. 269, and the one under D4 for the Suit of Pentacles on p. 772. However,
that reference is provided for the Suit of Swords on p. 180, so you’re not
really missing any information.
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Amendments to Text – benebell wen 2023-05-16, 02:39

MEDIA | STUDY GUIDES | AMENDMENTS

Please believe me when I say I dedicated my best efforts to making Holistic

Last Updated: 7/22/16

Chapter 1, “Tarot Analytics: A Holistic Approach”

Last paragraph on the page: “I do not support fortune-telling…”

“Tarot divination is not fortune-telling. The practice of fortune-telling is

From Lesson 1 of Paul Foster Case’s Oracle of the Tarot (1933).

From Chapter 1 of Paul Foster Case’s Introduction to the Study of Tarot

“This operation of the qabalistic sages, originally intended to discover the

However, note how in Pictorial Key, A. E. Waite seems to be using fortune-

Chapter 5, “Anatomy of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot”

A Note About Differing Elemental Traditions

However, in Spanish tarot traditions, the elemental attributions differ, and

linked to Air, the mental plane.

p. 36 – Key 1–The Magician

In the table, in “Active Principle of Yang Energy,” under “Element of Air,”

Per my own approach as a practitioner, the astrological explanation for why

p. 77, “The Emperor”

Optional note to write in margins:

The Emperor represents temporal power. Cf. The Hierophant is spiritual

p. 78, Reversed Meaning

Optional note to write in margins:

Entropy; lacking order and predictability; a possible decline to disorder.

p. 79, “The Hierophant”

Optional note to write in margins:

The Hierophant represents spiritual power, as noted in the symbolism of the

Optional note to write in margins:

p. 82, “The Lovers”

Optional note to write in margins:

Free will. Cf. The Chariot is willpower.

Optional note to write in margins:

The Lovers can indicate a choice to be made between instant gratification

p. 85, “The Chariot”

Optional note to write in margins:

Willpower. Cf. The Lovers is free will.

Optional note to write in margins:

Strength might show up in a reading when the inner beast or an aspect of

p. 92, Reversed Meaning for The Hermit

Optional note to write in margins:

p. 99, Reversed Meaning for The Hanged Man

Optional note to write in margins:

Can be a divinatory omen that Seeker needs to devote more effort to

p. 102, Reversed Meaning for Death

Optional note to write in margins:

p. 824, end note 17 (corresponding with Chapter 5)

The phrasing of this note is confusing. Under classical Western astrology,

p. 824, end note 18 (corresponding with Chapter 5)

The two paths dichotomy bears a striking similarity to metaphysical left-right

symbolism, which is touched upon on p. 275-276 in the text. Interestingly, in

Chapter 9, “Cyclopedia of Card Meanings”

p. 66 – Key 1–The Magician

p. 85 – Key 7–The Chariot

p. 93 – Key 10–Wheel of Fortune

Compare: The 1: The Magician depicts symbols of the four suits

p. 111 — Key 16–The Tower (beginning on p. 109)

p. 115 — The Moon

In the margins, I would note the following: