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The Tarot Chronicles | Discover Oswald Wirth, his symbolic tarot and his enduring influence on Western esoteric traditions.

Découvrez l’histoire du Tarot de Crowley, également connu sous le nom de Thoth Tarot. Créé par Aleister Crowley et illustré par Frieda Harris, ce chef-d’œuvre ésotérique a profondément marqué l’histoire du tarot moderne.

Découvrez l’histoire de Pamela Colman Smith, l’artiste visionnaire à l’origine des célèbres illustrations du Tarot Rider-Waite-Smith. Une figure essentielle de l’histoire du tarot moderne.

Découvrez l’histoire de Francesco Sforza, de Bianca Maria Visconti et du célèbre Tarot Visconti-Sforza, l’un des plus anciens et prestigieux jeux de tarot de la Renaissance italienne.

The Irish poet William B. Yeats (1865–1939), Nobel Prize in Literature laureate in 1923, was a passionate student of the tarot. This interest led him to write several pages that, even today, remain mysterious. William Butler Yeats was born in 1865 into an Irish family, in a town near Sandymount, not far from Dublin. In 1867, the Yeats family moved to London, where John Yeats, the poet’s father, attempted to establish himself as a portrait painter. However, the limited success he achieved forced John Yeats to return to Ireland, to Sligo, where his in-laws lived. There, young William nourished his childhood imagination with stories of gnomes and fairies and ancient Gaelic legends, which later played a significant role in his literary work. In 1885, he enrolled at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin and began publishing poetry in a university journal. During this same period, he started to draw closer to esoteric traditions. Two years later, he left his family and returned to London. Poet and Magician In the British capital, William B. Yeats came into contact with various esoteric circles, particularly followers of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg and members of the Theosophical Society founded a few years earlier by the Russian visionary Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. It appears that Yeats personally met Blavatsky in 1887 during a cycle of lectures she gave in London. In 1889, he published his first collection of poetry, The Wanderings of Oisin, inspired by the exploits of the legendary Gaelic warrior. In 1891, together with some friends, he founded the Rhymers’ Club, and the following year, in Dublin, the Irish Literary Society. Meanwhile, on March 7, 1890, Yeats was initiated as a neophyte into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn at the Isis-Urania Temple in London, adopting the initiatory motto Daemon est Deus Inversus (“The Devil is God inverted”). In the following years, he progressed through the grades until reaching, in 1893, the rank of Zelator Adeptus Minor (5–6). In 1900, he was elected instructor of “mystical philosophy” for the neophytes of Isis-Urania. Through this role, the poet became deeply involved in the rituals and doctrines of the Golden Dawn, as can be inferred from reading his essay Magic, published in 1901: “I believe in practice and in a philosophy that we have agreed to call magic.” Yeats and the Golden Dawn One of Yeats’s main concerns regarding his involvement in the Golden Dawn was preserving the integrity of the Order’s doctrine, which at that time was in deep crisis due to the behavior of Samuel Liddell Mathers (1854–1918), one of the founders, and of his pupil Aleister Crowley, who entered Isis-Urania in 1898. The Tarot Through… February 1900: The Crisis in the Golden Dawn In February 1900 it was discovered—thanks to a letter from Mathers—that the manuscripts considered the key teachings of the Golden Dawn had been falsified. The London adepts formed a committee led by William Butler Yeats to investigate the matter. Mathers, who at the time was living in Paris, declared the committee illegal. The young Aleister Crowley, after visiting Mathers, went to the lodge premises and took possession of them in Mathers’ name. When he presented himself the following day, dressed in Scottish attire and wearing a mask, Yeats expelled him and called the police. The poet then convinced the other adepts to expel Mathers, Crowley, and all those who supported them from the Order. Subsequently, the legal case initiated by Crowley was dismissed for procedural reasons. Dissatisfied, the young magician undertook a long-distance magical duel with Yeats—an action that ultimately led nowhere. The Order of the Star of the Morning All these events led Yeats to reflect deeply on the future of the Order, and in March 1901 he presented his thoughts to the adepts in a pamphlet titled Should the Order of the R.R. & A.C. Remain a Magical Order? In it, he explained the necessity of remaining faithful to the laws, rituals, and internal doctrines of the Golden Dawn. For a time, peace seemed to be restored, but in 1903 a new schism occurred. On one side were the “purists,” led by Robert Felkin, grouped under the name Star of the Morning, faithful to magical structure and Egyptian symbolism. On the other side were the followers of Arthur Edward Waite, who sought to give the rituals a more distinctly Christian and Rosicrucian orientation. Yeats sided with Felkin and, in the years that followed, continued his initiatory path in the Temple of Amon, eventually attaining in 1916 the grade of Adeptus Exemptus (7=4). Between 1914 and 1922, Yeats’ role within the Star of the Morning became increasingly important, particularly after Felkin moved to New Zealand in 1916. From that point on, Yeats served as Imperator and Instructor of the Ancient Traditions. However, in early 1922, faced with the irreversible decline of the fraternity, Yeats withdrew permanently. Curiosities — Yeats and the Tarot The Irish poet held deep respect for Tarot cards and believed—according to the instructions contained in the Golden Dawn’s “Occult Papers,” reserved for initiates—that the figures represented a means of entering into contact with other dimensions, as well as a way of knowing the future and transforming oneself. His wife, Georgie Hyde-Lees, was also a student of mystical doctrines. On October 24, 1917—four days after their wedding—she began to write through automatic writing, dictated by a series of “unknown instructors.” These phantasmagorical entities recall the “Unknown Superiors” of the Theosophical Society. This automatic writing ceased in 1920, leaving Yeats with a vast quantity of material, which he later organized into A Vision (1925). This work—one of the most mysterious and least understood of the Irish poet’s writings—was structured around Tarot-based esoteric teachings, organized into “28 incarnations,” which Yeats described as phases of the transformation of being. From this foundational material arose, over time and under the influence of Ezra Pound, poetic collections such as The Tower (1928) and The Winding Stair (1933). Final Years Yeats never abandoned magic or the study of esoteric philosophies. Together with his wife, he undertook a series of occult experiments that had a profound influence on his literary production. In 1923, Yeats received the Nobel Prize in Literature in recognition of the magnificent poetic works he had published in previous years. This honor was followed by his appointment as a senator of the newly founded Irish Republic. At his death in 1939, in the French village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, the Irish government sent a warship to repatriate his body. Today, in accordance with the poet’s wishes, he rests at the foot of Ben Bulben, the mountain he exalted in one of his final poems.

In an old palace in Bologna hangs a mysterious 16th-century painting. It shows Prince Francesco Fibbia seated at a table, a deck of cards before him, as three fall to the ground. At the bottom of the canvas, an inscription attributes to him the invention of the Small Tarot of Bologna. Yet scholars remain divided: is this historical fact or family legend?The Castracani Legacy Francesco Antelminelli Castracani Fibbia is a figure wrapped in obscurity. Born around 1360 in Lucca, Tuscany, he descended from the powerful Antelminelli Castracani family, rulers of the city thanks to the military genius of Castruccio Castracani (1281–1328). Castruccio conquered much of Tuscany before dying in captivity, leaving four sons: Enrico, Giovanni, Vallerano, and Verde.From here, the genealogical record becomes murky. Some sources—such as the Benedictine monk Flaminio Fibbia (1594)—describe Francesco as the son of Rolando and grandson of Enrico Castracani. Others, including a testament of 1561, present him instead as Castruccio’s direct grandson, exiled from Lucca after 1328 and later established in Bologna. A Prince Between Two Cities Despite these contradictions, tradition firmly links Francesco Fibbia to Bologna. The famous painting preserved in the Palazzo Fibbia (formerly on Via San Donato, now Piazza Malpighi) depicts him not only as a nobleman but as a symbolic inventor of the city’s tarot.In the artwork, Francesco sits solemnly at a table. Beside him lies a deck of the Small Tarot of Bologna, while on the floor three cards are clearly visible: the Queen of Batons, the Queen of Coins, and another card slipping from his hand.Beneath the image, an inscription summarizes his remarkable life: “Francesco Antelminelli Castracani Fibbia, Prince of Pisa, Montegiori, and Pietrasanta, Lord of Fucecchio, son of Giovanni, descended from Castruccio, Duke of Lucca, Pistoia, and Pisa. Fleeing to Bologna, he entered the service of the Bentivoglio family, was named general of their armies, and became known as ‘Dalle Fibbie’. He married Francesca, daughter of Giovanni Bentivoglio.” Francesco Fibbia and the Myth of the Bolognese Tarot The tradition that credits Prince Francesco Fibbia with inventing the Small Tarot of Bologna does not withstand historical scrutiny. Fibbia died in 1419—decades before the first documented tarots appeared in northern Italy (c.1440). Even more, the so-called “Small Tarot” of Bologna was itself a later simplification of the Milanese model.So where does this claim originate? Most likely from a 17th-century reinterpretation. The oil painting preserved in Bologna, which depicts the prince seated at a table with cards in his hand, bears a later inscription proclaiming him as the game’s inventor. Rather than a true testimony, this was an attempt to ennoble the Fibbia name by attaching it to a cultural innovation that had already gained prestige.Family Arms on the Cards The arms of the Fibbia family did indeed appear on certain Bolognese tarot cards—specifically the Queen of Batons and the Queen of Coins. Yet this is more plausibly explained as a symbol of political alliance rather than genealogical invention. Nobility often stamped their heraldry on popular games or objects as a sign of patronage, not authorship.Echoes in Religious Art “Portrait of Giovanni II Bentivoglio, capital fragment from the destroyed Bentivoglio Palace (Bologna, Casa Dalle Tuate, via Galliera).” Defenders of the legend have also tried to link early Bolognese frescoes to the tarot. In the Basilica of San Petronio, painted around 1415, appear figures of Satan and an Idolater chained together—images that some claim prefigure the tarot’s Devil card. But these depictions, while striking, have no real continuity with the fully developed tarot trumps. They are isolated motifs, not part of a structured system. The oldest coherent tarot cycle remains the Visconti-Sforza deck, created in Milan around 1440—two decades after Fibbia’s death.  A Legend of LegacyIn the end, the link between Francesco Fibbia and the tarot appears to be a later invention, likely crafted by his descendants to glorify their lineage. The painting, with its evocative imagery of cards falling from the prince’s hand, gave fertile ground for such myths to grow.But history tells another story: the tarot was born not in Bologna, but in the courts of Milan, and its association with Fibbia is better understood as a legend of pride rather than fact. “The main square of Bologna.”

Nothing in the peaceful childhood of Michel de Nostradamus—born into a prosperous French family—hinted at the destiny awaiting him. Yet, in time, he would become the prophet whose visions announced more calamities than all the biblical seers combined, filling the unwritten pages of history with horror and catastrophe.The current of History does not always flow backward. At times, extraordinary figures appear who pierce the veil of time to glimpse the uncertainties of the future. Unlike modern scientists, these visionaries had no instruments or technology at their disposal—only a sharpened instinct, an inner light, and the wisdom inherited from generations past. They did not gaze into crystal spheres but entered deep states of meditation, during which mysterious insights came to them. They did not unravel the unfathomable mysteries of creation, yet they seemed to commune with the eternal rhythms of the stars. Above all, they possessed faith—an inner certainty that enabled them to discern the presence of forces far greater than any human power.For this reason, they often raised their voices in public squares, warning their contemporaries of disasters to come if humanity did not change its ways. These men were the prophets. Among them, Michel de Nostradamus would become one of the most renowned. The bubonic plague devastated 15th-century Florence. By Nostradamus’s lifetime, the plague had already haunted Europe for over two centuries, leaving behind one of the most catastrophic demographic crises in European history.A Brilliant FutureMichel de Nostradamus was born on December 14, 1503, in Saint-Rémy, Provence. His mother was named Renée, and his father, Jacques de Nostredame, was a knight whose family name—meaning Our Lady—was later Latinized into the form by which Michel became known: Nostradamus.From an early age, Michel displayed an insatiable curiosity and remarkable intellect. Raised under the guidance of learned uncles who were both physicians and scholars, he received an exceptional education and quickly distinguished himself by his mastery of medicine, astrology, and classical knowledge.At a time when plague ravaged Europe—already two centuries into its deadly course—Nostradamus devoted himself to healing. His work as a physician not only alleviated suffering but also deepened his sense of destiny. Confronted daily with human frailty and mortality, he sharpened the prophetic vision that would make his name endure through the centuries.His insight, precision, and unwavering faith became the foundation of his gift: the power to foresee the future. Engraving of Nostradamus during his years as a physician. His tireless fight against the plague not only defined his early career but also reinforced the prophetic vocation that would make him immortal.Nostradamus: The Seeker of SecretsEach evening in his study at Salon-de-Provence, Nostradamus would light a solitary candle and gaze into its flame until he fell into what he described as prophetic ecstasy. In these trances, future visions came to him—visions he later immortalized in his writings.From childhood, Michel was a voracious student. He mastered Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, in addition to his native Provençal, and was guided by his grandfather Jean, who taught him herbal medicine, alchemy, and the art of preparing cosmetics. More importantly, Jean introduced him to the discipline that would define his destiny: astrology.A Career InterruptedNostradamus pursued philosophy at Avignon and medicine at Montpellier, quickly earning a reputation as a skilled physician. Yet fate struck cruelly. When plague returned in 1546, he devoted himself to treating the sick but could not save his own wife and children. This personal tragedy broke him. Convinced that if he could not save his loved ones he was unworthy to heal others, he abandoned his medical practice and withdrew in grief.Eventually, he returned to Provence and settled in Salon-de-Provence. There he built a modest laboratory, producing remedies and cosmetics. The effectiveness of his creations soon brought him widespread fame, spreading far beyond Marseille and throughout the region.The First VisionIt was during a journey through Italy that Nostradamus experienced his first extraordinary premonition. While deep in contemplation, he encountered three Franciscan friars. To the astonishment of all, he fell to his knees before one of them—a humble brother named Felice Peretti—and kissed the hem of his robe.When questioned about his actions, he replied simply: "A force greater than myself compelled me to bow before this man."Decades later, that same friar ascended to the papacy as Pope Sixtus V. The Quest for the AlkahestBeyond medicine and prophecy, Nostradamus was fascinated by the mysteries of alchemy. Like many seekers before him, he dedicated long hours in his laboratory to the pursuit of the legendary alkahest, the universal solvent believed to unlock the deepest secrets of nature.According to tradition, the alkahest granted three supreme powers: To transmute base metals into gold. To cure even the most deadly diseases. To restore life endlessly through an elixir of immortality. Though Nostradamus never achieved this impossible dream, his search placed him within a lineage of seekers that stretched from Hermes Trismegistus to Paracelsus—a timeless brotherhood of alchemists, healers, and visionaries.

In the heart of the Renaissance, under the reign of Catherine de Médicis, a secret project was whispered into existence. Crafted by the enigmatic seer Nostradamus, Le Tarot de la Reyne was conceived not merely as a deck of cards, but as a celestial guide — a map of fate, devotion, and mystery. Passed down through shadowed centuries, only a few rare copies survived, among them the exceptional version brought to life by Magdelone in 1901.Today, I am honored to announce that Le Tarot de la Reyne is poised to return.Through years of passionate research and delicate preservation, I have had the rare privilege of studying one of these few remaining decks. Every symbol, every line, every faded color has been lovingly restored and reimagined — to capture the spirit of the original while breathing new life into its forgotten magic.Soon, this extraordinary project will unfold on Kickstarter. It is more than a simple reproduction; it is a resurrection. A tribute to hidden wisdom, royal power, and the ancient art of divination. Each card evokes the solemn beauty of the Renaissance: hand-drawn figures in regal poses, alchemical emblems veiled in golden mystery, a world where destiny dances between star and crown.Le Tarot de la Reyne will be available in a limited edition for all who feel called by its legacy. This is your invitation to hold history in your hands — to weave yourself into the tapestry of prophecy once crafted for a queen.Stay tuned for updates, previews, and the official launch. The Reyne awaits. Will you answer her call?  Coming soon on Kickstarter.

By M. Gabriel TrarieuxM. Gabriel Trarieux presents a reflection on psychism and its role in modern society. He analyzes several works, including Heretics by Chesterton, which explores the resistance of rationalism to the mysteries of the invisible.He highlights the difficulty of reconciling science and spirituality in our time and emphasizes that, despite the dominance of materialism, psychic phenomena remain a reality that continues to intrigue researchers and thinkers.Science and Psychism: An Illusory Barrier?In the past, electricity was perceived as a mysterious force before being mastered by science. Trarieux questions whether manifestations from the Beyond might follow a similar path—one day, could we understand these phenomena with the same precision as we now understand physics?He cites Leadbeater and Annie Besant, prominent figures in theosophy, who explored the study of invisible forces and reincarnation. He acknowledges that these subjects are controversial but insists on the importance of not dismissing what is not yet explained.Thought and Its PowerTrarieux also discusses the possibility that thought may have a real influence on matter and health, particularly through mental healing and communication with unseen worlds. He highlights the work of various mediums and researchers who have delved into these still poorly understood abilities.A Call for a Shift in MindsetHe concludes by advocating for a shift in mentality, where spirituality is no longer seen as mere superstition but as a complementary path to science in the exploration of the unknown.

We live in an era where scientific discoveries constantly amaze us. Each day, new advancements allow us to explore what was once considered mysterious. However, there are still hidden forces of nature that remain beyond our full understanding. Among them is thought and its immense power.Thought: An Invisible but Powerful ForceWe all know that human beings possess a mind, but do we truly understand what thought is?We comprehend matter, energy, and form, but between what we perceive and what we understand, there is a bridge, an intermediary, a subtle force that allows the transmission of ideas, emotions, and influences.Just as electricity enables light and heat, thought is an energy that acts upon the world, shaping not only our personal experiences but also influencing others. It is the inner life of our soul, the force that makes us feel, act, and understand.The Movement of Thought and Its InfluenceToday, we know that all movement produces energy, and thought is no exception. It is an active force, a current that flows through people, influencing their moods, decisions, and destinies.Like electricity traveling through conductors to produce light, thought moves through space, connecting beings in ways that science is only beginning to grasp.Thus, the emotions we feel—whether positive or negative—radiate outward.Our thoughts shape our environment, just as electricity interacts with matter. The Three Forms of the Soul and Their Role in ThoughtOur inner being is composed of three essential elements: The heart, which governs emotions and sensitivity. The brain, which represents intelligence and logic. Instinct, which directs actions and spontaneous reactions. When these three forces are in harmony, thought becomes clearer, stronger, and capable of positively influencing both ourselves and others.Thought and Its Impact on SocietyIn today’s world, we are surrounded by various mental and emotional energies, some beneficial, others harmful.The environment in which we evolve can strengthen or weaken our mental clarity, affecting both our reasoning and our emotions.This is why it is essential to cultivate healthy and balanced thoughts, as they directly impact our well-being and that of those around us.Moreover, deep and intense thoughts can reach others, even from a distance, a phenomenon some call telepathy or intuition. Conclusion: Thought is a Living ForceWe have not yet uncovered all the secrets of thought, but one thing is certain:💡 It is a real energy, capable of creating, influencing, and transforming our world.By better understanding how it works, we can harness it for good—✨ by cultivating positive thinking, surrounding ourselves with inspiring people, and learning to master our emotions.Thus, thought is not just a mental process—🌀 It is a living force that shapes our reality.