- Title: Introducing the Unified Esotertic System & Tarot
- Author: Attila Karpathy
- Publisher: Independent via Lulu (link at base of review)
- Published: November 2022
- RRP: £23.76
- ISBN 13: 978-1-4709-7332-2
- Reviewer Name: MadeInChrome
With INTRODUCING THE UNIFIED ESOTERIC SYSTEM & TAROT, Attila Karpathy presents an inclusive reimagining of the 78 that integrates the esoteric disciplines into “an instrument of self-observation, self-remembering and self-development”.
Anyone looking for an all-in-one book that combines the various esoteric disciplines with the Tarot, need look no further than this work by all-round esotericist and creative, Attila Karpathy.
Revised from his 2017 edition and self-published via Lulu.com, this slim glossy hardback packs into its approximately 130 pages a level of study and detail demonstrative of a 30-year labour of love. Karpathy’s extensive research into Alchemy, Astrology, Kabbalah, Numerology and the Tarot shows too his willingness to experiment with what we’ve come to accept in order to propose a more cohesive model. It may be no coincidence that he quotes Henri Matisse on page 1 that “Creativity takes Courage”.
The book begins with Karpathy’s visual representations of the cards of the Unified Esoteric Tarot or UET for short. In a complete overhaul of the standard design, each card here is instead depicted as a pictographic summary of its esoteric correspondences – and is accompanied on the page by an appropriate aphorism or famous quotation. The card names are mostly the same as we’ve come to know them, with 3 exceptions: Death becomes Little Death, The Hierophant becomes the Demiurge, while the Hanged Man is renamed Sacrifice.
If the order of the cards in the book appears arbitrary or contrary to what we are used to, it is because Karpathy adheres to no specific system of numbering, so has designed the cards to include several for a refreshing versatility. In another departure from the traditional, the author steps away from the familiar dualism to focus on the triplicities and quadruplicities inherent in the esoteric universe. Drawing on the works of his “spiritual guides” Peter D. Ouspensky and George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, Karpathy employs the Laws of 3 and 4 as part of the basis for the UET.
The Law of 3, for instance, refers to the kabbalistic primordial elements of Mem/Water, Shin/Fire, and Aleph/Air; to the alchemical primes of Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury; and the astrological modalities of Fixed, Cardinal and Mutable. As for The Law of 4, this applies to the elements of fire, water, air, and earth; the planes of expression – intuitive, emotional, mental, and practical; and the kabbalistic worlds of Emanation, Creation, Formation, and Manifestation – to name a few of the principles featured, and all familiar to us. Multiplied together, 3 x 4, and you get 12, which, from the astrological perspective, as an example, is the magic number. Primarily based in Astrology, the UET follows the modern accepted rulerships, but diverges with the inclusion of Planet X (Earth) as the ruler of Taurus, and Ceres as the ruler of Virgo, while Venus retains the rulership of Libra, and Mercury of Gemini.
Detailed and thorough in his approach, Karpathy nevertheless guides the reader systematically in textbook fashion through the basics of each discipline with plenty of diagrams to illustrate, and – always a favourite – lists of correspondences. He provides historical background, current accepted thinking, and peppers his analysis and interpretations with personal anecdotes and discursive sidebars.
It is also to be appreciated that Karpathy does not shy away from acknowledging discrepancies, problems and faults with such integrative attempts, excitedly sharing his process with us thereby encouraging the curiosity of the reader for further exploration on their spiritual journey.
As a recommendation for beginners and experienced practitioners alike, there is much to consider, savour and experiment with here – and so a welcome addition to any esoteric library.
To purchase, please go to Attila Karpathy at Lulu.com
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