Knapp-Hall Tarot Method
Many tarot reader avoid Marseille tarot because of the non illustrated pips, and they are note very convivial or easy.
Manley Hall did have a very easy method to use (and remember) the pips. Unfortunately, this is not in his Book “the Tarot an essay”, but one can find it in the little white booklet coming with his so lovely and unusual “Knapp-Hall tarot
It is a very complete little white book of 36 pages. I wont reproduce it (copyright wise…) but just give you the “EASY TO USE” pip method.
I’ll put apart Majors, court cards divination and all specific cards meaning, this you probably already know or may can found elsewhere.
The minor arcane is divided in four sequence or suits.
1- - the SCEPTERS (Wands) represent enterprise and success
2- - the CUPS represent love, happiness and emotion.
3- - the SWORDS reprensent hatred and misfortune (I’d prefer toughs)
4- - and the PENTACLES represent money, and material business
Its is quite close to the standard method, and you may very ell use your own specifications
THE EASY HALL 3 WORDS PIPS METHOD
(surely Manly Hall would hate this title… )
Then to use the pip method you put aside the 10, which is the sum of all influences of the suits, and you divide the card from Ace tot 9 in 3 parts
1 The first group (ace, 2 and 3 is the “commencement”, the beginning of the suit.
2 The second group (4-5 and 6 ) is the “opposition” of the suit
3 The last group (7, 8 and 9) is the “equilibrium” of the suit.
Remember these 3 words: “commencement” “opposition” and “equilibrium”
In every of the 3 groups, they are tree cards,
1 Once again the firs one is “commencement””
2 The second of each group is “opposition”
4 The last of each group is “ equilibrium”
So you have
Ace BEGINNING of Beginning (remember it is the first group)
2 OPPOSITION of Beginning
3 EQUILIBRIUM of Beginning
4 BEGINNING of Opposition (we’re in the second group)
5 OPPOSITION of Opposition
6 EQUILIBRIUM of Opposition
7 BEGINNING of Equilibrium (as we’re in the third group)
8 OPPOSITION of Equilibrium
9 EQUILIBRIUM of Equilibrium
And you had the 10 which, as said in the beginning is the sum of all influences in the suit, and so it is “neutral”.
As you guess, beginning mark an idea, an beginning. The opposition mark an obstacle, an opposition and the equilibrium mark the harmony.
As an example, 4 of sword is the beginning of opposition in the word of sword, so a rest, a retreat form the hatred or the ideas sword may mean. In the 5 of sword, one “oppose” to the opposition, so do hi best to go trough the opposition, look for a way to make his way. In the 6 of sword, the equilibrium of opposition, one may goes away or change his view, to bypass the opposition.
According to Manly Hall this 3 words method is sufficient for one to explain all the minors. It may be not very juicy explanation, but dealing with pip (or even whith illustrated minor, and having a blank, it may give some way to understand the card)
As many Marseille readers, (Wirth and Papus oriented), Hall seems to think that minors are somewhat mundane, but isn’t everyday life mundane too? At least, his method give some easy cue to plain pips.
Queen of Pentacle
(Being French speaking, please pardon my faults and misspelling)