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Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot cards are named after the mythological character - the Egyptian wise god Thoth. They differ from the general tradition. Some, even very experienced tarot readers, are afraid to use the Thoth deck in their rituals. Others use only these Tarots, and would never exchange them for any others.

Tarot Thoth - a deck that has received great recognition

The creator of the Thoth Tarot, the most mysterious dark magician of his time, Aleister Crowley, acquired a terrible reputation and was known to everyone as a very cruel person. Despite this fact, his Tarot became widespread. They carry a rich symbolism that draws on the ancient mythology of many cultures.

History of the Thoth Tarot

The Thoth Tarot cards, along with the Book of Thoth, were developed in the early 20th century by the English mystic, occultist and tarot reader Edward Alexander Crowley, better known as Aleister Crowley. The cards were created together with artist Frieda Harris, who was also passionate about mysticism.

Aleister Crowley was a dark magician and Satanist, one of the most famous ideologists of the occult of his time. He created his own doctrine of Thelema and was a member of the Order of the Silver Star. Because of his views and immoral behavior in public, Aleister Crowley's relationship with society did not work out; many were afraid of him.

Crowley studied already known Tarot decks for a long time. He was not satisfied that the interpretations of the cards were unclear and the meaning was revealed only to a select few. He decided to create such a deck of Tarot cards so that everyone who decided to study magic would discover their symbolism.

Artists, out of superstition, did not want to collaborate with Crowley, all except Frieda Harris. She was an Egyptologist, interested in mythology and mysticism. Alistair explained to her the meaning of each Arcana and each individual card. Work on the deck took a long time, and they were printed only after the death of the creators. The Second World War prevented the work from being published on time.

The drawings turned out to be very complex, abstract, they differed from traditions. The reverse side of the cards depicted the Rose and Cross of the Golden Dawn.

Description of Thoth Tarot cards

According to the Tarot tradition, Aleister Crowley's deck is divided into Arcana - Major and Minor.

Tarot Thoth is a deck that is traditionally divided into the Major and Minor Arcana

The Major Arcana are called Tarot Trumps, there are 22 of them.

Crowley changed the names and meanings of some trump cards from the traditional Tarot, and moved some to other positions.

The Major Arcana Gallery includes cards.

• Fool or Jester. Opens the deck.
• High Priestess.
• Empress.
• Emperor.
• Hierophant or high priest.
• Lovers/Brothers. Crowley gave the card a double name.
• Chariot.
• Regulation. The original name was Justice, and position XI.
• Hermit.
• Fortune. The original name was Wheel of Fortune.
• Lust. The original name is Strength, and position VIII.
• The Hanged Man or the Gallows.
• Death.
• Art (Alchemy). Original name Temperance.
• Devil.
• Tower.
• Star.
• Sun.
• Eon. Original name Court.
• Universe. Original name: World.

The Thoth Tarot traditionally has four suits of the Minor Arcana, each with 14 cards.

• Wands.
• Swords.
• Cups.
• Disks. Traditionally, this suit is called Coins (Dinars, Pentacles). Crowley changed the name. The disk symbolizes the Earth. In the Middle Ages it was represented as a flat disk.

The images of the first ten cards of the suit do not have a plot that is suitable for interpretation. Each card has its own content and symbolism. The next four arcana have changed names compared to the canonical ancient Tarot. The Page card received a new name and a new meaning. The Knight became the Prince, the King became the Knight, and only the Queen remained the Queen.

Each Aleister Crowley Tarot card of the Thoth Tarot has an astrological correspondence.

Symbolism of the Thoth Tarot

The signs depicted on the Thoth Tarot cards belong to the mythology of different peoples and different spiritual practices. Thoth cards contain mystical symbols:

• Ancient Egyptian mythology.
• Mythologies of India.
• Astrology.
• Cabalistics.

The interpretation of the meaning of each lasso is ambiguous, it is multifaceted. Aleister Crowley gave his cards a detailed interpretation from his personal, very specific point of view on magic and astrology. The symbolism of many cards coincides with the traditions of the Tarot, but the meaning of some cards has changed or received additional meaning.

This refers to the Arcana, which Crowley renamed. The magician believed that at the beginning of the 20th century the old era ended - the Aeon of Osiris, and the countdown of a new milestone began - the Aeon of Horus, which would last the next two millennia. Based on this conviction, he did not give his cards an unambiguous classical interpretation. A change of era changes the astrological framework, and therefore the meanings of the Tarot arcana.

The meaning of the Thoth Tarot cards is described in detail in the "Book of Thoth"

A comprehensive description, symbolism and meaning of the Thoth Tarot cards are described in The Book of Thoth. This is a valuable work in which mystical secrets are revealed. Those who want not just to tell fortunes, but to seriously study the magic of the Tarot, should definitely read the book.

Practicing sorcerers who use Tarot, based on their personal experience, give a simplified interpretation of the cards. Sometimes their interpretations differ from the canonical ones intended by the creator. Especially these are the renamed cards - Aeon, Art (Alchemy) and Lovers.

Interpretation of the Major Arcana of the Thoth Tarot

The Major Arcana of the Thoth Tarot are the most important in the Tarot deck. They are most saturated with symbols and reflect all aspects of human life and its events. Each card received an interpretation in the Book of Thoth. But practicing magicians often disagree with existing interpretations. They assign some cards, if not a new meaning, then additional properties.

Jester

The first card in the Thoth Tarot deck. Symbolizes the beginning, new potential, an abundance of ways of self-realization, creative disorder, the recklessness of youth, naivety, irresponsibility. Irresponsibility is the negative meaning of the Jester. Layouts for future business development, if the Jester appears in them along with a negative card, will signal that you need to take the matter more seriously and gain new experience.

Mage

It means willpower, desire for life, determination, skill and experience, cunning and mental acuity. If the Mage is given in the reading, this may mean that the person has a magical gift. This card always carries a positive message.

High Priestess

Symbolizes the feminine principle, and everything connected with it - wisdom, intuition, the ability to wait, creativity.

Empress

It also carries feminine power and symbolizes cyclicality. It means the birth of a new life, renewal, thirst for life, sensuality, trusting relationships in the family.

Emperor

A strong power card. It symbolizes a sense of reality, a willingness to answer for oneself and others, leadership qualities, pragmatism, tenacity of character, and uncompromisingness.

Sage Card

Symbolizes understanding, indicates an intelligent person. If the alignment gave the Hierophant card, this may indicate that soon a person will understand himself, learn the truth, find harmony between the soul and the body, or learn about an important event.

Lovers/Brothers

Map of love, friendship and trusting human relationships. In plans for the future, it may directly indicate an imminent marriage.

Chariot

It symbolizes the path - the path of life, the path to success in business, the path of knowledge or comprehension of the truth.

Regulation

Regulation - a card symbolizing the restoration of justice

It is a symbol of balance and harmony. In fortune telling for the future, the card means that affairs and relationships with people will return to normal, and justice will be achieved.

Hermit

A very controversial card. Its positive side is solitude and self-knowledge. Negative meanings – isolation, selfish actions, depression.

Fortune

A positive card of luck, especially in matters of finance. And it also symbolizes the beginning of something new, serious changes in life.

Lust

The interpretation of it in the books of Aleister Crowley differs from the modern one. Practicing magicians define Lust as a powerful energy card. It means fearlessness, love of life, passion, willingness to take risks.

Gallows

The card is considered negative. It means powerlessness, difficult life circumstances, doubt, the need for sacrifice, and the lack of an alternative.

Death

A negative card symbolizing death and destruction. May warn of the imminent death of a person, a pet, destruction of a business, loss of a job, divorce.

Art (Alchemy)

The card always has a positive message. It means achieving harmony in business and relationships, overcoming difficulties and conflicts, and recovery from illness.

Devil

Symbolizes the worst manifestations of man - envy, greed, deceit, selfishness, lust. The Devil appearing in the chart suggests that you need to beware of the manifestation of these qualities in someone or in yourself.

Tower

Symbolizes the emergence of a new one in place of the destroyed old one. Changes can be both positive and negative. Positive – clearing thoughts, realizing something new, breaking up unnecessary relationships. Negative – bankruptcy, divorce, separation from loved ones.

Star

A strong positive card of new hope. It means happiness, harmony, the emergence of new previously unavailable prospects, new relationships.

Moon

Negative card. Symbolizes difficulties, obsession with fears, depression, bad feelings.

Sun

The interpretation of this card is diametrically opposed among different practicing magicians. Some consider it extremely positive, symbolizing happiness, the birth of something new, the development of oneself and one’s creative abilities. Others call it negative. They say that the Sun falling in the chart means that failures, quarrels, and nervous breakdowns await in the future.

Eon

Aeon card - the beginning of something new (for example, a work project)

The map was created by Crowley as a symbol of the beginning of a new era - the Aeon of Horus. And the meaning put into it was the same - the beginning of something new, a change for the better.

Universe

It is a symbol of successful completion, reaching peaks, assertion in one’s knowledge, and recovery.

Minor Arcana

The major arcana carry the main meaning in Tarot layouts; the remaining cards complement the overall picture with new symbols and meanings. Each suit of the minor arcana symbolizes one of the four elements.

• Wands – Fire.
• Cups – Water.
• Swords - Air.
• Disks - Earth.

The interpreter gives the cards from Ace to Ten of all the minor arcana classic meanings; only the meanings of the last four cards, which Crowley changed their names, differ.

Wands

Wands are a fiery suit; they are responsible for the emotional aspect of life. Basic meanings of the arcana.

• Ace – creative energy, logic, new beginning.
• Two – possession, dominance.
• Three is a virtue.
• Four – completion (usually good).
• Five is a struggle.
• Six is ​​a victory.
• Seven – valor, active actions.
• Eight – speed, dynamic development.
• Nine is strength.
• Ten – suppression, obstacles, problems with the law.
• Prince – active development, the path to achieving a goal, energy.
• Princess - overcoming fears.
• Queen – activity, thirst for development, passion.
• Knight - unbalanced excessive energy, cruelty, aggression.

Cups

The suit of Cups is watery, they are responsible for feelings and everything connected with them. The simplest and most popular interpretations of the cards of the suit of Cups of the Thoth Tarot.

• Ace – love and kindness, a supporting set of human feelings.
• Two is love.
• Three – abundance of feelings, fruitfulness of work.
• Four – luxury, a feeling of saturation.
• Five is a disappointment.
• Six is ​​pleasure.
• Seven – imposed stereotypes, self-doubt, alcoholism.
• Eight – lethargy, laziness, depression.
• Nine is happiness.
• Ten – satiety.
• Prince – pessimism, negative attitude towards life, depression.
• Princess - lightness, optimism, inspiration, hopes for the best.
• Queen - ambiguity, an incomprehensible situation.
• Knight – leadership qualities, awareness of strength, movement towards the goal.

Swords

The airy suit of Swords is responsible for the intellectual sphere, issues of understanding and awareness of events, ideas, one’s role in the world, etc. Basic meanings of cards.

• Ace - understanding, clarification.
• Two – peace, tranquility, unambiguous clear thoughts.
• Three – grief, anger, jealousy.
• Four – a truce in a complex conflict.
• Five – defeat, fear of failure.
• Six – science, pure reason without emotions, high order.
• Seven – futility, pessimism, awareness of one’s uselessness.
• Eight is an active intervention that will lead to negative consequences.
• Nine – cruelty, self-accusation.
• Ten – collapse, emotional imbalance.
• Prince – indecision, lack of understanding of the situation.
• Princess - conflict, scandal.
• Queen - radical changes of views, changes of opinions.
• Knight – understanding of the task, self-confidence.

Knight of Swords - self-confidence

Discs

The earth, which is represented by disks, always symbolizes everything material and tangible. These are finances, real estate, the fruits of labor and all those emotions that the possession of material values ​​evokes. Basic interpretation of cards by suit.

• Ace - small capital, profit from working on the land.
• Two – changes, positive or neutral.
• Three is work. The map indicates only the activity, not its result.
• Four - strength, power.
• Five – anxiety, complication of the situation.
• Six is ​​success.
• Seven is defeat.
• Eight – prudence, stability of position.
• Nine – acquisition, can be material or energetic (finding a friend, stable relationship, etc.).
• Ten – prosperity, in monetary matters or in matters of human relationships.
• Prince - advancement towards a material goal, receiving the fruits of one’s labor.
• Princess – high material potential. In a reading, it may indicate pregnancy.
• Queen - growth, the emergence of vitality, finding something you like that will bear fruit.
• Knight - indicates that the time has come to collect the fruits of your activities and enjoy the process. A strong material card.

Fortune telling with Thoth Tarot cards will reveal aspects of life, events and emotions in all their diversity. This amazing and unique deck is not inferior to the ancient Tarot cards, and in some ways even surpasses them. It was designed by its creator taking into account the variability and cyclical nature of life. Crowley believed that magicians should reveal secrets, and not create them, fooling everyone's heads. He managed to fully realize the idea in his Thoth Tarot.

I recently listened to a recorded broadcast dedicated to Tarot cards. An invited guest, the head of some center and presenter of courses on Tarot cards, very seriously warned listeners that Aleister Crowley’s Tarot deck, from the point of view of magic and esotericism, is “dark”!? And all because, you see, the creator of this deck was a dark magician and Satanist? Moreover, she herself does layouts on Aleister Crowley’s Tarot deck extremely rarely, because these are “dark matters,” as she herself put it, that drag on!? And she teaches the Thoth Tarot deck in her course only so that, in her own words, students understand what “black” is and what “white” is.

Of course, she has the right to her own point of view and her subjective vision of Aleister Crowley’s Tarot deck, however, to publicly declare on behalf of all magicians and esotericists that this deck is “dark”, in my opinion, is very reckless at a minimum, and at a maximum - this is delusion and ignorance.

Personally, I have been professionally in esotericism and magic for more than 10 years, and I have been working with Aleister Crowley’s deck constantly and almost daily for quite a long time to allow myself to publicly express my point of view regarding this mysterious deck.

Yes, the author of this Tarot deck, Aleister Crowley, gained controversial fame and had a scandalous image. A lot of bad things have been written about him, and he is one of the most controversial and interesting people in history. He was a gifted poet, a famous mountaineer, an excellent grandmaster, a talented artist, a master of yoga, a writer, a satirist, he was an intelligent rationalist who criticized church authorities and fanatical mystics, and uncompromisingly rejected Christian ideology, which is why people were afraid to read his works. For many he was scary and terrible. However, despite his terrible reputation and frightening, disgusting social “masks,” Aleister Crowley had truly enormous knowledge in the field of esotericism and magic, and therefore was a recognized authority in esoteric circles. He understood that man is a micromodel of the cosmos (the Universe), and there is no need to go far to study worlds. It is enough to look into yourself, into your soul. And we all know that our own soul is in darkness, let alone the soul of another person. Aleister Crowley conducted quite serious research on this topic. And there are different versions of how he got there (into himself). In any case, he did not hide the fact that he used psychedelics to change his state of consciousness. By the way, in the book “The Invisible Landscape” by Terence McKenna and Dennis McKenna, the biochemistry of the process of exogenous and endogenous psychedelics is described in detail, which makes it possible to discover and read the genetic potential of DNA. Thanks to an altered state of consciousness, Aleister Crowley experienced, and perhaps even more than once, religious experience and received internal answers to his spiritual questions. And the creation of the "Tarot of Thoth" became his worthy crown of his magical career. According to historical documents, Crowley took a very responsible approach to the development of his deck, and in one of his letters he called the deck "an encyclopedia of all serious occult philosophy" and "a deck that will convey truth and truth". He didn’t like that the Arcana were under a “patina” of mystery and that these secrets were revealed only to a select few and then in the strictest confidence. Crowley believed that Tarot cards should be accessible and understandable to everyone who studies them seriously. Therefore, he wrote a huge work for the deck called “The Book of Thoth” - a practical guide for beginners on the Tarot system and the Thoth deck in particular, and at one time insisted that the “Book of Thoth” must accompany every edition of the deck. He did not want to allow cards to be “suitable only for games and fortune-telling.” Another thing is that not everyone can handle this work, and as deck artist Frieda Harris wrote: "...they (Crowley's books) will make any reader go crazy". And this is natural, because not all of us have crossed the line of “larval consciousness” (the term is taken from the book “The 7 Languages ​​of God” by Timothy Leary). Therefore, “The Book of Thoth” is not understandable to everyone, but for those who are not afraid and have knowledge of esoteric philosophy, Kabbalah, alchemy and other occult disciplines, it serves as a reference book and an almost inexhaustible source of new revelations.

But as for the Aleister Crowley Tarot deck itself, anyone who wants to work with it can work with it. No demonic forces or matter will drag you anywhere or suck you in. All these horror stories come from ignorance of history and lack of understanding of metaphysics. Yes, this deck contains a huge base of universal symbols, which is very catchy (because we are all archetypally similar), and even scary for some. But this is not because it is somehow “dark”, but because it is so competently drawn from the point of view of unconscious psychedelics that with one glance at the pictures of this deck they relate us to our ancient structure, where we all came from and of which we are all carriers. The cards are literally crammed with symbolism! Moreover, Crowley managed to harmoniously combine numerological symbols, astrological symbols, and Kabbalah! Therefore, the deck “works” great, and everything depends on a person’s ability to correctly translate the symbolic explanation of the cards into text form (verbally or in writing). There is no danger from this Tarot deck, as from any other deck, and never has been! And a person can cause harm either to himself or to another person only by incorrect interpretation of the cards, their incorrect decoding. After all, Tarot is used both as a diagnostic tool and as a means of self-knowledge. Studying Tarot symbols and deciphering them helps not only to see a possible development of the future, but also allows you to communicate with yourself, express your state of mind, difficulties, doubts in words, therefore Tarot cards, when correctly interpreted, have enormous therapeutic benefits. They remove the affective charge and drunkenness of perception.

Crowley's Tarot is an incredibly versatile tool! With them you can diagnose, predict, model and transform, that is, carry out such qualitative changes in your life that will provide freedom of choice and remove restrictions. And, as my dear Tarot teacher Olga Semishina once believed long ago, and now with practice I completely share her opinion that the less mysticism and mystery, the better! The more tension around (in the form “work only on this tablecloth” or “only by candlelight”)- so much the worse! There is no need to limit yourself to any rituals. No need to charge them under the moon or put them in the freezer! The cards will work anyway. They can't help but work!!! Only the brains can't work. And, probably, this is the only danger when working with Tarot cards. And with anyone, and not just with Aleister Crowley’s deck.

I would also like to touch on the topic of the notorious division of magic, Tarot decks and everything else into “white” and “black”. This clearly smacks of dichotomous thinking, which greatly distorts and narrows the perception of reality. This is a simplified and fairly categorical idea of ​​the world and its phenomena. Well, when will we recognize the ambivalence of the world?!?! Everything is dual! And there is nothing “bad” and “good”, “dark” and “light”. All this is narrowness of perception. In the Universe there is no division into good and bad, black and white. Everything is only in our heads. We love to apply labels based on purely subjective assessment and experience, succumbing to outside influences in the form of social attitudes, upbringing, moral and ethical standards, religious clichés and much more. Therefore, it was strange to hear a little about the “darkness” of Crowley’s deck from the lips of a person who declares his expertise in the field of esotericism and Tarot cards, because magic is one!!! You can’t assign any color to her! Because color is an association! Energy itself has no color. Therefore, my dears, let's get out of the black-and-white position in relation to the world! Don't limit your perception! Don’t be fooled by horror stories and don’t limit yourself in tools. Know and know! Aleister Crowley's Tarot deck is extraordinary and unique! It contains a colossal amount of knowledge on the Tarot system, and it is truly powerful and all-encompassing. No one has yet surpassed Crowley's Tarot in its complex symbolic content. And they can become your faithful companion on the path to yourself! The only thing is that it will be very difficult to understand and study the language of these cards yourself. A teacher is needed. And you need to learn from professionals, because it is important to master a model that really works, that gives answers to questions and helps, and does not confuse. And only a professional will teach you, like a diver, to dive into water (into the unconscious) in any weather and remove pearls from there, clean them and examine them.

Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot deck is unique cards invented by a magician whose genius bordered on madness for ordinary people, but the master never crossed this line.

The Teachings of Aleister Crowley: Background

There are a lot of stories, all kinds of stories and legends about Aleister Crowley. Some of them say that he is an occultist, others that he is a scientist, other stories say that this man was a member of some mysterious order... - in a word, anyone interested can receive information on this topic that meets his expectations.

In our publications, we have already talked in detail about who Aleister Crowley really was. For now, let's look at one of his popular teachings regarding the Thoth Tarot card deck and its interpretation.

History of Crowley's deck

As you know, at the very beginning of the twentieth century, a new era began in the mystical and spiritual life of mankind: the era of Osiris, the Egyptian god of the underworld and the rebirth of nature, was replaced by a new era associated with the name of his son Horus, the god of the sky and the sun, who appeared to the world in the form of a falcon.

Crowley was also convinced that this was exactly the case and that a change of eras had indeed occurred. And this could not but affect a variety of life areas. In this regard, it was necessary to make some adjustments to various kinds of symbols that came into the new era from the old heritage, which was the previous system of the Tarot card deck.

Thoth Tarot

How and where these cards came from, this symbolic tool of prediction, which has become so popular in human society, is not known for certain. There are many versions on this topic. Perhaps they came to us, like many phenomena of human culture, from ancient Egypt, appearing as some encrypted symbols of sacred knowledge intended for descendants from the priests of Thoth.

Some believe that the name of the deck itself comes from the name of the Italian card game tarocchi and this term appears for the first time back in 1516.

Thoth Tarot Metamorphosis Project

At first, the creation of a new Tarot deck was not part of the plans of the great magician Crowley. He just wanted to fix something about it. And for this he needed an artist. Alistair had three candidates to carry out this plan. But of these three, the only one who came for an interview was the artist Frieda Harris. It was she who convinced Crowley that the deck needed to be drawn from scratch: with a new set of cards and new images on them.

Why don’t I have a living fire that would weave all these beauties with music... - Freda Harris

The artist, with all her skill, could not display all the unique symbolism created by Crowley with just ordinary paints. She needed music, poetry and light... As a result, her and the master’s joint work took from five to seven years: the initially expected three months stretched over this period. After all, Crowley’s card deck differed from all others in that he combined in it many different cultures intertwining their symbolism and unique images, introducing into the images his own interpretations and his understanding of the essence of the mystical card ritual.

In his new deck, Crowley swapped different cards, some of them were completely removed from use... Essentially, he turned banal card fortune-telling into a completely special and self-sufficient system of predictions.

Today, the deck displays the Tree of Sephiroth, symbols of astrology, numerology and many vultures. And there are simply not always enough words to express what can be seen in these unique drawings.

Interpretation of Tarot cards according to Crowley

Zero, jester and androgyne: There are many ambiguous meanings in Aleister Crowley's deck. That is why each person, in practice, after studying it, interprets the cards in his own way. We perceive everything that various sources give us according to the rules, and then transform it individually for ourselves.

Synchronizing with the great zero, that is, the jester, is not recommended for beginners, as this can bring some changes to their lives. But, nevertheless, when approaching Tarot as an in-depth study of a certain science, you should remember the rule:

Even if an amateur is not ready, it is better to try - and then regret it - than not to try - and then think about it all the time.

What do we see on the lasso : The horns of the person depicted on the card speak volumes. They indicate affiliation with the gods, but can also be an interpretation associated with a more classical tarot deck. One way or another, this motif is inspired by a story related to the God Dionysus Zagreus, one of the famous heroes of ancient Greek mythology.

Bunch of grapes and ivy – a reference to the God Bacchus, son of Zeus and Selene. In ancient Greece he was called the pure God of heaven or the God of wrath. Bacchus was accompanied on his idle journey by wine and his eternal companions - the bacchante maenads. Sometimes he rode on a donkey, and sometimes he started dancing, reaching the point of frenzied madness... Isn’t there some analogy in this state, also reflected in Crowley’s deck, bordering on madness, characteristic of the life of the great occultist himself?..

After all, only divine madness, which takes a person beyond the boundaries of anything, leads him to true revelation...

The Jester, who is the green man of spring, conveys the state of anyone at this time of year, when all nature awakens and all people are a little crazy. Crazy joy can also be seen in this lasso:
sometimes only loss of reason can indicate a way out of a situation.
Spiral means that all development occurs in this order. She surrounds with an oval the green man, Dionysus, Bacchus. It contains the form of the Universe, because with each new awareness we rise along the so-called upward spiral. But in order to get to some basic circle, we must erase the boundaries: the man’s hands in this image go beyond these boundaries.

In one hand the joker has the All-Father symbol (a translucent cone). In the other hand is the same symbol, specifically indicating fertility (fire cone). Grapes are the root of ecstasy, without which bacchanalia is indispensable, personified through all the colors of the rainbow and the spiral in the form of the entire spectrum of sensations.

The butterfly depicted on the card is a symbol of transformation. She is reborn from a caterpillar into a beautiful creature. The intertwining of the two twins at the bottom of the spiral is subjectively read, however... to fully comprehend the genius of Crowley, which is reflected in these unique card works of art, a lifetime is not enough.

Decoding images

– this, as you know, is zero. In the fertilized egg, the fetus initially does not have any gender. Androgyne is nothing, that is, man and woman in one. The jester here is the personification of how everything is born from nothing. When we go beyond the edges of the world, we rise up the spiral of life and find ourselves in the interpretation of the jester. But - here it is necessary to clearly maintain a balance of balance, where inspiration borders on madness. These are the two things whose edges are sometimes completely erased.

Crocodile refers to ancient Egypt, in the symbolism of which you can see a Deity with the head of a crocodile. He is depicted as a creative source. The dove is a symbol of Venus and unconditional love. The supreme phallic symbol represents both male and female creativity. This meaning is displayed throughout Crowley's deck.

Tiger– these are our fears that bite the green man’s foot. When a person plunges into the expansion of consciousness and rises to the top, he no longer cares about any fear or horror.

The picture of the jester is full, beckons and attracts, but the bright golden color of the air complements it with completeness, because everything is born on metal. In the deck, this card can be played differently, but looking at it more closely, you can see that the perception from the lasso is very powerful and enchanting, like a transition from stagnation to the unknown nowhere. Thanks to this unknown, the lasso does not frighten, but, on the contrary, attracts, beckons and as if directly calls you to continue the path...

Arcana Tarot

A typical deck of Tarot cards is divided into two groups of so-called arcana: major and minor.

• The major arcana are usually twenty-two trump cards;
• The minor arcana are fifty-six ordinary cards of four suits, with fourteen cards each.

The flat border of the lasso represents one image and its vision. Knowledge from it is read only superficially. Therefore, when working with predictions, the card Arcana must be considered in its entirety. And then in each layout, more and more new faces will be added to the coordinate system constructed by the imagination.

If you comprehend this diagram, you can realize that the world of Tarot cards has no bottom. In the process of analyzing the entire variety of their options and combinations, not only the human skill of imaginative thinking develops, but also the person himself.

The first card of Crowley's arcana is the magician, who is also called a magician. Alistair himself describes this character as follows:

• with the rod he creates;
• with a cup he preserves;
• with a dagger he destroys;
• with a pentacle he redeems or rescues.

On the lasso, the magician controls the four elements. If you connect all of them into a single picture, the deck becomes filled with Egyptian symbolism: from these images it is as if certain actions of their heroes and symbols grow. The Caduceus of Hermes - the wand of the supreme adept - is constantly seen in Crowley's deck. He speaks of powers from above, given in order to create.

Synchronization with lasso

Synchronization is a direct interaction with the jester's lasso, often carried out literally in a few seconds. To do this, you just need to look at the map and capture the feeling of its versatility.

Everything will happen in the highest and best way, according to the time that is given to everyone to feel and sense this lasso.

It must be said that when interacting with Crowley’s deck, both positive and destructive lessons are learned in the highest possible way. By plunging into this enchanting experience of the mystical world of Thoreau cards, you can enter the original zero, which is both nothing and everything at the same time... You can go further, you can stop... Of course, as in mastering any business or skill, for a deeper understanding of the arcana and penetration into the mysterious world of the Thoth Tarot cards, appropriate training is required.

To learn one letter of the Hebrew alphabet, perhaps one life will be enough, said Crowley.

What did this man want to say to people in general?..

It is almost impossible to study the Thoth deck, but I think it will be useful for everyone to get some information about it. Even relying on Aleister Crowley’s book “Tarot of Thoth”, it is not always possible to form an individual understanding and feeling about this phenomenon. And no matter how much we want -

People will never be able to fully understand the depth. Unless you stock up on a few lives for this...

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Keywords

Openness, trust, willingness to take risks, courage to stand your ground, freedom, independence, creativity, enormous potential, the ability to make a quantum leap, listening to the voice of the heart.

The Fool is represented by the god of Spring, Dionysus. The color green reminds us of the powerful creative force of Spring. The Crocodile (ancient Egyptian god of creativity) also carries the greatest creative powers.

A long umbilical cord - a connection to cosmic unity - surrounds the Fool with four spirals. The possibility of rebirth is given on all four planes of human existence: spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical. A prerequisite is your willingness to change in all areas, your responsibility for self-development. These four spirals are described as follows:

The first spiral surrounds a heart-shaped heart. It means emotional rebirth, recognition, perception and acceptance of true emotional needs.

The second spiral carries three symbols. Dove represents vulnerability and sensitivity as demands of love for oneself and others. The ability to set boundaries and say “no” in unclear relationships is also needed. Butterfly means transformation (the caterpillar becomes a butterfly). Snakes wrapped around each other (Caduceus) are a symbol of healing and health.

On the third spiral lie two naked children hugging each other. Their presence introduces the world of relationships into the picture. The quality of your relationships with family, friends, business partners and deep emotional connections should be reviewed and re-evaluated. What kind of people do you really want around you?

The fourth spiral is occupied by a tiger and a crocodile. Crocodile encourages the development of creativity in work and career. The rose on it symbolizes the unfolding of creative forces. The crocodile's powerful jaws speak of its endurance and leadership qualities, as well as its ability to work independently and self-sufficiently. It is possible to break through old, worn-out conditioning.

The tiger symbolizes fear (see Princess of Wands). The tiger constantly bites Dionysus, but his gaze remains directed forward. He doesn't pay attention to fear, so it has lost its Power over him. The tiger cannot harm him at all. His unshakable faith in existence allows him to be aware of terrible sensations without being a victim of them. He is liberated, capable of being receptive to the heights of mystical experiences and interpersonal interaction. The main dynamic forces that pull forward are released. It is impossible to contain the impending process of creative unfolding.

The fool holds a bowl with a crystal base in his right hand and a burning torch in his left. These are alchemical symbols (see Card XVI - Art). They show the meeting of opposing forces that creates the energy for a transformation, or quantum leap, to occur. The grapes, a symbol of fertility, are ripe for harvest. White spots on a golden background mean leaf fall (harvest time); falling leaves, digging, letting go, retreating. The coins on the right, engraved with astrological symbols, reflect the overflowing wealth on all planes that comes when you completely let go of the reins of your creative energies to unfold.

The horns worn by Dionysus reflect expanded perception. The rainbow surrounding his head signifies integrity, unity, a bridge between heaven and earth, internal and external. Between his legs is a bunch of flowers, representing the process of transformation. Below, the active aspect (the three flowers on the left symbolize the body, thinking and spirit) connects with the passive aspect, receptivity, the desire to learn. The simple flowers below, when united, give birth to the many-petalled flower above them.

The sun symbolizes the creative and transformational forces released by the melting of basic sexual energy.

Directions

You are ready for a new beginning, perhaps even a quantum leap. Give in, dare to jump, even if fear is trying to hold you back. Believe the voice from the depths of your heart.

Questions

What is the “tiger of fear” for you? How do you imagine this bold leap into the new? What does he look like? Where is your heart calling you?

Offer

Draw other cards for the questions above if the answers are not clear to you.

Statement

I follow my heart now. I am open and ready to go wherever it takes me.

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One of the most popular decks today is the brainchild of the famous occultist and mystifier Aleister Crowley - the Thoth Tarot. The meaning of the cards in this deck differs in many ways from the classics to which Rider-Waite followers are accustomed, however, the cards themselves are filled with such deep symbolism that it would be an unforgivable mistake to ignore their study. The deck has a huge number of fans, but at the same time a large number of haters, just like the controversial personality of the author of the creation. Even if you are not attracted to Crowley's system, it is still worth getting to know. This is exactly what we will do now, and who knows - maybe these unusual cards will replenish your personal collection after our review?

History of the deck

The story of Aleister Crowley's Tarot of Thoth, of course, should begin with a brief biography of the author himself. The name of this unusual person is still shrouded in so many legends that it is sometimes simply impossible to separate real facts from fiction. “Beast 666” - this is what Crowley is often called in the occult community, was born in 1875 into a deeply religious family. However, already in his youth, the future occultist was distinguished by a skeptical view of Christian morality, and from 1897 he became interested in literature on alchemy, magic, and mysticism. In 1898, Crowley joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and from 1900 began to practice ceremonial magic. All adherents of the Order who underwent the initiation ritual were required to draw their own Tarot deck - it was then that the first sketches of the Thoth Tarot cards appeared.

But how did the deck, which is admired by millions of esotericists today, see the light of day? The artist Lady Frieda Harris, who was a member of the secret society of co-Masons, had a huge influence on this. Initially, no one even thought about the creative tandem of Harris and Crowley, however, fate itself decided everything for them. In 1937, Crowley, through his acquaintances, began to look for an artist who would take on the task of redrawing his maps. For some reason, two candidates did not come to the planned meeting, and then Alistair’s friend invited his friend, Frieda Harris. The artist’s meeting with Crowley not only moved the work on the deck off the ground, but also gave it a completely different vector.

The fact is that initially Aleister Crowley’s Tarot of Thoth should have looked like just a redrawing of one of the Golden Dawn decks - this is exactly what Beast 666 wanted to accomplish in a couple of months. But Frieda Harris was so fascinated by the Tarot system that she insisted on creating completely new signature cards from scratch under Crowley's guidance. The occultist himself resisted this for a long time, until the artist offered him a profitable option: she would become his student and pay him for teaching her magic, and at the same time draw new, original images of the Arcana under his strict guidance. As a result, work on the deck took five whole years - from 1938 to 1943.

It’s paradoxical, but true: a full-fledged edition of the deck was published after the death of the authors. During their lifetime, only exhibitions were held with canvases depicting the future Arcana, and about two hundred test copies of cards were produced, printed in two colors: the images of the cards were blue, and the backs were red. The first edition of the full-color deck was published in 1969 by Samuel Weiser. Subsequent editions of the deck were handled by U.S. Games Systems" and "A.G. Muller."

Key features of the deck

Aleister Crowley's Tarot of Thoth has a number of key features. This is a unique tradition that does not overlap with any existing decks. Despite the fact that Crowley himself was an adept of the Golden Dawn, the cards he developed can only be attributed to this school with great reserve. From the classics, the only ones left here are, perhaps, the suits, and even those do not completely repeat the traditional names: we see the usual Wands (Fire), Swords (Air), Cups (Water), and instead of Pentacles - Disks (Earth).

Court cards also do not follow the traditional structure. Crowley's place of Pages was taken by Princesses, the place of Knights by Princes, Kings were replaced by Knights, and only Queens remained in their rightful place. It is precisely this structure of the Tarot “court” that was developed by Mathers, one of the founders of the Order of the Golden Dawn. Crowley believed that it was the correct one, in contrast to that proposed by Waite.

Some Major Arcana of the Thoth Tarot have received different names. Thus, for example, Justice became Regulation, Temperance became Art, Judgment became Aeon, Peace became the Universe, and Strength became Lust. The need for such a replacement is perfectly explained in the Book of Thoth by Aleister Crowley himself. If you wish, you can read more about this replacement.

In terms of the numbering of the Major Arcana, Power (Lust) occupies eleventh place in Crowley's deck, and Regulation (Justice) is in eighth place. The Jester opens the deck and is numbered 0. All other SAs take their traditional places. The Minor Arcana do not have plot details.

Deck symbolism

Firstly, the card images include a variety of alchemical, esoteric, kabbalistic and astrological symbols. Secondly, the color palette of the Arcana was also not chosen by chance: Frieda Harris used a special four-part color scale developed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. There is not a single accident in these cards, and absolutely every little thing has its own meaning: the Arcana background, the figures depicted, the colors, signs, symbols, images. All this together gives a very deep Tarot deck, which needs to be studied thoughtfully and for a long time.

All the Minor Arcana correspond to the decades of the Zodiac signs, the Senior Arcana have their own astrological or elemental correspondences, the Princesses and Aces rule the astrological quadrants - you can read more about all this in the book of the greatest occultist and mystifier. And even the correspondences that are not written on the cards are very easy to calculate, understanding the very system built by the Master. Clear astrological references expand the range of possible meanings of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot cards and allow you to calculate time intervals, which makes predictive work with this deck more convenient, flexible and detailed.

Major Arcana Tarot of Thoth

The interpretation of Crowley's Tarot cards differs significantly from the classics. Let's look at this using the example of three arbitrary cards.

Fool

On the classic map, we usually see a tramp with a bundle on his back, walking towards the edge of a cliff. There is a dog next to him, which either bites his leg, warning him of danger, or accompanies him in this unpredictable adventure. In the Thoth Tarot Gallery the Fool is completely different. He stands with both feet in the air, thereby personifying the air element. The character of the card itself combines several archetypes at once: this is the pagan Green Man, personifying spring, and Parsifal, who set off on a journey for the Holy Grail, and the Egyptian Harpocrates - the god of silence, and Dionysus - the god of inspiration, the forces of nature and ecstasy. On the other hand, the Dove and Butterfly depicted on the card clearly hint that our Fool is none other than the Holy Spirit himself. If we take a closer look, we will see on the map a Tiger biting the Fool’s leg, a Crocodile, a solar disk covering the character’s genitals, spiral turns and many other multi-valued symbols. Do you agree that Crowley's Fool is not at all as simple as the classic one?

Moderation

The next Major Arcana, which I personally completely admire, is Art, which replaced the classical Temperance.

If the classic card has, let’s say, an “angelic spirit,” then in Aleister Crowley’s Tarot of Thoth the fourteenth Arcana is very alchemical and magical. The plot of the Arcana describes the continuation of the story that began in the Lovers card - it depicts the alchemical wedding of two opposites. In Art, we see the merging of the characters of the sixth Arcana into a single androgynous figure. From the woman’s side, a man’s hand is reaching out, and from the man’s side, a woman’s hand. If on the Lovers card the eagle was white and the lion was red, in Art they changed their color: now the lion became white and the eagle red. The androgyne's dress of rich green color is an alchemical symbol of plants and their growth, and the main task of alchemists is to elevate minerals to the level of plant life. The main theme of the plot is the alchemical process in which two opposites are mixed in a cauldron - Fire and Water. A multi-colored glow rises from the cauldron, which becomes the edging of the clothing of the central character. This “rainbow” is the result of the whole process, the same “philosopher’s stone” that alchemists have been trying to create for many years.

Last Judgment

Another completely redesigned Major Arcana that I would like to note is the Aeon, which replaced the Last Judgment.

An aeon is the same as an era. Crowley argued that in 1904 a new era began - the eon of Horus, which replaced the era of Osiris. If the symbol of the era of Osiris was an Angel blowing a trumpet, then the new time should have been reflected on the map with a new illustration. On the twentieth Arcana in Aleister Crowley's Thoth deck, the body of the starry sky goddess Nut is depicted, a fireball symbolizing her husband named Hadit, and the god Horus, represented by his two hypostases: this is the huge child Hor-pa-krat and Ra-Hore-Khut, seated on a throne with a phoenix staff in his hand.

Need I say that none of the Major Arcana in the Thoth Tarot repeats the classical meaning? And if there are parallels, they always have additional symbolism.

Minor Arcana Tarot of Thoth

The Minor Arcana, as I said, are not depicted in the deck, but the striking color palettes, symbolism added by Frieda Harris, as well as astrological correspondences allow you to understand the main meaning of the cards, provided, of course, that you have at least superficially studied Kabbalah and astrology .

Let's look at one card of each suit.

2 of Wands

It would seem that these are just two fire rods (dorje) crossed with each other, but look at the energy that literally bursts out of this card! If we look at the astrological correspondences, we see that the Two of Wands is Mars in Aries. Mars is the ruler of this zodiac sign, which means that the energy of the card is balanced, but at the same time active, strong, and dominant. It’s not for nothing that this card is called Power.

7 Discs, called Failure

The blue-black tones of the map, dried tree branches, lead disks (counterfeit coins) - all this creates a feeling of some kind of hopelessness, withering, rotting, stagnation. And if you take into account the correspondence of the card - Saturn in Taurus - it will immediately become clear that nothing good can be expected with the appearance of this Minor Arcana.

3 of Cups (Abundance)

To make sure that other numerical cards can be read intuitively, let’s take a look at the Three of Cups, whose name is Abundance.

Magnificent cups resembling bunches of grapes are filled with living water from golden buds. The clear surface of the water and the light background of the map clearly indicate stability. Astrological correspondence - Mercury in Cancer. The Sephira corresponding to the card is Binah. It is very “feminine” and symbolizes nourishment, fertility, and understanding. Even without getting into all the astrological and Kabbalistic jungle, from just one drawing of the card it is quite possible to guess what this numerical Arcana means.

For a complete understanding of the numerical cards of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, let's briefly look at the suit of Swords.

9 of Swords (Cruelty)

Nine sharpened daggers, from which drops of blood flow, disturbing geometric wings-pinwheels in the background, drops of poison flowing down the wall - the picture, even at first glance, is very unpleasant. And if we remember that Swords is the mind, the Kabbalistic sephira of the card is the most conflicting Yesod, and Mars in Gemini is a complete nightmare, then we will immediately guess that the meaning of the card will be directly related to primitive unconscious instincts, sadism, psychopathy and fanaticism.

Court cards of the Thoth Tarot

The Court cards in Aleister Crowley's deck are excellent examples of sixteen socionic personality types. You can read more about this on forums dedicated to the study and development of the Thoth Tarot. Of course, in addition to the character and behavior of a person, these cards can describe events, but the main emphasis is placed on a certain typology and hexagrams of the eastern teachings of the I Ching - in the book of Crowley himself you can learn more about this correspondence.

It is enough just to look closely at the images of Princesses, Princes, Knights and Queens to understand how accurately the elements and personality type are conveyed in the illustrations of the talented Lady Harris.

Fiery, impulsive, creative, sexy Wands

Sensual, romantic, understanding, dreamy, with excellent intuition Cups

Witty, intellectually developed, logical, calculating, and sometimes conflicting Swords

Practical, concerned with earthly affairs, hardworking Disks

What an amazing royal court!

Features of the interpretation of Thoth Tarot cards

As I already said, classical interpretations will not be suitable for the deck of the great mystifier - the meanings of most cards are very different from the traditional interpretation. And another important difference is the absence of inverted cards. Each Arcana can show its “shadow side”, but it needs to be identified solely by neighboring cards and the general mood of the layout. This is why the deck is considered difficult for beginners.

What questions is the deck suitable for addressing?

Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot is a universal deck, so absolutely any questions can be considered on it. Another thing is that she sometimes “answers” ​​in such detail that it becomes simply surprising.

Who is the card data suitable for?

Aleister Crowley's Tarot cards are definitely worth purchasing for those who prefer thoughtful design of the deck, and also love to delve into all sorts of correspondences. The deck is simply a “must have” for those who engage not only in fortune telling, but also in magical rituals, as well as for all students of astrology, Kabbalah, and other esoteric sciences. Beginners who want to “quickly” learn the maps and start working right away will find it a bit difficult. However, if you are not in a hurry and want to get a universal, multi-faceted working tool, you can start with it.

Literature to familiarize yourself with the deck

I personally recommend not even opening the MBK that comes with the deck, and also leaving aside all books on this deck, except those authored by Oleg Telemsky and Lon Milo Duquette. If you decide to buy the Tarot of Thoth, immediately purchase a manual for it from the greatest beast called “The Book of Thoth”, the best translation is Anna Blaze. By the way, the translator’s LiveJournal also contains a whole storehouse of useful materials on the topic. In a word, study - and over time you will understand how amazing the cards are in your hands.