Ancient Mode of Tarot Reading (Mathers, 1888) @BenebellWen
Ancient Mode of Tarot Reading (Mathers, 1888)  @BenebellWen
Uploaded March 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In today’s installment of Sightsee the Tarot, we’ll be working our way through a method of divination found in The Tarot, Its Occult Signification, Use in Fortune-Telling, and Method of Play (1888) by S. L. MacGregor Mathers. He describes this reading technique as “a very ancient mode of reading the tarot” that “will be found reliable.”

Shall we try it out for ourselves?

We will also be showcasing the Tarot de Marseille deck system, reading with reversals, and using for reference the 78 card meanings as provided by MacGregor Mathers.

There are several free supplemental downloads you’ll need for this guided reading workshop:

- Reading Notes Worksheet
- Meanings of the Cards
- The Tarot (1888) by MacGregor Mathers

Download all supplemental handouts here:

wp.me/p32or0-3WP

Mathers approaches his text as instructive on using the tarot for fortune-telling, and so we, too, will be approaching the tarot through the perspective and intentions of fortune-telling.

SIGHTSEE THE TAROT

About the Series

“Sightsee the Tarot” is a series on my channel through which I take you on a tour of tarot books, spreads, techniques and tips, different decks, and more.

Check out the Series Page for all episodes: tinyurl.com/sightseethetarot

Decks Pictured in the Opening: Tarot de Marseille; Rider-Waite-Smith 1911; Thoth Tarot; Pagan Otherworlds Tarot by Uusi; The Incidental Tarot by Holly DeFount; Golden Universal Tarot; Ostara Tarot; Spirit Keeper’s Tarot

Main Deck Featured in this Video: Visconti-Sforza Tarots (1450; printed by Lo Scarabeo, 2005) restored by A. A. Atanassov.
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Benebell Wen |

"Ancient" Mode of Tarot Reading (Mathers, 1888)

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