The Cathar Tarot

The only Tarot to use the ancient beliefs of the Cathars to power its journey, The Cathar Tarot is a living Book of Images. It takes as its starting point the beliefs of the Cathars, which were in turn founded on the ancient belief system known as Gnosticism.

Building on this, and drawing on a wide knowledge of Grail symbolism, the successful team of author John Matthews and artist Wil Kinghan have created a unique system. This system reflects the personal journey of the Seeker, from that of Believer (Postulant) to Parfait (Perfected One), through their encounter with the archetypes whose mysterious presences lie behind the spiritual beliefs of the Cathar order.

Though the pack follows the basic outlines of the traditional Tarot, many of the original archetypes have been replaced with those drawn from Cathar belief. The Cathars saw all life as an initiatic journey, and for the modern user, this pack uniquely outlines such a journey—upon which all are engaged—taking us from the depths to the heights of personal spirituality, via a range of human experiences with which we can all resonate.

Included in the accompanying book is a brief overview of Cathar history, doctrine, and belief. It also offers background information on the archetypal imagery of the cards and introduces three new spreads: The Cathar Cross, The Quadriga, and The Consolomentum, each of which draws on Cathar tradition and reflects the underlying spiritual truth of the group.