For Magick Work, Thoth Tarot Probably The Choice., Other decks good for divination but not ideal for magick Options

Since I didn't see a lot of Thoth (Crowley) deck discussions, I thought I'd start a thread, see if anyone's interested.

My work over the last thirty plus years has hurtled me in a dozen directions. I have now worked most paths lightly, two or three intensely, ended up creating my own (a la Chaos theory) but with a decidedly eastern (Tibetan magick) thrust. Through it all, I have worked over forty different Tarot decks (most of which I still own), including seven Thoth decks (I still own and use my 1970s deck).

I may have played the field, and "fooled around" but I always return to the Thoth tarot for any magick work. I carry a pocket deck as a "portable" temple. I consider it the only tool I need for my mostly empty handed work. I'm a poor visualizer, for all my years of trying, but with the Thoth tarot (but no other deck), I can actually take journeys, travel to the Deep mind, see and visualize in three dimensions, and work my path.

For divination -- pathwork, not frivolous fun stuff -- I find the Thoth deck nearly infallible. Something about it just connects instantly with my subconscious. Elsewhere, I posted on how I use the Thoth Tarot as my only magick tool. It is also my carry-everywhere amulet. It has a life of its own, like a Tibetan Tulpa or a Chaos Servitor.

I think too many people let Crowley-mythology (or the complexity of the correspondences -- which must be understood to truly work Thoth tarot) stop them from trying this truly magick deck. It comes, straight from the box empowered with the wisdom of nearly every single symbol and archetype known to man (very Jungian). Part of Crowley's genius (putting aside all discussions of the sensational man) was that he spent his whole life learning both eastern and western magick. He contained, within him--like him or hate him--probably the greatest reservoir of magick knowledge ever deposited in a single man. And he expressed it over five manic years with Lady Harris, a truly brilliant collaboration. Lightly illustrated theme decks, collage decks and cartoon decks (and especially photo decks) can never close to the endless depth of imagery in the Thoth. I've even created my own Tarot deck. But I use the Thoth for all important work. After more than three decades, I still see something new in each card, every time I look at them -- which is DAILY.

This post has been edited by Mezu: Jan 29 2007, 07:39 PM

[Greetings Mezu,

A Thoth thread. Super cool.

I find it interesting that Crowley made his artist paint each card several times. Also I find those cleverly broken Swastikas in his deck genius. I know he viewed the Nazi party as a monstrosity of Christianity. Could he have been working magick against the Third Reich in this way?

I understand that he corrected the Astrological and Hebrew to the deck. In my humble opinion the RIder Waite deck totally sucks. I get nothing from the imagery.

I also dislike reversed meanings. I like Crowley's system of looking at the surrounding cards much better than a reversed meaning from an upside down card.

If you know this deck very well I would like to hear your thoughts on each card. Or at least on the trumps. I know 72 interpretations is almost like writing a book. Lol

Why dn't we start with the fool and work our way through the trumps?

What does the Fool represent to you?

Peace

[Greetings Mezu,


Why don't we start with the fool and work our way through the trumps?

What does the Fool represent to you?

Peace

TASHI DELE (that's hello (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) in Tibet) Resident Jester (any relation to the Fool?)

The main character in my forthcoming medieval fantasy historical is the fool, my favorite of all Tarot Trumps because it contains within it, the essence of ALL OF THE OTHER trumps (that's not my humble opinion, it's Crowley -- who was anything but humble I suppose).

I've spent a lot of time with Crowley's 777 and other correspondences, and worked hard on making a west to far east (in my case Tibet) (and lately Tao) link in terms of correspondences. While Crowley and most practitioners worked hard to align the minors to the sephira of the Tree of Life and the paths to the trumps, I've taken that core "archetypal truth" and aligned it to my passion for all things Tibetan.

So, first and foremost, the Fool to me corresponds directly to Gautama himself ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blablabla.gif) before enlightenment -- I more or less associate Shakyamuni Buddhi, the historical buddha, to THE HANGED MAN). Why Gautama? Because here is Prince Gautama in search of cosmic truth and englightenment, utterly couragous, caring nothing for his own physical wellbeing. I've mapped out all the Buddhas, bodhisattvas and Tibetan deities to the Tree of Life, and Crowley's correspondences to make it easier to bridge east to west (not that it's entirely possible, fortunately Crowley incorporated and studied many eastern systems from Tao to Tibetan magick).

Also, because I associate Gautam Buddha with Crowley's Spirit of the Aether, and correspond directly to Aleph, the herbrew letter, and the path on the tree of life that joins Kether to Chokmah, crown to wisdom... that's how I think of Gautama.

Unlike other decks, Crowley and Lady Harris rendered the fool as he clearly should be... not as a vagabond, but as a mysterious and awesome character. The essence of the Fool's number ZERO basically makes him the profound riddle of creation itself. In fact Crowley claimed the fool "is more than God." And DuChetter went further, "The Fool is the nothing e refer to when we say "Nothing created God. Nothing is beyond God. Nothing is greater than God." ZERO. The fool is perfectly empty, ready to receive enlightenment.

Crowley said it this way: "The aAtu of the Fool symbolises the beginning. The Fool is the negative issuing into manifestation, while the Universe IS that manifestation. All the cards that lie between exhibit the Great Work in its various stages."

So, to me, The Fool is the most powerful, awesome and delightful card in the entire deck. It contains a cornucopia of images, all sacred, and is one of the most magnificent cards to meditate on. In Crowley's fool, unlike the "primitive" RW versions, the FOOL bursts into existence on the very card, from the three depicted swirling rings, which Duchette called the three veils of negativity (in Qabalistic terms, the singulaity of creation). In Christianity, I'd call this the Holy Spirit, and you can see the Holy Grail in one hand. In Eqyptian correspondence, MAUT. Crowley described the card as "the glyph of the creative light"

This is one card that truly speaks to me when he turns up. In spiritual divinations, he would mean to me creative thought, spirituality (of the Chaotic sort -- in other words inventive spirituality), and transcening phycal -- enlightenment. In a physical (material) reading I might read it as eccentricity or unexpected turns (unexpected results), but I tend to take The Fool as a fairly positive card depending on where he falls.

I use my own spread style, I call the Three Pillar Tree of Life... so it depends which pillar The Fool falls on, how I might read. But that's a whole other subject.

Originality, sudden creative impulse, creativity, changes that are unexpected, there are many ways to read this magnificent favorite card. But I always feel happy when I see the Fool, the Gautama before enlightenment, the world before manifestation, the courageous creative idea.

Desciption... Very, very green, because clearly THE FOOL is spring, creative force bursting forth. Other correspondences from Crowley: "Parsifal" "Hoor-Pa-Kraat, the Egyptian lord of silence", In Crowley's deck he has horns, crazy eyes, grapes and ivy, making me think of Dionysus Zagreus, the horned son of Zeus.

An important symbol on the card, the SUN covers his genitals, and the moon is also visible over the head of the crocodile (who clearly respresents Sebek, the Egyptian Devourer. So, I've never read an essay on these portrayals. Here's my take. The sun, brilliant energy, often associated with male divinity and the essence of earthly life, here exploding from the genitals of the creating nothing. Very yin/ yang.

Kale Phe