About the Author

Written anonymously and published posthumously in 1980 at the wishes of its author, Meditations on the Tarot has been translated from the original French by writer and esotericist Robert Powell, who lives in Germany. Widely considered one of the greatest Catholic theologians of the twentieth century, the Swiss-born Hans Urs von Balthasar, who wrote the afterword in this new edition, was nominated by Pope John Paul II as a cardinal in 1988, and died in June of that year, two days before his inauguration.

Reviews

“It is without doubt the most extraordinary work I have ever read. It has tremendous spiritual depth and insight.”  —Trappist abbot Basil Pennington, OCSO“It is simply astonishing. I have never read such a comprehensive account of the ‘perennial philosophy.’ ” —Father Bede Griffiths“This book, in my view, is the greatest contribution to date toward the rediscovery and renewal of the Christian contemplative tradition of the Fathers of the Church and the High Middle Ages.”—Trappist abbot Thomas Keating, OCSO“Meditations on the Tarot has become instrumental in my thinking….The writer – who calls himself ‘Unknown Friend’ – seems to be speaking to me directly, with endless wisdom and inspiration.” —Gerald Epstein, M.D., author of Healing Visualizations“The most beautiful and instructive book of the twentieth century concerning Western esotericism.”—Antoine Faivre, professor for the History of Esoteric and Mystical Streams in Modern Europe, the Sorbonne University “The book begs not only to be studied cover to cover, but also to be savored, meditated upon and assimilated into one’s life.” —Richard W. Kropf, National Catholic Reporter