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I. Thoth Tarot Deck: History, Significance, and Symbolism
Major Arcana Thoth Tarot Deck
Wands Thoth Suit
Cups Thoth Suit
Swords Thoth Suit
Disks Thoth Suit (Pentacles)
1. A Brief History of the Thoth Tarot Deck
The Thoth Tarot Deck is one of the most influential and well-known tarot decks in the world. It was created by the famous British occultist and writer, Aleister Crowley, and illustrated by the artist Frieda Harris. The deck is known for its unique symbolism and intricate artwork, as well as its esoteric connections to a variety of spiritual traditions, including Kabbalah and astrology.
The origins of the Thoth Tarot Deck can be traced back to the early 20th century, when Crowley began to develop his own system of occult philosophy and practice, which he called Thelema. As part of his work with Thelema, Crowley became interested in the tarot as a tool for spiritual insight and divination. He believed that the tarot cards represented the archetypal forces of the universe, and that by studying and meditating on them, one could gain a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.
Crowley collaborated with the artist Frieda Harris to create the Thoth Tarot Deck, which was first published in 1944. Harris’s intricate and detailed illustrations brought Crowley’s vision to life, and the resulting deck was unlike any other in its use of color, symbolism, and esoteric associations. Over the years, the Thoth Tarot Deck has become one of the most widely used and respected tarot decks in the world, prized for its beauty, depth, and spiritual insights.
2. Significance of the Thoth Tarot Deck
The Thoth Tarot Deck is known for its unique symbolism and esoteric associations, which set it apart from other tarot decks. The deck is rich in occult and spiritual symbolism, drawing on a variety of traditions including Kabbalah, astrology, and alchemy.
One of the key features of the Thoth Tarot Deck is its use of color symbolism. Each card is associated with a specific color or combination of colors, which has its own symbolic significance. For example, the Fool card is associated with the color yellow, which represents new beginnings and potential. The Death card, on the other hand, is associated with the color black, which represents transformation and the ending of a cycle.
The Thoth Tarot Deck also incorporates a number of esoteric symbols and associations, such as the Tree of Life from Kabbalah, the planets and zodiac signs from astrology, and the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. These symbols are woven together in a complex and intricate web of meaning, creating a rich tapestry of spiritual insight and wisdom.
In addition to its use in divination and spiritual practice, the Thoth Tarot Deck has also been used as a tool for meditation and self-discovery. The symbolism and esoteric associations of the deck can help individuals to tap into their inner wisdom and intuition, and to gain deeper insights into their own spiritual path and purpose.
3. Art and Design of the Thoth Tarot Deck
The Thoth Tarot Deck is renowned for its stunning and intricate artwork, which sets it apart from other tarot decks. The deck was illustrated by Frieda Harris, who worked closely with Aleister Crowley to create a visual representation of his esoteric philosophy and teachings.
Harris’s illustrations are known for their vibrant colors, intricate details, and rich symbolism. Each card is a work of art in its own right, with its own unique imagery and design. For example, the Magus card features a figure in colorful robes, holding a wand and a cup, with various symbols and creatures surrounding him. The High Priestess card depicts a woman in a flowing blue gown, holding a scroll and a lotus flower, with a veil of stars behind her.
The artwork of the Thoth Tarot Deck draws on a variety of spiritual and occult traditions, including Kabbalah, astrology, and alchemy. Each card is imbued with esoteric symbolism and meaning, which is woven together with the artwork to create a powerful tool for spiritual insight and divination.
The art and design of the Thoth Tarot Deck have been praised for their beauty and complexity, as well as their ability to convey deep spiritual truths and insights. The deck has inspired countless artists and spiritual seekers over the years, and continues to be a beloved and influential tarot deck today.
II. Major Arcana of the Thoth Tarot Deck: Exploring Card Meanings
1. The Fool to The Hanged Man
The first 11 cards of the Thoth Tarot Deck’s Major Arcana take the querent on a journey through the beginning stages of their spiritual and personal development. This journey starts with the Fool, a card that represents new beginnings, potential, and the unknown.
As the journey progresses, the querent encounters cards such as the Magician, the High Priestess, and the Empress, each of which represents a different aspect of spiritual and personal growth. The Magician represents manifestation, the power to bring one’s desires into reality. The High Priestess represents intuition, the ability to tap into one’s inner wisdom and knowledge. The Empress represents nurturing and creativity, the ability to bring new life and ideas into the world.
As the journey continues, the querent encounters more challenging cards, such as the Tower, which represents upheaval and destruction, and the Hanged Man, which represents surrender and letting go. These cards represent the necessary challenges and obstacles that must be overcome in order to continue on the journey of spiritual and personal growth.
The journey through the first 11 cards of the Thoth Tarot Deck’s Major Arcana represents a process of self-discovery and transformation, as the querent learns to harness their own inner power and navigate the challenges of life with grace and wisdom.
2. The Devil to The Universe
The final 11 cards of the Thoth Tarot Deck’s Major Arcana represent the culmination of the querent’s journey through spiritual and personal growth. These cards deal with more abstract concepts, such as the nature of the universe and the mysteries of existence.
The Devil card represents the shadow side of the self, and the need to confront and overcome negative patterns and behaviors. The Tower card, which appears again in this section of the Major Arcana, represents the destruction of old structures and beliefs in order to make way for new growth and transformation.
The Star card represents hope and inspiration, while the Moon card represents the unknown and the need to trust in one’s intuition and inner guidance. The Sun card represents clarity and understanding, while the Aeon card represents the transformation of the self and the world around us.
The final four cards of the Major Arcana represent the highest levels of spiritual understanding and enlightenment. The Universe card represents the totality of existence, and the interconnectedness of all things. The Fool, who began the journey, returns once again, representing the cyclical nature of life and the eternal journey of spiritual growth.
The Thoth Tarot Deck’s Major Arcana is a powerful tool for spiritual insight and self-discovery. By understanding the meanings and symbolism of each card, the querent can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world, and can begin to navigate the challenges of life with greater wisdom and clarity.
III. Thoth Tarot deck spread
In Thoth Tarot, there is a spreading method with 15-cards (placed in 5 trios) as an alternative to the classic 10-card Celtic Cross spread.
For example:
The Fool: In the spiritual aspect, it represents ideas and thoughts of trying to overcome the material world. From a material perspective, it expresses crazy and eccentric thoughts, even weird passion. The card represents a sudden and unexpected impulse.
Knight of Cups: The fire part of the water, the man with commitments, kind but passive, engaged with excitement, sensitive but shallow. Being affected: sensuality and leisure, dishonesty, tend to be depressed and addicted.
Note: In Thoth Tarot, the Knight replaces King’s position.
Two of Swords: Peace, nature, the sacrifice, and obstacles were born strongly, conflict leads to peace, joy comes after suffering, truth and lies, hesitant personality, conflict in thought.
Stuart Kaplan gave an impressive introduction to the articles. The first article, “Exhibition of Playing Cards – The Tarot (Book of Thoth), 78 Paintings” is probably edited by Lady Frieda Harris from Crowley’s cards, and the second article “Exhibition of 78 Paintings of the Tarot Cards, ”written by Lady Frieda Harris for an art exhibition at Berkeley Galleries.
Traditional titles are used for Major cards (Trumps), with the following exceptions: Magus (Magician), Adjustment (Justice), Fortune (the Wheel of Fortune), Lust (Strength), Art (Temperance), and Aeon (Judgment). Four suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Disks. The Court cards are Knight, Queen, Prince, and Princess.
The deck itself is a work of art expressing both Deco art and projective geometry (through Rudolf Steiner’s work). Instead of using straight lines or regular curves, Thoth Tarot uses arcs, swirls and geometric forms that overlap along with the color scheme to create impressive images. The deck makes you feel like you are entering another dimension to get to know it, rather than reading it.
The card’s images are mostly from the traditional image of the world of Aeon, the home of the Gods carved on the tomb Steve of Revealing (of the ancient Egyptians) and “The Book of the Law”.The card size is 2 7/8 x 4 3/8 inch (7.5cm x 11cm) with good quality. The back of the card is a Rose Cross, surrounded by a white border. This is the implication of Lady Frieda Harris of the mystical symbol of Cross roses. This cross represents all 78 Tarot cards.
The card’s main face in Thoth Tarot has a small white border on the outside, followed by a gray border inside. For the Major Arcana, Roman numerals are centered on the top of the card while card’s names, zodiac symbols and Hebrew characters are placed at the bottom (the name of the card is printed in black, the character is printed in light gray on the side, similar to the suit name of Minor Arcana; they are relatively difficult to see). For the numbered cards (Pips), Arabic numerals are placed on the top of the card and the mystical name placed at the bottom. For the Court cards, the name and suit are located below the card.
In Thoth Tarot, the Fool is an interesting card – there is an impermanent entity within it – a strong person with arms raised high in which the left hand holding a delusional sphere and the right hand holding a scepter. We can also see a dragon/crocodile and a lion/tiger under the feet of the character.
The Two of Cups (the mystical name is Love), illustrated by two beautiful water lines (silver lines on the left and yellow lines on the right).
Note: The numbered cards (Pips) are not described in such a way – they are almost in the traditional Marseille style by using some additional symbols.
The Three of Wands (Virtue) shows three golden sticks in the middle of the card, which is in contrast to the bright orange background.
The Four of Swords (Truce) shows four swords in the middle of the card and the number printed in the middle of the top, which is in contrast to the green background – a blue rose with white petals outside.
The Ace of Disks is a geometric wonder! There are five concentric circles combining inside the card with a yellow circle in the middle. The center of the circle is a six-pointed star and a pentagram.
For those who are new to Tarot and interested in the Golden Dawn or mystical symbols, Thoth Tarot is a great deck of cards. For those who simply want to collect Tarot cards, use it to prepare a journey or guide the future, this will also a very suitable deck. You should also consult DuQuette’s book (instead of Crowley’s Book of Thoth) to find more understandable explanations.
IV. Reading the Thoth Tarot: Tips and Advice for Conducting Accurate Reading
Reading the Thoth Tarot Deck can be a powerful tool for gaining insight into one’s personal life and spiritual journey. Here are some tips and advice for conducting an accurate reading using the Thoth Tarot Deck:
- Set your intention: Before you begin your reading, take a few moments to set your intention. Think about what you hope to gain from the reading, and what specific questions or areas of your life you want to focus on.
- Shuffle the deck: Shuffle the deck thoroughly, focusing on your intention and the questions you want to ask. Some people prefer to use different shuffling techniques, such as overhand shuffling or riffling, to add an element of randomness to the deck.
- Lay out the cards: There are many different ways to lay out the cards for a reading, but one common method is the three-card spread. In this spread, the first card represents the past, the second card represents the present, and the third card represents the future. Other spreads, such as the Celtic Cross spread, are more complex and involve multiple cards.
- Interpret the cards: Once the cards are laid out, take a moment to examine each one and consider its meaning in the context of your question and the spread. The Thoth Tarot Deck is known for its complex and nuanced symbolism, so it’s important to spend time reflecting on the cards and their meanings.
- Consider the position of the cards: The position of each card within the spread can also provide important information about its meaning. For example, a card that appears in the “past” position may represent a past event or experience that is influencing the present, while a card that appears in the “future” position may represent a potential outcome.
- Trust your intuition: While it’s important to understand the symbolism and meaning of each card, it’s also important to trust your intuition and inner guidance when interpreting the cards. Pay attention to any feelings or impressions that arise as you examine the cards, and use them to guide your interpretation.
By following these tips and advice, you can conduct an accurate and insightful reading using the Thoth Tarot Deck. Whether you are seeking guidance on a specific issue or simply looking to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your spiritual journey, the Thoth Tarot Deck can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-reflection.
V. Thoth Tarot for Personal Growth: Using Tarot as a Tool for Self-Reflection
The Thoth Tarot Deck is not only a powerful tool for divination, but also for personal growth and self-reflection. By using the deck as a tool for self-discovery, individuals can gain valuable insights into their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their spiritual journey.
One way to use the Thoth Tarot Deck for personal growth is to establish a daily tarot practice. This can involve drawing a card each morning and reflecting on its meaning and how it relates to your life. Over time, this daily practice can help you develop a deeper connection with the deck and its symbolism, as well as cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness and intuition.
Another way to use the Thoth Tarot Deck for personal growth is to focus on specific themes or questions. For example, you might draw cards related to a particular challenge or obstacle you are facing, or to gain insights into a particular area of your life, such as your career or relationships. By using the cards to explore these themes, you can gain greater clarity and understanding of yourself and your path forward.
In addition to using the Thoth Tarot Deck for personal reflection, individuals can also work with the deck to overcome limiting beliefs and negative patterns of thought and behavior. By identifying these patterns and drawing cards to gain insights into their underlying causes, individuals can begin to shift their mindset and behavior, and cultivate a more positive and empowered approach to life.
Ultimately, the Thoth Tarot Deck is a powerful tool for personal growth and self-reflection. Whether you are seeking greater clarity and insight into your own life, or looking to overcome limiting beliefs and negative patterns, the deck can provide valuable guidance and support. By developing a daily tarot practice, focusing on specific themes or questions, and using the cards to overcome challenges and obstacles, individuals can harness the transformative power of the Thoth Tarot Deck to cultivate greater self-awareness, intuition, and personal growth.
Original Aleister Thoth Tarot. 80 Karten, Spiel von Aleister Crowley, AGM AG M