 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(March 2024) |
| Part of a series on |
| Thelema |
|---|
 |
Thoth Tarot is an esoteric tarot deck painted by Lady Frieda Harris according to instructions from Aleister Crowley. Crowley referred to this deck as The Book of Thoth, and also wrote a 1944 book of that title intended for use with the deck.
Crowley originally intended the Thoth deck to be a six-month project aimed at updating the traditional pictorial symbolism of the tarot. However, due to increased scope, the project eventually spanned five years, between 1938 and 1943.[ citation needed ]
The illustrations of the deck feature symbolism based upon Crowley's incorporation of imagery from many disparate disciplines, including science and philosophy and various occult systems (as described in detail in his The Book of Thoth). [1]
Crowley renamed several of the trumps compared to earlier arrangements, and also re-arranged the numerical, astrological and Hebrew alphabet correspondences of 4 trumps compared to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's inner order deck in accordance with the Tarot of Marseilles, his 1904 book The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis) and its "New Commentary." [2] In the "New Commentary" and The Book of Thoth, Crowley demonstrates that his trump arrangement forms a double loop in the zodiac-number and letter-number correspondences compared to the Golden Dawn deck, where there is no loop. [1]
All these old letters of my Book are aright; but צ is not the Star. [3]
Tzaddi is the letter of The Emperor, the Trump IV, and He is the Star, the Trump XVII. Aquarius and Aries are therefore counterchanged, revolving on the pivot of Pisces, just as, in the Trumps VIII and XI, Leo and Libra do about Virgo. This last revelation makes our Tarot attributions sublimely, perfectly, flawlessly symmetrical. [2]
For The Star is referred to Aquarius in the Zodiac, and The Emperor to Aries. Now Aries and Aquarius are on each side of Pisces, just as Leo and Libra are on each side of Virgo; that is to say, the correction in the Book of the Law gives a perfect symmetry in the zodiacal attribution, just as if a loop were formed at one end of the ellipse to correspond exactly with the existing loop at the other end. [4]
| Number | Sign | Letter | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| IV | Aquarius | Tzaddi | The Emperor |
| VIII | Libra | Lamed | Adjustment |
| XI | Leo | Tet | Lust |
| XVII | Aries | Heh | The Star |
| Rider–Waite card | Thoth equivalent |
|---|---|
| I: The Magician | I: The Magus |
| II: The High Priestess | II: The Priestess |
| VIII: Strength | XI: Lust |
| X: Wheel of Fortune | X: Fortune |
| XI: Justice | VIII: Adjustment |
| XIV: Temperance | XIV: Art |
| XX: Judgement | XX: The Æon |
| XXI: The World | XXI: The Universe |
Crowley accepted the Golden Dawn's changed names of all the court cards which can cause some confusion for people used to the more common decks. Specially since he changed the structure of the court cards, while each of the places retains much of the original meanings, there are subtle differences. The typical corresponding names are as follows: [5]
| Traditional Court Card Name | Thoth Deck Court Card Name |
|---|---|
| King | Knight |
| Queen | Queen |
| Knight | Prince |
| Page | Princess |
| Number | Sign | Decan | Ruler of Decan | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Root of the Powers of Fire | |||
| 2 | Aries | 1st | Mars | Dominion |
| 3 | Aries | 2nd | Sun | Virtue |
| 4 | Aries | 3rd | Venus | Completion |
| 5 | Leo | 1st | Saturn | Strife |
| 6 | Leo | 2nd | Jupiter | Victory |
| 7 | Leo | 3rd | Mars | Valour |
| 8 | Sagittarius | 1st | Mercury | Swiftness |
| 9 | Sagittarius | 2nd | Moon | Strength |
| 10 | Sagittarius | 3rd | Saturn | Oppression |
| Number | Sign | Decan | Ruler of Decan | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Root of the Powers of Water | |||
| 2 | Cancer | 1st | Venus | Love |
| 3 | Cancer | 2nd | Mercury | Abundance |
| 4 | Cancer | 3rd | Moon | Luxury |
| 5 | Scorpio | 1st | Mars | Disappointment |
| 6 | Scorpio | 2nd | Sun | Pleasure |
| 7 | Scorpio | 3rd | Venus | Debauch |
| 8 | Pisces | 1st | Saturn | Indolence |
| 9 | Pisces | 2nd | Jupiter | Happiness |
| 10 | Pisces | 3rd | Mars | Satiety |
| Number | Sign | Decan | Ruler of Decan | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Root of the Powers of Air | |||
| 2 | Libra | 1st | Moon | Peace |
| 3 | Libra | 2nd | Saturn | Sorrow |
| 4 | Libra | 3rd | Jupiter | Truce |
| 5 | Aquarius | 1st | Venus | Defeat |
| 6 | Aquarius | 2nd | Mercury | Science |
| 7 | Aquarius | 3rd | Moon | Futility |
| 8 | Gemini | 1st | Jupiter | Interference |
| 9 | Gemini | 2nd | Mars | Cruelty |
| 10 | Gemini | 3rd | Sun | Ruin |
| Number | Sign | Decan | Ruler of Decan | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Root of the Powers of Earth | |||
| 2 | Capricorn | 1st | Jupiter | Change |
| 3 | Capricorn | 2nd | Mars | Works |
| 4 | Capricorn | 3rd | Sun | Power |
| 5 | Taurus | 1st | Mercury | Worry |
| 6 | Taurus | 2nd | Moon | Success |
| 7 | Taurus | 3rd | Saturn | Failure |
| 8 | Virgo | 1st | Sun | Prudence |
| 9 | Virgo | 2nd | Venus | Gain |
| 10 | Virgo | 3rd | Mercury | Wealth |
Harris' renditions of the tarot are on watercolor paper affixed to a thick backing; the acidity of the backing, according to a report from 2006, resulted in discoloration of borders, and to some extent, the paintings themselves. The paintings also required cleaning and the repair of small tears. [6] A conservation plan called for cleaning the surfaces, the removal of backing (while retaining original inscriptions), reuse of the hand-painted window mats, and replacement of overlays with acid-free, museum-quality paper. The project was completed in 2011. [6] The paintings are owned by the Warburg Institute; work was completed by the Institute's in-house specialist, Susan Campion.
Tarot is a pack of playing cards, used from at least the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play card games such as Tarocchini. From their Italian roots, tarot-playing cards spread to most of Europe, evolving into a family of games that includes German Grosstarok and modern games such as French Tarot and Austrian Königrufen. In the late 18th century French occultists made elaborate, but unsubstantiated, claims about their history and meaning, leading to the emergence of custom decks for use in divination via tarot card reading and cartomancy. Thus, there are two distinct types of tarot packs in circulation: those used for card games and those used for divination. However, some older patterns, such as the Tarot de Marseille, originally intended for playing card games, are occasionally used for cartomancy.
The Major Arcana are the named or numbered cards in a cartomantic tarot pack, the name being originally given by occultists to the trump cards of a normal tarot pack used for playing card games. There are usually 22 such cards in a standard 78-card pack, typically numbered from 0 to 21. The name is not used by tarot card game players.
Death (XIII) is the 13th trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional tarot decks. It is used in tarot card games as well as in divination. The card typically depicts the Grim Reaper, and when used for divination is often interpreted as signifying major changes in a person's life.
Astrology has used the concept of classical elements from antiquity up until the present. In Western astrology and Sidereal astrology four elements are used: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water.
Justice is a Major Arcana tarot card, numbered either VIII or XI, depending on the deck. This card is used in game playing as well as in divination.
The World (XXI) is the 21st trump or Major Arcana card in the tarot deck. It can be incorporated as the final card of the Major Arcana or tarot trump sequence (the first or last optioned as being "The Fool" (0). It is associated with the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet, 'Tau', also spelled 'Tav' or 'Taw'.
In astrology, a triplicity is a group of three signs belonging to the same element.
The Tarot of Marseilles is a standard pattern of Italian-suited tarot pack with 78 cards that was very popular in France in the 17th and 18th centuries for playing tarot card games and is still produced today. It was probably created in Milan before spreading to much of France, Switzerland and Northern Italy. The name is sometimes spelt Tarot of Marseille, but the name recommended by the International Playing-Card Society is Tarot de Marseille, although it accepts the two English names as alternatives. It was the pack which led to the occult use of tarot cards, although today dedicated decks are produced for this purpose.
Marguerite Frieda Harris, Lady Harris, referred to, by her own insistence, as Lady Frieda Harris, was an English artist and, in later life, an associate of the occultist Aleister Crowley. She is best known for her design of Crowley's Thoth tarot deck.
Minchiate is an early 16th-century card game, originating in Florence, Italy. It is no longer widely played. Minchiate can also refer to the special deck of 97 playing cards used in the game. The deck is closely related to the tarot cards, but contains an expanded suit of trumps. The game was similar to but more complex than tarocchi. The minchiate represents a Florentine variant on the original game.
Zodiac is the name of different groups of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Aleister Crowley was an English writer, not only on the topic of Thelema and magick, but also on philosophy, politics, and culture. He was a published poet and playwright and left behind many personal letters and daily journal entries. Most of Aleister Crowley's published works entered the public domain in 2018.
The Book of Thoth: A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians is the title of The Equinox, volume III, number 5, by English author and occultist Aleister Crowley. The publication date is recorded as the vernal equinox of 1944 and was originally published in an edition limited to 200 numbered and signed copies.
Hermetic Qabalah is a Western esoteric tradition involving mysticism and the occult. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Golden Dawn, has inspired esoteric Masonic organizations such as the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, is a key element within the Thelemic orders, and is important to mystical-religious societies such as the Builders of the Adytum and the Fellowship of the Rosy Cross.
The suit of wands is one of four suits in tarot, collectively known as the Minor Arcana. Like the other tarot suits, the suit of wands contains fourteen cards: ace (one), two through ten, page and knight, queen and king. When Tarot cards are to play Tarot card games, where wands corresponds to the suit of batons. Tarot cards came to be utilized for divinatory purposes by esotericists such as Eliphas Levi and were regularized into the divinatory form most known today by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Rider–Waite Tarot, created by a Golden Dawn member.
Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy whereby practitioners use tarot cards to purportedly gain insight into the past, present or future. They formulate a question, then draw cards to interpret them for this end. A traditional tarot deck consists of 78 cards, which can be split into two groups, the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. French-suited playing cards can also be used; as can any card system with suits assigned to identifiable elements.
James Wasserman was an American writer and occultist. A member of Ordo Templi Orientis since 1976 and a book designer by trade, he wrote extensively on spiritual and political liberty.
U.S. Games Systems, Inc. (USGS) is a publisher of playing cards, tarot cards, and games located in Stamford, Connecticut. Founded in 1968 by Stuart R. Kaplan, it has published hundreds of different card sets, and about 20 new titles are released annually. The company's product line includes children's card games, museum products, educational cards, motivational cards, tarot cards, and fortune telling decks. These are marketed through a network of retailers, including bookstores, museum gift shops, metaphysical shops, greeting card stores; toy and game stores; hobby shops, and mail order catalogs.
The Book of Thoth can be one of multiple books discussed in the article linked in this sentence. The term may also refer to:
Greta Valentine born Greta Mary Sequeira (1907-1998). She became a muse to the painter Lamorna Birch and an obsession of Aleister Crowley. She married Birch's patron, Ranald Valentine, who was a printer in Dundee.
| Occultists | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Arcana numbered cards |
| ||||||||
| Minor Arcana suit cards |
| ||||||||
| Decks | |||||||||
| Related | |||||||||
