Valeriy Zhiglov - Yi Ching Tarot

Illustrator Inna Yeryomkina

© Valeriy Zhiglov, 2017

© Inna Yeryomkina, illustrations, 2017

ISBN 978-5-4474-9797-2

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Regardless the fact that the World religion has multiple branches, its Divine root is universal. Since almost forever ago, people of different religious cults in fact worshiped the same Celestial Symbols and the same Laws of the Universe, but losing the Keys for decrypting the Secret Knowledge resulted in the Celestial Truth hiding its original meaning and becoming unavailable for the adherents. The situation became even worse, because different religions associated the Secret Knowledge with different symbols, which with time became absolutely unknowable to the great majority of modern people. Therefore, those who study religions are surrounded by a myriad of unclear symbols; what is even worse, the people totally forgot that those symbols originally had different meanings, very little in common with what they are now claimed they are.

Similar thoughts were expressed by Papus in his book «Tarot and Astrology for Initiates» (M.: ACT, Astrel, 2006):

«Every ancient teaching priest was the Initiate, and knew for certain there is only one religion, while different cults are only to present this one religion to different nations, in accordance with their specific traditions. Therefore, our religious discussions about the supremacy of one religion over others would have been very funny to those ancient initiated priests. They would have hardly even imagined that people with intellect could ever deny the unity of all cults in one fundamental religion.

Now every cult has its own traditions, its own Book, its own Bible, which teach to the unity of all religious faiths, regardless whatever difference may exist in traditions of different lands; but only those, who know how to read, are taught. Those, who possess the Key, would see that all those religions teach the same, but the Key is believed to be lost now.

There is no doubt, sectarianism became the reason for the total loss of the Secret Teaching, which granted access to the Key for the unity, and an attempt to re-discover the synthesis in various religions shall take many efforts from us all.

It is the Tarot card deck that may be considered the Bible of Bibles, combining the book of Hermes Trismegistus, the book of Adam, the book of the original Teaching of the most ancient civilizations of Atlantis, all together forming the basis for synthesized Teachings of all ancient nations with no exception. In Tarot cards, where an ordinary person only sees entertainment, a Thinker would recognize the Key for the Uniform tradition, forgotten long ago.

Therefore, what we need to do is to propose the Key, based on the synthesized (i.e. universal) formula. We only can present a tool, which those who need the Knowledge, may use at their own discretion. We are sure they realize how useful our efforts, as well as their own efforts, could be».

There have been many previous attempts to explain ancient esoteric knowledge with modern Tarot cards. For example, Vera Sklyarova, a famous esoteric literature author, also known as Arev, wrote the book «Golden Tarot. Classical canon Yi Ching» (M.: Starklite, 2005), where she presented the detailed description, and the prediction aspect, of each particular hexagram of the «Book of Changes».

However, this attempt to find parallels between the Yi Ching canon and the modern Tarot cards, based entirely on visual features, results in unpredictable outcome, when each particular hexagram simultaneously corresponds to several totally different and mismatching Tarot cards.

For example, analyzing the hexagram No.3 zhūn (difficulty at the beginning or a trouble), Vera Sklyarova wrote: «I would entirely compare this gua with the overturned Empress, although the influence by the Arcanum XVII – the Star, and by Arcanum XVIII – the Moon, and by other Arcana, is also seen here. The priority belongs to the overturned Chariot, Arcanum VII».

Then, analyzing the trigrams Kan (water) and Cheng (thunder), the components of the hexagram zhūn (trouble), and trying to find the parallel with the modern Tarot card deck there, Vera Sklyarova comes to very controversial conclusions, that this hexagram may, during different stages of its development, correspond to the Ten of Wands, Arcanum I – the Magician, Arcanum XVIII – the Moon, Arcanum XI – Strength, Arcanum V – The Hierophant, Arcanum VI – the Lovers, the Six of Swords, Arcanum II – The High Priestess, Arcanum 0 – The Fool, the Ace of Swords, and Arcanum VII – The Chariot (!?).

As we see, this type of analysis for parallels between particular Book of Changes hexagrams and modern Tarot cards does not bring any clarity, but instead it leads to very controversial conclusions and confuses even further. Apparently, Vera Sklyarova, who wrote that book, was uncertain, too; to justify it, she quotes a good phrase of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:

«There are people, who are never wrong, because they never ask reasonable questions».

Therefore, parallels between the classical Chinese Book of Changes and Tarot cards, as well as other Esoteric Canons, should not be searched for, based on entirely visual features, which often are rather controversial, but rather in their fundamental composition structure, based on the unity of ancient Spiritual Teachings, which have their roots in very remote past of the human civilization.

«The Book of Changes (Yi Ching, or Yi jing) is the production of a genius, which imprinted Mysterium Cosmographicum with special symbols and signs.

Therefore, the Book of Changes needs special attention, like the Holy Book, one of the spiritual miracles of the world. The Book of Changes is the same valuable spiritual center for Chinese culture, as the Bible for Western culture», – such is the thought of A.I. Kobzev, a Russian Sinologist.

Many researchers of the past spoke of unknowable mystery of that Holy Book. For example, V.M. Alexeev, one of the most serious national Sinologists, wrote, that the «Book of Changes is the book of books, which provides the devoted one with intellect and power, and content, and which is not encased in any intellect. One would see its Spirit as clear as a day, another would see it as dim as twilight, yet another would see it as dark as a night».

Carl Jung (1875—1961), one of the most outstanding European minds, said about this «great and unique work»: «Just like a part of nature, it waits for being opened».

Confucius told: «Should I have had more years to live, I would have devotedfifty of them to studying Yi Ching, and I would have avoided big squalls of life» (Analects, VII, 16/17).

The roots of this book go into remote historical past, and they are associated with mythical Chinese Emperor Fu Xi, who is traditionally believed to have lived in the beginning of the III millennium B.C. In addition, the book might also be associated with Wen Wang (XI century B.C.), also known as King Wen of Zhou, the founder of the Zhou dynasty. However, the first documented reference to this book belongs to VII – VIII centuries B.C. By that time, the original meaning of the text had already been lost in many aspects, and the Book of Changes was used mainly to predict one’s fate, i.e. for fortunetelling. Still, multiple literature sources of that time continued citing it as a philosophical teaching, good enough to describe the World, and the phenomena, taking place within this World.