We are continuing our series of conversations with an author, a poet, a Tarot scholar and a mythologist Richard Roberts.
In the 1960s, Alan Watts presented Roberts with a letter of introduction to Joseph Campbell, which led to a 20-year mentorship with the famed scholar of mythology – a partnership which included collaborating in seminars and writing books, and which lasted through the remainder of Campbell’s life.
In his college days, Roberts had vowed never to write a novel until he had an idea no writer before him ever had. In a vision, he conceived of a book in which his characters would “go into” other literary classics and interact with the characters, all the while writing in the style of the original authors of those classics. Roberts regards the resulting book, The Wind & The Wizard, as his life’s masterwork.
In this episode, Richard Roberts illuminates some details about Tarot and Numerology, specifically the “Magic 9” Arrangement of the Major Arcana. He also reads a few excerpts from Colin Wilson’s introduction to Richard’s and Joe’s book Tarot Revelations.
* The “Magic 9” Arrangement
Numerology influence on the arrangement of the Major Arcana
We are continuing our series of conversations with an author, a poet, a Tarot scholar and a mythologist Richard Roberts.
In the 1960s, Alan Watts presented Roberts with a letter of introduction to Joseph Campbell, which led to a 20-year mentorship with the famed scholar of mythology – a partnership which included collaborating in seminars and writing books, and which lasted through the remainder of Campbell’s life.
In his college days, Roberts had vowed never to write a novel until he had an idea no writer before him ever had. In a vision, he conceived of a book in which his characters would “go into” other literary classics and interact with the characters, all the while writing in the style of the original authors of those classics. Roberts regards the resulting book, The Wind & The Wizard, as his life’s masterwork.
In this episode, Richard Roberts dives into his research of life after death and the works on the subject, consciousness of the Universe, Gnosis, and his collaboration with Joseph Campbell on their book Tarot Revelations.
From ghosts to enlightenment
Earlier, Richard studied ghosts to find out if souls survive after death. In the same way, later he started to study gnosis to approach enlightenment. One day he found himself in a conscious sleep, and asked the question of “What is the meaning of everything”. He was given a telepathic symbol
The Symbol of Gnosis
Richard describes how to draw the symbol and its meaning
William James afterlife
William James (in the book published by Jane Roberts about his afterlife) says that he never encountered the God of the Bible, but there was this presence, a light that would give him anything that he needed to grow his consciousness in his afterlife state.
Consciousness of the Universe
Growing consciousness. We are part of God and God’s consciousness, and God’s consciousness grows as we grow our consciousness.
Indian myths of reincarnation
Collaboration with Joe on Tarot Revelations
Joe’s contribution – the arrangement of the Marseilles deck
A Disguise of Hidden Knowledge
Game of Tarot has been designed to appear as simply playing cards
Tarot Revelations – a unique book
No one else at the time could have written this book, due to the combination of literature and study one had to go through
We are continuing our series of conversations with an author, a poet, a Tarot scholar and a mythologist Richard Roberts. In the 1960s, Alan Watts presented Roberts with a letter of introduction to Joseph Campbell, which led to a 20-year mentorship with the famed scholar of mythology – a partnership which included collaborating in seminars and writing books, and which lasted through the remainder of Campbell’s life.
In his college days, Roberts had vowed never to write a novel until he had an idea no writer before him ever had. In a vision, he conceived of a book in which his characters would “go into” other literary classics and interact with the characters, all the while writing in the style of the original authors of those classics. Roberts regards the resulting book, The Wind & The Wizard, as his life’s masterwork.
In this episode, Richard Roberts introduces the MonoMyth as a path to individuation, tells a story of his own “belly of the whale” experience, and how his publishing company Vernal Equinox Press came to be.
MonoMyth as a path to individuation
Myths are psychic openings to individuation
For many academics myths at the time were nothing more than a bunch of fairy tales
For one who places self-knowledge above empirical knowledge, myths are psychic openings to the inner world and to the outer cosmos
Ouroboros symbol, ying-yang symbol
Joe pointed out that serpent was the God of Levant thousands of years before the creation of the Book of Genesis
Sophia and serpent
Creation of the World, Adam, and Serpent as an instructor
Joe’s mentorship for Richard’s evolution
Tarot book publication
Modern psychology confirms that the Tarot cards comprise an image comparable to that encountered in dreams of the path of initiation
Belly of the Whale
Morgan & Morgan press – a hoax publisher
Richard’s mother got sick
Getting stuck in New York airport
Joe tells Richard to “ride the tiger”
Court gives rights back to Richard
Idea for the Vernal Equinox Press
Publishing was expensive back then; Richard proposes the idea of his own publishing to Joe, he agrees
Story of Vernal Equinox Press
1953 – Richard being grad student
Course “Myth and the Bible” – no courses like that anymore
Early vegetation gods (4000BC) would die and revive around Vernal Equinox, and it appears the Easter resurrection of Jesus follows this pattern. Therefore, synchronicity with Richard’s birthday of March 21.
We are continuing our series of conversations with an author, a poet, a Tarot scholar and a mythologist Richard Roberts.
In the 1960s, Alan Watts presented Roberts with a letter of introduction to Joseph Campbell, which led to a 20-year mentorship with the famed scholar of mythology – a partnership which included collaborating in seminars and writing books, and which lasted through the remainder of Campbell’s life.
In his college days, Roberts had vowed never to write a novel until he had an idea no writer before him ever had. In a vision, he conceived of a book in which his characters would “go into” other literary classics and interact with the characters, all the while writing in the style of the original authors of those classics. Roberts regards the resulting book, The Wind & The Wizard, as his life’s masterwork.
In this episode, Richard Roberts describes his meeting with Colin Wilson and his wife, talks about James Joyce’s Finnigan’s Wake, Sam Keen’s encounter sessions at Esalen, and his work on Tarot with Joseph Campbell.
Meeting Colin Wilson and corroborating Joe’s Writings
In 1967 Colin came to San Francisco on a lecture tour. Richard mentioned that “Outsider” caused him to give up teaching and become an outsider.
Richard then took Colin to a pub to discuss this – and had an instant rapport, just like with Joe before
Colin invited Richard to visit him in England
Colin’s two books from 70s on paranormal are probably best representations of the subject
Colin’s wife was interested in archaeology and mythology, she took Richard to the site of King Mark’s Castle, and other places
Richard took photos of these sites, and later showed them to Joe, who was overjoyed because he saw historical corroboration of the myths
Finnegan’s Wake as Death & Resurrection
Irish musical song on which Finnegan’s Wake is based
James Joyce’s version of the story – a dream of one man in one night, encapsulating the dreams of all men
Joe’s wife decided to do a dance version of Finnigan’s wake
Esalen Encounter Sessions with Sam Keen
Poem for Joe As Parsifal
Poem called “Chapel Perilous”
Tarot Revelations with Joseph & Richard
Arrangement of Major Archana
The 22 cards can be interpreted as Western Book of the Dead
Jung’s work on alchemy
Tarot Rebellion
Tarot and You (book)
Many people in tarot community charge money by simply referring to the books of interpretation
Richard had a “free association” method that conflicted with the traditional way
Film on Tarot interpretations
[techtags: Richard Roberts, Joseph Campbell, Hero with a 1000 Faces, Colin Wilson, Finnegan’s Wake, Tarot]
Today, we are starting a series of conversations with an author, a poet, a Tarot scholar and a mythologist Richard Roberts.
In the 1960s, Alan Watts presented Roberts with a letter of introduction to Joseph Campbell, which led to a 20-year mentorship with the famed scholar of mythology – a partnership which included collaborating in seminars and writing books, and which lasted through the remainder of Campbell’s life.
In his college days, Roberts had vowed never to write a novel until he had an idea no writer before him ever had. In a vision, he conceived of a book in which his characters would “go into” other literary classics and interact with the characters, all the while writing in the style of the original authors of those classics. Roberts regards the resulting book, The Wind & The Wizard, as his life’s masterwork.
In this episode, Richard Roberts describes how he came to meet Joseph Campbell and the related part of his life and work at the time.
Alan Watts and “the Hero with a 1000 faces”
Richard came to California in 1956 – always carrying J. Campbell’s book, even to the beach
Alan gave him a letter of introduction to J. Campbell
Meeting with the mentor Joseph Campbell
At the athletic club, running around the track
That evening Joseph’s wife was returning from a world’s tour of her dance version of “Finnigan’s Wake”
After running around the track, Richard and Joseph went to the bar, and after a few drinks became friends for life
“Waiting for the Goddess to unlock the waters”
Joe stays over and Henrich Zimmer is introduced
Richard lets Joseph stay in his apartment in San Francisco for his Bay Area trip. Joseph later ships two boxes of books by Henrich Zimmer on Indian art and civilization to Richard as a thank you gift. These books furthered Richard’s interest in gnosticism.
Joe and The Major Arcana Tarot
Joe was shown a deck of Tarot cards that he saw last time in 1940s at his friend’s Henrich Zimmer, who apparently was a Tarot scholar as well.
Richard was also given a deck of cards that were alchemical in nature.
They later began to correspond about arrangements of the Major Arcana
Gnostic Traditions, Jane Roberts & Nag Hamadi Library
In 1972 the book “Seth Speaks” came out (Jane Roberts).
Aug 11, 1971 – last session of Seth. Christ was not crusified – it was a conspiracy.
Laughing Jesus and Joe Campbell
“A Seth Reader” book by Richard
Joe read “A Seth Reader” and said, “I think this is how the Universe works”
[techtags: Richard Roberts, Joseph Campbell, Hero with a 1000 Faces, Alan Watts, Tarot, Seth Speaks, Nag Hamadi Library]
