If you're a Harry Potter fan like myself, you're greatly anticipating the seventh--and last--book of the series: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Is there a Hanged Man connection with the latest book? Hallows rhymes with gallows, after all--but there may be deeper connections with the Tarot. Of course, J.K. Rowling has been known to include bona fide fortunetelling methods such as Tea-Leaf Reading, Crystal Ball Gazing, Numerology, Runes, and Palmistry in the Harry Potter books.
Is it possible that J.K. Rowling has intricately woven a Tarot thread via Alchemy throughout the entire series? For example, is Draco's "Hand of Glory"--reportedly the dried, pickled left hand of a "hanged man"-- somehow related to the Tarot's Trump 12?
Check out this fascinating post to the Deathly Hallows' book club on the Barnes and Noble site--and share your thoughts about it! I'd be especially interested in your insights on the Tarot connection present in the Potter books--symbols, words, names, themes, storylines, etc.
-- Janet Boyer
THAT was a fascinating post. I had to keep reading all the way through :) also interesting to see what non-tarot types see when they look at tarot and link it up with alchemy, druidry, and literature :) I was also newly impressed with what was quoted from Aeclectic Tarot.
Posted by: TarotMoon | April 03, 2007 at 12:05 PM
VERY interesting - thank you. Just been looking at Place's Alchemical Tarot today and noticed that his 5 of Staffs is a hand with flames on its fingertips, which look like branches. Not as gruesome as the traditional Hand of Glory, but seems very connected.
I love all these connections, and find the more I can connect across different 'disciplines', the more I can remember. I, too, was impressed with the Aeclectic link.
Posted by: Tarot Source | April 03, 2007 at 05:42 PM