British occultist, prolific writer, and a key player in the esoteric and mystical traditions of the late 19th century Arthur Edward Waite. Waite was born on October 2, 1857, in Brooklyn, New York, and lived most of his life in England. Because of his early schooling, Waite ended up attending a seminary, although he never pursued ordination. He worked as a writer, journalist, and literary promoter. But Waite's true interest was in the occult and mystical worlds. He became involved with many txtert organizations, chief among them the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where he worked alongside other well-known individuals such as Aleister Crowley. The Rider-Waite Tarot deck, which was developed in partnership with artist Pamela Colman Smith, is one of Waite's most notable achievements. Its rich symbolism and continuing significance made it one of the most well-known and famous tarot decks when it was first published in 1909. Waite produced a large body of work, including books, articles, and translations, on mysticism, symbolism, and occultism.
